Current Affairs 5.03
Between the 8th and 11th of March, at Battersea Evolution, the Affordable Art Fair will be bringing talks, tours and workshops, as well as an opportunity to find reasonably priced art in a fun and relaxed environment. Over 100 galleries will be showcasing their work, with thousands of pieces on display for you to peruse.
“We're back in beautiful Battersea Park to bring you an array of affordable, contemporary art for you to peruse to your heart’s content.” AAF
Picasso's electrician was convicted of stealing his art - but now the proof is seen as insufficient proof. A re-trial is being held to “finally establish the truth." The work thought to be stolen is worth between $74 million and $98 million, and includes six oils on canvas, nine rare cubist collages, 28 lithographs, and sketchbooks dating between 1900 and 1932, which were stashed in the couples’ home. Their story of how the works were acquired is constantly changing. The re-trial will be heard by the Lyon Court of Appeal.
Lomaka Gallery is pleased to present 'Pink Magic', showcasing the work by Russian-British artist Olga Lomaka. This exhibition shows the interplay of three-dimensional space, a touch of infantilism and a contrasting colour which correspond to the best traditions of Pop Aart. It opens on Thursday, 8th March at 11 am.
Thanks to the support of many successful artists, including prominent YBAs, Goldsmiths is set to open a new art gallery! Goldsmiths, in South London, is revered for nurturing young and exceptionally creative talent and their commitment to supporting more ‘out there’ artists has certainly paid off. Successful Alumni, including Damien Hirst, Sarah Lucus and Anthony Gormley, have been amongst those to donate to the project, raising a staggering $2 million – nearly half of the $5.5 million required to complete the project – through auction.
The project is set to come into fruition in September 2018 under the leadership of Sarah McCroy, formerly head of the Glasgow International. The Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art’s first exhibition will be by New York-based artist Mika Rottenberg. We wish them the best of luck!
Not so long ago we covered the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York’s, decision to introduce an entrance fee to non-New Yorkers, and now artists – including none other than Ai Weiwei have responded!
Weiwei explained to the New York Times:
“When I lived in New York in the 1980s, economically it was very bad for me. But I would come to the Met all the time and pay a penny. And when I could afford to I paid more. When I was back in China, I would very proudly show them this pay-as-you-wish policy as an example of what was positive about the U.S., that even in this capitalistic society, there was a door, a light. To stand in front of a Van Gogh or a Jackson Pollock, or African sculpture, it gave you hope and you were not judged by your economic status but by how much you loved those works. It was a treasure, not a privilege. This new way totally ruins this belief. It’s like taking the jacket off a poor person. If they do this, I will never go to the Met. Am I calling for a boycott? No. But I myself will not go. — Ai Weiwei, Berlin”
It’s said that the Mona Lisa may indeed be packing her bags and taking a little vacation sometime soon! Speaking on French Radio, French culture minister François Nyssen explained that she was considering including the world-renowned painting in a travelling exhibition of French art. Nyssen has taken a more progressive stance than her socialist predecessor, saying that “My priority is to work against cultural segregation, and a large-scale plan for moving [the works] around is a main way of doing that.” She has made her belief in accessibility and sharing France’s cultural heritage clear. It is not yet known where or when Da Vinci’s masterpiece may be going, but it is nonetheless an exciting and markedly progressive prospect.
From the 7th - 25th March Dellaposa Gallery, will be exhibiting Guy Haddon Grant’s ‘Ashes’.
The artist’s sculptures are described as “highly compelling, elaborate masses of effervescent cloud formations. While it is photography that allows us to perceive phenomena that escapes the human eye, Haddon Grant’s remarkable work presents a moment in which clouds of smoke float suspended in the air, rising from fissures deep within. The artist’s sculpture immortalises a moment in time, allowing for an infinitely long observation of this event.”
