1) New York Art Dealer Charged With Selling Smuggled Artworks

Nancy Weiner, a New York-based art dealer whose clients include Sotheby’s and Christie’s auction houses, has been charged with selling stolen and smuggled antiquities. According to the Manhattan District Attorney, Weiner may have been buying illegal artefacts and creating fake paperwork to cover up dubious provenance since 1999. Weiner’s process may have even included the restoration of certain artworks to cover up damage that was left by illegal extractions and shipping. The illegal items potential include 360 lots that were auctioned by Christie’s for a total of $12.8 million

2) Images From the National Gingerbread House Competition

In honor of the holiday season, here’s an interesting article showcasing just a few of the creations in the annual National Gingerbread House Competition, held in Asheville, North Carolina. Participants from Canada and the United States reportedly begin planning their houses early in the year, producing incredible constructions that hardly even look like they’re edible. They are, however – each house must be at least 75 percent gingerbread. The competition is judged by master bakers and art curators alike, proving that baking can be an art.

3) Art Handler's Calendar Raises Money and Awareness

A group of anonymous contractors are releasing the third annual Art Handler’s Calendar for the 2017 calendar year. The calendar is both a tongue-in-cheek send up of pin-up calendars such as the FDNY’s well-known annual publication, and a way to increase visibility and appreciation for art handlers who do much of the labor of setting up and taking down exhibitions. The coming year’s calendar was shot by fashion photographer Max Berentz, under the art direction of Hans Maharawal. The calendars are available on the group’s Etsy page, and a majority of sales proceeds will go to charities including the Bowery Mission, as well as Planned Parenthood.

4) Ai Weiwei Bikes for Sale

A set of limited-edition Ai Weiwei bicycles is now on sale through the Brooklyn Museum. The bicycles are part of an artwork, fittingly titled Untitled Bicycles, and were displayed at the museum in 2014 as part of the Ai Weiwei retrospective exhibition “According to What?” The bikes are made from stainless steel and each of the seats is imprinted with an image of the artist’s face. Each of the 60 bikes is going for $27,500 apiece and comes with a certificate of authenticity – perhaps a belated Christmas gift?