Fears for Afghanistan's heritage
Plus: Natural History Museum's ice rink axed
Hello, and a big warm museum-y welcome to the 16 new subscribers since the last edition.
What a week it’s been in the world. The devastating news from Afghanistan of course leads the news stories in today’s newsletter below. I’m sure like many of you it stirs vast emotions, and amongst many, many, many thoughts on the situation, it’s a reminder of the value of cultural heritage and what is potentially lost to the world when it’s at risk. And remember, museums and galleries play many roles but one is that they can simply offer a space for quiet contemplation. Something to consider for this weekend.
Don’t forget to catch up on my recent interview with the Director of the Hepworth Wakefield in which we celebrate the gallery’s tenth birthday.
Now let’s read on.
Maxwell
I need your help! If you enjoy this newsletter, please consider buying me a digital coffee. Every donation helps keep it free.
This week’s top story
The world has watched on in horror at the events unfolding in Afghanistan this week. Just one part of this massive story is the immediate concerns about what the Taliban’s return to power means for the country’s rich cultural heritage. The Art Newspaper
The last time Kabul was under the control of the Taliban, Afghanistan lost an estimated half of its cultural heritage. Amongst the most pressing fears are for the collection of the National Museum in Kabul - 70% of it was initially destroyed by the group’s last regime. The Museum’s director told ArtNet that so far there had been no looting, but revealed to the Telegraph that it was a nightmarish scramble to try and safeguard the objects after the police assigned to guard the site dissolved with the approach of Taliban forces. UNESCO have called for the protection and preservation of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage, warning that harming it could only have adverse consequences on lasting peace. For now, the world just continues to watch, and wait.
This week’s other news
A record 20 places are vying to named the UK City of Culture 2025. These include such illustrious urban conurbations as, er, CORNWALL and the 5,200 km² Powys county in rural Wales. I’ll be championing my hometown of the City of Wolverhampton. BBC News
Another U-turn from the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester. They’ve reversed their earlier decision to remove a pro-Palestine statement from their latest exhibition. It was originally removed after protests by several organisations claimed it was "provoking racial discord." But that decision prompted the exhibition’s creators Forensic Architecture to demand the show be shut down entirely. So now the text will be reinstated in its entirety. The Art Newspaper
The Natural History Museum is axing its much-loved Christmas ice rink. It’ll return for one last hurrah later this year, but from next year its site will be turned into a biologically diverse green space. Evening Standard
The majorly insta-friendly immersive art experience Superblue - which launched its first experiential art center in Miami this May - is bringing its high-tech spectacles to New York and London this autumn. You’re gonna wanna visit, trust me. ArtNet News
In other made-for-instagram museum news, NYC’s hugely popular Museum of Ice Cream opened its first international offshoot yesterday, in Singapore. Seems like they’ll be popping up all over the world, and although they are very much stretching the definition of ‘museum’ you know what, I’m here for it. Reuters
The City of Sin, Las Vegas, will see one of the most valuable auctions of Picasso work ever later this year. 11 paintings will go under the hammer in the glitzy and vast Bellagio hotel and casino where they are currently shown in their ‘Picasso restaurant.’ Who doesn’t love a bit of art razzmatazz. The Guardian
I need your help! If you enjoy this newsletter, please consider buying me a digital coffee. Every donation helps keep it free.