National Gallery Singapore’s ‘Tropical: Stories From Southeast Asia and Latin America’ melds diverse art histories with works by Frida Kahlo and Helio Oiticica. Sotheby’s secures $310M in a landmark contemporary art sale. In legal realms, the Orlando Museum of Art faces controversy over Basquiat forgeries. Objectifs celebrates 20 years of visual storytelling, while Lagos hosts West Africa’s largest art fair, ART X, showcasing Nigeria’s vibrant art scene.
National Gallery Singapore Unveils Ambitious Blockbuster Exhibition
More than 200 paintings, sculptures, recorded performances and installations can be found this week at the opening of Tropical: Stories From Southeast Asia and Latin America, including works by world famous artists such as Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. As the name suggests, the exhibition aims to bridge art histories in the Latin American region with that of Southeast Asia, bringing together very different works to discuss issues of colonialism and imperialism throughout the two regions’ timelines. Some notable works include Helio Oiticica’s Tropicalia, an immersive environment consisting of potted plants, sand, makeshift structures and even two live macaws from Brazil.
Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Auction Rakes in $310M
Just this Wednesday, the art auction titan Sotheby’s wrapped up two nights of contemporary art sales, which earned them an impressive combined $310 million dollars (inclusive of fees). Though the total sales were not as high as some expected, new records were still set for a number of promising artists, including Marina Perez Simao, Mohammed Sami, Julie Mehretu, Barkley Hendricks, Barbara Chase-Riboud, Ad Reinhardt and Amy Sillman.
Ex-Museum Director Claims False Termination in Basquiat Forgery Case
Aaron De Groft has filed a countersuit against the Orlando Museum of Art after being terminated over a series of allegedly forged Basquait paintings. The museum had previously been subject to a FBI subpoena for records over the contested paintings in 2021, but went ahead with the exhibition anyway, leading to an FBI raid of the premises in which all 25 Basquiat canvases were seized. De Groft claims that he had been unfairly scapegoated for the raid, seeking over $50,000 for wrongful termination, defamation and breach of contract.
Objectifs Celebrates 20th Anniversary
The veteran photography and film centre Objectifs is celebrating its 20th Anniversary with the opening of a new exhibition, titled ‘Making Space: Objectifs Turns 20’. The month-long show presents different moments from the centre’s complex history, including the various artists and local communities it has engaged with. The exhibition runs concurrently with Objectif’s print fundraiser, which seeks to support the expansion of its physical premises in March 2024.
See More: https://www.objectifs.com.sg/making-space-objectifs-turns-20/
Biggest Art Fair in West Africa Kicks off in Lagos
The largest city in Nigeria will play host to the eight edition of ART X, the largest art fair in West Africa. This event falls under the Lagos’ Art Month, an unofficial series of exhibitions, events, parties and art events, drawing art lovers from the continent and the rest of the world. For the past few years, Nigeria has found itself home to a growing generation of diverse artists, curators and gallerists, who have worked hard to grow the nation’s presence in the African art market.
See more: https://www.northernpublicradio.org/2023-11-15/the-booming-african-art-scene-congregates-at-the-biggest-art-fair-in-west-africa image Art X Lagos 2019
