"On Friday, three activists for Ultima Generazione threw pea soup at Van Gogh's The Sower (1888) at the Palazzo Bonaparte in Rome. ... Just a day later, two activists taped themselves to the frames of two works by Goya at the Prado in Madrid. ... The pair wore t-shirts reading 'Futuro Vegetal'." - Artnet
With the museum, designed by Thom Mayne, obviously the headliner, OCMA might have shown off its collection as the main exhibition, with perhaps a tangy traveling topical show as an enlivener. Instead, it went with staging a new edition of one of the institution’s heretofore well-regarded series. - The Wall Street Journal
Martial law declaration "grants the country the power to 'evacuate' items of economic, social, and cultural significance. Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk are the four regions specified in Putin’s decree." - Artnet
When the American Alliance of Museums asked a volunteer committee to sign loyalty oaths and also something that meant they wouldn't criticize AAM in public, the scholars and museum directors resigned en masse. - Hyperallergic
"While some are demolished to make way for developments or apartment blocks, others are transformed into childcare centres, yoga studios and libraries. Those rezoned for residential use often come with multimillion-dollar price tags." - The Guardian (UK)
Designed by the Ukrainian artist Yuriy Shapoval, the stamp shows the bridge behind clouds of dark grey smoke. In the forefront is the famous scene from the Titanic, where Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet stand on the bow of the ship a reference to Russia’s claims that the bridge was unsinkable. - The Guardian
A Dutch court sentenced the protestors to two months, with one month suspended, and the third activist who was involved will appear in court on Friday. - Hyperallergic
After 10 years from the signing of the deal, some of the antiquities will periodically travel to Greece to be exhibited at the Goulandris Museum in exchange for antiquities from Greece which will be loaned to the Met. Does this sound like repatriation? - Hyperallergic
"'The Raising of the Cross' oil sketch from the 1640s was long thought to have been the work of a follower of the 17th-century master. ... But now the Bredius museum in The Hague ... has revealed, thanks to new scientific techniques, it was in fact painted by Rembrandt." - Yahoo! (AFP)
"Subhash Kapoor, ... described by authorities as one of the world's most prolific antiquities smugglers, ... faced charges for the burglary and illegal export of idols belonging to the Varadharaja Perumal temple, a Hindu place of worship located outside the southern Indian city of Kanchipuram." - ARTnews
The items – a bowl, a teacup and a plate – were broken in three separate incidents during the past 18 months but the damage came to light only last week under questioning from a Taiwan legislator. The artefacts date back to the 15th and 17th centuries. - The Guardian
In the coming year, 77% of collectors say they plan to attend more overseas fairs, exhibitions and events—good for trade but not the environment. - The Art Newspaper
"What makes the usto ply their craft when their own culture moves beyond them? Some find work by updating old techniques for new patrons. Others create because that alone is what gives their life purpose." - T — The New York Times Style Magazine
Recently, studies using x-rays, CT scans and DNA testing showed Tutankhamun had malaria, along with some other medical conditions such as a cleft palate. He also broke his leg just before he died. - The Conversation
Uncertainty about an artist’s intentions—including, but not limited to, which way she intended the picture to be top and which bottom—is not a sign of what a certain man would call a “hoax”; it is a sign of originality of purpose and a tolerance for open-ended inquiry. - The New Yorker
