The Wall Street Journal embarks on a tour of the MTA’s public arts projects, profiling some of the New York Subway’s most iconic murals, installations and pieces, including Roy Lichtenstein’s classic Times Square piece, and Sol LeWitt’s mural at 59th and Columbus. (more…)

The New York Times notes the increased willingness by auction houses to guarantee sales on their highest price lots, a practice that had fallen out of practice since the financial crisis of 2008.  But some critics note that the growing practice is actually a result of stiff competition and minuscule profit margins.  “They are trying to fix eroding margins by getting more of the upside from the guarantee,” said Michael Plummer, a partner at Artvest.

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Takashi Murakami is featured in Nowness’s ongoing artist profile series this week, discussing his recent show at Gagosian Gallery in New York, and the inspiration behind his new works.  “For me, (the works) look like 25 years ago,” Murakami says, “with the crazy economy and then the crash.”
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Christie’s has named Derek Gillman as its new new Chairman for Impressionist & Modern Art, SVP, The Americas.  “The idea of now moving from public service to Christie’s, where I started my career over 30 years ago, and doing something different, is both stimulating and exciting,” Gillman said. “I very much look forward to this new chapter.”  (more…)

In an effort to increase global vaccination rates for easily preventable illnesses, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has commissioned a group of artists to create works centered around encouraging disease prevention.  Among the artists is Vik Muniz, who has been experimenting with biological infection as a generative force for intricate printed works.  “Normally, patterns are soothing structures,” Mr. Muniz says, “and all of a sudden, there’s a lot of drama.” (more…)

The Paris Louvre has maintained its position at the top of the list of the world’s most visited museums, boasting an annual attendance of 9.3 million visitors for 2013.  Foreign visitors represented 70% of ticket sales, the museum said in a statement. (more…)

Following the reception of Stefan Simchowitz’s profile in the New York Times, Jerry Saltz has taken to the New York Magazine website, publishing a considered analysis of both the article and the art world’s response to Simchowitz’s aggressive approach, noting the conditions that may generate such mixed feelings on the collector.  “More and more artists now appear resigned to a cynicism that basically says, ‘The whole art world sucks; Simchowitz doesn’t suck anymore than anything else.'” He writes. “Many now see Simchowitz as an outlaw/do-gooder ‘disrupter’ invading the closed domain of the bad gallery world and spreading the wealth around.” (more…)

New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs is launching a new study, targeting the city’s museums and performing arts groups to understand and quantify each institution’s demographic makeup.  The project is aimed at improving access and broad cultural affinity to the City’s cultural offerings.  “For the long-term vitality and relevancy of cultural institutions, it makes sense to have the staffs reflect that,” says Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl. (more…)

The French Senate and parliament have passed a new bill this week cutting the nation’s  VAT rate on French artwork nearly in half, from 10% to 5.5%.  The bill, proposed by Socialist party member David Assouline, should have a major impact on the sale of French art, and targets what he considers “a ludicrous situation that penalizes the French scene and does not correspond to any economic logic.” (more…)

The Wall Street Journal takes a look at fashion designer Helmut Lang’s venture into the world of fine art.  The highly recognized designer gave up his practice in 2005 to make a move to fine art, and opens a new show of work at Sperone Westwater this month.  “The definition means nothing,” Lang says, indicating his change in careers. “There are many writers, but only a few are good. There are many architects, but a few are good. Just because someone is a doctor doesn’t mean he’s a good doctor.” (more…)

Bill Powers interviews painter Jonas Wood this week on Art News, discussing the artist’s move to L.A. a decade ago, his inspiration, and his marriage to fellow artist Shio Kusaka. “When we first moved to California, we lived on the second floor of a pretty big house in Echo Park,” he says.  “It was a disaster. In retrospect, I think we both needed to figure out who we were as artists on our own before we could handle it.”     (more…)

Alberto Mugrabi is selling his Gramercy Park North home, an $8 million, 2,729-square-foot three-bedroom apartment.  The listing, currently posted online, shows Mugrabi’s storied collection of art currently on the walls, including works by Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Richard Prince. (more…)

The Wall Street Journal notes a new trend among doctors, using classical paintings as an opportunity to test and hone their diagnostic skills, while providing new information for art historians.  “Doctors see things that art historians might overlook because they come at a work of art without preconceived notions,’’ said Karen Goodchild, chair of the Art and Art History Department at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. (more…)

The New York Times notes an upcoming wave of exhibitions focusing on the work of Andy Warhol, over 40 in total around the US and abroad, led by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, which has also announced a series of grants and donations for various art institutions.  “When I say that Andy is going to be as well known for his philanthropy as he is for his art, it’s really true,” says Foundation president Joel Wachs. (more…)

Marina Picasso, the granddaughter of Pablo Picasso, is selling off over $290 million in works from her personal collection of her grandfather’s works, including Portrait de femme (Olga), valued at about $60 million, and Maternité, which is valued at around $54 million. (more…)

Artist Tania Bruguera has been freed following three consecutive detentions, and is planning to fight her imprisonment in both Cuba and at the UN.  “This served to unmask everyone,” Bruguera said in an interview. (more…)

A Federal court ruled in favor of Christo’s currently delayed Arkansas project this week, defeating a group of activists claiming that the work was an environmental threat.  “We have one lawsuit in state court still outstanding, but today we took a very significant and important step forward in realizing Over the River,” Christo said. (more…)

Martin Puryear, Big Phrygian (2010-2014)

One of the foremost American sculptors from the second half of the 20th century, Martin Puryear has established himself as one of the canonic names of Modernist sculpture, merging Minimalism with labor intensive craftsmanship throughout his forty-year long career. The artist is currently presenting a new exhibition at Matthew Marks in New York, featuring ten new works reflecting the artist’s interest in political history, while remaining loyal to his abstraction-driven practice and his approach towards materiality, not only as means of production but also as a specific method of artistic expression. (more…)

The New York Times takes a look at the changing atmosphere of China’s contemporary art market, and interviews some of the players driving the market’s new focus on emerging artists.  “Buying a work of contemporary Chinese art is buying a little piece of history and a window into how society is changing,” says Tom Pattinson, Director of Surge Art. (more…)

Christie’s Old Masters Week sale later this month will feature a rare early Caravaggio, titled Boy Peeling a Fruit.  The work is valued at $3 million to $5 million. (more…)

Global art sales topped $16 Billion in 2014, according to the new figures released this week by Artnet, with Andy Warhol at the top of the list of top-selling artists for his $653.2 million in sales.  “The headline number is not so much a comment on the art market as it is on global wealth,” says Jeff Rabin of advisory firm Artvest Partners. “We haven’t seen a considerable increase in the number of objects sold. We have seen price appreciation at the top end.” (more…)

Luc Tuymans is profiled in the Financial Times this week, as the artist prepares to open a new show of works at David Zwirner London.  “Realism, modernism, postmodernism, post-postmodernism: that is a discourse for people who have no visual sense,” Tuymans says. “I mean, these people have to get by. I still indulge in the perversity of painting, which remains interesting.” (more…)

With two art fairs this January, Los Angeles is making a play as one a global city for fine art, preparing to open Art LA in two weeks, and Art Los Angeles Contemporary  later this month.  “In the short span of six years, Art Los Angeles Contemporary has managed to turn an otherwise anti-art-fair town into a place where both emerging and established galleries from around the world can connect with an important West Coast audience,” says art attorney Joshua Roth. (more…)

Google is rolling out a new tech platform designed to make museum exhibitions around the world easily available to users, using a combination of technologies including Street View and YouTube.  “Users can use the app to experience virtual tours at home, or they can use it to enhance at the museum,” says Product Manager Robert Tansley. (more…)