(Photo: The Guardian / Deborah de Robertis)
A bold act of protest shook the art world as feminist activists defaced Gustave Courbet's iconic painting, 'L'origine du monde' (1866), with the slogan 'MeToo.' The artwork, renowned for its detailed depiction of a woman's vulva, is currently housed at an exhibition in the Centre Pompidou-Metz, on loan from the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. The act of vandalism, orchestrated by Luxembourgish artist Deborah de Robertis and titled 'On ne sépare pas la femme de l'artiste' ('The woman cannot be separated from the artist'), also targeted four other works on display. Among these was a photograph of de Robertis performing her work, 'Mirror of Origin' (2014), where she sat naked underneath 'L'origine du monde.' While two women were arrested in connection with the incident, French Culture Minister Rachida Dati condemned the act, asserting that "an artwork is not a poster to be colored in with today's message."
Climate Activists Target British Library's Magna Carta Display
Meanwhile, across the Channel, two elderly activists from Just Stop Oil made headlines as they attempted to vandalize the glass case protecting the Magna Carta at the British Library. The Reverend Sue Parfitt and Judy Bruce, both in their eighties, used a hammer and chisel to strike the casing and later glued their hands to the display. Their stance, which was aimed at drawing attention to the government's inaction towards climate change, comes after the High Court ruling that the UK government's climate strategy is not enough. Now that the activists are in police custody, their defiant action is a sign of the rising issues about environmental policy and activism in the time of climate crisis.
Expansion Plans for the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College
The CCS at Bard College in New York State will be extended by $10 million to enhance its academic offerings. The building, which is planned to be finished by the end of next year, will be twice as big as the existing library and archives and will have 30,000 additional volumes, together with new classrooms and study rooms. The infamous Keith Haring Wing results from a $3 million contribution from the artist's foundation, thus symbolizing the large investment in arts education and research.
Bronze Age Jewelry Stolen from Ely Museum
The crime in which the two valuable pieces of 3,000-year-old gold jewelry were stolen from the Ely Museum, which shocked the archaeological community, is still unfolding. The thieves, captured on CCTV, entered the building at dawn Tuesday morning and took away a torc and a bracelet from the Bronze Age. The stolen items the museum lost include one of the most important for the museum - the longest and heaviest torc ever found in Britain. Even though Cambridgeshire Police have shared the video of the suspects, the museum is still alerted as the investigations go on.
Historic Byzantine Church Reopens as Mosque Amidst Controversy
In a somewhat contentious way, the decision to reopen a former Byzantine church renamed the 'Sistine Chapel of Istanbul' as a mosque this week is a fact. The Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora, a museum since 1945, has been renewed for four years before reconversion into a mosque. The choice, a component of a more significant project by President Erdogan's government, has been the subject of complaint of the Greek political leaders, thus, the decision has caused the tensions between Turkey and Greece. As international criticism is growing, the re-consecration of this UNESCO-protected site proves that cultural heritage centers and political agendas are very much interwoven.
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