From Hollywood Haunting the Art World to a Dastardly Dealer: The Best and Worst of the Art World This Week

Catch up on this weeks' news, fast.

A scene from Velvet Buzzsaw.

BEST?

Picasso, Baby – The Las Vegas auction of Steve Wynn’s Picasso collection netted more than $100 million for Sotheby’s.

Mummy Discovery Could Rewrite History – A new National Geographic docuseries reveals that ancient Egyptians had developed highly technical methods of embalming 1,000 years earlier than previously thought.

Beeple’s People – The NFT tastemaker is returning to Christie’s to debut a physical artwork estimated to sell for $15 million.

Eames Era – An Eames-designed cabinet originally purchased for $100 just set an auction record.

Why Hollywood Is Haunting the Art World – On this week’s Art Angle podcast, Taylor Dafoe explains why so many recent films are set in the contemporary art world.

The Met Looks Inward – After new information arose, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is reviewing 45 antiquities that officials in Cambodia believe were stolen.

Caravaggio Ceiling For Sale – The only mural the Italian artist painted is hitting the auction block…along with the house in which it was created.

Shock Rock & Roll – Musician Alice Cooper reveals how Surrealist art informed his awe-inducing aesthetic, and inspired Andy Warhol along the way.

The V&A Returns a Vase – The London museum has restituted a 4,250-year-old golden ewer to Turkey after tracing its ties to illegal looting.

WORST?

Venice Is (Really) Sinking – Ahead of this weekend’s U.N. climate conference, activists handed a letter to Italy’s prime minister warning of the dire effects.

Dastardly Art Dealer’s Crimes Exposed – Andrew Valmorbida’s extensive crimes and dishonest dealings were detailed in publicly released court documents.

A-Drift at the Shed? – Design collective Drift’s art installations sure are beautiful in their big show at the Shed—but what do they have to do with raising environmental consciousness?

Do’s and Docents – The Art Institute of Chicago dismissed a group of well-heeled volunteers, inciting a maelstrom among right-wing media outlets.

Faux Warhols Flood the Market – The artist group MSCHF is selling 999 replica Warhol drawings alongside the genuine article.