Briefing
#J20 Art Strike gains more signatures; Trump set to scrap NEA and NEH funding; William Onyeabor passes away
#J20 Art Strike gains more signatures; Trump set to scrap NEA and NEH funding; William Onyeabor passes away
- As Donald Trump’s inauguration nears, the list of artists, curators and critics pledging their support to the #J20 Art Strike continues to grow. Those behind the initiative, which is organized in collaboration with Women Strike, #DisruptJ20, Ungovernable 2017, Disability March, and Women's March on Washington, claim that today’s strike will be the first of many: ‘The disruptions of J20 are just the beginning. They will resonate with the Women's March on Washington, D.C. and other cities on January 21, and will stand as beacons of ungovernability as the darkness of the Trump era descends upon us. Let us assemble for the protracted battles that have long been underway, and those on the horizon.’ For more details on today’s action, and to view the full list of signatories, click here.
- A report published by The Hill yesterday suggests that, upon taking office, President-elect Donald Trump will eliminate both the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities in order to reduce federal spending by USD$10.5 trillion over the next decade. The report also indicates that Trump will move to privatize the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
- Pioneering synth-musician William Onyeabor has passed away at the aged of 70. Luaka Bop, the label responsible for the celebrated reissue of Who Is William Onyeabor? in 2013, announced the Nigerian’s death on Facebook: ‘It is with incredibly heavy hearts that we have to announce that the great Nigerian business leader and mythic music pioneer William Onyeabor has passed away at the age of 70 […] an extraordinary artist, businessman and visionary’.
- Ruba Katrib has been appointed curatorial advisor of Focus at Frieze London 2017, joining Fabian Schöneich. Katrib, a curator at SculptureCenter, New York, said: ‘I’m eager to see who’s there and what they’ve brought, knowing that the galleries in Focus can be counted on to bring lesser-known artists, new work, and exciting ideas – they consistently work hard to convey a fresh approach.’
- Curator and frieze contributor Laura McLean-Ferris has been promoted to the position of curator at the Swiss Institute in New York. Prior to joining the institution in 2015, McLean-Ferris worked as an independent curator, organizing shows at venues including David Roberts Art Foundation, London, Glasgow Sculpture Studios, S1, Sheffield, and Chapter NY, New York. Simon Castets, director at Swiss Institute, said: ‘As we look forward to moving into our new building on Saint Marks Place [this summer], Laura is playing a central role in establishing a thoughtful and pioneering curatorial program. Her wealth of knowledge, rigorous approach, and extraordinary relationships with artists internationally are a tremendous contribution, furthering Swiss Institute’s commitment to today’s most forward-looking artistic practices’.
MORE LIKE THIS
