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François Pinault, the billionaire founder of Kering and owner of Christie’s auction house, has announced plans to install a permanent exhibition of 106 works from his personal art collection at Palazzo Grassi, one of his two museums in Venice. The move marks a significant shift for the institution, which has previously focused on temporary exhibitions.
Pinault Opens Up on His Collection
In an interview with Le Monde, Pinault explained his motivation for the change. He said that years of temporary shows gave visitors only a fleeting impression of a collection that now numbers more than 10,000 artworks. A permanent display, he argued, would allow people to experience the works that have most deeply shaped him over time.
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“My collection is eminently subjective and very often built on instinct, passion, or even anger in the face of the violence of the present,” Pinault told the newspaper. He also stressed that a permanent display is not about fixing the collection in place. “It is in no way a matter of freezing the collection or offering a definitive reading of it,” he added. Instead, he said, it allows works from different periods and generations to be placed side by side, showing how certain questions endure across time.
Louvre Steps Up Security Efforts
Meanwhile, the Louvre in Paris is pushing forward with a broad overhaul of its safety systems. Olivier Goupil, a former police commissioner now serving as the museum’s security coordinator, spoke to Le Figaro about the ongoing changes. He described efforts to accelerate a “culture of safety and security” across the institution.
The upgrades include new surveillance cameras, detection devices fitted to artworks, and tighter security checks at museum entrances. Goupil acknowledged the scale of the task but remained confident. “Everything is urgent, but everything is moving forward,” he said.
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Damage Far Worse Than Thought
An inspection report commissioned in August revealed serious problems with the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington. The pool’s liner failed in at least 85 locations. That figure is far higher than authorities previously knew. Investigators linked the damage to a rushed renovation and the use of improper materials. The report made no mention of harm caused by vandalism.
The findings, reported by The Washington Post, raise fresh questions about the quality of recent maintenance work at one of the country’s most visited landmarks.
More Arts News in Brief
Artists in Turkey say they feel silenced by new laws that ban the depiction of LGBTQI+ symbols in art and culture, including the rainbow flag. The restrictions have drawn concern from the creative community, according to Taz Newspaper.
Sculptors face a growing supply crisis after learning that USG Corporation, based in Blaine County, Oklahoma, will stop producing Hydrocal plaster. The material is widely used in sculpture-making, and its discontinuation has left many artists searching for alternatives, The New York Times reported.
A previously unknown Canaletto pen and ink drawing has surfaced in the UK. Dated between 1746 and 1755, the work depicts an overgrown arcade in ruins. It will go to auction at Mallams on October 21, with a high estimate of $79,000, according to Artnet News.
In Mexico, the military has put plans on hold for a large military museum complex proposed for Mexico City. The site would have occupied part of the Bosque de Chapultepec park, a beloved public green space. The Art Newspaper reported the decision.
Finally, a Financial Times report by Melanie Gerlis highlights growing arts scenes across several traditionally overlooked American cities. In Austin, Texas, the newly opened Ostillo Art Foundation — a free nonprofit backed by collector René Campos — recently welcomed its first visitors. In Houston, Michael Slenske, director of the Untitled Art: Houston fair, told Gerlis the city has “a rising tide of cultural ambition,” pointing to established artists such as Rick Lowe, Mark Flood, and JooYoung Choi who have moved there. In Atlanta, Art Market Production’s Kelly Freeman described a similarly welcoming environment. “If you want to be part of the community, there are so many people excited to talk to you,” she said. “It’s not exclusionary, it’s ‘come on in and learn.'”
