July 14, 2026
Your morning brew of art world media
Welcome to Art Spell, a daily, comprehensive roundup of art news and reviews for the visual arts community. Today’s Editor’s Pick is UNESCO’s A.I. Report Considers How Technology Can Serve Culture by Elisa Carollo for Observer. UNESCO says AI can benefit culture, but only with the proper safeguards.
Apollo Magazine
Oliver Cox, The bachelors who left their pads to the nation
Charles Saumarez Smith, How Vanbrugh built a classical folly in a Tudor church
Art Asia Pacific
Kalani Ko, Massimiliano Gioni Named Director of New Museum
Bea Belen-Ferrer, The Coconut Knows: Martha Atienza at Silverlens
The Art Newspaper
Hadani Ditmars, Ancient Egyptian grave with colourful murals discovered in Luxor
Gareth Harris, Robert Rauschenberg foundation donates three sculptures to shared Tate and National Galleries of Scotland collection
Constanza Ontiveros Valdés, Remembering Valerie Brathwaite, the Caracas-based Trinidadian sculptor of singular abstractions
Garry Shaw, Name of ancient Maya astronomer-mathematician deciphered for the first time
Elena Goukassian, Arch Connelly, beloved mainstay of the 1980s East Village art scene, steps into the spotlight
Hannah Clugston, Ana Mendieta’s ‘Neolithic art’ recreated for major Tate Modern survey
From the Editors, What happened when Lucian Freud met Kate Moss? Nothing much, according to new film
Artforum
Jonathan Odden, Before Friend.com, There Was Winkie: On Tech Hype in End Times
From the Editors, Acclaimed Iranian Feminist Writer Shahrnush Parsipur Dies at 80
From the Editors, ICOM Formally Adopts New Code Of Ethics For Museums
From the Editors, Furor Erupts Over Design Choice for New National Museum of Ecuador
From the Editors, Artists Accuse Cape Town–Based SMAC Gallery Of Withholding Artworks And Payments
Artnet
Kenny Schachter, Roberta Smith Made Kenny Schachter Cry. Twice. And He Still Sings Her Praises
Min Chen, Louvre Heist’s Mastermind Craved More, Allegedly—and Other Art World Matters
Margaret Carrigan, Can Art Make You Healthier? These 10 Artists Think So
Min Chen, Australia’s Museum of Old and New Art Plans Bangkok Branch
ARTnews
Daniel Cassady, Felix Art Fair Overhauls Its Format, Emphasizing Solo, Two-Artist Booths and Poolside Experience
Alex Greenberger, Rauschenberg Foundation Gives Works to Tate, National Galleries of Scotland
Daniel Cassady, Christie’s Turns to the World Cup After Record-Breaking Jim Irsay Sales
Maximilíano Durón, Nazi-Looted Painting Found Decades Ago Among Amsterdam’s Street Trash Will Be Returned to Jewish Dealer’s Heirs
Daniel Cassady, Giant Shipping Container Sculpture at Montauk Art Space The Ranch Draws Municipal Fire
Brian Boucher, High Museum of Art’s Former COO Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $600,000
Anne Doran, Archaeologists Uncover Previously Unknown Tomb of Ancient Egyptian High Official
Tessa Solomon, Louvre Jewel Heist Suspects Claim ‘Mysterious Sponsor’ Recruited Them
Andy Battaglia, Design for New National Museum of Ecuador Prompts Petition Calling for Reconsideration
Harrison Jacobs, Whistleblowers Accuse Kennedy Center of Awarding No-Bid Contracts for $257 M. Trump-Led Renovation
ArtReview
Alice Godwin, How Many Times Does Marina Abramović Die?
Chris Fite-Wassilak, Why Should We Look at Park Chan-Kyong’s Paintings?
From the Editors, Edward Lucie-Smith, poet and critic for ArtReview, 1933–2026
BOMB
Charlotte Youkilis, Alex Westfall by Charlotte Youkilis
Cultured
Georgina Adam, The Louvre’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Year
Sophia Shyer, Even 25 Years After His Death, Manuel Álvarez Bravo Is Still Revealing New Work
Sophia Shyer, 9 Cultural Events and Exhibitions in Aspen You Can’t Miss This Summer
Family Style
Qianfan Gu, System Override
Frieze
Simone Molinari, The Show That Fits Inside a Cardboard Box
The Guardian
Joanna Moorhead, Enid Marx: the maverick textile artist who changed tube commutes for ever
Hyperallergic
Jerry Elengical, How the Children’s Art Carnival in Harlem Nurtured Generations
Isa Farfan, “Pam the Bird” Graffiti Stirs Controversy in Melbourne
Coco Fusco, Where Is Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara?
Rhea Nayyar, Suspects Shed Light on “Mastermind” Behind Louvre Heist
Julia Curl, Should We See Peter Hujar’s Contact Sheets?
Divya Mehra, The Album Art Music Left Behind
Observer
Elisa Carollo, Faig Ahmed Weaves Azerbaijan’s Past Into Its Future in Venice
Jordan Riefe, In DATALAND, Refik Anadol Has Built a Museum That Learns From Its Audience
EDITOR’S PICK - Elisa Carollo, UNESCO’s A.I. Report Considers How Technology Can Serve Culture: Artificial intelligence, it says, will expand access to culture, protect heritage and open new artistic possibilities—provided that human rights, diversity and creativity remain central to its governance.
Elisa Carollo, At the Grand Palais, Laure Prouvost Translates Quantum Physics Into Something You Can Feel
Daniel Grant, Artificial Intelligence Is Rewriting the Rules of Art Valuation
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