François Pinault Denies Paris Museum Rumours

Our daily round-up of news from the art world

François Pinault Scotches Rumours of Paris Museum | There was speculation earlier this week that French businessman François Pinault was to open a museum in Paris to house his extensive art collection. Alas, according to The Art Newspaper, Pinault has denied all such suggestions. Given the controversy preceding the construction of the Frank Gehry designed Fondation Louis Vuitton, which opened in the city last year, the luxury goods magnate may well be saving himself a lot of trouble.

Members of Congress Address Bavaria Over Restitution | Twenty-nine members of the US House of Representatives have signed a letter to the Bavarian government in support of the heirs to works supposedly looted by the Nazis. According to Der Spiegel, the letter urges the government to open a dialogue between the state’s museums and Jewish families whose art collections were forcibly appropriated by the Nazis, some of the contents of which are believed to be in state collections. If the letter is to have any effect, we must hope that all claims are examined with appropriate sensitivity.

Holbein Copy Expected to Sell for £1 million | A contemporary copy of a Holbein portrait of Henry VIII in his later years is expected to sell for up to £1 million when it goes on sale at Sotheby’s next week. The attribution of the painting has been disputed over the centuries, but it is now believed that it was created by someone with access to Holbein’s tracings or drawings. For the sake of whoever buys it, let’s hope Shaun Greenhalgh doesn’t lay claim to it before the end of the week.

Herzog & de Meuron Submit Radical Plans for Chelsea FC Stadium | Architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron have submitted plans for an overhaul of Stamford Bridge, Chelsea Football Club’s west London stadium. As well as their highly praised design for London’s Tate Modern, the Swiss partnership has designed many sporting venues in the past, including the ‘Bird’s Nest’ stadium, a collaboration with Ai Weiwei. Let’s hope the planning authorities don’t give them the Blues with this one…

Art Basel Miami Opens its Doors for 14th Edition | All hell breaks loose in Miami as the city is taken over by the big names of the art world. For a good guide to the art highlights, see Art Radar. For satellite fairs, The Art Newspaper has a comprehensive list. For parties, Apollo’s correspondent can’t decide.

Telegraph Critic: Post YBA Art ‘Lacks Personality’ | The Daily Telegraph’s art critic Mark Hudson has penned an interesting piece in today’s paper, attacking the ‘cosy, reciprocal relationship between artists and curators’. According to Hudson, mainstream contemporary artists have stopped taking risks, instead relying on ‘academic “discourse”‘ to justify their existence. Rant or self-evident truth? You decide.

Manuel Segade Appointed Director of Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo | Congratulations to Spanish curator Manuel Segade, who has been appointed to the directorship of Madrid’s Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo. The arts centre, which was established in 2008, has been headed by Ferran Barenblit since its inception.