‘It was life-changing’: the celebrated art historian who spent 46 years sitting for Frank Auerbach

Art historian and curator Catherine Lampert is the subject of a career-spanning profile following the opening of her latest exhibition, 'Euan Uglow: An Arc from the Eye,' at MK Gallery. The article details her deep personal and professional relationships with giants of British figurative painting, including Lucian Freud, Frank Auerbach, and Euan Uglow. Lampert, who served as the director of the Whitechapel Gallery for over a decade, continues to be a prolific force in the art world, recently co-authoring Freud’s catalogue raisonné and curating major retrospectives.

Estonia exports a modernist, Glasgow gets poetic and Leonora Carrington goes wild – the week in art

The article is a weekly roundup of art events and news highlights. It spotlights several upcoming exhibitions, including a showcase of Estonian modernist Konrad Mägi in London, a poetic conceptual art show by Fiona Banner in Glasgow, lyrical paintings by Turner Prize-shortlisted Hurvin Anderson at Tate Britain, and a surrealist exhibition of Leonora Carrington's work at London's Freud Museum. It also mentions films by Rehana Zaman and features an image story about a unique, family-run trompe l'oeil painting school in Brussels.

For Italy’s Art Pioneer, a New Bronze Age

Giuseppe Penone, a leading figure of the Arte Povera movement, is preparing a major exhibition at Gagosian gallery in New York. The show will feature new bronze sculptures that continue his lifelong exploration of nature, form, and the human body, created in collaboration with curator Adam Weinberg, the former director of the Whitney Museum of American Art.

What’s the True State of Bangkok’s Art Ecosystem?

The article examines the current state of Bangkok's art scene, which is experiencing a surge of private investment and international attention. New institutions like UNITED Unlimited and Misiem's/bangkok are opening, and events like the Bangkok Art Biennale are gaining prominence, leading some international media to compare the city's potential to art hubs like Miami.

Museum as Dreaming Machine

Artist Refik Anadol, cofounder of Refik Anadol Studio, announces the opening of DATALAND, a new museum for data designed from the ground up in collaboration with architect Frank Gehry at The Grand LA. The project aims to create an architectural space inherently designed for immersive, AI-generated, and constantly evolving art, moving beyond the need to retrofit traditional museum structures like the white cube.

How a Louise Bourgeois Print Inspired Eden Xu-Martinez’s Intimate Collection

Eden Xu-Martinez, a collector and art administration professional, has built a personal collection centered on the accessibility and intimacy of prints. Her journey into collecting was catalyzed by a lithography course at Columbia University and a profound encounter with a Louise Bourgeois print, which shifted her perspective on the medium from mere reproduction to a deeply personal form of artistic expression.

Is Hong Kong Back? The GRAND PRIX de Basel 2026

Hong Kong’s art scene experienced a massive surge of activity in March 2026, anchored by Art Basel Hong Kong and Art Central. The city hosted 240 galleries at the main fair, drawing over 91,000 visitors, alongside numerous boutique fairs, auction previews, and major institutional exhibitions. Highlights included a reassembled 1964 Yayoi Kusama installation at Art Intelligence Global, a lecture by Zhang Xiaogang at Asia Art Archive, and a poignant solo show by artist duo Chow and Lin at SC Gallery.

Turner prize shortlist announced

The Turner Prize shortlist for 2026 has been announced, featuring four artists: Simeon Barclay, nominated for his spoken-word performance 'The Ruin'; Tanoa Sasraku, recognized for her solo exhibition 'Morale Patch' exploring the political history of oil; Kira Freije, shortlisted for her first major solo show 'Unspeak the Chorus'; and Marguerite Humeau, nominated for her exhibition 'Torches'. The shortlist was selected by a jury chaired by Alex Farquharson, director of Tate Britain, who praised the diverse range of work spanning installation, performance, and sculpture. An exhibition of the shortlisted artists will be held at Teesside University's Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (Mima) from September 2026 to March 2027, with the winner announced on December 10, 2026, receiving £25,000.

Aspen Art Fair Names More Than 35 Exhibitors for 2026 Edition at Hotel Jerome

The Aspen Art Fair has announced more than 35 exhibitors for its third edition, returning to the Hotel Jerome from July 29 through August 1, 2026. This will be the first edition under director Kelly Cornell, who also leads the Dallas Art Fair. Newcomers include Albertz Benda, Friedman Benda, Library Street Collective, Monique Meloche Gallery, and R & Company, alongside returning galleries such as Marianne Boesky Gallery, Perrotin, Sean Kelly, and Galerie Gmurzynska. The fair will debut an outdoor sculpture garden and continue its Art Prize Program with residencies and commissions through Anderson Ranch Arts Center and Buckhorn Public Arts. It also coincides with the AIR festival organized by the Aspen Art Museum and partners with the Aspen Education Foundation to support local student artists.

Philadelphia Is Rich With Museums and Galleries. ‘Elsewhere’ Aims to Find Out If It Can Support an Art Fair

Philadelphia gallerist Megan Galardi is launching a new art fair called Elsewhere, set to debut June 4–6 at the Yowie Hotel on South Street. The fair will feature 27 exhibitors from cities including London, New York, and Philadelphia, with seven local dealers such as Fleisher/Ollman, Blah Blah Gallery, and Fjord. Galardi, who founded Blah Blah Gallery in 2023 and has participated in small New York fairs like Spring/Break and Future Fair, designed Elsewhere as a boutique, hotel-based event that offers a lower-cost, more intimate alternative to large-scale art fairs.

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.

Emails Suggest Venice Biennale Organizers Planned for Limited Russian Participation, SF Appoints First Arts and Culture Director, and More: Morning Links for April 28, 2026

Emails between Venice Biennale organizers and the Russian Pavilion commissioner reveal plans for limited Russian participation: the pavilion would open during the vernissage (May 5–8) with live performances, then close to the public after May 9, with multimedia documentation viewable from outside. The messages, dating to June 2025, also show Biennale staff helping Russian artists obtain visas. Organizers insist they complied with European sanctions, which prohibit financial support or direct collaboration with state-backed Russian entities. Separately, San Francisco has appointed Matthew Goudeau as its first executive director of arts and culture, a new role overseeing three public art agencies amid local arts closures.

South Carolina Artist Aldwyth Dies, The Box Closes in LA, and More: Morning Links for April 27, 2026

A New York federal jury has awarded the Morgan Art Foundation $102.2 million in damages after finding that art publisher Michael McKenzie isolated artist Robert Indiana near the end of his life and created unauthorized versions of his iconic "LOVE" works. Separately, South Carolina collage artist Aldwyth (Mary Aldwyth Dickman) has died at age 90, known for intricate assemblages made in a treehouse studio. In Los Angeles, influential gallery The Box, founded by Mara McCarthy with her father Paul McCarthy, announced it will close after 19 years. Other news includes the dismantling of the Armand Vaillancourt fountain in San Francisco, preservationist concerns over Trump's Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool project, and a new JR installation in Venice inspired by Veronese's "The Wedding at Cana."

LA’s The Box Gallery to Close After 19 Years

The Box, a prominent Los Angeles gallery, announced it will close after 19 years, with its final exhibition—a two-venue collaboration with Parker Gallery for late California artist Wally Hedrick—ending April 4. The closure will be marked by a fashion show for Johanna Went on June 6. Founder Mara McCarthy cited a combination of factors, including changing economics around support for her father Paul McCarthy's work and the loss of her family's homes in the January 2025 Eaton fire, as making continued operation impossible.

Dealer Matthew Brown More Than Doubles His Los Angeles Space with Move to Hollywood Media District: ‘I Really Believe in LA’

Los Angeles art dealer Matthew Brown is relocating his gallery to a significantly larger, 13,000-square-foot former warehouse in the Hollywood Media District. The new space, designed by architect Markus Dochantschi, more than doubles his exhibition area and includes offices, viewing rooms, and storage. The inaugural exhibition will feature artist Mimi Lauter, marking her first Los Angeles show in eight years.

The Met is Finally Treating Lee Krasner as Pollock’s Equal—Will the Market Follow?

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced a major upcoming exhibition titled "Krasner and Pollock: Past Continuous," which aims to present Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock as artistic equals. While the museum's narrative seeks to reframe Krasner as a formidable figure of the New York School on her own terms, the art market continues to reflect a significant valuation gap. Pollock’s auction record stands at over $61 million, while Krasner’s peak public sale remains just under $12 million, highlighting the persistent commercial struggle for female Abstract Expressionists.

Non-European artists are sorely under-represented in Paris galleries; Spanish minister officially rejects Guernica loan request by Basque government

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A new study by curator Louise Thurin and 193 Gallery founder César Lévy reveals significant demographic imbalances in Paris's commercial art scene. While female representation has tripled over the last decade to nearly 35%, artists born outside of Europe and North America remain marginalized, accounting for less than 15% of gallery rosters combined. Additionally, Spain’s Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun has officially denied a request to loan Pablo Picasso’s 'Guernica' to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, citing the masterpiece's extreme fragility and the need to follow conservation expert advice.

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Melvin Edwards, the pioneering sculptor known for his powerful steel assemblages and "Lynch Fragments" series, has died at the age of 88 in Baltimore. Edwards was a trailblazer who reframed Minimalism by infusing it with political and cultural weight, becoming the first Black sculptor to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum in 1970. His work utilized industrial materials like chains and barbed wire to address histories of enslavement, anti-Black violence, and global conflict while maintaining a sophisticated abstract language.

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The New Museum in New York has officially reopened following a two-year closure for a major expansion designed by OMA. The renovation doubles the institution's footprint to 60,000 square feet, introducing a central spiral staircase that seamlessly connects the original SANAA-designed building with the new structure. The reopening is marked by the massive group exhibition "New Humans: Memories of the Future," a sprawling survey featuring over 200 artists curated by artistic director Massimiliano Gioni.

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Thaddaeus Ropac has announced global representation of the Martha Diamond Trust in collaboration with David Kordansky Gallery. The late New York painter, who passed away in 2023, is known for her expressive, gestural cityscapes of Manhattan that balance abstraction and figuration. The partnership aims to elevate Diamond’s international profile, beginning with her first European museum survey at the Sara Hildén Art Museum in Finland in 2026, followed by a solo exhibition at Ropac’s Paris gallery in 2027.

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Stephen Friedman Gallery has announced it will close its New York location in Tribeca by the end of February 2026, less than 30 months after its high-profile opening. The gallery framed the decision as a "strategic evolution" intended to consolidate resources at its London headquarters while maintaining a presence at major international art fairs. Despite the closure, the gallery maintains that its artist roster remains unchanged and its influence in the U.S. will continue through institutional exhibitions.

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The UK government has issued a temporary export ban on Howard Hodgkin’s painting "Mrs Acton in Delhi" (1967–71) following its record-breaking £1.7 million sale at Bonhams. The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) intervened after the buyer applied for an export license, triggering a deferral period that allows British museums or galleries until June 4 to match the auction price and keep the work within the country.

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The Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Tehran, has sustained damage following US-Israeli airstrikes targeting the Iranian capital. According to Iran’s cultural heritage minister, Reza Salehi-Amiri, the Qajar-era complex suffered damage to its historic windows, doors, and mirrors due to blast shockwaves and debris. The escalation of the regional conflict has further impacted cultural hubs across the Middle East, with debris falling near Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island and major institutions in Qatar and the UAE temporarily closing their doors.

Strikes Damage UNESCO Sites in Israel and Iran; Cologne Cathedral to Charge Tourists Entry

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Escalating conflict in the Middle East has resulted in significant damage to UNESCO World Heritage sites in both Israel and Iran. In Tel Aviv, Iranian missile strikes damaged Bauhaus-style buildings in the White City district and the Habima National Theater, while Israeli and US bombings reportedly struck Tehran’s historic Golestan Palace. Meanwhile, the Cologne Cathedral announced it will begin charging tourists an entry fee in July to address a financial crisis, following a trend of European landmarks seeking new revenue streams for monument upkeep.

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Rena Bransten, a foundational figure in the San Francisco art scene, has died at the age of 92 following a heart attack and a subsequent fall. Since founding her eponymous gallery in 1975, Bransten became a champion for California-based artists, with a pioneering focus on women and artists of color. Her gallery represented major figures including John Waters, Dawoud Bey, and Fred Wilson, evolving from its origins in ceramics to a multidisciplinary powerhouse that recently transitioned to a nomadic model.

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Digital artist Kevin Esherick's solo debut at New York’s Heft Gallery has sparked a legal confrontation with painter George Condo. The exhibition features AI-generated works trained to mimic the styles of prominent contemporary artists, including Beeple, Cindy Sherman, and Salman Toor. While most artists were receptive to the project, Condo’s legal team issued a cease-and-desist letter regarding three specific paintings, leading the gallery to shroud the disputed works in black velvet and display the redacted legal notice in their place.

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The art world saw a wave of significant personnel shifts and representation updates this week, highlighted by Travesía Cuatro adding Zimbabwean artist Virginia Chihota to its roster and Esther Schipper announcing representation of Saâdane Afif. Institutional moves include the Baltimore Museum of Art appointing Rhea L. Combs and Ellen McBreen to curatorial fellowships, while Joe Hill was named the new Director and CEO of Yorkshire Sculpture Park ahead of its 50th anniversary.

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Japanese artist Yuko Mohri has gained international acclaim for her kinetic, sound-based installations that utilize decaying organic matter and found objects to create unpredictable ecosystems. Her recent presentation at the 2024 Venice Biennale's Japanese Pavilion featured sculptures powered by the electrical currents of decomposing fruit and water systems that embraced the pavilion's porous architecture, even during torrential rain.

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Artist Nick Cave and his partner Bob Faust have transformed an abandoned Chicago textile factory into a vast live-work-gallery complex called Facility. The space houses their apartment, studios for themselves and ten assistants, and a street-facing gallery for emerging artists. Cave is preparing for a major exhibition, "Mammoth," at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, while also working on large-scale public commissions, including a sculpture for Princeton University Art Museum and a collaborative installation for the Obama Presidential Center.

what to see milan best museums galleries 2026 winter olympics 1234772408

The 2026 Winter Olympics are set to begin in Milan, Italy, with an opening ceremony featuring Mariah Carey at San Siro Stadium. While most events take place across northern Italy, the article provides a guide to Milan's top museums and galleries for art-loving visitors during the three-week games. Highlights include exhibitions at Fondazione Prada (with works by Mona Hatoum and Hito Steyerl), Pirelli HangarBicocca (Nan Goldin's "This Will Not End Well" and Benni Bosetto's "Rebecca"), Pinacoteca di Brera (Italian masterpieces plus Giorgio Armani garments), and Museo del Novecento (sports-themed posters by Armando Testa). Several commercial galleries also feature solo shows by artists such as Emily Sunblad, Claudia Losi, and Jonathan Lyndon Chase.