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Johannesburg
by Paddy Johnson and Michael Anthony Farley on June 5, 2017
- The Athens activist group Lgbtqi+ Refugees in Greece has stolen a Roger Bernat sculpture that was destined for a performance in Kassel as part of Documenta 14. They accuse the German arts festival of exploiting the refugee crisis on somewhat shaky grounds that I have a hard time following. Mostly, it seems like a publicity stunt. To that end, good job! It’s the most glamorous art heist photo we’ve seen in awhile. [Hyperallergic]
- Another art fair has left the Hamptons. Art Southhampton has cancelled its 2017 edition, following Art Hamptons’ February announcement that their fair was suspended. The organizers (who also own Art Miami) cite market conditions and pressure to focus on other art fairs. Good. The world does not need multiple art fairs every month. [The New York Times]
- Evidence to support that opinion would include cringe-inducing headlines such as this: “Puerto Rico’s New MECA Art Fair Opens in a Debt-Ridden Island Paradise”. [ARTnews]
- The Johannesburg Art Gallery, one of Africa’s premier art institutions, is facing a crisis. The local government has finally earmarked funds to repair the historic structure (suffering from leaks due to someone literally stealing part of the roof and general lack of maintenance) but it sounds like the Gallery has larger problems. What’s the identity or audience of a colonial-era institution in a context of white flight and an increasingly migrant-based population? [Seattle Times]
- Ian Schrager (of Studio 54 and design-minded hotel fame) thinks One World Trade Center is “a missed opportunity”. With the politics involved, it’s hard to imagine how any truly inspired architecture could’ve happened at the site. Luckily for him, his own view of the tower has been blocked by a much better skyscraper from Herzog & de Meuron. [Dezeen]
- Residents of Trump Palace, an Upper East Side condo building, are starting a petition to rename the building. Basically, no one wants to buy their units and they’re depreciating in value due to associations with the president. Residents of several other Trump-branded properties have already gotten his name scrubbed. [Curbed]
- This interview with Markus Lüpertz is a good read. The painter talks about Germany’s postwar art scene, his colorful personal life, and the role of an artist in society. His perspective about the politics of artmaking is interesting, even if we don’t 100% agree. Lüpertz argues that artists have no political or social responsibilities, and that good art makes the world an inherently more peaceful and compassionate place. [artnet News]
- Can we stop putting Kathy Griffin and Bill Maher in the same category of comedian jokes gone wrong. Maher told a racist joke and was rightly criticized for it. Griffin posed for a photo and was harassed online relentlessly by the right wing media (and some from the left.) [Hollywood Reporter]
- Here’s a juicy local news bit. Mark Lyons, a parking director in Sarasota, may have steered a $100,000 public art commission to his son-in-law, artist Mark Krucke. Now the city is considering cancelling the public art program in general to avoid a lawsuit. According to the news report, the Public Art Committee had no knowledge of Krucke’s relationship to the parking director and awarded the project to the artist on its merits. However, when the committee became deadlocked over a decision between two candidates, Lyons told the committee that the proposal of Krucke’s competitor was too logistically challenging without revealing his relationship to Krucke. He thus tipped the jury. [Herald Tribune]
- The Bronx is getting more affordable housing. Sav Enterprises filed plans to construct a 15 story building with 319 units of affordable housing at 1932 Bryant Avenue in West Farms. This prime real estate is just across from the Cross Bronx Expressway. [The Real Deal]
- I think everyone might need to see Wonder Woman. It’s supposed to be good, and given the amount of art inspired by the character, certainly relevant to the art world. [The New York Times]
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