In Brief: Chris Ofili’s Union Black returns to Tate Britain

Chris Ofili agrees to let Union Black fly again after giving flag to the Tate The Turner prize’s youngest winner has given his Union Black to Tate Britain to celebrate the black contribution to London and in recognition of the gallery’s support of his early career. The design echoes black nationalist Marcus Garvey’s flag, in which the red stood for the blood of martyrs, the black for the colour of their skin and the green for the land of Africa.

Proposals for Margaret Thatcher statue near parliament turned down Plans for statue in Parliament Square rejected over fears former PM’s family do not approve of it. The £300,000 work was commissioned by the Public Memorials Appeal, after the former Conservative prime minister’s death in 2013. However, Thatcher’s daughter, Carol, sent a letter to the charity last year objecting to the absence of a handbag in the design.

Painting worth $200,000 stolen from Sydney house while owner was moving Police say Comet (F13) by renowned New Zealand modernist artist, Colin John McCahon, was stolen from inside owner’s home. They added that the high-profile nature of the artwork would make it difficult to sell on the black market.

Turkey condemns German art installation featuring President Erdoğan Artwork comprising a black Mercedes sports car and a banner portraying president Tayyip Erdoğan as a dictator appeared in front of the German Chancellery days before the Turkish leader was due at the G20 summit in Hamburg.

Roberto Polo to donate his seven-thousand-work collection to Spain The Cuban-American collector, philanthropist, and art historian, is loaning more than seven thousand works of modern and contemporary art to two Spanish institutions for the next fifteen years. The holdings will then be gradually ceded to Spain.

Artists urge Lincoln Center to cancel Israel-backed play More than sixty artists, actors, directors, and playwrights have signed an open letter demanding that New York venue cancel performances of a play that is coproduced by two theaters in Israel. The Ha’bima National Theater and the Cameri Theater of Tel Aviv have been criticised for previously staging productions in the occupied territories and backed by the Israeli government.

China causes outrage by banning online content of ‘abnormal’ homosexual relationships Human rights group condemns China as the ‘worst abuser of internet freedom’ in the world. New regulations issued by Bejing will prohibit portrayals of homosexuality, prostitution and drug addiction.

Vatican conservators identify new figures painted by Raphael The two allegorical figures in the Hall of Constantine were previously attributed to his workshop, but a recent restoration revealed them to be the master’s work.

Image:
1. Chris Ofili, Union Black, 2003. Woven polyester with rope and toggle, 130 x 267 cm, 51 1/8 x 105 1/8 in. © Chris Ofili. Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro, London.

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