There’s always something going on in the art world. Every Sunday, Agora starts the new week by looking back at what happened the week before. Here are our top art news stories from May 22nd – May 28th, 2016.
Source: The Art Newspaper
This week we saw a group of children destroy a delicate glass artwork in Shanghai and the firing of disgraced art dealer Doug Chrismas.
Top Art News Stories
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Accused of Plagiarizing Their Pastries
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has become embroiled in a plagiarism row over cakes which are sold in their on-site cafe. The cakes in question are art-themed cakes which were originally created and sold by Caitlin Freeman, the owner of the Blue Bottle Cafe. Caitlin created cakes which resembled works by Andy Warhol and several other masters. Following the renovation of the SFMOMA, Blue Bottle Cafe’s contract was not renewed and McCalls Catering took over the cafe. They have now been accused of trying to recreate and sell Caitlin’s unique idea. Full Story Here →
Source; artnetnews
Fitzwilliam Museum Completes 10-Year Restoration of ‘The Adoration of the Shepherds’
Conservators at the Fitzwilliam Museum have finally completed their restoration of the Sebastiano del Piombo painting The Adoration of the Shepherds. The conservation work took ten years to complete and included stripping back layer after layer of cover-ups dating back to when it was owned by the French Royal Family. The museum used a copy of the original painting from the Louvre as guidance. Full Story Here →
Source: BBC
Discovering Nazi-Looted Art is ‘a question of justice’
The news that Sotheby’s is set to auction a 365-year old painting that once hung on the walls of the residence of Adolf Hitler has once again opened up discussions about returning looted art to its rightful owners. During World War II, Hitler and his army looted the collections of people from all over Europe. This level of art theft is still considered the world’s largest and most extensive case of looting in history. Many looted artworks were returned to the countries they were stolen from after the war, but most were never returned to their original owners. PBS looks into what needs to be done to return these looted paintings to their rightful owners. Full Story Here →
Source: PBS
Public Appeal Launched to Save The Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I
An appeal has been launched to raise the £10 million needed to save the Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I. Royal Museums Greenwich hopes to acquire the painting for £10 million from the Tyrwhitt-Drake family. If they do not raise the money, the painting will go under the hammer at a public auction where the owners could expect to receive offers of £16 million and up. It is hoped the £10 million will be raised by July. Full Story Here →
Source: artnet news
Kids Smash Delicate Artwork at Shanghai Museum
Surveillance footage released by the Shanghai Museum shows two children breaking a glass sculpture whilst their parents filmed the incident on their mobile phones. The sculpture titled Angel is Waiting was created by Shelly Xue in dedication to her newborn daughter. It is not known if any charges will be pressed against the children or their parents. Xue has decided not to repair the sculpture and has instead renamed it Broken. Full Story Here →
Art Dealer Doug Chrismas Fired Due to Millions of Suspicious Deals
After years of spotty financial dealings, the infamous Doug Chrismas has officially been let go from his position at Ace Gallery. Accountant Sam Leslie submitted documents that claim that millions of dollars and dozens of artworks were diverted to galleries, accounts, and individuals associated with Chrismas without proper documentation and trails. Let the detective work begin! Full Story Here →
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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