Good Morning!
- An investigation found that the Dutch royal family’s collection contains artifacts that were likely looted during the colonial era.
- Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III says he has likely curated his final exhibition.
- The Getty Center has revealed new details about its forthcoming renovation and yearlong closure.
The Headlines
ROYAL SPRING CLEANING. A small number of colonial artifacts owned by the Dutch royal family may have been acquired illegally, according to a report by dpa. A new report commissioned by the Netherlands’ Foundation for the Royal Private Collections to investigate roughly 1,000 objects in the royal collection found that a gold amulet necklace and historical weapons, all from Indonesia, are among the items of questionable provenance. The findings were welcomed, and negotiations for the return of contested items to their countries of origin are expected to begin soon. “Careful handling of colonial collection objects within the royal collections is of essential importance,” said Queen Máxima, who also serves as chair of the foundation.
SWAN SONG. Is Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch IIIpreparing to exit? That is what the New York Times asks in a recent piece tied to the forthcoming Smithsonian Castle exhibition “American Aspirations,” which honors America’s 250th anniversary. The piece stops short of offering a clear answer. Nevertheless, Bunch says the June-opening show “is probably the last exhibition I will curate, there’s no doubt about that.” The article suggests he may be on his way out because Bunch’s allies on the museum board, who have “kept” him at the helm, will likely be outnumbered by pro-Trump supporters this fall, as the administration continues to exert control over the institution it has accused of negatively portraying the US. What is clearer is that Bunch has tried to respond to White House pressure by carefully choosing his battles — a difficult challenge for which he is well-prepared. That said, the Smithsonian’s secretary may have been planning to exit at this stage anyway. “But do I wish I was in it?” he asked of the political tensions he faces. “Good Lord, I wish that I was doing my goodbye tour,” he added.
The Digest
The Getty Center has revealed more details about its yearlong closure beginning in March 2027 for renovations that include upgrading the entry and tram system, creating a new garden café, and building a more sustainable infrastructure. [Los Angeles Times]
The marble-inlay floor of the Romanesque-Gothic Siena Cathedral will be uncovered for a longer period this year and is the subject of a new international contemporary art competition. [Artribune]
A new book by Matthew Campbell, The Man Who Stole the Gods, tells the story of British dealer Douglas Latchford, who was accused of trafficking looted artifacts from Cambodia on a global scale before his death. [Hyperallergic]
A legend encouraging visitors to grind their heel on the testicles of a bull depicted in a 19th-century mosaic near Milan’s Duomo has worn a crater into the pink tesserae, which is now being carefully restored. [The Guardian]
The Kicker
ZOHRA OPOKU’S WOVEN VISION. Ghanaian German artist Zohra Opoku is being celebrated in Africa’s biggest museums. Who is she? ARTnews‘ Gameli Hamelo profilesthe “woven storyteller,” who is particularly interested in the medium of textiles and was highly praised by the late Koyo Kouoh. Opoku’s first museum survey is on view through Oct. 4 atZeitz MOCAA in Cape Town. Titled “We Proceed in the Footsteps of the Sunlight,” after a passage from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the show “almost feels surreal. It almost feels like you are watching your life from the outside,” the artist told ARTnews. The exhibition is anchored on the themes of water, breath, and the ground. Opoku, who moved to Ghana from Germany, often explores the experience of women; she has spoken with several “queen mothers” from Ghana for some of her works, to “capture their spirit, their lively nature [and] their beautiful dresses,” she said.
