Duke of Edinburgh dies
Museums begin to pay tribute to His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Today’s newsletter comes to you as the news of the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh has just been announced. It a sad day for the Royal Family and for Britain, and my thoughts are with them and HM The Queen.
Museums have been paying tribute. The British Museum will fly the flag at half-mast. Historic Royal Palaces join “millions of people across the country in mourning.” The V&A say he was a “long-standing supporter and champion of British design and creativity” and “leaves behind a remarkable legacy.” The Science Museum Group reflects on Prince Philip’s warm relationship with their museums in a blog.
Here’s this week’s news.
This week’s top story
President Macron is being urged to oust the head of the Louvre. Jean-Luc Martinez is seeking to be reappointed (with the President having the final say) when his second term in charge ends next week. But detractors accuse Martinez of turning the institution into a “museum for tourists,” cheapening the brand with commercial deals and many didn’t like that he let Beyoncé film a video in the galleries. French newspaper Le Figaro described opponents as unleashing “a downpour of stink-bombs” on the Director. The Art Newspaper (this detailed report on the criticisms is well worth a read).
Why it matters
This is yet another front in the long-fought war between traditionalists and modernisers in museums and galleries. The problem for the traditionalists is that they’ve ultimately lost the war, even if they may win this battle. Museums are moving (albeit slowly) into the 21st century, realising that they can’t ignore social media or the need to raise commercial revenue. But the question is, if Jean-Luc Martinez is removed, what does that do to his successor’s ability to fill the museum’s 90 million euros financial blackhole caused by the pandemic? The traditional work of the museum still needs to be paid for.
The always excellent Yinka Shonibare CBE will coordinate this year’s Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy, which will take place, in er, Autumn. Evening Express
The Museum of Brexit has been awarded charitable status. Now it needs to raise £1m to make it a reality. The Guardian
Unions have claimed it’s “cultural vandalism” to slash the opening hours of Southend’s five museums, and say it could lead to job losses. Echo News
A fire broke out at the National Museum Cardiff yesterday. It’s every museum lover’s worst nightmare but thankfully, no one was hurt and no collections were damaged. Wales Online
Has the NFT bubble burst already? Average prices for the inescapable non-fungible tokens, that prove you own digital artworks, have crashed almost 70% from a peak in February. Bloomberg
An absolutely remarkable spectacle took place in Cairo at the weekend, as nearly two dozen royal mummies were paraded through the streets in individual climate-controlled golden trucks. They were being taken to their new home of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and this made-for-TV spectacle was part of efforts to attract foreign tourists. It must be seen to be believed, so watch it below. Associated Press
The landmark loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to Britain may be off as its condition has been found to be worse than thought. Museums Association
The Centre Pompidou may be closing its Paris home for three years for major renovations, but plans are being made to continue to show the collection at other sites. ART News
A new documentary claims to reveal why the world’s most expensive painting - the $450m Salvator Mundi - was an unexpected no-show at the Louvre’s 2019 blockbuster da Vinci exhibition. The film alleges that it was due to be the star artwork of the show, but the French government refused to bow to pressure from the painting’s Saudi owners to present it as “100 percent Leonardo da Vinci.” A diplomatic spat then ensured between Paris and Riyadh. Absolutely fascinating. Middle East Eye
A giant sculpture of Sesame Street’s Big Bird will be installed on the roof of the Met in New York next week. Except blue, not yellow. Yes really. The Art Newspaper
Australia’s most famous passenger train the Ghan has been turned into a moving work of art. Three carriages of the luxurious sleeper have been transformed by Aboriginal artist Chantelle Mulladad, and the inside has been turned into an immersive light installation. See it for yourself in the video below. Now, where do I buy my tickets? nine.com.au
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