The year 2023 in the art world was filled with ‘A LOT’. From progress announcements to scandals and the continuous return of looted artifacts from Africa, this year unfolded as a dynamic and multifaceted chapter in the realm of art. The unfolding events included major developments in the architectural sphere, with renowned architect David Adjaye facing a swift fall from grace following allegations of sexual misconduct at his firm, Adjaye Associates. Simultaneously, the art world grappled with institutional crises affecting museums and progresses in the world of fairs.
Despite the challenges and controversies, the art world remained resilient, with various exhibitions, announcements, and cultural dialogues shaping its diverse landscape. The year 2023 left a lasting impact, prompting reflection on the dynamics that define the ever-evolving world of art.
Here are some of the key moments in the world of art this year.
1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair announces opening in Hong Kong
Image courtesy of 1-54.
Earlier this year, the contemporary African art fair 1-54 announced its first foray into the Asian market. Following success in London, New York and Morocco, African art fair 1-54 will debut in Hong Kong with a March 2024 show at Christie’s to coincide with Art Basel. A full-scale fair will follow in 2025 if the project is successful, says 1-54’s founder Touria El Glaoui, as experts talk about the rise of African art in Asia.
“Around 25 galleries will provide artworks for the Hong Kong show, and the exhibition will have 25 to 30 pieces in total,” says Touria El Glaoui, who founded the fair in London in 2013 before launching editions in New York in 2015 and Marrakech, Morocco, in 2018.
Architect David Adjaye’s Sexual Scandal
The Ghanaian-born designer gained acclaim for projects like the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., which received widespread praise upon its opening in 2016. However, his trajectory took a swift downturn following a Financial Times report that exposed allegations of sexual misconduct by three women who had worked at his firm, Adjaye Associates. Despite denying the allegations and any criminal wrongdoing, the report took its toll, leading museums to cut ties with him.
His firm, Adjaye Associates, had been hired by the Studio Museum to create a much-anticipated new structure that would dramatically expand the size of the organization. However, the New York Times announced on Thursday that Adjaye would no longer be working on it. “The actions being alleged are counter to the founding principles and values of the Studio Museum,” board chair Raymond J. McGuire told the Times in a statement.
Elderly Couple Sue Art Dealer over $4.4 Million African Mask Sale
Image courtesy of Pascal Guuot/AFP Via Getty Images.
After learning that the African mask they sold him brought in €4.2 million ($4.4 million) at auction, a couple in France accused the antiques dealer of cheating them out of a seven-figure payout. The Times of India report that the unidentified 81-year-old and 88-year-old couple filed a lawsuit against the dealer and requested that a Nimes appeals court determine what money is owed to them in damages.
The pair was clearing out their home in preparation for a garage sale when they came across the mask. But the mask was saved for the neighborhood antiques dealer, who agreed to purchase it in September 2021 for €150 (roughly $157). A few months later, they discovered in the newspaper that the mask had been bought for millions at a Montpellier auction house. Apparently, the mask was a traditional Gabonese Fang mask that was used in weddings, funerals, and other rituals, according to the listing. The mask was brought to France by the husband’s grandfather, an African colonial governor, and is a rare sight outside of Gabon; fewer than a dozen copies are kept in museums worldwide.
The couple also claims that the antiques dealer conspired with their gardener, with whom he shared the sale’s proceeds, to find out the mask’s provenance information before approaching the auction houses, according to Artnet.
The defense argued that the dealer “is a second-hand dealer and not an antique dealer and cannot be considered an valuation professional. He has no knowledge of African art.” They added that he sought the expert assessments at the initiative of the auctioneer, not because he had reason to believe it held greater value
Illinois State Museum Returns Stolen Wooden Artifacts to the Mijikenda of Kenya
Image courtesy of Nation Media Group, Kenya.
The Illinois State Museum takes a bold step to repatriate over 30 stolen artifacts to the Mijikenda people in Kenya. The recovered treasures, vigango, hold great spiritual importance for the Mijikenda ethnic group, as they serve as a tribute to their ancestors. As the artifacts return to Kenya, it marks a turning point in the fight against cultural plunder. It raises awareness about the importance of responsible acquisition and exhibition of cultural items.
In a statement from Art News, Brooke Morgan, a curator of anthropology at the Illinois State Museum, described the objects as “inalienable from the people who created them,” adding that “separating vigango from their rightful owners harms the spiritual well-being of the whole community.”
The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) Faces Controversy After Hiring a Non-African Curator
The recent hiring of Amanda Maples, as the curator of African Art at the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) has ignited a debate about diversity and representation in the art world. Many people have voiced their concerns about a non-Black individual’s ability to understand and relate to the Black and African experience. The museum’s director defended the decision, highlighting the curator’s anticolonial approach and seeking support from experts in the field. The debate surrounding Maples’s appointment raises important questions about representation and diversity in the art world. Some argue for prioritizing expertise, while others stress the importance of aligning with the communities being represented through lived experiences and perspectives.
Museum of Modern Art Apologizes For Ejecting Black Artist From Exhibit
Image courtesy of The Wick Culture.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York has issued an apology to the British Ghanaian artist Heather Agyepong after she was ejected from an installation hosted in the museum and intended specifically as a safe and restful environment for Black visitors. Heather Agyepong visited New York City’s Museum of Modern Art to view the “Black Power Naps” installation by artists Navild Acosta and Fannie Sosa. An exhibit which calls attention to the “sleep gap,” a theory explaining the insufficient sleep Black people get in the U.S. compared to white people. While observing, Agyepong shared that she was asked to leave after interacting with another visitor.
In a statement to The Art Newspaper, a MoMA spokesperson said the museum plans to add more staff to the installation and will “explore” further procedural changes, including additional signage and staff training, in consultation with the organisers of Black Power Naps.
Nigerian Artist, Lola Mewu Breaks Guinness World Record in 82-Hour Painting Marathon
Nigerian visual artist Lola Mewu, also known as Oyinlola Odumewu, has set a new Guinness World Record for the longest painting marathon. Lola embarked on this challenging journey on October 28, 2023, at the Safe House in Adeola Hopewell Street, Eti-Osa, Lagos, with the goal of surpassing the previous record of 60 hours set by Belgian-Canadian artist Roland Palmaerts in 2013. These paintings were auctioned and sold with art enthusiats bidding for the best prices.
Alleged head of Egyptian antiquities trafficking ring arrested
Serop Simonian, the alleged leader of a suspected Egyptian antiquities trafficking ring, was arrested in Germany and transferred to France.
The 80-year-old dealer is believed to be behind the sale of allegedly smuggled Egyptian antiquities to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Louvre Abu Dhabi for a collective €60 million ($64 million).
The investigation began when French officials issued a warrant for Simonian’s arrest. He was imprisoned in Paris after being formally accused of money laundering and trafficking in September. Simonian vehemently denies wrongdoing. Speaking with The Art Newspaper last year, Simonian refuted all claims. He said the antiquities in question were from the collection of his family, who were dealers in Cairo. He further noted that most of the objects were legally exported in the 1970s and held for decades in German museums.
Lynette Yiadom-Boakye’s Artwork Sells For An Outstanding $3.6million at Sotheby’s Auction
Lynette Yiadom-Boakye’s artwork, “Six Birds in the Bush” (2015) sells for $3.6 million at Sotheby’s auction in London. This remarkable achievement not only shattered previous records for the British-Ghanaian artist but also set a new pinnacle for works by Black British female artists in the auction world.
The auction, part of The Now Evening Auction series, commenced with an initial bid of 850,000 pounds. From the very beginning, the bidding war intensified, swiftly surpassing all expectations. As the auctioneer’s gavel fell, a phone bidder clinched the prized piece for the remarkable sum of $3.6 million, equivalent to 2,952,000 British Pounds. This remarkable figure nearly doubled the previous high mark for Yiadom-Boakye’s artwork, signifying a significant leap in her market value.
Egypt Demolishes Cultural Monuments to Make Way for Modernized Buildings
Image courtesy of Sima Diba.
Egypt‘s government announced plans to demolish historic tombs and cultural centers in Cairo as part of their modernization plan. This is a shock to Cairo residents, who witnessed the disappearance of cultural sites to make way for new developments and roadways.
The demolition includes cultural sites, old pottery shops, ancient tombs, and cemeteries, as the city’s landscape changes drastically. Among the sites facing potential destruction is Darb 1718, a cultural center founded by Egyptian artist Moataz Nasreldin in 2007. District officials reportedly informed Nasreldin that a road-widening project would require the destruction of his space to build an elevated highway.
Local accounts reveal that Cairo residents are concerned about the impact of new highways and high-rise buildings on the city’s history and the displacement of long-time inhabitants. The worry is that these changes will erase Cairo’s cultural heritage and displace those who have called the city home for generations.
