Miuccia Prada Becomes the Director of Fondazione Prada, and Other News

Miuccia Prada Becomes the Director of Fondazione Prada

Though she founded Fondazione Prada alongside Patrizio Bertelli three decades ago, Miuccia Prada recently formalized her role as the institution’s director and established a steering committee. These include Giuliana Bruno, a professor of visual and environmental studies at Harvard University; Giancarlo Comi, a neurology professor at the Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan; artist and activist Theaster Gates; film director Alejandro González Iñárritu; and archaeologist and art historian Salvatore Settis.

In other museum news, Belinda Tate has been named director of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, a position she’ll begin in November. She currently serves as executive director of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts in Michigan. Craft Contemporary in Los Angeles is receiving a new executive director in Rody N. López after Suzanne Isken announced her retirement this month. Magazzino Italian Art, which recently celebrated the opening of the long-awaited  Robert Olnick Pavilion, announced the 2023–2024 scholar-in-residence position has been awarded to Dr. Margaret Scarborough.  

Moschino will soon announce a successor to creative director Jeremy Scott, who stepped down this past March after a decade. Massimo Ferretti, executive chairman at Aeffe, which owns the label, said the hire will be made in the next few weeks. Tiffany & Co. appointed Hector Muelas as chief brand creative officer after holding several creative roles at parent company LVMH, as well as Rimowa, Apple, Donna Karan, and more. At Tom Ford, Paolo Cigognini was named SVP of global communications and Rebecca Mason was named SVP of global brand image. Joyce Green will become managing director of Chanel France while Rebekah McCabe will succeed Green as general manager of fashion for the U.S. market. —Ryan Waddoups

An Ohio golf course dotted with ancient earthworks receives a UNESCO designation.

The Ohio Supreme Court has mandated that Moundbuilders Country Club in Ohio transfer its lease to the Ohio History Connection, which aims to convert the ancient site into a public park. This comes as the site, part of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, has received UNESCO World Heritage status, joining a list of around 1,000 globally significant locations. The legal dispute over the club’s lease, initially set to last until 2078, started in 2018 when the Ohio History Connection sued to take control, emphasizing the site’s historical, archaeological, and astronomical importance. The UNESCO designation also covers multiple Native American works in Ohio, including the Octagon Earthworks, which have been compared to landmarks like Stonehenge. A jury trial to determine the value of the club’s lease is set for October 17.

Two protestors vandalized a contentious Stuart Semple exhibition in London last week.

Last week, two people stormed into Stuart Semple’s controversial “D.A.B.A.” exhibition in London, throwing pink paint at artwork and supergluing themselves to the gallery wall. The exhibition sparked debate for its destruction of art using tools like sledgehammers and flamethrowers. The vandalism follows protests outside the gallery, where demonstrators argued that all art should be preserved. Despite the controversy, Semple has received a wave of support on his Instagram. The artist, known for inventing the world’s “Pinkest Pink” and for his celebrity clientele, expressed disappointment at the vandalism, emphasizing that his exhibition aims to challenge traditional notions of art, not promote mindless destruction. 

Studio Libeskind unveils a new senior housing development in Freeport, Long Island.

Studio Libeskind has unveiled a senior housing project in Freeport, Long Island, as part of New York’s $25 billion plan to create 100,000 units of affordable housing. The Allan and Geraldine Rosenberg Residence contains 45 units designed for residents aged 55 and older, with 30 percent specifically reserved for disabled and formerly homeless seniors. The building is equipped with such sustainable features as rainwater collection, efficient HVAC systems, and all-electric heating and appliances. The design includes an optic white exterior, a slate gray metal roofline, and geometric facets, as well as an interior courtyard and a green roof that serves as an outdoor terrace. 

An influx of architecture firms, such as Lake|Flato, are becoming certified B Corps.

Lake|Flato, a Texas-based architecture firm, has joined the ranks of certified B Corps, a designation awarded by nonprofit B Lab for ethical and sustainable practices in governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. This move comes amid growing attention to ESG (environmental, sustainability, governance) metrics, which have been mandated for disclosure by publicly traded companies but are less common among private firms in the architecture industry. While some firms like SO–IL and DIALOG view B Corp certification as a way to attract ethically minded clients, there’s debate about its overall impact. Critics argue that if a firm is already operating ethically, additional certification may not be necessary and could serve as a form of “greenwashing” for companies with questionable practices.

A Japanese television network will acquire Studio Ghibli amid concerns over its future.

Studio Ghibli, known for beloved animated films like Spirited Away, will become a subsidiary of Nippon Television Network Corp., which will hold a 42.3 percent stake in the studio. The decision comes amid concerns about the future leadership of Studio Ghibli, given that founder Hayao Miyazaki is 82 years old. While Nippon TV will send executives to support Ghibli’s management, the studio’s creative independence will be preserved. The two companies have a long history of collaboration, dating back to 1985 when Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind aired on TV. Miyazaki’s son Goro, also an animation director, has been considered a potential successor but has expressed reservations about taking on the role.

Today’s attractive distractions:

A viral AI writer reflects on the pitfalls and anxieties of GPT-assisted literature. 

Scientists are looking for the near-death experiences of cardiac arrest patients.

This TikToker provides helpful tips for finding public bathrooms in New York City.

Here’s how Tribeca’s Let There Be Neon became an essential resource for artists.