The Strain of the Supply Chain

January 11, 2023

Good morning. ⛅ Today, Kealey Boyd speaks with artists about how they've been dealing with the supply chain woes and price hikes of the pandemic, later compounded by the Russia-Ukraine war. These impediments have forced some artists to compromise their artistic vision, sometimes even harvesting materials from existing artworks to keep their practice going.

In other stories, a new residency for Ukrainian artists kicks off in Los Angeles and the United States returns a looted artifact to the Palestinian Authority for the first time. The artifact in question is an Assyrian cosmetic spoon that was seized from the antiquities collection of New York billionaire Michael Steinhardt. Rhea Nayyar explains how it got there.

And in today's reviews, a film about "gay romantic obsession," a celebration of self-taught painter Morris Hirshfield, a different perspective on Matthew Wong’s life and work, a duo of shows by Chloe Bass in LA, and more.

— Hakim Bishara, Senior Editor

How Has the Supply Chain Crisis Affected Artists?

Labor shortages, stranded shipping containers, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine have forced artists to come up with creative solutions. | Kealey Boyd

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WHAT'S HAPPENING

An ivory cosmetic spoon, dating back to approximately 800-700 BCE, was repatriated to the Palestinian Authority on January 5. (image courtesy the Manhattan DA Office)

The return of this 3,000-year-old ivory cosmetic spoon marks the US’s first repatriation of a Palestinian cultural object.

Founded by curator Asha Bukojemsky, a new residency program aims to give Ukrainian artists a platform in Los Angeles.

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SVA Continuing Education Offers 200+ Courses and 10+ Artist Residency Programs

Hundreds of online and on-campus courses begin January 30. Plus, take part in artist residencies in the fine arts, critical studies, social practice, and more. Learn more.

REFRAMING & REDISCOVERING ARTISTS

The Singular Vision of Morris Hirshfield

Morris Hirshfield Rediscovered highlights the need for more research on twentieth-century self-taught American artists, who were marginalized by restrictive art historical narratives. | Bryan Martin

Matthew Wong’s Tenacious Vision

The Dallas Museum of Art’s retrospective of the artist is an opportunity to reframe the conversation about Wong and his work. | Lauren Moya Ford

MORE ON HYPERALLERGIC

Chloë Bass Disarms With Beauty

The multiform artist quietly coaxes us to see the world as a means to look inward.| Nereya Otieno

A Darkly Captivating Portrait of Toxic Obsession

L’Homme blessé is widely regarded as one of cinema’s most intense and haunting portrayals of a destructive gay romantic obsession.| Daniel Larkin

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