Francesca Casadio Named Director of Getty Conservation Institute, GRIMM Opens Amsterdam Space, and More: Industry Moves for June 12, 2026

This week's art industry moves include Francesca Casadio's appointment as director of the Getty Conservation Institute, effective fall 2026. Casadio, currently vice president and Grainger Executive Director of Conservation and Science at the Art Institute of Chicago, will lead the GCI. GRIMM gallery celebrates its 20th anniversary by opening a new Amsterdam space in a 17th-century canal building and launching an artist residency at Château Val Croissant in Provence. Steven Nelson has been named inaugural executive director of the Sam Gilliam Foundation, moving from the National Gallery of Art. Additionally, Elif Saydam won the Tiemann Prize for Contemporary Painting, and two Claude Monet works—Nymphéas (1907) and Camille assise sur la plage à Trouville (1870–71)—are estimated at a combined $67 million ahead of Sotheby's London sale.

Mickalene Thomas, Known for Her Glittering Depictions of Black Women, Joins Jack Shainman Gallery

Mickalene Thomas, the artist celebrated for her glittering, rhinestone-adorned portraits of Black women, has joined New York’s Jack Shainman Gallery. She will have a solo exhibition at the gallery in January 2028 while maintaining existing representation with Yancey Richardson (New York), Galerie Nathalie Obadia (Paris), and Baldwin Gallery (Aspen). Thomas, who earned her MFA from Yale in 2002, works across painting, photography, collage, video, and installation, drawing on art history, popular culture, and African textiles. Her work is held by major institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum, and her touring exhibition “Mickalene Thomas: All About Love” opened at the Broad in 2024.

Roberta Smith Still Has Notes

Roberta Smith, the longtime co-lead art critic for the New York Times and a towering figure in American art criticism, is the subject of a new documentary titled *House of Criticism*, which premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film focuses on Smith and her husband, New York magazine critic Jerry Saltz. In conjunction with the film's debut, Smith gave an interview reflecting on her career, her critical method, and her views on the art world today.

Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter Talks About Making Music for Art Projects and Robot Life as Performance

Thomas Bangalter, one half of the iconic French electronic duo Daft Punk, has been expanding his creative practice into visual art and performance since the group's dissolution in 2021. He has composed music for ballets, collaborated with artist JR and choreographer Damien Jalet on the project Chiroptera, and released a new album, Mirage, made for a ballet with visual artist Kohei Nawa. Bangalter also contributed a sound work to JR's public art installation La Caverne du Pont Neuf in Paris, and will present an installation at Art Basel in Switzerland. He recently played a surprise DJ set at the closing of Centre Pompidou for renovations.

Beer With a Painter: Samia Halaby

Hyperallergic's "Beer With a Painter" series features Palestinian-American abstract painter Samia Halaby in her longtime Tribeca studio. Over sage tea, Halaby discusses her seven-decade career, her experimentation with color, and how she "accidentally stepped into abstraction." The article covers her early life—born in Jerusalem in 1936, displaced during the Nakba, and moving to the U.S. in 1951—as well as her Marxist philosophy, her activism for Palestinian rights, and the evolution of her work from geometric still lifes to kinetic digital paintings. It also notes that her first museum survey was held in 2024 at the Broad Art Museum, but Indiana University canceled its half of the show, which many view as suppression of Palestinian voices.

Sandra Jackson-Dumont Wants Museums to Survive. Things Have to Change

Sandra Jackson-Dumont, director and CEO of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, discusses her career and vision for transforming museums in an interview for Artnet News's series on women shaping the art industry. She reflects on her roles at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, emphasizing the need for internal institutional change to address structural inequities around gender, race, pay, and professional growth.

Through Sculpture, Kiah Celeste Finds Elegance in the Everyday

Kiah Celeste, a New York native who trained as a photographer at SUNY Purchase, abandoned photography after graduation and turned to sculpture, drawing inspiration from her experience as an art handler at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Her practice involves "foraging" for discarded materials—such as a marble tub, old CDs, acrylic skylight domes, and bowling balls—which she transforms into works like *Balance Bath* (2019), *Ouroboros* (2025), and the "Dream of Pearl" (2023) series. Celeste has shown in two-person exhibitions at Document Gallery in Chicago and Swivel Gallery in New York, and her sculptures explore tension between abstraction and recognizable objects, Minimalism and Pop, and her own intersecting identities as Black and Jewish, feminine and androgynous.

The Dealers: Rajiv Menon Connects Cultures

This article from Contemporary Art Review LA profiles dealer Rajiv Menon, focusing on his role in connecting cultures through art. The piece, part of the magazine's regular 'The Dealers' series, includes photos and text by Claire Preston and appears in Issue 44 (May 2026), alongside other features on contemporary archives, censorship, and reviews of exhibitions in Los Angeles and beyond.

A new director in Stockholm

Une nouvelle directrice à Stockholm

The article announces the appointment of a new director at a museum in Stockholm. It is published in Le Journal des Arts, a French art news outlet, and appears in the June 2026 issue (No. 796). The brief headline signals a leadership change at a Stockholm institution, though the full article text is not provided beyond the table of contents listing other stories about the Venice Biennale, Barcelona avant-garde, Musée des Augustins, Hilma af Klint, Leonardo Cremonini, and Monet in Le Havre.

For Jiajia Fei, Making it in the Art World Means ‘Mission Over Permission’

JiaJia Fei, a self-taught digital strategist, built her career by pioneering social media and digital initiatives at New York's Jewish Museum and the Guggenheim, eventually founding the first digital agency dedicated to the art world. She now consults for clients including Crystal Bridges Museum, Canyon, the Obama Presidential Center, and Independent Art Fair, embodying a shift from institutional employment to independent practice.

“Preferisco che l’opera accada da sé”. Intervista all’artista anglo-italiana Alice Peach

Artribune interviews Anglo-Italian artist Alice Peach (b. 1996, Bari) at her studio in Milan, where she discusses her practice of assembling objects and materials with a childlike, intuitive logic. Peach, who studied Fine Art and Textiles at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam and spent two years in Berlin, is currently based between Milan and Lausanne, where she collaborated with Federico Nicolao on the research project Assemblée des écritures at ECAL. She is one of the selected artists for the third edition of the Nuovo Gran Tour residency program (2025-2026), promoted by the Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea, which brought her to work at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. The interview explores her fascination with fragments, language, and the dissolution of meaning through repetition and improvisation.

Francesco Stocchi is no longer the artistic director of the MAXXI Museum in Rome. After 3 years, his mandate was not renewed

Francesco Stocchi non è più il direttore artistico del Museo MAXXI di Roma. Dopo 3 anni non rinnovato il mandato

Francesco Stocchi's mandate as artistic director of the MAXXI museum in Rome will end in June 2026, after a three-year term that began on June 28, 2023. The decision was reached by mutual agreement between Stocchi and the Fondazione MAXXI, marking the conclusion of a tenure that followed Hou Hanru's leadership. During his time at MAXXI, Stocchi focused on the museum's social role, strengthening its identity and opening new research perspectives. He will continue to oversee some ongoing projects, including a Gordon Matta-Clark retrospective scheduled for November 13. Stocchi, born in Rome in 1975, is a prominent figure in Italian contemporary art, having previously held curatorial roles at the Fondazione Carriero in Milan and the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, where he served as curator of modern and contemporary art from 2012 to 2023. He also curated the Swiss Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale with Latifa Echakhch and Alexander Babel.

Interview: Sébastien Léon’s Material Exploration

Sébastien Léon, a French-born, New York-based multi-hyphenate creator, discusses his material-driven practice in an interview with Observer. Léon works across sculpture, furniture design, sound, and installation, using materials like glass, resin, and metal to create perception-shifting objects. He recently completed an 18-month residency at the Ralph Pucci sculpture studio in Manhattan, resulting in a new body of work titled "Inca City," inspired by speculative archaeology and the idea of a lost civilization. Léon also debuts a new soundwork, "The Echoes of Our Dreams," at NOMAD Hamptons, blending sculpture, sound, and technology.

Séamus Kealy On Returning to Ireland, Artist-Centered Institutions and What the RHA Could Become

Séamus Kealy has been appointed as the new director of the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts (RHA) in Dublin, returning to Ireland after more than a decade abroad. Kealy previously served as executive director of Oakville Galleries in Ontario and directed the Salzburger Kunstverein in Austria. In an interview, he discusses the challenges facing Irish artists, including a lack of studio space and housing strain, while praising Ireland's Basic Income Scheme for Artists as an inspiring model. He also notes institutional shifts such as Annie Fletcher's leadership at IMMA and the Crawford Gallery's redevelopment.

Kimbell Art Museum: Meet the New Chief Curator

Emerson Bowyer has been appointed as the new chief curator of the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. Bowyer, an expert in 18th- and 19th-century British and French art, previously held positions at the Art Institute of Chicago, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and The Frick Collection. He is known for organizing ambitious exhibitions such as "David d’Angers: Making the Modern Monument" (2013), "Canova: Sketching in Clay" (2023–24), and "Camille Claudel" (2023–24), the latter being the first American retrospective of the artist in over 30 years. Bowyer also acquired significant works for the Art Institute of Chicago, including a portrait bust by Claudel and a pre-Raphaelite painting from Andrew Lloyd Webber's collection.

Juliette Guépratte rejoint le cabinet de Catherine Pégard

Juliette Guépratte has been appointed as advisor for artistic and cultural education, teaching, and territories in the cabinet of Catherine Pégard, France's Minister of Culture. Guépratte previously served as head of public services and then director of strategy at the Louvre-Lens from 2012 to 2023, before joining the DRAC Hauts-de-France as communications manager.

Philippe Vergne rejoint le Bass Museum

Philippe Vergne has been appointed artistic director and chief curator of the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach, a newly created position tied to the museum's expansion and programmatic strengthening. The French-born curator previously led the Dia Art Foundation in Beacon, New York (2008-2014), the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) in Los Angeles (2014-2018), and the Serralves Museum in Porto, Portugal (2019-2025). He began his career at the MAC (Musée d'art contemporain) in Marseille before moving to the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

Thomas Houseago will set up studio in Paris foundation as part of mentorship programme.

British sculptor Thomas Houseago and French artist Théo Mercier have been selected for the 2026 edition of the Reiffers Initiatives artist mentorship program. The program, founded in 2021 by French entrepreneur and collector Paul-Emmanuel Reiffers, pairs established and emerging artists for a six-month exchange that will culminate in a duo exhibition during Art Basel Paris in October.

Tone Hansen appointed director of Moderna Museet

Tone Hansen has been appointed chief superintendent and director of Moderna Museet in Stockholm and Malmö, as announced by the Swedish Ministry of Culture. She will assume the role in September, succeeding Gitte Ørskou, who led the institution for seven years. Hansen previously served as director of MUNCH in Oslo since 2022 and before that directed the Henie Onstad Art Center, also in Oslo.

A new laureate for the Prix Reiffers

Une nouvelle lauréate pour le prix Reiffers

The Prix Reiffers Initiatives, now in its fifth edition, has awarded its main prize to Slovak-born artist Stanislava Kovalcikova (b. 1988), recognized for her boundary-crossing visual language. A special mention was also given to Palestinian artist Khaled Jarada (b. 1996), whose work explores themes of rootedness and displacement. The announcement was published in the June 2026 issue of L'ŒIL magazine.

Cao Fei Finds the Romance in Technology

Ocula profiles Chinese contemporary artist Cao Fei, whose work explores the intersection of technology and human emotion. The article highlights her multimedia practice, including films, installations, and digital works that examine how technology shapes modern life and identity, often finding unexpected beauty and romance in digital and virtual spaces.

Jenny Holzer found fame for her subversive slogans — now she’s turning FBI files into art

Jenny Holzer, the 75-year-old feminist artist known for her politically charged text-based works, is now creating art from declassified FBI files. The article profiles her career trajectory from her early subversive slogans to her current practice of transforming government documents into visual art, highlighting her enduring relevance and self-critical nature despite widespread acclaim.

Isabelle Chardonnier nommée directrice générale de la démocratie culturelle

Isabelle Chardonnier has been appointed Director General of the Direction Générale de la Démocratie Culturelle, des Enseignements et de la Recherche (DGDCER) at the French Ministry of Culture, confirmed by the Council of Ministers on June 10. She succeeds Naomi Peres, who had been in the role for less than a year. Chardonnier, a graduate of the Institut d’Études Politiques de Lyon, previously served as Regional Director of Cultural Affairs (DRAC) for Brittany and held earlier posts at the Rhône-Alpes Regional Council and the Ministry of Culture. She will leave her current position on June 22 to take up her new duties.

Ulrike Christina Goetz, conseillère en art : « Il existe une vie en dehors des grandes maisons de ventes »

Ulrike Christina Goetz, a specialist in sculpture and objets d'art who spent nearly 30 years at Sotheby's Paris, discusses her unexpected departure in October 2024 amid a wave of layoffs at the auction house. She founded her own advisory firm, Ulrike Christina Goetz Art Advisory, and now operates from an office on Rue de la Paix in Paris, preparing to launch her website. Goetz reflects on the profound changes at Sotheby's since its 2019 acquisition by Patrick Drahi, including the dismissal of many historical specialists and a shift toward younger, less expensive consultants.

La BNF confie ses collections à Jean-Charles Bédague

The Bibliothèque nationale de France (BNF) has appointed Jean-Charles Bédague as Director of Collections and Deputy General Director, effective July 1. Bédague, a heritage curator and graduate of the École nationale des chartes and the Institut national du patrimoine, previously served as deputy director for archives management, communication, and promotion at the French Ministry of Culture. He succeeds Marie de Laubier in overseeing the BNF's fourteen documentary departments.

Rising Painter Danielle Fretwell's Decadent Still Lifes Reinvent the Dutch Masters

Rising painter Danielle Fretwell creates decadent still-life paintings in her New Hampshire studio, drawing inspiration from Dutch Masters. She stages elaborate table settings with vintage silverware, linens, fresh fruit, ice cream, and wine, photographs them, and then uses the images as references for her lush, contemporary compositions.

“La responsabilità del futuro è nelle mani di tutti”. Il mercato dell’arte secondo il gallerista Massimo De Carlo

Massimo De Carlo, the renowned Italian gallerist, discusses the current state of the art market in an interview with Artribune. He reflects on the recent announcement by mega-gallery Pace to cut 50 artists and 50 employees, interpreting this as a sign that even major players are seeking new sustainability strategies amid market unpredictability. De Carlo describes the gallerist as a 'seismograph' who must register and interpret the spirit of the times through artists' voices, and notes a widespread impatience with the hierarchies and rules that have structured the art world for the past thirty years.

Provincia Cosmica. La memoria dei luoghi nella pittura di Enrico Tealdi in Piemonte

Enrico Tealdi, an artist born in Cuneo in 1976, creates paintings that transform observed landscapes into dreamlike, timeless spaces. In an interview, he discusses his decision to remain in Cuneo, where his studio is located in a farmhouse built by his great-grandmother in the 1920s. He explains that staying is not nostalgia but a way to continue living where the strength and love of his ancestors left a mark, and that his work gives life to those energies. Tealdi also reflects on the importance for young artists of being physically present in the art world, attending openings and meeting peers, rather than relying solely on social media.

The artist-poet who publishes a book with her verses (and chooses to do it on Amazon)

L’artista-poeta che pubblica un libro con i suoi versi (e sceglie di farlo su Amazon)

Italian visual artist Reverie, known for her radical and disturbing performance art, has published a new book of poetry titled "Poesia Malata" on Amazon. The poems were written during her second hospitalization in a psychiatric ward and from June 2025 onward, when she returned to Milan. The book is part of a larger project that includes a solo exhibition titled "Amare non mi sazia" opening September 17, 2026 at C+N Gallery CANEPANERI in Milan, with a critical text by Milovan Farronato, and a performance called "Mangiata viva" on September 15, 2026 at Salone 14 Yellowsquare in Milan. The performance will incorporate stand-up comedy to address themes of hunger, love, mental health, sexual abuse, and body image.

Claes Nordenhake’s home befits this quiet lion of the Berlin art world

Claes Nordenhake, a veteran gallerist who has operated in Berlin for 50 years, is profiled through the lens of his prewar apartment and his gallery spaces. The article explores how his personal living environment, filled with timeworn objects and contemporary art, mirrors his professional philosophy of balancing comfort with the discomfort of new artistic expressions. Nordenhake’s home serves as a canvas that reflects his enduring influence and discerning eye in the art world.