Iran war and culture in the Gulf, the Whitney Biennial, Rembrandt discovery
3/6/202655 min
As the war against Iran instigated last week by Israel and the United States continues to spread through the Middle East, we explore how it affects tourism in the Arabian Gulf, of which art and culture more generally have been a cornerstone. One of The Art Newspaper’s Middle East correspondents, Melissa Gronlund, joins Ben Luke to discuss the latest news. The 82nd biennial at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York opens this weekend and our editor-in-chief in the Americas, Ben Sutton, and Elena Goukassian, our senior editor of museums and heritage, tell us what they thought of it. And this episode’s Work of the Week is the Vision of Zacharias in the Temple (1633) by Rembrandt. Researchers at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam have demonstrated that the painting, which had previously been documented as a copy of a lost original, is in fact an authentic work by the Dutch master. We speak to Jonathan Bikker, curator of 17th-century Dutch paintings, who was part of the team that secured the attribution to Rembrandt. The picture is now on view to the public at the Rijksmuseum.
Whitney Biennial 2026, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 8 March-23 August
Rembrandt’s The Vision of Zacharias in the Temple is now on view at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsBen Luke· Host0:00
[theme music] Hello, it's The Week in Art. I'm Ben Luke. This week: how the Iran war is affecting culture in the Arabian Gulf; the latest Whitney Biennial reviewed; and a newly authenticated Rembrandt.
Ben Sutton· Guest0:22
[theme music] Acast powers the world's best podcasts. Here's a show that we recommend.
Speaker 20:43
On a new season of Heaven Bent.
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Speaker 41:00
I do remember that very soon she found out about it because she said that she felt a shift in the energy, and so she talked to him and he told her.
Speaker 21:10
Season ten of Heaven Bent. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Ben Sutton· Guest1:14
[theme music] Acast helps creators launch, grow, and monetize their podcast everywhere. acast.com.
Ben Luke· Host1:25
As the war against Iran, instigated last week by