Senators Whitehouse and Schumer Call for ‘Proactive Measures’ to Protect Philip Guston and Ben Shahn Murals

Senators Whitehouse and Schumer Call for ‘Proactive Measures’ to Protect Philip Guston and Ben Shahn Murals

Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Chuck Schumer have publicly called on the General Services Administration (GSA) to take immediate steps to protect significant New Deal-era murals by artists Philip Guston and Ben Shahn. Their letter expresses urgent concern over the potential sale or demolition of the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building in Washington, D.C., which houses these artworks, and questions the GSA's ability to safeguard the pieces once the building transfers to private ownership.

Plan to build border wall along the Rio Grande in Texas threatens prehistoric rock art, locals warn

Plans to extend the US-Mexico border wall through Val Verde County, Texas, threaten to damage or destroy hundreds of prehistoric rock art murals in the Lower Pecos region. Archaeologists and local landowners warn that construction vibrations could destabilize the rock surfaces housing these ancient paintings, some of which are over 5,700 years old and span up to 100 feet in length.

‘We are trying to preserve the memory of our people’: archaeologists create map tracking damage to Iran heritage sites

Iranian archaeologists Sepideh Maziar and Mehrnoush Soroush have launched an interactive online map to document and geolocate cultural heritage sites in Iran damaged by military strikes. The map, hosted by the University of Chicago's CAMEL Lab, currently lists 69 verified sites, including the historic Sa'dabad Palace complex in Tehran, and is updated as new information becomes available.

Gundlach Collection to Remain in the Deichtorhallen Until 2046

Gundlach-Sammlung bleibt bis 2046 in den Deichtorhallen

The Hamburg Senate has announced a 20-year extension of the loan agreement for the F.C. Gundlach Collection at the Deichtorhallen. The prominent photography collection, which has grown to 14,000 works, will remain in the institution's 'Haus der Photografie' until 2046 and will receive a dedicated exhibition area on the first floor.

Brutalist home of England's first National Black Art Convention saved from demolition

The University of Wolverhampton’s School of Art building, an eight-story Brutalist landmark completed in 1969, has been granted Grade II listed status by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport, saving it from demolition. The building hosted the first National Black Art Convention in 1982, a pivotal event in the British Black arts movement, and is closely tied to the Blk Art Group, whose founding members include Keith Piper, Marlene Smith, and Claudette Johnson. The listing follows a campaign against the university's redevelopment plans, supported by a petition with over 6,600 signatures.

villa silvestri rivaldi rome 47 million restoration 2730149

The Lazio Region of Rome and Italy's Ministry of Culture are undertaking a €35 million ($41.1 million) restoration of Villa Silvestri Rivaldi, a historic palazzo overlooking the Colosseum that has long fallen into disrepair. Originally commissioned by Pope Paul III in the 1540s and designed by Sangallo the Younger with gardens by Giacomo Del Duca, the villa has housed cardinals, served as a convent, textile factory, welfare institution, and school, and was even used by squatters and hostage-takers in the 1970s. Early restoration work since 2024 has focused on stabilizing the structure and cleaning its frescoes with laser technology, with full-scale restorations set to begin in 2026.