NYC Art dealer Todd von Ammon, formerly of Team Gallery, is relocating to Washington, D.C., Art News reports. “It’s my belief that openings of galleries often garner too much fanfare and the closings of galleries garner too much shame,” he says of the venture. “It’s a very unforgiving business model, and I think one that could be much more flexible than it currently appears.” (more…)
Collector and Felix co-founder Dean Valentine is profiled in the NYT this week, reflecting on his successful fair and his own collecting habits. “I learned a lot of what I know about art from hanging out with dealers in the mid-90s and asking them, ‘Why is this any good?’” the former president of Walt Disney Television and CEO of UPN said. (more…)
The New Art Dealers Alliance has added seventeen new galleries to its ranks, among them Mitchell Algus Gallery and 321 Gallery. “Each of our new members exemplify NADA’s mission, and are great additions to our growing community,” says director Heather Hubbs. (more…)
MoMA PS1‘s M. Wells Dinette has announced its closure, to be replaced with a new venture by chef Mina Stone. Stone is already a well-known name in the art world, regularly preparing meals for Urs Fischer’s studio. “I sit down, and like seeing a good work of art, I cannot do anything but enjoy it,” Fischer says of her food. “At times, her meals are true masterpieces! It’s like eating your favorite work of art. Shortly after, it’s all gone. Like a mirage.” (more…)
Artist Ai Weiwei has had his contribution to the film Berlin, I Love You, pulled after concerns over distribution in China. “It was infuriating to find our involvement had been erased,” Ai said on Deutsche Welle television. “The reason we were given for the episode’s removal was that my political status had made it difficult for the production team to secure further funding.” (more…)
The New York Times has a piece on the increasingly real possibility that Britain leave the EU without a deal, noting in particular the challenges it poses for London’s arts scene. “If there is no deal, it means all shipments between Britain and the E.U. will be subject to customs clearance,” says Victor Khureya, executive operations director at Gander & White, a specialist fine-art shipping company, based in London. (more…)
Carla Pellegrini, the director of Italy’s Galleria Milano and a formative voice in the development of post-war Italian art, has passed away, Artforum reports. Pellegrini was one of the first to bring artists like George Baselitz, Sigmar Polke, Gerhard Richter, and more to the country, and continued to support young artists up until her death. (more…)
The European Parliament has asked the European Commission to tighten its framework on cross-border restitutions for looted art and cultural goods. “The first priority is to get some attention focused on the topic, then to map areas where progress could be achieved at the European Union level,” says representative Pavel Svoboda. (more…)
Artist Roberto Cuoghi is now represented by Hauser & Wirth gallery. “Cuoghi is already a legend among serious collectors and among his peers, and now our objective is to engage the widest possible audience in his ideas and work,” says partner Marc Payot. “While it’s impossible to draw direct parallels between Cuoghi and other artists, his attitude of full immersion and total commitment to his work resonate with many other artists in our program.” (more…)
The Armory Show has announced its list of talks and programs for its Live section, set to open with the fair on March 7th. The program has targeted a number of hot button issues in modern America, including identity, politics and feminism. (more…)
Stephanie Gabriel, previously a partner at Lehmann Maupin Gallery, will take over as director of Marianne Boesky Art News reports. “Stephanie brings with her an incredible record of gallery leadership and wide range of long-standing relationships with artists and curators that will prove invaluable to our growing operations,” Boesky said in a statement.” (more…)
Jasper Johns gets a NYT profile this week, as he embarks on several busy months, leading up to a maj0r retrospective of his work at The Whitney. The expansive piece charts the artist’s life and work, and his encounters in the post-war art scene in New York. (more…)
The Louvre is aiming to request a loan for Salvator Mundi, the Da Vinci work sold for $450 million in 2017, for a major retrospective on the artist’s work. “I confirm the Musée du Louvre has asked for the loan of the Salvator Mundi for its October exhibition and truly wishes to exhibit the artwork,” a spokeswoman for the Louvre says. (more…)
Nan Goldin will turn down a retrospective of her work at Britain’s National Portrait Gallery if it accepts a gift of £1 million from the Sackler family, threatening to boycott the gallery over its involvement in the manufacture of OxyContin. “I will not do the show,” Goldin says. “I have been invited to have a retrospective at the National Portrait Gallery and I have told them I would not do it if they take the Sackler money.” (more…)
Frank Stella is profiled in the NYT this week, showcasing his art collection and the group of works he will sell from it at Christie’s later this year. “It’s nice to come home and look at paintings. I don’t have to look at my own paintings. To me, it’s a relief,” he says. “I like seeing them and not worrying. I don’t have to adjust anything.” (more…)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced that it has handed over a first-century BC gilded coffin to the Manhattan district attorney for return to the Egyptian government upon discovering the item was looted in 2011. “I can tell you that the provenance file we provided to the Metropolitan Museum, to my best knowledge, was absolutely correct,” says Paris-based dealer Christophe Kunicki, the source who sold the item to The Met. “We want to know what is happening because we don’t understand what is happening. It’s absolutely unbelievable–it’s a terrible surprise for us.” (more…)
Artist Theaster Gates and filmmaker Ava DuVernay will co-chair a new Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council for Prada, Art News reports. “Prada is committed to cultivating, recruiting, and retaining diverse talent to contribute to all departments of the company. In addition to amplifying voices of color within the industry we will help ensure that the fashion world is reflective of the world in which we live, and we are thrilled to be working with longtime collaborators Ava DuVernay and Theaster Gates on this important initiative,” the company said in a statement. (more…)
Serial art thief Stéphane Breitwieser the has been arrested again in Alsace. He has been under surveillance since 2016, and was found with €163,000 in cash stored in buckets at his mother’s house. (more…)
Artsy has alerted users to a potential data breach on its site, exposing information to hackers. “We have no evidence that commercial or financial information was involved, and to date we have not received reports from Artsy users of actual or attempted fraud as a result of this incident,” an alert email read. (more…)
Lehmann Maupin now represents Helen Pashgian, an artist associated with the Light and Space movement. “I cannot express how much it means to have Helen join the gallery,” says David Maupin. “My roots in Los Angeles have kept me tied to this generation of artists, who are among my earliest and most lasting influences in how I look at art.” (more…)
Dealer Mary Boone has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for tax avoidance. “I feel like a pariah,” she said. “I promise to be the best person that I can and to do good and affect lives in a positive way.” (more…)
Drawing Center curator Laura Hoptmann and painter Verne Dawson are profiled in the NYT’s ‘Show Us Your Wall’ series, showcasing a collection of works built up from a lifetime in the art world. “I never spent more than $20 on a work. This odd vase [with a damaged octopus on the front] I bought for 5 euros on a stoop sale in Paris and I’ve probably made 20 different paintings of it,” Dawson says. (more…)
