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Good Morning!
- An employee from Ireland’s National Museum has been charged with possession of Semtex.
- Chinese artist Gao Zhen has been sentenced to up to three years in prison for “slandering China’s heroes.”
- The Venice Film Festival has defended the inclusion of Russian-born filmmaker Ilya Khrzhanovskiy’s Dau despite Ukraine’s “profound concern.”
The Headlines
TICK, TICK, TICK. An employee at Ireland’s National Museum who has been charged with possession of 394 grams of military-grade Semtex has been granted €40,000 ($46,680) bail, the Irish Times reported. Simon O’Donovan, 44, from Dublin, faces an explosive-possession charge following a Garda Special Detective Unit operation in July. The court heard that O’Donovan was allegedly a member of Saoradh, a dissident republican political organization, and that gardaí were concerned he could support New IRA activities. Gardaí allege O’Donovan removed the explosive from Collins Barracks, the National Museum’s Decorative Arts & History site, before handing it to co-accused Isobella Perrie Sullivan, who was later stopped. The court heard the device, timer, switch, and detonator could have caused catastrophic damage. O’Donovan must comply with strict bail conditions and is due back in court on October 5.
GAO ‘SLANDERS’ MAO. Chinese artist Gao Zhen, known for satirical sculptures depicting Mao Zedong, has been sentenced to up to three years in prison for allegedly “slandering China’s heroes,” rights groups say. The BBC reported that the 70-year-old was arrested in August 2024 while visiting China, after moving to the US in 2022. His works, including sculptures mocking Mao, were seized by authorities. Gao was convicted under a 2018 law banning defamation of historical Communist figures, despite some works having been created years earlier. Amnesty International called the sentence an assault on artistic freedom, while the UN raised concerns over retroactive prosecution. Gao plans to appeal.
The Digest
The Venice Film Festival has defended the inclusion of Russian-born filmmaker Ilya Khrzhanovskiy’s Dau despite Ukraine’s “profound concern.” [Ocula]
The Times’ suggested that the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the British Museum and Tate’s blockbuster Monet exhibition could signal a new golden age for blockbuster museum shows. [The Times]
Australia’s National Gallery will loan its prized Jackson Pollock masterpiece Blue Poles to a gallery in Western Australia. [ABC News]
A former Scottish pub transformed into an art gallery and café has sparked concern among neighbors after applying for a new alcohol lisence. [Edinburgh News]
The Kicker
STATE OF THE ART. Britain’s stately homes are increasingly turning to contemporary art to attract new visitors and generate income, The Art Newspaper wrote. Historic properties including Claydon, Houghton Hall, Wolterton, and Mount Stuart are hosting exhibitions by artists such as Tracey Emin, Phyllida Barlow, and Lynn Chadwick. At Claydon, a National Trust property, White Cube has installed 47 works by 24 artists across the house and grounds. The trend comes as stately homes face mounting financial pressures, with Historic Houses estimating a £2 billion ($2.73 billion) repair backlog. Organizers say contemporary art can reinvigorate historic spaces while giving artists new settings to engage with the UK’s architectural and cultural heritage.
