Swiss photographer Matthias Bruggmann wins Prix Elysée
The Musée de l’Eysée has announced the winner of the second edition of its Prix Elysée: Matthias Bruggmann. (b. 1978) Selected from among eight nominees, Bruggmann was chosen for his project entitled A haunted world where it never shows. The Prix will see Bruggmann awarded a sum of CHF 80,000 to continue his proposed photographic project documenting the conflict in Syria, and will contribute to the publication of an accompanying book in June 2018.
Bruggmann has previously worked on projects in Egypt, Haiti, Iraq, Somalia, Syria and Libya. He was part of the curatorial team for We Are All Photographers Now! for the Musée de l’Elysée, and is one of the co-founders of the contemporary art space Standard/Deluxe in Lausanne. On the winning project, Bruggmann revealed,“At its core, it is an attempt at generating a sense of moral ambiguity.The design of this is to make viewers uneasy by challenging their own moral assumptions and, thus, attempt to bring, to Western viewers, a visceral comprehension of the intangible violence that underlies conflict.”
Matthias Bruggmann, photo by Derek Powazek © | Matthias Bruggmann, Haiti 8226 (2008)
522 Diane Arbus photos acquired by Art Gallery of Ontario
Purchased by the Fraenkel Gallery in San Francisco and selected by the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), 221 prints made by Diane Arbus and 301 prints posthumously made by the only person authorised to do so, Neil Selkirk, have been added to the AGO’s collection.
The prints span the breadth of the artist’s career, including works such as: Child with A Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park, N.Y.C. (1962), Russian Midget Friends in A Living Room on 100th Street, N.Y.C. (1963), Puerto Rican Woman with a Beauty Mark, N.Y.C. (1965), and Identical Twins, Roselle, N.J. (1966). Stephan Jost, director, and CEO of AGO, described the “transformational acquisition” as one of both “depth and breadth.” Details via The Art Newspaper.
Diane Arbus, Identical Twins, Roselle, N.J. (1966)
Ex-director of Serpentine Galleries to head Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac
Julia Peyton-Jones is to assume the position of senior global director at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac from September 1. Peyton-Jones will be based in London where the gallery opened a new space in Mayfair earlier this year. Her responsibilities will include the creative development of the gallery. Previously, Peyton-Jones served as the director of London’s Serpentine Galleries for twenty-five years. For more info, see ARTNEWS.
Gilbert & George, Drinking Pieces & Video Sculpture (1972-73). Currently on show at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Ely House, in London, through July 29
Magnus Resch release contrasting data on Basel sales
Whilst sales figures from Art Basel were reported by some outlets to have surpassed $3 billion, Magnus Resch has released a figure that starkly contrasts this staggering sum — estimating the total to be around $850 million.
Magnus Resch, whose Magnus application crowdsources the generally private prices of art in galleries, says his estimate accounts for at least 80 per cent of works sold from the 292 galleries at the main fair. The amount is a far cry from the $3 billion mark, rather producing a median price of $35,000. In comparison, the total value of works from 79 dealers at Liste was figured as $8.4m, with a median price of $6,000. Details via The Financial Times.
