Restitution Reckonings and Scandals Shaking the Art World

Show notes for today's episode of The Daily Art Download — your ten minute crash course in today's art world news. The curator awakens: Lucas Museum of Narrative Art reveals inaugural exhibition lineup https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/04/30/lucas-museum-narrative-art-inaugural-exhibitions Georg Baselitz, German artist who turned figurative painting on its head, has died, aged 88 https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/04/30/georg-baselitz-german-artist-figurative-painter-obituary Venice Biennale Jury Resigns in the Wake of Controversial Prize Ban https://news.artnet.com/art-world/venice-biennale-jury-resigns-prize-ban-2769269 U.S. Returns Hundreds of Looted Antiquities to Italy https://news.artnet.com/art-world/us-returns-looted-antiquities-italy-2769117 UK’s Brighton & Hove Museums to return 45 artefacts to Botswana https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/04/30/uk-brighton-hove-museums-return-45-artefacts-botswana Texas Man Who Orchestrated $20 M. Crypto Scam Based on Fictitious Van Gogh and Picasso Masterpieces Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison https://www.artnews.com/art-news/market/crypto-scam-van-gogh-picasso-masterpieces-sentenced-1234783074/ New Banksy statue appears in central London https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/04/30/has-a-new-banksy-statue-just-appeared-in-central-london Full extent of Stephen Friedman Gallery's £7.8m debt revealed in filings https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/04/30/stephen-friedman-gallery-owes-£800000-to-artists-filings-reveal Picasso Painting That Cost S. I. Newhouse a MoMA Board Position Heads to Christie’s for $55 M. https://www.artnews.com/art-news/market/s-i-newhouse-moma-picasso-auction-christies-1234783250/ Tania Bruguera on Why Today’s Art Must Be Political https://hyperallergic.com/tania-bruguera-on-why-todays-art-must-be-political/