The string of coronavirus-related closures continues as Christie’s shutters 10 of its salesrooms around the globe, with Phillips following suit soon after. “In the days ahead, we will be communicating a number of necessary changes to our usual course of business, including further changes to our sale calendar,” says Guillaume Cerutti, chief executive officer of Christie’s.
“These decisions are undertaken with a great degree of care and in close consultation with our clients.” (more…)

As coronavirus-related closures continue around the globe, Art Basel is mulling over postponing its flagship fair this June, Art News reports. “We have been closely monitoring the spread of the virus since its early stages and continue to take the evolving situation extremely seriously,” reads an open letter from the fair. “The health and safety of everyone concerned is our highest priority and all necessary measures will be taken to prevent their safety.” (more…)

A number of blue-chip galleries have revealed plans to close in the face of coronavirus. “While we firmly believe that communal engagement with art is crucial in these challenging times, our first priority is to take every possible measure to ensure the safety of our visitors, artists, and staff,” a Pace spokesperson says. (more…)

A piece in Art News this week notes the fears and concerns of chronically ill artists threatened by the specter of coronavirus. “It’s a recipe for disaster,” says artist Ezra Benus. “What will happen to me if the medical system gets overwhelmed and I lose access to medications and doctors?” (more…)

Museum closures have begun in the United States, as The Whitney, The National Gallery of Art, and The Met announced plans to close. “Our highest priority is the safety and wellbeing of our staff, volunteers, and visitors during this time,” a statement from The Whitney reads. “We look forward to reopening to our staff and community as soon as possible.” (more…)

Frieze profiles Palais de Lomé, the first major contemporary art museum in Togo, and the only state-funded arts institution in all of Africa. (more…)

A piece in the New York Times this week follows the recent controversies surrounding dealer Inigo Philbrick.  The piece details Philbrick’s free-wheeling lifestyle and risky deals, which ultimately landed him in his current legal predicaments. (more…)

After weeks trying to mitigate the impact of coronavirus, The Louvre has closed indefinitely.  The Museum had made several efforts to avoid closing but ultimately was forced to shutter its doors today. (more…)

A piece in Barron’s this week notes the changing atmosphere and culture of Arts Philanthropy. “Part of that is generational driven,” says Anders Petterson, founder of ArtTactic and author of the report. “There is a younger generation coming after us who are seeing art not only in terms of an object, or commodity, or something you need to own, but [who] also realize art has a broader impact on the society we live in.” (more…)

Museums have begun to reopen in China and Japan, following a string a coronavirus-related closures. “We do the disinfection everyday according to the [official] sterilizing protocols, and all the working staff has been trained beforehand,” says a spokesperson for the Power Station of Art in Shanghai. “We have also prepared a temporary quarantine area on every floor in case of any emergencies. All visitors must have their temperature taken, as well as present their ID card and registered health code, before entering.” (more…)

Anicka Yi will be the Tate Modern’s next Turbine Hall commission. “Anicka Yi has developed a reputation for highly innovative work,” Frances Morris, director of Tate, said in a statement. “Her installations are unforgettable, using the latest scientific ideas and experimental materials in unexpected ways. The results not only engage the senses, but also tackle some of the big questions we face today about humanity’s relationship to nature and technology.” (more…)

Vienna’s Albertina Museum will get a Modern branch, the NYT reports. “I want to exhibit the Austrian canon alongside the larger canon,” says Klaus Albrecht Schröder, the general director of the Albertina. “In later exhibitions we will include artists like Georg Baselitz, Cindy Sherman, Alex Katz and Mike Kelley. But Austrian artists will always be present, at least 50 percent.” (more…)

Art Basel Hong Kong’s online viewing room program has been announced, a consolation for exhibitors left unable to attend the fair due to coronavirus.  (more…)

Germany has promised financial assistance to arts institutions affected by coronavirus. “It’s clear to me that the situation is a massive burden for the cultural and creative sectors and that small institutions and freelance artists could face considerable distress,” says culture minister Monika Grütters. “I won’t leave you in the lurch!” (more…)

Maya Lin has been tapped for the next Madison Square Park Conservancy installation, where she will erect a series of desiccated trees as a response to climate change. “Climate change has been a significant aspect of Lin’s practice through sculpture and installations, and also through her projects documenting mass extinction due to the loss of species and habitat degradation,” says Brooke Kamin Rapaport, the deputy director and Martin Friedman chief curator of the Madison Square Park Conservancy. “She is working on solutions for this global dilemma. This will be her legacy.” (more…)

A few hours after the WHO has declared a coronavirus a global pandemic, The L.A. Art Book Fair, has been cancelled. “Our annual L.A. Art Book Fair is both a celebration and a critical platform for artists’ books and publishing activity from across the globe,” a statement reads. “We are grateful for the understanding of our participating artists and publishers, and want to acknowledge the time and effort they have dedicated to developing creative publishing projects for the fair. We encourage everyone to continue to support their work.” (more…)

The new proposed UK budget features a £250 million fund to support local museums and neighborhood libraries, and clears the way to build freeports on British soil. The plan earned some criticism for not doing enough to combat the economic effects of coronavirus.  “The impact on cultural and sporting institutions will be severe,” says Tracy Brabin, the shadow secretary of state for culture. “I’m disappointed that the government has not announced specific measures in today’s budget to support DCMS sectors.” (more…)

David Nahmad gives a tour of his home to ABC News this week, as he prepares to raffle off a Picasso painting for charity. “We bought so many Picassos now, I don’t remember the specific reason,” Nahmad says. “It’s the smallest painting that I have.” (more…)

Gonzalo Casals,  executive director of the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, has been named New York’s next commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs. (more…)

Artist Heather Phillipson is interviewed in The Guardian this week, as her sculpture for London’s Fourth Plinth goes on view.  “I’m really interested in how we give ourselves away in language, how we can’t stop dribbling out stuff in our words and through our bodies,” she says. (more…)

An LA man will plead guilty to art fraud for attempts to sell $6m in forged paintings attributed to artists like Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Philip Bennet Righter would buy fake works on eBay then forge certificates of attribution, ultimately selling the works at a substantial markup. (more…)

A major show scheduled around the sale of the Marron family collection at Pace and Gagosian will be postponed due to coronavirus. “Given the current climate of uncertainty, it seems that it will no longer be possible to secure the loans from international private lenders and institutions that would be required to present the true scope and influence of Don Marron’s collection,” a Pace spokesperson says. “Our priority is on creating an exhibition that will honor Don to the fullest, and that will celebrate his legacy for local and global audiences.” (more…)

A piece in the NYT this week charts the new project at Performance Space NY, where a cohort of artists have been given free reign over the institution. “It’s so much giving up of control,” says director Jenny Schlenzka. “Like, I’m sitting here with The New York Times, and I don’t even know what’s going on in my place for the next year.” (more…)

The city of Berlin is shuttering all state-owned arts venues for a month in response to coronavirus.  The decision comes as cases of the virus explode in the German capital. (more…)