BEST?
ArtReview Ranks the Art World’s Most Powerful – The annual list of the most influential art machers has a surprising twist this year: the entire watershed #MeToo movement made the cut, coming in at number three—putting it, oddly, behind David Zwirner and Kerry James Marshall but ahead of Ai Weiwei et. al.
Tom Campbell on His Surprise Comeback – artnet News’s Andrew Goldstein spoke to Thomas Campbell, the newly appointed director of the Fine Arts Museums San Francisco, about the remarkable switcheroo he pulled off with new Met director Max Hollein (who left San Francisco to replace Campbell), and how he plans to take the institution to the next level.
Worldwide Warhol – In advance of the Whitney’s much-anticipated Andy Warhol retrospective, artnet News spoke to the show’s curator, Donna De Salvo, about her personal experience working with the Pop artist, and what viewers can expect at the sprawling new show.
Downtown Legends in Conversation – One of the progenitors of the New York punk scene, Richard Hell sat down to interview photographer and activist Nan Goldin about art, drugs, and her plans for the future.
What’s on the Block in the New York Auctions – A David Hockney painting at Christie’s could set a new record while Sotheby’s will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the armistice with some megabuck art—and that’s just a fraction of the fireworks ahead in the auction bonanza starting next week.
Artists Respond to the Midterm Elections – After this week’s high-stakes midterms, artnet News took the pulse of the art community by polling a series of artists and activists to get their take on the state of the union.
Wes Anderson vs. the Museum – The creative visionary director of The Grand Budapest Hotel and other already quirkily classic films tried his hand at bringing his signature style to museum curation—which turned out to be far more difficult than he bargained for—with help from his wife, the illustrator Juman Malouf.
Italy Opts for Cultural Preservation – As part of the country’s populist tilt, the Italian cultural minister is planning to crack down on crimes against cultural heritage, and seeks repatriation from looted goods.
WORST?
Jeff Koons Gets Called Out for Copying – The world-famous artist was found by a Paris court to have violated copyright protection in using an existing photograph as the basis for an artwork, and must pay $168,000 in damages to the image’s original creator, who first brought suit against the artist in 2014.
Post-#MeToo Performance Art – The artist Michelle Hartney staged a rogue act of institutional critique at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, adding her own versions of wall labels to challenge what she contends is the institution’s tendency to gloss over the sexual offenses, misogyny, and violence perpetrated by certain celebrated male artists.
Closing Up Shop for His Public Art – The artist Kerry James Marshall says he will not make any more public artworks after a disillusioning brush with the city of Chicago, which intended to sell off a painting Marshall had made for a public library. The artist was critical of the sale, and it has now been cancelled.
Please Keep Your Eyes Inside the Museum – Residents of the super-luxe apartments next to London’s Tate Modern are suing the museum for “invasion of privacy,” claiming that visitors can see straight into their homes from the museum’s top-floor viewing area.
Art Basel’s Parent Company Bows Out – The MCH Group announced it would be pulling out of all regional art fair, including the India Art Fair and Art Düsseldorf, as a way of righting the business after turmoil at Baselworld led its longtime CEO to resign.