Links once again compiled for your edification and delight. Please read responsibly:
- I suppose the art story of the week was a Gerard Richter painting breaking records for a living artist. “I just love it . . . I just love art,†says buyer
- But if you’re in New York you may have been more distracted by the face off between Jeff Koons and Paul McCarthy. The Times gives this round to McCarthy
- Also expected to do well at auction: a chimpanzee. Hyperallergic reports on the six figure fees which circus animal Mikki can hope to pull down
- Talking of expensive polaroids, American Suburb X posts a gallery of Warholian photographs, which include shots of Debbie Harry, Tom Jones and Arnold Schwarzenegger
- What the hell are they teaching in Russian art schools? The latest piece of slavic controversy took place in Brussels where Petro Wadkins has ‘pissed all over’ tradition
- Another Hyperallergic story offers comfort to the middle aged. Hrag Vartanian notes the online rise of the 18th century power paunches, plus a one Daniel Lambert
- On these shores we got excited about Tate Britain’s new hang. It includes toughened floors to support monumental Epsteins. Can’t wait to see for myself
- The Guardian comes up trumps with at least two compelling interviews this week. The more recent is this one with the quiet man of the YBA movement, Gary Hume
- The paper also interviews Cornelia Parker who talks about her peasant stock, her anxieties regarding cracks in the pavement, and sleeping with the enemy
- Non football fans look away, but it’s been an emotional week for the national game. Here we see a photo which sums it up . . . Beckham in tears.