Today's Highlights
IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC OUTCRY, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has refuted claims of targeting DEI staff amid its decision to let go of 33 employees, including the institution's only Muslim curator, Nadirah Mansour, the sole Native American curator, Marina Tyquiengco, and the only Black curator, Theo Tyson. Following the layoffs announced on January 30, 130 staff members from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design called for the reinstatement of the curators and several other employees, supported by nearly 2,000 signatures on a petition. However, MFA Director Pierre Terjanian clarified that the layoffs were a result of financial challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing that one-third of the workforce identified as people of color before the restructuring, a statistic that remains unchanged.
FRENCH CULTURAL UPDATE. Former French Culture Minister Jack Lang has stepped down from his role at the Institut du Monde Arabe following his name's appearance in the Jeffrey Epstein files. After a week of speculation, Lang announced his resignation as president of the museum, coinciding with the initiation of a preliminary investigation by French financial crime authorities into allegations of tax fraud and money laundering. Lang has consistently denied the accusations, labeling them as unfounded. Meanwhile, current French Culture Minister Rachida Dati is set to exit the government soon to run for mayor of Paris as part of a governmental reshuffle ahead of the municipal elections.
THE DIGEST
There is growing interest regarding the White House's consideration of establishing a Smithsonian gallery to showcase various artworks inspired by President Donald Trump. A White House statement highlighted the importance of displaying these creations from patriotic Americans throughout the nation's capital.
In an intriguing development, the Spanish Banco Santander is set to manage a collection of 160 significant 20th-century Mexican artworks, including 18 pieces by Frida Kahlo, from the private Gelman Collection. The agreement has sparked skepticism in Mexico, where there were hopes for the artworks to remain as part of the national heritage. This summer, the collection will be displayed at the Faro Santander venue in Cantabria, Spain, with oversight from Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL).
Recent AI analysis has raised questions regarding the authenticity of two paintings attributed to Jan van Eyck, currently held in the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Royal Museums of Turin. Tests conducted by Art Recognition revealed that a significant percentage of brushstrokes in both works did not align with the 15th-century artist's techniques.
Additionally, the Epstein files have unveiled new insights into Leon Black's extensive art collection, valued at approximately $2.6 billion in 2016, which includes notable works from artists such as Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, and Edvard Munch.
THE KICKER
LOST ART. Numerous artworks created under President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal are reportedly missing from post offices across the United States. These pieces, aimed at providing employment for artists during the Great Depression, have become significant artifacts of American culture. According to recent findings, around 200 of nearly 1,700 murals commissioned during this era are unaccounted for, with some controversial artworks being covered up due to varying sentiments about their content.