The art world's great pivot to regional collectors hits a Teutonic reality check. Turns out courting hometown buyers is neither easier nor more profitable than globe-trotting—just different complications. — Artnet
Expo Chicago's glittering circus rolls into town promising cultural cachet, but who's actually invited to the party? A reality check on whether the fair circuit lifts all boats or just the ones already floating. — Hyperallergic
As part of Donald Trump’s legacy-building quest during his second term in office, the so-called “Arc de Trump” would stand 250ft tall, feature a 60ft golden Lady Liberty, and include a viewing deck. - The Guardian
On September 11, 2023, the man dropped off a bright blue Ikea bag at Brand’s home. Inside, The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring (1884), which is worth millions, was covered in bubble wrap and tucked inside a blood-stained pillow—the result of a cut on the man’s hand. - Smithsonian
Many of Australia’s most prominent writers, researchers and artists, along with thousands of members of the public, had expressed outrage over the proposal to cut 39 jobs and refocus the 171-year-old institution – and Australia’s oldest public library – on tourist-oriented “digital experiences”. - The Guardian
The bill, approved by Parliament in late January, establishes strict criminal penalties calibrated to the severity of the offense, including prison sentences ranging from six months to ten years and fines of up to €300,000 in the most serious cases. - ARTnews
Attribution, in this sense, is not merely a scholarly exercise. It is the keystone of an economic and cultural structure. Without it, prices collapse, catalogues unravel, and historical narratives lose coherence. And yet attribution is also deeply human, shaped by judgment, intuition, training and, inevitably, bias. - Aeon
Nailya Allakhverdiyeva turned PERMM (in Perm, 700 miles from Moscow) into one of the country’s most respected museums. She tried to cooperate with authorities over any concrete objections to PERMM’s projects, but continuing harassment by law enforcement and an ultimatum from the regional cultural minister drove her away. - The New York Times
“The LSM system, comprising ten museums across the state — including the New Orleans Jazz Museum, Louisiana Civil Rights Museum and historic houses — has faced lawsuits, public controversy and an unfavourable audit in recent years.” Accreditation body the American Alliance of Museums indicated that “tabling” is for “specific issues (to) be addressed.” - The Art Newspaper
“The building, previously owned by MaineHealth, … was sold for $14 million. The plan is for the PMA to move its administrative offices to the new Free Street building, which is next door to the museum, as a way to open up space for more galleries in its main building.” - ARTnews
Melissa Chiu, who has led the Hirshhorn for more than a decade, is the fourth director of a Smithsonian museum to depart within the last two years, and the most recent to leave amid the Trump administration’s effort to overhaul the organization’s network of 21 museums and other cultural centers. - The New York Times
The reopening of the museum, which draws about 1.3 million visitors each year, is planned for spring 2028, shortly before the Summer Olympics come to Los Angeles. - The New York Times
“One of the world’s most important collections of 20th-century Mexican art, including works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, is set to be exported to Spain under an agreement with Banco Santander, sparking outrage among Mexico’s cultural community.” Everyone involved insists that this is a temporary loan, though many aren’t convinced. - The Guardian
The new LACMA, which opens to members in the coming weeks and to the general public May 4, is momentous not only because of its long and often bumpy road, but because it is seeking to reinvent what an encyclopedic museum means in the modern era. - The New York Times
“Marcel Duchamp is an enigma that art history swallowed and got stuck in its throat. What do we do with him now? I left the Museum of Modern Art’s big new show of Duchamp not sure if I know, or the museum knows, or if the public will know.” - Artnet
