A buzzing whirl of transition from season to season, from holiday to holiday, may leave some of us overwhelmed, stressed or too occupied.
We think there is no better treatment for autumn fatigue and overstimulation than adding art to your daily routine.
Therefore, take a deep breath, dedicate time to yourself, and explore what is currently happening in the art world with our article featuring Art News for this November.
The Château de Versailles attracts public attention when its “breathtaking” interior does, in fact, take restoration workers' breath away due to the enormous concentration of lead in the paint.
After 15 years of disputes, the case was finally presented to court, and an official hearing was scheduled for February. Thanks to one of the carpenters, who approached his doctor after the first signs of malaise, it was discovered that the concentration of lead in his blood 8 times exceeded the norm. He claims the restoration process was exactly what brought him to this condition. Six people appear in the case, accused of causing involuntary harm due to professional negligence.
Apparently, the company that carried out the restoration works failed to provide the workers with appropriate personal protective equipment, which led to excessive inhalation of lead dust. The investigation also revealed that insufficient ventilation on the site could have also done its part in damaging workers’ health.
No official verdicts were made upon this hour. However, it is safe to presume that this case might potentially lead to legislative changes that will ensure the protection of workers’ rights due to the risks associated with the job.
The British Museum enriched its Chinese collection with 1700 pieces worth around 1 billion pounds with the generous donation made by the Sir Percival David Foundation.
It is claimed to be the highest-value object donation ever made in the vastness of the UK. However, the priceless pieces have not found their forever home in the museum's vaults since the foundation only provided the items as a loan for a 15-year period. The foundation representatives shared their hopes for this project, revealing that their main aim and focus was to create a dedicated Chinese art gallery that would serve educational purposes for younger generations and academics alike. Now, when The British Museum has a complete set of exhibits, they hope they can display objects in a form that will unveil the history behind them and help viewers explore art from an unprecedented perspective.
Frank Auerbach, a remarkable artist and one of the most admired painters of the century, died at 93.
Frank Auerbach was born in Nazi Germany but escaped the fascist regime by fleeing to England at the age of 8. He then settled down and lived all of his life in London, spending most of his time in his studio, which, according to those close to him, he rarely ever left. He never publicly discussed the hardships of his childhood, but it certainly left a mark on him and his art. His parents were killed during the Holocaust, where legacies were eliminated from the world, and this chapter of history was his personal tragedy.
His simple desire was to create “one memorable thing” to prove his existence, and now, looking ahead, we can confidently say that he did a significant number of memorable things and his legacy will never fade.
Italian authorities uncovered the network working on distributing fake paintings and prevented their further distribution, which saved the art market from losing around 200 million euros.
Around 2000 paintings that scammers claimed to be originals by famous artists appeared to be forged. The network was spread around several European countries and was connected through complicit auction houses that not only had fake paintings on display but also issued fake certificates of authenticity. Thanks to the prompt work of the Italian police, the network was seized, paintings were confiscated, and 38 accomplices were identified.
Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2024 announced this year’s winner
One of the most prestigious photography awards in the world was given to an incredible artist, Steph Wilson, who challenged the views on traditional motherhood with an incredible in its complexity portrait called ‘Sonam’. Winning first place among almost 5000 submissions, her photograph of a person with their baby is part of a collection, ‘Ideal Mother’, which changes our perception of motherhood. Steph Wilson is not afraid to show motherhood as it is: bare, inconvenient, tiring, but beautiful nevertheless.
4 winning photos will be displayed at The National Portrait Gallery and will soon be available to the public.
A creative Studio, “The Great Exhibitions”, surprised the art world by installing a permanent, fully functioning rollercoaster… inside their office!
From now on, every worker in the studio’s Stockholm office can disrupt their workday by taking a ride around the art space and peeking at their colleagues. The execution process of the Red Rollercoaster, or as the creators call it, “The Front Lobe”, took years and met many challenges on the way. However, it was important for the creators to finish the project since its meaning extends beyond simple interior design.
The studio’s Creative Director Per Cromwell, explains the symbolism behind the construction.
"In a world increasingly driven by AI and algorithms, where everything is optimised, predictable, and a little soulless, the rollercoaster represents something random, spontaneous, and maybe more than anything, something real."
References
Carter, K. (2024). The incredible winners of the prestigious Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2024 are announced! Digital camera world. Available from https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/the-incredible-winners-of-the-prestigious-taylor-wessing-photo-portrait-prize-2024-are-announced [Accessed 14 November, 2024].
Harris, G. (2024). British Museum receives ‘highest value object donation in UK museum history’. The Art Newspaper. Available from
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/11/14/british-museum-receives-highest-value-object-donation-in-uk-museum-history [Accessed 14 November, 2024].
ITV (2024). Fake art network involving 2,100 forged Banksys, Warhols, and Picassos uncovered in Italy. ITV news. Available from https://www.itv.com/news/2024-11-12/fake-art-network-involving-bankeys-warholes-and-pic
ssos-uncovered-in-italy [Accessed 14 November, 2024].
Langer, E. (2024). Frank Auerbach, revered painter of single-minded devotion, dies at 93. The Washington Post. Available from https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2024/11/13/frank-auerbach-modern-artist-dead/ [Accessed 14 November, 2024].
Noce, V. (2024). 'It could have been more serious, even fatal': lead poisoning claim by Versailles restoration workers reaches court. The Art Newspaper. Available from https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/11/14/lead-poisoning-claim-by-versailles-restoration-workers-reaches-court [Accessed 14 November, 2024].
Ravenscroft, T. (2024). The Great Exhibition adds "world's first office rollercoaster" to its Stockholm studio. De zeen. Available from https://www.dezeen.com/2024/11/14/office-rollercoaster-great-exhibition-stockholm/ [Accessed 14 November, 2024].
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