Marc Spiegler, the former global director of Art Basel, has launched an online course to help individuals understand the rapidly changing contemporary art industry. The ten-hour programme, in collaboration with Art Market Minds, aims to provide guidance on navigating the complex and often opaque dynamics of the art world. This initiative is part of a new programme by Spiegler and Art Market Minds that will offer support for developing business proposals related to the art industry.
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/01/09/the-art-world-according-to-marc-spiegler-former-art-basel-boss-launches-online-courseThe Mayor of London's Culture and Community Spaces at Risk programme has partnered with artists to create public art installations in the city. One such installation, created by Rudy Loewe, will be unveiled at Brixton underground station in November. Another artist, Agnes Denes, will feature a work on the Spring 2025 Pocket Tube Map. Existing works include Monster Chetwynd's sixty-metre-long sculptural installation at Gloucester Road station and Hannah Quinlan and Rosie Hastings' permanent mosaic, Angels of History, at St James's Park station.
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/01/08/art-on-the-underground-2025-programme-revealedMarlon Mullen, a long-time artist at NIAD Art Center in Richmond, California, transforms magazine and book covers into paintings that reflect his unique perspective. By reinterpreting the signifiers on these covers, such as the Artforum logo or Warhol's Marilyn, Mullen adds texture with thick paint application, giving his works a more human quality. In his piece "Untitled" (2017), he takes a 2002 Art in America cover featuring Bernd and Hilla Becher's photographs of framework houses and reimagines it as a network of organic lines, altering the original artworks' logic through misspellings and rearranged letters and layouts. Mullen's process is characterized by his reaction to the forms he produces in real-time, revealing the details that interest him in the act of making.
https://hyperallergic.com/981968/the-art-world-pastiche-of-marlon-mullen/The 51st edition of Saarang 2025, the annual cultural festival of IIT-Madras, will begin on Friday with a focus on cinema as its theme. The festival will feature performances by folk artists, including a Japanese orchestra, an Italian progressive metal band, and a Polish accordionist in the international music festival. Indian musicians such as DJ Frozt, Antariksh, Mysore Express, and playback singer Amit Trivedi will also perform. The spotlight lecture series will be hosted by K.S. Chitra, Niharika N.M., Sandy Master, Lydian Nadaswaram, and Kishen Das. The festival will include a dance drama presentation on patriotism, Moovarnam, which will be staged in the presence of R. Varadarajan, father of deceased Army officer Mukund.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/iit-ms-saarang-to-feature-indian-folk-art-cinema-themed-events/article69076319.eceRas Al Khaimah Art is a publishing house that collaborates with artists from Switzerland and other countries on special projects, producing small print runs of books. Founded in 2013 under the patronage of Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, it has grown from a gathering of 30 local emerging artists to become the premier art and cultural showcase in Ras Al Khaimah. The organization, formerly known as the Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival, now serves as a creative hub that nurtures both local and international talents by transcending conventional boundaries.
https://www.gulftoday.ae/culture/2025/01/08/ras-al-khaimah-art-2025-embraces-memory-to-celebrate-art-and-cultureHala Badri, the director general of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, emphasizes that art and culture are integral to Dubai's identity. The city's cultural scene is thriving, as seen in events like the Sikka Art Fair held in Al Fahidi, a cultural area in Dubai. This suggests that Dubai prioritizes its artistic heritage and provides opportunities for artists to showcase their work.
https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/comment/2025/01/07/the-art-and-culture-of-dubai-is-a-part-of-its-soul/Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan inaugurated an exhibition at PNCA Islamabad featuring calligraphic masterpieces and artworks by prominent artists from eight ECO member countries. The exhibition highlighted the region's cultural diversity as a strength, serving as a bridge between civilizations and promoting peace, prosperity, and mutual respect among nations including Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1269776-cultural-heritage-exhibition-of-eco-states-opensA retrospective exhibition featuring the work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama is currently on display at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, showcasing approximately 200 pieces, including her 2019 installation "The Hope of the Polka Dots Buried in Infinity Will Eternally Cover the Universe".
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/immerse-yourself-in-the-polka-dotted-world-of-yayoi-kusama-at-a-massive-new-retrospective-180985765/Artist Adel Yazdi has transformed his neighbourhood of Narenjestan in Shiraz, southern Iran, into a vibrant cultural hub through his paintings and carved relief faces. The once dilapidated walls now feature intricate designs and bright colours, showcasing a different side of Iran's artistic heritage. Yazdi's artwork, which includes a mural of Scheherazade, has become a social media sensation and tourist attraction in the city known for its historic architecture and lush gardens. His workshop, located in a century-old building with traditional Persian architectural style, is filled with artefacts and sculptures, drawing visitors such as engineer Maedah who liken it to other historical places in the city. Yazdi's inspiration comes from the Pompidou Centre in Paris, and he hopes his efforts can turn Shiraz's alleyways into a more vibrant cultural centre.