Weekly The calls to repatriate stolen art are growing around the world. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art is the latest institution to remove their Benin Bronze sculptures from display before considering if they will return the objects to Nigeria. The sculptures, which were looted by the British in the late 19th century, are now found in museums around the world (almost all in Western Europe and North America) and they have become a flashpoint for the repatriation debate. Auction houses, unlike museums, have been much slower to respond to calls for ethical guidelines for the sale of art. Just last weekend, Taíno activists gathered in New York to decry what they see as Christie’s “slap in the face” for the living and breathing descendants of the Indigenous nation and its cultural heritage. It’s powerful to see communities advocating for their cultural patrimony and understanding that our decisions today impact those in the future. In other news, reviews, and views, New Mexican artists are using NFTs in some interesting ways, the story of a van Gogh watercolor that went to auction this week, and reviews of Diane Burko, Sudō Reiko, Betsy Damon, Addie Wagenknecht, Shigeko Kubota, Jennifer Ling Datchuk, and much more. — Hrag Vartanian, editor-in-chief Become a Member Before Yesterday We Could Fly: An Afrofuturist Period Room at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Courtesy the Metropolitan Museum of Art/ Photo by Anna-Marie Kellen) SPONSORED WHAT'S HAPPENING Edo artist/Benin kingdom court style, plaque, mid-16th to 17th century, copper alloy; collection of Smithsonian National Museum of African Art (images courtesy the Smithsonian NMAfA) The Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art considers repatriating the Benin Bronzes in its collection, removing those on display. Taíno activists gather at Christie’s to protest the impending sale of Indigenous artifacts. The sale of van Gogh watercolor will offer financial restitution to the heirs of two Jewish collectors who lost the work during World War II. A new report by the National Gallery in London lists 67 museum patrons who either enslaved people or benefitted financially from the trade. Archaeologists have pieced together the first comprehensive map of Karakorum, the capital of the Mongol Empire. SPONSORED As part of his Voice NFT Residency, the multidisciplinary artist and six collaborators explore identity, migration, and other pressing issues. Learn more. LATEST IN ART Diane Burko, "Unprecedented" (2021), mixed media, 8 x 15 feet (image courtesy the artist) Burko’s images of melting glaciers and dying coral reefs are not just pictorially impressive; they have strong emotional impact. SPONSORED The biennial VH AWARD aims to support new media artists of Asian descent. This year marks the first time artists from outside South Korea were eligible to apply. Learn more. New works by one of Bangladesh’s most prominent photojournalists, writers, and activists are now on view at the Chicago art space. Learn more. Jennifer Ling Datchuk, still from “Tame” (2021), video (photo by Walley Films, courtesy the artist) Datchuk’s intelligent and approachable perspective is especially resonant in our political and social moment, which continues its fraught fixation on controlling women’s bodies. SPONSORED Significant financial support packages for highly qualified applicants come in the form of fellowships and graduate appointments, which include tuition waivers and stipends. Learn more. Noisy Autumn: Sculpture and Works on Paper, which publishes November 16, includes essays by Carlo McCormick, Amy Lipton, Nina Felshin, Bob Holman, and Lucy R. Lippard. Learn more. ALSO ON HYPERALLERGIC Suzanne Valadon, "Reclining Nude" (1928) (© 2021 Artist Rights Society [ARS], New York / Image copyright © The Metropolitan Museum of Art; image courtesy Art Resource, NY) Facebook’s Hypocritical Guidelines Prevent Us Advertising our Suzanne Valadon Show
“What we’re seeing here is that Facebook's male, heteronormative gaze operates not just in the depiction of the female body, but also in its reception.” — Martha Lucy Why the Art Institute of Chicago’s New Docent Program Faces Whitelash
In September, the Art Institute of Chicago announced that the current docent program would be dissolved. Rebecca Zorach addresses the backlash. Ai Weiwei Plumbs His Chaotic Childhood in New Memoir
Kealey Boyd reviews 1,000 Years of Joys and Sorrows, diving deeper into the artist's life and family history. Challenging Israeli Narratives About Queer Palestinian Culture
Munir Atalla speaks to the organizers behind Queer Cinema for Palestine, a global alternative event to the Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival. Required Reading
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