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Art Collector Sues Nifty Gateway Over Botched Beeple Bid
In the NFT world, a legal fracas is brewing over Beeple—not the ubiquitous (and problematic) collage that fetched $69.3 million at Christie’s and made him the third most expensive living artist, but a lesser-known work called Abundance. The art collector Amir Soleymani bid $650,000 on the piece, but ultimately lost out to Ethereum co-founder Taylor Gerring’s bid of $1.2 million. Unbeknownst to Soleymani, the sale was a ranked auction, meaning that he and the 98 other top bidders were expected to accept editions of the artwork for the price of their top bid.
Soleymani has refused to pay, citing the sale’s unusual format: “I haven’t previously encountered such an auction which NG seems to have uniquely used for the Abundance NFT,” he tellsARTnews, claiming that his bids were made “with the intention of acquiring the original artwork.” While this bizarre format is news to us too, the terms were technically outlined on the auction page, casting a shadow of doubt over his legal claims.
Flack Studio’s Patchwork Style Imbues the New Ace Hotel Sydney
On the heels of its Brooklyn debut that channels the spirit of Le Corbusier, Ace Hotels is heading Down Under to launch its first outpost in the Southern Hemisphere, a 264-key property whose inspiration comes from the cinematic colors of the Australian landscape. Inhabiting the former Tyne House brick factory—once home to one of the country’s first ceramic kilns—in Sydney’s Surry Hills neighborhood, the hospitality group tapped Melbourne-based Flack Studio as the design lead.
Known for re-animating historical spaces with bold colors and unexpected material combinations, the firm fashioned the lobby’s off-form concrete staircase in a vibrant ochre red, and outfitted the rooms with acoustic textural straw walls, textile-lined window seating nooks, and a mishmash of custom furniture, joinery, and lighting fixtures. Look for forthcoming announcements about social spaces, including the rooftop restaurant and bar, in the coming months before the hotel’s grand opening next May.
The noose necklace makes a tactless return to the runway, this time by Givenchy.
The luxury brand’s creative director Matthew M. Williams is being slammed for showing an insensitive necklace that resembles a disconnected noose at Givenchy’s show in Paris. Spurred by a direct callout from Diet Prada, fashion’s meticulous watchdog, the accessory recalls Burberry’s ill-fated 2019 hoodie that introduced the self-harm motif.
Tesla will pay $137 million to a former contractor over a racial abuse lawsuit.
The lawsuit, filed by Owen Diaz, was prompted by racist experiences the Black contractor faced during his nine-month tenure at Tesla’s Fremont facility. While the automaker hasn’t announced an appeal, previous promises of an improved work culture demands further accountability in light of its employees not being unionized and recent reports of racial slurs.
A Somerset hotel installs a Beezantium that doubles as a buzzing exhibition space.
Taking inspiration from rustic English pavilions, Invisible Studio unveils an apiary beside a lake at the Newt Hotel, a cottage escape within the 18-acre estate of Hadspen House. Inset with functional beehives, the waterside development invites bees and guests alike to partake in the magic of honey-making and beekeeping. “The Beezantium has been designed to provide a sensory, otherworldly experience,” says Invisible Studio founder Piers Taylor. “But instead of being only about pleasure, the Beezantium is a purposeful building designed to house bees in observation hives in the external walls.”
Foster + Partners will refashion the Hall of Realms at Madrid’s Museo del Prado.
Spain has enlisted Norman Foster and Carlos Rubio to co-design a $42 million extension project titled “Hidden Design.” The thoroughfare plan, consisting of an open atrium, solar panelled roof, and a sunlit exhibition space, was the winning submission of the global competition, which included proposals from David Chipperfield and Rem Koolhaas.
In Düsseldorf, Snøhetta unveils a multilayered opera house and cultural hotspot.
Snøhetta has envisioned an opera house and cultural hotspot that will bring two V-shaped dancing towers to the German city. Complemented by landscaping that reworks the urban forest nearby and a layered glass facade that reflects its surroundings, the firm’s latest feat aims to craft a multi-use space: the ground floor engages the public with a medley of open spaces, while the glass towers will host both residences and office space.
The 2014 relaunch of the French perfume and cosmetics label by husband-and-wife duo Ramdane Touhami and Victoire de Taillac has awarded the brand with a wide appreciation for its beauty products and scented candles with vintage aromas. After receiving funding from LVMH Luxury Ventures in 2017, the lavish conglomerate has now procured Buly as part of its arsenal, marking the first acquisition of a brand backed by LVMH’s minority investor arm.
Today’s attractive distractions:
Denmark has started cleverly repurposing former wind turbines as bicycle shelters.
Moroccan scientists discover the earliest evidence of tools to make leather clothing.
Dave Grohl admits that Nirvana may change Nevermind’s artwork pending a lawsuit.
Frank Gehry’s latest fragrance bottle for Louis Vuitton mimics his kinetic architecture.
