11 h. ago Jenny Saville at the National Portrait Gallery: 'mythic art of the flesh'

Jenny Saville’s huge new show at the National Portrait Gallery shows her as a student of the Old Masters and 20th Century abstract artists, but with a visceral magic all of her own that feels utterly timely

Politics

5 d. ago Director of National Portrait Gallery resigns after Trump’s effort to fire her

Kim Sajet’s departure comes after the Smithsonian Institute rebuffed the president’s attempt to fire her over DEIThe director of the National Portrait Gallery, Kim Sajet, has resigned just two weeks after Donald Trump attempted to fire her and accused her of being “highly partisan and a strong supporter of DEI”.“We thank Kim for her service. Her decision to put the museum first is to be applauded and appreciated. I know this was not an easy decision. She put the needs of the Institution above her own, and for that we thank her,” Lonnie Bunch, the Smithsonian secretary, wrote in a Friday internal email that was obtained by multiple outlets. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago We in the cultural sector must stand up to Trump’s attacks – if not now, when? | Gus Casely

My former colleagues at the Smithsonian in Washington DC face unprecedented pressure. I urge them to defend their principlesGus Casely-Hayford is director of London’s V&A EastIn one of his recent Truth Social posts, Donald Trump appeared to fire Kim Sajet – the fearless and utterly brilliant director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC. The president used his social media platform to claim that Sajet’s support for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) made her unsuitable for her role. “Upon the request and recommendation of many people, I am hereby terminating the employment of Kim Sajet as Director of the National Portrait Gallery”, Trump wrote. “She is a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position. Her replacement will be named shortly.”Where to start? By now, we all know the arts has become the terrain for a brutal proxy battle for hearts and minds. A culture war 2.0, where not ...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump says he fired National Portrait Gallery chief in latest conflict with arts

President says director Kim Sajet has been fired but experts suggest president does not have legal grounds to do soDonald Trump says he is firing the first female director of the National Portrait Gallery, which contained a caption that referenced the attack on the US Capitol that his supporters carried out in early 2021.The president announced the termination on Friday in a post on his social media platform that accused Sajet – born in Nigeria, raised in Australia and a citizen of the Netherlands – of being “a strong supporter” of diversity initiatives that his administration opposes as well as “highly partisan”. He cited no evidence for either claim. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Trump fires National Portrait Gallery director in latest conflict with arts

Move against Kim Sajet, gallery’s first female chief, comes as caption on Trump references impeachments and January 6Donald Trump says he is firing the first female director of the National Portrait Gallery, which contained a caption that referenced the attack on the US Capitol that his supporters carried out in early 2021.The president announced the sacking Friday through a post on his social media platform that accused Sajet – born in Nigeria, raised in Australia and a citizen of the Netherlands – of being “a strong supporter” of diversity initiatives that his administration opposes as well as “highly partisan”. He cited no evidence for either claim. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Artist Jenny Saville: ‘You always return to beauty, in the end’

The painter on breaking auction records, the fascination of the human form — and her first proper UK retrospective

Politics

4 w. ago Oil industry funded Girl Scouts and British Museum to boost image, evidence suggests

BP has funded Washington’s National Gallery of Art, UK’s Royal Shakespeare Company and National Portrait GalleryOil interests have funded cultural institutions such as museums, youth organizations and athletic groups in recent years, new research shows, in what appears to be a public relations effort to boost their image amid growing public awareness of the climate crisis.Top US fossil fuel lobby group the American Petroleum Institute (API) sponsored a 2017 workshop for the Pennsylvania Girl Scouts, featuring “activities that mimicked work in the energy industry”. Energy giant BP in 2016 sponsored Washington DC’s National Gallery of Art and continues to fund the British Museum in London. And in 2019, Shell sponsored the golf event the Houston Open for the 26th time. Continue reading...

Politics