BEST👍

The Crypto Craze Rages On – An NFT work by Beeple sold for $6.6 million, while bidding for the artist’s work Everydays skyrocketed up to $2.3 million at Christie’s—and the sale doesn’t close for two weeks.

A Salvador Dalí Discovery – It turns out that the Surrealist was using scientific methods to create his ghostly rendition of the Last Supper.

WTF, More NFTS? – Artist and raconteur Kenny Schacter reports from inside the NFT frenzy, and a designer sold $450,000 worth of “imaginary furniture” in less than 10 minutes.

A Secret on The Scream – Researchers have solved the mystery of an ominous inscription on Edvard Munch’s famous painting.

Remembering Breonna Taylor – The Speed Art Museum in Louisville is staging an exhibition about the Louisville native, a year after her death.

An Ancient Kangaroo – Scientists discovered Australia’s oldest rock art in the form of a (very realistic) painting of a kangaroo.

Mega Collection Hits the Block – Works from Texas oil heiress Anne Marion’s collection will hit the auction block at Sotheby’s this spring.

Catnip to Collectors – Riding the recent blockchain bonanza, a Nyan Cat NFT sold for nearly $600,000 at a Nifty Gateway auction.

Frieze Issues Its Art Award – The artist, poet, and chef Precious Okoyomon won the 2021 prize, which comes with a $30,000 commission and a solo presentation in New York.

Rare Van Gogh Comes to Market – A Vincent Van Gogh landscape that’s never been shown in public is heading to auction, where it could fetch $10 million.

New Deal Nostalgia Won’t Save Us – With the struggling art world looking to the history of Roosevelt’s New Deal art projects as a model, Ben Davis looks for lessons in the actual history of art in the Great Depression.

Black Art History – As part of a series for Black History Month, Folasade Ologundudu talked to art historians Bridget R. Cooks and Darby English about current debates in the field about representation.

WORST👎

‘Charging Bull’ Sculptor Dies at 80 – Arturo Di Modica, a sculptor made famous by his iconic sculpture of a bull installed at Wall Street, died just weeks after his 80th birthday.

Cities Lose Arts Jobs – A new study released this week reports that New York City lost two-thirds of its arts and entertainment jobs in 2020. California also saw severe losses, indicating similar trends around the US.

The Whitney Axes More Staffers – The New York museum laid off more than a dozen employees as it continues to suffer from financial setbacks.

Capitol Damage Costs – Curators of the US Capitol Art Collection say that they require $25,000 to repair works damaged during the January insurrection.

Jeff Koons Found Guilty – The serial appropriator was found guilty of copyright infringement, and will have to pay a higher fine than the earlier court ruled.

Twitter Hates Juergen Teller’s Shoot – Social media commentators were quick to criticize fashion photog Juergen Teller’s new shoot for W magazine, frequently calling them “lazy.”

England Museums Stay Closed – Museums must stay closed for another three months, while galleries can open in April, according to prime minister Boris Johnson’s reopening plan.