To receive Morning Links in your inbox every weekday, sign up for our Breakfast with ARTnews newsletter.
The Headlines
THIEVES WITH A SHORT FUSE. Early on Saturday morning, thieves blew open the door of the Drents Museum in the Netherlands and stole priceless gold artifacts, including an ancient, crown-like helmet on loan from a Bucharest museum for a traveling exhibit, reports NL Times. “This is a dark day for the Drents Museum in Assen and the National History Museum of Romania in Bucharest,” said the director of the Drents Museum, Harry Tupan. The prized golden helmet of Cotofenesti from the fifth century BC dates to the ancient Dacians, who lived in modern-day Romania, and is a cherished part of the country’s cultural heritage. The helmet became better-known when it appeared on the cover of posters promoting the traveling exhibit titled “Dacia – Empire of Gold and Silver,” which was targeted at 3:45am on Saturday by robbers. Security cameras show they blew up the museum’s door, and along with the helmet, took other priceless gold bracelets from the same period. No injuries were reported, and police are working with Interpol, but have made no arrests at the time of writing. “We are intensely shocked by the events last night at the museum. In its 170-year existence, there has never been such a major incident,” added Tupan.
MONA’S ITALIAN HOLIDAY? If the Louvre is in such a sorry state of disrepair, per a recently leaked memo from its president Laurence des Cars, an official in Milan says the city would be happy to take care of the Mona Lisa. Following Des Car’s written warning of the museum’s serious decay and calling for major renovations, Lombardy culture chief Francesca Caruso wasted no time in letting the world know, “we are ready to host the La Gioconda,” she offered, using the painting’s Italian name, at least until their French counterparts get their act together, reports Notizi.it. In an official letter, Caruso said that while the Louvre works out its renovation plans, including better crowd management around the Mona Lisa, “Milan would be the ideal location to display the work.” In fact, with the Winter Olympic Games coming up in Milan in February 2026, Caruso said the Renaissance masterpiece would be the perfect draw, and “tourist numbers would be extremely high.” Tomorrow, French President Emmanuel Macron is set to visit the Louvre and is expected to discuss renovations. Meanwhile, he and Des Cars will no doubt have ample opportunity to mull over the Italian proposal…
The Digest
Swiss billionaire art collector Jacqui Safra is suing Christie’s over what he claims was a “fire sale” of his cache of Albert Einstein love letters. Safra alleges Christe’s acted in bad faith, and failed to properly analyze and market his collection, effectively lowering their value. [The Independent]
All eyes are on the Smithsonian following the announcement that the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. would cancel its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs per a Trump executive order eliminating federally funded DEI initiatives. But the Smithsonian’s 21 museums have a unique structure, and their decision to adhere to Trump’s new executive order isn’t so clear. [ARTnews]
The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) board of trustees has voted against a proposal to divest from Israel, which had been presented by the school’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter. [Hyperallergic]
On February 2, the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden (MACAAL) in Marrakech is reopening following a redesign and reinforcements after minor damage from a 2023 earthquake. [The Art Newspaper]
The Kicker
SAME OLD BIG NAMES. How does an artist make it big? Where does it all start? While such paths can be winding, combining many factors, from a good gallery to participation in biennales, not to mention the artwork itself, Artnet News is highlighting the pivotal role of small, relatively more agile and independent museums in bolstering art careers, and along with it, the health of entire art ecosystems. Writer Jo Lawson-Tancred points out a feeling many have experienced: seeing the same big-name artists at the world’s big-name museums, while so many others are left in the dark. On the other hand, taking risks on lesser-known artists is the bread and butter of these smaller, often artist-run or artist-founded spaces. But it is no easy labor of love in an increasingly under-funded area. “If I had known back then what I was getting myself into, I would have stayed miles away from the whole thing,” admitted Nina Pohl, director of the acclaimed Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. She was referring to the challenges of running the alternative “off-space” opened in 2007, in the context of widespread cuts to public spending on culture. “But that’s always the case with idealistic, naïve ventures and it’s nice that not knowing about the difficulties can set so many positive things in motion,” concludes Pohl.
