Art Industry News: Digital Art Star and NFT Hero Refik Anadol is about to get a big platform at MoMA + Other Stories
Art Industry News is a daily summary of the most consistent developments coming out of the art world and the art market. Here’s what you need to know this Tuesday, November 1.
MUST READ
The Freud Museum’s audience is growing – The London institution is the subject of renewed interest in light of increased awareness of mental illness and mental health. The museum is located in the house where Sigmund Freud spent his last year in exile from his home in Nazi-occupied Vienna. (New York Times)
Hollywood talent agencies come for artists – United Talent Agency will open a three-story showroom in Atlanta in 2023. The move is part of an ongoing effort by powerful talent agencies to expand into the art world. Europe’s MTArt will launch a branch in Los Angeles next year. (ART news)
The museums focus on digital art – Although the crypto winter has yet to thaw, digital artists are enjoying new relationships with top art museums. Later this autumn, MoMA will hand over its lobby to a computer-driven installation by Refik Anadol. In a previous collaboration, the museum enabled Anadol to use its archive to create digital abstractions, which he then sold as NFTs. MoMA receives 17 percent of all primary sales and five percent of all secondary sales from the series. (New York Times)
A deep dive into David Geffen – The New York Times gives the profile treatment to David Geffen, the entertainment mogul, mega-art collector and cultural philanthropist — though he declined to be interviewed for the story. The Geffen has donated $1.2 billion over the past 25 years to museums, theaters, universities and medical centers. He often insists on naming rights for institutions he supports – but he also prefers to stay out of the limelight after the buildings are unveiled. (NEW)
MOVERS & SHAKERS
The Liverpool Biennale announces theme – The 2023 show, which will run from June 10 to September 17, will be called “uMoya: The Sacred Return of Lost Things” and curated by Khanyisile Mbongwa. More than 30 artists and collectives will participate, from Brook Andrew to Julien Creuzet. (press release)
GCC Adds Active Membership – If you’re one of those dealers who signed up to be a member of the Gallery Climate Coalition but didn’t end up changing much of your behavior, be warned: ffrom November 2022, the GCC will redefine membership to recognize those who have honored their original commitment. To be an active member, galleries must have completed a “Carbon Report”, established a green team and published a commitment to environmental action and responsibility. (press release)
Chief Curator of the Museum of African Diaspora Names – Key Jo Lee will become chief curator of the San Francisco museum, starting in January. She is currently Assistant Curator of American Art at the Cleveland Museum of Art. (Cleveland)
FOR ART’S SAKE
Yinka Shonibare Launches GAS Foundation – The Guest Art Space Foundation, which spans two locations in Lagos and Ijebu, marks its international opening this week. The Ijebu site will host international artists for residencies, while the Lagos building houses a library of more than 1,500 books on African art and culture. The international push coincides with Art x Lagos, which runs 4-6 November. (press release)
The GAS building street view. Photo by Andrew Esiobo
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