"The museum workers’ union says management is violating their contract by not allowing employees to work from home up to two days a week if they previously had permission to do so. … A grievance about the issue was lodged in February and (should) go to arbitration soon." - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
Initiatives such as an ethical returns policy that restored twenty-nine looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria—shifting the global conversation around restitution—and a more recent effort, spurred by a Washington Post investigation, to reckon with the scientific racism behind the Smithsonian’s collection of human remains. - The New Yorker
Charting its way through changing times, MoMA is building out how it tells that history in the 21st Century, increasingly embracing women, African-American artists and others who have gone under-recognized in its narrative. - The Forward
PAFA chief of curatorial affairs Anna O. Marley is departing for a similar position at the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio. The financially strapped museum and school, which is eliminating its BFA program, will "evaluate the current staff configuration … and thoughtfully consider next steps." - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
Its iconic crown and fabulous Art Deco lobby are still handsome — if you don't look closely. As the 94-year-old landmark's ownership keeps changing and its value keeps falling, maintenance has been seriously neglected. Not surprisingly, companies don't want to rent office space there. - The New York Times
LACMA’s website and a gallery wall label said the painting dates to “around 1939.” But that couldn’t be correct. It’s hard to photograph a work of art that hasn’t yet been made. - Los Angeles Times (MSN)
If the new museum focuses too much on slavery or other unsavory aspects of Texas history, it may deter visitors to one of the state’s most popular tourist attractions. “If we make it a museum about all the bad things and whatever, nobody’s going to go there." - Washington Post
The artist replaced the artifact - a silver coin minted during the British Civil War - with a replica, and used years of planning to succeed in his quixotic quest. - Hyperallergic
She says, “The damage reflects the hateful misogynistic act and it should not be forgotten. It is part of the history of the work and is a testament to the power of art.” - Hyperallergic
Nader’s “private collection is filled with blue-chip modern and contemporary artists, including Carlos Cruz-Diez, Joaquín Torres-García, Wifredo Lam, Roberto Matta, Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, and Guillermo Kuitca, as well as more than 100 works by Fernando Botero.” - ARTnews
Dutch artist Johannes Harm-Hovinga sits, punching holes in a copy of a UN report on climate change, for hours a day - and the repetitive strain is forcing him to take painkillers to complete his performance. - The Guardian (UK)
The announcement blamed the pandemic and sought to frame the school’s demise in a broader context of falling student numbers: “The decision to close comes in response to a significant decline in enrollments following the COVID-19 pandemic, a challenge faced by many educational institutions,” it said. - Chicago Reader
The pandemic certainly shut down the social art scene. Inevitably, collectors became more comfortable purchasing art sight unseen. People of means found themselves restricted and bored by being quarantined. Staying put seemed to result in major purchases and renovations. - Coachella Magazine
When, in 1984, the director of the Prado and Spain's prime minister selected Met Museum chief conservator John Brealey for the job, many Spaniards were horrified, insisting that only a countryman could truly do the great masterpiece justice. Brealey had to work in a sealed-off room and once fled a mob. - Artnet
