Art World
From the Whitney Biennial Opening to an Alleged Ice Cream-Themed NFT Scam: The Best & Worst of the Art World This Week
Catch up on this week's news, fast.
BEST?
Gagosian Now Accepts Bitcoin – Mega-gallery Gagosian is finally getting in on the crypto game after lagging behind other outfits, and will accept crypto money as payment.<
Robot Dog Takes Pompeii – Boston Dynamics’s four-legged robot Spot was dispatched to patrol the ancient ruins and seek out structural and security issues.
Moon Dust Heads to Auction – The first-ever sample of moon dust collected by astronauts on Apollo 11 is hitting the auction block years after NASA tried to block the sale.
Anonymous Was a Woman Expands Grants – The organization is expanding its grant-giving with $250,000 earmarked for environmental projects.
Koons Looks to the Moon – The world’s most expensive living artist has his sights set on outer space for his first NFT drop.
Mr. Darcy’s Shirt Memorialized – The famous puffy white shirt donned by the beloved Pride and Prejudice character is going on view at the Jane Austen House in England.
British Museum Banishes Sackler Name – The British Museum has dropped the disgraced philanthropic family’s name from its galleries.
Qatar Announces Three New Museums – The country is beefing up its already beefy culture sphere with museums dedicated to modern and contemporary art, Orientalist art, and automobiles.
Burning Man Artist Builds COVID Memorial Temple – David Best is constructing a massive temple in England that will be ceremonially burned.
Christie’s Lands Coveted Trove – The auction house will sell the late philanthropist Anne Bass’s collection this May.
The WhiBi at a Glance – We’ve broken down the roster of exhibitors at the 2022 biennial into three easily digestible charts, and you can preview the sprawling, soon-to-open exhibition in pictures.
Warhol Case Heads to Supreme Court – The country’s highest court will decide if Andy Warhol violated a photographer’s copyright by using her image of rock star Prince for an artwork.
WORST?
Authorities Nab NFT-Peddling Collectors – Police arrested two 20-year-olds who allegedly bilked collectors out of $1 million by hawking ice cream-themed NFTs.
Christie’s Pulls Antiquities Ahead of Sale – The auction house hurriedly withdrew two lots from an antiquities sale after an archaeologist tied them to an individual with links to illicit looting.
Whitney Staff Protest Party – At the glitzy opening of the Whitney Biennial, unionized staff members staged a demonstration calling for a new contract with living wages.
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