Art News. Vasari Codex

trending_up market schedule May 22, 2026 visibility 29 link 22 artists, 8 galleries

Eyes Wide Open! Kenny Schachter Dishes on Delinquent Dealers, Secret Deals, and That Other ‘Salvator Mundi’

Kenny Schachter offers a sardonic, first-person account of the spring 2025 art season in New York, weaving together observations from auctions, art fairs, and gallery openings. He notes brisk business at Sotheby's and Phillips, citing specific sales like James Ensor's tiny "Still life with Stingray" ($140,800) and Georgia O'Keeffe's double-sided "Maple Leaves and Flowering Cactus" ($1.68 million). Schachter also recounts his experience at Larry Gagosian's new Madison Avenue gallery, where security guards outnumbered the artworks, and reflects on the broader economic climate, including a tax lawyer moonlighting as a 3-D printer for his own sculpture project. He contrasts the wealthiest collectors—one driving a Lamborghini but staying at a Holiday Inn Express—with dealers wearing grim faces at TEFAF, painting a picture of a bifurcated art economy.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule May 19, 2026 visibility 25 link 38 artists, 19 galleries

Frieze New York 2026 Sales Report & Contemporary Art Market Trends

Frieze New York 2026 concluded with significant sales activity, as galleries reported strong demand for blue-chip contemporary works. The fair featured a mix of established and emerging artists, with notable transactions including major paintings by living artists and secondary market pieces. Dealers noted a cautious but steady market, with collectors focusing on high-quality, investment-grade works.

newspaper MutualArt open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule May 19, 2026 visibility 9 link 5 artists, 1 gallery

Art Lender Accuses Maddox Gallery of Inflating Value of Art Used as Collateral—’Bizarre and Irrational’ Claim, Says Gallery

Luxury Asset Capital (LAC) has filed a civil complaint in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York accusing Maddox Gallery of inflating the value of artworks used as collateral for loans. The dispute stems from a 2023 deal in which Maddox provided substitute collateral—works by Duncan McCormick and Albert Willem—in exchange for a George Condo painting previously held by LAC. LAC alleges that Maddox engaged in a "pump and dump" scheme, artificially bidding up auction prices for McCormick and Willem works to 10–15 times pre-sale estimates, then using those inflated values to justify trades. After the alleged bid-rigging stopped, auction prices fell, and LAC claims it is left with works worth only a fraction of what Maddox represented. Maddox Gallery co-founder Nick Sharp denies the claims as "bizarre and irrational," calling the lawsuit a baseless attempt to unwind a voluntary agreement.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule May 21, 2026 visibility 5 link 2 artists

Auctions of the week: ancient art, design and antiques

A busy week of auctions is scheduled for May 21-27, 2026, spanning Milan, New York, and other global hubs. Italian auction houses including FarsettiArte, Wannenes, Gonnelli, Finarte, Capitolium AuctionHouse, Pananti, Aste Bolaffi, Il Ponte, Maison Bibelot, Babuino Fine Art Auctions, and Pandolfini will offer paintings, drawings, sculptures, antiques, design, jewelry, and vintage fashion. International houses Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Bonhams - Cornette de Saint-Cyr, and Dorotheum also hold sales in New York, Zurich, Paris, and Vienna, covering post-war and contemporary art, handbags, fine wine, and antiques.

newspaper Finestre sull'Arte open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule May 21, 2026 visibility 4 link 2 artists, 3 galleries

Vahe Yeremyan | Layers of Time (2026) | For Sale

The article lists a work titled "Layers of Time (2026)" by artist Vahe Yeremyan as available for sale on the online art marketplace Artsy. No further details about the artwork, price, or context are provided in the brief listing.

newspaper Artsy open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule May 21, 2026 visibility 4 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

How an unsuspecting couple found £11,000 worth of cat paintings in a skip

An unsuspecting couple in their sixties from Pembrokeshire, South Wales, discovered two paintings by 19th-century cat artist Louis Wain in a skip while walking their dog. The works—'Blue Cat Among the Flowers' (estimated at £5,000) and 'Psychedelic Cats' (a double-sided piece valued at £6,000)—were initially considered as a gift for their cat-loving daughter-in-law. The paintings are now being auctioned by Rogers Jones Auctioneers & Co as part of the British and European Fine Art Sale in Cardiff on May 21.

newspaper Country Life open_in_new Read original