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Simone Forti, Leading Figure of New York’s Judson Dance Theater Scene, Has Died at 91

Simone Forti, artist, choreographer, dancer, poet, and leading figure of New York’s Judson Dance Theater scene of the 1960s, as well as an influential contributor to Minimalism and the Fluxus movement, has passed away in Los Angeles at age 91, her gallery, Raffaella Cortese, confirmed via social media today. “She was a beloved friend and mentor, whose immeasurable influence on contemporary art, performance, and dance spanned over sixty years,” stated the Milan-based gallery. “We remember her with affection, admiration, and deep gratitude, and we remain committed to carrying forward the memory of her extraordinary work.” At the Judson Dance Theater in Greenwich Village, Forti became a key figure of then-budding postmodern dance, working alongside the likes of Trisha Brown, Steve Paxton, and Yvonne Rainer. Forti, whose collaborations included working with choreographers Anna Halprin, Martha Graham, and Merce Cunningham, liked to simply describe hersel...

Yoshitomo Nara’s First Show with David Zwirner Slated for October in New York

After adding Yoshitomo Nara to its roster last fall, David Zwirner will present the Japanese artist’s first show with the gallery at both of its spaces on 19th and 20th Streets in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. The exhibition, touted as Nara’s first major solo show in New York in nearly a decade, is slated to open October 29 and will run through December 12. Nara joined Zwirner after being represented previously by Pace and Blum galleries, and said at the time, “Now, I feel fortunate to present the works I will be creating under the guidance of a gallerist who, though born and raised in a different place, shares the same generation and the spirit of the era we both lived through—including its subcultures.” The two-site show in the fall will include new paintings and drawings, recent sculptures, and early works selected by Nara himself. “Bringing together foundational works from the 1980s and paintings from 2026,” a press release reads, “thi...

Museums, Curators, and Artists Say Goodbye to Betye Saar: ‘Thank You for the Dance’

Betye Saar died on July 26, four days before her 100th birthday, to the shock and sadness of an art world preparing to celebrate the centennial of the singular assemblage artist. Born in Los Angeles in 1926, Saar spent six decades excavating the American sediments of race and politics through found objects, from the innocuous—furniture, feathers, birdcages—to the insidious. Saar’s groundbreaking 1972 piece The Liberation of Aunt Jemima depicted the eponymous “Mammy” figure bearing a toy rifle and broom, with a Black Power fist rising before her. “She is going to liberate herself at all costs,” ARTnews wrote in its obituary yesterday, echoing Saar’s own words: “Take a woman who was a victim and make her a warrior.” Saar “redefined contemporary art,” the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) wrote on Instagram, joining the many cultural institutions, curators, and artists who shared condolences following news of her death. “Saar was a master as...

Biennale of Sydney Appoints Low Kee Hong Artistic Director of 2028 Edition

The Biennale of Sydney has appointed Low Kee Hong artistic director of its 26th edition, which will be on view in and around the city in 2028. This year’s Biennale , directed by Hoor Al Qasimi and titled “Rememory,” closed last month. “The 2028 Biennale will embrace participation and discovery, inviting people from all walks of life to share in the experience. I look forward to spending time with artists, communities and cultural leaders across Australia and the wider region,” Hong said in a statement. Various venues around New South Wales typically host the three-month-long Sydney Biennial. The 25th edition was headquartered at the White Bay Power Station; other locations included the Campbelltown Arts Center, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, and Lewers: Penrith Regional Gallery. Hong is the founding creative director of Factory International, an arts organization that ope...

Pacific Music Awards launch community fundraising campaign as tickets go on sale

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ART accepts the Flava Best Pacific Group and NZ On Air Radio Airplay awards at the 2025 Pacific Music Awards. Photo: Supplied The Pacific Music Awards Trust is calling on the community to help secure the future of the Pacific Music Awards, launching a fundraising campaign as the event prepares to celebrate its 21st year. For more than two decades, the Pacific Music Awards have celebrated the achievements of Pacific artists, songwriters, producers and creatives across Aotearoa.  However, ongoing changes to funding and significant cuts to public arts investment have created growing challenges for the long-term sustainability of the awards. To help ensure the awards continue for future generations, the Trust has launched a fundraising campaign through Koha, an Aotearoa-built giving platform co-founded by Te Awanui Reeder (Awa of Nesian Mystik). Every donation made through the platform will go directly towards supporting the Pacific Music Awards. “It’s always...

Sideline Conversions 27 July (some news and Information to start the week)

Monday morning edition – updates expected: Congratulations to all winners of the club finals on Saturday, now the club season turns to the ride its conclusion of the Colts and Reserve Grade competitions. The Colts finals this coming Saturday at both at the Kilbirnie precinct, with Marist St Pat’s emerging as top qualifier to earn...

Archie Rand’s Landmark Letter Paintings Acquired by Italy’s Modena FC Collection

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For decades, Archie Rand’s “Letter Paintings” series has been something of a cult favorite among painters and critics. Now, 44 of them are heading to an unlikely home: the corporate collection of Italy’s Modena FC. New York–based gallery Jarvis Art announced this week that the Italian football club has acquired the group of paintings, which Rand made between 1968 and 1971 while still a teenager. The series was shown in 1983 at the Museum of the Carnegie Institute and reunited in a 1991 exhibition at Exit Art in New York, where it earned a jazzy review from  New York Times  critic Roberta Smith. The works have rarely been seen together since. The paintings marked an early turning point for Rand. As a teenager, he apprenticed under painter Larry Poons and became an acolyte of the influential critic Clement Greenberg, who saw the young artist as part of the next generation of abstract painters. But instead of following that path to its logical co...