Current Affairs 29.01
City Officials of Busan destroy Dennis Oppenheim sculpture
City officials of South Korea’s second city, Busan, recently took it upon themselves to destroy one of the last remaining works of surrealist sculptor Dennis Oppenheim. The officials claimed that the sculpture, which had supposedly fallen into disrepair was an “eyesore” with “no artistic value”, before ripping it down in December. “Chamber” was installed during the 2010 Busan Biennale and stands at 13 feet tall, comprising of steel and plastic tube-like forms fitted together to create a larger labyrinth through which the viewer navigates.
Whilst the District technically does hold ownership rights, it is Oppenheim’s estate who hold the intellectual rights to the work and Amy Plumb Oppenheim, the late artist’s partner reportedly only learnt of the demolition weeks after it had happened during the week of December 11th, 2017.
Frank Lloyd Wright building is bulldozed
A developer in Montana, USA has bulldozed one of the coveted buildings of all-American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The destruction was preceded by a fight between developer Mick Ruis and preservationists who recognised the importance of the building as part of American architectural history. Mr Ruis demanded $1.7 million by January 10th or his project would go ahead, and go ahead it did.
Lloyd Wright designed the building as a medical clinic just one year before his death. Barbara Gordon, one of the preservationists fighting for the protection of Lloyd Wright’s buildings said:
“This devastating situation underscores the vulnerability of all Wright-designed buildings that don’t have some form of legal protection. A lot of people think a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as the Lockridge Medical Clinic was, or a private house that isn’t protected by a preservation easement or local landmark designation, can’t be demolished, but that is not the case. Most preservation work happens on the local level. The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy encourages concerned citizens to advocate for strong local preservation protections in their respective communities.”
Tara Donovan, Compositions
Pace Gallery is currently exhibiting the work of contemporary minimalist Tara Donovan. Tara Donovan: Compositions is about process. The press release explains how “Each Composition develops through an improvisational process of incremental stacking that slowly evolves into a unique set of strategic rules that guides the completion of the work.” Donovan herself has said “ “The process of making comes after I’ve figured out what I want the material to do, and what it is that the material is revealing in a phenomenological or perceptual way.” The exhibition is running through from January 24th until March 9th 2018.
Whitney Museum Launches Emoji, Designed by Laura Owens
Laura Owens is mainly known for her paintings, but the Whitney Museum has released a pack of 50 stickers she has designed for iMessage. They are digital versions of the ping pong ball sized porcelain sculptures, representing her work which often mixes traditional painting and digital techniques. They are available for free download on the App store, much like the art emojis of Hyo Hong’s Cindy Sherman icons and Molly Young and Teddy Blanks’s emoji of Old Master paintings.
Two Newly Discovered van Gogh Drawings Go on Display
The Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam have discovered a new Van Gogh drawing, which has led to the authentication of his second similar work. The work is a 1886 chalk work titled “The Hill of Montmartre with Stone Quarry,”. It was confirmed an original by research into its subject, style, technique, materials and provenance.
Success of google’s Face-Matching Art App
Google have launched an app that matches your face with artworks from Museums around the world, which has become the number one free app on the iOS app store, much to the surprise of google. The app is available throughout much of the US, but there is not yet a timeline for wider release at the minute.
Bayeux Tapestry is going home after 950 years – medieval history professor
The Bayeux Tapestry is heading back to Kent, where historians think it was most likely made, due to the similarity of embroidery to the illustration of 11th century manuscripts. The huge size of the Bayeux tapestry dictates where it could be displayed, most likely the British Museum or the British Library. The narrative is powerfully told when seen all together, yet it has immense detail, which can only be shown by seeing the real thing. The idea of seeing the Bayeux tapestry in England is very exciting!
Glenn Brown: Come to Dust
“Come to Dust,” is Glenn Brown's first major exhibition in London since 2009. It shows brown’s idea that the past and present are treasuries of raw material, as he creates complex and sensuous works of art of our time. The exhibition is comprised of oil paintings, drawings in period frames, grisaille panel works, etchings, and sculptures. The exhibition immerses the viewer in Brown’s world, transforming the idea of old master’s paintings, and creating a darker, more complicated story, fit for current times.
