Art News. Vasari Codex

article news schedule Mar 7, 2026 visibility 38 link 9 artists, 2 galleries

ai david salle painting removed spruth magers

A painting by David Salle titled "Hatchet" (2025) was removed from his solo exhibition at Sprüth Magers in Los Angeles following allegations of plagiarism. Critics and social media users pointed out that the work's central figure—a woman in a black-and-white dress holding a sledgehammer—bore a striking resemblance to the 2021 painting "Impact" by artist Kelly Reemtsen. While Salle is a pioneer of the Pictures Generation known for appropriation, the gallery stated the work was withdrawn out of respect for both artists and to acknowledge the ongoing dialogue regarding authorship.

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article news schedule Jun 3, 2025 visibility 26 link 34 artists

whitney museum paused independent study program censorship

The Whitney Museum of American Art has suspended its storied Independent Study Program (ISP) for the 2025–2026 academic year, following widespread outcry over the censorship of a performance titled "No Aesthetic Outside My Freedom: Mourning, Militancy, and Performance" by artists Fadl Fakhouri, Noel Maghathe, and Fargo Tbakhi. The performance, scheduled for May 14, was canceled by museum leadership after reviewing a video in which Tbakhi made demands that supporters of Israel or America leave the venue. Director Scott Rothkopf informed the ISP community of the pause in an email, citing the need to search for a new director. The museum also confirmed that Sara Nadal-Melsió, hired in 2024 as the ISP's first associate director, will not retain her position. The cancellation drew condemnation from free speech advocates, including the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), which likened the museum's actions to an authoritarian approach.

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article news schedule Jun 3, 2025 visibility 25 link 14 artists

isp alumni open letter whitney museum palestine performance

On Monday, Whitney Museum director Scott Rothkopf announced via email that the museum would "pause" the 2025–26 academic year of its Independent Study Program (ISP), citing a lack of a director and strained operations. The announcement coincided with an open letter from high-profile ISP alumni—including artists Emily Jacir, Andrea Fraser, Mark Dion, and others—denouncing the museum's cancellation of a pro-Palestine performance titled "No Aesthetics Outside My Freedom: Mourning, Militancy, and Performance" by artists Fadl Fakhouri, Noel Maghathe, and Fargo Tbakhi. The performance was canceled two days before it was to be part of an ISP curatorial exhibition, after the museum accused the artists of "valorizing specific acts of violence" and singling out community members based on belief systems. The letter also referenced the earlier demotion of ISP director Gregg Bordowitz in February.

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article news schedule Jun 4, 2025 visibility 26 link 10 artists

Whitney Museum pauses Independent Study Program amid accusations of censorship

The Whitney Museum of American Art has suspended its prestigious Independent Study Program (ISP) for the 2025-2026 academic year, citing a leadership gap following the 2023 retirement of longtime director Ron Clark. The decision follows accusations of censorship after the museum canceled a performance titled "No Aesthetics Outside my Freedom: Mourning, Militancy and Performance" by Fadl Fakhouri, Noel Maghathe, and Fargo Tbakhi, which addressed the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. An open letter signed by over 360 alumni, faculty, and supporters, including philosopher Judith Butler and artists Andrea Fraser and Walid Raad, condemned the cancellation as an act of censorship and expressed solidarity with the current cohort.

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