BP Sponsorship Controversy Continues as Pace Closes Beijing Gallery and Douglas Crimp Dies
Hartwig Fischer, the director of the British Museum, announced that BP will continue its sponsorship for 2020, despite opposition from 78 British artists, including Anish Kapoor and Sarah Lucas. Nicholas Cullinan, director of the National Portrait Gallery, supported BP's funding, noting it facilitated free entry for 275,000 visitors last year. A 'die-in' protest by Extinction Rebellion took place at the Royal Opera House in London. Meanwhile, Pace Gallery has shut its Beijing location due to US-China tensions but continues operations in Hong Kong. Timothy Taylor will represent Annie Morris as his gallery reopens in Mayfair. Douglas Crimp, a prominent writer known for the 1977 Pictures exhibition, passed away. Bart van der Heide took over as director of Museion in June 2020, and Anne Ellegood became the executive director of ICA LA. Eberhard Havekost died on July 5, and David Zwirner is set to launch a gallery in Paris this October. Glasgow's Mary Mary gallery has been closed since 2006.
Key facts
- 78 British artists protested BP sponsorship at National Portrait Gallery
- British Museum will continue BP sponsorship in 2020
- BP's £7.5m deal supports four UK cultural institutions
- Pace Gallery closed its Beijing location due to US-China trade war
- Douglas Crimp died, known for 1977 Pictures exhibition and Act Up founding
- Richard Schlagman Art Book Awards shortlists announced
- Bart van der Heide appointed Museion director starting June 2020
- David Zwirner opening Paris gallery during FIAC in October
Entities
Artists
- Anish Kapoor
- Sarah Lucas
- Rachel Whiteread
- Annie Morris
- Antoni Tàpies
- Kiki Smith
- Douglas Crimp
- Eberhard Havekost
- Pierre Huyghe
- Liam Gillick
- Jean Prouvé
- Robert Delaunay
- Sonia Delaunay
- Raymond Pettibon
- Karla Black
- Lorna Macintyre
- Aliza Nisenbaum
- Jesse Wine
Institutions
- National Portrait Gallery
- British Museum
- BP
- Royal Opera House
- Extinction Rebellion
- Pace
- Timothy Taylor
- Artists Space
- Act Up
- Whitechapel Gallery
- Authors' Club
- Phaidon Press
- London Art Book Fair
- Museion
- Stedelijk Museum
- Kunstverein München
- Cubitt Gallery
- Witte de With
- Hammer Museum
- Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles
- Made in L.A.
- Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
- Kunsthalle Schirn
- Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
- Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg
- Okoyama Art Summit
- Centre Pompidou
- Caixa Forum
- FIAC
- David Zwirner
- Financial Times
- ArtReview
- Mary Mary
Locations
- United Kingdom
- London
- Beijing
- United States
- China
- Hong Kong
- Mayfair
- Frankfurt
- Dresden
- Wolfsburg
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands
- Japan
- Paris
- France
- Spain
- Madrid
- Barcelona
- Saragossa
- Palma
- Gerona
- Tarragona
- Lleida
- Valencia
- Marais
- Glasgow
- Scotland
- Bolzano
- Italy
- Los Angeles
- Munich
- Rotterdam