Author: Iris
On Saturday (December 7), Pope Francis and the Holy See unveiled a nativity scene showing a wooden sculpture of the baby Jesus lying in a hood in a manger, a scene that polarized the world. It was a symbol of solidarity with Palestine that sparked both praise and outrage. As of today (December 11), the statue, which caused an international sensation, has disappeared from the site along with the entire manger and the model of the Baby Jesus.Initially reported by Christian and Italian news media, the manger, baby Jesus and hood were removed during Pope Francis’ general audience in the…
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the publication of the book Rats (1986), Art Spiegelman’s wife Françoise Mouly told him, “Next Ratsyour greatest achievement may not be making it into a movie. “Today, more than a decade after those words, we have a movie. Directed by Molly Bernstein and Philip Doering, Art Spiegelman: Disaster is my muse (2024) is a biodoc rather than a strict adaptation RatsSpiegelman’s memoir, created a comic based on his father’s experiences at Auschwitz. Not that there’s that big of a difference. “I felt like there was a 5,000-pound rat breathing down my neck,”…
The late artist Richard Mayhew anchored his century-long life where water meets land. He was born in 1924 on the south shore of Long Island and died in September of this year in Soquel, on the north shore of Monterey Bay, California. His bright, color-saturated paintings, which he calls “psychic landscapes,” blend imaginary landscapes and emotional realms. Infused with memory, they are a meditation on his own relationship with the land, as well as that of his Native and African American ancestors. Venus Above Manhattan in New York City Opens a New Gallery Exhibition, Richard Mayhew: Watercolorsa collection of 22…
As the year 2024 draws to a close, it is a great time to review artists who have produced some interesting works this year. Jesse A. Kantu is an artist whose work resonates with the complexities of being human. Based in Houston, Kantu’s art strikes a thoughtful balance between personal reflection and shared experience. His pieces often blur the lines between philosophical inquiry and creative exploration, offering a deeply introspective yet universally relevant perspective on life. Kantu’s journey began with a solid academic foundation. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture with a minor in Art History from…
A selection of oil paintings by Dallas artist Jessica Vollrath. The daughter of an African-American father and a Mexican mother, Walrath discovered her love of painting around the age of 8 and spent her free time exploring various art supplies her mother found at garage sales. At age 15, she met the late Dr. Marilyn Daniels at an art opening. With Daniels’ encouragement, Vollrath earned a bachelor’s degree from Howard University in 2011 and a master’s degree from Texas Woman’s University in 2017. Her work focuses on sacred and familiar narratives of humanity’s search for connection and immortality: “My work…
Editor’s note: This story originally appeared in On Balance, art news Newsletter about the art market and beyond. Register here Receive it every Wednesday. At Sotheby’s Old Masters and 19th-Century Paintings evening sale last Thursday, British chairman Harry Dalmeny fielded inquiries from potential buyers wearing slender silver crowns and custom pinstriped tailoring. bid. It’s no secret that the typical Old Master collector is both wealthy and approaching twilight years. Much has been written about how this corner of the market desperately needs to attract new, younger collectors. But that anxiety seemed to be further dispelled as the sale generated an…
Renowned Lebanese artist Samia Osseiran Junblatt, who has died aged 80, used painting as a way to respond to events in her personal life. The Beirut-based Dalloul Art Foundation, which loaned one of her works to the just-concluded Venice Biennale, announced the news of her death on Instagram last week. Oseland Jumblatt digests the space age, the deaths of her mother and brother, and more in her art. Intersecting planes of color and floating spheres are recurring elements in her work, which has been exhibited extensively in Lebanon. Born in the Lebanese city of Sidon in 1944, she studied art…
Art MarketMaxwell RabbCourtesy of Christie’s. Picking up from a “subdued” 2023, this year at auction continued a downward trend for top lots under the hammer. This year, the total price for the 100 most expensive lots sold at auction totaled just shy of $1.8 billion, compared to $2.4 billion in 2023 and $4.1 billion in 2022. Only one work—René Magritte’s L’empire des lumières (1954)—sold for more than $100 million, compared to two last year and six works in 2022. Tentpole auction seasons this year offered an uneven picture. The New York May auctions, despite a nerve-racking cyberattack that brought down…
Auction house Sotheby’s confirmed it has laid off 100 employees from its New York office, with the bulk of the cuts including back-office staff, entry-level staff and specialists across departments. art news Wednesday. A Sotheby’s spokesperson said in an emailed statement: “Given the challenges faced by the market this year, we have carefully reviewed our business and staffing levels to ensure we perform well and continue to grow. We have a talented team that With outstanding expertise and capabilities across all sectors and around the world, we are committed to delivering best-in-class service to our clients.” Related articles Further layoffs…
Pesia Africa and Marine Art announced through social media that it will officially close its door on Friday, December 13. The closure message has been confirmed Artnews With director Carlo Bella. Pesia Africa and marine art belong to Pace Editations, including PACE prints. Although the owner of Pace Gallery Arne Glimcher participated in the business, it was mainly supervised by Richard Solomon, and Richard Solomon recently decided to resign. The speed version has been sold recently, although the detailed information of the sales has not yet been made public. Bella believes that new buyers have decided to stop Africa and…