ifpda print fair 2026 sales attendance drawings expansion

The 2026 IFPDA Print Fair concluded at the Park Avenue Armory with record-breaking attendance of over 21,000 visitors and robust sales across various price points. This edition marked a significant pivot for the fair following its formal expansion to include drawings dealers, rebranding as the International Fine Prints and Drawings Association. Notable sales included a sold-out edition of Cecily Brown etchings at Two Palms and six-figure works by David Hockney and Rashid Johnson at Galerie Maximillian.

gagosian reunites with richard diebenkorn

Gagosian has announced representation of the late American painter Richard Diebenkorn (1922–1993), marking the artist's return to the gallery more than thirty years after his final solo exhibition there during his lifetime. To celebrate, the gallery will mount a career-spanning exhibition at its Madison Avenue flagship opening November 8, curated by Jasper Sharp in collaboration with the Richard Diebenkorn Foundation. The show will feature works from every period of Diebenkorn's six-decade career, including early California landscapes, wartime watercolors, and the celebrated Ocean Park abstractions, with highlights such as a 1943 watercolor, a monumental 1960 canvas, and late works on paper.

art business conference artist brand collaborations

The Art Business Conference in Paris recently highlighted the growing trend and inherent risks of collaborations between artists and commercial brands. Keynote speaker Vadim Grigoryan and other industry experts discussed how these partnerships have evolved from historical precedents like Dalí and Schiaparelli into a modern necessity for brands seeking cultural relevance. While these deals offer artists financial stability and massive public exposure, the conference warned of the dangers of "commodity" marketing and the exploitation of artistic vision.

dom perignon takashi murakami limited edition collaboration

Dom Pérignon has partnered with artist Takashi Murakami to design limited-edition labels and packaging for its Vintage 2015 and Rosé Vintage 2010 releases. Murakami’s signature smiling floral motifs appear on black backgrounds, and the collaboration is framed as an exploration of time, transformation, and the intersection of historical craftsmanship with contemporary art. Murakami worked with Dom Pérignon’s Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon, and the project is part of a broader series titled “Creation is an eternal journey,” which also involves actors, musicians, and chefs.

jeff koons gagosian for frieze new york 2025

Jeff Koons will reunite with Gagosian for a solo presentation at Frieze New York 2025, less than four years after leaving the gallery. The booth will feature three sculptures from his Hulk Elvis series—Hulk (Organ), Hulk (Tubas), and Hulk (Dragon and Turtle)—staged against a custom backdrop from his painting Triple Hulk Elvis III. All works come from Koons's personal collection, and he supervised every aspect of the presentation. The reunion follows a turbulent period: Koons left Gagosian and David Zwirner in 2021 to join Pace Gallery exclusively, but that partnership ended after three years amid reported financial disputes over a Meissen-inspired sculpture project that involved $50–100 million in investor funding.

art world italy gallery boom

Austrian art dealer Thaddaeus Ropac is opening a new gallery in Milan, his seventh location, despite initial concerns over Italy's high value-added tax (VAT) on art, which was Europe's highest at 22 percent. The Italian government slashed the VAT to 5 percent in June after pressure from art market players, making it the lowest in the EU. The gallery, spanning over 3,000 square feet in the 18th-century Palazzo Belgioioso, opens on September 20 with a show featuring Georg Baselitz and Lucio Fontana, followed by exhibitions of Valie Export and Ketty La Rocca. Elena Bonanno di Linguaglossa will serve as executive director.

warhol muhammad ali 18 million art basel miami beach sale

Lévy Gorvy Dayan sold Andy Warhol's 'Muhammad Ali' (1977) for $18 million during the VIP preview of Art Basel Miami Beach. The painting, autographed by Ali and formerly owned by Richard L. Weisman, was displayed just a few hundred feet from the Miami Beach Convention Center, where Ali defeated Sonny Liston in 1964. The consignment was kept secret until ten days before the fair, and the work drew crowds of buyers and admirers, including Ali's sons and figures connected to Warhol's 'Athletes' series.

New York Is About to Sell $3 Billion in Art. Who’s Buying?

Vanity Fair's Nate Freeman reports on New York's spring art season, where auction houses are poised to sell at least $2.6 billion in art alongside major museum exhibitions (Raphael at the Met, Duchamp at MoMA, Matisse at Acquavella) and the opening of Frieze New York at The Shed. The article follows the social and commercial frenzy, highlighting a David Shrigley gong installation at Anton Kern Gallery's booth and the enduring dominance of New York, where nearly 90% of U.S. art sales occur.

British billionaire's £200m art collection most expensive ever offered in UK

British billionaire Joe Lewis will sell a tranche of his art collection in a standalone sale at Sotheby’s in London this June, estimated at £150m–£200m. This makes it the most valuable single-owner collection ever offered in the UK, surpassing the Pauline Karpidas collection which totalled £101m. Highlights include Gustav Klimt’s *Bildnis Gertrud Loew* (est £20m–£30m), Amedeo Modigliani’s *Homme à la pipe* (est £12m–£18m), and Francis Bacon’s *Two Studies for Self-Portrait* (est £8m–£12m). The sale follows a smaller March auction of four works from the Lewis collection that focused on School of London artists.

the summer group shows new york city

New York galleries are rethinking the traditional summer group show, moving away from ambitious, canon-redefining exhibitions toward more pragmatic, relationship-driven presentations. Dealers and advisers note that these shows now serve primarily to maintain gallery visibility during the slow August season, test emerging artists, and foster networking. The article highlights examples like "Open Eyes" at A Hug from the Art World, curated by 14-year-old Luke Newsom, which balances playfulness with serious curation, featuring works by KAWS, Urs Fischer, and Raymond Pettibon.

tamara de lempicka boucard christies auction

Christie’s London is auctioning Tamara de Lempicka’s 1928 painting *Portrait du Docteur Boucard*, which has not been seen on the market in 40 years. The work, depicting doctor and bacteriologist Pierre Boucard, is expected to sell for between £5 million and £8 million ($6.18 million and $9.89 million). The sale coincides with the close of Lempicka’s historic retrospective at San Francisco’s de Young Museum—the first U.S. survey of the Art Deco master—and ahead of its opening at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.

impressionism auction industry

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Impressionism, which began in 1874 when 31 artists including Paul Cézanne, Claude Monet, and Berthe Morisot staged a groundbreaking exhibition in Paris. To commemorate the sesquicentennial, international institutions are hosting exhibitions such as the Musée d'Orsay's "Paris 1874: Inventing Impressionism," while Artnet and Morgan Stanley have collaborated to analyze auction data from 2014 to 2023, examining the market for works by approximately 120 Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists. Despite perceptions that Impressionism has lost its luster, the number of lots offered at auction has remained steady, averaging 6,091 annually over the decade.

FAD News: Major museum acquisitions and strong sales drive Frieze New York 2026

Frieze New York closed its 15th edition at The Shed with strong sales, major museum acquisitions, and 25,000 visitors from 75 countries. The fair featured 68 galleries from 26 countries and launched the inaugural Sherman Family Foundation Acquisition Fund, enabling the Brooklyn Museum and Baltimore Museum of Art to acquire works by Bettina from Ulrik, Reika Takebayashi, Seba Calfuqueo, and Joanne Burke. Notable sales included El Anatsui works for $2.2 million and $1.9 million at White Cube, a Georg Baselitz painting for €1.4 million at Thaddaeus Ropac, and a James Turrell light work in the $900,000–$1 million range at Almine Rech. Latin American representation grew to 14 galleries, and the Focus section curated by Lumi Tan drew strong institutional attention.

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.

Valerio Adami | Valerio Adami @Miart 2026 (2026) | Art & Prints

Valerio Adami, a prominent Italian painter born in 1935, is offering a new acrylic-on-canvas work titled "Valerio Adami @Miart 2026" (2026) through Dep Art Gallery. The painting, sized 198 × 147 cm, is a unique piece accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Adami is known for his graphic, comic-inspired narrative figuration, with works held in major museums including MoMA, Centre Pompidou, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Obey Giant x Add Fuel Modular Frequency Shepard Fairey Fine Contemporary Art , 2026

Street art pioneer Shepard Fairey has released a collaborative screen print titled "Modular Frequency" in partnership with Portuguese artist Add Fuel (Diogo Machado). The limited-edition work, produced by Obey Giant Studios, features a fusion of Fairey’s signature propaganda-style aesthetics with Add Fuel’s contemporary take on traditional tile patterns. The hand-signed and numbered edition is currently being offered through New Union Gallery on the Artsy platform.

EXPO CHICAGO 2026 Opens With Local Enthusiasm and Strong Institutional Sales

EXPO CHICAGO 2026 has launched at Navy Pier with a streamlined, highly curated format that emphasizes quality over quantity. The fair’s opening days have been defined by robust institutional engagement, with several major museums acquiring works for their permanent collections. This year’s edition features a diverse array of artists and galleries, reinforcing its position as the premier contemporary art platform in the American Midwest.

Richter works from gallerist Marian Goodman and Donald Judd pieces lead Christie's New York auctions

I lavori di Richter della gallerista Marian Goodman e le opere Donald Judd guidano le aste di Christie’s a New York

Christie's New York spring sales opened on May 20, 2026, with two major collections: the minimalist art collection of Henry S. McNeil Jr. and works by Gerhard Richter from the collection of legendary gallerist Marian Goodman. The 42-lot session achieved $162.7 million, with 98% sold by lot. The 21st Century Evening Sale alone reached $136.8 million, a 42% increase over May 2025 and Christie's highest result for the category in five years. Top lots included Donald Judd's "Untitled" (1969) at $12.8 million—a new auction record for a Judd stack—and Richard Artschwager's "Two-Part Invention" (1967) which soared to $635,000 from an estimate of $60,000–80,000. The Goodman collection of eight Richter works, all guaranteed, generated $78.8 million, exceeding expectations.

Behind All Beautiful Things Lies Suffering

"Hinter allen schönen Dingen liegt ein Leiden"

The art market is undergoing a profound structural transformation as a new generation of collectors shifts focus away from traditional blue-chip masters like Cy Twombly and Mark Rothko. These 'NextGen' buyers, socialized through the internet and Instagram, prioritize identity-building over status, favoring streetwear, digital art by figures like Refik Anadol, and music memorabilia over classical painting. Meanwhile, institutional shifts are occurring globally: Greece has introduced specific legislation to criminalize the production of art forgeries, and LACMA director Michael Govan is defending the $724 million Peter Zumthor-designed expansion as a necessary 'magnet' for attracting major donations.

How Pharrell’s Joopiter Is Redefining What an Auction House Can Be

Pharrell Williams launched his own auction platform, Joopiter, after finding traditional auction houses ill-suited to sell his collection of fashion, jewelry, and timepieces. The platform has rapidly expanded from single-owner sales into a multi-category auction house, handling luxury goods, sports memorabilia, pop culture artifacts, and contemporary art, with a recent headline lot being a $5 million Triceratops skeleton named Trey.

A centenary of style: why Art Deco's market appeal is evergreen

Art Deco, the French-led Modernist style that flourished between the world wars, is experiencing a centenary peak this autumn. A major exhibition at Paris’s Musée des Arts Décoratifs, titled "1925-2025: One Hundred Years of Art Deco" (through April 2026), leads institutional celebrations, with smaller shows at the Musée Zadkine and Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, and a poster survey at the London Transport Museum. The style is also prominent on the art fair circuit: Eileen Gray’s Dragon armchair (1917-19) was redisplayed at FAB Paris, Galerie Jacques Lacoste featured a Deco stand at PAD London, and focused presentations are planned at Salon Art + Design in New York. Galleries like Galerie Marcilhac are expanding, with a new Paris space and plans to showcase Deco designers at upcoming fairs.

Comment | What the art market doesn’t allow, branded content does for Tom Sachs

Tom Sachs has signed with The Lede Company, a US public relations firm, for agency representation, while Thaddaeus Ropac continues to represent him for gallery and fine art inquiries. This arrangement highlights Sachs's expanding activities beyond the traditional art market, including collaborations with Nike and Levi's, such as a Nike app promoting the Mars Yard 3.0 trainers. The announcement came in August, amidst other art-world movements like Jeff Koons's return to Gagosian from Pace Gallery.

Ruth Pastine | Violet (Yellow), Color Space Series (2021) | For Sale

Ruth Pastine's painting "Violet (Yellow), Color Space Series" (2021) is being offered for sale through Louis Stern Fine Arts in West Hollywood, listed on Artsy. The work is an oil on canvas on beveled stretcher, measuring 30 × 60 inches, and is part of her Color Space Series. Pastine, an American artist born in 1964, holds a B.F.A. from The Cooper Union and an M.F.A. from Hunter College, and has exhibited widely, including a museum survey at MOAH Museum of Art and History and a show at CAM Carnegie Art Museum. Her work is held in major collections such as SFMOMA, MCASD, and the Achenbach Foundation.

Art Basel's solution to PDF pre-sales? Ask galleries to reserve works until opening day

Art Basel has announced a new initiative called Basel Exclusive for its flagship Swiss fair in June 2025, asking participating galleries to withhold their most important or expensive works from all pre-fair previews, online viewing rooms, and publicity. Instead, these "marquee works" will be unveiled for the first time during the First Choice VIP preview on 16 June. The initiative aims to restore a sense of surprise and urgency, countering the trend of galleries pre-selling works to clients before the fair opens. Around 170 galleries have already signed up, including major names like Gagosian, David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth, Pace Gallery, and Sadie Coles HQ.

rago wright post war contemporary art auction may 2025

Rago/Wright's Postwar and Contemporary Art sale in New York will take place on May 21, 2025, featuring over 200 lots of 20th- and 21st-century works including painting, drawing, photography, and sculpture. Highlights include Nick Cave's *Soundsuit* (2010), Deborah Butterfield's *Red* (1992), Cindy Sherman's *Untitled #416* (2004), Tom Wesselmann's *From Nude Painting Print* (1988/1989), and Bernard Buffet's *Bouquet jaune fond orange* (1966), with estimates ranging from $70,000 to $150,000. Previews will be held in New York and Lambertville, New Jersey from May 13 to May 21.

Winslow Homer’s mountaineer and Bob Ross's valley view: our pick of the January auctions

The article highlights five notable artworks heading to auction in January 2025, spanning sales at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Bonhams Skinner, and Heritage Auctions. Featured lots include Winslow Homer’s *A Mountain Climber Resting* (est. $1.5–2.5M) from the Max N. Berry Collection, Otobong Nkanga’s tapestry *The Pursuit of Bling: The Transformation* (est. £20,000–30,000), Bob Ross’s *Valley View* (est. $30,000–50,000), and Claes Oldenburg’s lithograph *Three Way Plug* (est. $3,000+). Each work comes with distinct provenance—from a Standard Oil heiress to a hardware pioneer—and reflects diverse market segments from blue-chip American painting to contemporary African art and pop-culture collectibles.

The Slow Death of the Contemporary Art Gallery

The article reports on the decline of the traditional contemporary art gallery model, driven by rising rents, changing collector behavior, and the rise of new artist categories. Tim Blum closed his Blum & Poe galleries in Los Angeles and Tokyo, citing systemic issues rather than market conditions. Art Basel and UBS data show the art market shrank overall but the number of sales increased, indicating a shift toward mid-priced works. Collectors are moving away from "blue-chip" artists toward "red-chip" artists who gain value through viral hype and cultural relevance, exemplified by Olaolu Slawn's accessible solo show at Saatchi Yates. Celebrities like actor Adrien Brody are also entering the market, though his work has been criticized as derivative. Meanwhile, smaller galleries like Tiwa Gallery, Landdd, and Marta are thriving by focusing on genuine connection, and retail spaces like Gentle Monster and Dover Street Market are blending art with commerce.

Contemporary art on paper at DESA Unicum

The DESA Unicum auction house in Warsaw has opened its latest "Contemporary Art. Works on Paper" exhibition, which will culminate in an auction of the presented works. This edition is notable for its broad historical scope, featuring pieces created between 1940 and 2025, and includes museum-quality works and rare sketches by key Polish avant-garde artists.

Leading contemporary stars take center stage in Leon Gallery’s year-end sale

León Gallery's The Kingly Treasures Auction 2025, taking place on December 6 at 2 p.m., features works by leading Filipino contemporary artists. The sale highlights Bernardo Pacquing's experimental abstractions, Leo Valledor's geometric explorations, Jigger Cruz's layered and destructive techniques, and Manuel Ocampo's provocative social commentaries, among others.

Gerd Harry Lybke, from artist’s model to gallery founder in East Germany showing in Mallorca

Gerd Harry ‘Judy’ Lybke, the founder of the influential German gallery Eigen + Art, is making his debut at the inaugural Art Cologne Palma Mallorca. Lybke, who began his career as a nude artist's model in East Germany before opening an underground flat-gallery in 1983, reflects on the evolution of the art market from a socialist system defined by censorship to the modern capitalist landscape. For this fair, he is presenting a diverse roster ranging from New Leipzig School star Neo Rauch to emerging talent Maja Behrmann, with works priced between €2,000 and €20,000.