Artist Damien Davis writes a critical piece on how so-called 'standard' contracts in the art world systematically undermine artists' power, citing long consignment periods, moral rights waivers, and opaque terms that favor institutions. Separately, the Venice Biennale has scrapped its traditional Golden Lion awards after the awards jury resigned; instead, ticket holders will vote on 'Visitor Lions,' with results announced in November, and notably Israel and Russia remain eligible despite the jury's earlier ban. Other news includes damage to a 1,000-year-old Native American archaeological site by construction crews building President Trump's border wall.
This matters because it highlights two systemic issues in the art world: the imbalance of power in artist-institution contracts, which affects how artists can protect their work and livelihoods, and the politicization of major international exhibitions like the Venice Biennale, where award structures and eligibility criteria become flashpoints for broader geopolitical conflicts. The border wall damage also underscores the ongoing tension between infrastructure projects and the preservation of Indigenous cultural heritage.