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Artist-Made Billboards Grace L.A.’s Skies
Angelenos may have noticed an artful addition to the skyline: four billboards bearing artworks by Kenneth Tam, Jeffrey Gibson, Nekisha Durrett, and Ross McDonnell. Each contribution is unique, but all are united by Silkroad’s American Railroad project to highlight the contributions of Indigenous and African Americans, and Irish, Chinese, and Japanese immigrants in building the U.S.’s transcontinental railroad.
The installation is presented together with artist collective For Freedoms, which has made its name by using art to drive civic engagement and social change. The collective is a fitting partner to Silkroad, the Yo-Yo Ma–founded musical ensemble and arts nonprofit that prizes cultural collaboration across borders. The billboards are on view in Boyle Heights, Downtown L.A., Echo Park, and Westlake through today. —Jenna Adrian-Diaz
Images courtesy of Phoebe Philo…
The second edit of Phoebe Philo’s newly launched fashion house drops this week.
Phoebe Philo recently launched her fashion house and announced the second release of her inaugural “edit” is now available online. Details about the second collection remain under wraps, with a third installment, labeled A1, expected in the future. Philo has chosen to release her collection on her own schedule, breaking away from the traditional fashion calendar, emphasizing the seasonless and continuous nature of her work. The initial delivery of her highly anticipated 2023 womenswear collection appears to have sold out quickly, offering a wide range of items from ready-to-wear to accessories at various price points.
Sam Altman is reinstated as OpenAI’s CEO following his sudden removal last week.
Sam Altman regained his position as OpenAI’s CEO last week, overturning his recent removal by the board. The board itself will undergo significant changes, with several opposing members being replaced. Adam D’Angelo, CEO of Quora, will remain as the only current board member. OpenAI has announced a preliminary agreement for Altman’s return, with further details to be worked out. This development, along with the return of Greg Brockman as president and the board reshuffle, marked a tumultuous period for OpenAI, a prominent AI company known for ChatGPT and DALL-E.
“Corner of Laura Wheeler Waring’s Studio, Cheyney, PA” (around 1940) by Laura Wheeler Waring. Image courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum…
The Brooklyn Museum reveals more than 300 art acquisitions made over the past year.
Since late 2022, the Brooklyn Museum has added more than 300 works to its permanent collection, with many to be displayed in the renovated American wing when it reopens next year. Notable additions include pieces by 2023 MacArthur Fellows Dyani White Hawk and María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Rashid Johnson, and a wallpaper pattern by Sheila Bridges and Wedgwood. The museum also expanded its collection of Modern Asian American art, including Satoshi’s Room by Hisako Hibi and Corner of Laura Wheeler Waring’s Studio, Cheyney, PA by Wheeler Waring. The museum expanded its holdings of Korean calligraphy with five pieces spanning the 16th to the 19th century, including a letter by Gim Jeong-hui.
Foster + Partners celebrates the official topping out of 270 Park Avenue in Manhattan.
This week, a celebration marked the official topping out of the new 60-story JPMorgan Chase headquarters at 270 Park Avenue in Manhattan. Designed by Foster + Partners to incorporate new trends in post-pandemic workplace design, the building features flexible office layouts and wellness areas. Despite lobbying from preservation groups to preserve the Union Carbide Building that once occupied the site, the project claims to be a revolutionary addition to American office design, with Norman Foster expressing optimism about its impact. The building is expected to provide 2.5 million square feet of office space when it opens in 2025
With 242 exhibitors, the Art Basel Hong Kong is returning to its pre-pandemic scale.
Art Basel Hong Kong will return to its pre-pandemic scale for its upcoming edition, scheduled March 28–30 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The 2024 edition will feature 242 exhibitors, a significant increase from this year’s event, which had 177 exhibitors. The fair is maintaining its customary sections, including Galleries, Discoveries, and Insights, with details on Kabinett, Encounters, Film, and Conversations to be disclosed later. Moreover, 68 galleries will be returning after a hiatus alongside 25 first-time exhibitors, emphasizing the event’s aim to foster global connections and highlight artistic innovation in Hong Kong.
“American Dream [Chrysler]” (1970) by Thomas Bayrle. Image courtesy of the artist, Gladstone Gallery, and neugerriemschneider, Berlin…
Today’s attractive distractions:
German Pop Art icon Thomas Bayrle reflects on his lifelong car fascination.
