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Paul Henkel and Annabelle Selldorf Go In On a Gallery, and Other News

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Paul Henkel and Annabelle Selldorf at the newly opened Palo Gallery in Manhattan. Photography by Nicolas Venezia

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Paul Henkel and Annabelle Selldorf Go In on a Gallery

Downtown Manhattan will soon welcome another exhibition space that defies easy categorization: Annabelle Selldorf’s furniture line, Vica, and Paul Henkel’s popup art gallery, Palo, will call 30 Bond home when “Ontological Spherescapes, an exhibition of paintings by Henry Hudson, opens Sept. 9. Vica pieces will be on display throughout, which will feature a “European-style salon” along with a more traditional white gallery space designed by Selldorf. Launched by Henkel in 2018, Palo’s roaming exhibitions have hosted artwork by the likes of Alexander James, Kim Faler, and Auguste Garufi across temporary galleries downtown. 

Vica furnishings will also be on view—a first since Selldorf launched the line this past year, reviving a business her grandmother founded in the 1950s. According to the architect, who was a family friend of Henkel’s before the two went into business together, the partnership was a natural fit. “This approach feels more personal and in keeping with the ethos of Vica,” she told Artnet News. “It should be a place that people feel comfortable just dropping in to see what’s new or say hello, and with Palo’s ambitious exhibition program, I know the space will be vibrant and infused with energy.” —Jenna Adrian-Diaz

Skid Row Housing Trust’s Star Apartments in Downtown Los Angeles by Michael Maltzan Architects. Photography by Iwan Baan

Los Angeles County may launch a dedicated agency to address affordable housing.

“The ongoing housing crisis in Los Angeles County may soon become the subject of a new dedicated government agency after the California State Assembly voted on Wednesday to approve SB 679. If signed into law, the bill would authorize the county to create an entity called the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (or LACAHSA) that seeks to address the crisis through a consolidated approach the bill’s author, Democratic State Senator Sydney Kamlager, described as “clear, focused, [and] integrated” when compared to the current system’s diffuse and ineffective nature.” [H/T Archinect]

The International Council of Museums rewrites the official definition of a “museum.”

“The International Council of Museums (ICOM) HAS finalized the new definition of the term ‘museum.’ The Paris-based organization came to its decision on the matter during the 26th ICOM General Conference. According to the new definition: ‘A museum is a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities, offering varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing.’” [H/T Artforum]

Harlem’s Fashion Row teams with LVMH to unveil the inaugural Virgil Abloh Award.

“In partnership with LVMH, the New York-based fashion organization will host its 15th anniversary fashion show and awards on Sept. 6. This year, in addition to its annual showcase of Black-owned brands, Harlem’s Fashion Row has created an award in honor of Virgil Abloh. His wife, Shannon Abloh, will present the accolade at the show. According to the organization, the award “celebrates like-minded individuals who embody Virgil’s spirit, brilliance, and vision, through invaluable contributions to culture, community, and innovation,” it said in an announcement Monday. The recipients include actress Issa Rae, womenswear designer Sergio Hudson, fashion writer Robin Givhan, stylist Ade Samuel and Janet Jackson, who will be awarded the “Icon of the Year” award.” [H/T Business of Fashion]

Emma Webster paintings at Perrotin Dosan Park. Image courtesy of the artist and Perrotin

Perrotin opens a second gallery in Seoul ahead of this week’s Frieze and Kiaf fairs.

“Emmanuel Perrotin is a gallerist known for spotting—or, some would say, creating—an art trend and having a knack for being part of the next big thing. With one Seoul gallery since 2016 in the traditional neighborhood of Samcheong-dong—near centuries-old palaces, museums and tucked-away coffee shops—Mr. Perrotin realized that a second gallery made sense in a city known these days for a more youthful vibe, consumerism and a culture defined by movies, music and, yes, a growing visual arts scene.And so Perrotin Dosan Park opened Saturday in the uber-hip Gangnam area with a solo exhibition of works by the Los Angeles-based artist Emma Webster.” [H/T The New York Times]

The guard who doodled eyes on a million-dollar painting must serve 180 hours of labor.

“A magistrate’s court in Yekaterinburg, Russia, ruled that a security guard at the city’s Yeltsin Centre who doodled eyes onto a 1930s painting by avant-garde artist Anna Leporskaya last December was guilty of vandalism and must serve 180 hours of ‘compulsory labor’ and undergo ‘psychiatric evaluation.’ Moscow’s State Tretyakov Gallery, which had loaned the painting, reportedly worth $1.2m refused to petition for charges to be dropped against the guard, 64-year-old Aleksandr Vasiliev, despite his tormented life as a veteran of the Afghan and Chechen wars, the death of his wife and murder of his son.” [H/T The Art Newspaper]

China is suspect after an artwork critical of Xi Jinping mysteriously burns in California.

“In a saga that sounds like the plot of a potboiler, the U.S. government has found evidence that China has been spying on a U.S.-based sculptor—and destroying his work. Last year, artist Chen Weiming installed a three-story sculpture in California’s Mojave Desert that depicted Chinese President Xi Jinping’s head in the form of a giant coronavirus molecule. It was accompanied by a sign that read “CCP Virus,” insinuating that the Chinese Communist Party was responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Shortly after it was unveiled, Chen’s artwork was mysteriously burned to the ground. Security cameras around the site were found disconnected, leaving authorities with no suspects.” [H/T Artnet News]

Stages of turritopsis dohrnii, which may give scientists clues into human aging. Photography by Maria Pascual Torner

Today’s attractive distractions:

A teenager invents machine learning software to detect elephant poachers.

Scientific discoveries about immortal jellyfish may prolong human lifespans.

Working at music publication Pitchfork is “a Harvard crash course in music.” 

A Detroit park’s giant slide reopens after closing for sending kids airborne.

All Stories