Murano Glass Treasure Found in Bulgaria, Royal Academy Show Accused of Antisemitism, Kunsthalle Bielefeld to Be Renovated, and More: Morning Links for July 18, 2024

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THE HEADLINES

A SHARP DISCOVERY. Archaeologists in Burgas, Bulgaria have discovered over 100 glass objects dating back to the days of the Ottoman empire in the nation’s Chengene Skele bay, reports Artnet. It is not the first dive in the area. In the years 2020 and 2021, over 300 more glass objects were recovered from the seabed. According to a statement by Burga’s Regional Historical Museum, researchers found the objects at a depth of 6.5–8 feet. The glass artifacts are speculated to have fallen from the cargo of a ship battered by a storm in the shallow, rocky area of the sea. Experts attribute them to Murano, a Venetian island famous for its fine glassware. The ship’s wreckage is expected to be discovered in the vicinity. Iron fragments from anchor chains and chips of ceramic vessels bear identifiers similar to ceramic produced during the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

CONTROVERSIAL PICKS. Two works are to be removed from the “Young Artists’ Summer Show” at the Royal Academy of Arts (RA), in London, after an open letter from the Board of Deputies of British Jews raised “significant concerns” about their content. In a letter posted to X on 15 July, the board’s vice-president Andrew Gilbert described three works on display as containing “antisemitic tropes and messaging”, which had caused “significant concern to members of our community”, reports The Art Newspaper. The statement went on to apologize for any hurt or distress caused to artists or visitors, and confirmed that the RA will review its processes moving forward. The first work in question was described as including the words “Jews say stop genocide on Palestinians: Not in Our Name”. The second, by a 16-year-old artist, was said to portray a screaming woman and a swastika. A third work, THE MASS SLAUGHTER OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IS NOT HOW YOU DERADICALIZE GAZA, by Michael Sandle, an RA academician, was also criticized in the letter for depicting a faceless pilot and a plane bearing the Star of David.

THE DIGEST

TimeForArt, the first and only benefit watch auction to support contemporary art, is returning for the second time as part of “The Phillips New York Watch Auction: XI” at Phillips in December 2024. The inaugural edition gathered 17 exceptional time pieces from the world’s foremost watchmakers, and raised $1.2 million, with 100% of the proceeds from the watch auction, including Phillips’ Buyer’s Premium, going directly to supporting Swiss Institute’s innovative exhibitions, public programs, education & community engagement workshops. [World Tempus]

On June 4, 25 and 26, the Brussels Court of Appeal rejected the Direction générale de l’Inspection économique’s actions against Brussels antique art dealers and their collectors. In January 2020, the DGIE organization planned a raid on the BRAFA fair, targeting various galleries and collectors. [Le Quotidien de l’Art]

Chicago’s Smart Museum is celebrating its 50th anniversary through an exhibition that explores what makes and defines a university art museum. A pioneer in arts-based learning, the Smart and its mission have evolved since its opening in the fall of 1974. The museum has yet remained a space for exploration and experimentation and a site for bringing people together from the University of Chicago, South Side communities, and beyond. [Ocula]

Camilla Engström got the profile treatment from Katie White. The Swedish-born artist is currently preparing for her London solo-show with Carl Kostyal in September. “For a long time, I was obsessed with Georgia O’Keeffe,” said Engström. “I love her art and I love the way she dressed, the way she lived. I wanted to be her I think.” Apparently, the painter (who also sees herself as a gardener) got over her obsession, finding her own personal voice. [Artnet]

Caruso St John Architects, a London-and Zurich-based office, recently was granted the privilege to renovate Kunsthalle Bielefeld, and a $52-million budget to do so. The refurbishment will entail modernizing the sandstone-clad building’s services, envelope, and interior fittings.  [The Architect’s Newspaper]

THE KICKER

ART MARATHON. The Olympics and Paralympic Games are upon us. For those you will be in Paris this summer, Catherine Bennett has concocted a list of sport-related exhibitions, from “En Jeu! Artists and Sport,” at the Musée Marmottan Monet, which looks back at how sport arrived in France from England, how it has opened to the world, the media, women, between 1870 and 1930; to “Fashion in motion” at the Palais Galliera, which has drawn from its own collections to show how sportswear has evolved since the 18th century and how it has invaded our day-to-day closet. Bennett has also thrown in two gallery shows—Gagosian presents “The Art of the Olympics”, featuring Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and Tracey Emin, while Almine Rech’s “Sport and Beyond” gather three American artists, Jeff Koons, Laurie Simmons, and Hank Willis Thomas. On your mark, ready… [Artsy]