On February 10 museum leadership informed her that the Trump administration had labeled the exhibition as a “DEI program and event” and withdrawn funding for the show earmarked by the Biden administration. - Hyperallergic
Under the Law and Justice Party, officials fired many museum directors, replacing them with conservatives whose exhibitions promoted traditional social and artistic values. The current ruling coalition is working on reversing the politicization, and the director of Warsaw’s Museum of Modern Art says she’s aiming straight for the center. - The New York Times
Aaron De Groft was axed by the museum’s board after the major Basquiat show he championed was found to be full of forgeries. The museum sued De Groft for malfeasance; he countersued for wrongful dismissal and defamation. De Groft died last month, and the parties have now ended their litigation. - Orlando Sentinel
“The satirical work, titled ‘America’ ..., poked fun at excessive wealth. It weighed just over 215 pounds (98 kilograms) and was insured for £4.8 million ($6 million).” Prosecutors say that one of three defendants was involved in the actual theft and the other two helped to sell the disassembled gold. - AP
I asked Gagosian about the comments of one of his former rivals, Arne Glimcher of Pace Gallery, who said five years ago, "This market has nothing to do with art. It's all about how fast one can make money." - CBSNews
A complaint signed by thousands of people has been filed, but artist Fabián Cháirez says, “I think there are other issues we should be protesting against, such as the church’s abuse of power and sexual abuses within the church.” - Hyperallergic
The pieces were stolen from Nigeria's Kingdom of Benin by British soldiers in 1897. The British went on to sell their spoils, and the treasures made their way to the Dutch government,” which is now ready to return 119 pieces of art. - NPR
In the open letter to Creative Australia, the artists write, “To strip the chosen artistic team of this opportunity is unacceptable. Indeed it signals a fundamental disregard for the role of artists in our society – especially by the very institution meant to defend them.” - The Guardian (UK)
“R-Evolution” by sculptor Marco Cochrane had been scheduled to open the evening of Feb. 6 at a public party in the square, but the event was postponed and the installation ultimately canceled due to “unforeseen engineering complexities on site” — to wit, the statue is too damn heavy. - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
Since the latest wildfires, interest in natural buildings has spiked, particularly after a widely-shared photo showed a backyard SuperAdobe that emerged from the Eaton fire intact. Well-designed adobes resist earthquakes as well as fires, and they’re quicker and less expensive to build than conventional modern homes. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)
Foreign institutions and collectors are returning artifacts with deep spiritual meaning for Cambodians. Where and how to display them remain open questions. - The New York Times
“After a year of discussions, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and M+, a contemporary art museum in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon arts district, have formalized an agreement that could soon see them share shows, research, and donor development resources.” - ARTnews
An exhibition at the Prado in Madrid has gathered together panels of the altarpiece Doménikos Theotokópoulos painted for the Monastery of Santo Domingo el Antiguo in Toledo. The central panel belongs to the Art Institute of Chicago; the others are at the monastery or in private collections. - Artnet
Police seized 71 paintings, including fake Rembrandts, Picassos, Warhols, and Banksys, some completed and others half-finished, along with a plethora of painting materials, forged certificates of authenticity, and bogus catalogues. Authorities say evidence suggests that an art restorer is at the center of the racket. - The Guardian
