The nationwide protests against government corruption and a new social media ban turned violent in Nepal’s capital on Monday; on Tuesday, rioters ransacked and set fire to businesses and public institutions — including such historic landmarks as Singha Durbar, a 1908 palace complex which served as the administrative hub of the national government. - Hyperallergic
Vittore Carpaccio’s Madonna and Child Enthroned with Six Saints (1518) was painted for a Franciscan church in Piran, a seaside town then ruled by Venice but now in Slovenia. During World War II, the artwork was moved for safekeeping; rightist politicians are now furious that Italy is giving it up. - The Times (UK)
Volunteers, artists, and designers came together to create massive works to be enjoyed alongside the music, cultural activities, and other offerings of the festival, which is known for its DIY ethos and extravagant displays. - Dezeen
Court documents and records obtained through public records, as well as reporting and interviews, shed more light on what could be next for the museum, who’s shown interest and what city leaders are saying. - Seattle Times
"The Royal Courts of Justice is a listed building and HMCTS are obliged to maintain its original character," it said in a statement. Listed buildings are considered the country's most significant historic buildings and sites and are protected by law. - CBC
“Either the ‘Black Men’ or the pictures of the children, I just didn’t see that it should be so big a deal. I’m acclimated now to the cultural gestalt, whatever the word is. I don’t agree with it, but I get it. Whereas before I didn’t even get it.” - The New York Times
The Woodmere Art Museum in Philadelphia filed the suit after a promised $750,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services was canceled by Trump officials. Just a week before the first scheduled court hearing, the Woodmere received notice that the grant was being reinstated. - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
Patricia Kadgien, daughter of an advisor to Gestapo founder Hermann Goering, and her husband were charged with deliberately concealing numerous artworks, including 22 Matisses, which Goering and her father had taken from a Jewish art dealer in Amsterdam. One of those works was spotted in a photo in a real estate listing. - Artnet
The NFT market has crashed and never recovered. In 2022, Christie’s reported $5.9 million in NFT sales, a 96 percent decline from 2021. And in August 2024, one report found that 95 percent of NFTs were effectively “dead,” with the average owner facing a 44.5 percent loss on their investment. - ARTnews
On Tuesday, however, the Metropolitan Police confirmed they are treating the mural as potential “criminal damage.” Should charges follow, the famously anonymous artist could be compelled to reveal his identity in court after more than 25 years of secrecy. - Mediaite
“Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (in Bentonville, Arkansas) will open its major expansion June 6, 2026, and celebrate the largest gift of works to the permanent collection since its founding.” - Axios
“Colleagues in France are preparing for its careful removal before work begins on their new museum, and intricate plans are being made for its journey to London. This expert-led collaboration … will guide every stage, including a full dry run of the journey.” - The Guardian
“Britain’s National Gallery announced Tuesday that it will use a whopping £375 million ($510 million) in donations to open a new wing that, for the first time, will include modern art, … to be constructed on land beside its Trafalgar Square site that is currently occupied by a hotel and offices.” - AP
In the end, matters of “style” are not matters of “taste,” in some shrugging, subjective sense. They are matters of value. Classical minimalism, meant to evoke modest virtue and restrained power, is a good style for a democratic state. Eclectic traditionalism, remade on an elephantine scale, is the style of totalitarianism. - The New Yorker
“It depicts a judge in a traditional wig and black robe hitting a protester lying on the ground, with blood splattering their placard.” A bit too accurate, perhaps? The courts appear to be covering it already. - BBC
