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- UK culture ministry faces a series of challenges under new prime minister, Andy Burnham.
- An artist who spent $100,000 of his own money making a statue of Charlie Kirk is struggling to sell and exhibit the work.
- How does artwork pricing work, and how do you know if you’re getting a good deal?
The Headlines
NO REST FOR THE WICKED. As the Art Newspaper reports, the new culture ministry of the UK’s freshly anointed prime minister, Andy Burnham, has inherited a packed in-tray, with the future of Arts Council funding, the rise of AI, and mounting pressures on the UK’s creative industries among its biggest challenges. The incoming government will also need to address the sustainability of arts organizations across the country. With museums, galleries, and artists facing increasing financial pressures, the department’s decisions could shape the country’s cultural landscape for years to come.
NOWHERE TO SHOW. New York sculptor Sergio Furnari spent $100,000 of his own money making a life-size statue of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, but said he has struggled to find buyers or financial backing. The Guardian reports that Furnari, who plans to display the sculpture in Times Square, said he hoped it could raise millions and serve as a statement about free speech and commemoration. Instead, he has faced criticism online, including threats of vandalism, and has raised only a fraction of his fundraising goal. The artist said he is still determined to exhibit the work, despite controversy surrounding Kirk’s political views and the statue’s uncertain future.
The Digest
How does artwork pricing work, and how do you know if you’re getting a good deal? Artsy tries to answer these questions. [Artsy]
The McMichael Canadian Art Collection will shut its doors for three years from July 26 to begin a major redevelopment of its building and grounds, marking the start of a landmark transformation for the Ontario museum. [CBC]
Cultured has chosen 10 exhibitions that are worth catching in the Hamptons before the summer’s up. The list includes a Robert Nava solo show at the Peter Marino Art Foundation. [Cultured]
Could you survive a Victorian workhouse? A museum in Ripon, UK, is asking this question—after a £2.8 million revamp—by offering visitors an immersive glimpse into Britain’s harsh history of poverty and welfare. [Museums Association]
Frieze Sculpture is returning to Regent’s Park this fall with 11 international artists transforming the English gardens into an open-air gallery. [Frieze]
The Kicker
ARTISTE MAUDIT. A new handmade video game has turned one artist’s life story into an interactive artwork. Bub, created by artist Case Jernigan and designer Todd Anderson, combines stop-motion animation, paper craft, and gameplay to follow a New York artist confronting creativity, childhood memories, and illness. The game takes players through a dreamlike world of cut paper, paint, and found materials. The Guardian reported that it draws on Jernigan’s own experience, including his diagnosis with multiple sclerosis and fears of losing his ability to make art.