Art museums are known to show and uphold some artists whose work continually incites controversy, among them Robert Mapplethorpe and Chris Ofili. But when does art become too controversial for a museum to openly support or display it? The artist Graham Ovenden, who became famous in the U.K. in the 1970s for his prints and photographs, has had his work removed from the Tate’s website and print and drawing department following his conviction for six charges of indecency with a child and one of indecent assault.
crime
Posted inNews
Police Arrest Teenager for Doodling
It makes sense that police, parents, teachers, and pretty much everyone would be extra vigilant after the horrific elementary school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. But in Galloway Township, New Jersey, a high school student was arrested after simply doodling pictures of weapons in his notebook.
Posted inNews
“Cadillac Ranch” Patron Being Painted as Art World Jerry Sandusky
You might have heard of the installation before — “Cadillac Ranch” is a sculpture by artist collective Ant Farm composed of 10 vintage Cadillac cars upended into the desert in the Texas panhandle — but now the artwork is in the press for something much more sinister than grand theft auto. The sculpture’s 74-year-old patron, Stanley Marsh 3 (he prefers the number to III), is the target of lawsuits alleging he sexually abused teenage boys in return for money, cars, and intoxicants.
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Brooklyn Artist’s Cycling Death Investigation May Point to NYPD Bias
According to Gothamist, an attorney representing the family of killed cyclist and artist Mathieu Lefevre has sent a scathing letter to the NYPD’s Accident Investigation Squad, blasting the department’s handling of the investigation
Posted inNews
Crocheting Street Artist Olek Facing Charges in London, But Details Still Unclear
News has been bubbling about yarn-bombing sensation Olek’s recent legal troubles in London, but the situation still remains unclear. On Sunday, December 11, the artist sent out a Facebook message to a few friends, claiming that she will spend the holiday season “fighting for her freedom” and directing them to the site Olek’s Appeal for further details. Cat Weaver, who has worked with Olek, and is a Hyperallergic contributor and blogger at The Art Machine, confirmed the news with Olek over Skype and posted the FB message as well as a statement from Olek’s lawyer, Paul Morris, that provides some clues as to what the artist is facing …
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Artist Mathieu Lefevre’s Family Wants Answers
Last week, we posted about the tragic news of artist Mathieu Lefevre’s death when he was cycling on Morgan Avenue in Williamsburg. This week, his family has arrived in New York and is demanding answers.
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Yet Another Van Gogh Theory: Suicide or Murder
Maybe people are watching too much Law & Order, but the obsession with Vincent van Gogh and his ear, relationship with Paul Gauguin and tortured life are getting a little too much. Now, the latest theory … he was shot by teenage boys from Paris pretending to be American cowboys.
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This Week In Lawsuits: SpongeBob’s (Not So) Nautical Nonsense
Former SpongeBob SquarePants lead artist Todd White’s slick website includes a section where you can keep abreast of “what’s going on in Todd’s fast-moving world”; currently, it includes clips about his various media appearances, side projects and celebrity [sic] endorsements. What you won’t find, however, is news about a curious series of back-and-worth lawsuits he’s involved in this month.
Posted inOpinion
A Century Later, Mona Lisa Is Still Here
This month marks the 100th anniversary of the theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, and the Financial Times observes the occasion with a fascinating feature article that tells the tale of the theft of what was (then as now) the world’s most famous work of art
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2 Artists, 2 Coasts, Both in Jail for Graffiti
As LA’s MOCA tries to give graffiti and street art their moment in the Southern California sun, in New York LA II, aka Angel Ortiz, and in Los Angeles, Revok, aka Jason Williams, are in jail for doing the art they love.
Posted inOpinion
Hitting Graffiti & Street Artists Where it Hurt$ [UPDATE: Smear Arrested]
In what may be the most original tactic by a city to deter street artists and graffiti writers from using public space as free advertising, Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich is seeking a court injunction to bar street artist Cristian Gheorghiu from profiting from art bearing his telltale “tag.”
Posted inOpinion
Killer Last Meals
Graphic designer James Reynolds recreated the final meals of nine American prisoners executed between 1963 and 2006, then photographed each on an inmate-orange cafeteria tray.
