From the world of art
Credit: Simon Hadley
Credit: James Laing
Credit: Maria Teneva
Credit: Ussama Azam
Brace yourself for a whirlwind tour of some of 2020’s most important art news. From virtual exhibitions to surprising auctions, we’re keeping you up-to-date with the latest developments in the art world.
It’s official: online events are one of the biggest trends this autumn/winter season. In September 2020, Art Basel Hong Kong attracted over 250,000 digital visitors, while institutions like the British Museum, MoMA and Somerset House will hold virtual exhibitions throughout the year. Fusing art with cutting-edge technology, galleries are creating innovative ways to immerse visitors in multisensory experiences. The Van Gogh Alive project at the Birmingham Hippodrome combines light, colour, sound and fragrance to give audiences the sense of walking straight into one of the artist’s paintings. In France, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Gustav Klimt have been reimagined for the 21st century.
Who knew that abandoned shopping trolleys and a classic Monet painting could be such a winning combination? The notoriously mysterious Banksy sold his unique interpretation of ‘Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies’ at Sotheby’s for £7.5m in October 2020. Titled ‘Show me the Monet’, the painting forms part of his Crude Oils series, which remixes famous artworks.
It’s not just us celebrating this year! Toasting 150 years and 20 years respectively, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and Tate Modern in London bring the power of art to millions of people each year. Tate Modern’s spectacular collection features British and international works from 1900 until the present day, including masterpieces like ‘The Kiss’ by Auguste Rodin and ‘A Young Lady’s Adventure’ by Paul Klee. Over on 5th Avenue in NYC, the Met Museum showcases over two million pieces, spanning 5,000 years of art.
Since the coronavirus outbreak, graffiti artists have taken to the streets to express their messages of solidarity. From London to Kenya, Amsterdam, Brazil and Australia, colourful murals have lit up cities and social media feeds around the world. Banksy hit the headlines yet again when he was caught on video on the London Underground in July 2020. Disguised as a cleaner, he created a tongue-in-cheek mural featuring rats sneezing and holding hand sanitiser. Unfortunately for commuters, TfL later destroyed the artwork as it violated their strict anti- graffiti policy.
Dubbed ‘the Beyoncé of art history’ by Telegraph critic Alastair Sooke, the Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi has become the first female artist to have a major exhibition at the National Gallery in London. Considered one of the most accomplished artists of the 17th century, Gentileschi worked in the style of Caravaggio. In 1616, she became the first woman to attend the prestigious Accademia delle Arte del Disegno. Her paintings show strong female protagonists and the oppression of female figures from myths and the Bible. The exhibition will run until January 24th 2021. Director of the National Gallery, Dr Gabriele Finaldi, adds: “Why were there so few famous women artists in history? I think we are in a strong position to say here’s a moment now to begin to take an interest… let’s do it as something we can share and enjoy together with the public.”
For more news from the art world, visit our blog.
46 FINE ART COLLECTOR AUTUMN/WINTER 2020
FINE ART COLLECTOR AUTUMN/WINTER 2020 47
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