Art Outlook: 23 October

Some of the stories and discussions we’ve spotted online this week:

René Burri has died at the age of 81

The renowned Swiss Magnum photographer was described by Martin Parr, the cooperative’s president, as ‘one of the most generous people I have had the privilege to meet’. He leaves 30,000 of his pictures to the Musee de l’Elysee in Switzerland.

Nicholas Serota is on top of the art world

The Tate director is the most powerful person in the art world, according to ArtReview’s latest Power 100. He’s the first public museum figure to hold the top spot.

Detroit reaches a deal

The Detroit Institute of Art has reached a settlement with Financial Guaranty Insurance Company (FGIC), which all but secures its threatened art collection.

Manfred Sellink takes over at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp

Sellink succeeds Paul Huvenne as the museum’s General Director and Head Curator: the art historian and professor at the University of Ghent will join the team ‘as soon as possible’.

Explore 1,715 Guggenheim Helsinkis

The Guggenheim’s design competition for its planned outpost in Helsinki received a record 1,715 submissions. They’ve published every one of them in a new online gallery.

Deflated but not defeated…Paul McCarthy’s sex toy sculpture saga

It’s safe to say Paul McCarthy’s Parisian Tree sculpture did not go down well this week, except in the literal sense. Protestors, incensed at its uncanny resemblance to a butt plug, cut the cables to the sculpture last weekend, and it was subsequently taken down. McCarthy is unapologetic, and is apparently planning an ‘artistic response’ in his upcoming exhibition at the Monnaie de Paris…

Lead image: used under Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 3.0)