Sindika Dokolo returns stolen art to Angolan museum

Our daily round-up of news from the art world

Congolese Collector Repatriates Stolen Works of Art | Sindika Dokolo, one of Africa’s top collectors, has returned three works of indigenous art to the Angolan museum from which they were stolen during the country’s 27 year civil war, reports The Art Newspaper. Dokolo, who began collecting art as a teenager, has in recent years dedicated himself to finding artefacts looted in Africa and returning them to their rightful owners. The three works – two ancestral masks and a statue made by the Chokwe people in the 19th century – will return to the Dundo Museum in north east Angola after a period on display at Luanda’s Currency Museum.

Hirshhorn Announces Major New Moving Image Acquisitions | The Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden has announced the acquisition of three new works by artists Ragnar Kjartansson, Mary Weatherford and Hito Steyerl. The new works, which can be loosely classed as ‘new media’, mark a significant step for the museum, and in the case of Steyerl and Kjartansson, signal the emergence of video art as a focus for collectors.

Sprüth Magers Announces New LA Gallery Opening Date | Contemporary art gallery Sprüth Magers will open its new space in Los Angeles on 23 February 2016. The venue will be Sprüth Magers’ fourth outpost, joining galleries in London and Berlin, and offices in Cologne. While it’s far too early to give any proper verdict, the building – designed in 1966 by Pereira & Associates – looks appropriately handsome for a gallery that represents the likes of Cindy Sherman, John Baldessari and Jenny Holzer.

George Ortman (1926–2015) | Artist George Ortman has died in Manhattan aged 89. Ortman, who was probably best known for his collages, is regarded by some as a precursor to the Minimalists who held sway over American art in the 1960s and 1970s. Though underappreciated, the lasting influence Ortman’s work can still be felt. He is survived by his wife, the painter Lynn Braswell.