Tag: Art

Convicted criminal’s art collection recovered by police

Leave a comment

A painting by Salavador Dalì is one of 14 artworks to have been recovered by Italian police from the collection of a Calabrian businessman tied to one of the country’s most powerful criminal organisations.

Italy’s Carabinieri Art Squad discovered a painting of Christ healing a blind man in an apartment in Reggio Calabria after a search warrant was issued. When cross-checked with its stolen cultural property database the Carabinieri matched the work to a canvas stolen in Randozzo in 2001. A search of another apartment in Messina turned up 13 further works by artists including Salvador Dalì, Giuliana Cappello and Mario Pinizzotto. Continue reading →

Sotheby’s take Weiss to court over fake Frans Hals

1 Comment

Sotheby’s have launched legal proceedings against London art dealer Mark Weiss and business partner Fairlight Art Ventures over the sale of a fake portrait by Frans Hals. The auction house stated that it had ‘been left with no other option’ after the sellers ‘refused to make good on their contractual obligations’ and repay the sale proceeds.

‘Portrait of a Gentleman’ is one of several disputed works at the centre of an art forgery scandal, which broke in October 2016. Weiss bought the portrait from collector Giuliano Ruffini for a reported US$3 million (£2.5 million) in 2010. He subsequently sold it to a US collector for approximately US$10 million (£8.4 million) in a private sale brokered by Sotheby’s in 2011.

Continue reading →

European Union backs down on cadmium pigment ban

Leave a comment

Artists across the European Union are popping tubes of red, yellow and orange paint in celebration over the defeat of a proposed EU-wide ban on cadmium pigment.

As the Art Newspaper reports, the announcement was made on 28 October 2015 after a lengthy and impassioned campaign by artists and paint makers to save what artist Emily Faludy has described as “sunshine in a tube.” Continue reading →

The Creative Foundation brings Banksy back to Folkestone

4 Comments

Following popular demand and a lengthy legal battle, the Creative Foundation has successfully managed to secure the return of the Banksy for Folkestone.

The Banksy, ‘Art Buff’, appeared overnight on a wall in the heart of Folkestone’s Creative Quarter during the 2014 Folkestone Triennial, and was stated by the artist to have been given as ‘Part of the Folkestone Triennial. Kind of’. The Folkestone Triennial is a major art event run by the Creative Foundation, a charity which promotes creativity and the arts as part of the regeneration of Folkestone. ‘Art Buff’ quickly became a popular local attraction but, sadly, that was not to last. The tenants of the building, Dreamland Leisure Limited, a company linked to the Godden family, arranged for ‘Art Buff’ to be cut out of the property before the Triennial had ended. The mural was shipped to the US and offered for sale. Continue reading →

Controversy over Richter catalogue raisonné

Leave a comment

Gerhard Richter has raised an interesting conundrum for collectors and lawyers alike. The well-respected artist has a reputation for a rigorous control of his oeuvre, and has one of the most thorough and comprehensive catalogue raisonné of any artist, living or dead. (Much of this information, which includes a photograph of each work, alongside details of its provenance, exhibition and literature history is available to view online, although the website issues a disclaimer that it is not to be treated as a catalogue raisonné, and therefore ‘may not be relied upon as constituting a representation or warranty that such work is or is not an authentic work of Gerhard Richter’). Continue reading →

Battle of the brands: ASOS defence upheld by Court of Appeal majority and ASSOS refused permission to appeal

1 Comment

ASSOS is a specialist cycling clothes business founded in Switzerland which ‘offers advanced, technical apparel’ at the top end of the market. ASSOS sells its goods in 37 countries worldwide, almost exclusively through specialist cycling stores. This is to ensure a high quality purchasing experience consistent with the brand. For this reason, ASSOS does not have an online store.

ASOS is a global online fashion and beauty retail business aimed primarily at fashion-conscious young people. It has always been conducted solely online with no physical shops. Originally called ‘As Seen on Screen’ and offering clothing, accessories and other items worn in TV or in films, the acronym ‘ASOS’ was adopted in early 2002 when ASOS moved towards general fashion clothing. Continue reading →