Above: Manuchehr Yektayi - Trees, (1975), from the collection of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art

Alireza Sami-Azar, the apprently controversial director of Iran’s Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, handed in his resignation yesterday, reports the Mehr News Service. The Story is light on detail and ominously mentions “dissatisfaction” with Sami-Azar’s decision to exhibit some art and not other art—which seems to us like the job of a curator. Anyway, some artists went to the “Department of Artistic Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance” to oppose the resignation, so we’re inclined to believe Sami-Azar was shown the resignation was—at least—reluctant.

Curator of Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art Resigns - Mehr News Agency

British collector and trendsetter Charles Saatchi, who was the most famous—and infamous—booster of the YBA “Sensation” artists during the 90s, is liquidating his legendary collection in order to focus his affections on oil paintings.

The Art Newspaper reports that Saatchi recently sold two works by sculptor Ron Mueck, in addition to the two he already sold near the end of 2004. Out the door are going Pinocchio (1996) and Dead Dad (1996-97, above), which were sent to a new york dealer. The article briefly goes into Saatchi’s discovery of Mueck working as a model maker in 1996; Pinocchio is regarded as the artist’s earliest sculpture.

Pinocchio is expected to fetch $1 million and Dead Dad is expected to bring $1.5 million.

Saatchi Britart sell-off continues - The Art Newspaper