ArtReview’s annual Power 100 is published with Black Lives Matter at the top of the list

ArtReview placed Black Lives Matter at the top of 2020’s Power 100 list, an annual ranking of the contemporary art world’s most influential people and movements. This is the first time a movement rather than a person has taken the number one position and BLM’s unparalleled influence on the zeitgeist has been particularly evident in this year’s photographic output. Following close behind is the artist collective Ruangrupa, academics Felwine Sarr and Bénédicte Savoy, and the #MeToo movement, which is ranked at number four.

First published in 2002, this year’s Power 100 reflects a momentous period for social justice movements, as well as the impact of non-Western art scenes on the global art world. ArtReview notes that the “newly energized focus on social justice and diversity brings many new entries to the list, with 46 of the names appearing here for the first time.” Public support for Black Lives Matter increased dramatically this year in the wake of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police and the subsequent protests that rocked the nation. In June, data from Civiqs revealed that in just two weeks, support for the movement had grown by nearly the same margin that it had in the last two years. Reverberations were felt in the art world as the visibility of Black contemporary artists increased, museums rushed to address their historical blindness, and statues toppled, changing the visual landscape of American public space.

Berlin’s Humboldt Forum, at the site of the former Berliner Schloss palace, Photo by GodeNehler, Wikipedia — *Berlin’s Humboldt Forum, at the site of the former Berliner Schloss palace,* Photo by GodeNehler, Wikipedia

Berlin’s much anticipated Humboldt Forum set to celebrate opening online

The opening of Berlin’s Humboldt forum was initially scheduled for autumn of 2019 and it has since been delayed twice. But at 7pm on December 16 the vast new museum complex will livestream views inside of the building’s new exhibitions. Berlin is an art hub known for reappropriating spaces and transforming old factory buildings into some of the most innovative creative attractions. The Humboldt Forum follows this history as a $700 million renovation of a partial reconstruction of the Berlin Palace. Within its 450,000 square feet are the Stadtmuseum Berlin (City Museum Berlin), Ethnologisches Museum (Ethnological Museum), and the Museum für Asiatische Kunst (Asian Art Museum). Humboldt University Laboratory, the “living workshop of ideas” is also housed in the space. The online viewing event is free of charge and will be available in English and German.

Geore Gloyd protest in D.C. May 30, Photo by Victoria Pickering on flicker — *Geore Gloyd protest in D.C. May 30,* Photo by Victoria Pickering on flicker

Black Photojournalists sue Buzzfeed for publishing their images of this summer’s protests without consent

Six photographers filed a complaint in New York City court last month alleging that the digital media company illegally embedded the artists’ Instagram posts in a June 3 article. The artists —Vanessa Charlot, Dee Dwyer, Kay Hickman, Alexis Hunley, Tony Mobley, and Montinique Monroe – claim that they were never paid for their work and the website failed to obtain a license for the material. The ironic and disturbing turn of events comes at a time when the art world and media organizations are publicly reckoning with unfair labor practices regarding the work of Black artists. Still, the outcome of such a suit is unclear as regulations for embedding Instagram images remain ambiguous.

Camera shots from the Rockefeller Christmas tree ceremony reveal a primetime visual event physically attended by few

In a normal year, tourists and New Yorkers alike flock to Rockefeller Center to take selfies and snap family portraits in front of the massive Christmas tree that lights up the city each holiday season. However, last Wednesday’s tree lighting ceremony was far more tranquil than the ritual has traditionally been. With no in-person crowds allowed, viewers tuned in on their televisions to see the mayor hit the button that illuminates all 50,000 LED lights on New York’s cultural landmark.

The lighting ceremony has been an important visual event for the last 87 years and the tree itself has drawn an estimated 125 million locals and tourists each year. Visitors still have a chance to capture the sparkling attraction, but they will have to book time-limited tickets and masks are, of course, required. This is the first full week that the 75-foot Norway Spruce is on view and though the center may be less hectic and crowded, its ornamented branches will continue to dazzle those who take the time to stop by.