A good year for Helen Martin
The Macclesfield-born artist was presented with the £25,000 prize in a ceremony held at London’s Tate Britain yesterday evening. Marten said she would be sharing her winnings, including those from the £30,000 Hepworth Prize for Sculpture that she received a few weeks earlier, with her fellow artists. Marten was awarded the Turner prize for her intriguing, multifarious sculptures which invite an almost scientific scrutiny. Marten was tipped to win by many, although she had stiff competition from Anthea Hamilton’s sculpture of a giant naked bottom — a politically charged farewell to the turbulent year. Last year, the art and architecture collective Assemble took home the prestigious award. The Guardian has the full story.
APT and Mutual Art join forces
Artist Pension Trust aims to offer long-term financial security to artists by pooling their work and selling it gradually over the course of a number of years. The company has nearly 13,000 works in its inventory. What precisely the merger seeks to achieve is as yet unclear, though Al Brenner, the chief executive of the merged company, said he does not want it to become another online sales company. Find out more on Art Market Monitor.
Cutting-edge research comes to Sotheby’s
The new department will be led by leading scientist and art conservator James Martin, whose research firm Orion Analytical has been acquired by Sotheby’s. Using the most advanced scientific and technical methods, the department will help to develop Sotheby’s provenance research further still. The development of an in-house department for scientific research reflects the trend seen in many major museums across the world. In the words of Sotheby’s CEO Tad Smith, the department will “further distinguish us in the marketplace and at the same time help to make the art market a safer place.” More information via ARTnews.
