British Museum's Thiel Tour, BP Split, and More in Art Press Review

The British Museum invited tech billionaire Peter Thiel to a private viewing of the Bayeux Tapestry, which is not yet open to the public. The visit, organized by development director Charlotte Appleyard for August 18, raised concerns among staff due to Thiel's connections to Jeffrey Epstein and his company Palantir's controversial contracts with the British state, including a £330 million deal with the NHS. Museum director George Osborne was informed but did not attend. Meanwhile, the Science Museum in London ended its 25-year sponsorship deal with BP, a move welcomed by Culture Unstained but with calls to also end ties with the Adani Group. Bianca Jagger wrote a personal tribute in The Independent to recently deceased artists Georg Baselitz, David Hockney, and Yayoi Kusama, reflecting on her friendships and their artistic legacies. The New Yorker profiled New Zealand artist Susan Te Kahurangi King, who is non-verbal and has produced around 20,000 drawings, with her sister Petita Cole managing her archive. In Norway, the Mjøstårnet timber skyscraper in Brumunddal, the world's tallest wooden building at 84 meters, was highlighted as a response to the Paris climate agreement. A review of Charles Ray's exhibition in Kassel noted that his 1992 work 'Oh! Charley, Charley, Charley …' has lost its scandalous impact. Finally, the Venice Film Festival faces challenges due to Hollywood absences and political tensions.