The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Wednesday, December 13, 2023




 
You'll pay more to see the Mona Lisa: The Louvre is raising its admission price

Visitors at the Louvre in Paris on May 27, 2022. The Louvre says its increased admission price is unconnected to the Paris Summer Olympics and is part of a broader plan already underway. (Dmitry Kostyukov/The New York Times)

by Orlando Mayorquin


NEW YORK, NY.- The Louvre Museum said it would raise its basic ticket price to 22 euros from 17 euros beginning next month in the latest sign that visitors may face higher costs ahead of next year’s Summer Olympics in Paris. The Louvre, which expects to have welcomed nearly 9 million visitors by the end of the year, said the approximately 30% price hike would go into effect Jan. 15 and was part of the museum’s effort to offset rising energy costs and support its free admission programs geared toward local residents. While the increase was not directly tied to the Paris Summer Olympics, it was seen as part of a larger trend of rising prices across the French capital as it prepares to host nearly 10 million people in town for the Games, which will run from July 20 to Sept. 8. Last month, the city’s transportation agency was weighing whether to double the price of a Metro ride — to 4 euros (about $4.30) from 2.10 euros — for the duration of the Summer Olympics to cover increased ... More


The Best Photos of the Day
Best Photos of the Day
One-Sequence Spaces is an exhibition created specifically for this Museo Reina Sofía venue by the German artist Ulla von Brandenburg where the space is transformed and conceived as a theatrical stage on which the public plays the leading role.






The Winter Show reveals exhibitor and programming highlights for its 70th anniversary edition   'Anselm' review: An artist contemplates the cosmos, in 3D   'Tracing Lineage: Abstraction and its Aftermath' now on view at the Bruce Museum


Mary Cassatt (1844-1926), Smiling Sara in a Big Hat Holding Her Dog (No.1), c. 1905-1915. Pastel counterproof on Japan paper, 21 3/4 x 16 1/2 inches. Exhibitor: Adelson Galleries, New York, USA.

NEW YORK, NY.- The Winter Show announces exhibitor and programming highlights for its 70th anniversary edition at the Park Avenue Armory, showcasing exceptional antiques and fine art from ancient times to the contemporary. Taking place January 19–28, 2024, The Show includes over 70 leading dealers from 7 countries across the globe, alongside the fair’s acclaimed programming and special presentations. New, returning, and longtime exhibitors pair museum-quality works with a dedication to sharing the finest in visual and material culture with an international audience. All ticket proceeds from the fair and its benefit events, including the Opening Night Party on January 18 and Young Collectors Night on January 25, directly fund East Side House Settlement. Chubb returns as The Winter Show's presenting sponsor for the Show’s 70th Anniversary, celebrating 24 years of partnership and support. “The 70th Anniversary edition of Th ... More
 

Anselm Kiefer at his studio in a Paris suburb, Sept. 29, 2022. (Julien Mignot/The New York Times)

by Alissa Wilkinson


NEW YORK, NY.- In an age when virtual reality headsets are, if not common, at least accessible to gear heads and gamers, watching a 3D movie feels a little quaint. In its gimmicky heyday, 3D was a lark. You laughed at yourself for suddenly ducking at, say, a snake that came hissing out of the screen. More recently, filmmakers have turned to 3D to enhance the moviegoing experience: Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo,” Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity.” With films like these, you’re seeing into a world inside the screen, rather than being poked by it. But for the most part, 3D — often added after the film is shot in regular old 2D — has been a way to sell a more expensive movie ticket. Yet occasionally it adds a dimension (so to speak) to a movie that expands its possibilities and reinforces its explorations. The first great contemporary 3D film I ever saw was “Pina,” Wim Wenders’ 2011 tribute to German choreographer Pina Bausch, with her company, Tanztheater W ... More
 

Diana Al-Hadid, Jeita, 2023. Polymer gypsum, fiberglass, steel, plaster, gold leaf and pigment, 58 x 64 inches, 147.3 x 162.6 cm. Collection of Dan Abrams and Florinka Pesenti. Courtesy of the artist and Kasmin, New York. © Diana Al-Hadid. All Rights Reserved. Photo: Diego Flores.

GREENWICH, CT.- What does it mean to explore abstraction in the aftermath of Abstract Expressionism? From its heyday in the 1940s and ’50s, abstract art gained momentum in the postwar United States and remains a touchstone for artists working today. Tracing Lineage: Abstraction and its Aftermath addresses key art-historical movements, including Abstract Expressionism and its various permutations—from Action Painting and Color Field to Minimalism and Postminimalism—while also showcasing work by contemporary artists whose investigations of color, form, and material elucidate the ongoing legacies of painterly abstraction. Drawn from the Bruce Museum's holdings and augmented by key loans from private collections, Tracing Lineagebrings together nearly twenty-five paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media works by artists working from ... More


New works by René Wirths in exhibition 'That Nothing Stays The Same' on view at Reflex Amsterdam   Vale Khai Liew (1952-2023) celebrated as a shining light in Australian contemporary design   Phillips announces additional artists for 'New Terrains: Contemporary Native American Art'


René Wirths, Orange Juice (liquids no 28), 2023. Oil on canvas, 110 x 100 cm, Unique.

AMSTERDAM.- Reflex Amsterdam is now showing the solo exhibition 'That Nothing Stays The Same' with new works by René Wirths. On view in the gallery since November 18th, it will run until February 10th. A lightbulb, a spray bottle, a glass, all seemingly mundane items. On large canvasses painter René Wirths puts quotidian objects under the loop and depicts them with an intense attention to how light dances across their surfaces. His paintings are the result of object transference – with no other visual aid than the object itself – to the second dimension. In the exhibition, 'That Nothing Stays The Same', Reflex Gallery presents a series of objects rendered with breathtaking realism and simultaneous wonder. The exhibition opens November 18th, in presence of the artist. Look at the world through a kaleidoscope, and you might see a similar geometric division of the real, ... More
 

Khai Liew, Alice and Friend in Wonderland, 2020, Norwood, South Australia Queensland blackbean (sp. Castanospermum) 150.0 x 104.0 x 56.0 cm.

ADELAIDE.- AGSA Director, Rhana Devenport ONZM says, ‘It is with deep sadness that the Art Gallery of South Australia acknowledges the recent passing of the remarkable South Australian designer Khai Liew (1952-2023). This loss will reverberate across the country. Khai remains undoubtedly one of Australia’s most influential and visionary designers and he leaves an exceptional legacy. Staff at AGSA – past and present – are immensely saddened by this loss. Like many South Australian artists, Liew’s fifty-year practice is deeply embedded in the history of our Gallery. It has been a tremendous privilege for AGSA staff to work so closely with Khai in many capacities over decades - as a brilliant designer, an inspired advisor, and a great friend. A curator’s designer, Liew will be remembered for his ... More
 

Michael Kabotie, Meditation.

NEW YORK, NY.- Phillips has announced additional artists in the upcoming exhibition New Terrains: Contemporary Native American Art, which was previously announced in September, with added details on the show. On view from 5 – 23 January 2024, the exhibition, curated by Bruce Hartman, James Trotta-Bono, and Tony Abeyta, traces the influences of Modernism, Post-War, and Pop Art, contextualizing the evolution of contemporary Native American art from the mid-20th to early 21st centuries. Showcasing over 60 artists across seven decades, the works reflect the socio-political and artistic periods of their creation. Embracing new ideas and expressions, Native American art continues to evolve, with established, emerging, and under-recognized artists sharing their unique visions of Indigenous artistic identity. The exhibition will feature the artists highlighted below, with a comprehensive artist list following. ... More



Design Doha, new design biennial celebrating Arab creatives, to feature more than 100 designers from MENA region   San Antonio Museum of Art announces acquisition of major gifts of ancient art from the Americas Museum   African fashions dating from the mid-twentieth century to the present day subject of exhibition at Portland Art Museum


Abeer Seikaly - Constellations 2.0 (9), 2023. Emanuele Tortora, Courtesy of the Artist and Design Doha 2024.

DOHA.- Qatar Museums has announced the inauguration in 2024 of Design Doha, a biennial showcase for excellence and innovation in the design community in Qatar and the MENA region. Established under the leadership of Qatar Museums’ Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Design Doha will be a new platform for practitioners from across the Arab world, helping to build professional pathways, and engage with the acclaimed design professionals from around the world who will convene at the event. Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa said, "As a global hub for culture, Qatar Museums not only builds museums and galleries and presents great collections and exhibitions but also develops the nation’s creative industries and helps emerging talents be successful in their careers. Recognizing that there are far too few platforms in our region for designers to present their work, the inauguration of Design Doha ... More
 

Bi-face Reliquary: The Virgin of Copacabana/San Idelfonso, Bolivian, 19th century, Tempera on mother of pearl; Silver frame, 3 1/4 x 3 3/4 in. (8.3 x 9.5 cm), San Antonio Museum of Art, Gift of Martha Egan, 2023.9.

SAN ANTONIO, TX .- The San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) announced the acquisition of two extensive collections focused on the art of the Americas before 1500. The first is a gift from collectors and longtime SAMA supporters John M. and Kathi Oppenheimer and features nearly two hundred objects, primarily ceramic and stone figures and vessels, that represent societies that thrived in West and Central Mexico and Central America, including the Aztec, Mixtec, Colima, Nayarit, and Jalisco, as well as objects made by the Maya, Zapotec, and Olmec cultures. The second collection comes from Lindsay and Lucy Duff and includes 110 objects, including ceramics and textiles and carved stone and wood objects, from early South American cultures, such as the Moche, Nasca, Wari, Chimu, and Inca and spanning from around 500 BC to AD 1500. Several ... More
 

Mbeuk Idourrou collection, Imane Ayissi, Paris, France, Autumn/Winter 2019. Photo: Fabrice Malard / Courtesy of Imane Ayissi.

PORTLAND, OR.- Africa Fashion opened at the Portland Art Museum on November 18 after acclaimed runs at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and the Brooklyn Museum. This first-of-its-kind exhibition, making its only West Coast stop at PAM, honors the irresistible creativity, ingenuity, and unstoppable global impact of contemporary African fashions. Garments and textiles dating from the mid-twentieth century to the present day, contextualized by a range of cultural touchstones such as Drum magazines, Fela Kuti and Miriam Makeba record albums, and studio photography from Sanlé Sory, celebrate the transformative and liberatory power of self-fashioning. The New Yorker’s art critic Hilton Als called Africa Fashion a “vital and necessary exhibition.” The exuberance and cosmopolitan nature of the contemporary African fashion scene unfolds through more than 50 outfits designed by over 40 ... More


Now open: Daniel Roseberry for Maison Schiaparelli presented as part of NGV Triennial   AstaGuru's 'Beyond Bold' auction sets the stage for a remarkable show of Indian contemporary art   Mosaicist and collaborator of Matthew Collings Emma Biggs exhibits in central London


Installation view of designs by Maison Schiaparelli on display in NGV Triennial from 3 December 2023 to 7 April 2024 at NGV International, Melbourne. Photo: Sean Fennessy.

MELBOURNE.- As part of the 2023 NGV Triennial, French couture house Maison Schiaparelli presents a selection of eight dramatic and impeccably crafted garments designed by artistic director Daniel Roseberry. Drawn from recent couture collections, the works are displayed alongside an eye-catching selection of Schiaparelli surrealist jewellery and accessories. Since his debut autumn-winter collection for Schiaparelli in July 2019, artistic director Daniel Roseberry has been at the forefront of contemporary fashion culture. The NGV Triennial presentation highlights Roseberry’s interest in pushing the boundaries of couture practice, his belief in fantasy and his view that art and fashion can question, shape and address the concerns of contemporary life. The works on display reflect the intersections between his ... More
 

Leading the auction highlight is lot no. 58, a vibrant creation by internationally renowned artist Subodh Gupta. Titled ‘Pink,’ the presented lot is a work from 2008 executed with scores of steel tongs. It is estimated to be acquired at INR 60,00,000 – 80,00,000.

MUMBAI.- In its upcoming 'Beyond Bold' Contemporary Art Auction, AstaGuru is set to present a diverse collection of artworks by renowned contemporary artists such as Subodh Gupta, Nalini Malani, Jitish Kallat, Nataraj Sharma, Valay Shende, Suryakant Lokhande, Ranbir Singh Kaleka, Raqib Shaw, Ravinder Reddy, Surendran Nair, Bose Krishnamachari, N.S. Harsha, Jagannath Panda, T.V. Santhosh, Sudhir Patwardhan, and others. The meticulously curated catalogue features over 100 pieces across various mediums, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and mixed media art, providing a comprehensive snapshot of current art trends and offering insights into the future of contemporary art. The auction ... More
 

Peekaboo by Emma Biggs.

LONDON.- Martina Larsson is opening British artist Emma Biggs’s Peekaboo over Christmas and New Year at 139 Whitfield Street, W1T 5EN. The installation – a sewn banner -- can be seen through the gallery window at street-level between the 13th of December and 6th of January. Within this period, the gallery will be open on select days for visitors to come in and see the entire work. Recently diagnosed with a variety of tuberculosis that prevented her from working in the studio, Biggs decided to make a banner with crochet and ecru doilies she had collected over the years, decorative objects that represented the domestic creativity of women, her grandmother amongst them. Sewing was the one activity Biggs was easily able to do in her incapacitated state. Working propped up in bed, cutting holes in a bedsheet and inserting lace doilies, the white needlework and the white sheet suggested ideas about hygiene, purity, health and, by contrast, blood, sickness and decline. The ... More




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Whimsical, edible art installation unveiled in the Garment District
NEW YORK, NY.- The Garment District Alliance (GDA) announced the latest in its ongoing series of public art exhibits, unveiling False Awakenings, a whimsical collection of paintings accompanied by an edible cake sculpture by artists Madeleine Schachter and Grace “Grey” Pak. The new exhibit is part of the Garment District Space for Public Art program, which showcases artists and has produced more than 200 installations, exhibits, and performances over the past 18 years. Located in a street-level window at 209 West 38th Street in the heart of the Garment District, the exhibit is free and will be accessible to the public through January 4th, 2024. False Awakenings consists of six works, including one edible cake sculpture titled Cake Tulipiere and five paintings titled Spilled Sky, Galaxies in Chat, Glazed Seas, Swaying Seas and Hills, ... More

Iris Nemani named director of Stanford Live
STANFORD, CA.- Nemani is a seasoned, creative, interdisciplinary arts leader with more than 30 years of progressive experience in arts and culture. As a senior arts administrator and curator, she has provided visionary leadership and artistic and strategic direction for various arts institutions, most recently as chief programming officer at Harbourfront Centre, an international center for contemporary arts, culture, and ideas on Toronto’s central waterfront. Nemani will oversee programming in Stanford’s arts district, including at the Bing Concert Hall and Frost Amphitheater. In addition to joining the senior arts leadership team under Deborah Cullinan, Stanford’s vice president for the arts and acting director of Stanford Live, Nemani will have the opportunity to collaborate with faculty in the Department of Music and beyond. ... More

Historic Mao Zedong signed banquet menu sold for $275,000 at auction
BOSTON, MA.- An official menu from the state banquet held in Beijing on October 19, 1956, commemorating the first state visit of Prime Minister Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy of Pakistan to China, has been auctioned for $275,000, according to Boston-based RR Auction. The menu, signed in fountain pen by six influential Chinese statesmen, including Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai, bears witness to a pivotal moment in Sino-Pakistani relations. Prime Minister Suhrawardy, who assumed office merely a month before the historic banquet, sought to foster pragmatic ties with Communist China during a period of shifting global dynamics. Among the illustrious signatories on the menu were Huang Yanpei, Vice Premier of the State Council and Minister of Industry; Peng Zhen, Mayor of Beijing and later Chairman of the National People's ... More

How Africans are changing French - one joke, rap and book at a time
ABIDJAN.- French, by most estimates the world’s fifth most spoken language, is changing — perhaps not in the gilded hallways of the institution in Paris that publishes its official dictionary, but on a rooftop in Abidjan, the largest city in Ivory Coast. There, one afternoon, a 19-year-old rapper who goes by the stage name “Marla” rehearsed her upcoming show, surrounded by friends and empty soda bottles. Her words were mostly French, but the Ivorian slang and English words that she mixed in made a new language. To speak only French, “c’est zogo” — “it’s uncool,” said Marla, whose real name is Mariam Dosso, combining a French word with Ivorian slang. But playing with words and languages, she said, is “choco,” an abbreviation for chocolate meaning “sweet” or “stylish.” A growing number of words and expressions from Africa ... More

Ailey looks back to black joy and longing with 1930s jazz
NEW YORK, NY.- The dancers don’t so much step onto the stage in Amy Hall Garner’s “Century” as burst within it like a glitter bomb, showering the space in pink and gold. For “Century,” her first work for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, performed Friday at New York City Center, it’s clear that Garner doesn’t merely know a party when she sees one — she knows how to dream one up. A metallic curtain hangs in the back as dancers, looking like fuchsia flowers, vibrate from their shoulders to their feet like petals caught in a breeze. Wearing dresses featuring feathered skirts and striped bustiers and, for the men, tight pants and short-sleeve shirts so form fitting that they could be painted on, the dancers are clearly committed to a celebration. But Garner adds another element to their flash: breathtaking speed. A rising choreographer ... More

Celedonia Jones, self-educated New York historian, dies at 93
NEW YORK, NY.- One day last year, Celedonia Jones, a charismatic, self-educated historian, stood on a patch of land in Manhattan that in the 19th century was within Seneca Village, a largely Black community of about 300 people that would become part of Central Park. “What happened to the people?" Jones, who was known as Cal, told “CBS Sunday Morning” for a segment about Seneca Village, which stood from 1825 to 1857 between what are now West 82nd and West 89th streets on the western side of the park. “Where did they go?” One of them — Andrew Williams, a free Black man who shined shoes and who was among the first African American property owners in the neighborhood — became the focus of Jones’ historical research in 2018. “He was a visionary,” Jones said in the interview. “I can see him building the ... More

From Saint to Santa: Brand new festive photo exhibition opens in Wembley Park
LONDON.- A brand-new, free to attend outdoor exhibition has opened in Wembley Park. London’s most exciting new neighbourhood has put the big man himself under the spotlight in From Saint to Santa, with 32 artworks, including an original AI-generated one, tracking the history of Santa Claus and its influences. Displayed across light boxes in Wembley Park’s Arena Square, next to the Grade II listed OVO Arena Wembley, the images delve into Father Christmas’ fascinating origins, taking viewers on a festive journey through the ages. The exhibition explores the emergence of the modern Santa Claus from roots that span Norse Yule celebrations, the Roman Saturnalia festival and Christianity’s Saint Nicholas. It travels through early spirituality and the Reformation to the jollier Santa figure we recognise today. The ... More

Unveiling the Belvedere's exhibition history online
VIENNA.- On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the Belvedere, the museum is now presenting its exhibition history online. As the first federal museum to open its exhibition archive, the Belvedere invites all interested parties to explore 626 historical exhibitions online. The range of recorded projects reflects the diversity of the Belvedere's collection and provides insight into the evolution of exhibition practices. The link here provides access to projects dated between 1918 and 2023. Going forward, the online chronicle will add each newly completed exhibition. General Director Stella Rollig: For us, access to information and the open exchange of content are crucial elements of the museum of the future. The Belvedere is a pioneer among Austrian museums in its commitment to an Open Content Policy. We are delighted to be ... More

The Ateneum reaches the magic milestone of 500,000 annual visitors
HELSINKI.- By 10 December, the Ateneum Art Museum has attracted 501,036 visitors. This is an exceptional achievement, considering that the Ateneum did not open until mid-April this year, following a ventilation renovation. During 2023, the Ateneum Art Museum has so far attracted 501,036 visitors. The magic milestone of 500,000 visitors was reached on the 10 December. The number of visitors for the year will clearly exceed the previous visitor record for the Ateneum, set in 2017, when the museum’s main attraction were the exhibitions Treasures from the National Gallery of Duckburg and The von Wright brothers. The total number of visitors for that year was 440,828. Reaching the milestone of half a million visitors in a year is exceptional, considering that, in 2023, the Ateneum did not open until mid-April, having been closed ... More

The North Carolina Museum of Art announces largest bequest in museum's history
RALEIGH, NC .- The North Carolina Museum of Art announced the largest bequest in Museum history from philanthropists Barbara and Fred Kirby, a gift that will support its ever- evolving and expanding education and multigenerational outreach efforts to create authentic, inclusive, and welcoming experiences with art, nature, and people across all 100 North Carolina counties and at its sites in Raleigh and Winston-Salem. In celebration of this landmark and transformational gift, the Museum is establishing the Barbara and Fred Kirby Endowment for Education and Outreach Programming. Barbara and Fred Kirby’s daughter, Leigh Kirby Klein, states: “This endowment continues my mother’s legacy of investing in the power of arts education. We are thrilled that this endowment will support innovative programming which will inspire ... More


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Flashback
On a day like today, American painter Grandma Moses died
December 13, 1961. Anna Mary Robertson Moses (September 7, 1860 - December 13, 1961), or Grandma Moses, was an American folk artist. She began painting in earnest at the age of 78 and is a prominent example of a newly successful art career at an advanced age. In this image: The Old Oaken Bucket, 1943, Anna Mary "Grandma" Moses. © Grandma Moses Properties Co., New York. Collection of the Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, New York.

  
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