BEST?
Read the Latest Intelligence Report – Artnet’s Spring 2021 Intelligence report features auction house upheaval, a profile on Robert Nava, and an inside look at the burgeoning experience economy.
Scottish University Returns a Benin Bronze – The first Western institution to fully repatriate a Benin Bronze is being hailed as a major victory by restitution activists.
Rains Unearth an Offering to the Gods – A 3,000-year-old bronze bull figurine was discovered in Greece after heavy rains hit the ancient Olympic site.
Newfields Makes a New Plan – Newfields has released an extensive DEAI plan for its future after a racism scandal rocked the museum and forced the director out.
The Ghent Beefs Up Security – One of the world’s most frequently stolen artworks, the Ghent Altarpiece, now has a $35 million high-tech display case.
Banksy Makes Bank – A work that the anonymous street artist bequeathed to the NHS during the pandemic brought in millions at Christie’s.
Another Museum Drops Sackler Name – The formerly named Serpentine Sackler Gallery is ditching the infamous family’s name, but says it’s just a rebranding effort.
Van Gogh Posthumously Supported His Sister – New letters reveal that proceeds from the artist’s paintings helped pay for his sister’s mental health treatment.
WORST?
The People Behind Beeple – The crypto capitalists who bought Beeple’s $69 million work unleashed a manifesto detailing the reasons behind their purchase.
A Mega Painting Fetches Millions – Artist Sacha Jafri sold the world’s largest painting for a staggering $62 million to a crypto entrepreneur.
Bourriaud Booted from French Museum – The art philosopher Nicolas Bourriaud was ousted from the museum he founded after a dramatic board meeting.
Santiago Sierra’s Bloody Project Axed – The artist’s plan to soak the British Flag in indigenous peoples’ blood was cancelled after public outcry.
The Beeple Museum Is a Money Trap – Artnet News’s Ben Davis visited the digital museum, and was not surprised to find it lacked artistic merit.