A handout photo shows two skeletons that were found buried in the same grave as part of an archaeological dig in Leeds, northern England. British archaeologists have uncovered an ancient coffin in the 1,600-year-old cemetery, a discovery, they say, that could shed light on the end of Roman Britain and the establishment of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. (West Yorkshire Joint Services via The New York Times)
by Jenny Gross
LONDON.- British archaeologists have uncovered an ancient coffin in a 1,600-year-old cemetery in northern England — a discovery, they said, that could shed light on the end of Roman Britain and the establishment of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Discovered during an archaeological dig in Leeds, the lead-lined coffin contained the remains of an aristocratic woman who most likely lived in the fourth century. Archaeologists also found the remains of more than 60 people who lived in the area more than 1,000 years ago. Some bodies were buried on their backs with their legs straight out, in accordance with late-Roman customs. Others adhered to the Anglo-Saxon tradition, within which burials often included items such as clothes fasteners and knives. The archaeological dig was part of a consultation process for a company applying for permission to build on the site. Archaeologists had previously uncovered late-Roman stone buildings and a number of structures in the Anglo-Saxon architectural style in the ar ... More
Bridget Riley, Rose Rose 12, 2011, Oil on linen, 37.3 x 25 cm.
HONG KONG.- Participating for the 3rdtime in Art Central, as usual Tanya Baxter Contemporary stands out from the crowd with blue-chip works certain to appeal to serious art collectors in Asia. This year, the gallery is delighted to present the first-ever solo exhibition in Asia of Bridget Riley (b. 1931), an icon of Modern British art who first became known in the 1960s for her singular Op Art paintings, and who now in her 90s, continues to thrill audiences the world over with her highly original works. Riley’s paintings explore optical phenomena to evoke compelling, vibrant sensations of movement, colour and three-dimensionality. Recently there has been a tremendous increase in focus on female artists worldwide, as seen in auction records and retrospective exhibitions in major museums. While Riley’s contemporaries such as Lucian Freud, Frank Auerbach and David Hockney continually draw critical ... More
Virgin and Child with St. Lucy, St. Dominic, and St. Louis of France, about 1596–1598, Annibale Carracci. Oil on copper, 17 1/8 × 13 1/4 in. Getty Museum, 2023.3
LOS ANGELES, CA.-The Getty Museum announced today two major acquisitions: the Irmengard Codex, a manuscript made for the eleventh-century noblewoman Irmengard of Nellenburg, a member of the House of Egisheim-Dagsburg in Germany; and Madonna and Child with Saint Lucy, Saint Dominic, and Saint Louis of France by the renowned and influential Italian painter Annibale Carracci. “These two exquisite acquisitions add key works to our representation of northern European medieval manuscript illumination and to our already strong holdings of seventeenth-century paintings,” says Timothy Potts, Maria Hummer-Tuttle and Robert Tuttle Director of the Getty Museum. “The Irmengard Codex, with its unusually rich body of imagery, is a spectacular example of early medieval manuscript illumination, the likes of which has not appeared on the market in ... More
An untitled Phyllida Barlow sculpture at Hauser Wirth & Schimmel in Los Angeles, March 14, 2016. (Michal Czerwonka/The New York Times)
by Nana Asfour
NEW YORK, NY.- British artist Phyllida Barlow, who after a four-decade teaching career found fame as a groundbreaking artist in her own right in her mid-60s, creating playful, often large-scale sculptures that wryly commented on industrial society, died on Sunday in London. She was 78. Her gallery, Hauser & Wirth, confirmed her death but did not give a cause. Drawing inspiration from industrialism’s waste and decay, Barlow used everyday materials like plaster, cardboard and wood to create sculptures, often vibrantly hued, in which she manipulated perceptions of space and scale, arriving at monumental yet intimate statements. In 2012, the New Museum in New York introduced her work to American viewers with a solo show titled “Siege.” Among other works, the exhibit featured ... More
Consigned by a descendant of the original owner, the portrait is one of four paintings of the Lakota leader created by NY artist Caroline Weldon and is believed to be the only one still in private hands.
CLEARWATER, FLA.- On March 18, 2023, Blackwell Auctions will offer a painting of one of the most historically important figures of the 19th century, Lakota chief Sitting Bull (1831-1890). American history will forever denote Sitting Bull as the dynamic military, spiritual and political leader who united the Sioux people to defeat US General George Armstrong Custer at Little Big Horn in 1876. The portrait is one of four known to have been painted of Sitting Bull by Caroline Weldon (1844-1921), a New York artist who traveled to North Dakota in 1889 and became the chief’s confidante and personal secretary until 1890, when they had a falling out over his support of the Ghost Dance movement. A fictionalized account of their relationship and her interest in painting him is the subject of a 2017 movie, Woman Walks Ahead, with ... More
Patek Philippe Reference 96 Quantieme Lune. Image courtesy of Phillips.
HONG KONG.-Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo announced the unveiling of several artefacts once belonging to Aisin-Giro Puyi, the last Emperor of the Qing dynasty, at the opening of Phillips’ new Asia headquarters in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District. A Patek Philippe Reference 96 Quantieme Lune, an inscribed paper fan, a manuscript notebook, watercolour paintings and a leather-bound printed edition of Confucius’ Analects will all be exhibited, offering a rare insight into a remarkable chapter in history. From 1945 to 1950, the deposed Emperor was held prisoner in the USSR. During these five years, a Soviet official who spoke fluent Mandarin served as the Emperor’s interpreter and tutor. These artefacts spotlight the extraordinary friendship which developed between Puyi and his Russian translator. Phillips is proud to unveil them in Hong Kong, where they will be on view from 18-31 March; this will be followe ... More
MELBOURNE.- The Naomi Milgrom Foundation today announced that it has awarded Pritzker Prize-winner Tadao Ando with the commission for MPavilion 10 in Queen Victoria Gardens, located in the heart of Melbourne’s city centre. Over the past decade, MPavilion has worked with the world’s most significant architectural thinkers to create a space for engagement with urgent urban, civic, and design concerns. Ando is the seventh leading international architect to have his first work in Australia commissioned by MPavilion, the country’s foremost annual architecture commission and design festival. “Each year, MPavilion commissions architects with a unique design language and social purpose and gives them complete freedom to realize their vision. I have long admired how Tadao Ando responds to and incorporates the ... More
PHILADELPHIA, PA.-The Philadelphia Show – one of the nation’s leading art and design fairs, known for the exceptional quality of its exhibitors, is pleased to announce a full schedule of upcoming programming for its 61st Edition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (April 28 – 30, 2023). This year’s show will bring together more than forty of the leading dealers in the US, specializing in fine art, design, antiques, Americana, folk art, ceramics, porcelain, silver, jewelry, textiles, and decorative arts. Leading up to the in-person fair, The Philadelphia Show presents New Conversations with The Philadelphia Show. Working together with curators at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Philadelphia Show has created four virtual programs for the public on antiques, art and design. The programs are free but registering in advance through the show website is required. Numerous dealers will offer Booth Talks– insightful conve ... More
Danful Yang, b. 1980, Mini Appropriation. Elm wood, Replica bags, fabric, 100 x 107 x 53 cm （39 3_8 x 42 1_8 x 20 7_8 in.）Unique in Series of 20 + 2 AP + 2 Prototypes.
SHANGHAI.- A “new unity, between art and technology” emphasised in the Bauhaus Manifesto has directly nurtured and laid the foundation for the modernist design movement with functionalism as the cornerstone. Looking back at history, the new art movement and decorative design movement outside of this context are in opposition to the excessively cold style of industrialisation. Since the 1980s, the reflection on the international unified style of homogenisation has led to the rise of a series of contemporary design movements such as postmodernism. The exhibition “Decorative Art = Design? Design = Art?” at Pearl Lam Galleries on fiew since yesterday will be open until May 21st, 2023. Since 1993, Pearl Lam has held a series of exhibitions in Hong Kong dedicated to promoting design as an art form. The highly acclaimed touring ... More
Sung Neung Kyung, 2020. Photo by Netjjae.
HONG KONG.-Lehmann Maupin has announced their representation of pioneering Korean artist Sung Neung Kyung. Historic work by the artist—including Venue 2, will be featured as part of its booth at Art Basel Hong Kong (March 21–25). For over five decades, Sung’s interdisciplinary practice has influenced discourses around performance, Conceptualism, and politics. He is recognized for his involvement in the avant-garde Korean art group Space and Time, an art and research collective which was active in South Korea during the politically turbulent ’70s and ’80s. The group responded to these social conditions by staking out its own ground in response to Western art and theory. In May, Sung’s work will be prominently featured in the group exhibition Only the Young: Experimental Art in South Korea, 1960s–1970s, opening at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) and then traveling to the So ... More
Vik Muniz, Apples, Peaches, Pears and Grapes, After Cezanne from Pictures of Magazines, 2003 Estimate: $30,000 - 50,000.
NEW YORK, NY.-Phillips’ Photographs auction on 4 April gathers a remarkable selection of individual masterworks and esteemed private and institutional collections. On view at 432 Park Avenue from 28 March – 3 April, the sale brings together over 300 examples of the medium. Alongside the live auction is the second session of Dorothea Lange: The Family Collection, which includes a remarkable assemblage of 50 photographs come directly from the family of this pioneering American photographer. The upcoming sale is a continuation of Phillips' first offering from the Family Collection, which took place in October 2022. Bidding for Part Two will be open from March 29 to April 5 and can be viewed here with further details here. Sarah Krueger, Head of Department, said “Our April offerings showcase Phillips’ commitment to presenting the best photographs from ... More
LONDON.-Christie’s announced the online charity sale George: Twenty Years in Mayfair, benefitting The Caring Family Foundation, which has been open for browsing online since March 7th and now open for bidding from 14-28 March. Conjuring the evocative atmosphere of this much loved London private members’ club which has been at the heart of Mayfair life for the last 20 years, the sale comprises 71 lots focused entirely on the works that adorned the walls, spanning Modern British art, Prints, Posters, Post-War and Photography. The collection is led by Tracey Emin’s unique blue and white neon I’m a Rare Bear, 2014 which was previously auctioned for charity at Christie's by Emin herself (estimate: £70,000-100,000). Further highlights include the original Dachshund linocut designed for George by Hugo Guinness, which became the club’s much loved logo ( ... More
GREENSBORO, NC.- The Weatherspoon Art Museum at UNC Greensboro announces the acquisition of a major sculpture, Receiver (2019), by renowned artist Huma Bhabha. This remarkable and timely addition to the museum's collection of modern and contemporary art will prompt rich conversations concerning the issues it raises around communication, environmentalism, and popular culture, among others. “Huma Bhabha’s Receiver is a work of magnificent literal and figurative proportions—we could not be more excited or grateful to welcome it into the Weatherspoon courtyard,” says Juliette Bianco, the museum’s Anne and Ben Cone Memorial Endowed Director. “Being open to receiving is a start for human cooperation. We hope that this sculpture, stepping into the Weatherspoon space with all of us, embodies that connectedness and becomes a marker of the museum experience.” ... More
Quote Composition can't really be taught, it is a lifelong learning. Ellen Taaffe Zwilich
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Swann Galleries' March 23rd auction to feature Dada & Surrealism NEW YORK, NY.-Swann Galleries’ auction of 19th & 20th Century Art: Featuring Dada & Surrealism will take place Thursday, March 23. The sale will feature a selection of 150 lots devoted to modern artists who embraced the enduring movements alongside offerings by stalwarts of the two centuries such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Mary Cassatt, Sonia Delaunay, Pablo Picasso and more. Signature examples by leaders of the Dada and Surrealist avant-garde trends include Man Ray with a wood and metal readymade metronome with a printed eye, Do Not Destroy (Object Indestructible, 1923-1975), conceived 1922-33, executed 1974 ($50,000-80,000); and Marcel Duchamp with The Chess Players, a 1967 color offset lithograph based on the same-titled painting from 1911 ($7,000-10,000). Dorothea Tanning is present with Birthday ... More
Lynn Seymour, acclaimed ballerina and a dramatic force, dies at 83 NEW YORK, NY.- Lynn Seymour, a ballerina who was widely hailed over her long career as one of the greatest of all dance actors, died on March 7 in London. She was 83. Her death was announced by the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, where she had performed for many years as a principal, and later as a guest, of its resident company the Royal Ballet. No cause was given. The most radically original dancer in British ballet history and a star on both sides of the Atlantic, Seymour inspired international choreographers of successive generations. Canadian born, she became a choreographer, artistic director of two European ballet companies and a screen actress. But it was as a dancer that she astounded audiences in many countries with her dramatic intensity, seemingly boneless fluidity of movement, physical abandon and innovative ... More
Original, unrestored posters for some of the greatest movies ever to be sold online this April MACON, GA.- Newly formed Oopportunities 2 Auction House, based in Macon, will introduce itself to the collecting community with an online auction of original, unrestored vintage movie posters on Saturday, April 15th, starting at 10 am Eastern time. Over 140 lots will come up for bid from a single consignor. The catalog is live now and open for bidding, on LiveAuctioneers.com. “These posters were purchased in the ‘90s from the estate of a theater proprietor,” said Karen Braswell, the owner of Opportunities 2 Auction House. “They’ve been stored ever since and have never been traded or sold. It’s like opening a time capsule. Many were never used for display and were still in the envelope, as originally shipped to the theater.” The posters span four decades, from the 1960s to the 1990s. They include all genres, from action/adventure to musicals ... More
Orianna Cacchione to join AD&A Museum as assistant director SANTA BARBARA, CA.- The Art, Design & Architecture Museum at UC Santa Barbara is pleased to announce the hire of Dr. Orianna Cacchione as the museum’s new Assistant Director. A specialist in contemporary Chinese art, and the Curator of Global Contemporary Art at the Smart Museum of Art for the past six years, Cacchione brings a wealth of curatorial expertise, teaching experience, and creativity to her new role at UCSB. As the Assistant Director, Cacchione will work collaboratively with AD&A Museum Director, Dr. Gabriel Ritter, to provide strategic leadership, oversight and management of multiple departments at the Museum. In her new role, Orianna will develop and implement a roster of exhibitions and educational programs which explore issues in art, architecture and design that relate to the broader teaching goals of the University. ... More
LAPADA takes centre stage as London's leading art and antiques fair LONDON.-LAPADA, the leading London art fair, is set for a dazzling return to its iconic location in Berkeley Square with confirmed dates set as 27 September to 1 October 2023 (with a preview on the 26th). Participation in the fair has been a major benefit to the trade, providing a glamorous Mayfair location at a pivotal point in the calendar, falling in the heart of the design festival and at the start of Frieze month. The Berkeley Square Fair, organised by LAPADA since 1993, fulfils the London art market’s need for a top-level fair in the decorative arts, especially amid recent fair closure announcements by major organisers. LAPADA as a trade association feels a pressing responsibility to deliver the fair for London and the trade as well as accommodate as many displaced exhibitors as possible whilst managing the fair’s growth. LAPADA understands ... More
Why is Bronislava Nijinska still waiting in the wings? NEW YORK, NY.- It is one of the most striking images in dance: Nine women lean in, creating an interlocking pyramid, their heads piled one on top of the other. The layering suggests geological strata, or the arrangement of skulls in a medieval ossuary. Around them, men and women form a tableau with strong religious overtones, like a crown of thorns or an angelic gathering. But the picture also points back to ballet history, evoking the final moments of “The Sleeping Beauty,” another wedding, another pyramid in which each dancer forms part of an architectural, symbolic whole. This startling, allusive composition comes at the very end of “Les Noces” (“The Wedding”), a work created by Bronislava Nijinska in 1923 for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. Even in photographs, it offers a taste of the compositional genius of its creator. In April, “Les ... More
Review: In 'The Harder They Come,' innocence lost to a reggae beat NEW YORK, NY.- It looks like such a bright, sunshiny day as the lights rise on “The Harder They Come,” the reggae musical that opened on Wednesday at the Public Theater. The patchwork vibrancy of Kingston, Jamaica, where the story takes place, is efficiently and joyfully sketched in a tin-sided, palm-fronded, louvered and latticed streetscape, lit in happy yellows and purples and bursting with people wearing island florals. And when we meet our hero, the “country boy” Ivan, who has come to the city to seek his fortune as a singer, he is bubbly and hopeful, with a bubbly and hopeful opening number to match: “You Can Get It If You Really Want.” But can you? Alas, over the next two hours or so, the answer will prove to be no, not just for Ivan but also for the audience. Like the chaotic 1972 movie it’s based on, which helped introduce ... More
The unsinkable Marilyn Maye NEW YORK, NY.- Turning the corner of 54th Street in a New York City taxi, the peerless nightclub singer Marilyn Maye is reminded of an early moment in her career. Sixty years ago, while performing on national television, she was also singing at a nightclub. “This was on Broadway,” she says, quickly adding, “on Broadway, I mean, in Kansas City.” (She still lives there. “The closets,” she explains.) But there was no advertising or publicity pointing tourists toward her show. So she found out from local hotel concierges which cabdrivers worked at the airport, and did a free concert for 20 of them. “I told them: When somebody gets off a plane and says, ‘Where is this Kansas City singer?’ — now you know!” “That was enterprising,” she twinkles. Still enterprising and still twinkling at nearly 95, Marilyn Maye is the last of a great generation ... More
Exhibition featuring works by Katy Cowan opens at Miles McEnery Gallery NEW YORK, NY.-Miles McEnery Gallery has now opened 'gods on a bridge', an exhibition of new work by Katy Cowan, through 22 April 2023 at 515 West 22nd Street. Accompanying the exhibition is a fully illustrated digital publication featuring essays by Stephanie Cristello and Stephanie Bailey. gods on a bridge is Katy Cowan’s first exhibition of metalworks since relocating her artistic practice from California to Berlin. The resulting body of work is a culmination of her current experiences, coupled with engrained references to the historical presence of sculpture in the city. Each work starts in a foundry where the artist casts solid aluminum forms, which are then adorned with a variety of mediums and methods: acrylic and enamel paints, sprayed and brushed. Cowan elects to retain the fractured casting bars, signaling a parallel to the remnants ... More
Carolyn Lazard explores legacy of dance film through Lens of Accessibility in new commision at ICA PHILADELPHIA, PA.- This spring, the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania (ICA) presents the first U.S. solo museum exhibition of Carolyn Lazard (b. 1987). Co- commissioned with the Walker Art Center and Nottingham Contemporary, Carolyn Lazard: Long Take explores the social and aesthetic dimensions of accessibility through documentation and performance. Featuring an immersive multi-channel video and sound work anchored by four sculptures that reimagine existing ICA seating for media viewing, the exhibition encourages visitors to reconsider the form in which an artwork resides and why sight has been privileged in the spectatorship of dance. On view from March 10 through July 9, 2023, Carolyn Lazard: Long Take furthers ICA’s mission of providing a platform for ascendant artists who spark dialogues ... More
