Alan Yentob Steps Down as BBC Creative Director

Our daily round-up of news from the art world

Alan Yentob Steps Down as BBC Creative Director | Alan Yentob, the former controller of BBC1 and BBC2, has stepped down from his post as the corporation’s Creative Director after scrutiny over his involvement with the Kids Company charity. Yentob, who has been employed at the BBC in various roles since 1968, came under fire following suggestions that he interfered with the BBC’s coverage of the now defunct charity. Yentob, one of the corporation’s most powerful figures, described the controversy around the matter as a ‘distraction’ from more serious pressures facing the BBC. However, he is not entirely cutting his ties with the organisation: he will continue to present his Imagine arts documentary series, which returned to TV screens last week.

Knoedler Gallery Settles Lawsuit over Fake de Kooning | New York’s Knoedler Gallery, its former director Ann Freedman and its owner, 8-31 Holdings, have reached an out-of-court settlement with collector John Howard, over a fake Willem de Kooning painting he bought from the dealership for $4 million. This is not the end of the story for the troubled former gallery; Howard’s case was just one of 10 lawsuits filed against Knoedler after it was found to have sold some $60 million of fake Abstract Expressionist art. Five of these are still extant. For the full story, see our coverage from last year.

New Contemporary Art Space for Kingston, Jamaica | Space, a new contemporary art space in the Jamaican capital, Kingston, is to open tomorrow with a show devoted to the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Space, which is located in the former home of film director Perry Henzell, will be Jamaica’s first non-state arts and culture institution. Apollo looks forward to an invitation to the Caribbean.

Sobey Art Award to Move | The Sobey Art Award, ‘Canada’s Turner Prize’, is to be taken over by the National Gallery in Ottawa after 13 years at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. The move is intended to give the artists involved greater exposure across Canada and beyond, or, to put it in the words of the National Gallery’s Josée Drouin-Brisebois, to ‘take it to a different level’. The initiative is a practical one. Earlier this year, Apollo’s Elizabeth Grant asked why the prize did not attract more publicity.

ArtNews CEO Resigns | ArtNews publisher and CEO Izabela Depczyk has stepped down after two years at the helm of the company. Depczyk will be succeeded by advertising executive Dan Gardner, who joined the company earlier this year. Depczyk’s resignation comes several months after it was announced that ArtNews was to merge with Art in America.