Giant pigeon sculpture to be installed on New York’s High Line. https://ift.tt/sBZxTI9

A giant pigeon sculpture by Iván Argote, titled Dinosaur, is set to perch atop the High Line in New York come October 2024. This 16-foot-tall aluminum artwork will be installed at the intersection of 30th Street and 10th Avenue, where it will remain for 18 months. The piece will sit on a concrete plinth, referencing the materials of the urban landscape that city pigeons are accustomed to.

“The name Dinosaur makes reference to the sculpture’s scale and to the pigeon’s ancestors who millions of years ago dominated the globe, as we humans do today,” said Argote in a press release. “The name also serves as reference to the dinosaur’s extinction. Like them, one day, we won’t be around anymore, but perhaps a remnant of humanity will live on—as pigeons do—in the dark corners and gaps of future worlds.”

Argote, born in 1983 in Bogotá and now working out of Paris, is known for his interventions in public space, which often utilize scale and humor to disrupt accepted historical narratives. Argote frequently employs the pigeon as a symbol for marginalization, as in “Precious,” his 2022 series of anthropomorphized bird sculptures, and his 2011 short film The Pigeon.

With Dinosaur, Argote intends to upend the power dynamic between the city birds and human beings. The massive, hand-painted sculpture will also subvert expectations for public sculpture, taking a playful approach to monuments rather than a stoic, historicizing one.

“Iván has a charming ability as an artist to take something familiar and make us consider it anew in profound ways,” said Cecilia Alemani, the director and chief curator of High Line Art.

Argote’s installation is the fourth commission of the High Line’s Plinth program. It follows Simone Leigh’s Brick House (2019), Sam Durant’s Untitled (drone) (2021), and Pamela Rosenkranz’s Old Tree (2023). Argote’s proposal for Dinosaur was chosen from among 80 submissions received in 2020.

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Marina Abramović to stage first museum exhibition in China. https://ift.tt/SUbq3PZ

The Modern Art Museum (MAM) Shanghai will host the first-ever museum exhibition in China by internationally renowned performance artist Marina Abramović. Titled “Marina Abramović: Transforming Energy,” the exhibition is scheduled to run from October 10, 2024 to February 28, 2025.

The exhibition draws inspiration from Abramović’s 1988 walk across the Great Wall of China with German artist Ulay. In this iconic performance, entitled The Lovers, the two artists walked from either side of the Great Wall and met in the middle, making the couple the first international artists to traverse the landmark. The pair, who were artistic collaborators and lovers between 1976 and 1983, initially intended to marry when their paths on the Wall crossed. However, the project changed course during its long planning phase as Abramović and Ulay’s relationship shifted. In the end, the work was the final performance work the pair created together.

Curated by Shai Baitel, the artistic director of MAM Shanghai, in collaboration with Abramović, the show will feature over 1,000 images of the Great Wall walk. New artworks are also being created specifically for this exhibition.

Like Abramović’s other recent exhibitions at the Royal Academy in London and MoMA in New York, “Transforming Energy” will include several works that invite participation. Other works on show, from the “Transitory Objects” series, take The Lovers as a starting point, turning different types of crystal, wood, and copper into talismanic sculptues to communicate the significance of the journey. Spanning three floors of the museum, the show aims to offer a comprehensive view of Abramović’s career as well as her latest works.

In a statement, Abramović commented on the personal significance of this milestone exhibition: “Nearly 40 years after Ulay and I walked 2,500 kilometers to meet in the middle of the Great Wall of China, I am looking forward to opening ‘Transforming Energy’ at MAM Shanghai. I return to China with great excitement, presenting a body of work connected to that experience.”

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Paris Olympics opening ceremony inspired by this Dutch painting, not “The Last Supper.” https://ift.tt/FgAXD4n

A scene in the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony stirred controversy after many thought it was a reference to Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper (1495–98) and a mockery of Christianity. However, art historians and the ceremony’s creative team quickly clarified that the real painting that inspired the performance, titled “Festivity,” is Jan van Bijlert’s The Feast of the Gods (1635–40).

After the opening ceremonies on July 26th, viewers quickly noted similarities between the performance and the well-known depiction of Jesus’s final meal with his apostles in Leonardo’s The Last Supper. However, the Magnin Museum in Dijon, France, which owns The Feast of the Gods, hinted at the true inspiration behind the Olympic ceremony scene on X. The institution posted, “Does this painting remind you of something?” and featured images of the 17th-century Dutch Baroque painting. Meanwhile, on BFM TV, opening ceremonies creative director Thomas Jolly confirmed the performance was intended to evoke the god of wine, Dionysus, and a grand pagan celebration.

On July 28th, art historian Walther Schoonenberg supported this clarification on X: “The tableau vivant or ‘living painting’ in the opening ceremony of Paris 2024 was of The Feast of the Gods, by Jan van Bijlert from 1635,” Schoonenberg wrote.

Le Festin des Dieux (The Feast of the Gods ),
Jan Hermansz. van Bijlert
Musée Magnin

Commissioned by the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza in 1495, Leonardo’s The Last Supper depicts the moment Jesus announces his betrayal by one of the apostles. It features the 12 apostles seated along one side of the table as a contemplative Jesus holds his hands out in the center. Similarly, van Bijlert’s The Feast of the Gods captures a large group of deities gathered around a table, including a central figure reminiscent of an angel with a halo, creating a visual parallel to The Last Supper. While The Last Supper focuses on a biblical narrative, created as part of a renovation project for Milan’s Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, The Feast of the Gods depicts Greek gods in a moment of revelry.

Van Bijlert was a prominent member of the Utrecht Caravaggisti, a Dutch movement inspired by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. He created The Feast of the Gods to celebrate Greek mythology through a lively banquet scene filled with gods and goddesses at the wedding of Thetis and Peleus. In the foreground, a seemingly drunk Dionysis stares at grapes as a satyr dances in front of him. The Dutch painter employed the chiaroscuro technique to enhance the festive atmosphere and the physical standings of the deities. Emblematic of the Dutch Golden Age, The Feast of the Gods reflects the era’s appreciation of antiquity. By featuring a performance inspired by communal celebration in The Feast of the Gods, the Olympic Organizers emphasized the ongoing cultural importance of communal traditions, such as the Olympic Games.

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5 Indian Modernist Artists with Market Momentum https://ift.tt/XOba7Ay

Arbre Bindu Cinq Elements, 2008
Sayed Haider Raza
Faraway Tree Gallery

Much like the country’s economy, India’s art market is growing—fast. Recent years have seen an influx of new collectors, galleries, institutions, and art fairs, which, taken together, are actively fostering a burgeoning contemporary art scene.

Much of this growth is illustrated by the country’s auction houses, which saw total turnover surge from $1.46 million to $144.3 million between 2002 and 2023, according to Grant Thornton Bharat and the Indian Art Investor. In fact, last year was the most successful yet for Indian art auctions, and the momentum is being carried into 2024, marked by a nearly 40% rise in buyers, driven by newcomers.

The majority of this demand at the top end of the Indian art market has been towards 20th century artists, particularly from the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group (PAG) and Modernist movements that emerged around the time of Indian Independence in 1947. Drawing influence from styles such as Expressionism and Cubism, these artists played influential roles in shaping Indian art throughout and beyond the 20th century.

As their works become increasingly coveted, strong collector and institutional interest has intensified, driving up demand and prices—particularly in recent years.

Here, we spotlight five Indian Modernists who have profoundly impacted the nation’s art since the early 1900s, experiencing a remarkable rise in global exhibitions and auction sales in recent years.

Francis Newton Souza

B.1924, Saligao. D. 2002, Mumbai.

Untitled, 1969
Francis Newton Souza
Sanchit Art

Untitled, 1983
Francis Newton Souza
Sanchit Art

Francis Newton “F. N.” Souza, born in Portuguese Goa in 1924 to a strict Roman Catholic family, is heralded as a pioneer in India’s Modernist movement. He co-founded the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group (PAG) in 1947, known for its blending of Indian art history with influences from European and North American styles. As a leading figure of the group, Souza ignited a transformative era in Indian art, influencing peers such as Maqbool Fida Husain, who considered him a mentor. His career, which spanned more than six decades, included a diverse range of subjects and styles, drawing influence from Cubism and abstraction.

In 1948, Souza displayed work at the landmark “Exhibition of Indian Art” at London’s Royal Academy of Arts before settling in the city to seek patronage. He went on to have his first international solo exhibition at Gallery One, London, in 1955. Souza’s travels across Europe culminated in a profound encounter with Pablo Picasso in Paris, marking a significant moment in his career.

The year 2024 marks Souza’s centenary year. In March, Christie’s set a new auction record for a work by the artist, when The Lovers (1960) sold for $4.89 million. The price exceeded his previous auction record of $4.06 million set last August for Hunger (1960), sold at Mumbai auction house Pundole’s. Souza’s works from 1955 to 1963 are rare and highly sought after, driving exceptional market demand.

As one of India’s earliest artists to gain acclaim in the West after Indianindependence, Souza’s notable exhibitions include a retrospective titled “Religion and Erotica” at Tate Britain in 2005. His work is currently on display in the “Nucleo Storico (Historical Nucleus)” section of the central pavilion at the Venice Biennale until November.

Sayed Haider Raza

B. 1922, Mandla. D. 2016, New Delhi.

Arbre et Bindu, 2008
Sayed Haider Raza
Faraway Tree Gallery

Mont-Agel, 1964
Sayed Haider Raza
Aicon

Another pioneering name in Indian Modernism, Sayed Haider “S. H.” Raza was also a co-founder of PAG and would become one of the country’s most influential artists of the 20th century.

Raza is best known for his experiments with geometric abstraction, exemplified in a series of famous paintings that depict the Bindu symbol, which represents the convergence of creation and unity. Most of the artist’s career was spent in Paris, where he moved in 1950 on a painting scholarship at École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. Last year, a major retrospective of nearly 100 works by the artist was held at Centre Pompidou. The exhibition traced Raza’s artistic evolution, highlighting distinct phases of abstraction and pieces from his periods in India and France. The artist lived in Paris for more than six decades where he achieved significant acclaim, notably becoming the first non-French artist to win the Prix de la Critique in 1956.

Last August, Raza’s painting Gestation (1989) set a new auction record for the artist when it sold for $6.27 million at Pundole’s, surpassing its estimated $1.81 million. In November, Sotheby’s London presented an exhibition of works by the artist, “Masterpieces: Sayed Haider Raza 1955–1985,” showcasing previously unseen works. Currently, Raza’s work is on view in the “Nucleo Storico” section of the central pavilion at the Venice Biennale, until November.

Maqboul Fida Husain

B. 1915, Pandharpur. D. 2011, London.

Mother Teresa, 2003
Maqbool Fida Husain
Arushi Arts

Known for his Cubist-influenced, vividly colored paintings, Maqbool Fida Husain is regarded as one of India’s foremost artists of the 20th century. He achieved significant recognition throughout his career, representing his country at the Venice Biennale and the São Paulo Biennale in 1955 and 1972, respectively.

Most recently, the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) presented the artist’s first immersive exhibition, “The Rooted Nomad,” at Magazzini del Sale during this year’s Venice Biennale. This dual-format project blends exhibition and immersive elements, echoing Husain’s exploratory spirit as he returns to the Biennale after 70 years.

Husain’s distinguished career has consistently captivated collectors for decades, with his works prominently showcased in Sotheby’s landmark sale dedicated to contemporary Indian art that took place in 1995 from the Chester and Davida Herwitz collection—one of the pioneering single-owner collections of its kind in auction history.

In 1974, Husain made his solo exhibition debut in the United States at the Worcester Art Museum in Massachusetts. A notable piece from this exhibition, Bulls (1961), made its auction debut at Christie’s in September 2003, selling for $107,550. The work reemerged at Sotheby’s New York last March during Asia Art Week, soaring to $2.78 million—surpassing expectations and setting a new record for the artist.

Arpita Singh

B. 1937, Kolkata.

Scorpio: Mystery, 1999
Arpita Singh
Museum of Art & Photography

Sagittarious: Archer, 1999
Arpita Singh
Museum of Art & Photography

One of India’s most important living artists, Arpita Singh has led an illustrious career spanning over six decades amid a predominantly male-dominated industry. Her oeuvre, which draws reference from traditional Indian art forms, is often concerned with women’s experiences both within historical and mythical contexts.

In February 2023, Vadehra Art Gallery hosted a buzzy solo exhibition of Singh’s works in New Delhi, followed by her debut solo presentation with the gallery at Frieze, No.9 Cork Street in London, “Meeting,” last June. The KNMA in Delhi also held a major retrospective entitled “Arpita Singh, ‘Six Decades of Painting’” in New Delhi in 2019.

Singh’s artworks have garnered international acclaim, displayed prominently at institutions such as the Centre Pompidou and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, as well as in auctions at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Pundole’s. Her piece Watching (2004) fetched $1.33 million at Pundole’s in 2023, exceeding its $361,445 estimate.

Amrita Sher-Gil

B. 1913, Budapest, Hungary. D. 1941, Lahore.

Last September, Amrita Sher-Gil’s The Story Teller (1937) sold for $7.46 million at Saffronart in Mumbai, making it the highest-priced Indian artwork ever auctioned globally. The work, an intimate portrait of a rural setting in India, marks a pivotal moment in Sher-Gil’s career, underscoring her growing stature as an artist despite her youth. The artist would go on to be a formative influence on a generation of Indian artists, and the work exemplifies her renowned depictions of everyday life, rendered with sensitivity and tenderness.

Born in Budapest, Sher-Gil began drawing and painting at a young age. Her family moved to Shimla in northern India in 1921, where she was homeschooled in art. In 1929, at 16 years old, she began her formal art education at L’Académie de la Grande Chaumière in France, continuing her studies at the École des Beaux-Arts.

Sher-Gil holds the distinction of being the sole woman among India’s nine “National Treasure Artists,” a designation coined by the Archaeological Survey of India in the 1970s. Her panting Head of a Girl (1937) is currently exhibited in the “Nucleo Storico” section of the central pavilion at the Venice Biennale, running until November.

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Sotheby’s opens its first retail store in Hong Kong. https://ift.tt/4akD3KR

Sotheby’s inaugurated its first retail store in Hong Kong on July 27th. The Sotheby’s Maison is located at the Landmark Chater shopping center in the city’s luxury district, a space boasting foot traffic of more than 1.3 million visitors per month.

“We envision for this state-of-the-art space in Hong Kong to be the epicenter of culture for global visitors—a destination where generations of art and culture enthusiasts come to engage with and be inspired by extraordinary objects and experiences,” said Nathan Drahi, managing director of Sotheby’s Asia.

The 24,000-square-foot retail space spans two floors, featuring museum-quality exhibitions on the ground floor and the Sotheby’s Salon retail experience on the upper level. The ground floor offers visitors an immersive experience with a diverse array of exhibitions. Highlights include a showcase of Buddhist sculpture titled “Bodhi: Masterpieces of Monumental Buddhist Art” and “Ice: Two Masterpieces on Loan from the Long Museum,” both on view until September 11th. The latter features Gerhard Richter’s Eisberg (1982) alongside a valuable Ru ware brush washer, which Sotheby’s claims is “arguably the rarest and most valuable Chinese ceramic ever produced.” Moreover, Banksy’s infamous shredded artwork, Girl Without Balloon (2021) (previously titled Love is in the Bin), is slated to be on display at an unspecified date.

Upstairs, the Sotheby’s Salon provides a curated selection of items across 20 categories, catering to the interests of various collectors. The items publicly for sale are priced from HK$5,000 to HK$50 million ($640 to $6.4 million).

Nicholas Chow, chairman of Sotheby’s Asia, described the new space as designed to broaden visitor curiosity and imagination. Its offerings include dinosaur fossils, handbags, contemporary African furniture, Italian Old Master drawings, and more. The diverse collection also includes rare movie posters, Picasso ceramics, Korean crafts, vintage watches, and other unique artifacts, aiming to attract both established collectors and new audiences. “There will be something here to inspire and engage both our existing collectors and new audiences alike,” he noted.

Anticipated events scheduled for later this year include an exhibition for Sotheby’s modern and contemporary art auctions in September and a series of luxury and Asian art auctions in October.

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5 Standout Shows to See at Small Galleries This August https://ift.tt/BlvHF8P

Instrumento 2, 2024
Miguel Rodríguez Sepúlveda
Galería Ana Tejeda

Stillness of the Forest (My Son, VN), 2024
Luca Sára Rózsa
Double Q Gallery

In this monthly roundup, we shine a spotlight on five stellar exhibitions taking place at small and rising galleries.

Luca Sára Rózsa, “Five Deep Breaths”

Double Q Gallery, Hong Kong

Through Aug. 17

Enter (Leave), 2024
Luca Sára Rózsa
Double Q Gallery

Leave (Enter), 2024
Luca Sára Rózsa
Double Q Gallery

A graduate of the Hungarian University of Fine Arts, 34-year-old artist Luca Sára Rózsa planted wheatgrass into ceramic sculptures of human heads and hands at Double Q Gallery in Hong Kong. In Christian iconography, the plant is a symbol of resurrection and life. Growing from the sculptures of Rózsa’s installation You Start Where I End (2021), it suggests renewal amid the remnants of a lost civilization.

You Start Where I End is part of Rózsa’s first solo exhibition in Asia, “Five Deep Breaths,” which also features lush paintings portraying nameless, often nude figures. These subjects inhabit paradisiacal landscapes, existing outside hierarchical structures and envisioning a more equitable world. Through their enigmatic activities—like wading through a pond in Stillness of the Forest (My Son, VN) (2024), or collectively carrying a figure through the woods in Leave (Enter) (2024)—they evoke a sense of struggle, survival, and, ultimately, renewal.

Rózsa’s visual style—characterized by vibrant colors, fluid forms, and a dreamlike atmosphere—enhances the sense of a liberated world. Her figures, depicted without distinct identities or status symbols, move freely and harmoniously with nature and each other.

Rózsa’s mysterious work has previously been the subject of solo exhibitions at galleries such as VILTIN Gallery in Budapest and Steve Turner in Los Angeles. Andrew Catanese, “These Fields Dream of Fire”

Andrew Catanese, “These Fields Dream of Fire”

Johansson Projects, Oakland

Through Aug. 30

In the Blackbird, I always See Home, 2024
Andrew Catanese
Johansson Projects

Bay Area painter Andrew Catanese attributes much of their influence to their childhood in the American South. Growing up in the suburbs of Richmond, Virginia, in the 1990s, Catanese was surrounded by a landscape teeming with both plant and animal life. Now, at Johansson Projects, the artist’s exhibition “These Fields Dream of Fire” memorializes these verdant memories with colorful paintings populated by horses, dogs, trees, foxes, and people.

In In the Blackbird, I Always See Home (2024), three dogs chase a trio of red-winged blackbirds native to Virginia. Meanwhile, in Already the Magnolias Are Falling (2024), Catanese depicts a figure gazing off into a pink-lit horizon, surrounded by the falling leaves of a sweetbay tree, typical of the Virginia coastal plains. The paintings are characterized by Catanese’s expressive brushwork, made up of loose, textural marks that conjure a sense of movement. Ultimately, these paintings appear to offer snapshots of Catanese’s memories, evoking childlike nostalgia.

The 31-year-old artist earned their MFA from Stanford University in 2023. In the past seven years, they have staged six solo exhibitions, including shows at Maune Contemporary in Atlanta and LeMieux in New Orleans.

Miguel Rodríguez Sepúlveda, “Do machetes dream?”

Galería Ana Tejeda, Mexico City

Through Aug. 24

Blazon 16, 2024
Miguel Rodríguez Sepúlveda
Galería Ana Tejeda

In the courtyard of Galería Ana Tejeda, 120 machetes hang suspended in the air. This violent rendition of a windchime—a sound sculpture titled Instrumento 2 (2024)—is the cornerstone of Miguel Rodríguez Sepúlveda’s solo exhibition “Do machetes dream?” Including work from 2011 to the present, this exhibition recasts the image of the machete, typically associated with agriculture or war, by creating intricate “crests,” as he calls them, with the blades.

Born in Tampico, Mexico, in 1971 and raised in Cerro Azul, Rodríguez Sepúlveda studied architecture and worked as a professional photographer before beginning his career as a visual artist. The machete is a recurring motif in the artist’s body of work, which often elevates utilitarian materials. Dating back over a decade, one work in the exhibition, Leit Motivs (2013), features 16 machetes arranged in a circle with various Latin phrases cut into them. Through the inclusion of these expressions, including “Consensum Omnium” (“With the approval of everyone”) and “Nihil Admirari” (“To be surprised by nothing”), tools of violence become oracular.

In recent years, Rodríguez Sepúlveda has been the subject of solo exhibitions at the MARCO Museum of Contemporary Art of Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico; Espacio ARRIBA in Mexico City; and Locust Projects in Miami.

“Toi Moi Nous”

Simard Bilodeau Contemporary, Los Angeles

Through Aug. 24

Series El Baño: UT 7, 2024
Gabriela Reyna
Simard Bilodeau Contemporary

Blue, 2024
Anne-Sophie Tschiegg
Simard Bilodeau Contemporary

A sense of loneliness pervades everyday life in the digital age, which has diverted daily connections to our smartphones. At Simard Bilodeau Contemporary in Los Angeles, six artists, including American painter J. Carino and Vietnamese Canadian artist Tuan Vu, come together to celebrate the intimate, in-person encounters we share with family, romantic partners, and friends. In “Toi Moi Nous,” fleeting moments such as an embrace, a kiss, or eye contact are worth memorializing.

Such moments are captured in splashy color by French artist Anne-Sophie Tschiegg, whose portraits of entwined couples bear the influence of Fauvism, and Emily Wise, whose subjects are pulled together in a pink and purple vortex. In Immersion in the World (2024), Diana Ruban renders an embracing femme couple in vivid cerulean. Elsewhere, contributions from Gabriela Reyna’s “Series El Baño” use the unconventional materials of makeup and makeup wipes to capture the intimacy of shared daily grooming rituals.

Jorge Rosano Gamboa, “bulto/niebla/piel”

Saenger Galería, Mexico City

Through Sep. 7

PIEL/XIPETOTEC A, 2024
Jorge Rosano Gamboa
Saenger Galería

PIEL/XIPETOTEC B, 2024
Jorge Rosano Gamboa
Saenger Galería

Mexican artist Jorge Rosano Gamboa endeavors to visualize several Aztec gods—Xochipilli, Mictlantecuhtli, and Xipe Tótec—in his new paintings at Saenger Galería. This new exhibition, “bulto/niebla/piel,” draws from pre-Columbian art traditions as well as the artist’s Minimalist inspirations. His vibrant palette and hard edges evoke a dialogue between the ancient and the avant-garde as he engages with religious imagery relating to life, death, and rebirth through these deified subjects.

Gamboa’s PIEL/XIPETOTEC A (all works 2024), the first segment of a triptych, reinterprets the god of spring with a blank expression and slits for eyes. Traditionally depicted wearing the skin of human victims, the god appears in subsequent panels, PIEL/XIPETOTEC B and PIEL/XIPETOTEC C, with visible bindings holding together his gruesome garment. Gamboa achieves a fleshy quality through the use of swaths of golden-yellow oil stick on linen, linking his form to his subject.

Gamboa, who currently lives and works in Mexico City, has held solo exhibitions at several local galleries, including laNao, Galería Breve, and Lateral.

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3 Ways the Labour Government Could Affect the U.K. Art Industry https://ift.tt/zF6Tb7g

After 14 years of Conservative rule, the U.K. has elected the Labour Party to public office. The party comes into power after achieving a landslide victory in the U.K.’s general election earlier this month, winning 411 of a possible 650 seats in Parliament. The result gives Prime Minister Keir Starmer a commanding majority, allowing him to pass new legislation with ease.

The Labour Party campaigned on the back of a simple slogan: “Change.” As the government settles into power, what might this mean for the U.K.’s art industry? Here, we review Labour’s policy stances to identify three ways where these changes could impact the art market.

1. A potential blow to wealth?

The U.K. art market is the third largest in the world and much of its heft comes from the country’s sizable population of affluent collectors and patrons. According to data from the Global Wealth Report, the country has the fourth largest population of millionaires in the world.

Labour’s plans for taxation, however, are raising fears that the wealthy will be placed in its crosshairs. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the party will look to fill what it is expected to claim is a £20 billion ($25.7 billion) gap in public finances by taxing wealthy individuals through measures that could include rises to capital gains and inheritance levies.

Last year, the Labour Party also pledged to end the non-domicile tax regime, which had previously enabled wealthy U.K. residents to avoid paying tax on their international income. The Labour position was adopted by the then-Conservative government in March and has already led to reports of wealthy individuals relocating. Some 9,500 millionaires are expected to leave the U.K. this year, according to the advisory firm Henley & Partners.

Whether this will impact the U.K.’s art market remains to be seen, but concerns have been raised that there could be repercussions for the country’s luxury sector, of which art is a significant part.

2. Public arts under review

Labour has signaled its intent to grow the U.K.’s arts and culture industry, which it says contributes £125 billion ($161 billion) to the national economy. But recent years have seen funding gaps emerge in the network of cultural institutions and art schools, which have long supported and grown the U.K.’s artistic talent.

According to a report released last week by the Campaign for the Arts and the University of Warwick, the U.K. has “one of the lowest levels of government spending on culture among European nations.” Its total culture budget has been cut by 6% since 2010.

There are tentative signs that Labour will look to address some of these issues—even if it hasn’t yet announced any concrete funding. A document published by the party in March titled “Creating Growth” strongly emphasized supporting and broadening access to the arts. Labour said that it would launch a review of the Arts Council England, a public body chaired by former Tate director Sir Nicholas Serota that invests directly in the arts, to “steward arts and culture through the 21st century.”

The document also said that the party would work with entities including private donors and investors to create a private funding model that would “attract more funding from different sources into arts organizations.” And it noted the importance of small businesses—a category many galleries undoubtedly belong in—to the U.K.’s creative industries. The party said that it would replace business rates (taxes on non-domestic properties) with a “fairer” system.

3. A softening of Brexit burdens?

The British art market has been hamstrung by a combination of legislative, bureaucratic, and economic factors that have persisted since the U.K. voted to leave the EU in 2016. Logistical costs such as shipping have as much as quadrupled, while smaller galleries have been overburdened with extra paperwork.

There are tentative signs that these burdens could begin to cease. The British Art Market Federation, which represents the interests of the U.K.’s art and antiques market, confirmed to Artsy that it had spoken to Labour officials about these issues when the party was in opposition and is expecting to discuss them further now that the party is in government.

There are indications that some of these burdens will be addressed. The Conservative government launched a consultation earlier this year that looked at waiving value-added tax (VAT) on some imported artworks. And in a recent speech, Starmer trumpeted the fact that the U.K. has the “second largest art market on the planet” (it has since slipped to third place). Watch this space.

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Pharrell Williams advocates for reintroducing fine arts competitions at the Olympics. https://ift.tt/QjDOn0u

Producer and rapper Pharrell Williams proposed reintroducing the arts competitions at the Olympics—a tradition last seen almost 80 years ago—for the 2028 games. He spoke to his proposition at a luxurious, high-profile party at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris on Thursday. The party was organized by Williams, LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault, NBCUniversal chairman Brian Roberts, and Anna Wintour.

Arts competitions were part of the Olympic Games starting in 1912 in Stockholm. Medals were offered across five arts categories: architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpture. These competitions were discontinued after the 1948 Olympics, and an effort to revive them in 1952 was unsuccessful. Now, Williams is advocating for the arts competitions to be a part of the upcoming 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

“We get to remind people that at one point, the Olympics actually had the arts as a section that ran all these competitions,” Williams said before the event, as reported by the Associated Press. “Sculpture, architecture, visual arts. The idea we get to put the arts back in....Why not take this moment to bring awareness?”

First announced in early July, the event—which Williams referred to as an “indoor carnival”—was hosted by Williams along with co-hosts Charlize Theron, Serena Williams, Rosalía, and Omar Sy. Williams also invited several artists, including Daniel Arsham, Derek Fordjour, and KAWS, to create interactive installations for the event. Notable attendees included LeBron James, Steven Spielberg, Mick Jagger, Zendaya, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, and Zac Efron.

The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris kicked off with the opening ceremony on Friday.

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Jack Whitten’s first comprehensive retrospective will be presented at MoMA. https://ift.tt/Vyod0CH

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) will present the first comprehensive Jack Whitten retrospective. The exhibition, titled “Jack Whitten: The Messenger,” will run from March 23 to August 2, 2025, and span the late American artist’s nearly six-decade career. Organized by Michelle Kuo, MoMA chief curator at large, along with curatorial assistant Helena Klevorn, the retrospective will feature over 175 works. Whitten passed away in 2018 at the age of 78.

Born in 1939 in Bessemer, Alabama, Whitten briefly studied medicine at the Tuskegee Institute before moving to New York in 1960. There, he studied painting at the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. His career began amid the civil rights movements of the 1960s, influencing many of his early works. This includes Birmingham 1964 (1964), created in response to the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. While briefly associated with Abstract Expressionists, such as Willem de Kooning, Whitten deviated from the movement’s philosophy and techniques.

“He connected painting to photography, sculpture, printmaking, music, and new technologies,” said Kuo. “He created monumental works that confront watershed moments in history, from the Civil Rights movement to the discovery of new galaxies.… He made art matter in a world in turmoil.”

“The Messenger” will feature Whitten’s breakthrough paintings from the 1970s, such as Siberian Salt Grinder (1974), in which he applied heavy slabs of acrylic paint to canvas and altered them with Afro combs and neoprene squeegees. Elsewhere, the exhibition will feature his monochromatic works made with photocopier toner, such as Liquid Space I (1976).

In addition to his paintings, the exhibition will highlight Whitten’s mosaic work from the 1990s. It will also look back at his early experimental sculptures from the mid-60s onwards, which incorporate bone, wood, glass, and circuit boards.

At the time of his death, Whitten was represented by Hauser & Wirth. His work was the subject of several solo exhibitions at Dia Beacon, Alexander Gray Associates, the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, and The Studio Museum in Harlem, among others. In 2018, a major survey of Whitten’s sculpture practice titled “Odyssey: Jack Whitten Sculpture 1963–2016” opened at the Baltimore Museum of Art before traveling to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.

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How to Collect Emerging Art https://ift.tt/zDSpF0s

Colour Study After Boucher, 2024
Eleanor Johnson
Gillian Jason Gallery

Emerging art is the bedrock of the art ecosystem. Most often thought of in terms of young artists and recent graduates, the category is best described as work by an artist at the start of their career. These artists are vital for introducing fresh perspectives and styles into the art world, often spearheading trends that later become prominent.

“Emerging artists make the whole ecosystem within the contemporary art world vibrant,” said Louise Chignac, director of London-based gallery Canopy Collections.

For new and seasoned collectors alike, collecting works from emerging artists is one of the most rewarding—and accessible—ways to collect art. As well as securing works at a more approachable price point, collectors have the chance to invest in and support the careers of artists at their most crucial stage. “They are the very source that makes it a dynamic scene and an interesting place to contribute. Supporting emerging artists is vital in keeping the art economy alive and fresh over the years,” added Chignac.

This week, Artsy launched Foundations Summer 2024, the online art fair for emerging art. Spotlighting rising talents from tastemaking galleries across the globe, the fair features presentations from 70 galleries known for nurturing early-career artists and runs until August 12th.

Here, we speak to expert figures from galleries that work with these artists about what collectors need to know about emerging art, and how to start collecting it.

What is emerging art?

Bullet Bra, 2024
Emmet Kierans
Canopy Collections

Every blue-chip artist—from Tracey Emin to Alex Katz—was once an emerging artist. Like today’s emerging talents, these artists once worked at the nascent stages of their careers to carve a niche for themselves within an ecosystem of galleries, collectors, and critics. But what exactly is the difference between emerging and established art?

An established artist is typically backed by a substantial body of work that has achieved international recognition by appearing in significant museum shows, publications, and collections. Several of these are occasionally referred to as blue-chip artists due the higher price points that their works command.

Meanwhile, an emerging artist “is exactly what it says on the tin: someone new that hasn’t been really seen before, hasn’t done any shows, and doesn’t have a huge following,” according to Frazer Bailey, director of London gallery Moosey.

Good Garden Award, 2024
Bianca Maccall
Moosey

Non-symbiotic [Diptych 2/2] (Exposed Landscape No.12) A, 2023
Amir Tomashov
Litvak Contemporary

This can include artists who have recently graduated from college or have yet to secure gallery representation. However, it can also include artists of different ages, united by the fact that they are at the budding stages of their careers.

Many of these artists are pushing the needle forward across the creative and commercial sides of the art world. Orit Ephrat-Moscovitz, director of Litvak Contemporary, said that these artists are often “dealing with contemporary issues” and “displaying fresh and innovative ideas.”

Between emerging and established artists lies the mid-career segment, encompassing artists who have been actively creating, showing, and selling their art for around a decade. These artists have established an audience for their work and exhibited in museum shows, gallery exhibitions, and international art fairs.

Why collect emerging art?

Golden Hour, 2023
Lara Davies
Canopy Collections

Supporting emerging art allows collectors to discover new voices in the art world and invest in them at the most crucial stage of their careers.

“When you are an art lover, supporting new artists gives you great satisfaction,” said Ephrat-Moscovitz. “Purchasing works of emerging artists provides the artists with financial support, enabling them to continue creating and developing their practice. This is very important for the artists themselves, the galleries, and the entire art community. It maintains a continuous flow of new ideas, techniques, fresh perspectives, and innovative works.”

Emerging art also tends to have a lower price point and barrier to entry than other segments of the market. Artworks at Foundations, for example, are priced from $500 to $10,000.

Untitled (layered meditation) 5, 2020
Lynnette Therese Sauer
Garvey | Simon

mimesis, 2024
Elli Antoniou
Cob

For new collectors, this provides an ideal point to engage with galleries and artists. “It’s the accessibility, the price point, an easier way to enter the art market and build a relationship, and a sense of community,” said Chignac. For established collectors, meanwhile, she notes, it “brings a bit of novelty and refreshing within the collection. It allows them to create links with more contemporary or mega-contemporary practices to reactivate and update the collection they already have.”

Several emerging artists also go on to have major careers and command much higher price points down the line. “Acquiring emerging art has an investment potential; the works usually have an accessible price point, and the value can significantly increase over time,” said Ephrat-Moscovitz.

Collecting emerging art also helps to support the small galleries that exist at the heart of the art world, and are uniquely positioned to unlock direct access to their local art scenes. By supporting these small galleries, you bolster the financial support for the artist at the earliest stages while also paving the way for their market for years to come.

“No matter who you’re supporting or loving as an artist—wanting to have in your home—you’re helping artists,” said Liz Garvey, co-founder of New York’s Garvey | Simon. “If we’re separating emerging from blue chip and well-established, we’re looking at a different market that tends to be a lower price point. But, either way, you are really supporting artists.”

How do I start collecting emerging art?

I Really Feel Quite Happy Now, 2024
Emmet Kierans
Canopy Collections

My Heart 3, 2024
Kanny Yeung
Moosey

The best way to start collecting emerging art is to explore as much of it as possible.

The Curated Highlights from Artsy’s online fair Foundations Summer 2024 are an ideal place to start. Organized by theme, they provide an accessible entry point to discover the artists and artworks that suit your taste, whether that’s abstraction or sculpture. You can also browse the virtual booths of the galleries participating in the fair to get a sense of their programs and presentations.

Layers (Yellow), 2023
Antonia Rodrian
Newchild Gallery

Shell Flower, 2024
Calli Moore
Red Arrow Gallery

Once you begin to find the artworks, galleries, and artists that you like, you have the springboard to start building a collection and unearthing more of the emerging art that suits your taste.

Here, we share six tips for how to get started with building a collection of emerging art:

• Follow emerging artists and galleries on Artsy. Creating an account on Artsy allows you to follow artists and galleries around the world that you discover on the platform. Browse new works on Artsy, follow your favorite galleries and artists, and you’ll be notified whenever they upload new work. You’ll also receive recommendations for artists and works that align with what you’re interested in.
• Engage with galleries. The galleries exhibiting at Foundations have established track records for nurturing early-career artists and operating tastemaking programs. If a gallery’s presentation at Foundations catches your eye, then it's likely that their overall program will also be of interest. “Find the right gallery that suits your taste,” said Bailey. “Align yourself with a gallery that’s focusing on [understanding] emerging art.”
• Attend graduate shows and MFA exhibitions. Every year, many of the world’s top MFA programs host an end-of-year exhibition to exhibit works by their graduating class of artists. These shows are rich with emerging talent—and many galleries, small or large, pay close attention to these artists. “Start checking out MFA shows, because these days there’s a lot of dealers mining those exhibitions and looking for people,” said Garvey.

Summer Man, 2021
Sarah Cohen
Hyacinth Gallery

Mid Afternoon, 2023
Gail Spaien
Taymour Grahne Projects

• Explore Instagram. By far the most used social media platform for artists and galleries, Instagram is likely where the next generation of emerging talent is waiting to be discovered. Start by following your favorite artists, galleries, and curators, and build from there. “Instagram is the tool, isn’t it? It’s a lot of grassroots [effort]: finding galleries in the middle of nowhere or trying to break out of your algorithm on Instagram and finding new people,” said Bailey.
• Engage with your favorite artists’ communities. If you enjoy the work of an emerging artist, exploring their network and local scenes can provide a springboard for further discovery. “If you know of some artists or discover artists that you really like, you can look at their group shows to see who else they’ve shown with. Try to dig a little deeper and see other artists that they’re associated with,” said Garvey.
• Trust your instincts. As you get more acquainted with the type of work you like, take a chance on a young artist you’ve just discovered. “There is no guarantee that the emerging artist you selected will be a financial success, but when you collect with passion, the connection to the work and the psychological reward exceeds the financial aspect,” said Ephrat-Moscovitz.

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Artists Michaël Borremans and Andra Ursuta to star in Luca Guadagnino’s new film “Queer.” https://ift.tt/xUPXvf7

Artists Michaël Borremans and Andra Ursuta will star in Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming film Queer alongside actors Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey and musician Omar Apollo. The movie, which is one of the most anticipated premieres at next month’s 81st Venice International Film Festival, features Borremans and Ursuta in roles that have yet to be specified. Both artists are represented by David Zwiner.

Inspired by the 1985 novel by William S. Burroughs, Queer follows an American man named Lee (Craig) who escapes to Mexico City in the 1940s after a drug bust. There, he becomes infatuated with a younger, drug-addicted Navy soldier (Starkey). The screenplay is written by Justin Kurtzkes, reuniting with Guadagnino following their previous project, Challengers (2024).

Ursuta, originally from Salonta, Romania, moved to the United States and graduated from Columbia University with a BA in art history and visual arts in 2002. Her sculptures often explore themes of bodily transformation and misogyny. Borremans, a Belgian artist who has been represented by David Zwirner since 2001, is a painter whose works draw on 18th-century traditions in the mode of Édouard Manet and Edgar Degas. Though Borremans is a filmmaker himself, this is the first time either artist will star in a major motion picture.

Borremans and Ursuta’s participation in Queer underscores Guadagnino’s continued interest in building bridges between the worlds of film and art. Previously, he collaborated with Elizabeth Peyton, who created the posters for his 2022 dark romance Bones and All. Additionally, he referenced feminist artists such as Ana Mendieta and Gina Pane in his 2018 remake of Suspiria. (Mendieta’s estate sued the movie distributor in October 2018 over copyright infringement.)

The Venice International Film Festival runs from August 28th through September 7th.

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