Contemporary art

Christointerview

In one of his last interviews, Christo speaks about life in lockdown and wrapping the Arc de Triomphe

The late artist revealed he was too frightened to go out during the pandemic and was "a bit relieved" that his latest project in Paris was delayed

'A healing machine meant to bring people together': art world figures pay tribute to Christo's vision

Pamm director says Miami island project brought the community together after 1980s race riots

Saudi Arabiaanalysis

Are Saudi Arabia's big culture plans turning to dust?

As oil prices slump and the pandemic continues to spread, the kingdom's ambitious initiatives are being scaled back

Some of the best places to buy art for a good cause

During the pandemic, buying art delivers the double whammy of donating to charity and owning a work by artists including Damien Hirst, Antony Gormley and Chantal Joffe

Barbara Hepworth's studio in St Ives gains Grade II listing

Former dance hall was bequeathed to the Tate by the sculptor's family

Africanews

Artist Amadou Sanogo plans Bamako arts centre to mentor young talent

Expected to open in 2022, Makoro will house studios for Malian artists under 30, workshops for school children and exhibitions

Berlinnews

As one private collector shuts down Berlin space, Julia Stoschek threatens to follow

Closure of Thomas Olbricht’s Me Collectors Room comes after collector Friedrich Christian Flick’s announcement he is ending his museum loan

Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s fortune cookie piece to pop up in 1,000 locations worldwide

“Writers, curators, artists and friends of Felix’s” will be asked to take part in participatory work

Digital artinterview

Eva and Franco Mattes: ‘Technology does not create the social problems we so often criticise’

As the lockdown forces the art world to migrate online, the Italian duo, who embraced the internet in its infancy, are moving in the opposite direction

Pandemic art: how artists have depicted disease

As the coronavirus forces us to endure an unprecedented time of distant social contact, art can remind us, assure us, of our interconnectedness

Mark Wallinger unveils new photographs of London’s deserted streets

The British artist, who captured the images on his daily walks, has also written a new poem

Prizesnews

Citing Covid-19, Canada's Sobey Art Award increases prize to almost $500,000 and shares it among 25 longlisted artists

The Canadian "Turner Prize" made the one-off decision to reflect the "profound impact" that the pandemic is having on artists' livelihoods

Was Duchamp’s Fountain a misogynist vaginal pun?

Waldemar Januszczak gives a taste of a forthcoming BBC programme in which he focuses on a little-explored aspect of the artist's controversial work

'Thank god for immigrants': Jeremy Deller creates poster to raise funds for refugees and food banks

The A2 print pays homage to the foreign workers who have carried on working during the coronavirus crisis

Majority of Berlin artists worried they can't pay rent due to coronavirus, survey finds

German government has introduced emergency measures to support the creative industry

This video is spectacular: light show in Irish mountains goes online after coronavirus cancellation

Part of the Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture programme, Finnish artist Kari Kola's Savage Beauty installation will not be accessible to the public

Sydney Biennale puts climate emergency and Indigenous struggle front and centre

Show’s 22nd edition aims to be as much a conversation as an exhibition, with hundreds of public events including bushwalks with aboriginal elders and campfire talks

From Modernist nudes to present-day politics: British Museum to reveal its contemporary Middle Eastern art collection

Free exhibition at the London museum in October will show around 150 works that have been collected since the early 1990s

Relatives of victims who died in the Grenfell Tower fire look for input into Steve McQueen's film of tragedy

Support group, comprising family members of 33 people who died in the 2017 London blaze, say they feel “totally disenfranchised” by the artist's latest project

PinchukArtCenter employees claim to have been sacked after attempting to form trade union

Ukrainian institution says the 28 guides were dismissed to make way for innovation

Banksynews

Charges dropped against South African billionaire over allegedly fraudulent Banksy deal

Martin Levick had been accused of duping an investor into lending him $3.5m for the purchase of the work

Green energy company powers Madagascar's first contemporary art non-profit

Hakanto Contemporary, sponsored by the eco-friendly Filatex group, is directed by the artist Joël Andrianomearisoa

Art fairspreview

Arco Madrid reforms selection process following criticism of lack of transparency

The 39th edition, opening tomorrow, has exhibitors from across Latin America, including Peru, Cuba, Chile and Colombia

Polandnews

Right-wing director begins overhaul of Warsaw contemporary art centre

Controversial curator Piotr Bernatowicz has cancelled several 2020 exhibitions and cut funding from progressive art journal at Ujazdowski Castle CCA

Crystal Bridges launches satellite for living artists

Arkansas private museum’s cross-disciplinary new venue shines a spotlight on contemporary American art, from performance to cooking

Lakin Ogunbanwo awarded 1-54 art fair's first residency as popularity of artist funding schemes grows

New initiative in collaboration with Thami Mnyele Foundation will offer artist a three-month stipend to live and work in Amsterdam

UK art schools begin 14-day strike action

Dispute centres on zero-hours contracts, pay devaluation, rising workloads and the gender and ethnicity pay gap

Ai Weiwei's censored films to go on show in Berlin

The works cannot be shown in China where the dissident artist says his identity has been erased

Saudi Arabia's art festival 21,39: tackling climate change in the desert

This year's edition of the art initiative is a call to action on the climate emergency