The upcoming vote on an artist resale royalty in the United States has major auction houses sending high-powered lobbyists to Washington, in an attempt to prevent the bill from passing.  The bill, which would pay artists a percentage of any auction sale, has many resellers nervous over the ostensible impact the additional charges would have on growing sale prices, while advocates are pushing the bill’s inclusion of artists in the creation of new wealth.  “To me, the bill is a question of fundamental fairness,” says Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), who introduced the bill. (more…)

The New York Times has profiled Sheikha al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the head of the Qatar Museums Authority in its year-end look at the art world, calling the young sheikha a “power player” on the global stage.  “It’s most important to allow young artists today to see what’s happening,” she says. “Seventy percent of our population is under the age of 30.” (more…)