Gala Season! Shaggy and Jewel Hit the Whitney, Henry Taylor and Pharrell Toast Gordon Parks, and More Juicy Art-World Gossip

Artnet News' gossip column "Wet Paint" reports on the Whitney Museum's 2026 annual gala, a major fundraising event. The author describes the scene: donors and celebrities like Jewel, Neil Patrick Harris, and Nigel Barker mingled with artists Julie Mehretu (the honoree) and Glenn Ligon. Notably, the 56 artists in the current Whitney Biennial were not invited due to limited seating, a policy confirmed by the museum. The evening raised $6.3 million, with individual seats costing $7,500.

Husband of Gallerist Brent Sikkema Found Guilty of Ordering His Killing

A federal jury in Manhattan found Daniel Sikkema guilty of hiring a hit man to murder his estranged husband, esteemed New York gallerist Brent Sikkema. The killing occurred in January 2024, when Brent Sikkema was stabbed to death in his Rio de Janeiro vacation home. The hit man, Alejandro Triana Trevez, a former security guard for the couple, testified that Daniel paid him over $10,000 for the murder. Daniel Sikkema, who denied the charges, now faces a mandatory life sentence and has said he will appeal.

It's Art-World Summer in NYC

Hyperallergic's New York newsletter celebrates the unofficial start of summer in the art world, highlighting key exhibitions and events. These include Betye Saar's personal collection of Black dolls on view at the New York Historical, a promised gift for her 100th birthday; Roberto Lugo's hand-painted portraits in Madison Square Park; and Pioneer Works's annual 3D-printed boat regatta. The newsletter also features performance artist Linda Mary Montano's home-shrine tour, an MFA show confronting Columbia University over Gaza, and critical reviews of Ceija Stojka at the Drawing Center and Karla Knight at Andrew Edlin Gallery.

Artists Rashid Johnson and Sheree Hovsepian to Launch New Residency Program in Menorca

Artists Rashid Johnson and Sheree Hovsepian are launching a new residency program called The Residency at Casa Gràcia on the island of Menorca, set to begin next spring. The self-directed residencies, open to three artists and two writers per cohort, require no public presentation or outcome. Applications are open until July 31, with an advisory board including Hank Willis Thomas, Colson Whitehead, and representatives from Hauser & Wirth. The historic Casa Gràcia, built in 1860 and recently renovated by Laplace and Maimó&Brosa, features a studio, study, and walled garden in Mahon.

Whitney Museum workers rallied outside fundraising gala amid contract negotiations

On May 19, unionized workers at the Whitney Museum of American Art rallied outside the museum's annual fundraising gala, which honored artist Julie Mehretu, philanthropist Fern Kaye Tessler, and former director Adam D. Weinberg. Members of UAW Local 2110 distributed flyers, buttons, and signs to guests, advocating for a new labor contract as their current agreement, ratified in March 2023, is set to expire next month. The union, representing around 185 staff across curatorial, education, visitor services, conservation, and administrative departments, reported that police barricades were placed along the museum's front, which they described as antagonistic, though they still engaged with patrons and supporters.

Haegue Yang’s Meditations on Exile

Haegue Yang's exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, uses Venetian blinds to explore themes of exile, division, and asymmetry, as reviewed by Alex Paik. The article also covers a separate exhibition at The Huntington Library juxtaposing the personal effects of Charlotte Brontë and Octavia E. Butler, a controversy over AI-colorized Ansel Adams photos sold by gallerist James Danziger, a statue of a Revolutionary War officer who enslaved people installed at Freedom Plaza, and the death of Miami graffiti legend Eric Alan Hirt (Eson).

Bad moon rising: AI debate erupts over ‘colourised’ version of a classic Ansel Adams photo

The New York gallery Danziger displayed an AI-generated colorized version of Ansel Adams's iconic photograph *Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico* (1941) at the Aipad Photography Show in April, offering prints for $6,000 to $10,000. The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust publicly condemned the work, stating it exploited Adams's name and reputation without permission, and accused gallery owner James Danziger of leveraging the image to promote a commercial AI colorization venture. Danziger defended the piece as a transformative work in the public domain, citing legal advice and his admiration for the original.

Ansel Adams Trust Decries Dealer's Sale of Photo Colorized Using AI

The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust has publicly condemned New York gallerist Peter Danziger for selling AI-colorized editions of Adams's iconic photograph "Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico" (1941) at the AIPAD Photography Show in April. Danziger displayed the AI-generated image at his booth with a wall text disclosing the prompt used, and offered prints in editions of 10 at three sizes. The Trust stated it was not notified in advance and accused Danziger of exploiting Adams's name and reputation for commercial gain. Danziger defended his actions, arguing the original image is in the public domain and that his work is transformative, though he apologized for not notifying the Trust.

The Pope Asks You to Write Music

"Der Papst bittet Sie, Musik zu schreiben"

This press roundup covers several art-world stories. Musician FKA Twigs discusses her contribution to the Vatican Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, describing how she was asked by the Pope to write music, blending her club and sacred practices. Artist Trevor Paglen speaks about the 'end of enlightenment' in an interview, arguing that AI-generated images and social media are destroying shared empirical reality. Critic Dean Kissick interviews documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis about the crisis of the self and the exhaustion of contemporary culture. Additionally, a review of the 61st Venice Biennale highlights political tensions, protests, and a carnivalesque trend in the artworks.

“José de Jesús Rodríguez’s Back & Forth” New Art21 Film to Premiere May 27, 2026

Art21 has announced the release of a new documentary film titled “José de Jesús Rodríguez’s Back & Forth,” premiering online on May 27, 2026. Directed by Andrea Yu-Chieh Chung, the film follows painter José de Jesús Rodríguez as he transitions into new techniques like mosaic and relief sculpture, exploring themes of personal and collective identity through references ranging from Mexican muralists to popular culture. The film will be available on Art21.org and YouTube as part of Art21's ongoing series documenting contemporary artists.

Khaled Sabsabi’s Art of Collective Becoming

Lebanese-born, Sydney-based artist Khaled Sabsabi was selected to represent Australia at the 2026 Venice Biennale by Creative Australia, but the government intervened within a week, citing a 2007 video containing a blurred image of a former Hezbollah leader as evidence of alleged terrorism support and antisemitism. After Koyo Kouoh, curator of the biennale's main exhibition "In Minor Keys," invited Sabsabi to participate, and following public outcry and an independent review, Sabsabi was reinstated to the Australian pavilion. His two installations—"khalil" at the Arsenale and "conference of one's self" at the Australia pavilion—use painting, sound, and moving image to explore identity and collectivity, drawing on his migration from Lebanon in 1976, his earlier career as hip-hop artist "Peacefender," and Sufi teachings.

Protest gegen eine Kunstausstellung in Dresden

An exhibition by Dresden-based artist Holger John at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste (HfBK) in Dresden has been met with protests from students. Before the opening on April 30, the exhibition banner was cut and a gate was repeatedly blocked with locks. Students are calling for the show to be closed, not because of John's artwork, but because of his association with musician Till Lindemann, who faced serious allegations in 2023 (later dropped by prosecutors). John denies any wrongdoing and says the protests are damaging his reputation. The university has filed a criminal complaint against unknown persons and increased security, while also attempting to open a dialogue with the student council.