NEED TO READ
Carrie Mae Weems at the Barbican – The U.K.’s first major survey of the American artist’s films and photography (and its largest since the 1980s) opens to the public today, and has so far received favorable reviews. Writing in the , critic Adrian Searle found that “her art is rich and full of variety, without wavering from her focus on the Black American experience.” (Guardian)
Artist Heiko-Thandeka Ncube Dies at 32 – The Zimbabwe-born, Berlin-based artist was known for producing films, lectures and essays that addressed colonialism, racism, and violence in the Western world. A post by The Hub, a nonprofit for which Ncube served on the board, informed its followers that he died by suicide on June 9. “His authentic, open manner led to people opening up to him in many projects,” the post read. “They felt seen and perceived through him.” ()
Solange Knowles Commissions Jason McDonald for Glassware Line – The glassblower was commissioned by Saint Heron, a multidisciplinary group founded by Knowles, to create a limited-edition collection of vessels priced between $129 and $187. The pieces have already sold out. ()
MFA Boston Maps Hokusai’s Global Footprint – A new exhibition at the museum shows how, despite never leaving Japan, the renowned ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai became a source of enduring influence for Western artists in developing a new modernist approach. The museum is perfectly suited to this task, drawing on its particularly strong collection of Japanese art. (
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Paul Smith Is Selling His Banksy at Bonham’s – The British fashion designer bought at Banksy’s pop-up store Santa’s Ghetto in 2004, the same year that it was made. It has no doubt shot up in value since then, and Bonham’s estimates that it should fetch up to £1.8 million ($2.3 million) when it hits the auction block on June 29. ()
Nordic Pavilion Names Artists for Venice 2024 – A joint “Nordic Gesamtkunstwerk project” is in the works for next year’s Nordic Countries Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, with Swedish artist Lap-See Lam, Finnish artist Kholod Hawash, and Norwegian composer Tze Yeung Ho slated to collaborate on a musical and performative installation drawing inspiration from Cantonese opera. Moderna Museet’s Asrin Haidari will curate the exhibition. (ArtReview)
Frieze Seoul Artist Award – Seoul-based artist WOO Hannah is the reciepient of the first-ever Artist Award at Frieze Seoul, which gives an emerging artist the opportunity to present a new commission at the fair. WOO’s installation, titled The Great Ballroom, is a continuation of her ongoing series “Milk and Honey” and features dangling and draped fabrics that represent the ever-changing nature and texture of skin and bodies over time. The artist visited workshops and factories around South Korea’s Dongdaemun Market to find materials which she recycled for the work. (Press release)
Taipei Biennial Releases Artist List – More than 50 international artists and musicians will participate in the 13th edition of the upcoming biennial, slated to run from November 18, 2023 through March 24, 2024 at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. Curated by Freya Chou, Brian Kuan Wood, and Reem Shadid, it features new commissions by Pio Abad, Natascha Sadr Haghighian, Li Yi Fan, and artist duo Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme. (Press release)
FOR ART’S SAKE
Henry Taylor’s Teeny Tiny Portraits Take the Catwalk – For his debut collection as men’s creative director of Louis Vuitton, Pharrell Williams tapped into the creative community, collaborating with Los Angeles-based artist Henry Taylor for a series of suits adorned with itty-bitty replicas of the his beloved portraits. A video of Taylor and comedian Jerrod Carmichael directed by Todd Tourso opened the show for digital viewers. Williams succeeds the late Virgil Abloh as creative director. “This is a French house,” he said, “but they went right back to America and found another Black man and gave me the keys.” (Vogue)
A model on the runway at the Louis Vuitton Menswear Collection Fashion Show in Paris, France. Photo by Giovanni Giannoni/WWD via Getty Images.
