The Rise of Millennial Art Collectors to the Epic Conservation Calamity in Spain: The Best and Worst of the Art World This Week

Catch up on this week's news—fast.

A young collector at the Frieze New York art fair. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Soho House)

BEST?

Gaga for Gago Mago  Richard Polsky analyzes the evolution of art publishing, from the demise of Interview to the rise of Gagosian Quarterly, the glossy advertorial magazine from the uber-dealer.

The Frick Moves Forward – The Frick Collection cleared a major hurdle this week when, despite public protests, the museum got the green light to move ahead with its multimillion-dollar expansion.

Christ Heads to the Desert – The “last Leonardo,” Salvator Mundi is now bound for the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The record-shattering painting has been the subject of rumors since its purchase last year, and it’s arrival at the Mideast museum is confirmed for September.

Zwirner Adds Audio to Visuals – To celebrate its 25th anniversary, David Zwirner Gallery has partnered with Slate to produce a star-studded podcast, with a roster to rival any high-profile panel.

Risk Begets Reward in Baltimore – The Baltimore Museum opted to swap a cache of paintings by white male artists last month in a risky move to diversify, and now they’ve added major holdings by Jack Whitten, Julien Isaac, and Amy Sherald.

A Changing Landscape of Art Collectors  Women and millennials are starting to get into the art collecting game in earnest, according to a new study from the US Trust—and while the current demographics skew toward an older generation comprised mostly of men, there is a sea change afoot.

WORST? 

Remembering David Goldblatt  The South African photographer died this week at 87 after a storied career documenting the horrors of apartheid in his country, creating international awareness of those who suffered.

Cheim & Read Closes Up Shop – After two decades, the stalwart New York art dealers are pivoting toward private sales, and moving away from their traditional Chelsea gallery setup to an appointment-only business uptown.

Spain’s Conservation Calamity – A new restoration fail is lighting up social media after a local art teacher tried her hand at restoring a 500-year-old sculpture of Saint George.

Breaking Down the Blockchain – artnet News’s Tim Schneider draws back the veil on one company’s claim to “democratize” the art market using block chain technology.

SFMoMA Avoids the Wrath of PETA  Following the onslaught of criticism that dogged (cough) the Guggenheim’s China show last year, SFMoMA has opted out of showing the animal-based artworks, keeping activists at bay.


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