BEST?

Six Predictions for 2022 – Gray Market scribe Tim Schneider fleshes out six predictions for what’s to come in the art market this year.

Court Clears Statue Topplers – Four activists who toppled a statue of slave trader Edward Colston were cleared of criminal charges in a U.K. court.

Year in Review – What trends defined the art world of 2021? Artnet News National art critic Ben Davis breaks it down, from “immersive everything” to mass unionization.

Virginia Finds a Home for Confederate Statues – After much discussion, the state looks set to rehouse Confederate statues at a local Black History Museum.

The Weeknd’s Art Collection – What does the musician collect? We decoded his trendy art trove.

OpenSea Secures Mega Valuation – The NFT marketplace raised an additional $300 million in funding, bringing its value to $13.3 billion.

Could Margate Be the New Marfa? – Tracey Emin announced she’s opening an art school in the seaside UK town, where she is also building a museum for her work.

Scientists Digitally Undress a Mummy – A team of radiologists used CT scans to peer beneath a mummy’s wraps, revealing long-buried secrets while keeping him intact.

Interested Buyers Only – A new NFT platform founded by a Christie’s rainmaker is aiming to weed out the fluff by requiring bidders to have some basic knowledge of artists.

Court Dismisses Nirvana Baby Lawsuit – The former baby who was immortalized on Nirvana’s album cover had his lawsuit alleging child exploitation dismissed by a California court.

WORST?

Museums Close as Staffs Suffer – A slew of US institutions were forced to close because of Covid cases felling staff.

Depressed Dealer Bemoans Stolen Apes – A viral tweet by art dealer Todd Kramer announcing the theft of his NFTs… is now an NFT.

Serrano’s Scathing Film – The artist’s first film takes on the January 6 insurrection, and Trump’s toxic legacy.

Artists Decry Israeli Museum Censorship – Dozens of artists want their work removed from a museum show to protest an Israeli mayor who forced the institution to take down art he claimed was offensive to Jerusalem.

Italy Axes McDonald’s at Ancient Site – Italy has forced a halt to construction at a Mickey D’s location set to open near Rome’s ancient Baths of Caracalla.