Art Industry News is a daily summary of the most important developments in the art world and the art market. Here’s what you need to know this Thursday, June 15.
NEED TO READ
Mummified Maori heads are sent back to New Zealand – Seven German institutions have returned the mummified heads of six Maori at the Museum of New Zealand You Papa Tongarewa at a private repatriation ceremony. The remains were probably thoseand chiefs or warriors, and have been preserved as part of a tradition of honoring loved ones. (CNN)
Museums must strengthen their preparedness for terrorist attacks – Drafting a new bill bearing the name of Martyn Hett, one of the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, would require public spaces in the UK with a capacity of over 100 visitors, including museums and galleries—strengthen security measures in the case where a terrorist attackk. Prior to the introduction of Martyn’s Law, each the place had its own approach to security. (Association of Museums)
Activists target Monet painting during climate protest Two women were arrested at the National Museum in Stockholm after sticking to the glass of a Monet painting and smearing it with red paint. The individualiduals were part of the group Aterstall Vat marker (Restore wetlands) and declared that “magnificent gardens like those in Monet’s painting will soon be a distant memory”.(AFP)
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Emma Webster joins Perrotin – The British-American artist has joined the gallery’s stable after exhibiting at outposts in Seoul and Tokyo. A landscape painter who uses VR technology to create his lavish canvases, Webster will have a special presentation at the gallery’s booth at Art Basel in Miami Beach in December. (instagram)
MSCHF is selling a micro-wallet – Renegade activist art group MSCHF has pulled out a microscopic handbag from Louis Vuitton’s OnTheGo tote, a square handbag bearing the distinctive LV monogram pattern, but really, really small. The 657x222x700 micrometer bag is smaller than a grain of salt and will be sold as part of Pharrell’s Just Phriends auction on the Joopiter platform. MSCHF was not authorized by Louis Vuitton to make the miniature version: “We are big in the ‘ask forgiveness, not permission’ school,” said creative director Kevin Wiesner. (New York Times)
Gérard Depardieu sells an art collection – French actor Gérard Depardieu is selling his collection of 20th-century art, including some 250 works by Auguste Rodin, Marcel Duchamp, Alexander Calder and others, through Paris auction house Ader in September. The actor, who has been accused of sexual harassment or assault by more than a dozen women, is currently facing rape charges in France. (Press release)
FOR ART
SFMoMA acquires an architectural treasure – The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is now the proud owner of one of the salvaged modules from the demolished Nakagin Capsule Tower building in Tokyo. Designed by Kisho Kurokawa, the building – which included individual rooms with a bed, folding desk, and electronics – embodies the Metabolism design style. (The arts journal)
A man takes pictures of the Nakagin Capsule Tower Building in Shimbashi, Tokyo, Japan, April 12, 2022. The Nakagin Capsule Tower Building is a mixed-use residential and office tower, located in Shimbashi of Tokyo. Built in 1972, the building has fallen into disrepair. In March 2022, it was announced that the building was to be demolished. Photo: Zhang Xiaoyu/Xinhua via Getty Images.
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