The week in art news: Arthur Jafa joins Sprüth Magers, controversial funding for British Museum, Frieze Sculpture opens and more…

Richard Pettibone, the artist who appropriated others’ paintings for his own work, dies at 86. During the 1960s, Pettibone began making replicas of paintings by artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Frank Stella, creating his own smaller-scale lookalikes. ArtNews reported on Friday that a representative for New York’s Castelli Gallery, which has shown Pettibone since 1969, confirmed he died on 19th August following a fall.

Big moves: Arthur Jafa joins Sprüth Magers, the gallery that’s ‘never lost an artist’. Jafa, who is best known for works that interrogate cultural assumptions about identity and race, joins a roster including Jenny Holzer, Cao Fei, Anne Imhof, Martine Syms, Cindy Sherman, Anthony McCall, Mire Lee and the estate of John Baldessari. He will continue to be represented by New York-based Gladstone Gallery. Jafa’s first exhibition with Sprüth Magers is now open in Los Angeles.

Alarms, but no surprises: New survey claims that more than 50% of gallerists have a poor work-life balance. According to a report by sales management platform Artlogic, North American gallerists are worst affected, with 61% saying they don’t have a healthy relationship to work, compared to 43% for their European counterparts. The report also publishes further details on working patterns for gallerists and gallery workers, including annual leave and the time it takes to sell an artwork.

Case dismissed: New York Supreme Court throws out lawsuit accusing Helen Frankenthaler Foundation of exploiting her legacy. According to ArtNews, ex-board member, Frederick Iseman (also Frankenthaler’s nephew) claims that other family members had taken advantage of the late artist’s work to “to advance their own personal interests and careers.” Current board members have repeatedly dismissed Iseman’s claims as “baseless”. Iseman said he would appeal the court’s ruling.

London’s Barbican is now hosting the Palestinian literature festival following a controversy over alleged censorship related to Gaza. The festival, which includes readings from diaries of Palestinian writers documenting the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, was originally cancelled by Manchester’s Home arts centre after one of the participating authors faced accusations of antisemitism. But after significant backlash, the venue reversed its decision and apologised. This past weekend marked the first time Voices of Resilience has been staged in London, following a period in which the Barbican faced criticism for alleged censorship of Palestinian-related events.

Bold ambitions: The British Museum’s new director, Nicholas Cullinan, has addressed the controversy surrounding a £50 million donation from oil company BP. Despite concerns raised by some trustees, Cullinan defended the museum’s choice to accept the sponsorship. The donation will help launch the fundraising efforts for the museum’s extensive master plan, which includes significant upgrades to the historic building, originally designed by Sir Robert Smirke and completed in 1852. The total cost of the project is speculated to exceed £1 billion.

New York’s Deli Gallery closes after eight years. The gallery, which exhibited artists such as Brook Hsu, Sahara Longe, Samuel Hindolo and Lewis Hammond, is set to close permanently on 28th September. On 16th September, director Max Marshall announced the news on Instagram, stating that “the gallery was founded on a commitment to community––to highlighting and advocating important voices––so it is something I know will remain long after Deli shuts its doors.”

Frieze Sculpture opens. Curated for the second year by Fatoş Üstek, the outdoor public art initiative will showcase 22 international artists from five continents and 27 works, of which 18 are new. Staged in London’s Regent’s Park, the exhibition will include works by Leonora Carrington, Libby Heaney, Zanele Muholi, Fani Parali, Zizipho Poswa, Nathan Coley, Theaster Gates, Yoshitomo Nara and Woody De Othello, spanning sound, light, performance, painting, video and augmented reality.