A SUMMARY OF THE MOST EXCITING ART NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
While we focus on Indian art, we can’t obviously function in a vacuum. It’s a small world and everything is connected, especially on the web. So, let’s train our spotlight across the world map to see what’s going on — from art trends to socio-political issues to everything that affects the great aesthetic global consciousness. Or, let’s just travel the world and have some fun!
Valentine’s Day mural by Banksy removed by the council
Courtesy- Reuters
A new mural by Banksy about domestic violence, titled Valentine’s Day Mascara, was recently found on February 14 in the coastal British town of Margate in Kent. The mural features a 1950s-style housewife with a swollen, black eye, bruised cheek, a swollen lower lip, and a knocked-out tooth. She wears a bright blue gingham dress, an apron, and yellow latex gloves, and has her arms out. She was initially shown standing next to an open chest freezer and an upturned plastic lawn chair. The woman appeared to have disposed of an abusive male partner. Only the man’s pant cuffs, black socks, and black dress shoes could be seen poking out of the appliance. A few hours after the artist confirmed the work was genuine on Instagram, local workers from the Thanet district council took it apart by removing the chest freezer. In an online statement, the council said that while the mural was on the wall of a privately owned property, the freezer was on public land and removed for safety reasons. Details on Reuters.
Greek archaeologist’s protest against newly approved law
Courtesy- Greek Reporter
Some of the most popular museums in Greece remained closed on Monday as Greek archaeologists protest against a draft law that would make them more autonomous. Closed are the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, the Byzantine and Christian Museum, the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Byzantine Culture of Thessaloniki, and the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, Crete. Archaeologists protest the change of the operating status of the museums into Legal Entities under Public Law. Protesters held rallies outside several museums on Monday morning, while they have announced two more rolling strikes, on Tuesday 14, and Wednesday 15 February. Read more on Greek Reporter.
11,500 year old monolithic site survived the earthquake in Turkey
Courtesy- Art News
The ancient site Göbekli Tepe was not damaged in the wake of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in south-central Turkey and northern Syria. Since the earthquake struck one week ago, with an epicenter just west of Gaziantep, Turkey, more than 35,000 people have been reported dead and more than one million have been displaced in the country, according to a report from the New York Times. While recent structures in Turkey weathered significant damage, older ones, such as the 2,000-year-old Gaziantep Castle, were also partially destroyed. Damage to these older sites was cause for concern, as there are many archaeological and cultural heritage sites spanning thousands of years in Turkey and Syria. Aleppo and Antakya (ancient Antioch) are just two important city centers in the area that still have ongoing archaeological excavations. Details on Art News.
