March 9 | Stephanie Rosenthal takes to the helm at Martin-Gropius-Bau

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The German art world thrives: the Martin-Gropius-Bau Museum steals away the Hayward's curator, whilst Georg Baselitz and Gerhard Richter realize new records at Sotheby's.

The Hayward’s chief curator named the new Director of Berlin’s Martin-Gropius-Bau Museum

Stephanie Rosenthal will take up the post at the Martin-Gropius-Bau Museum in February 2018. The unanimous decision made by the board of directors was approved this morning by Germany’s federal cultural minister, Monika Grütters. The Munich-born curator follows a wave of Londoners making similar moves to the German capital.

In a statement, Rosenthal revealed the move was in part down to the “the institution’s unique history and location—right next to the former Berlin Wall— challeng[ing] us to engage with our own historical position.” Her aim: “to build an institution that is an ‘agency for action’ in our turbulent times, aiming always to be more inventive and more inclusive.” See the announcement here.

 

 

Sotheby’s reigns supreme

The latest auction in London saw sales up 70% GBP (43% USD) on last year’s equivalent. Last night’s event, Sotheby’s Evening Auction of Contemporary Art, realized £118 million ($143.5 million) for 57 lots, with just four unsold, dwarfing last year’s £69.5 million.

Five artist records were broken, including Georg Baselitz, Carol Rama, Wolfgang Tillmans, Franz Gertsch and Pat Steir, sending out the clear signal: the art market is stronger than ever.

Highlights included Gerhard Richter’s Eisberg (1982) sold for £17.7 million ($21.5 million), well over the high estimate of £12 million ($14.6 million). Sotheby’s Head of European Contemporary Art, Alex Branczik, commented that “by every measure” the past week has shown the international art market to be “in rude health”. Details via artDaily.

Gerhard Richter’s "Eisberg" (1982) Courtesy Sotheby's
 

 

Call for Candidatures: Bourse Révélations Emerige, the fourth Edition

The Emerige endowment fund has launched the fourth edition of its scholarship program, continuing to actively support young artists. Candidates have until March 31 to register online.

The program is aimed at visual artists, regardless of their practice (photography, painting, installation, video, etc.), under the age of 35, French or living in France, who are not represented by a professional gallery. The winner will be announced in November. They will receive a scholarship of 15,000€ to organize their first solo exhibition, this year at Galerie Papillon (Paris). Also this year, La Bourse Révélations travels to Istanbul: The Pill Gallery will show an artist of their choice, alongside the finalists and winner, in a group show.

 

Two-thirds of Documenta 14 to feature Greek artists  

An institutional collaboration between Documenta 14 and Greece’s National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST) will see Athens send part of its collection to Kassel, Germany, for the international exhibition.

Hosting artists from the 1960s onwards, the Fridericianum museum will act as the main venue for Documenta 14. The exhibition will explore the impact events such as the Greek dictatorship of 1967-74 had on artists’ practices. Further details have not yet been revealed.

 

Rineke Dijkstra wins the 2017 Hasselblad Award

Rineke Dijkstra © 

Working within the realm of photography and video portraiture for over thirty years, Dijkstra has established herself as one of the most prominent artists exploring the formation and representation of identity in children, adolescents, and young adults.

The Dutch artist will receive a cash prize of €100,000 (nearly $106,000). An honorary symposium will be held on October 10, followed by the opening of an exhibition at the Hasselblad Center and the launch of a book. More info via the Hasselblad Foundation.

 

 

The Pussyhat Enters the V&A’s Permanent Collection

Earlier this year, the fuzzy pink hat, with perky little pussycat ears, became a powerful symbol. On January 21, in lieu of Trump’s inauguration, the “A Day Without a Woman” protests saw “grab’em by the pussy” take on a whole new meaning. The Pussyhat Project, founded by Los Angeles-based duo Jayna Zweiman and Krista Suh, created the hat. Rising to international success, the pussyhat will now be added to the V&A’s Rapid Response Collection.

In a statement made yesterday, just in time for International Women’s Day, the Victoria and Albert Museum London, announced that pussyhat had become “an immediately recognizable expression of female solidarity and symbol of the power of collective action,” calling it “an important acquisition.” See more on the V&A Museum website.

A Day Without A Woman March © mercatornet

 

On Site at the Petit Palais appoints Eva Wittocx as co-curator, the 44th FIAC

Eva Wittocx, senior curator at the M - Museum in Leuven, was today appointed as co-curator of the second edition of On Site, presenting some 40 artworks.

Opening October 18, the 44th FIAC in Paris will take place between the main venue of the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais, and various “Hors les Murs” sites. Eva Wittocx will also curate the Belgian Pavilion at the next Venice Biennale.


 

New director for Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen Museum, Düsseldorf

Prof. Dr. Susanne Gaensheimer will become the new director of the North Rhine-Westphalia Art Collection. The art historian, who recently headed the MMK Museum of Modern Art in Frankfurt for eight years, will be moving to Düsseldorf as of September 1.

One of her greatest challenges will be to present the recently acquired Dorothee and Konrad Fischer collection. More info here.

 

 

Art adviser prosecuted for the $1 million she made on private sale of Basquiat painting

Lisa Jacobs has been ordered to pay the former president of Sony Corp, Michael Schulhof, the $1 million she made on a $6.5 million sale of Jean-Michel Basquiat's painting Future Sciences Versus the Man (1983).

Jacobs structured the deal so that she would buy and sell the work herself without revealing the actual purchase price to Schulhof, keeping the $1 million difference along with her agreed $50,000 commission. This has been received as a warning sign to dealers from New York’s Supreme Court. For more info see The Art Newspaper.