“Temptation” and “Animation” (1938) by Winold Reiss. Images courtesy of Bernard Goldberg Fine Arts…
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Two Long-Lost Winold Reiss Murals Resurface at TEFAF
Ken Sims, the director of Bernard Goldberg Fine Arts, was scouring 1stdibs to gather inspiration for the gallery’s TEFAF booth when he stumbled upon two vibrant oval canvases of long-tressed damsels swaddled in blossoms and foliage. Believed to be a pair of long-lost murals that late German artist Winold Reiss painted in 1938 for the Empire State Building’s former Longchamps restaurant, Sims and Goldberg scooped up the eight-foot-tall works sight unseen. Their suspicions were confirmed when Renate, Winold’s widowed daughter-in-law who preserves the family’s archives, deemed them authentic.
The murals were long believed lost to history after Longchamps was renovated in the 1960s to make way for a Mississippi riverboat-themed restaurant, which is now a Starbucks. Six other lost works complete the full series, but even discovering two heralds a major win for New York preservationists. They’re the undisputed highlight of Bernard Goldberg’s booth at TEFAF New York, which opens at the Park Avenue Armory today through May 16. “I just can’t understand how everything got thrown out,” Goldberg says, hoping the six missing ovals are still out there. At the very least, perhaps the unlikely story of the two surviving murals may enable someone to look closely and identify another lost masterwork somewhere else. —Ryan Waddoups
“Myth Explored, Explained, Exploded” (1993) by Damien Hirst at Gagosian Britannia Street, London. Photography by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images …
Gagosian will close its longtime North London gallery and launch a public art program.
Gagosian has decided to close its Britannia Street location in north London after two decades. The closure comes as the mega-gallery seeks to explore new avenues for showcasing art beyond traditional gallery spaces. Gagosian plans to launch Gagosian Open, a program that will bring art to public sites across London, fostering unique encounters between artists and audiences. The decision comes shortly after Gagosian closed its San Francisco gallery in order to focus its efforts on the burgeoning art market in Los Angeles.
Adidas will sell its Yeezy inventory to charities for those impacted by Ye’s comments.
Adidas is grappling with the aftermath of severing ties with Kanye West and is now sitting on a staggering stockpile of Yeezy shoes. Rather than destroying the unsold inventory, the German sportswear brand has opted to gradually sell the shoes and donate the proceeds to charities representing groups negatively impacted by West’s offensive comments. With an estimated market value of $1 billion, the decision to work with West was defended by Adidas CEO Björn Gulden, who acknowledged the rapper’s creative genius despite his difficult behavior.
HOK unveils plans for a soccer stadium and development in Willets Points, Queens.
HOK has unveiled plans for a new soccer stadium and mixed-use development in Willets Points, Queens. The stadium, home to New York City FC, will seat 25,000 people and be accompanied by 2,500 units of affordable housing, a public school, a hotel, retail spaces, and extensive public areas. Designed with sustainability in mind, the project aims to create a connected urban experience while celebrating the community and the love of the sport.
Nicolas Bourriaud. Photography by Sergio Rosales Medina…
French curator Nicolas Bourriaud is named artistic director of the Gwangju Biennale.
Renowned French curator Nicolas Bourriaud has been named the artistic director of the 15th Gwangju Biennale in South Korea, set to open next September. The biennale aims to explore art’s role in recovery from the pandemic and will adopt Bourriaud’s discourse-driven approach, focusing on the spaces humans inhabit and the redefinition of boundaries with other realms. In related news, the biennale has decided to eliminate the Park Seo-Bo art prize, originally funded by the artist himself, due to protests claiming that the formalist nature of the winner’s art contradicted the event’s political values rooted in South Korea’s democratic transition.
Lina Ghotmeh designs Hermés’s new sustainable leather goods workshop in France.
Hermés has unveiled its new leather goods workshop in Louviers, France, solidifying its dedication to the preservation of artisanal craftsmanship. The facility, a 67,000-square-foot space designed by architect Lina Ghotmeh, embraces natural light and ventilation, minimizing the need for artificial energy sources. Built with more than 500,000 locally sourced bricks, the workshop features undulating gardens that foster biodiversity and harness rainwater.
Peloton issues a recall for more than two million exercise bikes in the United States.
Peloton is issuing a recall for more than two million of its exercise bikes in the United States due to a potential safety hazard. The seat post assembly of the bikes can break during use, posing a risk of falls and injuries. The recall affects Peloton Bikes Model PL01 sold between January 2018 and May 2023, and consumers are advised to stop using the bikes immediately and contact Peloton for a free repair. The company has received reports of 35 incidents, including injuries such as fractured wrists, lacerations, and bruises.
An image from Madonna’s “Sex” book. Photography by Steven Meisel…
