BEST?
Damien’s Top Dollar – British artist Damien Hirst once again made the Sunday Times “Rich List,” with a net-worth of £315 million ($384 million).
Sotheby’s Snags a Trove – The auction house will offer works from the sterling collection of the late Denver philanthropist Ginny Williams in a sale expected to fetch up to $50 million.
Let’s Gogh! – An exhibition in Toronto features floor-to-ceiling projections of Van Gogh paintings in an immersive experience that you can drive through.
Fashion Steps Up – Creative directors at the world’s largest fashion labels are pivoting to collaborate with artists and emerging designers who are struggling amid the global pandemic.
Meditations on the Future – UCCA Center for Contemporary Art director Phil Tinari called into the Art Angle podcast to discuss the new normal, as he reopens the museum in Beijing.
Dalí Daddy Drama – The psychic who claimed to be Salvador Dalí’s daughter must pay for the costs of exhuming his body, which incidentally proved he was not her father.
MFA Houston Moves Forward – The Texas museum is the first major American art institution to reopen since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic; the San Antonio Museum of Art will follow suit a week later.
WORST?
Remembering Susan Rothenberg – The New York-born artist died at the age of 75, after a career marked by a focus on figuration.
Survey Says… – A new report says that cultural organizations stand to lose $6.8 billion year-over-year, or 26 percent of operating costs on average.
Venice Biennale Pushed – In a major shift for the high-profile art exhibition, the Venice Biennale has been moved from next year to 2022.
No Met This Summer – The Metropolitan Museum of Art will officially be closed until at least mid-August, and has cancelled all its live events, including the Met Gala.
Looted Antiquities at Hobby Lobby – The family behind Hobby Lobby and the Museum of the Bible are suing Christie’s for selling them an ancient tablet that was stolen from Iraq.
Viewing Room Doom – The initial excitement over online art events is wearing thin, as an onslaught of viewing rooms, emails, and virtual meetings continues (God help us all).
Step Away from The Scream – Adoring fans of Edvard Munch’s The Scream are actually hurting it, according to a new report, which says human breath is destroying the artwork.
Night at the Museum – A German student broke into the Australian Natural History Museum to take selfies with dinosaur skeletons and steal an artwork, though authorities quickly tracked him down.
Portrait in Peril – Trump is not hosting the Obamas for the unveiling of their official portraits at the White House, breaking with decades of tradition.