Three artists in Germany have used the fat from Joseph Beuys‘ work Fettecke (1982) to distill their own liquor, and to serve it to visitors during a performance. The performers, professor of art in Bremen Markus Löffler and artists Andree Korpys and Dieter Schmal, combined the fat with blue pigment from a Yves Klein work, and created a home distilled drink. “The taste is reminiscent of Parmesan,” says Löffler. (more…)
A new study has found an interesting link between a synthetic dopamine used to treat Parkinson’s Disease, and sudden bouts of intense creativity. “I started painting from morning till night, and often all through the night until morning. I used countless numbers of brushes at a time. I used knives, forks, sponges … I would gouge open tubes of paint–it was everywhere,” says one patient. “But I was still in control at that point. Then, I started painting on the walls, the furniture, even the washing machine.” (more…)
The Smithsonian Institution is reportedly in talks to build an expansion in London’s Olympic Park, a project that would become part of Mayor Boris Johnson’s plan to build a massive cultural center on the grounds of the 2o12 Olympics. “The mayor has made clear his ambitions for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with a view that it becomes home to a range of prestigious higher education, cultural and technological institutions,” said Johnson’s spokesperson. (more…)
Goldsmith’s London has announced plans to build a public art gallery on the University’s South London campus, repurposing the old water tanks of the Laurie Grove Baths. To raise funds, the institution is asking many former pupils for donations and works to auction in support of the project, including Sarah Lucas, Damien Hirst and Antony Gormley. (more…)
Detroit retirees have passed a vote resolving to allow the Detroit Institute of Arts to spin-off as its own institution, and to accept pension cuts, reflecting what many believe to be the popular opinion towards the city’s art collection and its ability to recover. “The voting shows strong support for the city’s plan to adjust its debts and for the investment necessary to provide essential services and put Detroit on secure financial footing,” said Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr.
Art Basel Hong Kong Director Magnus Renfrew is reportedly leaving his post with the growing art fair to join Bonhams Auction House in the role of deputy chairman, Asia and director of fine arts, Asia. “Renfrew will be responsible for defining the strategy for Bonhams in Asia relating to the fine arts and will oversee the established departments of classical, Modern and contemporary art in Asia,” Bonhams stated in a press release. (more…)
Judge Robert D. Okun of the District of Columbia Superior Court has allowed the lawsuit filed by a group of students and faculty against the Corcoran Gallery to move forward, a move which may delay the absorption of the institution by George Washington University and the National Gallery of Art. “Today’s decision is a meaningful step for transparency and inclusiveness ”says lawyer Andrew S. Tulumello. (more…)
The New York Times takes a look inside Mana Fine Arts and Mana Contemporary, the nearly one million square foot art storage and exhibition space in Jersey City, which has become one of New York’s best kept secrets, and which is owned by moving magnate Moishe Mana, whose business has grown alongside New York’s art world. “I remember moving artists in the early days,” Mana recalls. “And when they said they couldn’t afford my rate, I told them if they couldn’t make a living from their art, then they should find real jobs and keep art as a hobby.” (more…)
Stephen Prina, Detail of Monochrome Painting: A Posterior Prototype: Average Size (1994), all images courtesy Patrick Painter
Patrick Painter Gallery in Los Angeles is currently hosting an impressively selected group show, culling artists from the past 30 years of practice entitled Titans of the Stratosphere, and featuring six artists: Rodney Graham, Mike Kelley, Paul McCarthy, Stephen Prina, Christopher Wool, and Andrea Zittel.
US Museums are joining forces with the Syrian Interim Government’s Heritage Task Force to assist in the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage against the tide of its ongoing civil war, training civilians in preservation techniques and strategies for securing important art objects and artifacts. “Local communities are best equipped to identify heritage in need of preservation and protection, and this is precisely what is happening in Syria,” says Richard Leventhal, the executive director of the Penn Cultural Heritage Center. (more…)
Auction Houses are placing an increased emphasis on pre-20th century art and other objects, in an effort to further expand the thriving auction markets. Offering variety shows that present top works from a variety of areas and cultures, the auctions are designed to encourage top bidders by focusing sales. “If the auction houses pick their 50 or so best objects, then their top buyers don’t have to sift through several sales,” says Stuart Lochhead, director of Daniel Katz Ltd. “People are less connoisseurial these days. Finance people are always rushing. They have so little time.” (more…)
Carl Andre at The Paula Cooper Gallery, via Art Observed
On view at The Paula Cooper Gallery in New York is an exhibition of major sculptures by Carl Andre from a period ranging over thirty years. The exhibition coincides with the artist’s retrospective at Dia:Beacon, which is the first survey of Carl Andre’s entire body of work by a museum in North America since 1980.
The case for artist resale royalties in the United States is gaining strength in Congress, as the bill proposing the measure has earned six co-signers in the past weeks. “We’re optimistic—the pace over the past month seems to have picked up,” says Ted Feder, the president of the Artists Rights Society. (more…)
Last week, artist Cai Guo-Qiang floated a specially made ark, filled with stuffed animals, around Shanghai harbor, in an attempt to draw further attention to the port city’s heavily polluted waters. “Not being dead leaves possibilities and space for imagination,” the artist said of his work, emphasizing the space between living and dead that his stuffed animals occupy. (more…)
Partnering with Beijing’s Tsinghua University Art and Science Media Laboratory (TASML) and the Center for Art and Technology at CCIA (CAT/CCIA), Rhizome has announced a $10,000 cash prize to one Internet artist. The award will be handed out annually three times total over the course of the next three years, through 2016. “Internet art remains less recognized, less supported,” the organization said in a statement. “This prize gives a boost to those who continue to make art on the Internet, and emphasizes the unique cultural importance of such work.” (more…)
FIAC has announced a new event set to take place during the larger fair this October, titled (OFF)ICIELLE, and focused around promoting young galleries and artists on the international circuit. The event will present 50 galleries from around the world in Paris, opening for a private viewing on October 21st. (more…)
The Art Newspaper investigates the current payscales for independent curators, from Milan Expo 2015’s €750,000 salary for Germano Celant, to much lower rates for small-scale fairs and biennials. “We’re not talking about the kind of field where you say, ‘A senior vice-president makes this and a schoolteacher makes that,’” says consultant András Szántó. “One of the interesting things about the art world as a labour market is that it is so fragmented.” (more…)
The use of 3D Printing in contemporary art is growing, and this week, the International Foundation for Art Research will host a special event investigating the impact and use of the advanced technology in current studio practices. “The technology, which facilitates replication, has legal implications, such as patent and copyright infringement and, down the road, possibly also forgery and fraud”, says Ifar Executive Director Sharon Flescher. (more…)
Bloomberg examines the record sale of Tracey Emin’s My Bed at Christie’s this past month, and notes its success as part of a growing trend towards higher prices for female artists on the secondary market. “Historical corrections are in vogue,” says former Christie’s exec Amy Cappellazzo. “There are more women artists who are getting their due.” (more…)
Sotheby’s is laying off staff as a result of its current operational overhaul, following the conclusion of its fierce battle with investor Daniel Loeb. “As part of a long-range planning process begun earlier this year, Sotheby’s has identified areas for growth and additional investment,” the company said in a statement last week. “To capture these opportunities in an ever-evolving business, the company has decided to reallocate staff and resources.” (more…)
Tara Donovan, Untitled (2014) via Art Observed
The geometric, visually imaginative work of Tara Donovan takes its inspiration from simple movements, simple gestures elevated by their repetition and internal harmony. Her work finds its form through the interaction of its elements, the spatial and compositional considerations of her materials, placed in close proximity and allowed to engage in a conversation between each singular element and the final form these pieces ultimately create.
Gallerist Dominique Lévy has announced plans to open a London exhibition space in the Mayfair district, following the opening of her Upper East Side gallery last year. “We are pleased and proud to announce our new space in London,” says Lévy. “Our gallery’s program and culture represent an ongoing, spirited dialogue between Europe and America. And our team embodies that dialogue, with Europeans working in New York and Americans working in London.” (more…)
The New Museum has promoted curator Massimiliano Gioni to the position of Artistic Director, putting him at the forefront of the institution’s short-term and long-term planning. “Widely recognized as one of the most influential and admired curators working today, Massimiliano represents the New Museum around the world at major art events and through his lectures at many international venues,” says Director Lisa Phillips.
A coalition of major businesses and corporations, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; Meijer; Comerica Bank; the JPMorgan Chase Foundation; Consumers Energy and Delta Air Lines Foundation have pledged over $26 million towards a $100 million commitment the Detroit Institute of Arts has made to protect its collection from the auction block. The donation brings the museum three quarters of the way towards its goal, after similar donations were received earlier this year from the Big Three automakers and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and J. Paul Getty Trust. (more…)
