NEED TO READ
Ancient UNESCO Palestinian Site Under Threat – The ancient agricultural site of Battir is under threat from the planned Israeli settlement that is set to bring 560 new residents to the village. According to experts, the new settlement will likely damage the water and irrigation systems that the site is famous for and the independent economy of the Palestinians, as some 40 percent of the villages in Battir thrive on local agriculture. ()
Rare Book Believed To Have Converted Charles II to Catholicism Now On Display – The 1623 book is a copy of the Missale Romanum owned by Father John Huddleston, who helped to save the life of the monarch in 1651. It will soon go on display at Moseley Old Hall in the U.K.’s Wolverhampton, where it first appeared 363 years ago. Only one other complete copy of this title is recorded in U.K. libraries. ()
‘Anna!’ Is the Graffiti Artist Who Keeps Tagging Anna Delvey’s Door – The anonymous graffiti artist who keeps painting “Anna!” on the door of infamous art world scammer’s residence where she remains under house arrest has been identified as “Anna!,” also the mysterious artist’s handle. Delvey was aware of “Anna!” but they have never met, according to her rep. ()
Employees Call on Philly Museum to Stop Hosting Event For Far-Right Group – Staffers at Philadelphia’s Museum of the American Revolution have asked the institution not to host an event for Moms For Liberty, a far-right extremist group. An online petition supporting the museum staffers have collected more than 1,600 signatures, but the museum said rejecting visitors based on ideology would be against its purposes. ()
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Second Independent 20th Century Will Feature 32 Exhibitors – Twelve of them are making their debut at the fair dedicated to art from that period of time. ()
Manchester’s Factory International Renamed After Cash Sponsorship – The £210 million ($267 million) arts venue set to open this summer will be renamed as Aviva Studios after the insurance company injected £35 million ($45 million) cash into the project. The naming rights were up for sale as a means to curb the rising costs after the pandemic. ()
Bookforum Is Back – The literary sister of Artforum will resume publication in August “under the stewardship of The Nation.” Bookforum ceased publication when Penske Media Corporation acquired Artforum in December 2022, as the title was not part of the acquisition deal. ()
Frieze London Teams Up with Star Artists for 20th Birthday – Eight leading artists including Tracey Emin, Simone Leigh, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Haegue Yang have each handpicked one artist to stage solo presentations in the new Artist-to-Artist section to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the London fair. ()
FOR ART’S SAKE
Viva For Divas At V&A Summer Party – Celebs including Dame Shirley Bassey, Olly Alexander, and Gwendoline Christie descended on London’s South Kensington for Victoria & Albert Museum’s summer party that marked the opening of its latest exhibition “Diva.” Pop group Sugarbabes performed a live set at the glamorous event. The institution also made it clear that “diva” is not confined by gender. ()
Bimini Bon Boulash arrives at the V&A 2023 Summer Party at The V&A on June 21, 2023 in London, England. Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage.
