Art Literacy

The Tate museum network in England said it has cut ties with Anthony d’Offay, a dealer who was accused of sexual harassment by multiple women in 2018. The museum network has faced pushback from the British art community over the past year after it quietly resumed contact with d’Offay following a brief period in which Tate said it would not work with d’Offay.

“Tate and Anthony d’Offay have agreed to end their relationship,” Tate and d’Offay said in a statement released on Friday. Tate also said it would return works that were on loan from d’Offay and a company registered in his name.

A 2018 Observer report first revealed the allegations of sexual harassment. The accusations came from several women—all of whom were not named in the report—who had worked with d’Offay; two had been employed by his London gallery, which closed in 2001. The women described alleged instances of … Read the rest

After just 10 months as director, Christian Rattemeyer has departed New York’s SculptureCenter. Artforum first reported news of his departure on Friday morning.

According to Artforum, SculptureCenter, which is located in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens, did not provide a reason for Rattemeyer’s departure. “I want to thank the incredibly talented staff and leadership at SculptureCenter,” Rattemeyer said in a statement. “I have enjoyed being part of an independent and artist-driven institution leading the conversation on contemporary art.”

Artist Carol Bove, the chair of SculptureCenter’s board, said in a statement, “On behalf of the entire board and staff of SculptureCenter, we thank Christian for his leadership, curatorial excellence, and global perspective. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

On SculptureCenter’s website, Kyle Dancewicz, the institution’s director of exhibitions and programs, is listed as interim director.

Rattemeyer was named director of SculptureCenter in June … Read the rest

Jean Dubuffet, one of the most famous European artists of the postwar era, had an imagination that knew no bounds. In his rough-hewn paintings, drawings, and sculptures ranging from abstraction to childlike figuration, he envisioned altered states in which humanity existed in a form that he believed was closer to its origins. A ceaseless experimenter in the way of materials and forms, he advocated for self-taught or “outsider” practitioners in the field.

These days, Dubuffet may be best known for his large-scale sculptures, which resemble masses of white organic forms sharply outlined in black. He had intended for Le cirque (1970) to be among his monumental ones, but it was never fully realized in a large-scale format—until now. Starting on September 18, Pace Gallery will show a newly fabricated version of Le cirque in its New York gallery. “He both imagined that these things eventually would become physically real … Read the rest

The organizers of Art Basel Miami Beach announced today that they had been forced to cancel the scheduled 2020 edition of the fair, which was set to take place during the first week of December in Florida. The news was announced after trading closed on the Swiss stock exchange, where the fair’s financially embattled parent company, MCH, is publicly traded.

“It is with great regret and disappointment that we announce the cancellation of our December show in Miami Beach, as we know how crucial our show is for our galleries, as well as for the greater Miami arts community and economy,” Noah Horowitz, Art Basel’s Americas director, said in a statement. “We thank everyone who shared their perspectives and insights with us over the past months and weeks and look forward to returning to Miami Beach next year to deliver a successful show.”

Among the main reasons cited for the … Read the rest

The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis recently announced a reorganization of part of its staff, which has resulted in a shuffling of its workers. Nine positions are being created, and five are being eliminated. The most high-profile position to come out of this restructuring is a new senior-level head of public engagement, learning, and impact, which will be held by Nisa Mackie, who was previously the Walker’s director of education and public programs. A head of content and communications position is also expected to be created, though it has not yet been filled.

Part of the museum’s elimination of several positions includes the loss of the Walker Reader, a digital magazine that published critical texts by artists, curators, and writers about current politics and their impact on art and institutions. For many in the art world, the Walker Reader, which had generated a loyal and international readership, … Read the rest