From the Old Master Beneath the Rafters to Another Presidential Portrait Debacle: The Best and Worst of the Art World This Week

Catch up on this week's news—fast.

William Quigley's painting of Donald Trump. Image courtesy of William Quigley.

BEST?

Plan B Saves the Day – In a surprise move, dealer David Zwirner and art collector Peter Hort have offered an alternative venue for displaced galleries meant to show at Volta.

Zehra Doğan Is Finally Free – The artist and journalist served nearly three years in a Turkish prison; she was arrested because a watercolor she made in 2017 was considered negative propaganda by the government.

Hockney’s Hero – The beloved British artist David Hockney has his colorful paintings on view alongside works by one of his idols, Vincent Van Gogh, at a new museum show in Amsterdam.

Old Master in the Attic – A surprise discovery of a what some experts believe is a lost painting by Caravaggio is now headed to the auction block, where it could fetch as much as $171 million.

Whitney’s List – The artist list for the upcoming Whitney Biennial was released, featuring 75 contemporary artists—minus one who declined the invitation in protest of a museum board member’s ties to a teargas manufacturer.

Basquiat Comes Home – The newly renovated Brant Foundation opens with a massive exhibition of work by the world-famous Jean-Michel Basquiat, who lived and worked in the foundation’s East Village neighborhood before his death at 27.

Sotheby’s Plans a Makeover – The auction house is planning a revamp of its Upper East Side headquarters to the tune of $55 million, which will add more than 90,000 square feet of gallery space, plus a revamped lobby, and more bells and whistles over the next year.

Beverly Pepper Is Setting the Record Straight – At age 96, the artist is still in the spotlight—and reminding the world that she was the first artist to use Cor-ten steel, though the minimalist giant Richard Serra is best known for championing it.

WORST?

Mary Boone Gallery to Close – The art dealer announced that her eponymous gallery would close when she reports to prison, where she will serve a 30-month sentence for tax fraud starting this spring.

Volta’s Voided Plans – The art fair’s abrupt cancellation has had a devastating effect on up to 70 galleries from around the world, who are now scrambling to make up the costs.

Cohen Spills Details of Another Trump Painting – The former “fixer” for President Trump revealed details of yet another instance when Trump conspired to inflate the price of a portrait made in his likeness. This one was sold at auction in the Hamptons and paid for with money from his foundation.

Mummy Dearest Now Detained – At an airport in Cairo, officials discovered a mummy’s limbs hidden inside of a loudspeaker that was due to be shipped to Belgium.


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