amy sherald time 2026 women of the year 2748921

Artist Amy Sherald has been named one of TIME magazine’s 2026 Women of the Year, a distinction honoring her leadership and commitment to equity. The recognition follows Sherald's high-profile decision to withdraw her solo exhibition, "American Sublime," from the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., after the institution attempted to censor or alter the presentation of her painting 'Trans Forming Liberty' (2024) due to political pressure. The Baltimore Museum of Art subsequently stepped in to host the show, where it has since shattered all-time attendance records for the institution.

leonora carrington les distractions de dagobert 2718627

In September 1945, exiled Surrealist painter Leonora Carrington completed her masterpiece *Les Distractions de Dagobert* (also known as *The Pleasures of Dagobert*), a densely layered canvas teeming with mythical figures, ritual fires, and medieval references. The painting, loosely inspired by the 7th-century Merovingian king Dagobert, depicts the monarch in a red robe on a cow-headed cart surrounded by enigmatic scenes. After a fierce 10-minute bidding war at Sotheby’s New York in May 2024, the work sold for $28.5 million to Argentine collector Eduardo F. Costantini, shattering Carrington’s previous auction record of $3.3 million. The painting is now on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art as part of the exhibition “Dreamworld: Surrealism at 100,” the show’s only North American stop.

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René Magritte’s *L’empire des lumières* series, comprising 17 oil paintings and 10 gouaches created between the late 1940s and early 1960s, juxtaposes a nocturnal street scene with a bright daytime sky. The article explores the origins, meaning, and market performance of these works, noting that they were inspired by a line from André Breton’s poem *L’Aigrette* and reflect Magritte’s own Brussels neighborhood. Recent auction sales have shattered records, including a 1954 version that sold for $121.2 million at Christie’s New York in November 2024, making it the most expensive Surrealist artwork ever sold at auction.

nnena kalu turner prize winner 2025 2726186

Nnena Kalu, a Glasgow-born, London-based artist known for her charged abstract works driven by rhythmic repetition, has won the 2025 Turner Prize, the U.K.'s top award for contemporary art. The announcement was made at a ceremony at Bradford Grammar School, with Kalu receiving £25,000 ($33,000) for her presentation at Bradford's Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, featuring a colorful installation of suspended bundles made from found materials like VHS tape, fabric, rope, and paper. Kalu, born in 1966, is the first learning disabled artist to be nominated for and win the Turner Prize, marking a historic milestone.

charisse pearlina weston shattered glass 2714106

Charisse Pearlina Weston, a rising artist known for transforming industrial materials like shattered glass and concrete into harmonious abstract works, is the subject of a profile highlighting her rapid ascent. Her first solo exhibition with Jack Shainman Gallery, titled "Mis-/Mé- (Squeeze)," opened in New York's Chelsea and runs through December 20, 2025. Weston, who gained attention with a solo presentation at Patron gallery during Frieze New York 2024, was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in April 2025 and has an installation at the Cecilia Alemani-curated SITE Santa Fe International. She will also have dual representation at Art Basel Miami Beach next month.

gentileschi auction lucretia 1703673

A rediscovered painting by Baroque master Artemisia Gentileschi, titled 'Lucretia,' sold for €4.8 million ($5.28 million) at an Artcurial auction in Paris, shattering the artist's previous auction record. The price soared to six times its high estimate, reflecting intense market competition for the rare work.

christies newhouse consignment pollock picasso brancusi masterworks 1234776047

Christie’s New York is set to headline its May marquee sales with a prestigious consignment from the collection of the late media magnate S.I. Newhouse. The offering features approximately 40 masterworks valued at an estimated $450 million, including Jackson Pollock’s drip painting "Number 7" (1948) and Constantin Brancusi’s bronze sculpture "Danaïde" (1913). Both works carry estimates of approximately $100 million, figures that would shatter the existing auction records for both artists if realized.

Claude Lalanne Mirror Ensemble Sells for $33.5 M., Breaking Design Auction Records

A custom ensemble of 15 mirrors by Claude Lalanne sold for $33.5 million at Sotheby's New York, shattering the artist's previous auction record and setting a new global benchmark for the most expensive design work ever sold at auction. The piece, commissioned in 1974 for Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé's Paris home, far exceeded its $10-15 million estimate.

Claude Lalanne’s set of bronze mirrors shatters artist's auction record at Sotheby's

A set of 15 bronze and copper mirrors by Claude Lalanne sold for $33.5 million at Sotheby's in New York, shattering the artist's previous auction record and surpassing the record price for works by her late husband and collaborator, François-Xavier Lalanne. The ensemble, which far exceeded its $15 million high estimate, drew fierce competition from five bidders over ten minutes.

Sotheby’s Shatters Records at Its Breuer Debut as a $236.4M Klimt Leads the $706M Evening Sale

Sotheby's held its debut evening sale at the Breuer building in New York on November 18, achieving a record-breaking $706 million total. The highlight was the white-glove auction of Leonard A. Lauder's collection of 20th-century masterpieces, which alone brought $527.5 million. Gustav Klimt's portrait *Bildnis Elisabeth Lederer* (1914-16) sold for $236.4 million, setting a new record for the artist and for Sotheby's Modern category. The evening also included a strong Contemporary sale led by Maurizio Cattelan's golden toilet at $12.1 million, with active bidding from Asian collectors.

A brush with… Kader Attia—podcast

Kader Attia, the Algerian-French artist born in 1970, is the subject of a podcast interview that explores his three-decade career across photography, collage, sculpture, installation, and sound. Attia, who lives in Berlin and Paris, discusses his central concept of "repair" and how it connects to violence, injury, colonialism, and political issues. He reflects on his Algerian-French identity, his travels in Congo and Mexico, and his influences from Michelangelo to writers like Karima Lazali, Édouard Glissant, and Aimé Césaire. The podcast also highlights his current exhibitions, including "Shattering and Gathering our Traces" at Lehmann Maupin in New York, "The Lost Paradise" at Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo in Seville, and "A Descent into Paradise" at Museo Amparo in Puebla, Mexico, as well as his participation in the Bienal de São Paulo and the 24th Paiz Art Biennial.

man steals sword paris joan of arc 1234768750

A man broke the sword off a statue of Joan of Arc in Paris's 8th arrondissement on Monday morning, January 5, 2026. Security camera footage captured him violently shaking the horse before climbing the statue and snapping the sword with his bare hands. The sword shattered into pieces, which were recovered after police apprehended the suspect nearby. Deputy Mayor Karen Taïeb stated the sword will be assessed for repair or reproduction, assuring the statue will be restored.

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Qatar has unveiled a new museum dedicated entirely to the late Indian Modernist artist M.F. Husain, titled Lawh Wa Qalam: M.F. Husain Museum. Located in Doha's Education City, the museum houses over 150 artworks spanning from the 1950s to his death in 2011, including paintings, poetry, photography, tapestries, sculptures, and installations. The museum, opened on November 28 by the Qatar Foundation chaired by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, fulfills a long-held dream of the artist, who was granted Qatari citizenship in 2010 after self-imposed exile from India. The building was designed by architect Martand Khosla based on a sketch Husain himself created for his envisioned museum.

lynne drexler painting sets a record at christies 1234763052

Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art day sale on Thursday achieved $88.7 million, with an 88% sell-through rate by lot and 90% by value. The standout lot was Lynne Drexler’s 1960 painting *Keller Fair II*, which sold for $2,027,000—shattering her previous auction record by nearly $500,000 and far exceeding its $800,000–$1.2 million estimate. The work, a dense abstraction from Drexler’s early 1960s period, was described by advisors and dealers as a rare, exceptional example.

Yves Saint Laurent–Owned Mirrors Shatter Record, Selling for $33.5 Million

A unique set of fifteen mirrors custom-made for fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé sold at Sotheby’s for $33.5 million, setting a new auction record for the artist Claude Lalanne. The gilt bronze, copper, and mirrored glass mirrors, created between 1974 and 1985, were originally displayed in the couple’s Paris apartment and were purchased from the collection of Jean and Terry de Gunzburg.

record 12 million at sothebys paris for recently discovered gentileschi 49959

A recently rediscovered painting by Baroque artist Artemisia Gentileschi sold for €865,000 ($1.19 million) at a Sotheby's Paris auction, shattering the artist's previous auction record set in 1998. The work, which had been hidden for over 80 years in southern France, fetched nearly three times its presale estimate after being identified by Sotheby's Old Master department.

Gustav Klimt portrait sells for about R4 billion, breaking modern-art auction records

Gustav Klimt's portrait "Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer" (1914–1916) sold for $236.4 million (about R4 billion) at a Sotheby's auction in New York, becoming the most expensive modern artwork ever sold at auction and the second most expensive painting in history, behind only Leonardo da Vinci's "Salvator Mundi." The sale, which featured works from the estate of billionaire collector Leonard Lauder, unfolded in a tense 20-minute bidding war among six collectors. The painting had been hidden from public view since the 1980s. The same auction also saw Maurizio Cattelan's 18-karat gold toilet "America" sell for over $12 million.

Gustav Klimt portrait sells for $236.4m, making it the second most expensive artwork ever sold at auction

Gustav Klimt's "Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer" sold for $236.4 million at Sotheby's New York on Tuesday night, becoming the second most expensive artwork ever sold at auction and the most expensive modern artwork ever auctioned. The six-foot-tall painting, created between 1914 and 1916, depicts the young heiress and daughter of Klimt's patrons. Six bidders competed for 20 minutes before the work was sold, though Sotheby's declined to name the buyer. The painting had been looted by the Nazis during World War II, returned to the Lederer family in 1948, and later acquired by Estée Lauder heir Leonard A. Lauder in 1985. Lauder died in June at age 92, and the sale was part of his collection auction that fetched $575.5 million total.

US-Israel Strikes Damage 17th-Century Chehel Sotoun Palace In Isfahan, Iran

Airstrikes conducted by the United States and Israel on Isfahan, Iran, have caused significant damage to the 17th-century Chehel Sotoun Palace and several other nearby cultural landmarks. The palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, suffered shattered windows, damaged vaulted ceilings, and cracked historic murals, likely due to shock waves from strikes on a nearby government building.

London’s Art Market Rebound: Sotheby’s Spring 2026 Recap

Sotheby’s London kicked off its Spring 2026 marquee season with a series of high-energy auctions, totaling £154 million across its Modern & Contemporary sales. The week was highlighted by a "white-glove" evening auction that achieved a 100% sell-through rate, led by Francis Bacon’s 1972 Self-Portrait which sold for £16 million. Significant records were set for British masters, most notably Leon Kossoff, whose painting "Children’s Swimming Pool" shattered estimates to reach £5.2 million.

London art market springs back to life in Sotheby's Modern and contemporary evening sale

Sotheby’s Modern and contemporary evening sale in London signaled a resilient recovery for the UK art market, totaling £131 million with fees and achieving a 98% sell-through rate. Despite geopolitical tensions and post-Brexit economic concerns, the auction room was notably crowded, driven by high-profile works from the collection of billionaire Joe Lewis. The evening's top lot was a 1972 Francis Bacon self-portrait, which sold for £16 million, while a major painting by Leon Kossoff shattered the artist's previous auction record.

Records for English painting and Fontana's cuts push the auction

Sotheby’s London kicked off the spring auction season with a robust modern and contemporary art evening sale, totaling £131.7 million and achieving a rare 100% sell-through rate. Despite global political uncertainty, the auction saw aggressive bidding for British post-war masterpieces and Italian avant-garde works. The event also marked the debut of Sotheby’s new commission structure, which lowers fees for high-value lots to incentivize larger transactions.

Saudi Artist Breaks Record with $2m Sale at Sotheby’s Diriyah Auction

A painting by Saudi artist Safeya Binzagr, 'Coffee Shop in Madina Road' (1968), sold for $2.06 million at Sotheby's Origins II auction in Diriyah, shattering its high estimate of $200,000. The sale set a new auction record for Binzagr and is the third-highest price ever achieved by an Arab artist at auction.

Michelangelo Pistoletto: ‘AI will not destroy humanity, we are doing it ourselves’

Italian artist and Arte Povera pioneer Michelangelo Pistoletto, aged 92, has opened a new exhibition at Helly Nahmad Gallery in London, pairing his latest Mirror Paintings with Cubist works by Pablo Picasso, including Picasso's 1924 painting *Partition, Guitare, Compotier*. In an interview with The Art Newspaper, Pistoletto discusses how his mirror works—first presented in 1963—break down the traditional perspective of art, reflecting society and reality in a 360-degree space-time continuum, and how Picasso's shattering of the image paved the way for his own innovations. He also touches on his Cittadellarte foundation in Biella, his Nobel Peace Prize nomination, and his "Third Paradise" philosophy.

Michelangelo Pistoletto: ‘AI will not destroy humanity, we are doing it ourselves’

Italian artist and Arte Povera pioneer Michelangelo Pistoletto, aged 92, has opened a new exhibition at Helly Nahmad Gallery in London, pairing his latest Mirror Paintings with Cubist works by Pablo Picasso, including Picasso's 1924 painting *Partition, Guitare, Compotier*. In an interview with The Art Newspaper, Pistoletto discusses how his mirror-based practice, first presented in 1963, reflects society and reality, and how Picasso's shattering of perspective paved the way for his own 360-degree, space-time-inclusive works. He also touches on his Cittadellarte foundation in Biella, his "Third Paradise" philosophy, and his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.

‘Occasionally a picture can change the course of history’: 33 scandalous photos that shocked the world

The article presents a curated collection of 33 photographs deemed to have caused public scandal, ranging from political and royal controversies to celebrity missteps and historical moments of defiance. It analyzes how these images, from Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre to Lee Miller in Hitler's bathtub, have exposed hidden truths, shattered carefully managed public images, and sometimes altered public perception or the course of events.

More UNESCO-Listed Sites Damaged by Airstrikes in Iran

Multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites in Iran, including the 17th-century Chehel Sotoun palace in Isfahan, have sustained significant damage from recent US-Israeli airstrikes. The attacks shattered historic windows, doors, and decorative tiles at several monuments in Isfahan's historic center, and also damaged the third-century Falak-ol-Aflak Citadel, despite the display of protective Blue Shield emblems.

Chehel Sotoun Damaged in Isfahan, Iran

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The 17th-century Chehel Sotoun Palace in Isfahan, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has sustained significant damage following airstrikes in the region. Reports and video footage indicate that the palace's grand windows were shattered and its historic doors blasted open after a strike targeted a nearby government building. This incident follows a similar attack just one week prior that damaged the Golestan Palace in Tehran, marking a troubling trend of collateral damage to Iran's most significant cultural landmarks.

Yoshitomo Nara's Work Sets Record for Highest Price in Domestic Korean Art Auction History

The work of artist Yoshitomo Nara, who represents Japanese contemporary art, has been sold at the hi..

Yoshitomo Nara’s 2016 painting "Nothing About It" has set a new record for the highest price ever achieved at a domestic South Korean art auction. Sold by Seoul Auction for 15 billion won (approximately $11 million), the work features the artist's signature wide-eyed child and surpassed its low estimate of 14.7 billion won. The same sale also saw Yayoi Kusama’s 2015 "Pumpkin" fetch 10.45 billion won, marking a historic session where multiple works exceeded the 10 billion won threshold.

Nara's Painting Challenges Korean Auction Record

Nara's Painting Challenges Korean Auction Record

Japanese pop art sensation Yoshitomo Nara is poised to shatter the record for the most expensive artwork ever sold at a South Korean auction. His 2016 painting 'Nothing about it,' featuring his signature wide-eyed girl, carries a pre-sale estimate of 14.7 billion to 22 billion Korean won ($11M–$16.5M USD). The work will headline Seoul Auction’s 'Contemporary Art Sale' on March 31, alongside major pieces by Yayoi Kusama and Roy Lichtenstein.