January 21, 2023

This week, the new MLK sculpture in Boston has been at the top of the art news. Created by Hank Willis Thomas, the giant bronze work is drawing mixed reactions. 

Personally, I find it fine, but the bigger question for me is why the photograph on which the work is based is not more visible to visitors (it seems important for people to know the original photograph and quite confusing for those who don't). Also, it's the year 2023 — the in-person experience is only part of an artwork. Most people will see this via a screen, so those responses are just as legitimate as any others. The artist's decision to dismiss all criticism is unfortunate. Also, the artist's Freudian slip on CNN is priceless.

In one of this week's more surprising developments, gallerist Collier Gwin was arrested for hosing down an unhoused woman in San Francisco. In case you missed it, last week artist Courtney Desiree Morris staged a 75-minute performance outside of the gallery in response to his cruel action. Gwin has since said, "I’m committed to making amends and helping others."

In addition, check out our reviews of two shows on Pre-Raphaelite art in Delaware, two solo shows that explore feminism and architecture in Chicago, and John Yau's review of Odili Donald Odita in New York.

— Hrag Vartanian, editor-in-chief

Ukrainians Demand Their Place in Art History

No one would call an artist from India “British” or an artist from Peru “Spanish,” so why do museums continue to label Ukrainian artists as “Russian”? | Lisa Korneichuk

THE LATEST 

• The unveiling of a new MLK sculpture draws mixed reactions, with some praising the artist's design while others question the interpretation of his legacy.

• A new database charts which US institutions have yet to repatriate the remains of more than 110,000 Native American ancestors.

• San Francisco gallerist Collier Gwin is facing a misdemeanor battery charge for hosing down an unhoused woman.

• Getty Images says it is suing Stability AI, the creator of Stable Diffusion, for the alleged infringement of intellectual property rights.

• Erika López Prater sues Hamline University after being accused of Islamophobia for showing a painting of Prophet Muhammad in a lecture. 

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LATEST REVIEWS

Abstract Art Did Not Begin With Paul Cézanne

Odili Donald Odita challenges the long-held belief that abstract art is a purely Western tradition. | John Yau 

Looking Beyond the “Brotherhood” of the Pre-Raphaelites

Concurrent shows at the Delaware Art Museum highlight overlooked aspects of Pre-Raphaelite art and tread beyond typical gender hierarchies. | Mark Scroggins

Historical Revisionism Gets Mischievous in Chicago

Two solo shows in Chicago are must-sees for anyone who cares about feminism and how it intersects with modernist architecture, urban planning, and design. | Lori Waxman 

CONNECTING & CREATING SPACE

Unmasking the Power of Lucha Libre

Lucha Libre: Beyond the Arenas shows that the performative wrestling genre is about more than the wrestlers or their costumes. | Julianne Aguilar

The Woven History of Filipino American Artists

A look at the myriad ways Filipino American artists are connecting, creating artistic platforms, and engaging with their history and identity. | Irene Lee

What Just Above Midtown Meant for Black Artists 

The long-gone art gallery afforded Black artists a space to create without having to consider the pressures of the commercial art market or the fickle nature of nonprofit art institutions. | Taylor Michael 

YOUR GUIDE TO SAN FRANCISCO ART WEEK

A city without a biennale, San Francisco celebrates the visual arts mid-January in what is informally referred to by the community at large as “San Francisco Art Week” with significant arts programming throughout the city, anchored by the international FOG Art+Design Art Fair.

Natasha Boas has a list of major highlights from this art-filled week in the Bay Area, including:

• Koak: Letter to Myself (when the world is on fire) at Altman Siegel

• Odili Donald Odita: Open Veil at Crown Point Press

• Into View: Bernice Bing at Asian Art Museum

Read the full roundup.

THINKING OF APPLYING TO GRAD SCHOOL?

MFA, MA, and PhD Programs to Apply for by Early 2023

Organized by geographic region, a list of arts-related graduate programs to explore and apply to before deadlines close.

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Inside an Artist’s 1960s Time Capsule in Greenwich Village

Covered in wood paneling and filled with wacky Surrealist art, the former home of Sonja Alaimo captures the late painter’s sensitivities. | Elaine Velie

Remembering the Women of the Black Panther Party

Comrade Sisters centers photographs and personal accounts of the women who made up over two-thirds of the party. | Taylor Michael

Todd Haynes Discusses New Velvet Underground Doc 

The director sat with Hyperallergic for a conversation about the making of his new film The Velvet Underground. | Dan Schindel

What Rights Do Artists Have When Their Work Is Destroyed?

A string of recent mural removals raises important questions about how public artworks are protected and what recourse, if any, exists for artists in the event of their destruction. | Scotti Hill

Required Reading

This week, new chatbots will write your essays, psychedelics and climate activism, architectural media’s obsession with “house porn,” and much more. | Hrag Vartanian and Lakshmi Rivera Amin