Daniel Grant

NFTnews

Washington becomes first US state to tax NFTs

Although taxing non-fungible tokens is tricky because of uncertainty over where they are sourced, other states look set to follow Washington’s lead

What does New York’s abrupt winding back of auction house regulations mean for the art market?

The houses say they will not change their practices, but the move could mean more opaque bidding and guarantees

Inside the US military’s vast but rarely seen art collection

Many works depict enlisted soldiers’ day-to-day routine while some are even anti-war

Art marketanalysis

Experts fear New York City slashing auction house regulations could erode collector trust and confidence

As the city council cuts auction regulations, the houses say they will not change their practices, but the prospect of more opaque bidding and guarantees may prove irresistible

Looted Roman bust, bought from Texas secondhand store for $34.99, will be returned to Germany

The first-century marble sculpture, likely stolen by an Allied soldier during the Second World War, will go on view at the San Antonio Museum of Art before being repatriated to Bavaria

'The only way to stop the bleeding is to stop writing policies': climate change is making it more expensive to insure art

Global warming’s effects are impacting collectors’ bank accounts, especially in disaster-prone states like California and Florida where risky conditions have become the norm

Artist sues grocery store chain for unauthorised use of his mural in Super Bowl commercial narrated by Oprah Winfrey

The lawsuit, a re-filing of a case that originated in 2019, revolves around a commercial that prominently features a mural artist Chris Williams made in Des Moines, Iowa

Unlike paintings and sculptures, site-specific art lacks protection under US law

Recent disputes over the dismantling, relocation or recontextualizing of site-specific works have underlined the limited protections for such art

US museums revise Covid-19 safety measures amid Omicron surge, some requiring high-quality masks

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the Harvard Art Museums have banned cloth masks, requiring visitors wear more robust face coverings, while other museums ponder new restrictions as cases skyrocket

Amid frenzied evacuation from Kabul, US embassy’s art is quietly shipped home

While many people with links to US military were left behind, State Department had arranged for art collection to leave Afghanistan

Antiquities trade should prepare for more government oversight

US Treasury Department issues a call for input on forthcoming regulation that aims to counter money laundering

US Copyright Office suggests Congress pass new laws to protect artists from state infringement

A string of court cases have allowed states to claim sovereign immunity when they have used images without permission, giving copyright holders cause for concern and few options for remedy

Lawnews

North Carolina film-maker’s copyright case against the state revived after Supreme Court denial

A district court will now consider whether Rick Allen’s footage of a pirate ship salvage operation was unjustly taken by state officials

Vermont Law School can hide a mural that offended students behind a wall, court rules

A 1993 painting of the state’s historic role on the Underground Railroad depicts Black slaves as caricatures, while white abolitionists are idealised

Lawnews

New York Supreme Court permanently bans gallery from showing ‘distorted’ image of artist’s work

Pat Lipsky had sued Spanierman Gallery under the 1980 Artist Authorship Rights Act for digitally manipulating a photograph of her Color Field painting Bright Music II

Lawnews

Colour balance: painter Pat Lipsky sues over digitally ‘distorted’ images of her work

The artist says photographs of her canvas Bright Music II, offered for sale online, have been altered beyond recognition as her work

Mystic’s Maritime Art Gallery to close as marine art takes a dive

The market for seascapes has plunged and younger generations are scuttling galleries’ hopes for a new collector base

Lawnews

Court dismisses Cady Noland’s lawsuit against collector and dealers who conserved Log Cabin sculpture

The conceptual artist, who disavowed the work, claimed that replacing materials without her consent violated the US Visual Artists Rights Act

Hobby Lobby sues Christie’s for selling it an antiquity authorities say was looted

The auction house knew that the provenance of an ancient cuneiform tablet inscribed with the Epic of Gilgamesh was made up, lawsuit claims

US copyright law comes under scrutiny as new legislation makes its way before Congress

A planned new mediation system, which aims to streamline copyright breach claims in the US, has loopholes that could deny artists justice, critics say

Lawnews

Supreme Court rules film-maker cannot sue North Carolina for copyright infringement

Opinion finds Congress overstepped its authority with 1990 federal statute, but allowed for a new law to "stop states from behaving as copyright pirates"

America's virtual museums take on new significance as Covid-19 lockdown deepens

Art Institute of Chicago and Smithsonian are among institutions that have embraced technology, and more are set to ramp up their efforts

Building on credit: why museums like Lacma use bonds to fund ambitious expansions

Being rated by a credit agency can help an institution secure support for costly construction projects—and avoid over-extending itself

Lawnews

Artist's copyright infringement suit heads to US Supreme Court

North Carolina used film director’s images without obtaining his permission or compensating him

Peabody Essex Museum turns to neuroscience

Newly appointed researcher, Tedi Asher, wants to “slow down” visitors

Trinity Church sued by sculptor over 9/11 work removed from courtyard

Steve Tobin filed a complaint under the Visual Artists Rights Act saying the church violated his moral rights

Bipartisan bill to remove hurdles for heirs seeking Holocaust-era art

The legislation, sponsored by presidential hopeful Ted Cruz among others, comes as the race for the US election heats up

Guns at auction

What happens after you place the winning bid on an antique rifle?

Warhol "Marilyn" tapestry on show in Oxford for the first time since 1968

This will be the first call for a tapestry by the artist for the Andy Worhal Museum

Western dealers push for trade sanctions against Iran to be repealed

Galleries and artists see improvement after temporary relaxations were implemented to discourage nuclear proliferation