May 4, 2023
Good morning. ☁️ Last month, a Manhattan curator who charged artists a $500 fee to participate in a gallery show disappeared with the money. Poof. Should we really be surprised by that? My plea to the young artists reading this: Never pay to be included in a show! It rarely ends well.
Also today, American artist Willie Cole claims that the Met Gala “ripped off” his design of a chandelier made of reused plastic water bottles. And he's not alone in thinking that.
We also have an interview with indie filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, reviews of Anthony Caro and Bispo do Rosario, and a report from a protest by Hollywood’s striking screenwriters, who have serious concerns about being replaced by AI.
Finally, we're conducting a short survey to get to know you better. It's anonymous and takes less than five minutes to complete. Kindly click on this link to start, and thank you as always for supporting our independent art journalism.
— Hakim Bishara, Senior Editor
Ghosted by East Village Gallery, Artists Demand Answers
Several artists say the curator of the East Village Art Collection disappeared after charging them participation fees for an exhibition that never happened. | Rhea Nayyar
SPONSORED
Subash Thebe Limbu Wins the 5th VH AWARD Grand Prix
An exploration of time as many entwined possibilities, Ladhamba Tayem; Future Continuous imagines a future where Indigenous people traverse the space-time continuum. Learn more.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
Protesters outside Netflix's headquarters on May 3 demanded better pay and no AI in the writers' room. (all photos Maya Pontone/Hyperallergic)
Striking screenwriters are calling for regulations on the use of generative AI bots like ChatGPT in creative projects.
Willie Cole and others on social media point out similarities between the Met Gala’s plastic water bottle chandeliers and the artist’s work.
SPONSORED
In Its 150th Year, MassArt Presents 2023 MFA Thesis Exhibitions
Work from MFA candidates at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design is on view in Boston at MassArt x SoWa and on campus, with public artist talks on May 26. Learn more.
LATEST IN ART
The Divine Message That Made Bispo do Rosario Into an Artist
The Afro-Brazilian artist created over 1,000 works from the confines of a mental institution. Dozens of them are on view in New York City for the first time. | Irini Zervas
Just Don’t Tell Me the Artist Was “Influenced by Music”
Two London shows highlight the influences of music and architecture on sculptor Anthony Caro’s work. The latter is more successful than the former. | Michael Glover
An Artist’s Wry Satire of Uncle Sam
Ryan Bock appropriates fascist visual motifs to warn viewers against rising authoritarianism and worsening social injustices in the United States. | Isabella Segalovich
FILMS & FILMMAKERS
Apichatpong Weerasethakul on Human Suffering, VR, and the Long Take
The Thai director discusses his dreamlike films in a conversation with Hyperallergic ahead of his career retrospective in New York City. | Dan Schindel
New York African Film Festival Returns to Lincoln Center
The 30th edition includes over 50 screenings and artist talks, with many of the films making their United States debut. | Elaine Velie
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IN MEMORIAM
Bill Brady (1968–2023)
Art dealer and co-founder of ATM Gallery in New York City | Artnews
Robert Patrick (1937–2023)
Prolific American playwright of gay life | New York Times
John Stobart (1929–2023)
British maritime painter | New York Times
