Showing – Tate Late and Triennial – London

This March, Tate Britain launches the third Triennial. Curated by Beatrix Ruf, Director of the Kunsthalle in Zurich, the show sees some thirty-six talents present their work to the Tate-going public... And this one is bound to be interesting. Ruf has brought together a hoard of artists from various generations, genres and countries. Scotland’s recently awarded Ian Hamilton Finlay, London’s multi-talented and somewhat fabulous Mark Leckey, Italy’s London-settler-Slade lecturer Enrico David and Canada’s Angela Bulloch, all line up beside others such as Liam Gillick, Daria Martin and Jonathan Monk, to explore the ‘reuse and recasting of cultural material’ in contemporary art, whatever that might be...

While the Triennial kicks off on the 1st March, Tate Late, the museum’s regular get together opens again on the 3rd. This gathering is an excellent chance to get a little cultural without too much pain. Indeed, the Tate gets a big old gold start for Tate Late; it's free of charge and grants visitors the opportunity view all exhibitions, such as Gothic Nightmares and the Tate Triennial 2006, for half price. Meanwhile, the event takes place on the first Friday of every month and this time round visitors can check out Andrzej Zulawski’s 'Possession', introduced by Mark Kermode, Mervyn Heard’s 'Grand Magic Lanterns', as well as some fashion info from Boudicca’s Brian Kirkby and Zowie Broach.

The Tate Triennial takes place at the Tate Britain from the 1st March – 14th May.

News – Rio Robberies and St. Louis Recoveries - World

During the weekend, Rio de Janeiro’s Chácara do Céu Museum was hit by thieves who successfully absconded under the cover of those chaotic Carnival crowds. A little more sophisticated than those Edvard Munch lifters with the classy hatchback car, these guys were armed and managed to flee with several works, including Picasso’s ‘The Dance’ (left), Dali’s ‘Two Balconies’, Matisse’s ‘Garden of Luxemburg’ and Monet’s ‘Marine’. Now, each one of these pieces is a masterpiece, which beckons the obvious question of, where did they go? After all, these aren’t exactly what you'd call small time, easy to shift, paintings. Either way, whatever the case on their whereabouts, someone has somewhere special planned for them; let’s just hope it’s not a vacant space on a damp old bus like their stolen forerunner, ‘The Scream’. Still, it’s not all bad on the disappearing art front. Over the border in the US, the FBI has recovered over twenty works taken from a storage facility in 2002. These, rather ironically, include paintings by Picasso and Matisse.

News – Revamp for Berlin’s Pergamon Museum - Europe

Backed by the Federal Government, Berlin’s Pergamon Museum is to receive a multi-million dollar overhaul, The Independent’s Geir Moulson reports. Built in the early 1900s, the museum is apart of the famous 'Museum Island’ and boasts an incredible collection of arts from ancient Greece and the Far East, including the impressive Pergamon Altar and awesome Ishtar Gate.

Showing - Conor Harrington - A Quiet Riot - Dray Walk Gallery - London

While you may or may not be familiar with Conor Harrington, his name is way up there on the graff scene. However, although he is a bit spray can, his work treads that thin, or rather wide, line between street and fine - and it’s perfect. It’s easy on the eye, sellable and still, somehow, manages to remain cool. Think; abstract meets figurative in oil and aerosol. Just superb.

Harrington got into graffiti as a teen and then went on to study at Limerick School of Art and Design. A couple of years ago he moved to London, where he’s been received open-armed. Now, although he’s had a few solo shows in Ireland, 'A Quiet Riot' is his first in London; and that’s saying something – Harrington’s only in his twenties. While this is essentially his launch on the capital, I actually believe 'A Quiet Riot' could mark the start of something special. Most of all, I reckon Harrington is going to be massive; and if not, he’s sure to make a nice little mint.

Presented by Stolen Space and sponsored by Modart magazine, Conor Harrington’s ‘A Quiet Riot’ takes place at the Dray Walk Gallery, Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, E1 from 24th February - 7th March.

Showing - Piera Gulli - Fargility - Adam Street - London

Last night, Arts Beyond, the enterprise that looks after such talents as photographer Anouk van Tetering and painter Marie Guerlain, presented ’Fragility’ by Piera Gulli at Adam Street. The Sicilian-born artist’s works are essentially childlike and unpretentious. However, although these are simple looking paintings, the messages that Gulli endeavors to present are more than apparent. With around ten paintings on show at the exhibition, two particular pieces stood head and shoulders above the rest; ‘Longing’, that depicts a girl demurely resting her head in the crook of her arm, and ‘Return to Innocence’, a small work, which is far from innocent. Ironically, in its distracting name, the piece is well entitled. Portraying a girl sucking her thumb, her pose appears innocent enough. However, there’s something quite disturbing about the work. Her hand is a little too red, giving a raw, aggressive impression. Yet her expression is brash. It's also fearful. And that’s terribly human – because we’re all brash in our fear or, indeed, vice versa. Unsurprising, this is something that's quite difficult to do depict on canvas; it's no small thing to reveal two opposing emotions as one.

News - Louvre Atlanta to Go - World

‘Louvre Atlanta’ project, which sees a pairing between Atlanta’s High Museum of Art and the Musée du Louvre in Paris, is to commence this spring. The $13 million event includes work by Rembrandt, Velázquez and Murillo, and is scheduled to run for a phenomenal three years. During this time, the show will trace the history of the Louvre, from the early 17th Century to current times, while bringing many never-seen-before works into the US.

Louvre Atlanta runs from October 2006 – 2009 and takes place at the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia.

News - Santa Fe Biennial Lineup Announced – World

The lineup for the Sixth International Biennial has been announced by SITE Santa Fe. Curated by critic Klaus Ottmann, the event will have no particular theme and will include 13 artists; Mirosław Bałka, Jennifer Bartlett, Patty Chang, Stephen Dean, Peter Doig, Robert Grosvenor, Cristina Iglesias, Wolfgang Laib, Jonathan Meese, Wangechi Mutu, Carsten Nicolai, Catherine Opie and Thorns Ltd. This is a considerably smaller amount than last year’s show that had a program of 54 talents.

The Santa Fe Sixth International Biennial takes place from 9th July 2006 – 7th January 2007.

News - Sarah Lucas OBE - London

Sarah Lucas has got herself an OBE, becoming part of a set up that was first established by George V. Lucas first found international interest in 1991, with a solo exhibition at City Racing. The entire collection was later bought by Charles Saatchi. Meanwhile, Lucas has been nominated for the Turner Prize, however, she apparently chose to not to invlove herself with the award.

Showing – Salla Tykkä – Yvon Lambert – New York February 06

Since 1997 Salla Tykkä’s work has featured at the Pompidou, and the Walker Art Centre . However, it wasn’t’ until the 2001 Venice Biennial that she gained hardcore international appreciation. More recently, Tykkä hooked up with Yvon Lambert and from 25th February – 25th March she'll be exhibiting at the New York gallery. The show will centre on ‘Zoo’, a 35mm film, which focuses on emotions without dialogue and was shot at Helsinki Zoo. While music helps create the tone for each scene the piece is apparently ‘openly ambiguous’ allowing the viewer to ‘interpret them in a non-conventional way’.

Yvon Lambert New York is located at 564 West 25th Street, New York, NY 10001, and is open Tuesday - Saturday from 10am - 6pm.

News - Hong Kong Cultural Centre is a No-Go - World

While Hong Kong’s masses stampede across the recently opened Disneyland ticket barriers, the area’s real estate moguls have given a definite no-no to building a cultural museum. This enterprise would have, and should have, been one of the largest of its kind. In fact, it would have filled a wide gaping hole. Hong Kong may well be alive and kicking, but the place is lacking in the ‘fine art-museum’ side. Sure, there are many small galleries worth their weight on Central’s Hollywood Road, but the larger enterprises are somewhat thin on the ground. There’s the Hong Kong Museum of Art in Tsim Tsha Tsui, but really, that’s about it… And that’s pretty shocking, especially given Hong Kong’s position in the world today. Importantly, this would have been an international venture as MOMA, the Pompidou and Guggenheim have been contending for the right to run museums within the mega-centre. But, under the bright lights of various arguments, including the usual financial gripes, the project has now come to a spluttered end. Nevertheless, the government has revealed that this is not the grand finale of Hong Kong’s cultural yearnings, just a, shall we say, rearrangement of sorts.

News – Warhol City – Slovakia

Back in 2004 when Slovakia joined the EU, Andy Warhol's homeland, Bratislava, began making plans to establish a so-called ‘Warhol City’. Although the man himself failed to visit the place during his lifetime, this hasn’t stopped the region cashing in on his fame – and that’s fair enough. The area has major unemployment problems with the jobless sector running at around 17%; so a little Warhol action can’t be a bad thing. There is a catch however; the project is to be located in Medzilaborce, the town where Warhol’s parents once lived. Located 330 miles from the capital of Bratislava, this small city isn't exactly a skip and a jump from a mainstay, easy-to-reach metropolis. Nevertheless, the town is investing $1.3 million into becoming a bona fide ‘Warhol City’. The revamp is said to include Campbell Soup bus stops, an extensive museum and, best of all, a hotel called ‘Pension Andy’.

News – Met to Return Ancient Artifact to Italy – World

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is to return a vase, which was allegedly looted from a tomb in Italy several decades ago, reports Bloomberg's Vernon Silver. The vase, that's around 2,500 years old, was bought by MOMA in 1972 for some $1 million. However, following the aquisition, it wasn't long before it transpired that the vase had been previously lifted from its home ground. A dispute commenced – one that may eventually bring about new laws surrounding collecting and excavation policies. And that can’t be a bad thing, especially given this recent saga lasted around 30 years.

Views and News – William Blake to Sell at Sothbey’s – New York

Five years ago a hoard of William Blake's water colours were discovered in a bookshop (as opposed to ubiquitous attic) in Scotland. Fast forward to now, and in May these works are to be sold separately at Sotheby’s. This is no small thing. These little numbers include a group of illustrations which Blake created for Robert Blair’s poem ‘The Grave’. They’re all nicely grouped together and have been for some 200 years. Naturally the arts world is up in arms on this – and it’s hardly surprising. To break up a collection that’s presented as a set is rather ridiculous. Still, the house expects to rope in around $17 million for the works so, what’s a little controversy in the face of so much cash?

There’s an overriding argument that several of the works have been lost, meaning that numbers are down and the collection is already shattered. In my mind, this is like taking a grade one building with a touch of damp and suggesting demolition. You know; ‘sorry about the subsidence, best call in the bulldozing squad,’ with a touch of, ‘guess what we could do, we could build a bunch of easy to retail Wimpy Homes instead.’

Meanwhile the Tate has been trying to raise the money to buy the works but, so far, has been unsuccessful. The gallery is prominent repository of Blake’s works; there are currently several of his pieces on show at their much publicized Gothic Nightmares exhibition. I'm thinking, maybe they could sell some of the Fuselis’? There must be someone who has a soft spot for ‘The Nightmare’? Someone that's willing to bring a little twisted sexuality (repressed even) into their exclusive home?

Views and News - Strindberg Stolen – Sweden

What, I ask you, is going on with security at museums today? We live in a high-tech, high maintenance, world. We live in a place that’s chokka with CCTV cameras, ID passes and ever telling swipe cards. Hell, you can’t even log on to a website without a covert cookie following you around forevermore. So, why is it that works of art worth millions, are so easy to steal? In the dubious light of the Munch trial, which is due to commence in Oslo today, Sweden’s Strindberg Museum has been successfully targeted with the theft of August Strindberg’s ‘Night of Jealously’. This week the painting was ripped from the wall and stolen. The thief, we call him Mr. Audacious, then cruised out of the gallery, passed reception staff, who consequently ‘called security’. What? And security didn’t already know that painting had been lifted? The alarms hadn’t sounded? The other staff didn’t feel compelled to intervene as the low-fi crook legged it past the reception desk?

Strindberg was predominantly a playwright and novelist. His paintings, on the other hand, are generally thought of as amateurish. Now, I’ll admit, I’m not wild about his work; however, ‘Night of Jealousy’ (left) breaks this mould because it is simply superb. It’s dark and devilish and filled with het-up emotion. It sums up its namesake and churns up a storm through its angry depiction of mental torment by way of the roaring elements. Legend has it that Strindberg gave the painting to his wife as an engagement present. The pair had been fairly, shall we say, active in their previous personas and it’s suggested that jealousies may have arisen during this time. Whatever the case, it’s a wicked painting. It’s just a damn shame the museum could keep their hands on it.

News – Ralph Rugoff Takes Up Hayward Gallery Directorship – London

The South Bank Centre has announced that Ralph Rugoff is to become the Director of the Hayward Gallery. His post as head honcho begins on the 1st May and sees an end to his previous position at the CCA Watts Institute for Contemporary Arts in San Francisco. Rugoff’s credentials are impressive. He’s served as curatorial advisor at the Sydney Biennale, as curatorial correspondent at the Turin Triennale, founded the Curatorial Practice Program at the California College of the Arts and was awarded the Katherine Ordway prize in 2005. On top of all this, Rugoff has arranged various shows, which include artists like Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller and sculptor Mike Kelley.

Views and News - The Scream Saga Continues - Oslo

Back in 2004, Edvard Munch's ‘The Scream’ (left) and ‘Madonna’, were stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo. It was a little like something from a Dom Jolly sketch. The thieves literally lifted the works from the gallery walls and strolled outside to the getaway car, a hatchback Audi, no less. Still, despite the Benny Hill setup, arrests were made and, under a blanket of press coverage, the trial is now on its way – or at least it would be, had it not been postponed until Tuesday.

This event has been one long saga from start to finish and when it will actually end, who knows. Once on its way, the trial is expect to last for five weeks, while evidence against the six defendants hangs on phone taps – and anyone who’s watched Law and Order knows that, within legislation, recorded conversations are never a sure-gone thing. In fact, these 'recordings' are the reason for the trial's postponement.

Meanwhile, the paintings are yet to be found. The chance of offloading them on the market is unlikely and although a reward has been posted, it’s a paltry amount when laid next to £10 million that the paintings are worth. No doubt the works will appear again in another hundred years or so, though what state they’ll be in is questionable. They’ve already been through a traumatic run of the mill. ‘The Scream’ (no doubt screaming) and ‘Madonna’, were apparently 'ripped' off the walls (well, the thieves did have to snap – yes snap – the wires from which the paintings hung), yanked from their frames and then, allegedly, left for safe hiding a bus.

Admittedly this whole saga isn’t quite as ridiculous as 1911 ‘Mona Lisa’ theft, when former Louvre employee, Vincenzo Peruggia, lifted the masterpiece, shoved it under his arm and strolled off into the great blue yonder. Nonetheless, it’s the stuff of legends are made off – and, let's be honest here, it's probably the last time we’ll see a hatchback being used in a robbery anywhere other than the local post office.

Showing - Gothic Nightmares - Tate Britain - London

Curated by Martin Myrone, Gothic Nightmares opened at the Tate Britain last night. Now, while I didn’t attend the private view, I have a pretty good idea (within reason) of what went on, as the press is already buzzing with reviews. Hardly surprising really, this is a super-saucy show – sex, supernatural and well, a little helping of undercooked pork chops. You see, Henry Fuseli (1741-1825), the man of the hour, apparently went all gothic after eating a late night pork chop (no pun intended), with the intention of bringing on a few indigestion ridden bad dreams. Enter, ‘The Nightmare’, the painting that forms the heart of the show and a work, which has become a practical symbol for the Gothic movement. Indeed, it’s a painting so iconic; it’s even featured on the cover of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Just in case you haven’t already seen it, which is fairly unlikely, it features a woman, flat out on her bed, all akimbo, with a goblin squatting on her chest. It’s a dark image that, in the cold light of modern day, is more squirmish than nightmarish – though admittedly, I wouldn’t be exactly overjoyed to wake and find this wee fella sitting on my chest. However, with its obvious sexual overtones and further sadomasochistic ones, ‘The Nightmare’ is certainly something. But then again, so was Fuesli. His work often featured homoerotic, lesbian and S & M scenes with a little extra fetishism thrown in for good show. And sure, that’s no big deal by today’s standards, but this was back in the 1700s.

Back to the exhibition, and there’s over 120 works currently showing at the Tate Britain. While these include around sixty Fuselis’, including ‘Titania and Bottom’, ‘The Three Witches’ and ‘The Shepard’s Dream’, there’s a good selection from his contemporaries; George Romney, John Flaxman, Theodore von Holst, and, and perhaps most importantly, William Blake.

Gothic Nightmares runs until 1st May.

Obituary - Juan Soriano (1920 – 2006) - Mexico

Juan Soriano, the Mexican painter and sculptor has died in Mexico City aged 85. Once a member of the League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists, the anti-Nazi, anti-fascist group, he was one of the last surviving members of the Mexican School, a movement that began shortly after the demise of the Porfirio Diaz’s dictatorship. Since first exhibiting in his home of Guadalajara as a teenager, Soriano has featured in galleries worldwide and was awarded the Velazquez Plastic Arts Prize in 2005.

News - Seven Records Broken at Sotheby's - London

Over the weekend seven artist records were broken at Sotheby’s in London. These included Lucian Freud’s painting of Bruce Bernard (£3.5 million), an oil by Gerhard Richter (£1.5 million), a Francis Bacon (£2.5 million), Roy Lichenstein’s ‘Still Life with Candy Jar’ (£2.1 million) and Andy Warhol’s screen print of Mao 7 (£1.4 million). This story was first reported by Linda Sandler of Bloomberg.

News - Getty Director Resigns - World

Barry Munitz, has retired from his post at J. Paul Getty Trust, reports Robin Fields of the Los Angeles Times. Under a fairly dubious set of circumstances within an ongoing saga, Munitz will allegedly be paying the trust some $250,000 to help settle any ongoing disputes.

Private View Review - Dan Flavin and Mario Merz - Untitled and 8-5-3 - Gagosian - London

I’m wild about Mario Merz's work. Oh yes I am. During last night’s private view at London’s Gagosian, I came face to face with his famed ‘8-5-3’ installation, which he created in 1985. The piece comprises of three of his signature igloos; the first, standing at 8-metres high in bundled up twigs, is somewhat organic – it’s inviting, earthy and even amicable. Sitting stoic beside the second 5-metre igloo, which is made of lethal looking sheets of glass, clamped together in a chaotic yet symmetrical manner, its frame encloses the third, and smallest, 3-metre igloo; a little like a VIP lounge space or more likely, a womb – a viable option given that ‘objet cashe-toi’ (‘hiding place’) is scattered across the work in jagged lights. Notably, this aforementioned pair is firmly linked by a trio neon tubes. These bars of light impale the duo, sealing them together in an almost painful manner. And it’s perfect. It’s superb. It’s simply sublime. It’s a work where nature meets man-made ascetics in absolute harmony. Maybe it’s the sharp, impeccably cut glass or the angles at which the neon bars pierce the smallest internal igloo. Perhaps it’s the sheer organic earthiness of the big igloo sitting beside the obvious artificial structure of the second – whatever the case, I love-love-love this work. It’s clever, poignant, it’s memorable; it’s everything it should be… And I’ll be honest here – installations are, in my experience, no small feat. They’re too easily fumbled, rumbled and screwed up to the point of no return. But Merz, with ‘8-5-3’ has surpassed the installation check point.

In the second space of the Gagosian, man of the month, Dan Flavin, does his neon thing with three works; all untitled, all neon and all positioned perfectly in opposing corners of the room. These works, which each comprise of two bars of light slotted between a walled corner, several feet above the floor, are minimalist gems. Ideally set out within the space, the entire area glows with a warm luminous haze. Simple and sophisticated, chic and clinical, they provide an ideal opposition to Merz’s work next door.

Photos by Wayne Chisnall

News - Berardo May Loan Art to Belém Cultural Center, Lisbon - world

Portuguese philanthropist and billionaire, José Berardo is to loan artwork from his collection to the Belém Cultural Center in Lisbon, Gareth Harris of The Art Newspaper reports. While the deal is yet to be confirmed, if it fails, Berardo has stated that he is happy to make a similar deal with the French government.

News - Italian Police Raid - World

Aidan Lewis of the Associated Press has reported that the Italian police have raided the properties of several art dealers associated with a former J. Paul Getty museum curator. The police discovered several works, including a statue of Aphrodite, which was bought by the LA museum for £18 million in 1988. Representatives from the museum are currently in talks with Italian Cultural Ministry officials in Rome regarding the return of the artifacts.

News - Klimts' Returned - World

Several Gustav Klimt paintings, including the famous ‘Adele Bloch-Bauer I’, ‘Apfelbaum’ (Apple Tree) and ‘Hauser in Unterach am Attersee’ (‘Houses in Unterach on Attersee Lake’), have been removed from Vienna’s Belvedere Gallery. They are currently homeward bound to Maria Altmann, the Californian woman who spent six years campaigning for the works, which her family owned before WWII. Over the weekend the paintings that are worth some £173 million were viewed by around 10,000 visitors.

News - Francis Bacon's Sales at Christie's - London

Francis Bacon’s ‘Self-Portrait’ (1969) was sold at Christie’s in London last night, for £5.2 million, reports Bloomberg’s Linda Sandler. While bidders included Gagosian and Iwan Wirth, the price hit a record high, exceeding the expect price of £1.8 million. However, the painting finally sold to a nameless phone bidder. Meanwhile, Bacon’s work of Pope Innocent (1959) sold for £5.2 million, barely surpassing its expected price of £5 million.

News - Doubts Over Jackson Pollock Authenticity - World

Doubts have been raised over the authenticity of several Jackson Pollock works after a physicist checked the consistency of patterns on the paintings, reports Randy Kennedy of The New York Times. Although the owners were friends of Pollock’s, the test have placed the works in quite a hazy light.

Private View Review – Joseph Kosuth – Sprüth Magers Lee – London

Last night, Sprüth Magers Lee (www.spruethmagerslee.com) in London opened up their doors to literally hundreds of art lovers with an exhibition from American conceptualist, Joseph Kosuth. The show covers a fantastic five decades, encompassing the artist’s growth across the years. Now, I can’t pretend to understand everything Kosuth is trying to say – but what I do know is that he’s comical and cool and sharp as can be. Indeed this show, or rather retrospective, was absolutely superb. While the gallery was ridiculously full (by the time I left, they has stopped allowing people into the drinks area), it was difficult to view the works in all their glory, the message (albeit one I didn’t always get) was all apparent. The opening piece, ’Any Two Metre Square Sheet of Glass Leaning Against Any Wall’ (1965) kicked off the exhibition, giving a good idea of what was to come. Upstairs a further four areas made way for more works. The second room sees Kosuth within a later period of neon infused sexual humor, presenting pieces of luminous halogen and others of serious humour. ‘No Number # 8’ (1989) focuses on the notorious Bobbit case, that rocked the tabloids and later, the mulleted porn industry. The piece comprises three parts; a blow up of a newspaper write up on Bobbit, sandwiched between a Calvin and Hobbs cartoon and Simone de Beauvoir quote. It’s cynical and saucy and it works. The rooms of the gallery continued, all filled by intelligent, thought provoking, provocative pieces, such as the incandescent 'Á Propos (Réflecteur de Réflecteur) (2004), which filled the space with words and light, not to mention statements like ‘It is not the context of truth, of which they have no concept, but the form itself of truth, which is an indefinite approximation’. No simple stuff here then… And, let’s be honest, that's just as well. Downstairs the fun continued with a room filled by small framed works, a book of seemingly random statements in several languages; think, ‘Children cannot manage cobras’ or ‘All reptiles are not diplomats’. Fabulous. Thought provoking and inspiring – exactly as it should be.

Private View Review - Renny Tait - Studies in Form - Flowers Central - London

Flowers is one of those galleries that rarely fails – and last night was no exception. Renny Tait’s ‘Studies in Form’ brought together thirteen works from the Scottish artist, with pieces so painstakingly precise, that it was hard not to appreciate their even tones and delicate sheer. Tait, who studied at Edinburgh College of Art and later at the Royal College in London, is a master when it comes to exactness. Partner this with a pallet of sepia and gloss and there’s no stopping the sophisticated madness. All paintings on show are incredibly easy on the eye and, in that, extremely sellable. Meanwhile, the larger canvases in ‘Studies in Form’, include the fabulous ‘Fortress with Reflection’ hanging perfectly on the far wall of the gallery, and ‘Dubrovnik, Black Sky’. These are appealing and, like almost all the works, centre on a group of rising buildings. In fact, everything from 'Studies in From' include architectural structures of some sort, save a small canvas, ‘Hibiscus’. A simple, elegant work of the pink flower, it easily breaks with the overall theme here. Importantly, there’s a distinct European feel about all the works; perhaps it’s the colours, the feeling that the sun has just set or simply the architecture – structures that are almost magical in their risen glory, making this an exhibition that's sophisticated and a little mysterious.

News - Munch Sells at Sotheby's For £16.9 Million - London

Last night at Sotheby’s, London, an Edvard Munch sold for £16.9 million – almost £5 million more than the house had expected. The painting was a part of a section owned by Thomas Olsen (1897-1969), the Norwegian ship owner who is believed to hold one of the largest Munch collections made available since WWII. Also selling alongside the Munch was Claude Monet’s iconic ‘Waterloo Bridge’. However, on this occasion, the work remained unsold. This story was originally reported by Linda Sandler of Bloomberg.

News - Dutch Government To Return Artworks to Goustikker Relatives - World

Alan Riding of The New York Times has reported that the Dutch government will be returning around 200 of the works seized from the collection of Jacques Goudstikker. These include works by Filippo Lippi, Anthony van Dyck and Jan van Goyen. This breakthrough follows almost a decade of campaigning by Marei von Saher, the widow of Goudstikker’s son.

News - Auctions Kick Off With Soutine and Schiele Sales - London

So, Chaim Soutine’s superb, just a little gory, ‘Le Boeuf Ecorche’, aka the ‘Flayed Carcass’, sold for a whooping great £7.8 million last night at Christie’s International – almost double the price that the house had originally expected for the painting. The work, which is often compared to Rembrandt’s ‘Slaughtered Ox’ (1655), was painted in 1924 and is part of a several 'carcass' works that Soutine created. Fairly contemporary in its look and feel, the piece was popular and was eventually bought by a phone bidder, hitting a record price paid for a Soutine at Christie’s. Meanwhile, New York’s Abigail Asher apparently picked up an Egon Schiele for £4.2 million. Weirdly, a Picasso valued at £2.5 million failed to sell. This story was originally reported by Linda Sandler at Bloomberg.

News - Dutch in Talks To Return Artworks Seized During WWII - World

Toby Sterling of the Associated Press today reported that the Dutch government is currently deliberating on whether to return an art collection to the relatives of a Jewish dealer, whose assets were seized by the Nazis during the war. Prior to WWII, Jacques Goudstikker was a predominant art dealer. However, in light of the impending bloodshed, he left the country leaving some 1,300 works behind. Around 800 of these were seized by the Nazis and, while some were sold off, over 250 found new homes in various museums. These included masterpieces such as 'The Sacrifice of Iphigeneia' by Jan Steen and others, including a Salomon van Ruysdael landscape. The family has been told to expect a decision by Sunday.

News - Odd Couple: Basquiat and Reebok - World

There’s no doubt that there will be screams of sacrilege now that the estate of Jean Michel Basquiat has hooked up with Reebok to create a line of shoes called the ‘Reeboppers’ – a cringe-worthy name if ever there was one. The line is to be designed by those kings of combats, Maharishi – which is just as well, given that Reebok are about as mainstream as you can get. Supported by an international ad campaign, how these shoes will sell is anyone’s guess. One thing’s certain, reproducing one of the greatest artists we’ve know, onto a training shoe is, arguably, the antithesis of art.

News - Revealing Constable X-Ray - London

Dalya Alberge of The Times today reported that Constable’s iconic ‘View on the Stour near Dedham’ has been X-Rayed in preparation for the Tate’s upcoming summer exhibition ‘Constable: The Great Landscapes’. Importantly, the X-Ray revealed that the artist originally included two boys fishing as well as a young girl by the water’s edge. The figures were later painted out and replaced by a pair of boys sitting by the water.

Private View Review - James Hopkins - Hole In My Eye - Max Wigram Gallery - London

In an exhibition that plays with perspective and possibilities, James Hopkins is proving himself to be quite the clever guy. His second solo show, 'Hole In My Eye', at the Max Wigram Gallery (www.maxwigram.com), the only gallery known to man that actually allows smoking on their premises, comprises of seven different but strangely similar works. Fact is, the pieces exhibited are diverse, yet are clearly works from the same artist – Hopkins.

In the first room, ’Wibbly Wobbly Boogie’, a black grand piano, from the tripped-out world of curve, is topped by the fantastic ’Melting Mickey’. Made from slick, shiny acrylic, in familiar Disney-style primary colours, the piece folds onto its blue circular base. It’s a odd one to experience – this is so obviously Mickey Mouse, but from every angle, his shape is distorted. Positioned directly in front of these two works is the superb, oh so crafty, 'Prosperity and Decay', a work that follows from 2005’s 'Le Visage de Vanitas' and 'Shelf Life'. As with this duo, ‘Prosperity and Decay’ deals with ‘concealment and revelation’. The group of marble shelves, that hold the work together, are covered by a selection of bits and pieces. Old books by Coleridge and Scott, a roman numeral clock, chess board, mirror and empty Krug bottles, above which cheaper wines sit stoic. Who knows what Hopkins is suggesting with the old school classic Champagnes sitting demurely beneath the risen mainstream wines – whatever, he certainly leaves you pondering on a cultural point. Almost all the objects here have been cut into and broken up with great curved sweaps, shattering them neatly. As with so many great works, its only when you step away and view the work from afar, that its image, as a gaping skull, a fellow of the ‘Le Visage de Vanitas’ and ‘Shelf Life’, becomes apparent. And it’s superb. It’s a work that that’s clever, original, cunning and even peculiar.

The second room is filled by a further three works, ’Eye Glass', 'A Thousand Miles', and perhaps the strongest, 'In My Dream There Were Three Different Doors'. The sculpture, that’s - big surprise - made with three doors, is based on an ancient Japanese ontological puzzle. Once again it's pretty sassy in a rustic kind of way. Like the rest of 'Hole In My Eye' it leaves you wondering about time and space and all those things that are a luxury to think about.

Photos by Wayne Chisnall

News - Damien Hirst at the Serpentine - London

Damien Hirst is to curate a showing of pieces from his own collection at the Serpentine. He calls his collection, which is valued in excess of £6 million, the Murderme Collection. It includes works by Picasso, Jeff Koons and Andy Warhol, alongside fellow Brits, Sarah Lucas, Tracey Emin and Banksy.

News - Luton Museum Vs The Met - World

Martin Bailey of The Arts Newspaper has reported that ‘lil old Luton Museum is pitching against the mega-powered Metropolitain Museum to obtain a £750,000 Wenlok Tankard jug. The work dates from between the 14th and 15th century and was bought by London dealer Daniel Katz at auction last year. It would certainly be nice to see Luton get their mits on the work, especially since the Wentock’s associated with the piece both, ironically, once lived in, of all places, Luton.

News - Multi-Million Art Theft at Tycoon’s Home - UK

Property tycoon, Harry Hyams, the man who built London’s Centre Point, has become the story of the day – or rather yesterday, when the news that his Wiltshire home, Ramsbury Manor, had been burgled by ‘raffles-style’ thieves (white-gloved, a little like white collar criminals…). Hyams is a notorious recluse and is said to be worth £320 million. His art collection is famed – it’s about as exclusive at you can get. Sadly, it’s now rumoured that the thieves managed to abscond with several works including those by Picasso and Rembrandt. Needless to say, the burglary is said to be one of the biggest that Britain has known.

News - Van Gogh’s ‘L'Arlesienne, Madame Ginoux' to sell at Christie's - World

May will see much excitement at Christie's when Van Gogh’s ‘L'Arlesienne, Madame Ginoux’ goes under the hammer. The work, that dates from 1890, is worth around $40 million The work is particularly poignant as Van Gogh commited suicide within months of painting the portrait of the Cafe de la Gare barmaid. It will be sold alongside a $20 million Turner.

News - Hitler Finds Art Fame in Cornwall - UK

According to The Sunday Telegraph and Bloomberg’s Martin Gayford , if you were to stop off at Jeffery’s in Cornwall this March, you could pick up a bona fide Adolf Hitler painting. The works have been described as ‘cliched’ and ‘feeble’ (well, really, what did you expect…) and, by the sounds of things, should have stayed hidden in the Beligain attic where they were first discovered. However, the 21 watercolours are expected rope in some £100,000 – though whether or not the buyer will hang them, is altogether another matter. Last November, Jeffery’s sold a Hitler work for £5,200 from the same unnamed Belgian owner. Cornwall, Hitler and £100 grand. Go figure…

ASP Fact: In 1907, Hitler was turned down by Vienna School of Art