Art Movements
This week in art news: the UK's arts minister placed an export bar on one of Dalí's lobster telephones, theorist Julia Kristeva was accused of having been a Soviet-era spy, and a decade-long restoration of Tutankhamen's tomb came close to completion.
Art Movements is a weekly collection of news, developments, and stirrings in the art world. Subscribe to receive these posts as a weekly newsletter.
The UK’s arts minister, Michael Ellis, placed a temporary export bar on “Lobster Telephone (White Aphrodisiac)” (1938), a collaboration between Salvador Dalí and the English poet Edward James. It is hoped that a buyer can be found to match the asking price of £853,047 (~$1.2 million) plus VAT (value added tax).
A Bulgarian commission accused Julia Kristeva of working as a secret agent for the nation’s Communist-era security apparatus. The commission, which has yet to publish its findings in detail, claims that the renowned philosopher and psychoanalyst served under the codename “Sabina.”
The Getty Conservation Institute announced that it is close to completing its almost decade-long conservation of Tutankhamen’s tomb. As part of the project, researchers carried out tests on “mysterious brown spots” present on the tomb’s walls, concluding that they had not grown since Howard Carter discovered and documented the site in 1922. The GCI plans to publish a book on the project.
Nicholas Nixon retired as photography professor of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) following allegations of inappropriate behavior.
The New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects rescinded honors bestowed upon Richard Meier and Peter Marino following sexual harassment allegations. Peter Marino Architect criticized AIA’s policy, stating that it has “disputed the sole hostile work environment claim against the firm.”
Hundreds of arts and culture workers signed a petition supporting the parole of Herman Bell, a former Black Panther Party member convicted of killing two police officers in 1971. Critics, including NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, police unions, and the editorial board of the New York Post, have objected to Bell’s parole.
Michael Rakowitz‘s “The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist” (2018) became the 12th work to be installed on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. The sculpture is directly inspired by a Lamassu entryway sculpture destroyed by ISIS in 2015.
The diaries of John Rothenstein, the director of the Tate Gallery between 1938 and 1964, appear to document Henry Moore’s scathing criticism of a Barbara Hepworth sculpture during a board discussion on possible acquisitions.
A one-year restoration project of the Church of Santa Felicita’s Capponi Chapel was completed. Designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, the chapel includes a cycle of works created by Jacopo Pontormo. The project was funded by the non-profit organization Friends of Florence.
President Trump signed the “Eliminating Government-funded Oil-painting Act” (aka “EGO Act”) into law, thereby prohibiting the use of federal funds to pay for official portraits of government officers or employees.
Constantin Brancusi’s “Le Baiser” (The Kiss) (1909) was obscured by a wooden box at the Cimetière du Montparnasse. The sculpture adorns the grave of Tatiana Rachewskaïa, whose family purportedly made the decision to cover the work.
Art historians Charles Beddington and John Gash attributed a painting donated to the University of Aberdeen over 150 years ago as a work by Canaletto (1697–1768).
The Tokyo National Museum’s show, Unkei: The Great Master of Buddhist Sculpture, was the most popular museum exhibition of 2017 according to an analysis by The Art Newspaper.
Scientists working at the Nicholson Museum discovered mummified remains in a sarcophagus acquired by the University of Sydney 150 years ago.
A new tourism park in Indonesia named Rabbit Town appears to have ripped off iconic artworks by Chris Burden and Yayoi Kusama as part of its main attractions.
Transactions
The Briscoe Center at the University of Texas at Austin acquired Stephen Shames’ photographic archive. Shames is best known for his role as the Black Panther Party’s photographer between 1967 and 1973.
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) acquired 20 works for its permanent collection, including pieces by Didier William, Abelardo Morell, Nick Cave, and William Wegman.
The North Carolina Museum of Art acquired Yayoi Kusama’s “Light of Life” (2018).
The National Gallery of Denmark acquired Henri Matisse’s “Nymph and Faun” (ca 1911).
Sotheby’s second sale of Modern & Contemporary African Art realized a total of $2,555,038.
Art logistics company Crozier Fine Arts acquired Artex Fine Arts Services.
Jane Kallir, the co-director of Galerie St. Etienne, announced that her family will donate 10 paintings by Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma” Moses to the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC.
The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University (MSU Broad) acquired Jim Shaw’s “The Hidden World,” the artist’s collection of religious and pedagogical materials.
The Morgan Library & Museum acquired the autographed score of Philip Glass’s Einstein on the Beach (composed 1975).
Budi Tek, the founder of the Yuz Museum in Shanghai, announced plans to give “most” of his collection to a joint foundation established in partnership with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
The Getty Museum acquired Desiderio de Settignano’s “Bust of a Young Boy” (c. 1460-64).
Transitions
The Anderson Ranch Arts Center appointed Sarah Harrelson, Philae Knight, Mike Lyon, and Anne Nelson Reyes to its board of trustees [via email announcement].
The Duchess of Cambridge became a royal patron of the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Justine Ludwig was appointed executive director of Creative Time.
Stephanie Wiles was appointed director of the Yale University Art Gallery.
Christopher Scoates was appointed director of the Museum of Arts and Design.
Colin C. Mackenzie was appointed curator of Chinese art at the Art Institute of Chicago.
The Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg appointed Dr. Michael Bennett as senior curator of early western art, and Dr. Stanton Thomas as curator of collections and exhibitions.
The Brooklyn Museum appointed Kristen Windmuller-Luna as consulting curator of African art, and Drew Sawyer as a curator of photography.
Ellina Kevorkian was appointed director of artistic programs at The Soap Factory.
Robin Rogers was appointed studio manager and program director of the Chrysler Museum of Art.
The Menil Collection appointed Irene Mei Zhi Shum as associate curator of contemporary art, and Natalie Dupêcher as assistant curator of modern art.
Callan Steinmann was appointed curator of education at the Georgia Museum of Art.
Andreas Rumbler, the chairman of Christie’s Switzerland, became a partner of the Lévy Gorvy Gallery.
EM2N, ces noAarchitecten, and Sergison Bates architects were commissioned to design the Pompidou Centre’s satellite space in Brussels.
The Elizabeth Dee Gallery will vacate its current space in Harlem following the building owner’s decision to raze the site. The building formerly housed the Studio Museum in Harlem when it opened in 1968 [via email announcement].
Chatsworth House reopened following a 10-year, £32 million (~$45 million) restoration and conservation of the estate.
Accolades
The J. Paul Getty trust awarded its annual J. Paul Getty Medal to Thelma Golden, Agnes Gund, and Richard Serra.
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu is to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for his role in the removal of four Confederate statues from the city.
Em’kal Eyongakpa was awarded the inaugural Henrike Grohs Art Award.
Faye Driscoll received the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award.
Artadia awarded its 2018 Los Angeles Artadia Awards to EJ Hill and Clarissa Tossin.
Obituaries
Scott Ambler (1960–2018), dancer and choreographer.
Li Ao (1935–2018), dissident writer and politician.
Linda Brown (1943–2018), educational consultant and public speaker. Daughter of Oliver Brown in the landmark US Supreme Court Case Brown v. Board of Education.
David Cobham (1930–2018), wildlife filmmaker, author, and conservationist. Best known for The Vanishing Hedgerows (1972) and Tarka the Otter (1979).
Frank Gaylord (1925–2018), sculptor. Best known for the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.
Arnold R. Hirsch (1949–2018), historian. Best known for Making the Second Ghetto: Race and Housing in Chicago, 1940–1960 (1983).
Philip Kerr (1956–2018), writer.
Eli Leon (1935–2018), psychologist, writer, and scholar of African-American quilts.
Saba Mahmood (1961–2018), author and theorist. Specialist on the intersection of Islam and feminist theory.
Hidetoshi Nagasawa (1940–2018), architect, sculptor, and performance artist.
Buell Neidlinger (1936–2018), cellist and double bassist.
Liam O’Flynn (1945–2018), uilleann piper. Cofounder of Planxty.
Robert S. Rubin (1931–2018), philanthropist and former chairman of the Brooklyn Museum.
Josip Vaništa (1924–2018), artist and writer. Cofounder of the Gorgona Group.
Olly Wilson (1937–2018), composer, pianist, double bassist, and musicologist.
