Art Info's Top Art Stories of 2008

Art Info has a few 2008 in review articles on their website. The one I find most interesting although rather serious is the 2008 stories of the year.

The top stories include:

1. Damien Hirst - Art Info discusses when the Hirst sale was finished with extraordinary results it was the talk of the art world, along with discussions on how popular contemporary artists could now bypass the gallery system. Then the financial crisis hit, and the Hirst sale relevance was greatly reduced. (Although not in the Art Info article, my favorite description of Hirst pieces/art was animal parts in formaldehyde.)
2. The Bailout on the LA Museum of Contemporary Art by billionaire Eli Broad and the near merger between the MOCA and the LA County Museum of Art. These certainly are difficult times for museums and extraordinary measures are being considered. I believe as the financial situation continues, more and more museums and smaller historical societies will have financial problems, and all do not have billionaire benefactors who can come to the rescue.
   
3. The growth and importance of China both financially and culturally, but now that the Olympics are over and the athletes and hype have left, what will remain
4. Changes of administration at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim
5. The UK trying to keep it Titians. (Results on the funding raising progress should be known soon)
6. There is also an honorable mention story about a crucified frog, and Italian politician and the Pope. You will have to read this one on your own.
   

To read the full Art Info article on the best art stories of 2008, click HERE.