— Photo London Announced: A week before the 18th edition of Paris Photo opens its doors, a new photo exhibition has entered the ring: Photo London has announced its intentions for May of 2015, including a 60-gallery program and ambitions to be “the best photography fair in the world — bar none,” according to organizer Michael Benson. The fair will apparently also serve as a restitution of sorts: “When Paris was having its photography moment we were having our Britart moment — I seriously think we kind of just ignored it,” Benson said. [Guardian]
— Hitler Watercolor Heads to Auction: A painting by Adolf Hitler titled “The Old Town Hall,” dating 1914-15, will go up for sale at Nuremberg’s Weidler auction house later this month. Meanwhile, in light of the Gurlitt trove controversy, returning Nazi-looted art is on the forefront of institutions’ minds — from Ontario’s Art Gallery of Hamilton to the Oklahoma University Museum. [Artnet, Toronto Star, Tulsa World]
— Was Vincent Van Gogh Shot?: In their 2011 biography “Van Gogh: The Life,” Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith theorized that Vincent Van Gogh, famed for his tragic suicide, was in fact shot by teenaged “hooligan” René Secrétan. Now, in the December issue of Vanity Fair, the duo enlist the help of forensic experts to prove their case. [Vanity Fair, Artnet]
— Christie’s Xin Li is on the Rise: The Wall Street Journal profiles the seemingly meteoric career of Xin Li, deputy chairman of Christie’s Asia— from basketball player to model to high-profile art worlder. [WSJ]
— Jay Gorney Goes Solo: The former Mitchell-Innes & Nash dealer discusses his curatorial plans — including his current booth at Independent Projects — despite having no plans to set up an actual gallery space. [ARTnews]
— Billy Name Recalls Warhol’s Death: In anticipation of his upcoming show at Milk Gallery, photographer and Factory alum Billy Name recounts what he remembers of the tragedy: “I found Andy lying in a pool of blood and kneeling down. I took him in my arms and started crying. Andy said, ‘Don’t make me laugh, Billy, it hurts too much.’” [NYT]
— Philippe Van Cauteren, artistic director of Ghent’s S.M.A.K. Museum for Contemporary Art, will be the curator of Iraq's pavilion at the Venice Biennale. [ArtForum]
— In light of 7-year-old painter Aelita Andre’s success, the Atlantic delves into the phenomenon of the “child art prodigy.” [Atlantic]
— The London cabinet of curiosities that is Viktor Wynd’s Little Shop of Horrors will be converted into the “The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History.” [ArtDaily]
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