The latest contemporary art news: 2019 recap

From the commemoration of the 500^th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death to record sales of pieces by Monet and Koons and the fire at Notre Dame, 2019 has been an extraordinary year in the art world. Artalistic reviews the most memorable events from the last twelve months.

Contemporary art news: highlights from 2019

The inauguration of the National Museum of Qatar

The first highlight in contemporary art news from 2019 was the opening of the National Museum of Qatar in Doha in March. The architect Jean Nouvel created this stunning building and also collaborated with the museum to launch the opening with a series of films that provided a glimpse of various aspects of Qatar and its history. The building resembles the form of a desert rose. Its petals bloom in the form of giant inward-curving disks that intersect and cradle the restored Palace of Sheikh Abdullah, the former site of the Qatar’s National Museum.

Will the museum be a success?

For the moment, the museum’s collections have been growing slowly. For now visitors can enjoy multi-sensory history galleries as well as contemporary art and films. The museum has made plans to install more work in the near future. Perhaps with time the National Museum of Qatar will become a must-see cultural institution.

Kader Attia an internationally renowned artist

Kader Attia is a 49-year-old artist who grew up in Paris and Algeria. Attia skyrocketed to the top of Le Journal des Arts’ April Artindex list of best artists. This list takes into account living artists, their work and the number of solo exhibits they have had. Kader Attia is unanimously praised for the quality of his work. This professional photographer won the Marcel Duchamp prize in 2016.

The fire at Notre-Dame in Paris

On April 15, Notre-Dame Cathedral was ravaged by flames. The images of the disaster were broadcast on televisions around the world and millions of viewers watched the fire live. This tragedy caused considerable damage, as the priceless medieval wooden framework went up in flames. However the walls and vault remained standing and many works of art were saved.

2019 Art news: Monet & Koons break records

On May 14 in New York, the only thing art news media could talk about was Sotheby's successful sale of a Monet for the sum of 110.7 million dollars. The piece is part of the painting series entitled Les Meules. This transaction set a new world record for the sale of an Impressionist work of art. It was originally purchased in 1986 at Christie's in New York for $2.5 million. The price increased 44-fold in thirty three years!

Jeff Koons in the spotlight: 2019’s art news

On May 15, Christie's also announced that it had broken a new auction record for the most expensive public sale of a living artist’s work. Jeff Koons' Rabbit sculpture sold for $91 million, dethroning David Hockney’s Portrait of an Artist (Pool with two figures), which sold for $90 million at the end of 2018.

What happened to Salvator Mundi?

Considered the most expensive piece of art of all time ($450 million), this oil painting on walnut wood by Leonardo da Vinci is said to be the owned by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. However it is rumored that the painting Salvator Mundi disappeared from circulation two years ago. It was supposed to be part of the Louvre’s Leonardo da Vinci retrospective in Paris but was never brought to the museum. This affair shook up the artistic community and made art news headlines. Perhaps the mystery of where the piece has gone will be solved in the near future.

Patrick Drahi took over at Sotheby’s

On June 17, the American auction house Sotheby's announced its surprise takeover by Patrick Drahi, a French-Israeli businessman who owns the French telecommunications company SFR, news channel BFM and newspaper Libération. The transaction was estimated at 3.7 billion dollars. Patrick Drahi thus follows in the footsteps of François Pinault, who headed Sotheby’s privately held competitor Christie's since 1998. Charles F. Stewart became CEO of Sotheby's, replacing Tad Smith.

Private sale for a Caravaggio

The painting Judith and Holofernes might be a long-lost masterpiece by Caravaggio (1571-1610). It was found in an attic in Toulouse in 2014 and then authenticated by the expert art dealer Éric Turquin. It was supposed to be sold at auction on June 27 in Toulouse but was sold privately two days earlier! Its sale price remains a secret, as does the name of its buyer, it is estimated to have been sold from anywhere between 100 and 150 million euros.

Babylon recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

On July 5, Babylon in Iraq gained UNESCO’s World Heritage status. The ruins of the ancient city were rediscovered in the 19^th century after many years of neglect. The monumental tombs of Osaka in Japan, Prosecco Hills in Italy and the French Austral Lands and Seas also received UNESCO recognition this year.

The successful Leonardo da Vinci exhibition

One of the key shows making headlines in art news in 2019 was the exhibition commemorating the 500^th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death. Ever since it opened on October 24, it has been receiving record-breaking numbers of visitors. The retrospective will be open to the public until February 24, 2020 at the Louvre in Paris. It is strongly recommended that the public purchase online tickets in advance to avoid long lines!

Artistic exchanges between the Centre Pompidou and Shanghai

The Centre Pompidou x West Bund Museum Project opened in Shanghai on November 5. This unique partnership will create a more fluid cultural and artistic exchange between France and China. Over the next five years, the Centre Pompidou will lend its expertise in cultural programming and works from its collection with the aim of developing exchange projects with Chinese artists.