"Do Not Forget"

What's New in Art Law

• [REPATRIATION, DIGITAL] Is “E-Restitution” the new path forward for contested museum objects?

  The accessibility of tools like AI and LiDar scanners, now available on most iPhones, as well as the authentication and commodification of digital art afforded through NFTs, has given the public the ability to take “digital repatriation” into their own hands. UK-based art and tech activist group, Looty, demonstrated this in their “digital heist” of the Rosetta Stone / Hajar Rashid from the British Museum, scanning the stele and creating a geo-location based augmented reality experience. This enabled a digital version of the object to be restituted to its place of origin of Rashid, Egypt. As museums focus their digitizing efforts on 2D and 3D renderings of objects, communities associated with these objects, and larger questions about authenticity, are being sidelined. Read more here. [JKL]

• [UNESCO, CULTURAL HERITAGE] Iranian Golestan Palace Damaged in War

  The approximately 400-year-old Golestan Palace,Tehran’s only UNESCO site, reportedly sustained damage following a nearby missile blast. According to city council reports, sections of the palace grounds were disrupted, with tarmac lifted, debris scattered across the grounds, windows shattered, and intricate glasswork damaged. In anticipation of potential strikes, protective measures had been implemented, including covering decorative features and relocating artifacts to secure storage. Iranian officials have condemned the incident, asserting that the attack violates international norms and cultural heritage protections. Read more here. [LS]

• [CULTURAL PROPERTY, INTERNATIONAL] US and Nepal Enter Into Cultural Property Agreement

  The United States and Nepal have entered into a bilateral Cultural Property Agreement aimed at protecting Nepal’s cultural heritage and reducing the illegal trade of artifacts. The arrangement places limits on the import of designated archaeological and ethnological items into the United States unless they are properly certified by Nepal, covering materials from ancient prehistory through the mid-20th century. By discouraging looting and preserving culturally significant objects within their original context, the agreement supports Nepal’s heritage conservation, cultural tourism, and global recognition. It also strengthens collaboration between the two countries. Read more here. [LS]

• [MUSEUM GOVERNANCE] UK Considers Charging Admission Fees for International Visitors to Their National Museums

  In light of reviews of the Arts Council England (ACE), the UK government, under Margaret Hodge’s proposal, is considering charging international visitors an admission fee to enter their national museums. The proposal was overseen by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The decision would be made based on efforts to fill funding gaps for the arts and culture sector in the UK. Not all are in agreement with the proposal, among them, outgoing director of the Tate, Maria Balshaw. The proposal further recommends a levy on overnight stays (‘tourist tax’), providing philanthropic giving and tax incentives to respond to the urgent underfunding of the arts in the UK, collaboration between ACE and the museum sector to develop a strategy and long-term plan, overhauling the model for National Portfolio Organizations (NPO) that receive regular funding from ACE, and providing support for emerging and mid-career arts professionals in the UK. The UK culture minister, Lisa Nandy, said that the government is convinced of Hodge’s vision and that they intend to accept every recommendation. The UK minister for creative industries, media and arts, Ian Murray, echoed such approval by stating that they will stand alongside the Arts Council as they implement these reforms. Read more here. [MR]

• [AI] The A.I. Video App, Sora, launched in 2024 will be Shut Down by OpenAI

  According to OpenAI, the text-to-video platform, Sora, will no longer offer services or apps, however, video generation research for robotics training and simulation purposes will continue internally. Since its launch in 2024, creatives and film professionals were worried about Sora’s ability to readily produce high-quality videos with features including usage of iconic characters such as Mickey Mouse and Yoda (under a licensing agreement with Disney). In 2025, Sora Selects publicized its potential impact on the art world when it invited 10 emerging artists to build a “new experimental art form[,]” according to the program lead at the time. No explanation was offered to explain the decision to close Sora – consolidation efforts and refocusing of the company ahead of an IPO later this year may have had to do with it as the platform faced high resource intensity, little revenue, and rapid download drops since 2026. Read more here. [MR]

• [MUSEUMS, DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY] Vandalism at Chihuly Garden and Glass

  A 40-year-old man was arrested on March 16, at Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle, a museum and exhibition space known for its large-scale glass installations by artist Dale Chihuly. According to reports, the individual allegedly damaged several glass sculptures on view at the museum, resulting in what officials have described as “catastrophic damage.” The estimated value of the destruction is approximately $240,000. The suspect was also arrested on assault charges in connection with the incident. Read more here. [HO]

• [ADMINISTRATION] Pride Flag Ordered Removed

  In Manhattan, the Gilbert Baker Foundation (“Foundation”), along with others, has filed suit against the Trump administration over the removal of the Pride flag from a New York City park. The Pride flag was originally created by Gilbert Baker, and the Foundation argues that its removal carries significant cultural and historical implications. The National Park Service stated the Pride flag was removed because of prohibitions on flying flags other than the national flag, DOI flag, and POW/MIA flags. However, the Foundation asserted this policy has not been applied consistently, noting that other historical flags, particularly Confederate flags, have remained on display at various national monuments. Read more here. [LS]

• [ART FAIRS] Hong Kong will Keep Hosting Art Basel After Signing a Five-Year Agreement

  The city of Hong Kong has signed a new agreement with Art Basel for another five-years. The agreement is said to also expand the art fair’s scale and impact with the city promising to complement the fair with top-tier performances and events for collectors and art appreciators. Among such events, talks of satellite events and large-scale installations have been had. The collaboration efforts are also said to go beyond the month of March during which the fair is in Hong Kong. A collaboration took place this year with Digital Art@Central, which showcased a digital work by DeeKay Kwon that was projected nightly, from March 24-29, onto the façade of a Hong Kong Club. Read more here. [MR]

• [EXHIBITIONS] The MET’s new Blockbuster Exhibition on Raphael

  The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new blockbuster show, Raphael: Sublime Poetry, running from March 29-June 28, 2026, will feature works  that made their way from Italy to New York, by world-renowned Renaissance painter, Raphael. The show took eight-years to organize, millions of dollars, and five dozen lenders. The show is said to be the first Raphael show of this scale due, in large part, to the logistics involved. The goal of MET curator, Carmen C. Bambach, is to reintroduce Raphael to contemporary audiences. Read more here. [MR]

• [ART THEFT] Three Majors Artworks by Cézanne, Renoir and Matisse Stolen from Italian Private Museum

  On 22 March 2026, three significant paintings had been stolen from the Magnani-Rocca Foundation, a private museum located near Parma, in northern Italy. According to the police statement, four hooded individuals broke into the museum by forcing open a door, and the paintings were removed in under three minutes. The stolen works are: Les Poissons (1919) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Still Life with Cherries (c. 1890) by Paul Cézanne, and Odalisque on the Terrace (1922) by Henri Matisse. The incident once again raises serious questions about security issues and funding in museums. This theft follows last year’s robbery at the Louvre and shows that such crimes may be encouraging for others.As art thefts appear to be on the rise, museums must invest more in prevention and security measures. However, the current priority stays the return of these artworks to the museum collection. Read more here. [AK]

• [REPATRIATION] Mexico's Cultural Ministry Calls on Ebay to Remove Listings of 195 Pre-Hispanic Artefacts

  Last month, Mexico’s Ministry of Culture found that 195 pre-Hispanic archaeological objects were being listed for auction on eBay by a seller called ‘Coins & Artifacts’, based in Florida. INAH (the Mexican government agency responsible for preservation of Mexico’s cultural heritage) declared that the artefacts are part of Mexico’s cultural heritage. The Ministry subsequently called on eBay to remove the listings and return the items to Mexico, arguing that such sales are illegal. Legal action has been taken by the Ministry, which claims the artefacts are “the result of illicit extraction”, noting that their export has been prohibited since 1827. The Florida-based seller has defended the legality of the sales by citing their provenance. In the meantime, eBay is cooperating with authorities in investigating the matter. Read more here. [AK]

• [AUCTION HOUSES] France Blocks the Sale of Recently Discovered Hans Baldung Grien Portrait

  The French Ministry of Culture halted the sale of a recently discovered a portrait attributed to Renaissance artist and student of Albrecht Durer, Hans Baldung Griend on March 20th, after declaring the drawing a “national treasure” and thus placing it under an export ban for 30 months.  The piece was set to be put up for auction by Paris-based auction house Beaussant Lefèvre & Associés and Paris-based gallery Cabinet de Bayser on March 23rd. Had the auction gone on as scheduled, the piece could have sold for around $3.5 million. The portrait, a postcard-sized drawing of Susanna Pfeffinger d, was discovered last year in the Pfeffering family art catalogue. The timing of the Minister’s export ban was definitely unfortunate for the auction house, as they applied for the export license last November, and it was not until this March that the National Treasures Advisory Commission met to review. Read more here and here. [DJ]

• [MUSEUMS] New York Historical Merchant’s House Museum Hidden Underground Railroad Passageway threatened amidst legal battle

  For the past fourteen years, the Merchant’s House Museum, located at 29 E 4th Street, has been embroiled in a legal battle against the owner of the neighboring building. The house was originally built in the 1830s for Joseph Brewster, a hatter and abolitionist, before it was bought by the Tredwell family. In 1965, it was Manhattan’s first building to be designated as a landmark.  The Landmark Preservation Committee approved the owner-developer’s plan to demolish and build a larger commercial building in March 2023 after denying the original plan in 2018. The approval came with the caveat that the developer would conduct a study of the Museum’s delicate plaster, which the Museum says has yet to happen.  This passageway, which was recently discovered to be used along the Underground Railroad in February, is the only intact stop along the Railroad in Manhattan and the only stop available to the public. The Museum director of operations says that the passageway is unlikely to survive construction.  Read more here and here. [DJ]