Controversies

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

Swiss parliament urged to take action on Nazi-looted art amid Kunsthaus Zurich controversy

Zurich museum's displays of the collection of arms dealer Emil Georg Bührle have prompted criticism and a national debate

Catholic church's proposed redesign of Notre Dame interior provokes outrage

Plans to revamp the fire-ravaged cathedral with contemporary art and multilingual projections of Bible quotes have been compared to Disneyland

Monumentscomment

Letter | Would you keep public monuments honouring the late Jimmy Savile?

No one would argue that removing statues of the sex criminal is “cancelling culture”, yet this logic is routinely used to defend monuments of slavers, argues one of The Art Newspaper's readers

Sasha Simic

'Taliban-like minority working to undermine the Western world': uproar after French Academy in Rome moves to remove tapestries linked to colonialism

After a media campaign, French art historians and scholars sign a petition accusing the Villa Medici of "cancelling culture"

Tate Britain director defends museum against accusations of ‘cancelling Hogarth’

Critics round on exhibition’s alternative interpretations of Hogarth paintings, describing them as "wokeish drivel"

London museum wants to move controversial slaver statue to 'less prominent space'

Museum of the Home trustees vote to relocate the sculpture after UK government pressured them to keep it

Humboldt Forum to remove medallion honouring far-right donor

Ehrhardt Bödecker’s family requested the removal after his “militaristic, anti-democratic and in some respects, radically right-wing and antisemitic” views became public