The Best and Worst of the Art World This Week in One Minute

BEST
Kenny Schachter went behind the scenes at the New York auctions and gave us plenty of bon mots like, “greed knows no bounds.”

Cate Blanchett stars in Julian Rosefeldt‘s upcoming exhibition at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image.

It was announced that Francis Bacon: Catalogue Raisonné, the most complete index of the artist’s work published since 1964, will be released in 2016, revealing over 100 never-before-seen artworks.

Ben Davis chose his picks for the 20 best New York gallery shows of 2015, including Alex Da Corte, Adrián Villar Rojas, and Trevor Paglen.

We published an exclusive video interview with Simon and Michaela de Pury, in which they address why auction guarantees are here to stay.

Amedeo Modigliani, Nu couché, 1917–18.
Courtesy Christie’s New York.

WORST
Michele Gutierrez, financial director at San Francisco’s de Young museum, was reportedly fired after blowing the whistle on board president Dede Wilsey over a $450,000 payment, unapproved by the board, to a former staffer.

The art world reacted to devastating terrorist attacks in Paris, which claimed a German critic and a French artist.

Filippo Nogarin, mayor of Modigliani‘s hometown, called the record-shattering $170 million sale of Nu couché a “missed opportunity” for Italy.

Sotheby’s is said to be offering employees voluntary buyouts in an attempt to cut costs. But if not enough volunteers choose to opt out, the tide may soon turn to layoffs.

Switzerland‘s tough new stance on freeports is bad news for the art market.