Global contemporary art events and news observed from New York City. Suggestion? Email us.

A Look Inside a Landmark Collection of the Russian Avant-Garde, Hidden Away in Uzbekistan

Friday, May 29th, 2015

Al Jazeera looks at the massive Savitsky collection in Uzbekistan, where tens of thousands of Russian avant-garde masterpieces were salvaged and put on display by artist and founder Igor Savitsy following their censorship in their home country, including long forgotten works by Kandinsky, Chagall, and more.  “Without him, they would have been gone without a trace,” says Marinika Babanazarova, the current director of the Nukus Art Museum where his collection lies.  “These days, he is an authority figure, genius, but at the time they saw him as a weirdo, an absolute nutcase.” (more…)

Documenta 17 to Take Place in Athens and Kassel

Tuesday, October 7th, 2014

The 2017 edition of Documenta (its 17th total), will share locations between Kassel and Athens, the organization announced today.  The exhibition title Learning from Athens, will look at Greece’s recent financial straits, and its unique position in today’s global affairs.  “What interested me is that Athens is a contemporary metropolitan city of the Mediterranean that is connected to other places across the water,” says Artistic Director Adam Szymczyk.  “I see it as a portal or border or place where people coming from many, many other places can have visibility.” (more…)

Vienna’s Generali Foundation to Close

Sunday, June 29th, 2014

Vienna’s Generali Foundation is closing after 19 years in the Austrian capital.  The space has hosted shows by Isa Genzken, Dan Graham, Gordon Matta-Clark, and Martha Rosler over its lifespan, and boasts one of the nation’s most prominent art collections, which will be placed on loan to Salzburg’s Museum der Moderne Kunst.

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Corcoran Gallery Dissolution Looks to Take Longer than Expected

Monday, April 14th, 2014

The recently announced dissolution of the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, DC is looking to take longer than anticipated, NPR reports.  Concerns over the architecture of the space and any intended changes or repairs will require an extensive review process, and the logistics of George Washington University taking over the Corcoran’s art school while the National Gallery of Art takes over the collection.  “The minute you start touching that building, which is to get the infrastructure of that building straightened out, there will be major ADA problems, Americans with Disabilities Act problems,” says former Corcoran director David Levy, “because that building was built at a time when nobody thought about those things.” (more…)

Oslo Opens 24-Hour Sculpture Park

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013

An all-night sculpture park has opened in the Norwegian capital of Oslo, filled with works from the collection of collector Christian Ringnes.  Overlooking the city, the newly appointed Ekeberg Park includes pieces from Marina Abramovic, James Turrell, Jenny Holzer and Louise Bourgeois, among others, and saw attendance at its opening event reach into the thousands.

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Guggenheim Revives Helsinki Plans

Friday, August 9th, 2013

Guggenheim Director Richard Armstrong and his colleagues have returned to the Finnish city of Helsinki, in an attempt to revive talks over the possibility of a Guggenheim Museum there.  Meeting with Finnish officials, the group of representatives are seeking what would be the Museum’s northernmost outpost in continental Europe.  “Topics that were mentioned during our discussion were the exclusion of the Helsinki Art Museum from the proposal, the possible sites, and funding,” says Helsinki Mayor Jussi Pajunen.  (more…)