As of January 1st, the LEGO Company has reversed its policy on selling bulk orders of its product, considered by many to be a direct result of backlash and worldwide protest over its refusal to provide material to Ai Weiwei for a project in Melbourne.  “If you want to place an order for a large quantity of bricks, we won’t ask what you’re planning to build,” the company website now reads.  “We’ll simply ask you make it clear the work isn’t supported or endorsed by us if it’s for public display.” (more…)

W Magazine has a profile on Josh Roth, the head of United Talent Agency’s new art division, who is using his influence and resources to push new ventures for the company.  “We’re meeting with artists, hearing their dreams, gauging their interest levels,” Roth says. “There’s no expectation of a return on investment in the first 24 months.” (more…)

A major dispute has arisen over the sale of a Picasso bust, with Larry Gagosian and the royal family of Qatar facing off in court to determine who purchased the work rightfully from the artist’s daughter Maya Widmaier-Picasso.  Gagosian claims he purchased the work in May of last year for $106 million, while the Qatari royals claim they had arranged to buy the work in 2014 for $42 million, with both parties bringing forward documentation showing a considerable amount of wrangling and attempts to change the conditions of the deal.  “It’s regrettable that this has come to a quarrel between dealers and collectors,” said John Richardson, Picasso’s biographer. “It’s a major work by Picasso.” (more…)

Marion Maneker has an in-depth breakdown of the Sotheby’s/Art Agency Partners deal today at Art Market Monitor, noting the Agency’s $52 million art fund, and the actual expectations of the company in the deal.  “So, for the record, the $50m being paid to AAP represents Sotheby’s estimation of the firm’s profits over the next five years. Sotheby’s believes that the additional revenue to the auction house from those profits will be accretive,” Maneker writes.  “That means revenues will increase more than the purchase price paid. Acting CFO Dennis Weibling made that point more than once on the company’s investor call yesterday.  Weibling is a board member, so his statement should hold extra weight.” (more…)

The Art Newspaper profiles Christo’s ongoing efforts to complete The Mastaba, a massive pyramid constructed from 410,000 barrels, which he has sought to install in the desert of Abu Dhabi.  “The engineering plan is almost finished,” he says.  “We need to have the land secure. That is the difficult part. It’s like the Eiffel Tower: it should remain a monument after I am gone.”  (more…)

Paula Cooper is interviewed in Art Newspaper this week, discussing her vision for her gallery, and her preferred modes of working.  “I could just send in a crew to hang everything eight inches apart, which would make things go faster, but where’s the fun in that?”  She says.  “And I’ve always thought that if you’re interested in making money, you’ll make money.” (more…)

Turkey has arrested two individuals accused of smuggling a 17th Century piece believed to be the work of Flemish master Anthony van Dyck.  The men were arrested in Istanbul after attempted to sell the work, which they purchased from a criminal organization. (more…)

Creative Capital has announced the recipients of its 2016 grants, totaling $4.4 million towards 46 different ventures, which are focused around current issues and events in American culture.  “Artists today are brave, bold and deeply engaged in the world,” says Ruby Lerner, Founding President & Executive Director, Creative Capital. “The 2016 class of Creative Capital awardees are creating important and deeply moving work, with immediacy and passion. This class is diverse, it is extraordinarily talented, and we believe the 2016 Creative Capital artists will shape their fields for decades to come.” (more…)

The Italian state has announced plans to spend over â‚¬300 million to restore restoring over 200 heritage sites around the country in the coming years.  The announcement came shortly after premier Matteo Renzi passed Italy’s 2016 budget. (more…)

Sotheby’s has purchased former Christie’s exec Amy Cappellazzo’s Art Agency, Partners, for $85 million (including potential performance earnings), the NYT reports.  “To the extent that they’re looking to other places to bolster income — to get more regular earnings — it makes sense,” says Steve Blitz of ITG Investment Research. (more…)

An article in the Art Newspaper notes increased calls for the availability of info on the pricing and sales of works, highlighted by Art Basel head Marc Spiegler’s argument that information accessibility increases engagement and transparency.  Spiegler points to auction houses as the most visible listings for art prices, which he feels allows them undue influence to “define what is and isn’t important.” (more…)

Pressure from Dublin continues to mount on London to return works from the collection of Sir Hugh Lane, works which were intended to go to the Irish nation, but which were held after his death in the National Gallery.  “I think it is important that the political representatives of the city of Dublin indicate that they believe the paintings should be returned to their rightful home,” says Fianna Fail councillor Jim O’Callaghan.  “Once the current agreement is up I think the fairest arrangement would be for the paintings to be returned to their proper home.”

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Collector Dorace Fichtenbaum has left an impressive gift to the Dallas Museum of Art, allowing the institution to make its own selections from her collection to strengthen its holdings as it sees fit.  “For us it was a sudden wealth,” says Olivier Meslay, “a changing gift.  The house was packed on the wall with works of art — all the big names of the German Expressionist period were there. “We picked the best of them.” (more…)

The Bruce High-Quality Foundation is moving out of the East Village, consolidating operations in its Sunset Park Studio.  The space will be hosting a new exhibition by House of Ladosha, beginning next week.   (more…)

A group of artists including Anish Kapoor, Jasper Johns, and Cecily Brown are offering works for auction to benefit choreographer Stephen Petronio residency program in Pawling, N.Y.  Kapoor’s donation alone is anticipated to achieve $1 million in sales, covering a sizable portion of Petronio’s $3 million goal. (more…)

LACMA has published an article on Frank Stella’s St. Michael’s Counterguard, a work from the museum collection currently on view at The Whitney’s Stella retrospective, documenting the challenges of transport and installation for the work.  “Yes, all the parts were there (with the exception of the original wall cleat), but could we put them together? The only way to make sure was to temporarily install the artwork ourselves at LACMA before repacking and crating it for transport to the Whitney,” writes lead conservator Mark Gilberg. (more…)

A large number of Los Angeles museums are offering free admission for all attendees on January 30th, part of the city’s annual Museums Free-for-All Program, including LACMA, MOCA, and the Hammer Museum.  (more…)

Mickalene Thomas offers Vogue Magazine a tour of her Brooklyn brownstone, which she shares with her daughter, Junya.  “She reminds me of the freedom of childhood,” Thomas says, “how to play with materials without being beholden to weighted ideas and theories. Her work is a reminder for my own practice.” (more…)

Dealer Guy Wildenstein’s fraud trial has been delayed, after judges referred a decision to a separate court on whether or not Wildenstein was being unfairly prosecuted for combined criminal and administrative tax charges.  A ruling on the matter is expected before May 4th. (more…)

Alexander and Bonin Gallery is moving into a new TriBeCa space this summer, Artforum reports.  The 47 Walker Street location was previously the hub for last year’s Performa Biennial, and will function as a multi-use space.  “The first floor galleries will incorporate natural light and the lower level will house a designated space allocated to video, sound work, and performance,” says partner Carolyn Alexander. (more…)

The New York Times profiles recent efforts to save the former country home of J.M.W. Turner, which has fallen into disrepair in recent years, and which is the subject of a £2.4 million restoration project.  “The house has very much reached the point where it needs a major overhaul,” said Gary Butler of Butler Hegarty Architects, who leads the renovation. “It’s not going to fall down in the next one or two years if you did nothing, but it’s dilapidated to the point where continued occupation would be difficult.” (more…)

The Evening Standard notes that of the number of new galleries popping up in the popular Mayfair district of London, a sizable portion are American, underlining the attractiveness of the city to gallerists from the States.  “London is a gateway to other European markets,” says Oliver Green, Savills central London retail director. (more…)

Francesco Vezzoli is interviewed in The Guardian this week, discussing his personal life, and his leftist political views, formed by his family’s membership in the Proletarian Unity Party.  “We had a public debate at the National Synotec in Rome and one of the presidents of Italian television who is one of the wittiest men in Italy kept screaming ‘You’re such a Marxist!’, because of the things I was saying.” He says. “I said ‘I must have been able to come out of the closet as a homosexual, but the Marxist thing is still locked somewhere in there.’ Many people say that the work is way more political than I seem to realize, but that must come from my family. I think that it’s kind of sweet that it’s there; I leave for other people to read it.” (more…)

Barron’s reports that New York state is cracking down hard on taxes for art purchases, often asking for shipping records and invoices, and sending out sizable bills in the process to many collectors who have skimped on sales taxes.  “I’m getting panicked phone calls from people who are not even my clients,” says David Lifson, a partner and art expert at Crowe Horwath. “I’m seeing letters about people who have moved to New York,” and “letters where the inventory is in transit among dealers and owners. There are many people on this list who bought art in Europe and had it shipped in or through New York.” (more…)