BEST?

Sotheby’s Fetes Queen Elizabeth – The auction house is mounting a dedicated program of British art and objects to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee.

Greek Mega-Collector Makes Huge Donation – Dimitris Daskalopoulos just gave over 350 artworks to four museums in three different countries.

Artist Helps Police Nab Suspected NYC Shooter – Lee Vasu, a portrait painter and gallery owner, used his keen artist’s eye to spot the suspect and immediately alerted authorities.

Is Japan’s Former Princess Working at the Met? – Princess Mako’s newest gig is reported to be volunteering in the Metropolitan Museum’s Asian Art department, where she contributed an essay on a hanging scroll.

Toledo Museum to Deaccession Impressionist Works – The museum is divesting itself of a Cézanne, a Matisse, and a Renoir that together could fetch more than $60 million at Sotheby’s.

See Inside NYC’s Basquiat Blockbuster – The family of the late artist has organized a major exhibition that aims to reveal his many facets, through unseen works, ephemera, and re-creations of his childhood home and studio.

One Person’s Trash Is Actually Treasure – A man discovered some interesting-looking work in a Dumpster, and it turned out to be a cache of art by the Abstract Expressionist Francis Hines that could fetch a fortune.

Turner Prize Names Shortlist Artists – The Turner Prize jury has named the four artists, including three women and one non-binary artist, who made its shortlist for the prestigious award.

Louise Bourgeois Spider Sculpture Hits the Block – A seven-foot-tall wall-mounted spider could become the most expensive sculpture sold in Asia, with an estimate of $15 million to $20 million coming up at Sotheby’s Hong Kong.

Glasgow Makes Major Restitution – Museums in Glasgow will return 17 Benin bronzes, the largest restitution of cultural objects in the country’s history.

The Apes Are Coming for the Art Market – The latest issue of Artnet’s Intelligence Report is here, with analyses of the burgeoning market for fractional art ownership, DAOs—and, of course, a data dive into the top auction lots of the last year.

WORST?

Namibia Nixes Venice Biennale Pavilion One Week Ahead of Opening – The underwriters of the pavilion have pulled out and the ministry of culture is criticizing the misrepresentation of the country’s art and culture scene.

Sale of Jack Dorsey’s Tweet NFT Flops – A crypto-collector tried to flip his NFT purchase of the first-ever tweet, but found no immediate takers.

An Artist’s Unauthorized Mural Lands Him in Hot Water – A Spanish artist’s DIY mural in a historic chapel has angered authorities and drawn comparisons to the infamous “Beast Jesus.”

California Feels the Pandemic Pain in Cultural Sector – A new report from Otis College reveals the disparate effects of the pandemic and which sectors were hit hardest in California’s creative economy.

Paintings Will Remain in France – Although the famed Morozov Collection is no longer on view in Paris, French authorities announced they will hold two paintings, including one belonging to a Russian oligarch subject to European Union sanctions.