COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Christo will create 4.5 kilometers of paths on Lake Iseo in Italy made of yellow nylon that will connect two of its islands to the mainland for the first time, allowing the public to “walk on water.” The Floating Piers will be his first major project after the death of his wife and collaborator Jeanne-Claude; funded entirely by sales of the artist’s work, they will only be in place for sixteen days in June before being taken down and recycled. [The Art Newspaper]
Workers at the National Gallery went on strike again on Monday over the museum’s plans to outsource 400 of 600 visitor service jobs. Artists Ryan Gander and director Ken Loach are among those who signed an open letter asking the museum to postpone their decision until after the UK general election on May 7. [The Art Newspaper]
An independent investigation found a loophole in measures put in place to protect those working for subcontractors on NYU’s Abu Dhabi campus on the Saadiyat Island. Many workers were excluded from the guidelines promising workers on Abu Dhabi cultural institutions they would be paid in full and decently housed by their employers. [The Art Newspaper]
Markus Lüpertz has won this year’s Fondation Simone et Cino Del Duca Grand Prix, which honors Europe-based artists. With this award, Lüpertz also received over $100,000 in cash. [Artforum]
Bonham’s—and the world’s—first auction for Iraqi modern art in London has set a new record, after it surprised everyone by drawing in a total of $1.9 million. [Al Arabiya]
Walter Massey will be retiring next year from his position as president of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, to be replaced by current provost and senior vice president of academic affairs, Elissa Tenny. Instead, Massey will become a chancellor and focus on major fundraising initiatives and outreach on the school’s behalf. [Crain’s Chicago Business]
Read about the new Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan 1994 museum that recently opened in a Brooklyn apartment. [Rolling Stone]
Controversy in China: people are angry over the replicas created of two important heritage sites, the Great Wall and Beijing’s Old Summer Palace. [Hyperallergic]
The “Art Museum Hottie” has been making waves on social media since he was photographed working out on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum over the weekend. [Philly.com]