“This was not an easy decision, but I believe it is the right one. From the very beginning, my guiding principle has been to put the museum first. Today, I believe that stepping aside is the best way to serve the institution I hold so deeply in my heart.” - The New York Times
Having passed only between three private collections over four centuries, the “Artemisia’s Strong Women: Rescuing a Masterpiece” exhibition marks the first time the painting has ever been on public display. - CNN
“Peru’s culture ministry (is) reinstating with immediate effect the protected area covering 5,600 sq km (2,200 sq miles), that in late May had been cut back to 3,200 sq km. … (The move follows) criticism (that) the change made (the ancient images) vulnerable to the impact of informal mining operations.” - The Guardian
Several platforms are proliferating across cyberspace, seemingly in response to a culture in mainstream art criticism that the authors perceive as risk averse. ‘No one was writing truthfully about art – it was just the same four or five legacy art magazines covering the same circuit of shows. - Frieze
“The university would run the museum. The details are being worked out. Negotiations are ongoing and a finished agreement is months away with the anticipation to have finalization sometime in the fall.” - CultureOC
“The board directed the secretary to assess content in museums and make needed changes to ensure unbiased content, including personnel changes,” a Smithsonian spokesman said. - The Wall Street Journal
“Beginning January 1, 2026, major French museums — including the Louvre and the Château de Versailles — will charge non-European Union visitors €30 (about $35), up from €22 ($25). …The new pricing, described as a ‘differential tariff,’ marks a sharp turn in France’s long-professed commitment to universal access to culture. It’s also triggered a domino effect.” - ARTnews
St. Sophia, the 11th-century landmark considered the mother church of Orthodox Christianity in Russia and Belarus as well as Ukraine, was damaged by blast waves from bombs dropped on the Ukrainian capital last night by Putin’s armed forces. - Euronews
The statement, which does not mention Trump, Sajet or the NPG, goes on to obliquely rebuke the president’s claims, clarifying that he does not have the authority to fire Smithsonian employees. - The Art Newspaper
Hilda Trujillo Soto, who was adjunct director and then director of the Mexico City museums from 2002 and 2020, alleges that the trust overseeing the museums has been negligent and that there are works missing which have later turned up in private collections. - The Art Newspaper
“Gianni Papi — one of the world’s leading experts on the artist — announced the discovery of what he believes to be the earliest known painting by the genius: Boy Peeling Fruit. … The initial doubts were evident. There are about 10 known copies. … However, Papi has no doubts.” - El País (Spain) (in English)
But as the president tries to push out the director of the National Portrait Gallery, Julian Raven wonders if his painting now has a chance. - Washington Post (MSN)
This administration slashed the staff of 30 to about 10, an impossible number to track the government collection, which “has been placed in federal offices and private institutions in all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.” - The New York Times
“What if landlords teamed up with new and emerging artists to showcase their work in these spaces, offered them a chance to practice a medium in which they had little or no experience, and brought art to people in the communities in which they live?” - Seattle Times
