Jannis Kounellis will receive the first major retrospective of his work in the US in 35 years, opening a major show at the Walker Art Center in 2022. “Jannis is an artist that moved all his life from one country to another to fulfill his dream of being an artist,” says curator Vincenzo de Bellis. “His works speak to memory, history, and migration—things which are very important today.” (more…)

The Smithsonian will partner with PBS this year to launch a series of online education programs, the Washington Post reports.  “The Smithsonian has so many resources, but even we don’t have broad enough shoulders to do all of this,” says Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III. “The pandemic has given us the opportunity to fill a void. It has accelerated where we wanted to go. [PBS] gives us a great portal to do that.” (more…)

Kamel Mennour has ceased its relationship with artist Claude Lévêque over a string of allegations of sexual abuse of minors.  The gallery stated its decision was made “in order to allow the judicial authority to carry out the necessary investigations.” (more…)

Following the third suicide at its site, The Vessel in Hudson Yards has been closed until new safety measures can be put in place. “Because the Vessel’s chest-high barrier is all that separates the platform from the edge, the likelihood of a similar, terribly sad loss of life cannot be ignored,” says Related Companies board chairman, Lowell Kern. (more…)

A string of new art spaces are set to open in Australia this year, Artforum reports, including a series of new renovations and new non-profit centers opened country-wide. (more…)

Artist El Anatsui gets a profile in the New Yorker this week, as he discusses his career and his modes of working. “If you feel attached to your work, it means you have a feeling you have gotten to the end,” says. (more…)

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The Hirshhorn is facing pressure over the proposed redesign to its sculpture garden by Hiroshi Sugimoto, which some say threatens the geometries and concepts of the original design. “It’s a process of negotiating and talking and I have no answer yet,” said the artist. “My opinion is just 10% or 20%. I tell people what I want to make.” (more…)

A new project by the Getty has launched a new online project allowing visitors to explore the  photographs Ed Ruscha shot of the Sunset Strip over several decades. (more…)

A piece in the Art Newspaper notes a new set of challenges and “teething problems” for art handlers and shippers moving works in and out of the UK as Brexit goes into place.  The increased paperwork is “actually proving to be quite a painful process” says Joe Kennedy, the co-founder of the London gallery, Unit London, leading to “a significant amount of additional red tape and delays at customs”. (more…)

Immersive museums and experiential art centers are expanding even in the face of the Pandemic, the NYT reports. “Art is a risky enterprise, and in a period of distress, it’s exactly the wrong time to expect more investment,” says  William Goetzmann, a professor of finance and management studies at Yale University. “If you are a nonprofit, you can appeal to donors to safeguard cultural heritage. If you are a for-profit company, an investor expects a return that’s commensurate with the risk.” (more…)

Making it the first fair of the year to postpone its 2021 edition, Expo Chicago has once again rescheduled its already delayed fair. “As with everything, like going to a restaurant or an exhibition, if an exhibitor is expending the money for an art fair it has to be safe and it also has to be a viable option for success,” says director Tony Karman. “It was obvious that we had to postpone, recognizing, unfortunately, that things aren’t going the way they should for people to gather safely.” (more…)

The opening of François Pinault’s Bourse de Commerce Museum has been delayed as a result of the continued French museum closures. “All activities and establishments currently closed will remain closed until the end of the month,” says Prime Minister Jean Castex.  (more…)

A piece in the New York Times this week explores the renewed interest in multiples in the art world, and the artists still working in multiples today. “I wanted my best work to be the cheapest work,” says Danh Vo. (more…)

Following the sale of a $12 million Pollock from its holdings, Syracuse’s Everson Museum has purchased seven works by emerging and mid-career artists, including pieces by Shinique Smith and works by local artists.  “The Everson’s collection has been steadily evolving in recent years,” says director Elizabeth Dunbar, “and this new group of purchases—the first of many more to come—signals an institutional commitment to building a collection that not only reflects the rich diversity of our community, but embodies the potential for exploring new and multiple narratives within the trajectory of art past, present, and future.” (more…)

Richard Serra’s desert sculpture in Qatar has been vandalized with graffiti. “The vandals were apprehended by authorities and were referred to public prosecution for the necessary legal action to be taken against them,” says a statement by Qatar Museums. (more…)

Venetian mayor Luigi Brugnaro has extend the closure of the city’s 11 civic museums, causing an uproar among citizens and institutional representatives.“I’m doing what any good family man would do,” he says. “The opening of the museums depends on whether people can travel freely, on the pool of users. Our museums depend principally on the tourists. There is a business logic, an entrepreneurial culture in making things work. Should I be ashamed of administering a public asset like a business enterprise, of making it profitable?” (more…)

Artist Tishan Hu gets a profile in the NYT this week, reflecting on his work and its interests in technology and its psychological effects. “I would say, whether people connect to my work — I think I’m really just trying to ask the question, ‘What is really happening?’” he says. (more…)

A piece in the Art Newspaper responds to the images of the riots at the Capitol this week, with a group of artists weighing in. “If black folks had stormed the capital [sic],” says Glenn Ligon, “we’d be seeing them come out in body bags.” (more…)

Controversy is roiling at the San Francisco Art Institute over the planned sale of a Diego Rivera mural that has students and faculty outraged. “Our first choice would be to endow the mural in place, attracting patrons or a partner institution that would create a substantial fund that would enable us to preserve, protect and present the mural to the public,” says board chairwoman, Pam Rorke Levy. (more…)

Artist McArthur Binion‘s efforts to support young artists in Detroit through his foundation gets a spotlight in the Art Newspaper this week. “Detroit visual artists have been overlooked and underrated nationally,” he says. “We’re now seeing that start to change. That’s the narrative that we’re focused on supporting.” (more…)

The New York Times charts the art world’s plans for 2021, as a shaky schedule towards easing out of the coronavirus pandemic and challenges to art world logistics makes for a complex picture. “There is room for local fairs if they have a good focus — I’m not so worried about them,” says collector Alain Servais. “The big international fairs are most exposed this year. People will travel less, and these fairs count on international attendance for their success.” (more…)

Artist Yinka Shonibare is creating a Leeds memorial to David Oluwale a Nigerian who drowned in the 1960s after police harassment in that city. “It’s a fitting legacy to an ordinary man, who will no doubt leave an extraordinary legacy,” he said. “We have to honor him with this small event and hopefully, if people can learn about history, and the mistakes of history, they won’t repeat them.” (more…)

After previously being dismissed in 2018 over a lack of evidence, France’s highest court has ordered the retrial of the Wildenstein family over allegations of tax fraud. (more…)