Israeli Officials Postpone Sothebys Auction
Sotheby’s in London’s sale of more than 200 items postponed.
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A controversial auction held by Sotheby’s London was set to take place on Tuesday before being abruptly postponed at the last minute.
Set to cross the auction block were artefacts from Jerusalem’s Museum for Islamic Art. Items of note included a helmet that may have belonged to an Ottoman sultan, a page from nearly 1000-year-old Qur’an and a 13th century Mamluk glass bowl.
Facing financial hardship, the museum had planned to sell more than 200 items, amounting to a possible $13.7 million before the advent of COVID-19, and with the pandemic sweeping through – the auction became essential to avoid closing its doors for good.
However, Israeli officials and government agencies alongside the president of Israel Reuven Rivlin weighed in hoping to stop the sale, with Rivlin stating the collection had a “greater worth and significance than their monetary value.”
It seemed to work, as on Monday night the museum announced in a statement from its primary donor that the sale would be postponed, reportedly until some time in November.
“The foundation’s management hopes that the postponement will make it possible to reach agreements that will also be acceptable to the Culture Ministry in the coming weeks,” the Hermann de Stern Foundation said.
A Sotheby’s spokesperson mentioned that it had conducted multiple deaccessions whereby museums or art galleries sell items to raise funds and added that the guiding principle behind the selection from the Museum for Islamic Art was to ensure the integrity of its collection, which holds over a thousand items.
Consumers are going to gravitate toward applications powered by the buzzy new technology, analyst Michael Wolf predicts
Chris Dixon, a partner who led the charge, says he has a ‘very long-term horizon’
Prepare yourself for the year of the peach
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Pantone has released its 2024 Colour of the Year — and it’s warm and fuzzy.
Peach Fuzz has been named as the colour to sum up the year ahead, chosen to imbue a sense of “kindness and tenderness, communicating a message of caring and sharing, community and collaboration” said vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, Laurie Pressman.
“A warm and cosy shade highlighting our desire for togetherness with others or for enjoying a moment of stillness and the feeling of sanctuary this creates, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz presents a fresh approach to a new softness,” she said.
The choice of a soft pastel will come as little surprise to those who follow the Pantone releases, which are often a reflection of world affairs and community mood. Typically, when economies are buoyant and international security is assured, colours tend to the bolder spectrum. Given the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Israeli-Gaza conflict and talk of recession in many countries, the choice of a softer, more reassuring colour is predictable.
“At a time of turmoil in many aspects of our lives, our need for nurturing, empathy and compassion grows ever stronger as does our imaginings of a more peaceful future,” she said. “We are reminded that a vital part of living a full life is having the good health, stamina, and strength to enjoy it.”
The colour also reflects a desire to turn inward and exercise self care in an increasingly frenetic world.
“As we navigate the present and build toward a new world, we are reevaluating what is important,” she said. “Reframing how we want to live, we are expressing ourselves with greater intentionality and consideration.
“Recalibrating our priorities to align with our internal values, we are focusing on health and wellbeing, both mental and physical, and cherishing what’s special — the warmth and comfort of spending time with friends and family, or simply taking a moment of time to ourselves.”
Each year since 2000, Pantone has released a colour of the year as a trendsetting tool for marketers and branding agents. It is widely taken up in the fashion and interior design industries, influencing collections across the spectrum.
Consumers are going to gravitate toward applications powered by the buzzy new technology, analyst Michael Wolf predicts
Chris Dixon, a partner who led the charge, says he has a ‘very long-term horizon’
