Artfully is BACK after a hiatus and despite a summer dominated by Covid-19, there are still some juicy art world controversies to feast upon. We take on the controversial job losses at the Tate galleries, the drama at the Musee d'Orsay after they refused entry to a woman in a low-cut dress, and the new Mayfair gallery opened by Charles Saatchi's daughter, Phoebe Saatchi Yates. We also share some good news from Christie's, who held an auction of works by Black artists where collectors had to pledge not to flip the works. Finally, from the sublime to the ridiculous: is Art Attack's Neil Buchanan actually Banksy?

Elsewhere we select our top tips for exhibitions this Autumn including Edmund de Waal at the British Museum and a girl power gang round-up of Cecily Brown, Chantal Joffe, Katherine Bernhardt, Jadé Fadojutimi and Flora Yukhnovich.

Our Artist Focus this episode is British artist Sarah Lucas. Born out of a boozy, party-hard YBA art scene, her profile has continued to rise to meteoric heights. She represented her country at the Venice Biennale in 2015, and nabbed her first American museum retrospective in 2018. We discuss sex, body parts, and those famous fried eggs.

SHOW NOTES:
(For the dog and cat lovers, here are the documentaries suggested by Jessie: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mf93)
Cecily Brown exhibition at Blenheim Palace until 3 January 2020: https://www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/cecily-brown-art-exhibition/
Chantal Joffe 'For Esme - with Love and Squalor' at the Arnolfini until 22 November: https://arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/chantal-joffe/
Katherine Bernhardt and José Luis Vargas 'Voodoo Mayo Ketchup' at Carl Freedman Gallery until 25 October 2020: https://carlfreedman.com/exhibitions/2020/voodoo-mayo-ketchup/
Grayson Perry 'The MOST Specialest Relationship' at Victoria Miro until 31 October 2020: https://online.victoria-miro.com/graysonperry-london2020/
Flora Yukhnovich 'Barcarole' at Victoria Miro Venice until 24 October 2020: https://online.victoria-miro.com/florayukhnovich-venice2020/
Jadé Fadojutimi 'Jesture' at Pippy Houldsworth Gallery until 31 October 2020: https://www.houldsworth.co.uk/exhibitions/12-jade-fadojutimi-jesture/press_release_text/
'Alfred Wallis Rediscovered' at Kettle's Yard 24 October - 3 January 2021: https://www.kettlesyard.co.uk/events/alfred-wallis-rediscovered/
Edmund de Waal 'library of exile' at the British Museum until 12 January 2021: https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/edmund-de-waal-library-exile
More than 300 artists sign letter in support of striking Tate workers: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/sep/15/more-than-300-artists-sign-letter-supporting-striking-tate-workers
Why Tate Staff Are on Strike: https://www.frieze.com/article/why-tate-staff-are-strike
Maria Balshaw, Desert Island Discs:

Get the future of podcasts.