Joyce Pensato is profiled in the New York Times this week, as the artist gives a tour of her new studio, and discusses her continued interest in cartoons and figurines.  “I got into Mickey Mouse early on, really, because of his shape. The ears, the eyes, the circles, how simple he was but also how great those shapes looked in a painting. And I think I’ve made him a Mickey who is not just a happy Mickey; he’s got a lot more substance than that, more character.” (more…)

A French court of appeals has upheld the two-year suspended sentence for Pierre Le Guennec, the electrician convicted of stealing a trove of works from Pablo Picasso.  The discovery of the works was one of the largest finds of Picasso works since the artist’s death in 1973. (more…)

A recent report has found an increase in arts education funding in New York schools under the de Blasio administration, marking some of the widest arts education the city has seen in a decade.  “Most importantly for me, is that many of these programs are now serving English Language Learners and students with special needs,” says Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. “There has never been a time in New York City where these students have been as well served through the arts.” (more…)

The Prado has received a royal portrait recently attributed to Velázquez from an American art historian.  “I lived with this painting for almost 30 years and I acquired it thinking that it was what it is, although with the thought that eventually I would donate it somewhere,” says William B. Jordan, who donated the painting. (more…)

High-profile departures continue at Christie’s as CEO Patricia Barbizet announced she would be leaving the auction house.  Her replacement is Guillaume Cerutti.  “I came to do a number of things,” Barbizet said. “They are now done.” (more…)

The Art Market Monitor analyzes the deal that allowed Brett Gorvy to leave Christie’s for a partnership with Dominique Lévy, speculating on Gorvy’s consignments and value to the auction house.  Gorvy will “act as a consultant on some specific consignments and projects in 2017 working with the client and Christie’s – predominantly the ones he/we have already secured,” according to the auction house. (more…)

Dallas auction house Heritage Auctions is suing Christie’s over alleged theft of listings from its website, Artnet reports.  The suit accuses Christie’s recently acquired Collectrium database of stealing data on artworks and other objects currently listed on its site. (more…)

The U.S. Congress has passed the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act, which will standardize the statute of limitations for legal claims against looted art.  “Artwork lost during the Holocaust is not just property,” Republican Texas senator John Cornyn says. “To many victims…it is a reminder of the vanished world of their families.” (more…)

The Art Market Monitor has a piece on money laundering in the art market, pointing out the logistic issues and challenges that ultimately make its potentials far less promising, and likely less widespread, than some media narratives would suggest.   (more…)

Tracey Emin has abandoned a disputed plan to demolish a building in East London to build a new studio space, The Guardian reports.  “Great care was taken to design this delightful, modest building on Bell Lane to blend with the traditional scale of the narrow streets around it,” says Henrietta Billings, director of Save Britain’s Heritage.  “Just a few hundred meters away from the office towers of the City, the historic streets in this area buzz with life thanks to their human scale – in spite of intense development pressures. We are delighted that the building has been reprieved.” (more…)

The Independent Art Fair, which runs concurrently with the Armory Show in March of 2017, has announced its exhibitor list for its next edition, returning a strong selection of galleries including Carlos/Ishikawa, Karma and Maureen Paley.  The fair opens with a private viewing on March 2nd. (more…)

Hank Willis Thomas has joined the Public Art Fund’s Board of Directors, after working with the organization for several years prior on major projects.  “2017 is a significant year for Public Art Fund, and we’re thrilled that Hank, an artist with whom Public Art Fund has a wonderful history, has joined our Board,” says Nicholas Baume, Public Art Fund’s director and chief curator.  “His thoughtful and boundary-pushing work in the public realm, as well as his engagement with questions and issues at the core of our current moment, make Hank an in invaluable addition to our board leadership.” (more…)

The New Yorker reports on the ongoing challenges Western institutions, among them the Guggenheim and Louvre, are facing in their construction projects in Abu Dhabi, including ongoing protests both at home and on-site.  “No one should be asked to exhibit or perform in a building that has been constructed and maintained on the backs of exploited employees,” reads an open letter on the new Guggenheim buidling from a group of artists including Hans Haacke and Barbara Kruger. (more…)

The U.S. Senate has passed a new initiative protecting works of art lent by foreign institutions from seizure, the Art Newspaper reports.  The legislation would end a years-long stand-off with Russia over fears of works being seized upon export.  The law “will make it possible to restore museum exchanges between the countries,” according to US Association of Art Museum Directors head Christine Anagnos. (more…)

The New York Times has phased out its Inside Art column, moving towards a more embedded and expansive body of coverage.  “In later years, especially as the Internet expanded our reach, globally, we chafed at the restrictions,” editor Barbara Graustark said. “We wanted more. And we wanted to reach more than our thousands of devoted art-world and industry followers.” (more…)

Fabiola Alondra, head of 303 in Print and founder of East Village Gallery Fortnight Institute, is profiled in the New York Times this week, as she gives the newspaper a tour of her home in Brooklyn Heights, and discusses her interests in both art and books.  “I think that all artists should make publications, whether they are very cheap zines or more elaborate books,” she says. (more…)

Two Dutch Old Master paintings are set to return to the heirs of Max Stern, a Jewish art dealer forced to sell his collection to the Nazis during World War II.  “There has been a recurrence of these works being consigned by individuals in good faith,” says Clarence Epstein, the senior director of urban and cultural affairs at Concordia. “This solution means that they can get some relief despite having a problematic artwork.” (more…)

The New York Times profiles ongoing efforts to locate missing works from the collection of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, including works by Picasso, van Gogh, and Degas.  “Even though it’s been 30 years, we are still facing challenges because of the Marcos family’s efforts to conceal and take hold of their ill-gotten wealth,” says Reynold S. Munsayac, chairman of the Presidential Commission for Good Government. (more…)

The New York Times reports on the recent discovery of a long-lost Leonardo Da Vinci, which appeared in a portfolio of drawings brought to the Tajan auction house by a retired doctor.  “My eyes jumped out of their sockets,” says Dr. Carmen Bambach, who was asked to confirm the work’s attribution.  “What we have here is an open-and-shut case. It’s an exciting discovery.” (more…)

The Art Newspaper profiles Empty Gallery, a new exhibition project in Hong Kong that shows work in a black space with little to no lighting.  “Hong Kong is so fast; the language of advertising is so strong and loud and intense. We’re amped up all the time,” founder Stephen Cheng says of his space, which he feels helps slow down the pace of his visitors. “It helps you give art a chance to communicate.” (more…)

Kader Attia is accusing a pair of French rappers of plagiarism for using imagery similar to a 2007 work of his in their music video.  “As artists, we have to defend ourselves against unauthorized commercial uses of our artworks,” he says. “We are constantly plagiarized by the music industry, or in advertisement, or fashion.” (more…)

The Denver Art Museum has received a $25 million gift, which will go towards renovating the institution’s building.  “The North Building is considered one of the most significant objects in the museum’s collection, and our family is honored to support the much-needed rehabilitation required to bring it into the 21st century,” says chairman J. Landis Martin, who donated the funds. (more…)

The Guardian performs some data analytics on the Turner Prize this week, charting how the award has moved towards closer gender parity in recent years.  Both the number of female winners and judges has increased in the past ten years, reaching almost even numbers of both men and women.   (more…)

The Art Newspaper forecasts the impacts Big Data is set to make on the art market, as major companies continue to acquire a series of databases and data analytics firms.  “We have developed an extensive customer relationship management program to take new buyers and make more offers to them,” says Sotheby’s Tad Smith. “If you underbid for a particular painting in an auction and you don’t get it, I would like for you to have an opportunity to buy something very similar within 24 hours.” (more…)