This week: is heritage in Ukraine being attacked and looted, and what can be done to protect it? Ben Luke talks to The Art Newspaper’s museums and heritage editor, Tom Seymour, who has been to the Poland-Ukraine border with the International Council of Museums (ICOM), to witness museum materials being sent into Ukraine to help institutions there.
Some of the supplies that ICOM has sent to Ukraine Photo: Alexandra Fernández Coego
Then, Tom talks to Sophie Delepierre, the head of heritage protection at ICOM, about the organisation’s efforts in Ukraine and elsewhere.
Paul Cezanne's Bathers (Les Grandes Baigneuses) (around 1894–1905) The National Gallery, London, purchased with a special grant and the aid of the Max Rayne Foundation, 1964
As a major exhibition of the work of Paul Cezanne opens at The Art Institute of Chicago, ahead of its journey to Tate Modern later in the year, Ben talks to Gloria Groom and Caitlin Haskell, the curators of the Chicago exhibition.
Nicola L.'s Gold Femme Commode (1969/1993) Courtesy Alison Jacques, London and Nicola L. Collection and Archive © Nicola L. Collection and Archive; Photo: Michael Brzezinski
And for this episode’s Work of the Week, our acting digital editor, Aimee Dawson, asks Oliver Lanzenberg, the grandson of the artist Nicola L., about his grandmother’s work Gold Femme Commode (1969/1993). The piece is part of a show at Alison Jacques, one of a number of exhibitions opening to coincide with the second edition of London Gallery Weekend.
• Tom’s full report into ICOM’s work for Ukraine is in the June issue of The Art Newspaper.
• The organisation Sophie mentions is NEMO, the Network of European Museum Organisations.
• Cezanne, The Art Institute of Chicago, 15 May-5 September; Tate Modern, London, 5 October-12 March 2023.
• Nicola L., Alison Jacques, London, until 23 July.
• London Gallery Weekend, 13-15 May. Read our expert guide here.