Week in Review is a weekly collection of news, developments, and stirrings in the art world. Subscribe to receive these posts as a weekly newsletter.
Created by artists Gan Golan and Andrew Boyd, the Climate Clock in New York City’s Union Square counts down how long it will take, at current rates of emissions, to deplete the earth’s “carbon budget.”
Nathalie Bondil, who was dismissed from the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in July, is suing its board for defamation, claiming $1.5 million in punitive and moral damages.
Artist Adrian Wilson renamed Manhattan’s 50th Street station to read “Ruth St.” after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the creation of a commission to create a statue of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Several filmmakers and international guests canceled their participation in this year’s edition of the Docaviv festival in Tel Aviv, in solidarity with the BDS movement.
Samia Halaby and Rachid Koraichi are among dozens of Arab artists who have pledged to boycott cultural activities sponsored by the United Arab Arab Emirates due to its normalization agreement with Israel.
In Florida, 700,000 citizens who completed prison time and parole may be ineligible to vote. With only a week until Florida’s bail payment deadline, the New York-based gallery Canada wants to help by creating an online fundraiser.
An edition of Maurizio Cattelan’s viral sculpture “Comedian” (2019) was donated to the Guggenheim Museum.
With $20 million raised since April, Artist Relief announced that it will extend its initial September deadline for applications to December 10, 2020.
SpottheTroll.org, created by researchers at Clemson University in South Carolina, is designed to help you learn more about trolls and how to spot them online.
See the new emoji coming to iOS in 2021.
Awards & Accolades
The Art Museum Futures Fund from the Mellon Foundation will award between $600,000 to $5.5 million to 12 mid-sized institutions across the nation, including the Brooklyn Museum and El Museo del Barrio.
Arts.Black of Detroit, Michigan; BOMB and the Brooklyn Rail of Brooklyn, New York; Bmore Art of Baltimore, Maryland; Burnaway of Atlanta, Georgia; Glasstire of Houston, Texas; the Maine Arts Journal of Portland, Maine; the New Art Examiner of Chicago, Illinois; and X-TRA of Los Angeles, California were awarded $20,000 grants by the Dorothea and Leo Rabkin Foundation.
Mohamed Bourouissa was awarded the 2020 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation prize.
Teresa Kittler was appointed the 2020-2021 Scholar-in-Residence at Magazzino Italian Art.
Peter Williams was awarded the Artists’ Legacy Foundation’s 2020 Artist Award.
Transitions
Xavier Hufkens now represents Huma Bhabha.
Miwon Kwon has joined the Board of Directors of the Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts.
Simon Lee Gallery now represents Rachel Howard.
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tucson has appointed Kate Green as its executive director.
The estate of Takis is now represented by White Cube.
Rebecca Wei was announced as a partner of Lévy Gorvy Asia.
Obituaries
Stephen F. Cohen (1938–2020), historian of Russia | New York Times
Sir Harold Evans (1928–2020), publisher and muckraking author | Associated Press
Juliette Gréco (1927–2020), actress and cabaret singer | Washington Post
Winston Groom (1943–2020), author of Forrest Gump | BBC
Roy Charles Hammond (1939–2020), soul singer, songwriter, and producer known as Roy C | New York Times
Christian Liaigre (1943–2020), interior designer | Dezeen
Sterling Magee (1936–2020), blues musician and one-half of the duo Satan and Adam | New York Times
Anne Stevenson (1933–2020), poet and Sylvia Plath biographer | Telegraph
The Latest
Saudi Arabia Announces $1M “Freedom of Expression” Art Award
Kanye West, Roman Polanski, and Carl Andre are among the shortlisted artists.
British Museum Offers Greece “Exclusive NFT” of the Parthenon Marbles
“With the power of blockchain technology, there will be no question who the real owner is,” said a British Museum spokesperson.
The Public Theater Explores the Hurricane Katrina Diaspora in shadow/land
Written by Erika Dickerson-Despenza and directed by Candis C. Jones, this lyrical meditation on legacy, erotic fugitivity, and self-determination is on view in NYC.
MoMA to Co-Curate Exhibition With NYPD
Arrest Me, Daddy hopes to cast a more positive light on the work of law enforcement officers.
Repatriation-Inspired Fragrance Line Hopes to Heal Collector Wounds
The exotic scents of the Rapatriement line offer solace and joy to dismayed collectors who were forced to return looted artifacts.
The Rubin Museum Presents Death Is Not the End
Tibetan Buddhist and Christian works of art made across 12 centuries explore death, the afterlife, and the desire to continue to exist. On view in NYC.
Mediocre Painting Thought AI-Generated Revealed as Work of Real Artist
Visitors who spoke to Hyperallergic said they were “horrified” to learn that a human could come up with such a banal and poorly executed artwork.
Prince Harry to Star in New Van Gogh Biopic
The estranged prince said he took the role to raise awareness of mental health issues.
When I Am Empty Please Dispose of Me Properly
Ayanna Dozier, Ilana Harris-Babou, Meena Hasan, Lucia Hierro, Catherine Opie, Chuck Ramirez, and Pacifico Silano explore the myths of the American Dream at Brooklyn’s BRIC House.
Newly Discovered Trove of Vermeer Works Reveals He Painted Mainly Dogs
A cache of 243 paintings found in an English castle, all depicting canine subjects, suggests Vermeer’s true aspiration was to become a dog portraitist.
Vatican Partners With Balenciaga on “Spiritual” Menswear Line
A spokesperson for the church cited “shared values” with the fashion brand.
Pratt’s 2023 Fine Arts MFA Thesis Exhibition Is On View in Brooklyn
The two-part exhibition features the work of 41 graduating artists across disciplines, including painting, sculpture, printmaking, and integrated practices.
Iran Issues Fatwa Against AI
A reinterpretation of the Quran through a queer lens, written by an AI chatbot, is said to cause the move.
Met Gala Announces 2023 “Looting and Plunder” Theme
Select A-list guests will be invited to wear any artifacts from the museum’s collection that have not yet been seized by the Manhattan DA’s office.