Overtime stories of the week:
- Christo plans permanent sculpture (he claims will be the world’s biggest) for Abu Dhabi. Est. cost: $340 mil.
- RIP: Spain Rodriguez, who passed away at age 72.
- RIP: Lisa de Kooning, the daughter of the late Willem de Kooning. She passed away at the age of 56.
- The Whitney announces curators for the 2014 Biennial – 3 curators, each one receiving their own floor.
- Leica M3D camera belonging to David Douglas Duncan, who documented Picasso, sells for record £1.36mil.
- Photographers and restorers help restore mementos damaged by Sandy offering their services for free.
- Consolidation in the online art market as Paddle8 acquires auction site Blacklots.
- Big news in internet bidding as Edward Hopper’s October on Cape Cod sells for $9.6mil. to online bidder.
- Giacometti Foundation launches website, providing research and information on the provenance of works.
- Dallas Museum Of Art returns to free general admission after charging for more than a decade.
- Museum of Fine Arts in Boston criticized for renting out many of its most prized works to for-profit enterprises.
- Kansas City Art Institute sues Californian couple for being deadbeat donors.
- Nine bronze sculptures stolen from Sandy art gallery and owner fears they may be melted and sold for scrap.
- A Berlin museum will return three pieces by Munch and a Kirchner to heirs of a collector who escaped Nazis.
- 146 pieces from the Marcos collection, including Picassos and Van Goghs, still missing.
- Emin, Kapoor and Sarah Lucas among those that failed to get on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square.
- Glenn Ligon and Coco Fusco among hundreds in anonymous petition criticizing irresponsible NYT art reviews.
- Some members of LACMA’s art councils vow to quit over patron fee increase from a min. $400 to $1,000.
- Unfilled curator positions at three important Southern California museums (inc. MOCA) are cause for concern.
- National Portrait Gallery acquires Marlene Dumas oil painting of Amy Winehouse.
- MoMA acquires Canyon a Robert Rauschenberg combine from 1959 featuring a stuffed bald eagle. It also acquire some video games for the first time.
- Flooded Art Party exhibition and fundraiser organized for artists affected by Sandy.
- The only confirmed photograph of the iceberg that sunk that Titanic up for sale next month.
- The Telegraph joins in reporting on the declining market for Damien Hirst’s work.
- Google Maps to include museum floor plans to its service.
- City of Portland, OR passes tax increase in order to fund arts education.
- Is it art? The age old judgement is being put in the hands of police on the Venice Beach boardwalk.
- Is James Franco working in a Christmas shop considered art?
- Jerry Saltz buys a faux Gerhard Richter squeegee abstract painting.
- Camille Paglia declares Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith to be the greatest artwork of our time.
- Teresa Margolles wins Artes Mundi prize.
- Guyton, Auerbach, Ruby, Houseago, and Hundley are WSJ’s next art-world stars picks.
- Damien Hirst will design the award statuette for the next Brit Awards.
- Glenn Beck has created a Piss Obama sculpture in support of first amendment rights.
- Another week of Schnabel family dating gossip: Vito Schnabel is reportedly dating Demi Moore.
- Elton John dedicates his Beijing concert to Ai Weiwei, honoring his “spirit and talent”.
- Bob Dylan’s second solo show with Gagosian Gallery features “recontexualized” appropriated artwork.
- Coldplay to auction off some of their art to benefit children’s charity.
- Yoko Ono collaborates with Opening Ceremony on a line of clothing featuring her drawings made for Lennon.
- Leonardo DiCaprio potentially expanding his art collection while in NYC.
- The offices of Poster Child Prints featured in Hypebeast Spaces with photography by Brandon Shigeta.
- An interview with Al Moran regarding OHWOW’s last It Ain’t Fair and their Los Angeles gallery.
- The secretive, underground and tunnel art rebels of Paris.
- Michael Prodger’s list of 2012’s best art books.
