The Art Newspaper

Twenty one UK visual arts organisations have issued a collective manifesto calling on the future government of the United Kingdom to back the country’s ailing visual arts sector after the 4 July general election. The organisations—which include DACS (@dacsforartists ), Contemporary Visual Arts Network (@cvanlondon ), Art Fund (@artfund ), Gallery Climate Coalition (@galleryclimatecoalition ), Crafts Council (@craftscouncil ) and A-N (@anartistsinfo )—are calling for more investment in creative education in schools, closer links to Europe and protecting free entry to museums and galleries. The signatories have collectively outlined “a roadmap to sustain the visual arts for the long term”, says the joint manifesto. “Our galleries, studios, museums and visual artists face significant challenges that hinder their ability to survive and thrive,” adds the manifesto, which highlights the “critical role of the visual arts in the UK’s £126bn creative industries”. Tap the link in our bio to read more

Can museums thrive without government funding? In last week’s episode of The Week in Art Podcast - we spoke with Dale Berning Sawa, a contributor to The Art Newspaper who is also commissioning editor at the online news site The Conversation @theconversationdotcom Dale joined Ben Luke @benlukeart1 in reflecting on the effects on culture of 14 years of Conservative or Conservative-led governments, and what they and the other parties are promising regarding culture in their manifestos. Tap the link in our bio to listen to the full episode.

The UK general election on 4 July has repeatedly been cast as a reckoning. Since the Conservative party came to power in 2010, the country has faced one crisis after another. It is what the 2023 Turner Prize winner Jesse Darling homed in on with hazard tape, broken columns of reinforced concrete and kettling-style pedestrian barriers. His winning installation, Alex Farquharson, director of Tate Britain, said, was a “state of the nation” address, an assessment of modern Britain. The public spending cuts imposed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis severely impacted the provision of social housing, social care, and have been linked with ballooning NHS waiting lists. Covid, Brexit and the cost-of-living and energy crises have compounded this tumult, leaving more and more councils unable to fully fund their statutory duties, let alone discretionary, culture spending. When it comes to the art community, Mark Wallinger, another Turner Prize-winning artist, says, “the charge sheet for the Tories is lengthy”. He lists: “the loss of the arts as a central part of the school curriculum, the woeful underfunding of the arts (with art schools and museums struggling), the knock-on effects of Brexit, the continual sniping and threats to the BBC, the merry-go-round of different culture secretaries”. Tap the link in our bio to read more

The bus-stop Titian. It hardly has the same ring about it as The Longleat Titian, which Christie’s would rather we call it. But, perhaps inevitably, the sensational story of the theft, 29 years ago, of Titian’s The Rest on the Flight into Egypt (1508-10), and its later reappearance at a London bus shelter, has dominated the headlines as the auction house prepares to sell this exquisite early painting by the Venetian master, made at a pivotal moment in Titian’s career and in the history of the Renaissance. tap the link in our bio to read more

In this week’s episode of The Week in Art podcast: Arts and the UK election, ex-Uffizi head fails in Florence mayoral bid, Hank Willis Thomas at Glastonbury What a change in government might mean for the UK culture sector, a close look at Eike Schmidt’s unsuccessful campaign, and Willis Thomas discusses displaying his new afro pick sculpture at the world’s biggest music festival On Thursday 4 July, the UK will hold a general election, with the Labour party currently far ahead in the opinion polls. Dale Berning Sawa, a contributor to The Art Newspaper who is also commissioning editor at the online news site The Conversation, joins Ben Luke to reflect on the effects on culture of 14 years of Conservative or Conservative-led governments, and what they and the other parties are promising regarding culture in their manifestos. In Florence, Italy, the former director of the Uffizi galleries, the German Eike Schmidt, has lost the race to be mayor of the city. We speak to our correspondent in Italy, James Imam, to find out what happened. And this episode’s Work of the Week is All Power to All People by Hank Willis Thomas. This huge public sculpture depicting an Afro pick with a Black Power salute is at the Glastonbury festival, in a new initiative organised by the non-profit Level Ground, and we talk to Thomas about it. Hank Willis Thomas: All Power to All People, West Holts Stage, Glastonbury Festival, until 30 June. Tap the link in our bio to listen to the full episode @theconversationdotcom @benlukeart1 @eikesindaco

In this week’s episode of The Week in Art Podcast - we spoke with Dale Berning Sawa, a contributor to The Art Newspaper who is also commissioning editor at the online news site The Conversation @theconversationdotcom Dale joined Ben Luke @benlukeart1 in reflecting on the effects on culture of 14 years of Conservative or Conservative-led governments, and what they and the other parties are promising regarding culture in their manifestos. Tap the link in our bio to listen to the full episode.

14 Years of Tory Rule… by Mark Wallinger @mark_wallinger_mark We asked the Turner Prize-winning artist to create a work reflecting on the impact of 14 years of Tory rule on the arts, which we present here. To accompany the piece, he submitted a statement. It says: “The charge sheet for the Tories is lengthy: five hapless and useless leaders, austerity as ideology, NHS in crisis, food banks, hostile environment policy, Brexit, xenophobia, corruption, mendacity and incompetence during the pandemic, cronyism, partygate, water companies dumping sewage, rowing back on climate change commitments, the housing crisis, Grenfell victims still waiting for justice, cost of living crisis, maligning asylum seekers, Rwanda scheme, contempt for human rights, the post office scandal and Liz Truss, for heaven’s sake. As far as the arts community is concerned: the loss of the arts as a central part of the school curriculum, and the resultant inequality of opportunity for state educated students. The woeful underfunding of the arts (with art schools and museums struggling), the knock-on effects of Brexit, the continual sniping and threats to the BBC, the politicisation of public funding in the attempts to break down the arm’s length principle, the merry-go round of different culture secretaries.” – Mark Wallinger Tap the link in our bio for our analysis of the UK arts industry after a decade and a half of the Conservative Party in power

Today's top stories from across the art world: Antiquities & Archaeology: Laser scanning reveals lost Maya structures in forests of Campeche Museums: Art of the Ice Age has a lot to teach us—it’s time the British Museum dedicated a gallery to it @britishmuseum Openings: Gagosian will stage the gallery’s first exhibition in Seoul @gagosian Heritage: Jewish community raises funds to rescue Siena’s earthquake-damaged 18th-century synagogue The Insiders: From Athens to the island of Hydra: Greek odyssey beckons New York artists Diary: Barefoot Kendall Jenner gets the Louvre to herself Exhibitions: Barbie’s fantastic life in plastic is picked apart at the Design Museum @designmuseum Tap the link in our bio to subscribe to our Daily Newsletter for more

Book Club | Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life Accompanying the exhibition at The Hepworth Wakefield from 22 June to 3 November 2024, a new monograph by Thames & Hudson explores Moody’s legacy and impact through his key artistic relationships, networks and influences Ronald Moody (1900–1984) was a leading modernist sculptor and yet, until now, there has been no comprehensive overview of his work. This biography explores the development of his sculpture, re-establishing his place within the story of 20th-century art. Contributions by those who knew him – Paul Dash, David A. Bailey, Cynthia Moody, Errol Lloyd and Val Wilmer – punctuate Ego Ahaiwe Sowinski’s biographical account. Tap the link in our bio to subscribe to our book club newsletter, along with an exclusive 25% discount on this new release from Thames & Hudson @thamesandhudson @hepworthwakefield

Today's top stories from across the art world - Sotheby’s Modern and contemporary sale in London nets a tepid £83.6m and prompts question—is the summer auction season over? @sothebys - Cancelling Kehinde Wiley shows ‘does a disservice to the audiences’, anti-censorship group claims @kehindewiley - Stedelijk Museum restitutes Matisse Odalisque to Jewish arts patrons’ heirs @stedelijkmuseum - ‘Art gives you something to hold on to’: Dutch museum launches dementia-friendly programme @kunstmuseum.nl - Sotheby's shakes up senior level staff in Asia and Europe @sothebys - Francis Alÿs shows that child’s play is a serious business @francis_alys_official @barbicancentre - A piece of the action: museum partnership in New York invites visitors to take home fragments of digital artworks @movingimagenyc tap the link in our bio to read more

The UK artist Jonathan Yeo caused a splash recently with his rather rubicund portrayal of King Charles III which drew mixed responses (the portrait, unveiled 14 May, shows Charles wearing the uniform of the Welsh Guards, bathed in red). Yeo has now turned his attention to another pillar of British society—the veteran natural history broadcaster David Attenborough. The work was unveiled on the BBC's The One Show (25 June). Yeo said he opted for an "ambiguous natural green background", as if the 98-year-old "might be emerging from one of the many habitats he has captured on film during his career”. In an Instagram post, Yeo adds that he will “no longer have an excuse to bask in his brilliant, charismatic and entertaining company”. Contributors on social media seem to like the depiction. “Thank you for capturing a national treasure’s true spirit,” wrote a fan on Instagram.

Today's top stories from across the art world - ‘God Save the Team’: artist Corbin Shaw seeks to reframe divisive Saint George flag through message of unity @corbinshaww @matthewjholman - Stretchmarks and all: motherhood and its complexities explored in two UK surveys @loubuck01 - Siena's Baptismal font—decorated with Donatello reliefs—unveiled after three-year restoration - Non! Artist Shepard Fairey criticises France’s far-right party president for featuring his work in campaign films @obeygiant @garethharr - As winner of renamed ABS Digital Art Prize is announced, have we reached a turning point for conversations around NFTs and culture? @rvig.art - Oyster sculptures and whale songs: exhibition on Governors Island explores the role of extraction in climate change @jennykendler @afkfineart - Mitchell-Innes & Nash will shutter Chelsea gallery and shift business model @miandn @reporterfield - Right-wing director of Warsaw contemporary art centre ousted by culture minister - Ex-Uffizi chief Eike Schmidt loses bid to become Mayor of Florence @garethharr Tap the link in our bio to read more