There’s always something going on in the art world. Every Sunday, Agora starts the week by looking back at what happened the week before. Here are our top art news stories from February 31st – March 5th, 2016.
Source: The Telegraph
This week we saw a gang of Irish art thieves found guilty as charged, we learned about a major art-related lawsuit, and we hear how guerrilla artists secretly made a scan of the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti.
Top Art News Stories
Widespread Ridicule for Berlin’s Lackluster Design of New Museum
The shortlist of 10 designs for Berlin’s planned Museum of Modern Art has been met with widespread ridicule from the German press. Over a thousand architects worldwide submitted entries to the design competition but not a single entry so far has been deemed suitable. The guidelines issued for the competition are being blamed for the substandard designs. Full Story Here →
Irish Crime Syndicate Found Guilty of Plans to Steal $79 Million Worth of Museum Artifacts
A group of Irish criminals known as the “Rathkeale Rovers” have been convicted for their plans to loot a number of artifacts from the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge and several other museums across the UK. If they had been successful, it is estimated they could have stolen $79 million worth of artifacts. The group has previously been linked to a number of art thefts across Europe, which date as far back as 2009. Full Story Here →
Christie’s Suing Valued Client for Defaulting on a $13 Million Payment for a Painting
Jose Mugrabi, an Israeli art collector, is being sued by Christie’s over a missing $13.6 million payment for a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting. The painting was sold for $37 million but Christie’s has so far only received $5 million of the value of the work. Christie’s have claimed they have attempted to resolve the matter outside of court for one year but to no avail, so they were left with no option but to sue. Full Story Here →
Source: New York Post
See Mugrabi’s response here: Mugrabi Responds to Christie’s Suit.
Guerrilla Artists Make Secret 3D – Scans of Nefertiti’s Bust
Guerrilla artists Nora al-Badri and Jan Nikolai Nelles have used a 3D scanner to make secret copies of the bust of Queen Nefertiti, an ancient Egyptian work created over three thousand years ago. To make a statement about repatriation of artwork, the artists used the copies to produce an exact replica for a Cairo museum. The bust has been in Germany since its discovery. The artists had to visit the museum several times to make the scans as even photography is banned in the display room. Full Story Here →
Sting Sells His Extensive Art Collection
Christie’s is set to auction more than 150 items from Sting’s artwork and furniture collection. With many famous celebrities doubling as art collectors, this auction is set to be a big one for Christie’s. They have recreated several rooms from his house in a bid to tempt potential buyers. The collection is expected to fetch £1.4 million at auction. Works by Picasso and Matisse are up for auction. Full Story Here →
Source: The Telegraph
These are just some of the many news stories that caught our eye this past week. For more stories as-they-happen, be sure to also follow our Facebook and Twitter. You can also sign up for our newsletter for news about Agora Gallery, our exhibitions, and our artists!
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