maike cruse basel

Maike Cruse, the new director of Art Basel's flagship fair in Basel, is preparing for the 2025 edition opening to VIPs next week. The fair will feature 285 galleries from around the world, including the Unlimited section for large-scale works and a conceptual wheat field by Agnes Denes originally planted at the World Trade Center in 1982, now growing at the Messeplatz. In an interview, Cruse discusses her transition from leading Gallery Weekend Berlin for a decade, the evolution of Basel as an art market hub, and her vision for rejuvenating the fair while maintaining its regional identity.

10 Power Players in Paris

10 power players paris

The inaugural edition of Paris+ by Art Basel has opened in Paris, marking a significant shift in the city's art fair landscape. The article profiles ten key figures instrumental in shaping the French art market, including fair director Clément Delépine, dealer and committee president Marion Papillon, and institutional leaders like Suzanne Pagé of the Fondation Louis Vuitton and Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel of Lafayette Anticipations.

consultant gulf gold rush south arts new ceo

This week's art industry moves include South Arts appointing Doug Shipman as its next president and CEO, departing his role as Atlanta City Council president to lead the regional nonprofit across nine Southern states. London gallery Alison Jacques now represents Cape Town–born painter Gina Kuschke, with a debut solo exhibition opening January 15. Gallery Wendi Norris in San Francisco will represent the Marie Wilson estate, while Berlin's Galerie Judin adds Jorinde Voigt to its roster in partnership with David Nolan, Dirimart, and Sicardi | Ayers | Bacino. Thaddaeus Ropac appoints John Utterson as director in London, and Aperture secures $2 million in gifts toward its new permanent home. A record $31.4 million was paid for François-Xavier Lalanne's 'Hippopotame Bar' at Sotheby's New York, tripling its high estimate. The article also notes a growing trend of consultancies—mostly US- and European-based—being hired to help the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia build their cultural sectors.

Meet 14 Women Shaping India’s Booming Art Scene

Artsy profiles 14 influential women who are shaping India's rapidly evolving art market, including Nita Mukesh Ambani, Jaya Asokan, Shireen Gandhy, and others. The article highlights their roles as founders, directors, collectors, and patrons, with a focus on the upcoming 17th edition of the India Art Fair, which will feature a record 135 exhibitors. Each woman is described as contributing to the growth of galleries, auction houses, biennales, and cultural institutions across the country.

'I want to show the real deal': property developer Rajan Bijlani on his Modernist design collection

Property developer Rajan Bijlani, based in north London, has turned his home Fonthill Pottery—formerly the residence and studio of ceramicist Emmanuel Cooper—into a showcase for his collection of 20th-century design, sculpture, and paintings. His focus is Modernist furniture, particularly works by Pierre Jeanneret, one of the architects of Chandigarh, India. Bijlani owns over 500 pieces, including Jeanneret's 1960 Dining Table and Easy Chairs (1956), as well as works by Le Corbusier and George Nakashima. He staged his first home exhibition last year featuring South Asian diaspora artists, and this year presents 'Electric Kiln,' pairing Jeanneret and Le Corbusier pieces with works by Cooper, Lucie Rie, and Frank Auerbach. Some works are for sale to fund future shows, including a Japan-themed exhibition and one timed to London Gallery Weekend.

From studio to gallery, here are three women redefining the art world

Melanie Mullan interviews three women redefining the art world: contemporary artist Petria Lenehan, who transitioned from fashion design to painting and now works from her studio in Wicklow, Ireland, promoting her work via Instagram; and Trish Lambe, CEO and Artistic Director of Photo Museum Ireland, who began her career at the museum in the 1990s and now leads its curatorial team. The article highlights Lenehan's intuitive painting process and Lambe's hands-on approach to exhibition production.