— “Art Everywhere” Hits US: Following last year’s “Art Everywhere” campaign in the UK, five museums across the US — the National Gallery of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art — are bringing the project stateside. Museum curators have picked 100 artworks that the general public will narrow down to 50 on an online voting platform. Those 50 works will then be on view on up to 50,000 billboards and other public advertisements across the country this summer. [WP]
— NYC’s New Cultural Affairs Commissioner: Mayor Bill de Blasio will appoint Tom Finkelpearl, president and executive director of the Queens Museum, as New York City’s new cultural affairs commissioner today. Finkelpearl’s work for the Queens Museum includes a $68 million renovation aimed at connecting the institution with the neighborhood’s populace, as well as hiring community organizers for local outreach. Now responsible for a $156 million budget, Finkelpearl says, “I have a lot of basic core values that I share with this administration, and it’s an exciting time to join the team.” [NYT]
— Second Claim on Gurlitt’s Matisse: It came as a surprise when, two weeks ago, Cornelius Gurlitt announced he would begin restituting works from his collection. A Henri Matisse painting was to be the first one to be given back to the family of Paul Rosenberg, but now an anonymous party is making a claim on the work. Gurlitt’s lawyer Christopher Edel said the claim must be reviewed, but “there has been absolutely no change to our clearly stated position that the paintings in question will be returned.” [Agence France-Presse]
— Edward Dolman Steps Down: After three years, Qatar Museums Authority executive director Edward Dolman is stepping down, but will remain a member of the international advisory board. [NYT]
— MOCA to Focus on Performance Again: While newly appointed MOCA director Philippe Vergne’s plans for the museum are still in the works, he told the L.A. Times that performance was “essential” to considering the contemporary art world, and MOCA’s Museum Center will be reviving the important 31-year-old performance work “Available Light” next year. [LAT]
— Rare Raphael Copy Surfaces: The University of Granada claims it has an authentic copy of Renaissance painter Raphael’s “Madonna of Foligno,” currently belonging to a private collection in Cordoba. [TAN]
— Scottish artist and musician Alan Davie has died at age 93. [Telegraph]
— Nan Goldin’s latest series of works are portraits of children. [Telegraph]
— Dr. Kevorkian’s paintings are up for sale at a gallery in West Hollywood. [CNN]
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