Laurence Stephen Lowry R.A. (1887-1976), A Northern Race Meeting, 1956, oil on canvas. Photo © Christie’s
It has been a busy month as the art world gets back into action post-summer… with incredible exhibitions, strange stories, historic announcements and viral controversies vying for our attention, here is the EzelDotz round of art industry headlines from the past month.
New Security Procedures at National Gallery
Following attacks on its artworks by protestors – five in the past two years – the National Gallery in London has implemented a new security policy. From this month, liquids will not be permitted in the gallery, with the exception of baby formula, expressed milk and prescription medicines. This follows the conviction of activists Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland in September. You can read our take on the debates over these protests in our recent blog:
Birmingham Museum Reopens After Four Year Closure
Residents and visitors in Birmingham have been looking forward to a partial reopening of the city’s famous museum, which has been closed since the covid lockdowns in 2020. The Grade II listed museum building, as well as other buildings in its complex, has been undergoing maintenance work for the past few years. However, the ‘phased’ reopening has now begun, with various exhibitions, historical attractions, and artworks available to view.
Exhibition on Colonialism at British Museum
The British museum has long garnered controversy over its display of objects that were taken from other countries following conquests and colonisation, with many recent debates including issues such as repatriation. In a new response, the British Museum has collaborated with Guyanese-British artist Hew Locke in an exhibition titled ‘What Have We Here?’ which features original works by Locke as well as recontextualised objects from the museum collection. According to the museum, the exhibition is intended to ‘challenge and question the histories and legacies of British imperialism.’
Turner Prize Shortlist Exhibition
We can find a continued theme of exploring complex cultural and colonial histories in the Turner Prize exhibition. Works by the shortlisted artists are now on display at Tate Britain, and will remain on view until February. The artists included are Pio Abad, Claudette Johnson, Jasleen Kaur and Delaine Le Bas. You can read more about the four exhibitions in our recent in-depth view:
Love for Lowry
LS Lowry, while fondly remembered as one of the Uk’s most popular – and most collectible – artists, seems to be having a revival. Stories in recent weeks have included reports of a significant tourism boost for the town of Berwick since a Lowry exhibition launched at the
Granary Gallery in May. Additionally, the famous ‘Going to the Match,’ which made headlines in 2022 after it was sold for a record £7.8 million, has started its regional tour. And on the sales front, two Lowry originals sold at Christies for a combined £1.8 million, drawing even more attention for the artist, and, hopefully, more attention for the ongoing exhibitions.
Inflatable (and Deflatable) Moon Turns Heads
Public art, with its wide reach and broad appeal, should always be in a headline round-up. This month we have seen both victory and tragedy for the artwork ‘Fallen Moon’ by Artist Luke Jerram. The artwork, a ten metre internally-lit hyper realistic moon, was installed at the recently regenerated Bridgwater docks on October 14th. The artwork was intended to remain on display until the beginning of November; unfortunately, Storm Ashley had other plans, and weather damage caused the artwork to deflate on October 20th. Before this sad ending however, the artwork had reportedly attracted over 10,000 visitors to the docks.
Artworks Found in Rubbish Bin
In the contemporary art world, where anything can be made into art (and vice versa) there is a running joke about artworks being mistaken for trash (or, again, vice versa.) However, this has sometimes rung a little too true, and the most recent case of mistaken identity occurred at a Dutch museum. The artwork, All The Good Times We Spent Together by French artist Alexandre Lavet, depicts two dented beer cans. It had been displayed in a lift as a ‘surprise’ for the visitors, according to the LAM museum in Lisse. An elevator mechanic, unaware of the intended immersive display, threw them out. The artworks were rescued and the mechanic was not blamed, which is more than fair; after all, the mistake might well be considered a compliment to the artist.
Death Mask Up For Sale
And finally, a macabre and perhaps seasonally-appropriate story: the death mask of famed artist Egon Schiel, who died in the Spanish Flu epidemic in 108, has been included in a sale at Sloane Street Auctions in London. The mask is attributed to Austrian artist Gustinus Ambrosi, who opened up Schiel’s coffin two days after his death to create the necessary mould. This auction listing has naturally caught the attention of anyone enjoying October as the spookiest month of the year…
