Here’s what’s been happening in the art world over the past month:
1.Banksy’s Devolved Parliament sells for a record $12 million
The painting from 2009 depicts the British parliament as being run by chimps. It was sold for much higher that it’s estimated 1.5 million pounds during an auction at Sotheby’s. You can watch the nearly 13 minute bidding war below, and read more about the sale here.
2. Grocery but make it Art
British artist Lucy Sparrow opened a grocery store in Rockefeller Centre– where everything is made of felt! Sparrow drew inspiration from upscale New York grocery stores, but she sells her art at as low as $5 per piece. And the pieces are so incredibly cute. You can find oysters (that you can actually shuck!), lobsters, sardines, canned goods, vegetables and more. The store also has a cheese counter, bakery and patisserie. You can read more about it here.
3. Kehinde Wiley’s answer to confederate monuments
There has been a lot of debate about confederate statues in the United States. Kehinde Wiley’s new statue, titled Rumors of War, references controversial Confederate War monuments in Richmond, Virginia, in particular a statue of General J.E.B. Stuart. Rumors of War mimics the confederate statue in posture, but displays an African-American man wearing jeans, a hoodie and sneakers on a horse. You can read more about it here.
4. A female Renaissance painter’s The Last Supper goes on display in Florence
It is very unlikely that you’ve heard of Plautilla Nelli. This forgotten Renaissance painter is often described as Florence’s first female artist. During her time, women artists were barred from going to school and were forbidden from studying the male form. Any art by women who did manage to overcome these barriers was often devalued.
Nelli’s The Last Supper took four years to restore. The organization Advancing Women Artists helped in rediscovering Nelli. The 21-foot painting will be displayed at Santa Maria Novella Museum refectory in Florence. Read about it here.
5. Tim Walker captures Wonderful People
Tim Walker is a British photography who has worked in the field of fashion for many decades. For the first time in his career he is putting up his work in a private gallery exhibition aptly titled Wonderful People. Take a look at his work here.
6. Is Bouquet of Tulips the most controversial artwork of 2019?
Jeff Koon is an artist who is disliked by many. He is a former Wall Street commodities broker turned sculptor who has attracted controversy ever since he emerged in 1980’s. He recently “gifted” Paris with a sculpture called Bouquet of Tulips and basically everyone in Paris hates it. You can read about it here.
Liked anything in this post? Let us know in the comments!
The Ink Inquisition 