The Headlines
WHINING AND DINING. Greece’s culture minister, Lina Mendoni, blasted the British Museum for allowing 800 or so guests to get merry around the Elgin Marbles during Saturday’s £2,000-a-ticket Pink Ball, dubbed London’s answer to the Met Gala, the Times reports. The event was co-hosted by museum director Nicholas Cullinan and Isha Ambani , daughter of Asia’s richest man. Mendoni said the museum showed “provocative indifference” to the collection of ancient Greek sculptures from the Parthenon and other structures from the Acropolis of Athens by wining and dining the likes of Mick Jagger, Naomi Campbell, and Janet Jackson next to them. Mendoni condemned the use of the marbles as mere “decorative elements,” saying such events disrespect the cultural significance of the sculptures and risk their preservation. A fashion show held in the same gallery last year drew similar criticism. The culture minister emphasized that Greece “repeatedly and consistently” opposes events that treat cultural treasures as backdrops for entertainment. British Museum officials maintain that preservation is their top priority, with all event requests reviewed for potential risks.
CUTE, FURRY, ADULTERATED. Disgraced Miami art dealer Les Roberts, who was previously charged with peddling forged Andy Warhols, appears to have found a new venture, selling Labubu collectibles. In April, Roberts’s Miami Fine Art Gallery was raided by the FBI, leading to charges of wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering. Despite restrictions from selling art or working in the art industry as part of his bond conditions, Roberts is now operating a shop called Labubu Headquarters in Coconut Grove, according to the Miami New Times. The quirky, furry monster figurines are now selling at rates ranging from $35 to over $1,000 at Roberts’s store. Miami New Times reporters tried to verify if a Labubu purchased from Roberts was genuine or a counterfeit “Lafufu,” but findings were inconclusive. A spokesperson for Pop Mart, the official distributor, confirmed that Roberts’s shop is not affiliated with the brand, advising fans to buy only from authorized sellers. Roberts’s attorney did not respond to requests for comment.
The Digest
Richard Diebenkorn’s estate has joined Gagosian, which mounted the painter’s last solo show during his lifetime, more than 30 years ago. [ARTnews]
The J. Paul Getty Trust and the World Economic Forum are joining forces during Art Basel Paris to host a “cultural table” in room at Le Meurice hotel, where Pablo Picasso and Olga Khokhlova held their 1918 wedding reception. [The Art Newspaper]
Interpol has officially added eight items of jewelry stolen during this past weekend’s heist at the Louvre to its Stolen Works of Art database. [Press Release]
The Photographers’ Gallery in London has revealed the four artists shortlisted for the 2026 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize: Jane Evelyn Atwood, Weronika Gęsicka, Amak Mahmoodian, and Rene Matić. [Artsy]
Artnet News asks: “How are Asia’s art markets fairing amid the global art market’s ongoing downturn?” [Artnet News]
The Kicker
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER. Private Thomas James, a Black soldier who fought in the Napoleonic Wars, is finally receiving recognition after centuries of obscurity, the Guardianreports. One of just nine known Black recipients of the Waterloo Medal , the first British military medal awarded regardless of rank, James is now believed to be the subject of a rare 1821 portrait, newly attributed to renowned artist Thomas Phillips. The painting, acquired by the National Army Museum in London for £30,000, will go on permanent display in the museum’s “Army at Home” gallery. It shows James in a striking white cavalry uniform, holding cymbals (he was a percussionist in the 18th Light Dragoons). Born enslaved in Montserrat in 1789, James had made his way to Sussex by 1809 and enlisted in the British Army, which offered rare opportunities for Black men to earn equal pay and pensions. He was awarded the Waterloo Medal after defending his officers’ belongings from looting Prussian deserters, sustaining severe wounds in the process. Curator Anna Lavelle believes James’s officers likely commissioned the portrait to honor his bravery. Only two other known portraits of Black British soldiers remain from the era.
