1. DUCT-TAPED BANANA IS TALK OF ART BASEL: Despite the elaborate works, glamorous parties, and scenic Miami backdrop, Art Basel 2019 was upstaged by simple foodstuff—a banana. More specifically, the yellow fruit was pinned to a wall with duct tape as a piece by artist Maurizio Cattelan, and sold for $120,000 to $150,000 in each of three sales during the event, which was held December 3 to December 8 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The star of the show caused such a commotion that by the last day of the fair, Cattelan and his gallery removed the banana from its booth. But not all attendees were left hungry for more: Performance artist David Datuna pulled the banana off the wall and ate it. New York Times: “The gallery’s statement said, ‘Art Basel collaboratively worked with us to station guards and create uniform lines. However, the installation caused several uncontrollable crowd movements and the placement of the work on our booth compromised the safety of the artwork around us, including that of our neighbors.’... Mr. Datuna made light of his action in an Instagram post he titled ‘Hungry Artist,’ writing: ‘Art performance by me. I love Maurizio Cattelan artwork and I really love this installation. It’s very delicious.'"
2. CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARD NOMINATIONS LED BY SHOWS FROM THREE PLATFORMS: The 25th Annual Critics’ Choice Award nominations Sunday were led by When They See Us, This is Us, and Schitt's Creek. The trio of programs represents a diverse range of platforms, with When They See Us coming from streaming service Netflix, This is Us as a broadcast drama, and Schitt’s Creek coming from cable television. When They See Us led the pack with six nominations, while the other two shows each scored five noms. Variety: “'This has been a truly great year for television and movies,' said Critics’ Choice C.E.O. Joey Berlin. 'In every genre, from every viewpoint and distribution platform, brilliant storytellers are challenging and delighting us. We are so excited to have the opportunity to celebrate them, and their work, on January 12 on The CW.'”
3. W HOTELS AND RENT THE RUNWAY PARTNER TO SAVE GUESTS FROM WARDROBE MALFUNCTIONS: In a new partnership with Rent the Runway, a designer fashion duds rental service, W Hotels has set itself up as the rescuer of damaged dresses by event planners and attendees. Under the arrangement, Rent the Runway’s Closet Concierge program has launched at select W Hotels around the United States. Guests of W Aspen, W South Beach, W Washington D.C., and W Hollywood will have access to a full travel wardrobe curated by Rent the Runway. Travel & Leisure: “‘Collaborating with Rent the Runway—such a creative, conscious, and trend-setting brand—allows us to reinvent the way our guests pack and dress as they travel,’ said Anthony Ingham, global brand leader at W Hotels. ‘Skipping the packing process is a whole new level of luxury for our guests and is yet another surprising way [we] continue to reinvent hospitality.’”