What happened in the art world this week?
Here's your weekly roundup!
Good morning and happy Sunday! This week, we’re bringing you a roundup of the most newsworthy stories from the art world.
It's been quite an eventful week—from the intentional destruction of an Ai Weiwei sculpture to reports of financial turbulence at Sotheby’s. Meanwhile, Paul Smith has stepped into the art scene with a brand-new gallery, and art lovers in London are flocking to a dazzling Claude Monet exhibition.
Here’s a closer look at this week’s must-know art news:
MONET’S OBSESSIVE PAINTINGS OF THE THAMES REUNITED IN LONDON FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 120 YEARS, Artnet
Monet’s paintings of the Thames have been reunited at the Courtauld Gallery for the first time in 120 years. The exhibition showcases 21 masterpieces, revealing Monet's fascination with the city's light and fog, including scenes of the Houses of Parliament and Waterloo Bridge.
Speaking of Monet, his work Nympheas (1897–99) shattered records on Thursday, selling for $30 million at Christie’s, Hong Kong, marking a new high for the French painter in Asia.
See the sale in the room here:
SOTHEBY'S IS SO DEEP IN DEBT THAT SOME SENIOR STAFFERS GOT IOUS, Qwartz
Sotheby’s is in a tight spot. This week the Wall Street Journal reported that the auction house is saddled with $1.8 billion in debt, thanks to slowed art sales and some dicey business decisions. They also allegedly issued IOUs to senior staff instead of cash bonuses. Thankfully, an Abu Dhabi wealth fund just stepped in with a $1 billion lifeline. Will it be enough to steady the ship?
AI WEIWEI SCULPTURE PURPOSELY SMASHED IN BOLOGNA GALLERY, Artsy
At Ai Weiwei's exhibition opening in Bologna, a 57-year-old man intentionally destroyed the artist's sculpture Porcelain Cube (2009). The exhibition continues with a life-size print of the work now on display. Weiwei shared CCTV footage of the disastrous moment on Instagram and expressed disappointment, as the piece was an extremely labour-intensive creation.
FRIEZE AND ART BASEL AMONG 40 ART FAIRS UNITING FOR GROUNDBREAKING GREEN INITIATIVE, Artnet
Forty art fairs, including giants like Frieze and Art Basel, are uniting for a big sustainability push, committing to cut emissions in half by 2030. The initiative, driven by the Gallery Climate Coalition, highlights a shift towards eco-friendly practices in an industry often criticised for its carbon footprint.
VAN GOGH'S SUNFLOWERS ATTACKED BY JUST STOP OIL AFTER PROTESTORS JAILED, Art Review
Remember when Just Stop Oil protesters threw soup over Van Gogh’s Sunflowers (1888) in 2022? Well, it’s happened again! After the original culprits were sentenced to jail time, three more activists targeted the work at the National Gallery’s new Van Gogh exhibition.
BRITISH DESIGNER PAUL SMITH OPENS ART GALLERY AT HIS LONDON FLAGSHIP, ARTnews
Paul Smith is making waves in the art scene with the launch of Paul Smith Space, a permanent gallery in his Mayfair flagship. Opening during Frieze week (October 10), the gallery’s inaugural exhibition, Fabric of Life, will showcase textile histories and feature works by artists like Hangama Amiri and Tiffanie Delune. Katie Heller has been named art manager to foster new artistic partnerships.
THIS YEAR, THE TURNER PRIZE GETS PERSONAL, Apollo
The Turner Prize exhibition opened at Tate Britain this week, with nominees showcasing deeply personal works that mix biographical elements with broader issues. From Claudette Johnson's heartwarming portraits to Delaine Le Bas's playful installations, each artist tells their unique story, making this show a standout in the prize's 40-year history. Don't miss it!
That wraps up this week’s highlights in the art world! We’d love to hear your thoughts on this newsletter format. If you enjoyed it, please drop us a line!