weekend links: Dana Schutz, drone art, Mayan hip-hop
Tauba Auerbach, Tetrachromat (2012). Photograph by Helene Toresdotter. Image courtesy Paula Cooper Gallery, New York/Artsy.
The curators of this year’s Whitney Biennial sought to embrace the political; unsurprisingly, they now find themselves in the midst of controversy. Several artists have signed a letter requesting the destruction of Dana Schutz’s Open Casket, which depicts an image of the slain Emmett Till. Many find the work to be problematic, and this article explains some of the reasons why. [New Republic]
Matthew Israel’s new book The Big Picture: Contemporary Art in 10 Works by 10 Artists hopes to distill the last 20 years of art trends into one clear presentation. The list has all the names you’d expect—Olafur Eliasson, Ai Weiwei, Ryan Trecartin, Marina Abramović, Kara Walker—but with only 10, there’s plenty of room for discussion. [Artsy]
Catch up with Claudia Rankine as she discusses the current state of her New York-based project the Racial Imaginary Institute. [ArtForum]
Though not a new phenomenon, librarians are spearheading educational programs and new curriculum to combat the normalization of fake news. [VICE]
In 1917 Marcel Duchamp showcased his porcelain urinal—arguably, the most famous conceptual artwork. Now, 100 years later, with Nigel Gifford’s new edible drone, tech startup initiatives are perhaps creating the newest pieces of conceptual art. [The Atlantic]
Chuck Berry passed away last Saturday, and with that comes the realization that Elvis was unrightfully crowned the king of rock & roll. Here’s a rare look at Berry’s early start and his contribution to the genre. [Rolling Stone]
Balam Ajpu talks about using hip-hop to teach a new generation about Mayan traditions and on getting people to say sacred words instead of just “hello” and “party.” [Guernica]
—Katie Lauren Bruton and Sean Redmond