Afghanistan
Murals using oil-based paint dating from AD650 have been found in caves in the Bamiyan Valley. The murals, which depict Buddhist scenes, are thought to be the work of artists who travelled on the Silk Road. The discovery challenges a common perception that oil painting originated in Europe, where the earliest examples date from the 12th century.
France
A report for the ministry of culture reviewing the deaccession
of state art collections has recommended upholding the principle of inalienability, except in extraordinary circumstances.
India
Ten international architects have been shortlisted for a competition to design a 2,800 sq metre museum of modern art in Kolkata, which is due to open in 2013. The budget for the project, which is a partnership between the national and West Bengal governments and the private sector, is about £70m. The museum will house Indian art from the past 200 years.
Israel
An exhibition of works of art looted by Nazi forces in France is being shown at the Israel Museum, in Jerusalem. Looking for Owners features 57 major works out of a total of 2,000 which lack a clear ownership history and are held in trust by the Musées Nationaux Récupération.
Qatar
The Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, designed by IM Pei, had its soft opening at the end of last month. The project, originally scheduled for completion in 2006, had been delayed by scandals involving the alleged misuse of state funds during the high-speed acquisition of collections since the late-1990s.
Spain
The Caixa Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Spanish Bank, has opened a 10,000 sq metre exhibitions and events space in a converted power station in Madrid. The $94m project, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, has a 24-metre-high wall with a vertical garden comprising 15,000 plants.
Switzerland
The Bührle Collection, in Zurich, which lost works by Cézanne, Degas, van Gogh and Monet during an armed raid in February, is restricting admission to organised groups by appointment only. The collection is to be transferred to Zurich Kunsthaus in 2015.
US
Thomas Krens will step down as director of the Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation this year, after 20 years. He will remain as an advisor on the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi scheme and other similar projects.
US
An audit of the Internal Revenue Service has revealed major cases of tax fraud involving donations of overvalued art to public museums. Half of the donations checked had been appraised at nearly double their true value. Each year, about 100,000 art donors reap in the region of $1bn in tax write-offs.
US
American artist Jeff Koons has been recognised as a major buyer of traditional masters after paying $6.3m for a limewood sculpture by 16th-century German master Tilman Riemenschneider in January, and $3.2m for a nude painting by Courbet in June. Koons' stainless steel Hanging Heart fetched $23.6m at auction in November.
Seen in artsjournal.com; the Art Newspaper, Bloomberg.com and www.culture.gouv.fr
Murals using oil-based paint dating from AD650 have been found in caves in the Bamiyan Valley. The murals, which depict Buddhist scenes, are thought to be the work of artists who travelled on the Silk Road. The discovery challenges a common perception that oil painting originated in Europe, where the earliest examples date from the 12th century.
France
A report for the ministry of culture reviewing the deaccession
of state art collections has recommended upholding the principle of inalienability, except in extraordinary circumstances.
India
Ten international architects have been shortlisted for a competition to design a 2,800 sq metre museum of modern art in Kolkata, which is due to open in 2013. The budget for the project, which is a partnership between the national and West Bengal governments and the private sector, is about £70m. The museum will house Indian art from the past 200 years.
Israel
An exhibition of works of art looted by Nazi forces in France is being shown at the Israel Museum, in Jerusalem. Looking for Owners features 57 major works out of a total of 2,000 which lack a clear ownership history and are held in trust by the Musées Nationaux Récupération.
Qatar
The Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, designed by IM Pei, had its soft opening at the end of last month. The project, originally scheduled for completion in 2006, had been delayed by scandals involving the alleged misuse of state funds during the high-speed acquisition of collections since the late-1990s.
Spain
The Caixa Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Spanish Bank, has opened a 10,000 sq metre exhibitions and events space in a converted power station in Madrid. The $94m project, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, has a 24-metre-high wall with a vertical garden comprising 15,000 plants.
Switzerland
The Bührle Collection, in Zurich, which lost works by Cézanne, Degas, van Gogh and Monet during an armed raid in February, is restricting admission to organised groups by appointment only. The collection is to be transferred to Zurich Kunsthaus in 2015.
US
Thomas Krens will step down as director of the Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation this year, after 20 years. He will remain as an advisor on the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi scheme and other similar projects.
US
An audit of the Internal Revenue Service has revealed major cases of tax fraud involving donations of overvalued art to public museums. Half of the donations checked had been appraised at nearly double their true value. Each year, about 100,000 art donors reap in the region of $1bn in tax write-offs.
US
American artist Jeff Koons has been recognised as a major buyer of traditional masters after paying $6.3m for a limewood sculpture by 16th-century German master Tilman Riemenschneider in January, and $3.2m for a nude painting by Courbet in June. Koons' stainless steel Hanging Heart fetched $23.6m at auction in November.
Seen in artsjournal.com; the Art Newspaper, Bloomberg.com and www.culture.gouv.fr
