Controversies

Art and activist body a/political to open London space with exhibition by Russian artist facing trial over sex video

Pyotr Pavlensky has been ordered to stand trial in France over leaked sex videos that brought down a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron

Former trustees of Florida museum claim they were kept unaware of FBI’s interest in allegedly fake Basquiats

Trustees who say they were summarily dismissed over email as retaliation claim that the board chair concealed information about an FBI subpoena months before the Basquiat exhibition opened

Artist and poet Ashraf Fayadh is freed after more than eight years in Saudi prisons

A religious court sentenced him to death for blasphemy in 2015. Saudi artist Ahmed Mater says times have changed and this would be unlikely to happen today

Russian guard who doodled eyes on $1m painting sentenced as scrutiny of museum intensifies

Aleksandr Vasiliev had used a ballpoint pen to draw eyes on the stylised figures in a painting by avant-garde artist Anna Leporskaya

Orlando Museum of Art leaders resign amid scandal over allegedly fake Basquiats

The museum's board chair and its recently appointed interim director have both resigned as the fallout from an FBI raid in June continues

Iraqi artists remove their works from Berlin Biennale over Abu Ghraib photography row

Sajjad Abbas, Raed Mutar and Layth Kareem say curators "prioritise the display of wrongly imprisoned Iraqis"

Dead pigs, guts and crucifixion: an intense encounter with Nitsch's epic performance about creation

This version of the late artist's 6-Day Play is a "toned down" iteration of the 1998 original—but it felt primal, real and morbidly beautiful

‘Three-metre phallus’: Antony Gormley sculpture with ‘ambiguous anatomy’ falls foul of university students

Imperial College Union has released a motion to prevent the work's installation saying it could be considered "exclusionary"

Twitter storm erupts over Ukrainian president's Vogue photoshoot with Annie Leibovitz

Some say the images, alongside First Lady Olena Zelenska, are in poor taste as the battle with Russia continues while others argue it will promote Ukraine's cause

Documenta's director steps down over antisemitism scandal

Sabine Schormann's decision to resign as head of the Kassel exhibition was supported by a number of leading German politicians

Basquiat expert denies she authenticated disputed paintings the FBI seized from Florida museum

Jordana Moore Saggese, a professor at the University of Maryland, wrote in a statement that her evaluation of the discredited works mischaracterised by the Orlando Museum of Art exhibition organisers

Hito Steyerl withdraws from Documenta 15 amid antisemitism scandal

The influential German artist cited the handling of antisemitism charges and staff working conditions among the reasons for her decision

Documenta will now come under greater government control in light of fresh antisemitism accusations, Germany's culture minister says

Jewish groups call for the exhibition director's dismissal following removal of controversial banner work by Indonesian collective Taring Padi

There is a ‘deal to be done’ with Greece over Parthenon Marbles, says British Museum chairman George Osborne

The comments from the former chancellor signals dramatic shift in museum’s policy and attitude ahead of planned protests this weekend

Politicscomment

Partygate: debaucherous celebrations captured by artists through the ages

As Sue Gray report detailing the British government's breach of lockdown rules is published, we look at similar scenes in art history

Booksreview

The enigma of Philip Guston: two books unpack artist's fascination with dualities

Coinciding with opening of controversially postponed Guston show, these publications are vital to grasping the artist's contribution to post-war American art

Magnum photographer defends images of teenage gang rape victim after humanitarian organisation removes them from website

After controversy on social media surrounding Newsha Tavakolian’s photographs of East Congo, Médecins Sans Frontières announces internal review

America's racial reckoning: inside the controversial Guston show

Plus, London's new Queer Britain museum and a rediscovered work by Caterina Angela Pierozzi

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Museum ethics organisation criticises ‘forced resignation’ of Manchester gallery director

Cimam is demanding "greater clarity" over the reasons for Alistair Hudson’s proposed removal

Oscar Murillo among slew of artists to pull out of Manchester show in protest at treatment of reportedly ousted director

More than 20 artists have withdrawn from British Art Show 9 in support of "political freedom, and artistic expression in cultural institutions and universities across the UK"

Manchester gallery director forced out over Palestine statement in exhibition

Alistair Hudson, head of the Whitworth, leaves over text in Forensic Architecture's show last year

Making fun of mental health? Van Gogh ‘earaser’ and ‘tortured artist’ soap removed from Courtauld gift shop

London gallery says it never meant to "present an insensitive or dismissive attitude" to mental health issues

Tatenews

Tate to commission artist to 'critically engage' with racist imagery in Tate Britain restaurant mural

Rex Whistler’s 1927 artwork includes scenes of a Black child being enslaved and caricatures of Chinese figures

Russianews

Russian guard who doodled on $1m painting speaks out: ‘I’m a fool, what have I done!’

The 63-year-old injured war veteran spoke to Russian news outlet E1, which describes the incident as a tragedy not a comedy

Russian gallery guard charged after drawing eyes on avant-garde painting with ballpoint pen

Work by Anna Leporskaya from the 1930s is undergoing restoration after "lapse in sanity" by museum employee during first day on the job

Have archaeologists discovered Captain Cook's ship Endeavour? Experts in the US and Australia fight it out

The director of Sydney’s Australian National Maritime Museum announced that he is "convinced" it is the long-lost vessel, while the director of Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project says the findings are not conclusive

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts settles dispute with its former director

Nathalie Bondil, who was fired in 2020, was seeking $1.5m in moral and punitive damages from the museum’s board

Boris Johnson accused of corruption after backing exhibition proposed by a Conservative party donor

Former Tory Vice Chairman David Brownlow provided funds for a controversial makeover of Johnson's flat at 11 Downing Street