Robert Therrien Estate Leaves Gagosian After Nearly Three Decades and Joins David Zwirner

The Robert Therrien estate has left Gagosian after nearly three decades and joined David Zwirner, a rival mega-gallery. The move follows a major survey of the late sculptor's work at the Broad museum in Los Angeles, which featured 120 works and was the largest exhibition of his career. Therrien, who died in 2019, is best known for monumental sculptures of domestic objects, such as Under the Table (1994), and his towering plate columns held by institutions including the Tate and Glenstone.

Sellers at the May Marquee Auctions Revealed, Bogotá’s MAMBO Museum Loses Its Director, and More: Morning Links for May 4, 2026

The spring auction season is underway, with ARTnews revealing that Jean-Michel Basquiat's 1983 painting *Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)* is headed to Sotheby's contemporary art sale on May 14 with a $45 million estimate, consigned by Joahn Sayegh-Belchatowski. Christie's postwar and contemporary day sale includes a collection dubbed "A Matter of Seeing" from Ronald Lauder. Meanwhile, Lévy Gorvy Dayan is testing a new auction-gallery hybrid model, and British billionaire Joe Lewis plans to sell another $200 million in art at Sotheby's in June. In other news, Martha Ortiz has left the Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá (MAMBO) following harassment allegations, after the earlier dismissal of artistic director Eugenio Viola. The article also covers a planned Derrick Adams portrait of Koyo Kouoh in Venice, the death of cartoonist Nicole Hollander, a free-entry stunt by Maurizio Cattelan at Fondation Beyeler, a Christo installation at Gagosian London, and a report on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's political interference in cultural institutions, including the Venice Biennale.

Go Time! Gagosian Christens New Madison Avenue Space With Duchamp Readymades

Larry Gagosian is set to inaugurate a newly overhauled ground-floor gallery at 980 Madison Avenue on April 25, marking a major expansion within his long-time New York headquarters. The debut exhibition features the iconic readymades of Marcel Duchamp, including a rare version of 'Bicycle Wheel' and 'Fountain.' This move follows a period of uncertainty for the dealer after Bloomberg Philanthropies acquired the building, prompting Gagosian to invest significant resources into securing and transforming the street-level space.

Legal Dispute Threatens Auction of Titanic Artifacts, Vaillancourt Fountain Catches Fire During Demolition, and More: Morning Links for May 7, 2026

A legal dispute has erupted over the planned auction of nearly 100 artifacts recovered from the Titanic shipwreck in 1987. The R.M.S. Titanic, the private company that owns salvage rights, seeks to sell the items, but the French government—which co-sponsored the expedition—granted title under the condition they not be sold. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also opposes the sale, arguing it violates a prior legal ruling. A judge has rejected the company’s attempt to keep the auction confidential. Separately, San Francisco’s Vaillancourt Fountain caught fire during demolition on May 6, 2026, when a torch ignited rubber tubing inside the Brutalist sculpture by Armand Vaillancourt; the fire was quickly contained with no injuries. Other news includes the death of Beat Generation artist George Herms at 90, a French bill to facilitate colonial-era art restitution, and a rare opportunity to view Gustav Klimt’s ceiling paintings at Vienna’s Burgtheater during renovation.

Zoe Leonard Departs Hauser & Wirth for New York’s Maxwell Graham Gallery

Zoe Leonard, a celebrated conceptual artist whose work will appear at the Venice Biennale next week, has left Hauser & Wirth—a global gallery with 14 locations—to join Maxwell Graham, a smaller New York-based gallery known for spare conceptual presentations. Leonard will continue to be represented by her longtime galleries, Cologne’s Galeria Gisela Capitain and Milan’s Raffaella Cortese. Maxwell Graham staged its first Leonard exhibition last year with “Display,” featuring photographs of historical objects in museums. Leonard is the second artist to depart Hauser & Wirth in the past year, following George Condo’s exit in November.

A $15M De Kooning Leads Lévy Gorvy Dayan’s New Auction-Style Sales Experiment

Lévy Gorvy Dayan is launching LGD Hammer, a new live-bidding platform that blends private sales with auction dynamics. The inaugural sale on May 16 will feature a 1984 Willem de Kooning painting estimated at $10–15 million, led by co-founder Brett Gorvy, a former auction veteran. The article also reports on gallery closures (Stephen Friedman Gallery, Galerie Philipp Zollinger, Astor Gallery), artist moves (Zoe Leonard to Maxwell Graham, Kehinde Wiley among creditors), and Sotheby’s upcoming single-owner sale of Joe Lewis’s collection expected to exceed $200 million.

Inside Gagosian’s Quiet Power Move to Street Level on Madison Avenue

Gagosian has opened a new 2,275-square-foot ground-floor gallery at 980 Madison Avenue in New York, relocating from its longtime sixth-floor space after 37 years. The move was prompted by Bloomberg Philanthropies' acquisition of the building in 2024, which displaced several fine art tenants. The inaugural exhibition features works by Marcel Duchamp and Robert Rauschenberg, and the space was designed by architect Jonathan Caplan with advanced lighting by Dot Dash.

Anna Zemánková Estate Joins Gladstone Gallery, Sándra Vasquez de la Horra Joins Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, and More: Industry Moves for April 29, 2026

The article reports a series of industry moves in the art world as of April 29, 2026. Key developments include Gladstone Gallery taking on the estate of Anna Zemánková, Sándra Vasquez de la Horra joining Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, Elijah Wheat Showroom opening a new location in Beacon, New York, and Mariane Ibrahim now representing Leasho Johnson. Additionally, Denniston Hill launches its 2026 residency season with 30 artists, the Minneapolis Institute of Art receives restoration funding from TEFAF, Charlie White is appointed dean of the Sam Fox School, and Jesús Hilario-Reyes and Tichacoco are named inaugural recipients of the Clemente Center’s Van Lier Fellowship. The article also notes a whistleblower claim of $3 million missing from the Palm Springs Art Museum’s investment account, and a New York Times essay by Robin Givhan on Derrick Adams.

Desperate, Scared, But Social at UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art

The group exhibition "Desperate, Scared, But Social" at the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art (Langson IMCA) explores the complexities of contemporary social dynamics and collective anxiety. The show brings together diverse artistic perspectives to examine how individuals navigate a landscape defined by political instability, environmental concerns, and the pervasive influence of digital connectivity.

San Francisco’s Modern Art Museum Reimagines the Fisher Collection

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) has unveiled a massive reinstallation of the Doris and Donald Fisher Collection, featuring approximately 250 works. This presentation is part of a landmark 100-year partnership established in 2009, which requires the museum to dedicate significant gallery space to the Fishers' holdings every decade. The current exhibition showcases blue-chip staples of postwar and contemporary art, including major works by Ellsworth Kelly, Gerhard Richter, and Agnes Martin.

In Paris, Highly Mobile Gallerists

À Paris, des galeristes très mobiles

The Parisian art scene is experiencing a significant wave of gallery expansions and relocations across both the Right and Left Banks. Major developments include Kamel Mennour acquiring the former Malingue gallery space on Avenue Matignon for secondary market masterpieces, and Christophe Person moving from the Marais to a redesigned space on Rue du Bac with the backing of collector Jean Claude Gandur. Other notable moves include London-based Waddington Custot opening a Parisian branch, Singapore's Cuturi Gallery settling in the Palais-Royal, and Vincent Sator inaugurating a new space in the David Chipperfield-designed Morland Mixité Capitale complex.

art artist couples eric firestone gallery

A new exhibition titled “Couples” at Eric Firestone Gallery in New York features the work of 26 artist-partners, exploring how they navigate material, color, and form in complementary ways. The show runs through May 2. CULTURED magazine brought together five duos from the exhibition to answer questions about mixing professional and personal lives, with each artist responding without seeing their partner’s answers. Featured couples include Caitlin Lonegan and Spencer Lewis, who discuss topics such as sharing studios, jealousy, and role models like Charline von Heyl and Christopher Wool.

An Alexander Calder Retrospective in Paris Underscores His Inventiveness

A major retrospective of Alexander Calder's work is currently on view at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, marking the 100th anniversary of the artist's arrival in the city. The exhibition, running through August 16, 2026, presents a comprehensive overview of his career, featuring sculptures, drawings, archival material, and jewelry that highlight his innovative fusion of engineering and abstraction.

Harnessing the winds of societal change: how art dealers have been able to shape taste for centuries

Valentina Castellani, a former Gagosian director, has authored a new book titled *Trading Beauty: Art Market Histories from the Altar to the Gallery* (out 1 May). The book traces how art dealers have historically leveraged societal changes—political, economic, and social—to reshape taste and market structures. Castellani begins in the Middle Ages, when art was made only on commission for patrons like the Catholic church and monarchies, and moves through key shifts such as the Dutch Republic's first open art market in the 17th century, which gave rise to the professional art dealer. She highlights dealers like Paul Durand-Ruel, Joseph Duveen, and Leo Castelli who capitalized on anti-establishment energy, new wealth, and post-war consumer culture to bring avant-garde art to the forefront.

Derrick Adams Offers Monumental Tribute to Koyo Kouoh in Venice

American artist Derrick Adams has installed a monumental portrait of the late curator Koyo Kouoh on a building façade near the Arsenale in Venice, ahead of the 2026 Venice Biennale that Kouoh was to curate. The painting, titled "Heavy is the head that wears the crown (2026)," depicts Kouoh with a crown that transforms into the word "JOY" emitting golden light. The project was spearheaded by curator Francesco Bonami, who invited Kouoh to serve on the jury of the 50th Venice Biennale, and is intended as an accessible public homage rather than an exclusive art-world event.

Story of enslaved boy featured in 1748 Joshua Reynolds portrait emerges in new study

A research project by the National Trust, the National Gallery in London, and Royal Museums Greenwich has uncovered new details about the identity of an enslaved boy known only as “Jersey,” who appears in a 1748 portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The painting, which hangs at Saltram in Devon, depicts Jersey with his enslaver, naval officer and MP Paul Henry Ourry. Through admiralty records, muster books, and baptismal certificates, researchers identified the boy as “Boston Jersey,” later baptised as George Walker, and found evidence of his naval service and possible path to freedom.

How Much Is That Chagall in the Window: Metropolitan Opera Faces Funding Crisis After Saudi Deal Collapse

The Metropolitan Opera in New York faces a $30 million deficit after a $200 million funding deal with Saudi Arabia collapsed. The Saudi government withdrew from the agreement, which would have sent Met performers to the Royal Diriyah Opera House for three weeks each February, citing economic pressures from the Iran War and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. To address the shortfall, the Met is considering selling two monumental Marc Chagall paintings—The Sources of Music and The Triumph of Music (1966)—valued at $55 million, along with other options like selling naming rights or seeking a similar deal with another country.

Aneta Grzeszykowska Shoots Poetic Portraits in a Mask of Herself at Age 14

Polish artist Aneta Grzeszykowska is presenting two photo series in New York: "Mama" (2018), featuring a life-like doll of herself played with by her young daughter, and "Daughter" (2025), for which she wears a mask of her 14-year-old self and poses with family members. "Mama" is included in the "New Humans" exhibition at the New Museum and previously appeared in the 2022 Venice Biennale's "Milk of Dreams." "Daughter" is on view at Lyles & King gallery on the Lower East Side through May 9, and also in the group show "Adolescence" at the Zachęta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw. The series extend Grzeszykowska's long-standing practice of manipulating family photographs, which began with her 2005 series "Album," where she removed herself from old family pictures.

How Will the Venice Biennale Impact Alma Allen’s Market?

Artist Alma Allen has been selected as America's representative at the Venice Biennale, sparking controversy due to the unusual selection process under President Trump. The pavilion is commissioned by the newly formed American Arts Conservancy, led by Jenni Parido, who previously ran a pet food lifestyle shop and entered Trump's orbit through Mar-a-Lago pet charity events. Following the announcement, Allen's galleries Olney Gleason and Mendes Wood DM dropped him, but he was quickly picked up by high-profile gallery Perrotin. The article examines how the Biennale and its attendant drama might affect Allen's market, noting his longtime collectors include Beth Rudin DeWoody, Peter Morton, Jack Pierson, and others, while his auction prices have remained modest.

'Frank Gehry' at Gagosian, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, United States on 14 May–27 Jun 2026

Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills is presenting a posthumous exhibition of works by architect Frank Gehry, opening on May 14, 2026. The show, realized in collaboration with Gehry's family and studio, features animal-themed sculptures and works on paper, including the life-size stainless steel 'Bear with Us' (2014), 'Fish on Fire' (2023), and the early 'A Pair of Snake Lamps' (1989).

6 Black-owned Galleries Placing Artists in Major Museum Collections

Six Black-owned galleries—Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Gallery Guichard, Galerie Myrtis, Richard Beavers Gallery, and Jenkins Johnson Gallery—are profiled for their success in placing artists into major museum collections. Each gallery has built institutional relationships that lead to acquisitions by museums such as the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Bronx Museum, often retaining artists through the placement stage to capture long-term market value.

In Venice, Hernan Bas Paints the Problem With Modern Tourism

American artist Hernan Bas has created a series of 40 paintings critiquing modern tourism, set to open in May at Ca' Pesaro–International Gallery of Modern Art in Venice during the Biennale. Titled "The Visitors," the exhibition depicts young white male American tourists engaging in objectionable behaviors worldwide—from begpacking to visiting disaster sites—painted with Bas's signature attention to clothing details. The works were developed during a residency in Venice, a city emblematic of overtourism, in collaboration with Victoria Miro, Lehmann Maupin, and Perrotin galleries.

Exhibition | Carlos Garaicoa, 'Rituals and Liberty' at Goodman Gallery, New York, United States

Goodman Gallery presents Carlos Garaicoa's first solo exhibition at its New York viewing room, titled 'Rituals and Liberty.' The show features eight works, including five reliefs that blend painting and photography, and sculptural models incorporating 19th-century French engravings. The exhibition precedes Garaicoa's solo show at Museo La Tertulia in Cali, Colombia, in May. Garaicoa, a Cuban-born artist based in Madrid, explores urbanism and how architecture reflects and shapes society, continuing his long-standing interest in decoding urban infrastructures.

The Nearly Sixty-Year Career of Legendary Gallerist Enzo Cannaviello: A Wide-Ranging Interview

I quasi sessant’anni di carriera del leggendario gallerista Enzo Cannaviello. Intervista a tutto campo

Legendary Italian gallerist Enzo Cannaviello reflects on a career spanning nearly sixty years, marked by the opening of his ninth gallery space in Milan. The interview traces his journey from founding his first space in Caserta in 1968 to his influential years in Rome and his ultimate establishment in Milan, which he considers the only true art market in Italy. Cannaviello discusses his unwavering commitment to painting, his pivotal role in promoting the German Neo-Expressionists (Neue Wilde), and the current exhibition dedicated to Mimmo Rotella.

Gearing Up for Venice

The 2026 Venice Biennale's awards jury has announced it will not consider artists from countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, specifically naming Israel and Russia. In other news, satellite imagery confirms Azerbaijan demolished an Armenian church in Artsakh, the World Press Photo of the Year was awarded to Carol Guzy for an image of ICE detaining a father, and Argentine abstract painter Ides Kihlen died at age 108. Hyperallergic also published a guide to the Biennale by Hrag Vartanian and reported on Lynda Roscoe Hartigan's appointment as director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Art Problems: Do I Need to Go to Art Fairs?

Art critic Paddy Johnson addresses the common dilemma faced by unrepresented artists regarding the necessity of attending major art fairs. While acknowledging that fairs can be physically exhausting and prohibitively expensive, Johnson argues that their true value lies in strategic information gathering and long-term career planning rather than immediate sales or representation.

It’s Gabriele Münter’s World, We’re Just Living in It

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is hosting "Contours of a World," a retrospective dedicated to Gabriele Münter, a co-founder of the Blue Rider group. The exhibition moves beyond the shadow of her long-time partner Wassily Kandinsky, showcasing her distinct approach to German Expressionism through photography, intimate domestic scenes, and vibrant landscapes. Unlike her contemporaries who leaned toward total abstraction, Münter utilized bold outlines and layered compositions to create a dynamic, phenomenological experience of seeing.

How Tech Billionaires Turn Couture into Content

Wie Tech-Milliardäre Couture zu Content machen

The Met Gala, long considered the premier event for fashion and cultural influence, has become increasingly dominated by tech billionaires. This year, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos purchased their role as co-hosts, sparking protests in New York and raising questions about whether money alone now buys entry into the highest echelons of fashion. Individual tickets cost $10,000 and a table $350,000, with sponsors including OpenAI, Snapchat, and Meta. The event, organized by Anna Wintour to raise funds for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, raised $31 million last year but has transformed from a benefit into a spectacle optimized for viral moments and algorithmic appeal.

The Beautiful Renaissance of the [mac] in Marseille

La belle renaissance du [mac] à Marseille

The [mac] (Musée d’Art Contemporain) in Marseille is undergoing a significant revival following years of stagnation and underfunding. Under the new leadership of Stéphanie Airaud, who was appointed in 2023, the museum has completed major renovations including updated storage facilities, a new rooftop terrace, and a reorganized gallery layout. The institution is leveraging its impressive but previously underutilized collection of over 1,000 works—featuring masters like Basquiat, Klein, and Saint Phalle—while actively working to correct historical gender imbalances and strengthen ties to Mediterranean contemporary art.

Artists Criticize Somalia’s First-Ever Venice Biennale Pavilion: ‘This Pavilion Does Not Speak for Us’

Somalia's inaugural pavilion at the Venice Biennale has sparked significant backlash from the nation's domestic art community. Four major Somali art spaces and nine local artists issued a joint statement criticizing the pavilion for failing to include or consult artists currently living and working within Somalia. The controversy centers on the selection of three diaspora artists based in Europe and the appointment of a Venice-based co-curator, which critics argue ignores the cultural workers who have rebuilt the country's art scene under difficult conditions.