Spain’s galleries are protesting against high taxes—can Arco Madrid help voice their concerns?

The 45th edition of Arco Madrid, Spain’s premier contemporary art fair, is set to host 206 galleries from 36 countries at the Ifema convention centre. While the fair remains a vital commercial hub, it is currently overshadowed by a nationwide protest from Spanish galleries against the country's 21% VAT on art purchases. This tax rate is among the highest in Europe, significantly outpacing neighbors like Portugal and France, leading to concerns about international competitiveness and the classification of contemporary art as a luxury elite product.

Despite years of political and economic turmoil, Iran’s art market is thriving

Tehran Auction, Iran's premier auction house, held a $1.5 million art sale at the Azadi Hotel in October, selling 120 works by top Iranian Modern and contemporary artists. This strong domestic performance contrasts sharply with the weak showing of Iranian art at Sotheby's and Christie's in London, where prices have slowed amid sanctions and geopolitical isolation.

Experimental Funding Schemes and Militant Analysis: The Experience of CERFI

The Center for Institutional Studies, Research, and Training (CERFI), a research cooperative co-founded by Félix Guattari in the wake of May 1968, sought to merge militant political practice with institutional psychotherapy. By adopting a model of 'analytical self-management,' the group utilized rotational roles and collective research to avoid the hierarchies and alienation typical of traditional academic and political organizations. This experimental structure was heavily influenced by the 'grid' system used at the La Borde psychiatric clinic, aiming to turn administrative labor into a tool for subjective liberation.

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Luxembourg’s Culture Minister, Éric Thill, is defending the country’s €540,000 budget for the upcoming 61st Venice Biennale following criticism from the right-wing Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR). Lawmakers questioned the high cost and the provocative nature of artist Aline Bouvy’s project, "La Merde," a feminist commentary centered on a personification of excrement. Critics argued the expenditure is unjustifiable given current social challenges and compared it unfavorably to the smaller budget of the national cultural observatory.

what would happen to auction houses if luxury art sales 1234773779

Major auction houses including Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips are experiencing a significant shift as luxury goods—such as cars, watches, handbags, and jewelry—see explosive growth while fine art sales decline. In 2025, fine art sales at the 'Big Three' fell by 35% to $7.04 billion, whereas luxury auction sales rose 18% to $1.84 billion. This trend is most visible at Sotheby’s, where luxury now accounts for a third of total revenue, driven by massive private sales and strategic expansions into sectors like collector cars.

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Belgian fashion designer Dries Van Noten and his partner, chef Patrick Vangheluwe, have acquired the historic 15th-century Palazzo Pisani Moretta on Venice’s Grand Canal to establish the Fondazione Dries Van Noten. The nonprofit foundation, set to open in April 2026 just before the 61st Venice Biennale, will host exhibitions, residencies, and events dedicated to the art of craftsmanship, blending traditional techniques with modern forms like AI and 3D printing. The 43,000-square-foot palazzo, known for its Carnival masquerade balls and film appearances, contains artworks by Tiepolo and was sold only to a buyer with a strong stewardship plan.

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Francis Ford Coppola sold a collection of seven personal watches at Phillips New York in early December 2025, raising millions to offset financial losses from his film Megalopolis (2024). The sale was led by a unique watch he co-designed with F.P. Journe, known as the FFC, which sold for $10.8 million—ten times its estimate and a world record for the brand. Other timepieces, including a Patek Philippe and a Breguet, also far exceeded their high estimates.

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Cartier has opened a theatrical pop-up exhibition titled "Into the Wild" in Miami during Art Week, showcasing its archive of animal-themed jewelry and objets. The exhibition guides visitors through five staged "worlds" featuring the iconic Panthère motif alongside other fauna and flora, with vintage pieces from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, and a finale by Berlin-based artist Clare Celeste. The experience concludes with golf carts transporting guests to Cartier's newly renovated Miami flagship boutique.

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A rare Fabergé Imperial egg, the Winter Egg, sold for £22.8 million ($30.2 million) at Christie’s London on December 2, 2025, setting a new world auction record for any Fabergé work. The egg was a 1913 Easter gift from Tsar Nicholas II to his mother, Maria Feodorovna, and was designed by Alma Pihl, one of the few women working in Fabergé’s St. Petersburg workshops. It had previously sold at Christie’s in 1994 and 2002, each time setting records.

Exhibition Review and Studio Visit Feature: Contemporary Color Field Painter Vanessa Johansson

Contemporary painter Vanessa Johansson recently debuted her solo exhibition at the Sky Garden Penthouse in Gramercy Park, New York. Curated by Jenny Mushkin Goldman of Agency Esta, the show featured Johansson’s large-scale acrylic on canvas works, which utilize fluid, transparent layers to evoke the spiritual and visual language of mid-20th-century Color Field abstraction. Pieces such as the triptych 'Windows' and the diptych 'Flow State' demonstrate her intuitive approach to motion, buoyancy, and orbital forms.

Artfully Aired: Balloon Art Exhibition Opens in Dallas in November

The Balloon Museum, founded in Rome in 2021, will open its exhibition “Let’s Fly—Art Has No Limits” at Dallas’ South Side Studios on November 22, running through April 26. The multisensory show spans over 65,000 square feet and features large-scale inflatable and air-based installations by 18 international artists, including Sasha Frolova, Lucas Zanotto, Camilla Falsini, and Ouchhh, created by Italy-based Lux Entertainment.

Artfully Aired: Balloon Art Exhibition Opens in Dallas in November

The Balloon Museum, founded in Rome in 2021, will open its exhibition "Let's Fly—Art Has No Limits" at Dallas' South Side Studios on November 22, running through April 26. The multisensory show spans over 65,000 square feet and features large-scale inflatable and air-based installations by 18 international artists, including Sasha Frolova, Lucas Zanotto, Camilla Falsini, and Ouchhh. Created by Italy-based Lux Entertainment, the exhibition explores themes of flight, freedom, and lightness through works like Michael Shaw's 44-meter "Lava Lamp" and Christopher Schardt's 26-foot butterfly sculpture with 39,000 LEDs.

Statement of Intention by the International Jury of the 61st International Art Exhibition In Minor Keys of La Biennale di Venezia

The international jury for the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, titled "In Minor Keys," has issued a statement declaring their intention to exclude from consideration any countries whose leaders are currently charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. The jury, chaired by Solange Farkas and including members Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi, was selected by artistic director Koyo Kouoh to award the Golden and Silver Lions among the 110 artists in the exhibition.

The Irresistible Force of Thinking and Acting Together

Guest curator Greg de Cuir Jr. interviews five prominent artist duos—including Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, and OJOBOCA—to explore the mechanics of collaborative practice and shared life. The participants discuss the origins of their partnerships, ranging from the necessity of navigating new environments like Berlin’s analog film scene to the shared political and aesthetic urgency following the Lebanese Civil Wars.

Is It Simple to Be a Communist in Philosophy? Review of Alberto Toscano, Communism in Philosophy

Is It Simple to Be a Communist in Philosophy? Review of Alberto Toscano, Communism in Philosophy

The article reviews Alberto Toscano's book 'Communism in Philosophy', which examines the intellectual convergence of philosophers Alain Badiou and Antonio Negri. Both thinkers, whose major works gained prominence in the early 2000s, are analyzed for their shared commitment to rethinking communism as a philosophical concept beyond its historical political failures.

On the Background in the Cinema

Film Notes has published a new essay by scholar Tiago de Luca, drawn from his research on environment and cinema. The essay focuses on the conceptual and aesthetic role of the background in film, tracing its technical history and examining its relation to power, marginalization, and environmental crisis.

How Much Did It Cost to Paint a Pompeii Room Egyptian Blue?

How Much Did It Cost to Paint a Pompeii Room Egyptian Blue?

A new study has calculated the staggering cost of painting a room in Pompeii with Egyptian blue pigment. Researchers determined that covering the walls of a recently discovered "Blue Room," a sacred shrine, would have required between 2.7 and 4.9 kilograms of the prized synthetic pigment. Based on prices recorded by Pliny the Elder, this quantity of high-grade pigment would have cost between 50% and 90% of a Roman legionary's annual salary, highlighting it as an extreme luxury.

India’s Art Market Thrives on New Wealth, and a Whale

The article reports that India's art market is experiencing significant growth, driven by the emergence of new wealth and the presence of a major collector, referred to as a "whale." This surge is characterized by increasing auction sales and a rising demand for modern and contemporary Indian art, with notable activity from wealthy individuals and investors entering the market.

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A rare sapphire necklace known as the “Royal Blue” sold for HKD 125,450,000 ($16,131,051) at Christie’s Hong Kong on Tuesday, during the auction house’s Hong Kong Luxury Week Autumn 2025. The necklace, featuring 104.61 carats of Kashmir Royal Blue sapphires, was the highlight of the “Magnificent Jewels” sale and fell within its pre-sale estimate of HKD 100–150 million.

Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village Unveils Debut Exhibition Featuring Legendary Graffiti Artist Risk

Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village is launching its first art gallery exhibition in November 2025, featuring the legendary graffiti artist RISK. The show will display works spanning his 38-year career, highlighting his signature blend of letterform, deconstruction, and layered color theory. RISK is known for pioneering graffiti on unconventional surfaces like freight trains and freeway overpasses, and his work has been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles and Beyond the Streets China.

IMA Gala and Benefit Auction 2025 at The Calile Hotel

The Institute of Modern Art (IMA) in Brisbane is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a gala and benefit auction on October 15, 2025, at The Calile Hotel. The black-tie event with a surrealist twist will feature a seated banquet, avant-garde performances, and a live auction of contemporary works by leading Australian artists, including newly crowned Archibald Prize winner Julie Fragar, Sam Cranstoun, Richard Bell, and Craig & Karl. Online bidding opens on October 15, and a raffle for luxury prizes from Brisbane brands is also available.

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Sotheby's Institute of Art, the academic arm of the Sotheby's auction house, is expanding its focus on luxury business education with three M.A. programs in Luxury Business. These programs, offered in New York and London as well as online, train students in sectors such as fashion, jewelry, watches, and wines and spirits, leveraging the institute's connections to the art market and luxury brands like Chanel, Cartier, LVMH, and Tiffany & Co. Program director Natasha Degen and Dr. Federica Carlotto emphasize the blurring boundaries between art and luxury, and the need for cross-disciplinary expertise.

Maison Margiela Opens "Tabi: Collectors Exhibition" in Chengdu, China

Maison Margiela has launched the “Tabi: Collectors Exhibition” at The Third Avenue Art Museum in Chengdu, China, running from April 9 to April 13, 2026. This immersive showcase features the personal archives of nine global collectors, including artist Theaster Gates and musician Zion.T, alongside a curated selection of the house’s own historical footwear dating back to 1989. The event is a key component of the brand's "MaisonMargiela/folders" initiative, which includes a series of regional activations across China and a digital open-source archive.

VISION brings 15 global artists to Siam Paragon’s new Art Jewel space

A new exhibition titled VISION has opened at the recently launched Art Jewel gallery space within Bangkok's Siam Paragon shopping mall. The show features works by fifteen artists from around the world, including notable figures like Japanese artist Kohei Nawa and Thai artist Pinaree Sanpitak, presenting a diverse range of contemporary art in a high-traffic commercial setting.

Mitchell Art Museum at St. John’s College Unveils New Exhibitions and Spring Events

The Mitchell Art Museum at St. John’s College has announced its spring programming lineup, headlined by the exhibition "In the VIDEODROME: Abjection and Alienation." Opening March 26, the show features seminal video works by Martha Rosler and Pipilotti Rist that critique systemic injustice and the societal treatment of women's bodies. The museum is also continuing its survey of Fluxus artist Ken Friedman, which encourages community participation through instructional art scores.

New exhibition opens at the Silo Hotel

The Silo Hotel in Cape Town has launched "The Salon," a new year-long exhibition located in its subterranean gallery space, The Vault. Curated in collaboration with Brundyn Arts & Culture, the show utilizes a traditional floor-to-ceiling salon hang to present works by emerging contemporary artists alongside South African masters such as William Kentridge, Zanele Muholi, and Dumile Feni. Access to the exhibition is restricted to private, guided walkthroughs led by the hotel’s dedicated art concierge, Michael Jacobs.

Japan’s favourite puffed corn snack was just sold at auction for ¥1.15 million

A limited-edition artwork by Japanese contemporary artist Tomokazu Matsuyama, titled 'Umaibo: Contemporary Art Flavour', sold at auction for ¥1.15 million (approximately $7,600 USD). The piece reimagines the iconic ¥15 Umaibo corn puff snack, a beloved cheap candy in Japan. Originally released in 2025 as a run of 50 sticks priced at ¥100,000 each, the work was first shown at Matsuyama's solo exhibition 'Tomokazu Matsuyama: First Last' at Azabudai Hills Gallery in Tokyo. The auction result represents over ten times the original retail price.

Turner Prize-winning artist Helen Marten stages epic opera during Art Basel Paris

Turner Prize-winning artist Helen Marten has created an epic opera-like exhibition titled "30 Blizzards." during Art Basel Paris, commissioned by fashion brand Miu Miu. The free exhibition at the Palais d'Iéna in Paris combines installation, video, and performance in a five-channel work activated by 30 performers, staged by theatre director Fabio Cherstich. The work features archetypal characters such as the Fox, the Mother, the Snail, and the Dog Walker, with a libretto written by Marten and music composed by Beatrice Dillon. This marks Marten's first foray into performance, expanding her sculptural and film practice into live, resonant bodies.

Ethics and Parafiction: A Conversation

Ethics and Parafiction: A Conversation

e-flux Screening Room hosted an event featuring artist and filmmaker Salomé Lamas on December 6, 2025. The program included screenings of her films 'Eldorado XXI' (2016) and 'Gold and Ashes' (2025), a presentation of her related publication, and a public conversation with curator Lukas Brasiskis. The published transcript focuses on Lamas's filmmaking process, particularly the logistical and ethical challenges of shooting in extreme locations like La Rinconada, Peru.

Russia and Israel cannot win any prizes at the next Venice Art Biennale 2026. The jury takes a stand

Russia e Israele non potranno vincere nessun premio alla prossima Biennale Arte di Venezia 2026. La giuria prende posizione

The international jury for the 61st Venice Biennale, led by Solange Farkas, has unanimously declared it will not consider countries whose leaders are currently accused of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. This means Russia and Israel are excluded from competing for the Golden Lion awards, including Best National Participation and Best Artist. The jury's statement, published on e-Flux Notes, emphasizes the Biennale's historical role as a platform connecting art with contemporary urgencies and acknowledges the complex relationship between artistic practice and state representation.