BEST?
Data Discoveries: artnet Intelligence Report – artnet News and the artnet Price Database have joined forces to yield a comprehensive analysis of the biggest trends in the marketplace, offering insights on the outbreak of Zombie Formalism, exposing the myths of the Chinese art market, and taking a magnifying glass to the career arcs of two female artists.
Meet the ‘Genius’ Artists Who Won MacArthur Grants – Among the list of 25 grantees are three artists: a storied artist-activist, a painter whose work has graced the cover of ‘TIME,’ and a filmmaker focused on queer communities of color.
Rose McGowan Meets Mary Kelly – Actress and activist Rose McGowan was just one of the collectors who told us what she liked at Frieze in London this week. Specifically, she liked the work of feminist art great Mary Kelly.
Highlights From Under the Tent – Amid the cacophony of installations, A-list collectors, and art-world think pieces, Andrew Goldstein shines a spotlight on 10 standout works from Frieze London. Meanwhile, Julia Halperin reported from both Frieze Masters and the main Frieze fair.
Tania Bruguera’s Gesture of Solidarity – The Cuban artist surprised museum-goers with a protest voicing her support for the jailed Bangladeshi photographer Shahidul Alam. Bruguera currently has an exhibition at Tate’s Turbine Hall focused on the migratory crisis.
‘Process Porn’ and the Cult of Conservation – Watching conservationists restore artworks, live, is all the rage, from Jackson Pollock’s drip canvases to Old Master paintings. But why?
Painting With Light – Artist Mary Weatherford spoke to artnet News about her solo show at Gagosian’s Chelsea outpost, where her large-scale canvases are infused (literally) with neon light.
Decoding Delacroix – On the occasion of the Metropolitan Museum’s big Eugène Delacroix show, Ben Davis says that his iconic Liberty Leading the People may not mean what you think it means.
WORST?
Fighting Discrimination in Greece – The death of LGBTQ activist and drag performer Zak Kostopoulos in Athens has spurred masses of protesters, including a letter signed by 40 past participants in documenta, who compare Kostopoulos’s death to a lynching.
Rybolovlev Sues Sotheby’s – The billionaire Russian art collector Dmitry Rybolovlev is taking his grievances against Sotheby’s a step further, accusing the auction house of price inflation to the tune of $380 million.
The Steep Price of Admission – The art world has been in a frenzy about the detrimental costs of exhibiting at art fairs, but how much is the public paying just to see the art? artnet News ranked the admission fees for 22 of the biggest international art fairs.
Ana Mendieta’s Estate Takes on Amazon – The late artist’s estate is suing Amazon for ripping off the Cuban-American artist’s aesthetic for a new horror film.
Damien Hirst Ditches Business Dealings – Damien Hirst has laid off 50 employees from his production company and is closing down Quay, his restaurant in Ilfracombe.
EXPO Chicago’s Middling Success – The Chicago fair saw some lukewarm reception regarding this year’s date changes, which ran up against the opening of Frieze London, where many more international heavy-hitters are expected to attend.