P.A.I.N. Protests V&A, Comilang Wins Sobey, Banksy Sculpture Withdrawn, Dulwich Robbery, Hugo Boss Shortlist, BMA Pledge
On 23 November, the activist organization P.A.I.N., spearheaded by photographer Nan Goldin, held a die-in protest at the Sackler courtyard of the V&A to highlight the five daily fatalities caused by opioid addiction. The museum receives financial contributions from the Sackler family, who are the proprietors of Purdue Pharma. Meanwhile, on the same day, the Sobey Art Foundation recognized Stephanie Comilang with the 2019 Sobey Art Prize for her video works, awarding her $100,000 CAD, while the finalists each received $25,000 CAD. This exhibition will be displayed at the Art Gallery of Alberta until 5 January 2020. Additionally, Sotheby's retracted Banksy's sculpture, The Drinker, following claims of theft by artist Andy Link, and police intervened to prevent a robbery at Dulwich Picture Gallery. The Guggenheim also revealed the shortlist for the 2020 Hugo Boss Prize, and the Baltimore Museum of Art committed to acquiring works exclusively by women in 2020.
Key facts
- P.A.I.N. held a die-in at the V&A's Sackler courtyard on 23 November, its first UK protest.
- The protest lasted five minutes to represent five daily deaths from opioid addiction.
- P.A.I.N. is led by Nan Goldin and has targeted institutions linked to the Sackler family since 2018.
- Stephanie Comilang won the 2019 Sobey Art Award, receiving $100,000 CAD.
- Comilang's video works feature a Tagalog-speaking drone named Paraiso documenting Filipino diaspora.
- The Sobey Art Award exhibition is at the Art Gallery of Alberta until 5 January 2020.
- Sotheby's withdrew Banksy's The Drinker after Andy Link claimed it was stolen from him in 2004.
- Link had 'kidnapped' the sculpture from a London square in 2004; it was later stolen from him.
- Dulwich Picture Gallery experienced an attempted robbery of two paintings from Rembrandt's Light.
- The robber abandoned the paintings while fleeing police; the gallery remains closed.
- The Guggenheim shortlisted six artists for the 2020 Hugo Boss Prize: Nairy Baghramian, Kevin Beasley, Deana Lawson, Elias Sime, Cecilia Vicuña, Adrián Villar Rojas.
- The Hugo Boss Prize winner gets $100,000 and an exhibition, announced autumn 2020.
- Baltimore Museum of Art will only acquire works by women in 2020, addressing a 96% male collection.
- The BMA initiative follows a 2018 move to sell works by white male artists to diversify holdings.
Entities
Artists
- Nan Goldin
- Stephanie Comilang
- Nicolas Grenier
- Kablusiak
- Anne Low
- D'Arcy Wilson
- Banksy
- Andy Link
- Nairy Baghramian
- Kevin Beasley
- Deana Lawson
- Elias Sime
- Cecilia Vicuña
- Adrián Villar Rojas
- Rembrandt van Rijn
- Jacob de Gheyn III
Institutions
- V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum)
- Sackler family
- Purdue Pharma
- P.A.I.N.
- Sobey Art Foundation
- National Gallery of Canada
- Art Gallery of Alberta
- Sotheby's
- Dulwich Picture Gallery
- Guggenheim Museum
- Hugo Boss Prize
- Baltimore Museum of Art
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Edmonton
- Canada
- New York
- United States
- Baltimore
- South London