Title: Art of the Royal Court: Treasures in Pietre Dure from the Palaces of Europe
Location: NEW YORK - Metropolitan Museum
Description: This is the most comprehensive exhibition to date on the tradition of hardstone carving (pietre dure) that developed in Italy in the 16th century and subsequently spread through Europe.
Start Date: 2008-07-01
End Date: 2008-09-21

translated by Giorgina Arcuri

Art Basel has started and the buyers have arrived. However, the Americans are missing. This seems to be the biggest complaint on behalf of operators. The American public has stepped aside and given way to the Europeans. It is not a change that affects the number of transactions, but rather an actual geographic shift of the market. This does not worry all the art gallery managers, some of whom have proven to be indifferent with respect to who buys the works. Also because many of the participants are too busy calculating their business volume to worry about the nationality of the buyers.

Turin is hosting the exhibition dedicated to the fascinating Japanese artist who, with his sophisticated style, has been able to communicate and provoke, becoming the symbol of a Japan that is changing, although it remains attached to its traditions.
The Araki Gold exhibition started in November, with its first stage in Rome that ended last February. The exhibition is now continuing in Turin where, after being hosted by the State Archive, more than 500 images will migrate during June and July to a provincial venue, to Villa Remmert (Ciriè).

For some while now the importance of private institutions intervening in the art sector has been debated. For instance, Milan, considered the capital city of contemporaneity in Italy, is still waiting for a museum able to be in line with current artistic trends. However, in the meanwhile, fortunately there are the private institutions. Some of the most important ones are the Amaldo Pomodoro Foundation, the Antonio Mazzotta Foundation and the Nicola Trussardi Foundation. Mainly firms active in the fashion sector, one of the sectors that for its nature comes closer to art, through their foundations have become important reference points for art.

New York auctions have given us some exciting news. In particular, two very important new records: Francis Bacon has realized the highest price ever paid for a work of contemporary art and Lucian Freud has become the most paid living artist in the world. However, after the adrenalin stirred up by the important results, the time for questioning arrives. Who might be the mysterious buyer of the fantastic paintings sold in New York? What will become of them? Public exhibition or private viewing?
Some of these questions may have found an answer. Indeed, within the circle there are rumours about a few names, and it seems that the buyer of the two masterpieces of contemporary art sold in the last days has been identified.

The Contemporary Art Evening Sale, which took place on 14th May at Sotheby’s New York, was a record auction from every point of view. Firstly, for its turnover: 362,037,000 dollars, well above the best estimates which expected the auction to realize between 288.1 million and 354.7 million dollars. This is the second best result ever achieved in the world for a contemporary art auction and the most important sale in the history of Sotheby’s. 73 lots of the 83 presented were sold and represented 86.8% of the works by value.

Chinese authorities stopped the exportation of a painting by the great artist Huang Yan, considering it “offensive” to Mao Zedong. The painting should have been exhibited in Paris but it seems that it will not leave China since it was held as profane towards the historical leader.

Mao Zedong’s iconography is a question of extreme importance for the Chinese government that like all totalitarian regimes imposes a huge respect for the representation of the charismatic leader. During these past few days only, news arrived of the great painting of Mao that dominated Tiananmen square. It was damaged by an act of vandalism after which the police had actually closed access to the prohibited city in the centre of Pechino. The act may have been carried out by a man that was quickly arrested by authorities. The last time that something like this had happened, the criminals were condemned to ten years imprisonment.