Ukrainian Artists Star in New Documentary, Frieze Sculpture Returns to London, Skulptur Projekte Münster Names Artistic Directors, and More: Morning Links for August 21, 2024

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THE HEADLINES

THREE TIMES A LADY. Skulptur Projekte Münster has announced curatorial collective What, How & for Whom (WHW) as its new artistic directors for 2027. The news comes following the recent death of Kasper König, who founded the sculpture-oriented exhibition in Germany. The trio of Ivet Ćurlin, Nataša Ilić, and Sabina Sabolović comprise the collective and will take over the artistic direction for Skulptur Projekte Münster’s 50th anniversary iteration. “WHW’s appointment marks a turning point in the history of the renowned exhibition, and makes 2027 the first women-led edition,” a statement read. “Taking place every 10 years since 1977, Skulptur Projekte has been established as one of the world’s most important exhibitions. The long-standing artistic director of the exhibition, König, stepped down following the previous exhibition in 2017 and passed away on August 9 this year, leaving a remarkable legacy.

LEAD IN YOUR PENCIL? “This is a war of shells and missiles and drones,” says David Gutnik, a Brooklyn-born film-maker of Ukrainian descent. “But it is also a war of identity, a war of memory, a war of who gets to write the history. Does the colonizer get to write it or do the people who want state and nationhood and dignity get to write it?” Gutnik made a harrowing new documentary – Rule of Two Walls – about the Ukrainian artists pushing back against Putin’s aggression. “The film is about Ukrainians on the frontlines; not the soldiers, mind you, but the artists who are standing firm on their homeland against the ash and rubble,” the Guardian writes. “They are painters and singers, hosting exhibits and shows, despite the constant gunfire and shelling that inevitably becomes part of the art. They’re fighting to create and protect culture, and by extension their Ukrainian identity, as a response to Vladimir Putin’s repeated insistence that they have none.” Rule of Two Walls is out now in select US cinemas, with UK and Australia release dates to be confirmed.

THE DIGEST

A few months after its authenticity was put under the microscope, a previously unknown work by the prominent and late Brazilian artist Tarsila do Amaral (1886-1973) has been confirmed as genuine following expert analysis. [The Art Newspaper]

An artist from London known for using bold colors to transform public spaces has made a new installation at London’s Piccadilly Circus referencing Greek mythology, more specifically Anteros, the Greek god of requited love. [BBC]

A cottage once inhabited by the artist and poet William Blake – who is famous for his epic poem “Jerusalem” –is one step closer to being turned into a museum after funding was secured to fix its thatched roof. The structure of the building will be secured before the cottage and garden are returned to their former glory, as they would have appeared in Blake’s time. [The Art Newspaper]

Frieze has announced the return of Frieze Sculpture to London’s Regent’s Park with a line-up of 22 historic and contemporary artists including Leonora Carrington, Theaster Gates, Zanele Muholi, Anna Boghiguian, İnci Eviner, and Yoshitomo Nara. Curated by Fatoş Üstek, the expanded 2024 edition will feature 27 works, of which 18 are new, and a dynamic program of activations and tours. It will run from September 18 to October 27. [Frieze]

THE KICKER

NAILING IT. Nail art is the new celebrity fad lighting up red carpets. The likes of Dove Cameron, Cardi B, and Florence Pugh have all shown off ornate, sculptural manicures at high-profile events of late. The trend, CNN reports, is “allowing many nail artists to push the boundaries — literally — their tiny, fragile canvases provide.” As a fine arts student, Juan Alvear started experimenting with manicures as a form of art, now he has found his calling and has become the darling of decorating nails. He’s in high demand. Isis Darks, the curator of “ACRYLICS: Hidden Sculptural Art” a New York-based exhibition (now closed), thinks nail art might make it into the mainstream. “I think the shift is this public acknowledgment and participation in understanding that nail artists aren’t simply doing something ‘low-brow,’” she told CNN. “These artists are recreating Basquiat, Van Gogh, and realism portraits [on tiny surfaces].“[It’s] opening the doors and conversations for galleries and curators in the art industry to consider multimedia concepts from these beauty-led mediums.” [CNN]