Foster + Partners’ Bloomberg Headquarters wins RIBA Stirling Prize 2018

Our daily round-up of news from the art world

Foster + Partners’ Bloomberg Headquarters win RIBA Stirling Prize 2018 |  Foster + Partners has (for the third time), been awarded the RIBA Stirling Prize 2018 – the UK’s biggest architectural prize – for its Bloomberg’s Headquarters in central London. The 10-storey building situated near St. Paul’s Cathedral, is formed by two blocks and connected by a bridge. RIBA president Ben Derbyshire described the architectural project (costing approximately £1 billion) as ‘a profound expression of confidence in British architecture – and perfectly illustrates why the UK is the profession’s global capital’.

Open letter criticises suspension of Catherine de Zegher | Sixty-three artists and art professionals have spoken out against the suspension of the Ghent’s Museum of Fine Art Director (MSK), Catherine de Zegher. In March, the Belgian museum announced the suspension of de Zegher (who has been its director since 2013), after it was discovered that the exhibition, ‘Russian Modernism 1910–30’, had included inauthentic works, resulting in its early closure in January. In an open letter published yesterday, artists such as Mona Hatoum, Luc Tuymans and Tate’s Anne Gallagher among others, declared that the allegations against de Zegher were unjust and lacked substantial evidence.

Looted Persian artefact taken back to Tehran by Iranian President Rouhani | The Art Newspaper reports that an ancient limestone relic, known as the ‘Persian Guard Relief’, has been personally restituted to Tehran’s National Museum by President Hassan Rouhani. In July, the New York Supreme Court ruled that the artefact be repatriated to Iranian officials, with the Tehran Museum confirming this week that it had re-entered the collection.

CEO and Executive Director of Peabody Essex Museum is to retire after 25-year tenure | Dan Monroe, 74, the CEO and Executive Director of the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) has announced his retirement, after 25 years at the helm of the Massachusetts instituation. Monro has led the museum since the merging of the Peabody Museum of Salem and the Essex Institute in 1992. Speaking about Monroe’s tenure, President of PEM’s Board of Trustees, Robert N. Shapiro said: ‘He has poured his heart, passion and talent into transforming PEM into the international force that it is today.’ Monroe will leave his role in September 2019, and the museum is now searching for a new director.

National Gallery receives £4 million to refurbish Room 32 | The National Gallery has announced that it received a donation of £4 million from Hans and Julia Rausing, which will go towards the refurbishment of Room 32, an exhibition space featuring works by Caravaggio and 17th-century Italian works. The room will be named after the couple, and will become home to the gallery’s recent acquisition, a self-portrait of Artemisia Gentileschi. Room 32 will close this month and will reopen in Spring 2020.

Lead image: used under Creative Commons licence (CC BY 2.0; original image cropped)