Edward Church, Peter Hujar, Looted Art

Who is the antiquities dealer behind looted artifacts at dozens of museums across the United States?

I’ve just returned from an inspiring residency at the Headlands Center for the Arts in Northern California. The location is remarkable not only for its stunning views of the Marin Headlands but also for the wonderful people who manage it. I extend my gratitude to Louisa Gloger, Holly Blake, MJ Brown, and others on the Headlands team. A special mention also goes to the incredible Bay Area artists, writers, activists, and other Hyperallergic readers I’ve met over the past few weeks.

Our diligent editorial team has been steadfastly maintaining our output, delivering numerous essential reads. Be sure to explore Erin L. Thompson’s comprehensive analysis of the convicted antiquities dealer linked to invaluable objects in numerous U.S. museums, Ben Moser’s evaluation of a new biography on Frederic Edwin Church, Aaron Short’s coverage of the Aldrich’s first decennial exhibition, Coco Fusco’s article on the uncertain future of imprisoned Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, and much more.

It’s a pleasure to be back in New York, despite the haze, ticks, and the apprehension of consuming a questionable salad leaf. And it’s wonderful to reconnect with all of you.

—Hakim Bishara, editor-in-chief

News

• The activist group Everyone Hates Elon criticized Kylie Jenner’s Meta glasses campaign with bus ads amid public backlash concerning privacy, consent, and safety issues tied to evolving surveillance technology.
• Following the arrest of a man who scaled and tagged a well-known Melbourne bridge with a cartoon bird named “Pam the Bird,” thousands have petitioned the city to preserve the graffiti.
• To honor Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old man fatally shot by ICE on July 7, artists are creating portraits, illustrations, cartoons, and signs.
• The Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center in Cambridge, Maryland, reported a break-in that damaged a mural over the weekend. The suspect, still at large, broke in just a month after the museum’s reopening following a significant renovation.
• The High Museum of Art’s former Chief Operating Officer, Brady Lum, has admitted to embezzling over $600,000 from the nonprofit arts organization.
• The Manhattan District Attorney announced the repatriation of three antiquities to Mexico, one of which was previously housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• The Trump administration has significantly reduced the size of two national monuments in Utah known for their sacred lands and rich archaeological sites.
• An international gallery in Cape Town is facing accusations of withholding artworks and delaying payments to artists.
• Manhattan’s High Line Art is soliciting public input on 62 proposals for public artwork commissions that will adorn the park’s plinth in 2029 and 2030.
• The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene discovered Legionella, the bacterium causing Legionnaires’ disease, in the Guggenheim Museum’s cooling tower this week.
• After months of little communication, two suspects in pre-trial detention have provided more details regarding their involvement in the Louvre Museum jewelry heist that stunned the world last October.

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