Art Movements
Artifact looting and ancient church destruction in Egypt, the Christie's appraisal of DIA, Old Masters saved in Berlin, 5 Pointz death knell, and more.
Art Movements is a weekly collection of news, developments, and stirrings in the art world.
The details of the looting of the Malawi Museum in Egypt are being revealed, including that over 1,000 artifacts were taken, making it the biggest theft in an Egyptian museum in recent history. A ticket agent was also reported killed, and mummies were set on fire by the looters. Meanwhile, in Delga, ancient Coptic churches — including the Virgin Mary Church, which dates back to the 4th or 5th century — were destroyed in attacks following the army’s increased violence toward supporters of Mohamed Morsi.
Christie’s will complete its appraisal of the Detroit Institute of Arts’ works this fall, at which time the financial worth of the collection, estimated in the billions and being considered as part of the city’s plan to confront its bankruptcy, will be revealed. Here’s Hyperallergic’s ongoing coverage of the DIA situation.
After authorities were contemplating putting many Old Master paintings in storage so modern art could move into Berlin’s Gemaldegalerie, the Foundation of Prussian Cultural Heritage has decided to keep the paintings where they are while a new museum is built for the modern art. Here’s Hyperallergic’s coverage of the controversial plan.
The trustees of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation are facing the foundation in court with a claim that they’re entitled to $60 million of the $600 million left in the artist’s estate for their fees, which an expert likened to a $40,000-an-hour salary.
The rapid expansion of Gaza is putting ancient sites dating back 4,500 years in danger, with archaeologists low on the funds to save them.
Last week part of the Vasari Corridor in Florence fell in, and emergency restoration is now underway while the paintings exhibited there have been removed.
The street art mecca 5 Pointz in Long Island City is expected to be demolished by the end of the year.
A study by WXY architecture + urban design and dlandstudio is looking at turning an abandoned railway track in Queens into a park on par with Manhattan’s High Line.
Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava was selected to design the rebuilding of St. Nicholas Church in Lower Manhattan, destroyed on 9/11.
Ten of the celebrated mid-century Case Study Houses in Southern California were added to the National Register of Historic Places after a decade of work by the Los Angeles Conservancy’s Modern Committee.
Reintroduced legislation and an advocacy group are encouraging Congress to pass a bill for a national hispanic museum to join the museums at the Smithsonian Institution, perhaps in the currently unoccupied Arts and Industries Building on the National Mall.
The Museum for African Art is now planning to become a policy center like the Asia Society rather than just a museum, in the hopes of being more financially viable. It has launched a new capital campaign.
A lawsuit is being brought against Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services in Red Hook after the art collection of cellist Gregor Piatigorsky was reportedly damaged during Hurricane Sandy.
The Eastman Kodak Company got court approval for a plan aimed at coming out of bankruptcy as a smaller, digital-focused entity in the next two weeks.
The 2013–14 artists-in-residence at the Studio Museum in Harlem were announced, including sound-based artist Kevin Beasley, painter Bethany Collins, and conceptual painter and sculptor Abigail Deville.
The nonprofit Spaceworks opened its first rental space for artists this week in Long Island City, with five in all planned across New York City, funded by the city to offer affordable workspace for artists.
Queer cinema pioneer Gregg Araki will be getting his first American retrospective this fall at the Museum of Arts and Design.
The Victoria & Albert Museum is welcoming its first games designer-in-residence this fall.
What is believed to be the first ever portrait of a guinea pig was discovered. The oil painting from 1580 will be on display this October at the National Portrait Gallery in London.
