Kim Gordon Nixes Noise Show, Lucien Smith and Jens Hoffmann Mount Comebacks, and More Juicy Art-World Gossip

Kim Gordon canceled her noise show at Lonti Ebers's Amant nonprofit in East Williamsburg at the last minute due to illness, leaving her Body/Head bandmate Bill Nace to improvise with Aaron Dilloway. The concert marked the closing of 'Folded Group,' a group exhibition curated by Gordon and Nace, and featured opening sets by MV Carbon and Jeff Hartford, with audio bleeding into Amant's upscale restaurant Zoli.

Weekly News Roundup: June 12, 2026

Frieze Seoul 2026 announces its fifth edition with over 125 galleries from 30 countries, returning to COEX in Gangnam from September 2–5 in partnership with Kiaf SEOUL. Hong Kong debuts its first permanent Yayoi Kusama outdoor sculpture, a three-meter-tall green polka-dotted pumpkin at The Twins Tower I in Kai Tak. The Taishin Arts Awards names Indigenous Taiwanese performance collective TAI Body Theatre as Grand Prize winner for their work qaqay (2025). Iranian German artist Natascha Sadr Haghighian wins the inaugural LVM Insurance Art Prize for Public Art for her installation 86° WALTER HALİT (2025).

Lost in a Fantasy of Endless Growth

"Verrannt in einer Fantasie endlosen Wachstums"

Jerry Saltz criticizes Pace Gallery in New York Magazine for pursuing a fantasy of endless growth and hype, comparing it to a 'Fyre Festival of mega-galleries.' He argues that under Marc Glimcher's leadership, the gallery prioritized expansion—more artists, more locations, more projects—over identity, leading to overextension and recent cuts of about 50 artists and 50 staff. Separately, a child at the Israel Museum damaged René Magritte's painting 'The Castle of the Pyrenees' with a pine cone, puncturing the canvas within seconds. In other news, curator Helen Molesworth reflects on sloth as a creative and anti-capitalist strategy in Cultured, and Stefan Niggemeier critiques culture minister Wolfram Weimer's repeated use of the vague term 'Eigentlichkeit' in Übermedien.

Knicks, Tribeca, Pride!

Hyperallergic's New York newsletter covers a mix of local cultural events and art world news. Highlights include the Guggenheim's screenings of Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno's film about Zinédine Zidane during the World Cup, the Tribeca Film Festival, and Pride Month interviews with queer and trans elders, starting with Jamie Nares. Other news includes Pace Gallery cutting 50 artists and laying off 50 staff, a fire in Long Island City damaging artists' studios, and The New School laying off faculty and staff due to budget deficits.

French Scientists Have Developed a New Technology To Help Identify Forged Artworks

Scientists at the Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France in Valenciennes have published a study in the June 2026 issue of *Surface Topography: Metrology and Properties* introducing a new method to authenticate artworks and identify forgeries. Led by Francois Berkmans, Ludovic Nys, and Maxence Bigerelle, the research uses surface metrology—analyzing the texture and topography of brushstrokes like a fingerprint—via high-resolution scans. They tested the technique on nine van Gogh paintings, correctly flagging a known fake as a "strong outlier" and confirming the authenticity of *Sunset at Montmajour*, which the Van Gogh Museum had already validated in 2013.

Scientists Think They’ve Found a New Way to Spot Fake Van Goghs

Researchers from the University Polytechnique Hauts-de-France have published the most comprehensive study yet testing whether surface metrology—a technique that analyzes an artwork's texture—can authenticate paintings like fingerprints. By converting high-resolution images of eight Vincent van Gogh works into topographical maps and calculating fractal dimension values, the team established a baseline for the artist's brushstroke complexity. They then tested two previously contested paintings: Sunset at Montmajour (1888), validated by the Van Gogh Museum in 2013, proved consistent with van Gogh's fractal values, while the forgery The Plowmen did not. The study appears in Surface Topography: Metrology and Properties.

Art Movements: Sam Gilliam Foundation Names Its First Director

The Sam Gilliam Foundation has appointed Dr. Steven Nelson as its inaugural executive director. Nelson, formerly of the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art, will oversee the foundation's mission to preserve Gilliam's legacy while supporting emerging artists and civic activism. Separately, Aperture will open its new permanent headquarters on New York's Upper West Side on September 18 with an inaugural exhibition titled "Aperture Loves New York." The article also reports that five artists—Diana Al-Hadid, Jordan Ann Craig, Lavar Munroe, Ronald Rael, and Kiyan Williams—received VIA Art Fund's spring 2026 Artistic Production Grants, and that the New Museum has partnered with Penske Media Corporation to launch an event called "Art Week NYC."

A Basel without Art Basel?

"Ein Basel ohne Art Basel?"

The article reports on several art-world developments. The board of trustees of the KHM Museum Association in Vienna has reaffirmed its confidence in directors Jonathan Fine and Paul Frey after an independent investigation by labor law expert Sieglinde Gahleitner found that allegations of mobbing and bossing by Veronika Sandbichler were not substantiated, though communication deficiencies were noted. Separately, Luisa Taliento explores unusual Italian 'Casa-Musei' (house museums) as an alternative to overcrowded major museums, highlighting the Museo Casa Mollino in Turin, Casa Museo Lodovico Pogliaghi in Varese, and Casa Museo Remo Brindisi as total works of art. In architecture news, Hanno Rauterberg reflects on the renovation of Schloss Bellevue and the move of the German president to a new building by Sauerbruch Hutton, while critics Gesine Borcherdt and Tobias Timm offer opposing views on the exhibition 'Freiraum Kunst' at the palace. Finally, Claude Bühler investigates whether Basel is losing relevance as Art Basel expands into Paris, citing concerns from Basel gallerist Stefan von Bartha.

Inside Chicago’s Obama Center

The article reports on the upcoming opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago's Jackson Park, a new $850 million campus designed to embody the legacy of Barack and Michelle Obama. It features artworks by Idris Khan, Maya Lin, and others, and is set to open to the public later this month. The piece also covers a planned nationwide strike by Italian cultural workers on June 12, demanding better working conditions and solidarity with Palestine, and notes controversial renderings of a Penn Station redesign that prominently display Trump's name.

"Man biegt die Röhren wie Makkaroni"

This roundup of art news covers several stories: Sotheby's failed private auction of Jackson Pollock's "Number 19, 1951" from Arne Glimcher's collection; a restitution lawsuit filed in New York for Gustav Klimt's "Fräulein Lieser" against the Austrian owner and auction house im Kinsky; a critical reflection on the purpose of Gallery Weekends amid market pressure; a tribute to the late Hilde Lynn Helphenstein, creator of the Instagram account "Jerry Gogosian"; and a feature on the 100-year anniversary of Marcel Breuer's Wassily Chair and the Bauhaus tubular steel furniture revolution.

The Art World This Week: Europe's Highest-Ever Collection Estimate, Pace Gallery Cuts Artists and Staff, $100m Nazi-Looted Art Lawsuit, and More

This week's art news roundup covers several major developments: a European collection receives the highest-ever pre-sale estimate for a collection on the continent, Pace Gallery lays off staff and drops artists from its roster, and a $100 million lawsuit is filed over Nazi-looted art. The stories span the art market, gallery operations, and restitution law.

British artist David Hockney

A collection of archival photographs and captions chronicles the career of British artist David Hockney, spanning from 2006 to 2026. The images show Hockney at various milestones: announcing an exhibition at the Georges Pompidou Center in Paris (2026), designing a stained glass window for Westminster Abbey (2018), presenting his book "SUMO - A Bigger Book" at the Frankfurt Book Fair (2016), and attending numerous exhibition openings at institutions such as the Royal Academy of Arts, Tate, Guggenheim Bilbao, and the National Portrait Gallery. Also featured are auction previews at Christie's and Bonhams, including his record-breaking painting "Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)" (2018) and earlier works like "Beverly Hills Housewife" (2009) and "A Bigger Splash" (1967).

Photographer Don McCullin to focus on Vietnam for his final book

Don McCullin, the 91-year-old British war photographer, is returning to Vietnam for his final book, titled "Vietnam." After more than seven decades documenting conflicts worldwide, McCullin will revisit his iconic images from the 1968 Battle of Hue, where his photographs of a shell-shocked American soldier helped turn public opinion against the war. The book, featuring over 100 images and personal artifacts like his helmet and compass, will be published in October by Gost Books.

Obama Center, Nayland Blake, Danielle Mckinney

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) placed Savneet Talwar, director of its graduate art therapy program, on leave after she assigned students a case study involving a hypothetical queer Arab woman sympathetic to pro-Palestinian protests. Provost Martin Berger deemed the exercise unacceptable, prompting backlash from faculty and commentators who view it as an attack on academic freedom and empathy. The article also reports on David Hockney's death at age 88, a planned Italian arts strike, layoffs at The New School, a major Native American art gift to Phoenix Art Museum, and other art-world news.

Child damages Magritte painting with pinecone

A child visiting the Israel Museum in Jerusalem damaged René Magritte's iconic painting *The Castle of the Pyrenees* (1959) by piercing the canvas with a pinecone found in the museum garden. The museum's conservation team, led by Sharon Tager, is treating the paint layers and mending the canvas, though the work's off-display duration remains unconfirmed.

Dépendence Gallery To Close After 23 Years in Brussels

Dépendence, the influential Brussels gallery known for its artist-first ethos, is closing after 23 years. Co-founded by former artist Michael Callies and former banker Stephan Jaax, the gallery operated from a single location and resisted expansion, building a reputation as an "artists' gallery" that prioritized creative freedom over commercial success. Its roster of about 30 artists included Thomas Bayrle, Michael Krebber, Haegue Yang, Ed Atkins, and Jana Euler, many of whom had early ties to the Städelschule in Frankfurt. The gallery facilitated their participation in major international exhibitions such as the Venice Biennale, Documenta, and Skulptur Projekte Münster, and placed works at institutions like MoMA, Tate Britain, and the Stedelijk Museum.

Phillips Collection Receives Record $15M Gift

The Sherman Fairchild Foundation has donated $15 million to the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., the largest single gift in the museum's 105-year history. The funds will support the institution's Strategic Plan, with $11.75 million allocated to the endowment for conservation, staff investment, and a new capital reserve, as well as upgrades to facilities and digital systems. The gift arrives about six months after the Phillips Collection controversially deaccessioned eight masterpieces at Sotheby's.

"Geschichtsklitternde Verhöhnung der tatsächlichen Person"

A German media roundup covers three major stories: a dispute over planned Yad Vashem branches in Munich and Leipzig, a controversial SPD AI video featuring Holocaust survivor Jeanette Wolff, and major restructuring at Pace Gallery. In the SZ, Meron Mendel and Volker Beck debate the political risks of Yad Vashem's expansion, with Mendel warning of Israeli government influence and Beck defending the institution's independence. Tobias Ginsburg in Die Zeit condemns the SPD's AI-generated avatar of Jeanette Wolff as a "despicable AI creature" that trivializes her individual experience. Meanwhile, the Financial Times reports that Pace Gallery is cutting over 50 artists from its program, laying off 20% of staff, and downsizing its London space, with CEO Marc Glimcher declaring the current gallery model "broken."

Boy Punctures Magritte’s ‘The Castle of the Pyrenees’ With a Pinecone at the Israel Museum

A young boy visiting the Israel Museum in Jerusalem accidentally punctured René Magritte's painting 'The Castle of the Pyrenees' (1959) with a pinecone before a guard could intervene. The canvas has been sent to the museum's conservation lab, where head conservator Sharon Tager expects repairs to take several weeks, involving stitching and treating the oil paint layers. The work was not behind glass or alarmed to enhance visitor experience.

Win a Tate membership, Tracey Emin merch and more

The Guardian is running a competition in partnership with Tate to promote the exhibition "Tracey Emin: A Second Life" at Tate Modern. The prize includes a special-edition one-year Tate Membership for the winner and a friend, lunch for two at Tate Modern, a Tracey Emin Teacup and Pancake blanket (worth £200), an exhibition catalogue, a tote bag, and a cap. Entrants must answer a question before 11:59pm on Sunday 5 July 2026, and the competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over.

Cello belonging to artist John Constable to be played for first time in 100 years

John Constable's personal cello, commissioned by the artist in 1802, will be played in public for the first time in a century after a restoration funded by the Friends of Ipswich Museum. The instrument, made by Constable's neighbor and mentor John Dunthorne Sr., had been unplayable since a botched repair in 1926. Restorers James and Sylvie Fawcett, along with cellist Melanie Woodcock, have revived the cello, which is believed to have been played by Constable in a local band in East Bergholt, Suffolk.

Alma Allen Doubles Down on Accusations Against Publicist David Resnicow of Working Against His Venice Biennale Pavilion

Artist Alma Allen has publicly accused veteran art publicist David Resnicow of working against his U.S. Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale. In an Instagram post, Allen claimed that two of three galleries that withdrew their support did so on Resnicow's advice, and that Resnicow warned arts writers, museum directors, funders, and curators not to support the pavilion. Resnicow denied the allegations, calling them "baffling" and stating he never told anyone not to work with Allen. This marks the second time Allen has named Resnicow, following a New York Times article in March.

New digital archive reconstructs Leonardo da Vinci manuscripts for the first time in four centuries

A new digital archive called Leonardotheka has launched, reuniting thousands of pages from Leonardo da Vinci's manuscripts that were cut apart and separated over 400 years ago. The project merges the Codex Atlanticus, held at the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, with around 550 sheets from the Royal Collection at Windsor, UK. Overseen by Museo Galileo in Florence over ten years, it includes 50 confirmed page reconstructions, such as reuniting a drawing of a horse with text about the Regisole monument. The initiative involved the Royal Collection Trust, the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana, and the Biblioteca Leonardiana.

Opéra de Marseille

The June 2026 issue of Le Journal des Arts (L'ŒIL n°796) features a range of articles covering the Venice Biennale pavilions under tension, Barcelona as a hub for avant-garde movements, the restored Musée des Augustins, and profiles of artists Hilma af Klint, Leonardo Cremonini, and Monet in Le Havre. The issue also includes coverage of the Opéra de Marseille.

From Football to the Guggenheim Museum

Du foot au Guggenheim Museum

The article, titled 'Du foot au Guggenheim Museum' (From Football to the Guggenheim Museum), appears in Le Journal des Arts and covers a range of topics in its June 2026 issue. It highlights the Venice Biennale pavilions under tension, Barcelona as a Spanish inn of avant-gardes, the renewed Musée des Augustins, the mystical genius Hilma af Klint who painted for another century, Leonardo Cremonini's troubled light, and Monet's awakening in Le Havre. The issue also includes a subscription offer.

Musée mémoriel du Lot

The article titled 'Musée mémoriel du Lot' appears in Le Journal des Arts, issue number 796, dated June 1, 2026. It features a series of stories including tensions surrounding pavilions in Venice, Barcelona as a Spanish inn of avant-gardes, the renewed splendor of the Musée des Augustins, the mystical genius of Hilma af Klint who painted for another century, Leonardo Cremonini's troubled light, and Monet's awakening in Le Havre.

Phillips Collection Receives Historic $15 Million Gift

The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, has received a historic $15 million gift from the Sherman Fairchild Foundation, the largest donation in the museum's 105-year history. The gift, secured by museum director Jonathan P. Binstock as part of the 2025–29 strategic plan, includes $11.75 million for the endowment and additional funds for programming, facility upgrades, and digital systems. The museum plans to expand community engagement through its satellite space Phillips@THEARC and debut an immersive installation series inspired by Sam Gilliam's 1972 work "Broad Cape."

Pine Cone–Wielding Child Damages Magritte Masterwork at Israel Museum

A six-year-old boy visiting the Israel Museum in Jerusalem used a pine cone from the museum's sculpture garden to puncture René Magritte's 1959 painting *Le château des Pyrénées*. Security intervened quickly, and the artwork was removed to the conservation department for repairs. The painting, commissioned by Magritte's friend Harry Torczyner to hide an unpleasant view from his Manhattan office, was donated to the museum in 1985 and is considered a major 20th-century work.

Da Vinci’s ‘Codex Atlanticus’ is Brought Back Together With New Online Archive

A new online platform called Leonardotheka launched on Monday, reuniting for the first time in over 400 years two major collections of Leonardo da Vinci's writings and drawings: the Codex Atlanticus, held by the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, and around 550 sheets from the Royal Collection Trust in Windsor Castle. The manuscripts were originally part of the same group created between the mid-1470s and 1519, but were separated shortly after da Vinci's death by sculptor Pompeo Leoni, who divided the folios into empirical and artistic categories. The digital archive, the result of a decade-long collaboration among the Royal Collection Trust, the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana, and the Biblioteca Leonardiana in Vinci, includes fifty confirmed page reconstructions and digitally restored pages.

Who Asked for an AI Art Museum?

Hyperallergic reports on the opening of Dataland, a new AI art museum in Los Angeles founded by artist Refik Anadol. Reporter Matt Stromberg describes a disorienting, multisensory experience of descending into a mirrored space filled with AI-generated projections, soundscapes, and forest scents that left him exhilarated but nauseated. The article also covers several other stories: the School of the Art Institute of Chicago placing graduate art therapy director Savneet Talwar on leave after assigning a case study about a hypothetical client affected by violence against Palestinian civilians; a child puncturing a René Magritte painting at the Israel Museum with a pinecone; a fire in Long Island City displacing two Queens artists; and the announcement of Philadelphia's "What Now: 2026" festival. Additionally, an interview with artist Nayland Blake on eroticism and play is featured, alongside a list of queer and trans art history books for Pride Month.