Have a minute? Get caught up on the art news people are taking about. Keep reading to discover news revealing the art world at large including MoMA's art reinstallation by way of protest, The Met's releasing over 375 images for public use, gallery moves and more.
Dore Ashton, a celebrated art critic and art historian, died in New York City on January 30, 2017, reported the New York Times. She was 88 years old. Ashton was a champion of the New York School and wrote numerous books on Abstract Expressionist artists, many of whom she knew personally. Her books include “The Unknown Shore: A View of Contemporary Art” (1962); “The New York School: A Cultural Reckoning” (1973) and others. Her reviews appeared in many publications, including Art International, The Art Bulletin and The New York Times.
A pause has been set in the plan to demolish Picasso's art studio in Paris where he waited out the Nazi occupation and painted his 1937 masterpiece Guernica, according to Art Forum. Plans are underway to transform the building where Picasso's restored attic studio is located, currently the Hotel Savoie (Paris 6th), into a luxury hotel and residence by the Helzear Group, reported Le Figaro. An appeal was filed on February 7, 2017 by the National Arts Education Committee to block the permit, according to Le Figaro. The building's attic was restored by CNEA to provide visitors a glimpse of the environment in which the Picasso worked, according to Art Forum.
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Picasso's Studio at 7 rue des Grands Augustin. Photo: Pierre Andrieu/AFP/Getty Images via artnet news.
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The Metropolitan Museum of Art released 376,000 art images for free public use through its Open Access policy, announced the New York City museum on February 7, 2017. Making use of the Creative Commons Zero designation, over 375,000 images of public-domain artworks can be used by the public for commercial and scholarly use and without permission from The Met. Newly-released images will have Creative Commons Zero (CC0) icon directly below the image on the museum's website. To maximize the reach of the images, The Met announced partnerships with Wikimedia, Pinterest, Creative Commons, Artstor and the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), according to the museum. Click here for more information.
The Museum of Modern Art took a political stand and replaced seven artworks on view with those by artists from Muslim-majority countries impacted by President Donald Trump's recent travel ban executive order, retooling America's immigration policy from seven countries and refugees. MoMA replaced works on view in its fifth-floor galleries by artists including Picasso and Picabia with those by Iraqi-born Zaha Hadid, Sudanese painter Ibrahim el-Salahi, Los Angeles-based Iranian video artist Tala Madani and others on February 2, 2017, according to The New York Times. The move is an unusual one for the museum as it typically takes a neutral position on political matters.
Artworks reinstalled by the museum is called out by a wall text stating: “This work is by an artist from a nation whose citizens are being denied entry to the United States, according to a presidential executive order issued on Jan 27, 2017. This is one of several such artworks from the museum’s collection installed throughout the fifth floor galleries to affirm the ideals of welcome and freedom as vital to this museum as they are to the United States."
The Colby College Museum of Art in Maine received a $100 million donation from Peter and Paula Lunder, reported Art Forum. The donation adds over 1,100 works to the museum's collection and establishes the Lunder Institute for American Art. The art dates from the 16th to 21st centuries. Artists in the collection include Jacob Lawrence, Jasper Johns, Maya Lin, Julie Mehretu, Joan Mitchell, Clase Olderburg, Betye Saar, Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt van Rijn, Ai Weiwei, James McNeill Whistler. The gift pushes the number of artworks donated by the Lunders to over 1,500, according to Art Forum.
Pioneering Miami Wynwood gallery Emerson Dorsch Gallery moves to Little Haiti, adopts a new name and features Brooklyn artist Elisabeth Condon for its first show, according to the New Miami Times. The gallery, now known as EDG, is located at NW Second Avenue and NW 58th Street and opens on February 10, 2017 with an Opening Reception from 6 to 9 p.m., according to the gallery's website. "Elisabeth Condon: Unnatural Life" opens on February 10 and continues through March 31, 2017. Click here to see her art. Galleries close to EDG's new location include Pan American, Anthony Spinellos, Clive's, Nina Johnson and others, reported the Miami New Times.
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