Roman Abramovich’s Extensive Art Collection Unveiled

A recent investigation by The Guardian has shed light on the vast private art collection of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. The collection, comprising over 300 pieces, has an estimated total value of $953 million. While Abramovich’s ownership of notable works such as Lucian Freud’s “Benefits Supervisor Sleeping” and Francis Bacon’s “Triptych” had been previously speculated, the full extent of the collection has only come to light through a leak known as the “Oligarch Files.” The collection also features works by renowned artists like Monet, Degas, Matisse, Picasso, Magritte, Mondrian, and Russian modernists, including Natalia Goncharova.

Secretive Ownership Structure Revealed

The leak from the Cyprus-based offshore financial services provider MeritServus not only exposed the contents of Abramovich’s art collection but also unveiled the secretive ownership structure behind it. The offshore trust controlling the collection was modified just prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, making Abramovich’s ex-wife, Dasha Zhukova, a significant beneficiary. These revelations have raised questions about the timing and motives behind these changes.

Tax Fraud Trial of Art Dealer Guy Wildenstein

In Paris, art dealer Guy Wildenstein has found himself in court for the third time since being accused in 2016 of engaging in what a state prosecutor has referred to as “the longest and most sophisticated tax fraud” in modern French history. The trial seeks to conclude a long-running investigation into money laundering and tax evasion initiated by Guy’s stepmother, Sylvia Wildenstein, after the death of his father, Daniel Wildenstein, who was the head of the influential Wildenstein & Co. gallery. The court is expected to deliver its verdict in early October, and if found guilty, Wildenstein and his co-defendants may be required to pay nearly $1 billion in back taxes and fines.

Restitution of Ethiopian Artefacts

In a significant act of cultural restitution, a lock of hair from the head of a 19th-century Ethiopian prince, Prince Alemayehu, has been returned to Ethiopia in a private ceremony. This gesture follows the repatriation of other culturally significant items, including a shield and three cups that were looted from Ethiopia. Advocates hope that such returns, facilitated by organisations like the Scheherazade Foundation, will set a positive precedent for future restitutions of pilfered cultural artefacts.

Curator Fired Over Greek Antiquities Controversy

Michael Bennett, a curator at the Museum of Fine Arts in St Petersburg, Florida, has been dismissed from his position amid concerns regarding the provenance of Greek antiquities featured in an exhibition he organised. Staff at the Denver Art Museum, where the exhibition was slated to travel next, discovered that some of the exhibits lacked detailed provenances and were sourced from collectors known to have dealt in stolen artefacts.

Passing of Photographer Erwin Olaf

Renowned Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf, aged 64, has passed away. Olaf’s photography career spanned several decades, from documenting the clubbing scene and gay liberation movement in Amsterdam during the 1980s to focusing on studio portraiture in his later years. His work was the subject of exhibitions at institutions like the Gemeentemuseum and Fotomuseum in The Hague in 2019.

Artist Ordered to Repay Museum in Unique Artwork Dispute

In a peculiar case, a Copenhagen court has ruled that an artist must repay the Kunsten Museum of Modern Art nearly $72,000. The dispute arose when the artist, Jens Haaning, submitted two empty frames instead of a commissioned artwork in 2021. The museum had loaned Haaning 534,000 krone ($84,000) in banknotes for his work titled “Take the Money and Run,” which he argued was conceptual in nature. The artist’s refusal to return the cash led to legal action, resulting in this unusual court decision.