Art Industry News: Singapore’s Government Interfered to Censor an Artwork Shown at ART SG + Other Stories

NEED-TO-READ

Symposium on Antisemitism at Documenta 15 – Better late than never: a heated and emotional symposium in Hamburg, which frequently included shouts from the audience, brought together experts, curators, and artists to debate the failures of Documenta 15. Meron Mendel, head of the Anne Frank Institute (he came on as an advisor to Documenta in the summer of 2022 after antisemitic imagery was noticed in the work of Taring Padi, and resigned two weeks later), was on-stage for one panel discussion, noting a lack of  “tolerance for ambiguity” among many Documenta critics. He later spoke from the audience, asking why members of Taring Padi and Ruangrupa, who sat on a panel moderated by Artnet News Europe Editor Kate Brown, were hesitating to say the work was antisimetic. ()

Russian Police Raid Artist’s Exhibition – Police in Russia seized a protest artist’s work in a raid on an anti-war exhibition this week, according to organizers. Apparently responding to a bomb threat, authorities confiscated Elena Osipova’s work including mentions of the “war” and “invasion” of Ukraine, which is now illegal in Russia. It included, according to Russian police “false information about the Russian armed forces.” (France24)

Lu Yang‘s Video Sparks Censorship Concerns at ART SG – At the inaugural edition of the fair in January, the Shanghai-born artist’s work , which was on view at the fair’s Platform section, only included two channels of the five-channel work. The video had also been edited, apparently after a government authority told the fair that it found some of the visuals would be concerning for viewers under the age of 16 due to “mature themes.” The edited version notably excluded virtual depictions of gods resembling Hindu deities. (ARTnews)

Meet Graffiti Writer 10Foot – The shadowed around London’s most prolific graffiti writer and among the best known globally, 10Foot, offering a unique glimpse into the life of a street artist, a strange mix of high-stakes criminal activity and absolute celebrity. ()

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Sofa From Doge Meme to Be Auctioned by PleasrDAO – For its second live auction, the NFT platform is selling the couch on which the Internet-famous Shibu Inu sits on in the infamous picture that launched a thousand memes. In 2021 the DAO bought the Doge NFT for $5.5 million; this time, the winner will get both the rights to claim the sofa and an NFT. (CoinDesk)

Design for Burning Man Temple Revealed – Look alive, burners, the annual event has released renderings of the forthcoming temple, which serves as a physical and spiritual center of the festival. Designed by artist Ela Madej and Reed Finlay, the Temple of the Heart pavilion takes the shape of the inverted form of a desert flower. (Designboom) 

Odesa Declared Endangered Site – UNESCO has added the port city of Odesa to the list of endangered World Heritage sites, as Russia’s invasion of the country nears its second year. “I’m grateful to partners who help protect our pearl from the Russian invaders’ attacks!” president, Volodymyr Zelensky posted on Twitter. (The Art Newspaper)

FOR ART’S SAKE

Sarah Sze Offers Sneak Peak of Guggenheim Installation – As she prepares her major installation “Timelapse,” which will take over the Guggenheim Museum from March 31 through September 5, Sze offered a glimpse into her studio and working process. The show will extend from the institution’s rotunda all the way to its freight elevator shaft. ()