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The Headlines
CLAUDE LÉVÊQUE CHILD RAPE INVESTIGATION. New particulars have emerged into the continuing investigation of kid rape prices in opposition to French artist Claude Lévêque, as one other alleged sufferer joins the case. The French day by day Libération has printed an in-depth report into the allegations in opposition to the adorned 72-year-old artist, who represented his nation on the 2009 Venice Biennale. A number of males have reportedly accused Lévêque of raping them whereas they had been kids, and a latest declare inside France’s statue of limitations was added in November of final yr, following a primary criticism made in 2019. Lévêque’s neon art work has since been pulled from exhibitions, and his gallery suspended illustration. Libération spoke with six males, aged 35 to 60, who declare to be victims of sexual abuse by the artist, and have printed their findings in three components. Reporters describe “the toxicity of a system” wherein Lévêque manipulated his victims and their households, managing to befriend dad and mom who allowed their sons, sometimes starting round age 10 till about age 17, to spend time alone and in a single day with the artist. The youngsters joined him on journeys to glamorous artwork occasions the place they had been introduced as his assistants, and sometimes contributed to Lévêque’s artworks in quite a lot of methods. Lévêque has admitted to having sexual relations with a minimum of a number of the accusers, although he has reportedly stated they had been 15 on the time, and that their intercourse was consensual.
FOLLOW YOUR NOSE. ARTnews Prime 200 collector and music mogul David Geffen has filed a 100-page countersuit slamming crypto billionaire Justin Solar for his “sham” authorized try to get again a $78 million Alberto Giacometti sculpture Geffen bought from him, studies Artnet Information . Hong Kong-based Solar filed a February lawsuit alleging the sculpture, “Le Nez,” was offered with out his information, and that Geffen ought to have identified one thing was amiss within the sale. However Geffen isn’t shopping for it. “Vendor’s regret shouldn’t be a foundation to sue,” stated Geffen’s lawyer Tibor Nagy. “Courts of legislation are the unsuitable enviornment for publicity stunts,” he added.
The Digest
Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Abdullah al-Thani has received a authorized case in London in opposition to the New York–and Geneva-based Phoenix Historic Artwork gallery, for allegedly promoting him cast antiquities. The gallery, run by brothers Hicham and Ali Aboutaam, is reportedly interesting the decision. [The Times]
Maurice Sendak’s artwork assortment is heading to public sale. The illustrator and artist collected objects that impressed his apply, and so they would be the star of Christie’s June gross sales. [The New York Times]
Nan Goldin is promoting prints to profit Gaza’s solely animal shelter and hospital, Sulala Animal Rescue. The fundraising group Footage for Goal is providing three prints by Goldin priced between $210 and $262, that are of images she took whereas touring in London, Paris, and Mexico Metropolis. [Hyperallergic]
Two convicted local weather activists from the group Final Era, have been pardoned for gluing their arms to the body of Raphael’s Sistine Madonna within the Dresden Outdated Masters Image Gallery in 2022. They’ve already paid for damages to the Dresden State Artwork Collections. [dpa]
The Kicker
COMIC ARTIST ROBERT CRUMB lately headed to the Whitney Museum to look again at a number of previous associates—his psychedelic sketches, and different inspiring artworks—with the New Yorker’s Bruce Useful. The go to, together with Crumb biographer and curator Dan Nadel, was additionally in preparation for the New York museum’s fall-scheduled group exhibition “Sixties Surreal,” which can embrace Crumb’s artworks in dialogue with the Surrealism of the Thirties and ’40s. Throughout their dialog, Crumb touches on his biography, his curiosity in depictions of “highly effective” girls, and managed to poked enjoyable at market curiosity in his apply. The truth is, his supplier has been “frickin’ pitching” tough sketches that Crumb does on restaurant placemats, meals stains and all, he quipped. “The ultimate product isn’t a chunk of completed artwork—it’s the printed ebook,” added the artist. “For me, the joys is at all times seeing a ebook. It’s all there.”
