Whitney Board Drama Continues, Busan Biennale Appoints Director, and Art World Mourns Cruz-Diez and Schubert

Kenneth C. Griffin initially resigned from the Whitney Museum board in support of Warren Kanders, who stepped down last week due to protests regarding his position as CEO of a tear gas company. However, after discussing with fellow board members, Griffin changed his mind and chose to remain. The Whitney Biennial was at risk of losing participating artists. In other news, Jacob Fabricius has been appointed as artistic director for the 2020 Busan Biennale, winning over the organizing committee with a proposal that integrated local culture with literature and music. The Danish curator is currently the artistic director at Kunsthal Aarhus. Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez passed away in Paris at 95, celebrated for his kinetic and installation art. He was honored by opposition leader Juan Guaidó and established an art school in Caracas, which now has a museum named after him. Cruz-Diez relocated to Paris in his 30s and became a French citizen. Additionally, German gallerist Karsten Schubert died at 58; he was instrumental in London's art scene during the 1990s, showcasing artists such as Michael Landy, Gary Hume, Rachel Whiteread, and Liam Gillick.