BY In the Name of Art in News | 24 SEP 18

Is Nothing Sacred? Pianist Glenn Gould to be Resurrected as Hologram, Sent on World Tour

In further art world madness: Urs Fischer turns Dasha Zhukova into a giant candle; oily vandals at Athens museums

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BY In the Name of Art in News | 24 SEP 18

Glenn Gould, 1956. Courtesy: Getty Images/Gaby

Following the recent digital resurrections of Tupac, Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson, the latest musician to be unceremoniously hauled out of the grave and beamed out as a hologram to a roaring stadium is the classical pianist Glenn Gould. Although Gould died in 1982, the hologram entertainment company Eyellusion is working on a ‘Glenn Gould Hologram Tour’ to travel the world next year. The Canadian pianist is best remembered for his provocative, visionary interpretations of Bach – he held a noted distaste for the format of the concert, arguing that it led to a ‘tremendous conservatism’. Instead, he focused his energies on recordings; pianist Stephen Hough writes: ‘he created a new way of thinking about recorded music where the LP became an art form in itself – not just a replica of a live performance.’ Or as Eyellusion CEO Jeff Pezzuti helpfully explains: ‘He’s considered the rock star of the classical theme.’

Artist Urs Fischer has turned collector and Moscow’s Garage Museum founder Dasha Zhukova into a giant wax-cast sculpture, lounging in an Eames chair and sporting a pink dress – and at Gagosian gallery in London, is steadily melting her into the ground. The wick on top of Zhukova’s head was lit last week, with the candle slowly burning to the ground over the exhibition’s duration.

First there was an Offred-themed lingerie set, then there was the Offred-themed pinot noir (‘so beguiling it seems almost forbidden’), and now we’very sorry to report the latest product tie-in: in time for Halloween, a sexy The Handmaid’s Tale costume. Retailing for USD$64.95, costume shop Yandy gushes: ‘An upsetting dystopian future has emerged where women no longer have a say. However, we say be bold and speak your mind in this exclusive Brave Red Maiden costume.’ The online shop later apologized, and removed the outfit, saying: ‘Our corporate ideology is rooted in female empowerment, and gender empowerment overall.’

And finally, two women have been taken in for questioning by police in Athens, suspected of squirting oil over various museum relics at the Christian and Byzantine Museum and Benaki Museum – the oily vandals were finally apprehended at the National Historical Museum when one eagle-eyed clerk noticed ‘that one of the ladies had a greasy hand.’ The suspects told police that their oil-spray spree at the museums had been dictated by the Bible.

In the Name of Art is our semi-regular compendium of (almost) unbelievable art world stories. Send your worst to digitaleditors@frieze.com

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