Church Makeover Goes Wrong, Giant Pigeon Lands on NYC High Line, BM & AG to Reopen Partially, and More: Morning Links for August 3, 2024

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THE HEADLINES

THE IRE OF RESTORERS. The Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Mirón, an 18th-century Spanish church in the northeastern city of Soria, was given a bold makeover that has left the building’s cherubim looking startled and local architecture lovers outraged. Professional restorers in Spain have even demanded explanations. The online newspaper El Confidencial, which describes the makeover as “a crime against heritage,” picked up on the concerns of a group, Soria Patrimonio (Soria Heritage) that had posted before-and-after pictures of the paint job on X, showing how the once white nave had been striped a dusky pink and its cherubim crudely freshened up. “What have they done to the Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Mirón?” the group asked. “It’s a listed building, but even if it weren’t, any work on a monument such as this had to be subject to minimum guarantees.” Soria Patrimonio told El Confidencia that the work was unsatisfactory, as it had been carried out without the necessary preliminary studies, and had altered the appearance that the church had had for the past century. “We’ve ended up with the decorative elements being outlined and the cherubs – which were white before – becoming caricature-like.”

NO MORE PIGEONHOLING. Urban birds are often pigeonholed as “flying rats,” but Iván Argote’s giant pigeon is called “Dinosaur,” in reference to its size. The sculpture is 21 feet tall, including the 5-foot-tall plinth where it will perch on New York’s Highline. In October, the gigantic aluminum installation will replace Pamela Rosenkranz’s Old Tree, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and 30th Street, and remain there for 18 months. This artwork isn’t just a hyper-realistic rendering of the pigeon; instead it will challenge traditions of who and what we monumentalize, as well as explore ideas around migration and the long view of history. “Iván Argote’s ‘Dinosaur’ will add great wit to the skyline of New York,” said Cecilia Alemani, the Donald R. Mullen Jr. Director & Chief Curator of High Line Art. “Iván has a charming ability as an artist to take something familiar and make us consider it anew in profound ways.” The pigeon statue was one of the most polarizing proposals when High Line Art shared artwork suggestions a few years ago, so it’s sure to ruffle some feathers.

THE DIGEST

Marine paintings by Yorkshire artist Jack Rigg, who died last year aged 96, have sold at auction for more than double their estimated worth. Most of the works had “never been seen in public before”, having been kept in his home and studio in Hull. The collection of 54 paintings “smashed” expectations by raising more than £20,000 during an auction at David Duggleby on Sunday, with bids from as far afield as the US and the Bahamas. [BCC]

Birmingham Museums Trust (BMT) has announced that Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery will partially reopen in the fall. Starting October 24, visitors will be able to step into the Round Room Gallery, Industrial Gallery, Bridge Gallery, and Edwardian Tearooms. The entire site has undergone a £5 million revamp. The display will feature both new and familiar artworks. “We know this is news that a lot of people have been waiting for and we are so happy to be able to open more of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery,” said co-CEOs Sara Wajid and Zak Mensah. [Museum Association]

Newlyweds can now rent out the Paestum and Velia park in southern Italy for three hours—during which time members of the public will be barred from entering—to take pictures of their special day among the ruins of the ancient city. The privilege will cost them €7,000. The announcement adds fuel to a debate about whether it is right for publicly owned cultural heritage to be hired out for private use. [The Art Newspaper]

Art created by young people is on display at a professional gallery. It follows workshops run by Level Two youth project in Felixstowe, with sculptures, paintings, and photography installed at 142 Art Gallery in the Suffolk town. “I sanded it down, put a router through to make the shape and then put resin in it,” said 10-year-old Oscar, who was inspired to create chopping boards and a table with a blue resin river effect cut into the surface. Megan Pilcher, the project lead, stated: “We wanted to create a project that showcases the creativity and talent of young people in Felixstowe.” [BBC]

The Spanish High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community has suspended the process for choosing the management of the Institut Valencià d’Art Modern. This suspension comes five months after the resignation of Nuria Enguita (allegations of conflict of interest were made concerning a donation of land to a nonprofit founded by Vicente Todolí, who served on the international jury that awarded her the position), and after the lawyer and collector Luis Trigo filed an appeal on the basis that the governing council acts as judge and party. “I don’t say so, the law says so,” he said. [EL PAÍS]

THE KICKER

FAKE ALERT. Fans were excited: Las Vegas–based Kings Auctions had announced in July that it would be selling off several dozen of Michael Jackson’s signed drawings to the highest bidder. This announcement is called into question by the late King of Pop’s estate, which had the works examined years ago and has issued a “buyer beware” warning. The lot of 78 drawings, each of which is said to have been created by the music icon during downtime while touring the world, is due to go under the hammer on August 3. “The Estate of Michael Jackson does not accept that this artwork was created by Michael Jackson,” Jonathan Steinsapir, counsel for the estate of the pop superstar, wrote in a statement. “We have made this clear to the auction house and others many times since. The Estate asked for evidence that these works were in fact created by Michael, and no sufficient evidence has ever been produced. Caveat emptor.” [The Hollywood Reporter]