There’s always something going on in the art world. Every Monday, Agora starts the new week by looking back at what happened the week before. Here are our top art news stories from January 31st – February 6th, 2016.
Portrait by Conor Collins made “using only the racist, sexist, ignorant and bigoted things he has said.”
This week we saw Michelangelo get a new diagnosis and we take look at the influx of anti-Trump art since he began his campaign.
Top Art News Stories
Source: artnetnews
$135 Million Spent at Impressionist and Modern Art Sale at Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s have announced sales of $135 million from their recent Impressionist and Modern Art Sale. This figure fell short of the original estimate of $138 million. Aside from sales being below estimate, there was more cause for concern when 15 out of the 53 lots on offer did not sell. Full Story Here →
Palestinian Poet’s Death Sentence Reduced to Jail and Lashes
Palestinian artist, poet, and curator Ashraf Fayadh was originally arrested for promoting atheism and apostasy and was sentenced to death in November 2014. The courts recently reduced this to eight years in prison and “800 lashes to be carried out on 16 occasions.” The original death sentence was overruled on the basis that Ashraf was not granted a fair trial. The international arts community has come out in support of Ashraf and his sentence has been widely condemned by human rights organizations. Full Story Here →
Sarah Levy, “#Bloody Trump” (2015) | Source: Hyperallergic
Donald Trump the Subject of Satirical Art
The Atlantic has published an article on the huge surge of satirical art aimed at Donald Trump. The article mainly focuses on artists David Gleeson and Mary Mihelic. Together they purchased a Donald Trump tour bus and set about making alterations to the bus with satirical slogans such as “Make Fruit Punch Great Again” and the Arabic translation of “Make America Great Again.” Full Story Here →
Source: artnetnews
Botched Bowie Mural Causes Outrage
A new David Bowie mural in Sheffield, England has divided public opinion. The work, by local street artist Trik9, has been described as a “Jerry Seinfeld/Pat Sharp/Ben Stiller/Bowie hybrid.” Twitter was awash with memes, comparing the mural to Lady Gaga and Cher. Full Story Here →
RxArt Receives $1M Gift
RxArt, a nonprofit that commissions contemporary art for healthcare facilities, has received a $1 million gift from The Gerard B. Lambert Foundation. This is the largest gift the organization has ever received, and it will go towards “transforming pediatric hospitals […] through contemporary art.” The group has commissioned works by contemporary artists like Jeff Koons, Rob Pruitt, Urs Fischer, Laura Owens, and Sam Falls. Full Story Here →
Did Michelangelo Have Arthritis?
It is thought that renowned artist Michelangelo may have suffered from arthritis in his hands. The use of hammers and chisels when making sculptures may have contributed to this. The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine came to this conclusion after studying portraits of Michelangelo and pairing their findings with letters written by the artist complaining of ill health. Full Story Here →
Spiral Jetty to be Utah’s Official Artwork
Surprising many with the concept of a state “official artwork” – Utah has announced that it will soon apply this title to a 1,500-foot-long coil of basalt rocks called “Spiral Jetty.” No other state has an official artwork as of yet, and it gets us wondering… what should New York City’s official artwork be?
Robert Smithson, Spiral Jetty (1970). | via artnet news
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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