The Top Story
After the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, yesterday, which left 17 dead, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., decided to cancel a projection on the outside of its building by Krzysztof Wodiczko that features a hand holding a gun and another holding a candle in front of a row of microphones. The projection will be moved to later dates, and footage of the projection is now on view in the museum’s lobby. The Hirshhorn said in a statement, “Our hearts go out to the victims and families of today’s tragedy in Florida. Out of respect for those affected, and in sensitivity to our public, the Hirshhorn and artist Krzysztof Wodiczko will no longer be projecting his artwork on the exterior of the building Feb 14th and Feb 15th.” [The Hirshhorn Museum/Smithsonian Institution]
Artist Tania Bruguera on Twitter: “#NRA how much death how many more houses without their kids for you to do the decent thing? @realDonaldTrump #GunControlNow.” [@immigrantmove/Twitter]
From the archives: Last summer, the artist Joshua Smith started an initiative to repeal the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which, as currently interpreted, guarantees the right of private individuals to own firearms. [ARTnews]
The Business
Art Basel is coming up. Today the fair, which alights on three continents each year, revealed the exhibitor list for its Switzerland edition, which arrives in June. Among the new exhibitors are Essex Street (of New York), Freedman Fitzpatrick (Los Angeles and Paris) and Croy Nielsen (Vienna). Cheers! [ARTnews]
Social Calendar
It seems that Sotheby’s accidentally sent an invitation for a private dinner in New York to the wrong (rather large) mailing list. It quickly apologized and offered those who had been misinvited a $20 gift certificate to its branch of its Sant Ambroeus Café, which is more than the people of Hawaii got after thinking they there going to die in a nuclear strike recently. [Artknows]
Social Media
Kanye West’s Instagram account has long sat empty, with more than two million followers eagerly awaiting the day when he would post. Yesterday, that day finally arrived, with West posting photographs of famous couples, like the Notorious B.I.G. and Faith Evans, Iman and David Bowie, and Jeff Koons and Ilona Staller. Naturally, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were also featured. [Kanye West/Instagram]
Philanthropy
Bloomberg Philanthropies is offering up to $1 million for public-art projects that “generate public-private collaborations, celebrate creativity and urban identity, and strengthen local economies.” Mayors of cities with more than 30,000 people are invited to apply. [ARTnews]
Investor and collector Aaron I. Fleischman has endowed the position of curator of modern and contemporary art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Ian Alteveer will be first to hold the title. [The Met]
Last But Not Least
Clickhole reports: “Beautiful! Obama just proudly nailed his presidential portrait to the side of his car.” It looks great. [Clickhole]
Here are some extremely delicious photos of Judy Chicago’s current exhibition at Salon 94 in New York. [Contemporary Art Daily]
Update, 4:15 p.m.: This post has been updated to clarify that the Hirshhorn plans to present Krzysztof Wodiczko’s projection at later dates, which will be announced.