1) A Collection of Cat Art Goes to Auction

Iwao Akiyama, Two Cats

The art collection of German-born New York art collector Marianne C. Gourary went to auction yesterday through Bloomsbury auction house in London. The collector was most known for her great affinity for felines, and fittingly, most of the artwork is centered on cats. Featuring numerous cat-related book illustrations, paintings and even literature from the last four centuries, the collection is as extensive as it is enthralling. Images of some of the most interesting pieces are available on Hyperallergic.

2) Pepe The Frog Becomes Art-Market Critique

This worthwhile Buzzfeed article serves as a jumping-off point for thinking about the digital art market – that is, the market for art that is exists in a purely digital medium. The “Pepe the Frog” internet meme recently became an unwitting art-market critique after users of the websites 4Chan and Reddit (where the meme originally appeared) protested its increasingly widespread use by creating a series of “rare Pepes.” These works are being sold for real-life money on sites such as Craigslist. 

3) Ai Weiwei Takes on Lego

Ai Weiwei is in the news (yet again!) after Lego denied his attempts to purchase a bulk order of bricks for an upcoming project. In reaction, the artist plans to set up a series of “Lego collection points” in cities throughout the world, where supporters and fans can donate Lego bricks to the cause. Ai has worked with Legos before, such as in a 2014 artwork where he used the bricks to create portraits of 175 notable political dissidents. Lego said in a statement that it has never sold blocks to individuals or companies who wish to use the blocks to make a political statement.  

4) Cadmium Red Not Banned in Europe

Cadmium-based pigment paints will not be banned in Europe after a decision was reached by multiple politicians yesterday. The idea for a ban came about after a report from Sweden noted that a detectable amount of the metal was seeping into sewage and being transferred into agricultural land. Cadmium red, orange and yellow provide uniquely warm tones, and many artists protested the propsed ban. The paints themselves are not considered toxic because only compounds of cadmium are used.

5) This Year's Creepiest Installations

Jonah Freeman and Justin Lowe, Scenario in the Shade

In the spirit of the season, here’s Artnet’s list of current art installations that will creep you out this Halloween! From conventionally spooky works such as Alex Da Corte’s Die Hexe, to Jordan Wolfson’s ultra-eerie Female Figure, they’re all a unique, not-always-intentional take on the bizarre and macabre.