Hong Kong real-estate tycoon Joseph Lau is the seller of David Hockney’s A Splash, which will go to auction at Sotheby’s London this February. Lau was sentenced to five years in prison for bribery and tax evasion but has avoided jail time by staying outside mainland China. (more…)

A group of artists are interviewed in MoMA’s magazine this week, discussing their relationships with the late John Baldessari. “It’s taken me about 40 years to realize that Baldessari’s studio was the model I’ve used to structure all of my subsequent studio spaces,” says Christopher Williams. (more…)

Following the controversy surrounding former employee Joshua Helmer, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has called for the Philadelphia Museum of Art to revamp its personnel policies. “The [Kenney] Administration did express to PMA leadership that it should review and strengthen its policies regarding anti-fraternization and sexual harassment, and require training for all staff,” Kenney spokesperson Deana Gamble said. (more…)

The Church, a new residency program created by Eric Fischl and April Gornik has tapped Sara Cochran, former director and chief curator of the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art in Arizona, as the executive director and chief curator.  “She contacted me to ask if I would find it awkward if she applied for the job, and of course it was quite the opposite—I was thrilled,” Fischl says. (more…)

Auction houses have been asked to submit proposals for the sale of the collection of Harry and Linda Macklowe a $700 million collection they were ordered to sell as part of divorce proceedings.  The anticipated date for sale is this spring. (more…)

Ragen Moss, Senior Borrower (with Mezzanine Borrower) (2019), via Bridget Donahue

Currently on view at Bridget Donahue, artist Ragen Moss has hung an octet of peculiar hanging sculptures.  Referred to at points as “couples” and as “animals,” the show seems to take on the atmosphere of animals moving about an enclosure, watched closely by the viewer to glimpse moments of personality and persona. The works, on view through the end of the month, offer a particularly impressive chance to observe and explore the nature of viewing, and the concept of nature itself.    (more…)

Artist Tamara de Lempicka continues a market streak this winter as her piece Portrait de Marjorie Ferry heads to auction at Christie’s Impressionist and Modern Sale in London.“Tamara de Lempicka’s striking portraits came to symbolize the exuberance and freedom of the post-war society during the 1920s and early 30s,” says Keith Gill, the head of Impressionist & Modern Art evening sales at Christie’s. (more…)

Painter Henry Taylor has joined the roster at Hauser & Wirth, which will share representation with Blum & Poe.  “After an incredibly fruitful 10 years of success together, Blum and Poe is pleased, going forward, to continue to do great work alongside Hauser & Wirth,” says Tim Blum. (more…)

Ceciliy Brown has been tapped as the next artist to present work at Blenheim Palace. “The idea of showing work in a stately home would never have occurred to me but I was invited to do it and I immediately thought ‘what a fabulous idea’ and ‘what fun’, really,” she says. “It is completely out there and different to anywhere else I’ve shown my work.” (more…)

Lothar Baumgarten, Tropenhäuser (Guayana), Conservatorie (Guayana) (1969-1972:2012), via Marian Goodman

Currently on view at Marian Goodman in New York, artist Lothar Baumgarten is the subject of a posthumous show focusing on a body of work he helped compile before his passing.  “The Early Years” focuses on the formative works that shaped his oeuvre, and functions as an homage to one of the most important German artists who influenced a subsequent generation, not to mention an artist who has worked with the gallery since the 1980’s.

Lothar Baumgarten, Kosmos (1968), via Marian Goodman

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Doryun Chong, deputy director and chief curator of the M+ Museum in Hong Kong gets a profile in Art News this week, as he prepares to open the space to the public. It is my vision, but it is also the natural consequence of the work we are doing that this is going to be a … multidisciplinary contemporary collection like no other in Asia,” he says. “No institution has come up with this sort of vision with the policy, resources, and infrastructure that is already there.”  (more…)

One of Damien Hirst’s iconic pill cabinets is heading to auction, part of a selection of works by collector Robert Tibbles at Phillips next month.  “I was shown good stuff, and I chose good stuff. The truth is, the valuations have always remained remarkably stable,” the collector says.  “Ultimately, I had this epiphany and realized, actually, [the collection is] complete.”  (more…)

A group of 37 artists have sent an open letter to MoMA PS1 calling for the removal of two board members who have been the subject of criticism over war profiteering. “We appreciate the visibility this exhibition gives to the Iraq wars and to the work of Iraqi artists; however, we also wish to make visible MoMA’s connection to funds generated from companies and corporations that directly profit from these wars,” the letter reads. “We call on PS1 to stand by its stated mission and, together with MoMA, take a truly radical position by divesting from any trustees and sources of funding that profit from the suffering of others.” (more…)

George Condo is now represented by Hauser & Wirth, Art News reports. “It’s this link between generations,” says Marc Payot. “He’s really rooted in art history, going to back to Old Masters and creating links between artists we work with, like Philip Guston, Nicole Eisenman, and Avery Singer.” (more…)

Artist Stan Douglas will represent Canada at the 2021 Canadian Pavilion, Art News reports. “Douglas is one of the country’s most internationally respected artists, with a practice recognized for its critical imagination, formal ingenuity and deep commitment to social enquiry,” a statement by the jury reads. “The currency of Douglas’ practice is especially relevant in the context of the Biennale’s global dialogues, and the jury was unanimous in its enthusiasm for his selection.” (more…)

Korean pop stars BTS are launching an ambitious global art initiative featuring work by Antony Gormley, Tomás Saraceno, and more, Art News reports.“This project is especially meaningful to us because it truly represents diversity and creates a collective, positive message for the world that we value. Through this project, we hope to return the great amount of love and support from our fans, ARMY, and all audiences,” a statement reads. (more…)

Lee Bul, Perdu XX (2019), via Lehmann Maupin

On view through January 18th in New York, the South Korean artist Lee Bul presents a selection of new works unified under the title Interlude: Perdu at Lehmann Maupin, a solo presentation that  features recent mixed media paintings from the artist’s Perdu series that blend biomorphic and cybertronic forms, vividly yet delicately rendered in acrylic paint and mother of pearl.  The artist’s work, which incorporates these divergent forms into a new formal language, makes for an expressive wrinkle in her broader body of work. (more…)

Following allegations of sexual harassment and a petition online that demanded his removal, Joshua Helmer is out at the Erie Art Museum. “The Erie Art Museum Board of Directors takes seriously all allegations of misconduct,” the museum said in a statement. “Prior to offering Mr. Helmer the position at the Erie Art Museum, the Board, with the help of an employment consultant, conducted due diligence including background checks. No issues were identified during our due diligence.” (more…)

Art dealer James Birch gets a profile in The Telegraph this week, profiling his adventurous approach to curating work, and his discovery of Grayson Perry. (more…)

Sotheby’s and Highsnobiety have partnered for a limited-edition collection of T-shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies featuring works from the upcoming Masters Week auctions in New York. “This partnership with Highsnobiety, whose name is synonymous with streetwear and has been at the forefront of the culture for 15 years, was an opportunity to showcase Old Master paintings as remarkably modern, graphic works of art that can be enjoyed outside their mythological or historical context,” says David Pollack, Sotheby’s Senior Vice President and Specialist for Old Master Paintings. (more…)

Sophie Calle, Exquisite Pain (Count Down – 22) (2000), via Paula Cooper

Exploring divergent concepts and bodies of work in exchange over the course of a show currently on view at Paula Cooper Gallery in New York, photographers Sophie Calle, Bruce Conner and Paul Pfeiffer have gathered together under the title “Documents & Recitations.”  The show, which features a range of different images and works from each artist’s oeuvre, explores the format of the series to construct new narratives, and engage notions of individual memory and collective perception as translated through the medium of photography. (more…)

A piece in the New York Times this week charts the challenges faced by recent public arts construction in Germany, as budgets spiral out of control and other projects go unfinished due to poor planning.  “The firms that offer the highest quality and greatest flexibility are not the cheapest, so they often don’t have a chance,” says Professor Mike Gralla, head of the construction management department at the Technical University Dortmund. (more…)

Yinka Shonibare has a piece in The Guardian this week, speaking on his vision for his new residency program in Nigeria. “African artists have always been there, doing fantastic work, and the rest of the world is only just catching up,” he says. (more…)

Recovered works by Camille Pissarro and Paul Signac are set to go to auction at Sotheby’s this February, pieces looted by the Nazis during WWII and just recently returned to the descendants of their original owners from the holdings of the Musée D’Orsay.  “It’s a pity for the Musée d’Orsay to lose these paintings, but it’s a good example of a country acting in an honorable fashion. It’s the right thing to do,” says Thomas Boyd-Bowman, a director at Sotheby’s impressionist and modern art department. “Looting and vandalism should not profit others.” (more…)