VICTORIA MIRO GALLERY LAUNCHES SOPHISTICATED DIGITAL PLATFORM TO PUT PAST AND PRESENT EXHIBITIONS ONLINE
Victoria Miro has just launched a new digital platform that allows viewers to visit virtual versions of the gallery’s exhibitions through the utilisation of 3D modelling, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR). Live / Archive also makes the gallery the first, according to a launch statement, “to integrate these new technologies into all its activities, including an extensive archive of exhibitions.” The first edition of the programme includes 72 exhibitions, ranging from those in Miro’s Islington gallery to its space in Venice. The programme is powered by Vortic, a platform for online exhibitions in 3D, AR, and VR, that was launched by Oliver Miro in March 2020. Since then, Vortic has evolved, having been built with custom software designed specifically for art exhibitions. Oliver Miro, partner at Victoria Miro, shared, “Live / Archive represents a leap forward in how art is experienced in the digital age. We’re excited to be at the forefront of adopting new technologies that not only expand our reach but also significantly reduce carbon emissions associated with traditional art viewing.”
A screen capture from Live / Archive
TURNER AT 250: CURATORS PICK THEIR FAVOURITE WORKS BY THE ‘MASTER OF LIGHT’
Across the globe, museums have commemorated the 250th birthday of Romantic painter, J. M. W. Turner. Often referred to as the “master of light,” Turner is best known for his illuminated landscapes and seascapes. He studied at the Royal Academy where he also began exhibiting his watercolours at the age of 15. Turner began travelling every summer, driven by his passion for capturing landscapes, and soon his practice evolved into his quintessential expressive style. With exhibitions at Yale Centre for British Art and the Taft Museum of Art in the U.S. and Tate Britain, Turner’s House, Petworth House, and Walker Art Gallery in the U.K. Artnet have asked the curators of the top Turner 2025 shows to choose one highlight piece from their exhibition, starting with a work from Tate Britain’s upcoming exhibition, “Turner and Constable: Rivals and Originals.” The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons, 16 October 1834 (1835) depicts the fire that engulfed the Houses of Parliament and has not been seen in the UK for over a century. The work is on loan from the Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio. Amy Concannon, Tate’s senior curator for British art, explained the excessive use of yellow hues, “It is clear that he revelled in depicting the towering flames, which may well be exaggerated in height, and their reflection against the deep blue of night.” The curators at Turner’s House have chosen Heron (ca. 1816) from their ongoing exhibition “Turner’s Kingdom: Beauty, Birds and Beasts.” Curator Nicola Moorby shared, “I absolutely love this work, not least because it isn’t something we would typically associate with the artist. It is so carefully observed and detailed, bordering on a natural history illustration, yet completely full of character and personality. Beady-eyed and alert the heron has been caught in the act of fishing, a pastime Turner himself adored.” The work comes from a private album of ornithological illustrations commissioned by Walter Fawkes, one of Turner’s patrons. Other paintings that have been selected include Valley of Chamouni (ca. 1890 or 1814) and Petworth: Sunset over the Lake, with the Boathouse (1827).
JMW Turner, The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons, 16 October 1834, 1835
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO REVIEW 19 SMITHSONIAN MUSEUMS TO ENSURE EXHIBITS ARE ‘PATRIOTIC’
The Trump administration have announced that they will be reviewing the exhibitions, materials, and operations of the Smithsonian, ahead of the U.S.’s 250th anniversary celebrations in 2026. Trump administration officials expressed in a letter to Lonnie Bunch, the secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, that the White House wanted the Smithsonian’s program to reflect the “unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story.” This aim is in line with Trump’s executive order in March, titled Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, that ordered the elimination of “improper, divisive or anti-American ideology” from the Smithsonian and its museums. Having been given a deadline of 120 days, museums have been asked to replace any content that is found to be “divisive or ideologically driven language” with “unifying, historically accurate and constructive descriptions.” In Trump’s March order, the President stated that he “aims to ensure that the Smithsonian is an institution that sparks children’s imagination, celebrates American history and ingenuity, serves as a symbol to the world of American greatness, and makes America proud.” This is happening in the wake of Amy Sherald’s decision to cancel her exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery due to issues around censorship. Sherald was concerned that the museum would not show Trans Forming Liberty (2024), a portrait of a transgender woman posing as the statue of liberty. This recent development is a reflection of a broader movement by the White House to assert oversight over cultural and academic institutions.
PACE GALLERY TAKES ON PAINTER LAUREN QUIN AMID SHIFTS IN L.A. ART SCENE
Pace Gallery have announced that Los-Angeles artist Lauren Quin will be joining their roster of artists, with the gallery showcasing her works this autumn at Frieze Seoul. Pace have also announced the opening of her solo debut at the gallery’s LA space during Frieze Los Angeles early next year. Quin was previously represented by BLUM, which announced its closure a few weeks ago, a pivotal moment for the gallery ecosystem in Los Angeles. Observers have noted that joining Pace will likely accelerate Quin’s market due to their institutional connections and international reach, but Quin has already recorded impressive results at auction. Most notably, Quin’s Airsickness fetched £461,700 ($587,484 USD) at Phillips London in 2022. The artist’s practice has been observed as an example of broader trends across younger artists, a Los Angeles curator noting how “she exemplifies a generation that’s unafraid to push the formal and physical limits of painting.” Quin’s studio is based in Los Angeles, with a spokesperson at Pace sharing, “Lauren’s vision is unapologetically bold and also suggests the city’s unique energy.”
Lauren Quin
POLISH VISUAL ARTS & DESIGN SHOWCASED ACROSS KOREA
The Adam Mickiewicz Institute (IAM) is co-organising a series of cultural events with several Korean institutes such as Seoul Museum of Craft Art, Jeonnam Ink Biennale, Cheongju Craft Biennale, Cinematheque, and Korea Foundation. The events will commence in August and will showcase visual arts, design, and architecture by Polish artists. The collaboration will start with The Clothed Home. Korea-Poland Textile Crafts Exhibition, an exhibition that reflects on the historical role of textiles in the home within the context of seasonal transitions. The show includes both Polish and Korean sections, united by a common theme of a “reappraisal of discomfort,” and exploring the idea of textiles as sensory mediators that bring together people, space, and environment. The Seoul edition of the exhibition will be hosted in collaboration with the Seoul Museum of Craft Art. Celebrated for his approach that treats art as an experimental scientific practice, Polish artist Przemysław Jasielsk’s remember(me) will be shown at the Jeonnam Ink Biennale. The large-scale, kinetic installation dissects the evolving relationship between humans and machines through a retro-futuristic lens. This year’s edition of Cheongju Craft Biennale will also be showcasing a number of works by Polish artists, including Alicja Patanowska, Beata Legierska, Justyna Smoleń, and Marcin Rusak. IAM aims to bring Polish culture across borders and have collaborated with Korean institutions for over a decade.
Przemysław Jasielsk, remember(me), 2014
Jordan Tan holds an MA in History of Art from the prestigious Courtauld Institute of Art. With a passion for fine art and the art market, Jordan plays a key role at Art Works by researching and interpreting trends across the primary and secondary markets, delivering valuable insights and business intelligence for the fine art department.
