Art News

Art News

Bonhams Latest Canadian Art Sale Tops $1M

LONDON.- Bonhams Sale of Canadian Art on November 30th made a total of CAD $1,046,670 with 86.5% sold by value. Top picture in the sale was Lot 223, a James Wilson Morrice (1865-1924) titled “On the March in France”, circa 1918.’ It stormed past its pre-sale estimate of CAD $80,000 -120,000 to make CAD$204,000. The Canadian landscape painter JW Morrice was the inspiration behind the alcoholic poet Cronshaw in Somerset Maugham’s “Of Human Bondage”. Morrice is widely considered to be the first great Canadian painter, if also an archetype for the booze-drenched bohemians of the Belle Époque. A man of independent means, he trained as a lawyer in Montreal before leaving Canada for Paris. There he spent the better part of his working life and came into association with the likes of Maugham, Matisse, Gauguin and Clive Bell. Despite briefly abandoning France at the outbreak of hostilities, Morrice was commissioned by Lord Bea

Art News

Spectacular Collection of Dresses on View at the National Gallery of Victoria

MELBOURNE.- Opening in December, the National Gallery of Victoria will present a spectacular collection of works in “Drape: Classical Mode to Contemporary Dress”. The exhibition will feature over 30 works primarily drawn from the NGV’s holdings of fashion and textiles, as well as key loans. Sculpture, paintings, decorative arts and photography, from antiquity to the present day

Art News

“ARTIST ROOMS 2010 Tour” Announced – 21 Exhibitions from Llandudno to Fort William

LONDON.- 21 British museums and galleries from Llandudno to Fort William will be able to show masterpieces of contemporary art in 2010 thanks to ARTIST ROOMS, Anthony d’Offay’s gift to the nation made in 2008. The “ARTIST ROOMS 2010 Tour” has been made possible by The Art Fund and is supported by the Scottish Government. Held jointly by National Galleries of Scotland and Tate, “ARTIST ROOMS” is the largest public gift of art to museums in UK history. The collection has now been enhanced by artists and collectors who have made significant donations to the scheme including: Ed Ruscha, “The Music From the Balconies” 1984 – donated by the artist • Ian Hamilton Finlay– Idylls End in Thunderstorms

Art News

High to Premiere New Exhibition of Works by American Photographer Peter Sekaer

ATLANTA, GA.- The High Museum of Art will premiere the first major exhibition dedicated to the work of the Danish-born American photographer Peter Sekaer in June 2010. Consisting of approximately 75 vintage gelatin silver prints, several of which have never been on public view, the works in this exhibition span the years 1935 through 1945, and represent the first comprehensive assessment of Sekaer’s life and work in photography. The majority of works in the exhibition are new acquisitions—giving the High the largest museum holding of Sekaer’s photographs in the United States —complemented by selected loans from other public collections and the artist’s estate. Organized by the High, “Signs of Life: Photographs by Peter Sekaer” will be on view from June 5, 2010, to January 9, 2011. “While Peter Sekaer is not a household name, his photographs are among the finest produced in the Depression era

Art News

Utah Museum of Fine Arts Appoints New Director of Development and External Relations

SALT LAKE CITY, UT.- The Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) announced Ms. Lisa A. Arnette as the institution’s new Director of Development and External Relations. Arnette assumed her new position at the Museum on November 23, 2009. A highly motivated professional with over 19 years of comprehensive development experience, Arnette is no stranger to Museum management or nonprofit fundraising. From 1998 to 2003, she served as a development officer at the Utah Museum of Natural History (UMNH) on the University of Utah campus, where she was responsible for overseeing all aspects of fundraising and membership, including raising funds for the UMNH capital campaign for a new facility. After a successful tenure at the UMNH, Arnette accepted a position as Director of Advancement at Judge Memorial Catholic High School, where she built a thriving development program. Arnette’s time at Judge resulted in an 89% increase in annual

Art News

Sale of George Washington Letter Could Set Record

NEW YORK, NY (REUTERS).- A signed four-page letter from George Washington to his nephew is expected to break sales records in one of two manuscript auctions at Christie’s in New York this week. The letter, which will be sold on Friday, could fetch up to $2.5 million dollars which would smash the previous record of $834,500 set in 2002 for a Washington document. The letter by the first president of the United States was written from Mount Vernon, Washington’s home for more than 45 years, on November 9, 1787. “It is far and away the most significant and the richest in terms of content,” of Washington’s letters, said Chris Coover, an expert at Christies. This is the first time the letter has been publicly exhibited, although it has already been reproduced. In the letter, Washington shared his firm support for the ratification of the American Constitution. “The letter is one of the most explicit and strongly worded letters regardi

Art News

Nelson-Atkins Mourns Loss of Board Chair Harry C. McCray, Jr.

KANSAS CITY, MO.- The Board of Trustees and staff members of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art are deeply saddened by the loss this past weekend of Harry C. McCray, Jr., Chair of the Board since May 1. McCray died Saturday, Nov. 28, after an intense struggle with cancer. “Harry will be missed very much,” said Marc F. Wilson, the Menefee D. and Mary Louise Blackwell Director/CEO of the Nelson-Atkins. “As I think about our future, I am profoundly grateful for all he did to bring us to where we are today.” McCray was chairman of the board of McCray Lumber Co., Kansas City, and was a philanthropic leader of the community. He was devoted to supporting the Nelson-Atkins for many years, including his roles as chair of the Museum’s Society of Fellows, the Steering Committee for the Business Council, and the Trustee Development Committee, serving as co-chair of the Major Gifts Subcommittee. He was also chair

Art News

Museum in San Diego Announces New Qualcomm Grant to Continue Free Admission

SAN DIEGO, CA.- The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego announced Qualcomm’s continued sponsorship of the 25 and under free admission program for another two years. Thanks to this generous support, all MCASD locations — downtown San Diego (Joan and Irwin Jacobs Building and 1001 Kettner) and La Jolla — will continue this policy. Dr. Hugh M. Davies, The David C. Copley Director of MCASD, said, “Thanks to the community commitment and generosity of Qualcomm, MCASD is very pleased to be able to continue this highly successful program. Since its launch in 2007, over 35,000 young people have received free admission to the Museum, enjoying exhibitions and programs that help them learn about contemporary visual art and ideas. We are building our audiences of the future by serving them so well today.” “Qualcomm is very pleased to continue its support of the 25 and under free admission program at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Dieg

Art News

Peter Forakis, Originator of Geometry-Based Sculpture, Dies at 82

SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- The influential American sculptor Peter Forakis died Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, 2009 at Petaluma Valley hospital in Petaluma, California from complications of pneumonia. He was 82. Forakis was born in 1927 in Hanna, Wyoming to Greek immigrants. He grew up in Oakland and Modesto, California. After military service in Korea, he attended the California School of Fine Arts from 1955 to 1957. After a highly productive period in New York and Vermont, where he established his reputation, Forakis returned to

Art News

Christie’s Hong Kong Autumn 2009 Auction Series Totals US $212.5 Million

HONG KONG.- Christie’s Hong Kong completed its five-day Autumn sales with strong results across the board in Asian art, watches, jewelry and wine. Totaling HK$1.65 billion/US$ 212.5 million/£ 128 million, the results show a robust recovery of the art and auction market, giving Christie’s a 58% market share for the year in Asia. Records were achieved in a range of categories, including Chinese modern paintings and works of art, Asian contemporary art, watches and jewelry, reaffirming the consistent demand by collectors for the best and rarest. As confidence returns to the global economy, collectors – the majority being