Welcome to our Sunday Art Brunch series, where every week we bringing you the latest and most exciting developments in the art world. From new exhibitions and artist interviews to market trends and industry insights, we've got you covered. So sit back, relax, and join us for a curated selection of art news to start your Sunday off right.
Swedish museum displays groundbreaking A.I.- created statue incorporating elements from five renowned sculptors
An artificial intelligence (AI)-generated statue, The Impossible Statue, has gone on display in Stockholm's Science and Technology Museum. The sculpture, which portrays an androgynous figure holding a gravity-defying globe, was created by engineering firm Sandvik and AI consultancy The A.I. Framework. Artnet reports that using AI and precision manufacturing, the team generated multiple designs inspired by the sculptures of Michelangelo, Rodin, Käthe Kollwitz, Takamura Kotaro and Augusta Savage, before settling on a final blueprint. The design was then converted into 3D using depth-estimating software and human pose estimation, resulting in a statue made of nine million polygons and 17 pieces of steel that differed from its digital design by less than 0.03mm.
Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev set to step down, poised to transform the art industry once again
Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, the director of the Castello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, has announced her retirement at the end of this year after working at the museum for over two decades. Known for her offbeat and venturesome curatorial sensibilities, as ARTnews reports, she has organised an array of celebrated biennials and demonstrated that a museum director need not be boring to thrive. Christov-Bakargiev will continue to lead a multi-year research and publication project on her archive and almost forty-year practice, as well as an exhibition on the Arte Povera movement in Paris next year.
Italy raises museum admission fees as component of €2bn flood assistance plan
Italy's government has proposed raising the price of museum tickets by €1 to raise funds for the restoration of the cultural heritage damaged in the recent Emilia-Romagna floods. The Art Newspaper reports that the move is part of a wider €2bn aid package and has drawn criticism from some who fear it will drive Italians away from museums. Italian men visit museums less frequently than women, with just 21.8% visiting in 2022. Critics are calling for alternative means of generating funds, such as the lottery. The damage caused by the floods has been extensive, including damage to 75 historic buildings and 6 archaeological sites.
Lessons about Art Fairs learned from Kim Kardashian
The Independent Art Fair in Tribeca, Manhattan has been lauded for its slim and chic atmosphere, in contrast to other stuffier fairs. The cool, boutique fair boasts 74 exhibitors, presenting mostly small to mid-sized galleries that showcase the work of a single artist. Reviewer Samuel Reilly revealed variable artistic quality on show with Ruby Dickson’s paparazzi painting of Kim Kardashian, from London’s Harlesden High Street, an example of “those works that critique celebrity culture”. Reviewers said other booths did offer good works of art but noted the audience was more as important to the event as the art. Enjoy on Hyperallergic.
Peabody Essex Museum introduces TikTok creator-in-residence program, leading the way among american museums to enhance online presence
The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts has launched a TikTok creator-in-residence programme, believed to be the first of its kind at a US museum. Designed for current students or recent graduates of New England art schools, the paid position requires a strong TikTok portfolio, with the successful candidate working closely with the museum's education and marketing team to create engaging content. The museum, which has posted 28 times on the social media platform over the past year, will give preference to art school students with significant video production and storytelling skills. Enjoy more on artnet.
