Artist list revealed for Venice Biennale international exhibition

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Artist list announced for 57th Venice Biennale | The organisers of the 57th Venice Biennale have released the list of participating artists for the international exhibition, which opens on 13 May. Curated by the Centre Pompidou’s Christine Macel, it will be titled ‘Viva Arte Viva’ and represent 51 countries. The 120 artists named cover a broad spectrum, taking in figures as diverse as Anri Sala,  Karla Black and Olafur Eliasson as well as several deceased masters and the film director John Waters. ‘The role, the voice, and the responsibility of the artist are more crucial than ever before’, said Macel. For a full list, see here.

Van Gogh Museum announces date of return for stolen paintings | Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum has confirmed that two paintings stolen from its collection in 2002 will return to its walls from 21 March. Seascape at Scheveningen (1882) and Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen (1884–85) are reported to be in good condition, having been missing for 14 years prior to their rediscovery in Italy last year. As a gesture of gratitude to the Italian state, the paintings will be on display at the Museo di Capodimonte in Naples until 26 February.

Jock Reynolds to step down as director of Yale Art Gallery | Jock Reynolds will step down from his post as Yale University Art Gallery director when his current term comes to an end next year. Reynolds, who has been at the head of the institution since 1998, has overseen a period of considerable transformation and growth. ‘We are indebted to him for all that he has done to augment Yale’s standing as a preeminent institution of the arts, and I am deeply grateful for his longstanding leadership and partnership’, said university president Peter Salovey.

Nominees announced for 2017 Prix Marcel Duchamp | The selection committee of the Marcel Duchamp Prize have named 2017’s nominees as Maja Bajevic, Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, Charlotte Moth and Vittorio Santoro. The prize, which was established in 2000, is France’s most important contemporary art award. The winner, who will take home a €35,000 cash prize, will be announced in October.

Rachel Whiteread wins Ada Huxtable Prize | Rachel Whiteread has won the third Ada Huxtable Prize, an annual award that recognises women’s achievements in the wider industry of architecture. Whiteread has collaborated with architects throughout her career, notably on her 1993 Turner Prize-winning work House and more recently with a proposal for London’s planned Holocaust memorial, for which she collaborated with practice Caruso St John. The prize, which is named in honour of architecture critic Ada Louise Huxtable, is open to anyone influencing architectural culture.

Tracey Emin among donors funding scholarship for refugees | Tracey Emin is one of five donors supporting scholarships that will help refugee students complete four-year courses at Bard College Berlin, reports The Art Newspaper. Each donor has provided €80,000 towards the initiative, with a matched contribution from the college itself.