Art news daily: 18 December

Our daily round up of news from the art world

Excavations begin at newly discovered ancient Egyptian tomb | Archaeologists have begun to excavate an ancient tomb that once belonged to a royal priest during the Fifth Egyptian Dynasty, the BBC reports. The tomb, whose discovery at the the ancient necropolis of Saqqara was announced by Egyptian authorities this weekend, is said to have once belonged to a royal priest known as Wahtye, who lived between around 2,500 and 2,350 BC. It is thought to be particularly well-preserved, adorned with hieroglyphs, carved murals and painted scenes.

Gemeentemuseum Den Haag to be renamed | The Gemeentemuseum in The Hague has announced that, from October 2019, it will be known instead as the Kunstmuseum Den Haag. Director Benno Temple explained that ‘[f]oreigners can barely pronounce the name [Gemeentemuseum Den Haag], which does not help us project the image we would wish’.

Loic Gouzer to leave Christie’s New York | Loic Gouzer, the co-chair of post-war and contemporary art at Christie’s New York, has announced that he will leave the auction house at the end of the month. Gouzer, who has held the post for seven years, is yet to provide details of his next position.

Vanessa German wins $200,000 Don Tyson Prize | The Don Tyson Prize 2018 has been awarded to Pittsburgh-based artist Vanessa German. German is known for her sculptural ‘power figures’, which draw inspiration from traditional African art forms in their depiction of African-Americans, as well as for her spoken word performances; the artist also established the Art House, a local grassroots community art centre. The Don Tyson Prize is awarded biennially by the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.