This episode of The Art Newspaper's 'The Week in Art' podcast covers three major stories. Ben Sutton and Kabir Jhala report from Art Basel Miami Beach, discussing top sales and the overall mood at the fair. Ben Luke speaks with Paris correspondent Vincent Noce about the deepening crisis at the Musée du Louvre following a staff strike and a recent robbery, as the museum plans to raise ticket prices for non-EU visitors by 45%. The episode also features a 'Work of the Week' segment on Helene Schjerfbeck's painting 'The Tapestry' (1914-16), with curator Dita Amory discussing the work ahead of a new exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This matters because it captures three key currents in the art world simultaneously: the commercial pulse of the market at a major fair, institutional turmoil at one of the world's most visited museums, and a scholarly spotlight on a rediscovered modernist painter. The Louvre's labor and security issues signal broader challenges facing large museums, while the Schjerfbeck exhibition reflects ongoing efforts to elevate overlooked female artists. The podcast format also underscores how art journalism is increasingly delivered through audio media.