Art News. Vasari Codex

article culture schedule Sep 22, 2025 visibility 18 link 22 artists, 6 galleries

When Gagosian Goes So Do His Galleries, How Hockney’s Swimmer Swam Away, and Green Shoots in the Gallery World

Kenny Schachter's article opens with a broad critique of the political climate under the Trump administration, linking it to a chilling effect on free speech and democracy, before pivoting to the art world. He notes the absence of a U.S. representative for the 61st Venice Biennale, mentions Marilyn Minter's protest piece, and references David Hockney's *Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)* at Christie's. The piece also touches on market negativity, the resilience of art, and skepticism about the Middle East as a market savior.

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article culture schedule Feb 9, 2026 visibility 17 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

ai weiwei royal academy controversy

Artist Ai Weiwei has claimed in a new interview that he faced censorship in the West, citing a specific incident with London's Royal Academy. In late 2023, an exhibition of his new works at the Lisson Gallery was canceled after he posted a controversial tweet about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Subsequently, the Royal Academy held a vote on whether to revoke his honorary membership over accusations of antisemitism, which he won. Ai also claims the Academy then declined to publish an article he wrote on free speech for its magazine.

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article culture schedule Oct 16, 2025 source 2 sources visibility 18 link 2 artists

3000 pound ice sculpture national mall washington dc

Conceptual artists Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese created a 3,000-pound ice sculpture spelling out “Democracy” on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The work, titled *Last Call DemocracyICED*, stood five feet tall and 17 feet wide before melting. It was commissioned by Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s and activist behind the Up In Arms campaign, which advocates for reducing Pentagon spending in favor of public health and education. Cohen cited actions by the Trump administration—such as attacks on free speech, secret police arrests, and military use against civilians—as threats to American democracy.

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article culture schedule Dec 9, 2025 visibility 12 link 1 artist

the secret islamic devotional art that depicts muhammad

The article explores the little-known tradition of figurative Islamic art depicting the prophet Muhammad, which has existed since at least the 13th century in Persian and Turkish cultures. It notes that while a ban on such imagery is widely observed in Arab countries, no explicit prohibition appears in the Quran, and devotional images—often in miniature form—have been created by Muslims for personal and religious use. Examples include a mural in Tehran and a work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Scholars like John Esposito, Omid Safi, and Christiane Gruber are quoted to contextualize this tradition in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo attacks, which reignited debate over depictions of Muhammad.

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article culture schedule Sep 11, 2025 visibility 12 link 1 artist

mahmoud khalil nan goldin market tanked palestine activism

Artist Nan Goldin and Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil discussed Khalil's 104-day ICE detention, the 'Palestine Exception' to free speech, and the backlash faced by pro-Palestinian activists in a conversation published in Dazed magazine. Khalil was arrested in March 2024 after serving as a negotiator during Columbia University protests, with the Trump administration alleging he undermined foreign policy and later claiming he failed to disclose information on his green card application. Goldin compared her own experience leading the activist group PAIN, which successfully pressured museums to cut ties with the Sackler family over the opioid crisis, noting that pro-Palestinian activism has faced far greater criminal and professional repercussions.

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