From Hong Kong’s KAWS for Commotion to the Death of Agnès Varda: The Best and Worst of the Art World This Week

Catch up on this week's news—fast.

KAWS's Holiday in Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong. Photo Credit: © All Rights Reserved.

BEST?

KAWS for Commotion – Selfie-seekers queued up in Hong Kong to take photos with a giant inflatable sculpture at the outset of Art Basel, proving that the KAWS effect is still going strong.

From Conde Nast to Christie’s – The late magazine magnate S.I. Newhouse’s collection will be auctioned off at Christie’s this May, and includes major works by Warhol and Cezanne, plus a Jeff Koons rabbit that may set an record proce for the artist.

Jonas Wood Gets Candid – On the occasion of his first museum survey in Dallas, the artist spoke with artnet News’s Pac Pobric about the highs and lows of working within the gallery system, why he doesn’t pander to collectors, and how he slogs through the criticism.

Van Gogh Vindicated – A still life thought to have been painted by van Gogh has gotten the official seal of approval, after x-rays revealed an under-painting of the artist himself.

Sex Sells at Tate Modern – German artist Anne Imhof’s latest commission is a disquieting, though mega-popular new performance attraction at the museum.

The Best of Basel – In case you didn’t make it to Hong Kong for the 7th edition of Art Basel, catch up with our editor-in-chief’s rundown of five works everyone was talking about at the fair.

Three Vincents – In Part IV of A History of Artist Biopics, we look at three very different films about everyone’s favorite Post-Impressionist, Vincent van Gogh.

 

WORST?

Remembering Agnès Varda – The artist, who died at age 90, was a pioneer of France’s New Wave cinema, and recently collaborated with street artist JR for the 2017 documentary Moments: Faces of a Journey.

Sacklers Suspend Philanthropy – The Sackler family has decided to temporarily halt all philanthropic giving in the wake of a major backlash against their ties to the opioid crisis.

Kazakhstan’s Pavilion Quashed – Plans for the country’s first-ever entry to the Venice Biennale have been unceremoniously cancelled, leaving artists and organizers in the lurch.

‘Socialite Scammer’ Faces Trial – The smooth talking Anna Delvey is on trial in New York for her alleged con of the upper echelons of the fashion and art industry.

Banksy Takes Aim at Brexit – A painting by street artist Banksy that shows British MP’s as chimpanzees has been reinstalled at the Bristol museum in honor of “Brexit Day,” when the UK was originally intended to leave the European Union.


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