The latest episode of The Art Newspaper's podcast 'The Week in Art' covers three distinct stories. Host Ben Luke tours the British Museum's new exhibition 'Hawaiʻi: a kingdom crossing oceans' with Alice Christophe, head of Oceania, discussing the museum's revised approach to stewarding its Hawaiian collection. The episode also examines the sale of Ca' Dario, a famed Venetian palazzo on the Grand Canal, with Anna Somers Cocks, who recounts its eerie history and supposed curse. Finally, Luke speaks with Thaddaeus Ropac about Joseph Beuys's late bronze sculpture 'Bathtub' (1961-87), which is featured in a new show at the Thaddaeus Ropac gallery in London.
This episode matters because it highlights three significant art-world developments: the British Museum's evolving ethical stewardship of cultural heritage objects from Hawaiʻi, reflecting broader debates about repatriation and colonial collections; the sale of Ca' Dario, a landmark Venetian property with a notorious history, which intersects with the luxury real estate and heritage preservation markets; and the posthumous casting of a Joseph Beuys work, which raises questions about artistic intent, authenticity, and the market for late editions. Together, these stories offer insights into museum practice, art-market dynamics, and the legacy of major artists.