This episode of The Art Newspaper's podcast 'The Week in Art' features three segments. Chief contributing editor Gareth Harris discusses his new book 'Towards the Ethical Art Museum,' which examines contemporary challenges for museums including provenance, restitution, funding, governance, and community responsibilities. Digital editor Alexander Morrison speaks with curator Carl Brandon Strehlke about the major Fra Angelico exhibition jointly presented by Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi and Museo di San Marco in Florence. Finally, the Work of the Week segment focuses on Cornelia Parker's installation 'PsychoBarn (Cut-Up)' at the Kunstmuseum Basel's group exhibition 'Ghosts: Visualising the Supernatural,' with commentary from curator Eva Reifert.
The episode matters because it synthesizes three critical threads in the current art world: the urgent ethical reckoning facing museums globally, the continued scholarly and public fascination with Renaissance masters like Fra Angelico, and the ongoing relevance of contemporary artists like Cornelia Parker who recontextualize iconic works. By packaging these discussions together, the podcast provides a snapshot of the diverse conversations—from institutional reform to blockbuster exhibitions to cutting-edge contemporary installations—that define today's art landscape.