despite global art market contraction prints are thriving

The print market is experiencing a significant resurgence, defying the broader contraction seen in the global art market. Recent events like the IFPDA Print Fair in New York reported record-breaking attendance of 21,000 visitors, while auction data shows that over 54,000 print lots were sold in 2024—the highest volume in a decade. While total sales value dipped slightly, the decline was far less severe than the 27 percent drop seen in the general fine art sector.

is dawn arriving for milans art scene

Thaddaeus Ropac, a major European blue-chip gallery, opened its seventh location in Milan in January 2025, occupying a prime palazzo previously home to Massimo de Carlo and Peres Projects. The inaugural exhibition pairs Georg Baselitz and Lucio Fontana in a show titled "L’aurore viene." The move has reignited debate about whether Milan is finally poised to become a contemporary art capital, despite past false starts and the city's stronger identity as a fashion and design hub.

middle east art fair race doha dubai and abu dhabi art basel

Art Basel has announced a surprise deal to launch a new art fair in Qatar next year, partnering with Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) and QC+, a subsidiary of Qatar's sovereign wealth fund and commercial arm of Qatar Museums. The fair will debut with around 50 galleries in Doha, intentionally smaller than Basel's other fairs, with a distinct character aimed at building a long-term, sustainable event. The deal comes after rumors that Basel might take over Abu Dhabi Art, and as the region's art scene intensifies, with Art Dubai recently poaching Basel's global head of gallery relations Dunja Gottwies as its new director.

the venice biennale spotlights the market for latin american art

The Venice Biennale, often called the 'Olympics of the art world,' is spotlighting Latin American art in its 2024 edition. Curated by Adriano Pedrosa, director of the São Paulo Museum of Art and the first South American and openly queer person to hold the role, the exhibition titled 'Foreigners Everywhere' features over 330 artists, with more than 80 having ties to Latin America—about 24 percent of the show, up from 11 percent in 2022. The article examines the market for Latin American art, noting that while auction records exist (e.g., Frida Kahlo's $34.9 million painting), total auction volume for Latin American artists has declined from $388.3 million in 2015 to $245.5 million last year, reflecting a specialized market dominated by a few internationally recognized figures.

emmi whitehorse white cube gallery representation

White Cube has announced the representation of Navajo artist Emmi Whitehorse, who will be represented alongside her New York gallery, Garth Greenan. The partnership follows Whitehorse’s successful solo exhibition at White Cube’s Paris space and her inclusion in the 2024 Venice Biennale. The gallery plans to debut new work, including the painting "Father Sky meets Mother Earth," at its Art Basel Hong Kong booth later this month.

abu dhabi art 2025 scene frieze sales

Abu Dhabi Art (ADA) held its final edition at Manarat Al Saadiyat before transitioning into a Frieze franchise in November 2025. The fair featured 53 new galleries, a Focus sector highlighting art scenes from Nigeria, Turkey, and South Asia, and a new Emerge section offering discounted booth prices for works under $3,000 to attract emerging collectors. The shift comes as Abu Dhabi’s cultural landscape moves beyond its iconic Saadiyat Island museums—Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi—toward more grassroots ventures like the MiZa warehouse district, which hosts experimental spaces such as MamarLab and Iris Projects. Mega-gallery Pace returned after a 14-year absence, citing renewed energy in the Gulf market.

frieze london 2025 big galleries report strong sales afternoon

Frieze London 2025 opened with strong VIP preview sales, as major galleries reported brisk business by early afternoon. Thaddaeus Ropac sold a Robert Rauschenberg work for $850,000 and a Tony Cragg sculpture for $420,000, while Hauser & Wirth moved multiple pieces including a George Rouy for £275,000 and an Ellen Gallagher for $950,000. Gagosian sold a new Lauren Halsey sculpture before noon, and White Cube reported six sales. The fair's layout, which places mega-galleries at the back to encourage foot traffic to smaller booths, returned by popular demand.

pilar corrias new gallery london 2023

Pilar Corrias is expanding her London gallery with a new 5,000-square-foot flagship space at 49-51 Conduit Street in Mayfair, featuring 16-foot ceilings and street-level access. The gallery, now 15 years old, has grown from representing 4 to 35 artists, including top-selling names like Christina Quarles. Corrias decided to open the new space after a four-year search, citing its rare size and industrial character as a contrast to her existing Savile Row location, which she will retain. The first exhibition in the new gallery will showcase new paintings by Christina Quarles.

Gulf art market feels the force of Middle East conflict

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East, involving the US, Israel, and Iran, has disrupted the Gulf region's art market. Key events like Art Dubai have been postponed, and the inaugural Frieze Abu Dhabi faces uncertainty, as the area's stability—crucial for attracting international dealers and auction houses—is now in question.

Andy Warhol | Original Exhibition Poster (2021) | For Sale

An original Andy Warhol exhibition poster from 2021 is being offered for sale by Baldwin gallery, with locations in London, Miami, and Dubai. The offset lithograph on paper measures 19.7 × 27.6 inches, is in mint condition, unsigned, and includes a Certificate of Authenticity. Priced at £650, the work ships from London with domestic shipping at £45 and international at £55, and is covered by the Artsy Guarantee.

sothebys abu dhabi collectors week results

Sotheby's held its inaugural Abu Dhabi Collectors' Week at the St. Regis Island Resort on Saadiyat Island, transforming the venue into a luxury showcase with handbags, diamonds, watches, a non-selling art display worth $500 million, and rare cars. The week culminated in open-air auctions under a full moon, netting $133 million—far exceeding the $17 million from Sotheby's first Middle East luxury sale in Saudi Arabia earlier this year. Highlights included a 1994 McLaren Formula 1 car sold for $25.3 million, a Jane Birkin Hermès handbag that fetched $2.9 million, and a 31.68-karat pink diamond called The Desert Rose that went for $8.8 million. A jewelry and timepieces sale achieved white-glove status, taking $25.4 million.

abu dhabi to host most expensive art exhibition staged by sothebys in the middle east valued at 150 m

Abu Dhabi will host the most expensive art exhibition ever staged by Sotheby's in the Middle East on October 1 and 2, valued at approximately $150 million. The exhibition features six masterpieces by Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Frida Kahlo, René Magritte, Camille Pissarro, and Edvard Munch, sourced from major private collections including those of Leonard A. Lauder, Cindy and Jay Pritzker, and Matthew and Kay Bucksbaum. It takes place at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation on Saadiyat Island Cultural District and marks Sotheby's first public fine art show in the UAE, ahead of its Abu Dhabi Collectors' Week in November.

turner rediscovered masterpiece auction

A rediscovered oil painting by J.M.W. Turner, titled *The Rising Squall, Hot Wells, from St Vincent’s Rock, Bristol*, sold for £1.9 million ($2.6 million) at Sotheby’s Old Masters and 19th Century Paintings evening auction in London—more than six times its high estimate. The work, painted in 1792 when Turner was 17, had been misattributed and sold for just $506 at a Dreweatts auction the previous year. After cleaning revealed Turner’s signature, scholars confirmed its authenticity, and it was identified as Turner’s first publicly exhibited oil painting, exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1793. The winning bidder was a private collector in the U.K., outbidding Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, which had raised over £100,000 from donors in a failed attempt to acquire the work.

ashmolean museum acquires fra angelico painting

The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford has raised $4.48 million ($5.8 million) to acquire Fra Angelico's early Renaissance painting "The Crucifixion with the Virgin, Saint John the Evangelist, and the Magdalen" (1420s). The work had been in a private British collection for two centuries and was nearly sold to a foreign buyer until the U.K. government imposed an export deferral in January 2024, giving time for a domestic buyer to step in. The acquisition was completed via a private treaty sale at a discounted price, funded by over 50 donors including chairman Lord Lupton, the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, and the Headley Trust.

Have we reached peak painting?

The article examines the enduring dominance of painting in the art world, despite repeated predictions of its demise. It cites record-breaking sales—Leonardo's *Salvator Mundi* ($450m), Jasper Johns's *Flag* ($110m), and Marlene Dumas's *Miss January* ($13.6m)—and highlights the upcoming Jenny Saville survey at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The Turner Prize shortlist includes painter Mohammed Sami, whose work *Poor Folk II* sold for $571,500 at Sotheby's, far exceeding estimates. Exhibitions like *Painting after Painting* at SMAK in Ghent and *R U Still Painting???* in New York explore how artists continue to use the medium, with curators and market figures affirming painting's resilience.

The UAE’s art market is on the up

The UAE's art market is experiencing a resurgence nearly two decades after the 2008 financial crash, driven by a booming economy and strategic investments. Key developments include an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, ADQ, acquiring a $1 billion stake in Sotheby's, and Art Basel announcing a new fair in Doha, Qatar, set to launch in February 2026. Meanwhile, Christie's is expanding its Dubai office, and Saudi Arabia hosted its inaugural Art Week Riyadh in April, featuring 32 commercial galleries. Despite these regional moves, Dubai remains the Gulf's commercial art hub, with Sotheby's chairman Edward Gibbs noting a 70% increase in regional bidders over five years and Christie's president Anthea Peers reporting that sales of modern Middle Eastern art trebled between 2020 and 2024.

Rare Complete Triceratops Skeleton Snags $5.5 Million at Auction

A 66-million-year-old Triceratops skeleton, nicknamed Trey, sold for $5.55 million at the online auction platform Joopiter. The fossil, excavated in 1993, had been on continuous public display at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center for three decades and represents the first dinosaur skeleton sold by Joopiter, a platform founded by Pharrell Williams.

How Entertainment Exec Hassan Smith Built an Art Collection Championing Black Artists

Entertainment executive Hassan Smith has curated a deeply personal art collection in his North Atlanta home that bridges historical mastery with contemporary Black identity. His holdings range from a 17th-century Rembrandt drawing in the kitchen to iconic photography by Gordon Parks and contemporary works by artists like Ferrari Sheppard and Derek Fordjour. The collection is characterized by its integration into daily family life, featuring a Basquiat-inspired aesthetic that begins at the front door.

us supreme court strikes down trumps tariffs art market

The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down a series of sweeping tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, ruling in a 6-3 decision that the executive branch exceeded its authority. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, stated that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not grant the president the power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited scope and duration. While tariffs on steel and aluminum remain, the ruling removes the 10 percent global blanket tariff and the 25 percent reciprocal tariffs previously levied against Canada, China, and Mexico.

Show me the money: UK gallery and auction house accounts reveal reality of a tough market

Recent financial filings from UK-based art businesses reveal a stark downturn in the art market, highlighted by the sudden liquidation of Stephen Friedman Gallery. The gallery's collapse followed expensive expansion projects in London and New York, compounded by a £1.7m loss in 2023 and a significant debt of £11.4m to creditors. Other major players, including Thaddaeus Ropac, reported substantial revenue drops, with Ropac’s turnover falling from £49.6m to £36.4m as the industry grapples with rising overheads and economic volatility.

sothebys abu dhabi luxury auctions collectors week

Sotheby's will launch its first luxury marquee auction series in Abu Dhabi this December, called Abu Dhabi Collectors' Week. Running from December 3 to 5 at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, the sales will feature cars, watches, jewelry, and real estate, alongside a museum-quality art exhibition spanning Old Masters to contemporary works. The auctions are organized in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and coincide with major regional events like the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Finance Week. Headline lots include The Desert Rose diamond (estimated $5–7 million), a rare Rolex Daytona watch ($500,000–$1 million), and a 2017 Pagani Zonda 760 Riviera ($9.5–10.5 million).

abu dhabi collectors week sothebys luxury market not art

Sotheby's will hold its first luxury marquee sales in Abu Dhabi from December 3 to 5 as part of Abu Dhabi Collectors' Week, featuring Formula 1 cars, an Aston Martin, diamonds, and rare Rolexes. The sales coincide with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and other major events, backed by a $1 billion investment from majority shareholder Patrick Drahi and Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund ADQ, along with support from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office. The auction house is focusing on luxury goods rather than fine art, with only a non-selling exhibition of Old Masters to contemporary works.

unique juvenile dinosaur sothebys

A rare juvenile Ceratosaurus fossil sold for $30.5 million at Sotheby's New York, far exceeding its $6 million presale estimate after a six-minute bidding war. The 154-159 million-year-old specimen, discovered in 1996 at Wyoming's Bone Cabin Quarry, contains 139 original bone elements and stands over 6 feet tall. Sotheby's stated the buyer plans to loan the fossil to an institution.

Who Won New York’s $2.1 Billion Auction Week?

New York City's spring auction week generated approximately $2.1 billion in sales across Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips, more than doubling the $1 billion total from May 2024. Christie's led with a $1.3 billion haul, driven by the $630.8 million S.I. Newhouse collection and record prices for works by Jackson Pollock ($181.2 million) and Constantin Brancusi ($107.6 million). Sotheby's netted around $737 million, including a Rothko from the Robert Mnuchin collection, while Phillips rebounded with $115.2 million in a white-glove sale, its strongest New York spring result since 2022.

Italy purchases rare Caravaggio painting for $34.7 million.

Italy purchases rare Caravaggio painting for $34.7 million.

The Italian government has purchased Caravaggio's *Ecce Homo* for $34.7 million, preventing the 17th-century masterpiece from leaving the country. The painting, which depicts a bound Christ presented to the crowd, was sold by its private owners after its rediscovery and authentication in 2021. The state exercised its right of first refusal to match a sale agreed with an unnamed foreign buyer, securing the work for public ownership.

sothebys saudi arabia second auction art luxury

Sotheby's will hold its second auction in Saudi Arabia, titled "Origins II," on January 31 in Diriyah, following its first auction in the kingdom in February 2024. The inaugural sale, also called "Origins," achieved $17.3 million within pre-sale estimates but had a 65.8% sell-through rate, with 40 of 117 lots unsold, particularly jewelry and handbags. The upcoming auction will focus exclusively on fine art, featuring over 70 works by international and Middle Eastern artists, including Anish Kapoor, Andy Warhol, Mohammed Al Saleem, Mahmoud Sabri, and Samia Halaby. The sale is scheduled just before the inaugural Art Basel Qatar.

basquiat picasso works linked to global 1mdb scandal net 36 m in auction by us marshals

Four artworks by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Pablo Picasso, and Diane Arbus, seized by the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, sold for a combined $36 million in an online auction conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. The lots included Basquiat's *Self Portrait* (1982) for $8.3 million and *Red Man One* (1982) for $22 million, Picasso's *Tête de taureau et broc* (1939) for $5 million, and Arbus's *Child with a Toy Hand Grenade* for $500,150. The auction, held by Gaston and Sheehan in Texas, ran from July 16 to September 4.

In the bag: Sotheby’s inaugural Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week finds success with Birkins and bling

Sotheby’s inaugural Collectors’ Week in Abu Dhabi (2-5 December) achieved a total of $133.4m across five live auctions held on a beachfront stage. The sale featured luxury items including a Hermès Birkin Voyageur owned by Jane Birkin ($2.9m), a 31.68-carat pink diamond called The Desert Rose ($8.8m), and a Patek Philippe watch set that became the second most valuable watch sold in Sotheby’s history ($11.9m). No art was offered, but the auction house sold 50 items privately, including the world’s largest fancy deep green diamond. The sell-through rate was strong, with only one piece of real estate and a couple of cars unsold, outperforming Sotheby’s earlier Saudi Arabia sale.

Phillips Collection sells O’Keeffe and other masterpieces amid outcry from supporters

The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., sold three masterworks from its permanent collection at auction on Thursday evening for a combined $13,413,000. The deaccessioned works were by Georgia O’Keeffe, Arthur Dove, and Georges Seurat. The sale proceeded despite strong outcry from some of the museum's influential supporters, who viewed the decision as a betrayal of the founders' vision and accused the director and board of prioritizing financial gain over the institution's mission.

‘Very beautiful’ portrait of Gallagher brothers to go to auction for £1.5m

Sotheby's will auction a 1996 portrait of Oasis brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher by American artist Elizabeth Peyton at its June contemporary art sale in London, with an estimate of £1.5m to £2m. The painting, based on a 1995 photograph by Stefan De Batselier, captures the siblings at the height of Britpop fame, shortly after Noel allegedly hit Liam with a cricket bat. Sotheby's specialist Antonia Gardner notes the "quiet tension" in the work and Peyton's tendency to feminize macho pop stars.