sam gilliam foundation sued over disputed drape painting and more art industry news

The Sam Gilliam Foundation has been sued over a disputed Drape painting, while the Art Dealers Association of America announced it will not hold its annual New York fair, The Art Show, in 2025, citing a strategic pause. Christie's reported $2.1 billion in auction sales for the first half of 2025, matching last year's figure but down 22% from 2023, and a juvenile Ceratosaurus fossil sold for $30.5 million at Sotheby's. Galleries are seeing movement: Nicole Wittenberg joins Acquavella Galleries, Harper Levine plans a Bangkok space, and Felix Rödder will open Rodder on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Yale University Art Gallery withdrew federal grant applications over anti-DEI language, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum named Mary Savig curator-in-charge of the Renwick Gallery.

paint drippings art industry news jun 2

This week's art industry roundup covers major personnel shifts, fair announcements, and institutional news. Phillips named Robert Manley chairman for Modern and contemporary art and Miety Heiden chairman for private sales after the departures of Cheyenne Westphal and Jean-Paul Engelen. Art Basel Paris announced 203 galleries for its October fair at the Grand Palais, while Kiaf Seoul will host 176 exhibitors in September. Tony Karman is stepping down as director of Expo Chicago after 14 years. Pace Gallery added Friedrich Kunath, Galerie Nordenhake signed Naufus Ramírez-Figueroa, and Sylvia Kouvali now represents Luigi Zuccheri. Ariel Pittman is launching a new Los Angeles gallery, Official Welcome. The Louvre will return 258 works from Adèle de Rothschild's bequest to the Fondation des Artistes. President Trump dismissed Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet over DEI support, though his authority is questioned. The Centre Pompidou announced a new $240 million outpost in Brazil. The Art Institute of Chicago confirmed director James Rondeau will return after a flight incident. The Pérez Art Museum Miami appointed Karen H. Bechtel as board president. Frieze and Deutsche Bank detailed their 2025 Emerging Curators Fellowship. A rare Gustav Klimt portrait of an African prince was offered for €15 million.

Wet Paint Does Frieze Week: The Dinosaur Dealer Downtown, David Zwirner Tribeca, and More Juicy Art-World Gossip

Artnet News' gossip column 'Wet Paint' covers the opening week of Frieze New York, beginning with the group show 'Statics of an Egg' at David Zwirner's newly renamed Tribeca gallery (formerly 52 Walker). Curated by Martin Germann, the exhibition features Japanese artists gathered by Yu Nishimura and Kenji Ide, with Nishimura's painting 'in waiting' highlighted. The column also reports on a private party at the River art-world hangout and a visit to Amanita gallery for 'A Land Before Time: Three Dinosaurs and a Gondola,' which includes a John Chamberlain sculpture. Notable attendees include artists Sasha Gordon, Olivia van Kuiken, Calvin Marcus, and Josh Smith, as well as dealers Marlene Zwirner and Matthew Brown.

new york gallery open studio

A pair of New York dealers, Rachel Carle Cohen of Shelter Gallery and David Fierman of Fierman, are launching Open Studio, a downtown gallery on Henry Street in the Lower East Side devoted entirely to artists with disabilities. The gallery will feature work from progressive art studios—supportive environments that began with Creative Growth in 1974—and opens July 10 with a solo show of John Tursi, an artist from the Living Museum at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center. A complementary group show, “Introducing Open Studio: New Art by Artists with Disabilities,” will run at Fierman’s gallery around the corner, featuring artists including Montrel Beverly, Chantel Donwell, Taneya Lovelace, and William Scott.

From technology to Gen Z collectors, Adrian Cheng shares the key trends in Hong Kong’s art scene

Adrian Cheng, a key figure in Hong Kong's art world, identifies major trends shaping the city's art scene ahead of Art Basel Hong Kong. He highlights the convergence of major art fairs, auction house sales, and new gallery openings during the 'Art March' period, drawing a global audience with high-profile exhibitions by international artists like Mary Weatherford, Nicole Eisenman, and El Anatsui.

isaac wright speaks to artnews after being busted during the opening of his show in chelsea

Urban explorer artist Isaac Wright, known as 'Drift,' was arrested by NYPD officers at the opening of his 'Coming Home' exhibition at Robert Mann Gallery in Chelsea. He faces a misdemeanor trespassing charge for allegedly climbing the Empire State Building to take a photograph featured in the show. Wright, who has been arrested four times for similar acts, was released on bail and spoke to ARTnews about the unexpected arrest in front of 400 gallerygoers.

Art Gallery Shows to See in March

Kehinde Wiley responds to woman's lawsuit alleging sexual assault

Artist Kehinde Wiley is facing a lawsuit in New York from a woman named Ogechi Chieke, who alleges that he sexually assaulted her at a restaurant in 2007. The suit, filed under New York's Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, claims Wiley forcibly groped her after a gallery opening. Wiley denies the allegations, stating he has never met Chieke and calling the lawsuit a "blatant money-grab." This is the first time an accusation against Wiley has been filed in court, following four separate allegations of sexual misconduct made against him last year by other individuals, including artist Joseph Awuah-Darko, historian Terrell Armistead, and activist Derrick Ingram.

Artist’s fiery outburst at National Gallery opening

The article appears to be inaccessible due to a security verification wall and technical errors on the CityNews website. The headline indicates a significant disruption occurred during an opening event at the National Gallery of Australia, involving an artist's 'fiery outburst' that likely targeted institutional policies or specific exhibition themes.