Have a minute? Get caught up on art news people are talking about. This edition reveals the latest fallout from allegations of sexual harassment by an art world figure, several famous paintings making the news, a David Hockney retrospective as well as new appointments and more.
Benjamin Genocchio is no longer the Executive Director of The Armory Show, reported Robin Pogrebin for The New York Times. The change took place yesterday afternoon, hours after the New York Times published a story detailing sexual harassment claims made against Genocchio while he worked as an editor at Artnet and Louise Blouin Media as well during his time as Executive Director of The Armory Show.
Benjamin Genocchio. Courtesy Wikipedia.
Allegations were made of unwelcome touching by five women who worked with him, according to The New York Times. An additional 8 women said they experienced verbal sexual harassment and another 11 said that "... they had observed or knew about Mr. Genocchio making these comments, often in the workplace," according to the NYT.
Earlier this year, The Armory Show authorized an investigation by an outside council into complains against Genocchio by Armory Show staff but found they did not meet the legal standard for sexual harassment, reported Nate Freeman for ArtNews.
In a statement issued to The New York Times, Genocchio denied intentionally acting or speaking inappropriately and apologized for any misconstruing of his actions or any intent of disrespect. To read the story, click here.
Stepping in as the new Executive Director of The Armory Show is Nicole Berry, the former Deputy Director, according to ArtNews. The Armory Show has not said whether Genocchio remains with the company in a different capacity, according to published reports.
The Art Dealers Association of American has appointed Maureen Bray as its new Executive Director. Bray succeeds Linda Blumberg, who will step down in December 2017. Blumberg will continue to contribute to ADAA as an advisor and plans to support The Art Show's next edition in NYC in February 2018. Bray has 20 years of gallery experience including as a director for David Nolan Gallery, Sean Kelly Gallery and C&M Arts.
Artist Jacob Lawrence's "Migration Series"—a series of 60 paintings documenting the African-American migration from the South to the North—will be enlivened by dance by Step Afrika during their New York debut on November 10, 2017 at The New Victory Theater, according to Gia Kourlas for The New York Times.
The dance piece, "The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence" brings the paintings from wall into action through the percussive art of stepping, wrote Kourlas. Click here to read the story. The production features dancers making use of clapping, intricate footwork, chants and synchroncity. It also reveals how stepping can tell a story. "The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence" will be performed November 10 to 26, 2017.
Lawrence made the "Migration Series" in the 1940s when he was 23 years old. Composed of 60 paintings, the works document the Great Migration or the movement of African-Americans from the South to the North in the early 20th century. The series was exhibited in its entirety at MoMA in 2015.
A grasshopper has been founded embedded in Van Gogh's painting Olive Trees by a conservator at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, MO, reported Martin Bailey for The Art Newspaper. Conservator Mary Schafer was taking a closer look at the painting while researching for an online catalogue and discovered a substance stuck in the paint that depicts the shade of the olive tree, located in the painting's foreground. Schafer initially thought it was leaf matter," according to NPR.
Discovering parts of leaves or other natural matter such as dirt or sand isn't unusual for the artist's paintings as he painted outside, explained the museum's senior curator of European art Aimee Marcereau DeGalan to NPR. The painting is believed to be made during the summer of 1889 in one of the groves outside the asylum. The lack of movement in the painting surrounding the insect suggests the grasshopper was dead when it was embedded and cannot assist with helping to date the picture, according to The Art Newspaper. Schafer also discovered that the red pigment has faded in the painting so the current color is distorted from the artist's intention.
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"Olive Trees" by Vincent van Gogh, 1889. Copyright The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
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The Yale School of Art received an anonymous donation of $750,000 to establish a new art and social justice initiative, announced the school. The initiative was created by Marta Kuzma, the Stavros Niachos Foundation Dean of the Yale Art School, and acknowledges the belief that a graduate art education should play a greater role in examining art through social, cultural and economic points of view. Plans for the donation include assistance with scholarships, research, increased educational offerings and other programming.
David Tunick has been elected president of the International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA) for a three-year term, announced IFPDA. Tunick has been active in prints for over 50 years and is the owner of David Tunick, Inc. in New York City, which specializes in works on paper.
Two Norman Rockwell paintings, as well as a total cache of 40 paintings, can be sold at auction as intended by The Berkshire Museum, a judge ruled November 7, 2017, reported Larry Parnass for The Berkshire Eagle. The Judge ruled the plaintiffs in two separate civil actions and the Massachusetts State Attorney General's Office failed to make their cases and lacked legal standing to challenge the art sales, according to The Berkshire Eagle. There is a slim chance that legal actions could stop the planned sale at Sotheby's in New York on November 13, 2017 but it's unlikely, according to legal experts. The decision is a win for the museum who made the decision four months ago to sell 40 artworks to create financial stability and a new direction for the museum, based on recommendations by consultants. The museum has stated they have been operating at a million dollar deficit yearly and anticipate closing within eight years without a new plan, reported The Berkshire Eagle.
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"Shuffleton's Barber Shop" by Norman Rockwell, 1950. Oil on canvas, 31 x 33 inches. Cover illustration for “The Saturday Evening Post,” April 29, 1950. Collection of the Berkshire Museum.
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The New York Print Fair announced attendance of 10,000 visitors to its recent art fair held October 26 to 29, 2017 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York. It was the first edition held at this new location. Click here for a review of the show.
David Hockney's work will be the subject of a major retrospective at The MET, opening on November 27, 2017. The exhibition at The Met will be the show's only North American presentation for the British artist. The retrospective coincides with Hockney's 80th birthday and will present iconic works and key moments from his career ranging from the 1960s to the present, according to the museum. The show will present paintings, drawing, photography and video.
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