News: Keith Haring on your kicks
Plus V&A back on the box and Hollywood dogs exhibition
friday briefing - 15 January 2021
Happy Friday! And a huge welcome to the 29 new subscribers since my last edition on Tuesday. If you missed it (including my interview with former culture minister Lord Vaizey), you can read it here.
Every Friday I bring you the latest news from the world of museums and art. I’m always on the hunt for stories to tell you all, so if you have an exciting project you’re working on, or you’ve spotted something you think the many hundreds of maxwell museums readers would love, then drop me a line on maxwellmuseums1@gmail.com.
For now, let’s dive in to this week’s news!
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Keith on your kicks. Dr. Martens have pulled another blinder of an artist collaboration out of the bag, as Keith Haring’s wonderful illustrations will appear on a new range of their iconic footwear. ARTNews
“shameful vandalism and desecration.” After last week’s insurrection at the US Capitol (who’d have thought that would’ve been a sentence anyone would write), the leaders of the Met in New York issue a hugely punchy statement condemning the “treasonous rioters.” The Art Newspaper
History in the making. Meanwhile, the Smithsonian in Washington DC is already collecting objects from the US Capitol riots. CNN
Bye bye in Brum. Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is not going to reopen in 2021 “while essential electrical upgrade work” takes place. When they reopen, they’ll also have ditched the hang in the famous Round Room for something more ‘21st century.’ What’s On Midlands
Lookin’ Natty. The most genius PR stunt of the year….*cough* I mean, “world’s most expensive ever art work,” has been installed at New York City's Grand Central Terminal. It’s been created by a beer company. I don’t hate it. Forbes
2 million down. It’s no surprise, but it’s still sad to see. Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum had its lowest attendance in over half a century in 2020 due to covid closures, with just 675,000 people coming through the door. Artnet News
Back on the box. The V&A in London nabs what Alan Partridge couldn’t, and get a second series of their BBC Two prime time TV show, Secrets of the Museum. Telly Mix
Closed. The Thomas Heatherwick-designed Vessel structure in New York City has been shut indefinitely due to a third suicide in a year. Dezeen
Le Lotus Bleu. A new world record has been set for the most expensive comic book artwork ever sold. The hammer came down on a rejected Tintin cover for a cool £2.8 million. The Guardian
Top dogs. The dogs of Hollywood are getting their own exhibition. That’s it, that’s the story. Time Out New York
and a bonus read…
Wonder Woman is back (again) and she’s a curator - and not a very good one at that it seems. Hyperallergic this week offered a takedown on why the latest film Wonder Woman 1984 is a farcical depiction of a museum worker, due to her blatant disregard for the most basic of museum procedures. And from the sound of it, wealthy donors don’t come out of it much better either.
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