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Arts & Culture News for the week starting 12/2/24
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Yesterday I went to Press Play at PioneerWorks in Red Hook. Press Play is a wonderful fair of arts, literature, music, and culture at large. I left with a lot of business cards from projects really exciting people/projects.
While there, I came across this board game, in case any of you are looking for Christmas gift ideas.
This week, I also posted my first monthly roundup, catch up in case you missed it! I talk about an art fair, a conference, and two exhibitions I caught during November.
I’m going back to Italy for the holidays next week, I’m gonna try and continue posting regularly, but in case I fall off the face of the Earth you know why. You can always keep up with me on Instagram though.
Anyway, let’s get into this week’s news!
Pantone’s color of the year is “Mocha Mousse”. It makes sense, neutrals have taken over - have you seen kid’s toys lately? Chromophobia is pervasive and wether you like “Mocha Mousse” or not, it’s a fitting snapshot of the times we’re living in.
Miami Art Basel was this week. According to artnet, this year’s edition will feature 34-first time galleries, for a total of 286 galleries from 38 countries. Have you been keeping up with updates on the fair? I must say I’ve followed rather distantly. If any of you have good stories let me know.
Frieda Toranzo Jaeger is the latest artist to face repercussions for expressing pro-Palestinian views. Reports suggest that a journalist directly alerted the German institution granting her an exhibition and stipend, providing evidence of her signature on the Strike Germany letter and screenshots of Instagram posts where she engaged with pro-Palestinian content. Nobody likes a rat. This incident is part of a growing trend in Germany. In the span of a few months, artist Bridle’s had an award rescinded, photographer Nan Goldin faced criticism for supporting Palestine during her exhibition opening, and now this.
This reminds me of a quote from this cut article about influencers coming out as Trump supporters. The context is different, I know, but the point stands:
“Honestly, people lose more brand deals talking about Palestine than anything else.”
In case you missed it, I wrote about Bridle and Nan Goldin in previous roundups.
East Tennessee State University’s (ETSU) Reece Museum is asking its visitors to sign a liability waiver before entering a display that criticizes Republican ideology. This is as a result of serious backlash and criticism that the museum has received by disgruntled spectators. Highlighted artworks include a painting of House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson in front of swastikas that morph into the Christian cross, and another of Elon Musk getting shat on by twitter-logo-like birds. Seems like you can’t say anything anymore. Oh wait?
Dean Kissick and the Red Scare girls are hosting a “discussion about the state of the trade”. Tickets to attend are $25. Kissick also sat down with excellent art historian Helen Molesworth to talk about the article (Have you guys listened already? I still need to catch up but let’s comment together once I do!).
I’ve been mulling over this whole thing some more (click below for full post), especially after reading
’s excellent piece on it.Koyo Kouoh has been appointed as the curator for the 2026 Venice Biennale. She is the first African woman to hold this position.
Somebody wake me up when a decision has been made on the fate of the Elgin Marbles. Conversations around stewardship over the marbles have been ongoing for the last 200 years, but they have recently picked up again. British PM Keir Stramer says the decision ultimately lays with the British Museum.
Is this the world’s most beautiful museum? Yes, according to the French.
Simose art museum, Japan
Artwork of the week
