Art Industry News: Akron Art Museum Director Steps Down After an Investigation of Sexism, Racism Allegations + Other Stories

Art Industry News is a daily digest of the most
consequential developments coming out of the art world and art
market. Here’s what you need to know on this Wednesday, May
20.

NEED-TO-READ

Albania’s Artist-Prime Minister Accused of “Artwashing” in an
Open Letter – The Prime Minister of Albania demolished an
80-year-old theater this weekend in the capital of Tirana in order
to erect a €30 million ($32.8 million) building in its place,
prompting outcry from the public. Now, a group of artists and
cultural workers are condemning the move in an open latter, arguing
that Rama—who is also an
artist—uses his dual identity to obscure highly controversial
politics. “We are not immune to how attractive the idea of an
artist-politician is at a time when mainstream politics has severe
difficulties imagining any future at all,” the letter states. “In
stark contrast with Edi Rama’s own artistic career, cultural life
in Albania has become increasingly precarious. Sources of funding
for independent cultural producers are scarce and what non-state
funding there is gets mostly channeled into the government’s vanity
projects.” (Hyperallergic)

Art Students Band Together in an Uncertain Landscape
– Art students across the United States were supposed
to have their big debut this month, with thesis exhibitions serving
as a kind of coming out party for newly minted artists. But with
schools converting to online instruction and IRL exhibitions
cancelled, some students are taking matters into their own hands.
Many are petitioning their schools for living expense subsidies and
organizing virtual thesis shows in collaboration with art dealers
like Perrotin and Steve Turner, who is hosting an online show of
work by Columbia University’s graduating MFA class through June 6.
(New York
Times)

Akron Art Museum Director Resigns Following Criticism –
The director of the Akron Art
Museum in Ohio, Mark Masuoka, has resigned after allegations of
sexism, racism, and bullying were made against him by staff and
made public in an investigation in ARTnews. Although the
museum’s board president previously said Masuoka, who worked at the
institution for seven years, had been “unfairly criticized,” he
told staff that the board now “agreed it was time for a change in
leadership.” Masuoka was accused of having retaliated against
employees who complained about him and several donors subsequently
called for his ouster. Another donor, Douglas Haslinger, said: “The
board is pressed in a hard spot. They really liked what Mark was
doing for the museum, but on the other hand, there has been too
much controversy and bad press.” (ARTnews)

ART MARKET

The Academy Museum Won the Midsommar May Queen Gown
– The movie distributor A24
thrilled movie lovers worldwide when it auctioned off props and
costumes from recent films to support New York charities. As it
turns out, the most sought-after item—the 10,000-silk-flower May
Queen dress worn by Florence Pugh in Midsommar—was snapped
up by the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. The museum
shelled out $65,000 for the much-talked-about gown.
(Vulture)

NADA’s New Online Fair Opens – The New Art Dealers Alliance’s cooperative online art
fair, FAIR, opens today and will run through June 21. The fair
has an unusual profit structure: 20 percent of all
sales will be put into a communal pot and divided evenly among
exhibitors, while another 20 percent will go to exhibiting artists.
And instead of a participation fee, galleries will pay 10 percent
of their sales proceeds to NADA for organizing the event. The
remaining 50 percent of sales go to the galleries who made
them. (Press release)

COMINGS & GOINGS

Manifesta Is Happening
After All – The exhibition, which was due to take place
this June, has been postponed to later this summer but is still
planning to go ahead—a surprise move considering that even
biennials in 2021 are being pushed back. The
13th edition of the roving European biennial will be held from
August 28 to November 29 with a three-tiered rollout of
programming. The first is the main exhibition, which will take
place across six museums in Marseille. (Press
release)

Nevada Museum Acquires
Judy Chicago’s Fireworks – The Reno institution has nabbed
an important archive of materials related to Chicago’s iconic
fireworks pieces, which involved setting off firecrackers and
plumes of colored smoke. The archive helps tell a more complete
story of Land art, which has historically been viewed as a
male-dominated movement. The Nevada Museum will host a show
dedicated to the materials in October 2021. (ARTnews)

Independent Curators
International Expands Board – Independent Curators
International has appointed seven new board members including Neil
Barclay, the president and CEO of Detroit’s Charles H. Wright
Museum of African American History, Lauren Kelly, a partner at Sean
Kelly gallery, and artist Angel Otero. (Press
release)

FOR ART’S SAKE

Artists Say UK Support
Scheme Leaves Them Behind – The UK government’s
self-employment income support scheme has garnered hundreds of
thousands of claims since it launched last week, but artists seem
to be falling through the cracks. In March, chancellor Rishi
Sunak said the program would cover 95 percent of self-employed
people, but he now estimates that just 66 percent will be covered.
In Scotland, it is estimated that only 20 percent of artists could
be aided by the program. (The Art Newspaper)

Women’s Museum Wins a
Webby – The National Museum of Women in
the Arts has won a Webby Award for best social media account in
the arts and culture category. With @WomenInTheArts, the museum investigates
gender imbalances in the art world and brings to light important
and overlooked women artists of the past alongside contemporary
figures. (Press
release)

White Cube and Antony
Gormley Raise Money for Mental Health – A 250-edition work
on paper by the British artist called Together is raising
money for charities supporting those suffering physical, financial,
and emotional impacts of the lockdown. The signed work is available
for £2,000.(Press release)

The post Art Industry News: Akron Art Museum Director Steps
Down After an Investigation of Sexism, Racism Allegations + Other
Stories appeared first on artnet News.