The Best and Worst of the Art World This Week in One Minute

See what you missed.

Shantell Martin. Photo Jared Siskin, ©Patrick McMullan.

BEST
Even famous artists sometimes have a sense of humor, as Anish Kapoor demonstrated when he joined in a playful feud with a relatively unknown artist who’s been trolling him.

On another bright note, artists sometimes win victories against billion-dollar companies, as Shantell Martin showed us in her copyright infringement beef with clothier Lane Bryant.

There are plenty of great shows to see across Europe, and we’ve rounded up the top 20.

Women still can’t be priests in the Catholic Church, but they can now be directors of the Vatican Museums: Barbara Jatta takes the reins as the first woman in that post.

As we look back on a year marked by the loss of artists like David Bowie, Prince, and Leonard Cohen, we find the bright spots with our most memorable artworks of the year.

Kimberley Motley, the international human rights attorney representing El Sexto, was arrested in Havana on Friday, December 16. Image courtesy Pollock Fine Art.

Kimberley Motley, the international human rights attorney representing El Sexto, was arrested in Havana on Friday, December 16. Image courtesy Steven Pollock, Pollock Fine Art.

WORST
Who have been among the art world’s most mischievous malefactors in 2016? Check out our list of who’s getting coal in their stockings.

Was there a criminal conspiracy by the Belgian Secretary of State against the director of the Royal Museums? Judge for yourself.

A Serbian politician demonstrated that he’s about fifty years behind the curve when he branded Pop art a “fad.”

Tragedy struck when a terrorist gunned down Russia’s ambassador to Turkey at an exhibition opening.

Cuba repaid America’s moves toward rapprochement with contempt, arresting American human rights attorney Kimberly Motley, who represents Cuban activist artist El Sexto.


Follow Artnet News on Facebook:


Want to stay ahead of the art world? Subscribe to our newsletter to get the breaking news, eye-opening interviews, and incisive critical takes that drive the conversation forward.
Article topics