Masterworks from Jacob Rothschild collection go to London's National Gallery and V&A under acceptance in lieu scheme

Two masterworks from the collection of the late Jacob Rothschild—Guercino's *King David* (1651) and John Deare's *Edward and Eleanor* (1790)—have been allocated to London's National Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) respectively under the UK's acceptance in lieu (AIL) scheme. The Guercino painting settles £5.6 million in inheritance tax, and will be reunited with two related Guercino works already at the National Gallery. The marble relief by Deare enters the V&A's collection.

Commentary: This year's Met Gala proved one thing: The real devil who wears Prada is Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sánchez Bezos served as honorary co-chairs and sponsors of this year's Met Gala, sparking widespread protests and calls for boycotts. Guerrilla activist group Everyone Hates Elon plastered New York with anti-Bezos signage, and activists placed 300 bottles filled with fake urine inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art to highlight Amazon workers' bathroom break complaints. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani declined his invitation, and the absence of celebrities like Meryl Streep and Zendaya fueled speculation about a boycott, though representatives denied any coordinated protest. Despite the controversy, the gala proceeded with many attendees and is expected to raise more than last year's $31 million for the Costume Institute.

India Phillips Appointed Managing Director, Modern & Contemporary Art, Europe at Phillips

Phillips has appointed India Phillips as Managing Director, Modern & Contemporary Art, Europe, effective February 2026. Based in London and reporting directly to the CEO, she will focus on expanding the auction house's presence across Europe. Phillips joins after a decade at Bonhams, where she most recently served as Managing Director, EMEA. The announcement also includes promotions for Marianne Hoet to Chairman, Modern and Contemporary Art Europe, Olivia Thornton to Deputy Chairwoman, and Matt Langton to Deputy Chairman, Modern and Contemporary Art, Europe.

Exhibition | B. Koh, 'J Sculpture Show' at Baik Art, Seoul, South Korea

Conceptual sculptor B. Koh is holding his first solo exhibition in South Korea at Baik Art, Seoul, titled 'J Sculpture Show.' The exhibition features a comprehensive survey of the Los Angeles-based artist's career, spanning from his early 1990s experiments to new site-specific works created during a recent residency in Seoul. Koh is known for his "gentle trickery," using everyday objects like clocks, plastic chairs, and water bottles to create subtle interventions that disrupt the viewer's perception of time, gravity, and the mundane.

From Minor Keys to Uproar: The Crisis of the Venice Biennale

DE LAS MINOR KEYS AL ESTRUENDO: LA CRISIS DE LA BIENAL DE VENECIA

The 61st Venice Biennale is engulfed in a structural crisis, marked by geopolitical tensions over the inclusion of Russia (amid its invasion of Ukraine) and Israel (amid the Gaza genocide). The Biennale Foundation, led by Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, defended their participation on legalistic grounds, sparking outrage from over 200 artists, curators, and cultural workers who demanded Israel's exclusion, aligning with Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA). The international jury, chaired by Solange Farkas and including Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi, resigned collectively on April 30 after deciding not to award prizes to countries whose leaders face International Criminal Court arrest warrants. This led to the cancellation of the traditional Golden and Silver Lions, replaced by audience-voted "Visitor Lions," with awards deferred until November. The European Commission suspended a €2 million subsidy over Russia's participation, and Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli notably skipped the May 9 opening.

Beowolff Combines Artsy and Artnet in Digital Art Market Push

Beowolff Capital has consolidated two of the art world’s digital giants, Artsy and Artnet, under a single ownership structure. While both platforms will maintain their distinct brand identities, they will begin integrating their underlying infrastructure and data systems. Jeffrey Yin, the current leader of Artsy, will take the helm as CEO of the combined entity, with Beowolff founder Andrew Wolff serving as chairman.

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Thieves stole the entire silver collection of the Doesburg Silver Museum in the eastern Dutch city of Doesburg in the early hours of Wednesday morning. More than 300 "irreplaceable" objects, including a treasured collection of mustard pots assembled by the museum's founder Martin de Kleijn, were taken after two men forced entry into the 13th-century Martini Church housing the museum. CCTV footage shows the duo using a crowbar to break in and shatter display cabinets. Only ceramics on temporary display were left behind. The museum is insured, but chairman Ernst Boesveld emphasized the loss is about history and cultural heritage, not just the silver price.

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Bernard Arnault, the billionaire art collector and LVMH chairman, harshly criticized a proposed French tax on the ultra-wealthy, calling it "offensive" and "deadly for our economy." The plan, devised by economist Gabriel Zucman, would impose a 2% tax on the wealth of the richest individuals, projected to raise 20 billion euros ($27 billion). Arnault, worth $156 billion according to Forbes, insulted Zucman as a "far-left activist" with "pseudo-academic competence," prompting a rebuttal from Zucman and support from economist Thomas Piketty.

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New College of Florida, a public liberal arts school in Sarasota that was overhauled by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2023 to become a conservative institution, announced on September 17, 2025, that it will commission a statue of Charlie Kirk, the right-wing activist and founder of Turning Point USA who was assassinated in Utah the previous week. The statue, privately funded by community leaders, will depict Kirk seated at a table with two empty chairs, speaking into a microphone, and is intended to honor his legacy and commitment to free speech and civil discourse on campus.

Artnet and Artsy Come Together Under Shared Leadership

Artnet and Artsy, two of the most influential digital platforms in the art world, have merged under a single leadership structure following a series of acquisitions by Beowolff Capital. Jeffrey Yin has been appointed CEO of the unified company, while Beowolff founder Andrew Wolff will serve as chairman. Despite the shared management, both entities will maintain their distinct branding, with Artnet focusing on market data and journalism while Artsy continues its emphasis on art discovery and e-commerce.

Binoculars, selfies and epic leaps: Grand National meeting 2026 – in pictures

Award-winning photographer Tom Jenkins captures the high-stakes atmosphere of the 2026 Grand National meeting at Aintree. The photo essay documents the dramatic physical feats of the horses, including falls at the notorious 'Chair' fence, alongside the vibrant social culture of the spectators, from the high-fashion 'Style Awards' on Ladies’ Day to the rain-soaked crowds of the final day.

"Suddenly it was a completely different world"

"Es war plötzlich eine ganz andere Welt"

Margot Pilz, a pioneer of the feminist avant-garde, is reviving her historic 1982 art intervention "Kaorle" for the Klima Biennale in Vienna. Originally conceived as Europe's first urban beach, the installation transformed Vienna's Karlsplatz by depositing tons of sand and installing a palm tree, deck chairs, and a synthetic whale in a pond to create a surreal coastal escape in the city center.

parties metropolitan museum vanguard dinner

The Metropolitan Museum of Art hosted its 2026 Vanguard Council dinner, celebrating the institution's youngest patrons. The evening featured a Chinese-inflected menu developed by James Beard Award-nominated wine bar Lei, remarks from Met CEO Max Hollein and Vanguard Council co-chair Arielle Patrick, and a crowd of New York tastemakers including dealer Lucas Zwirner, patron Laila Blavatnik, and designer Isabel Wilkinson Schor. Guests departed with custom tote bags as parting gifts.

design matter and shape paris fair

Matter and Shape, a design salon held concurrently with Paris Fashion Week, returns for its third edition from March 6–9 at the Jardin des Tuileries. Curated by artistic director Dan Thawley and founder Matthieu Pinet, the fair transforms two pavilions into a temporary city of objects, featuring collectible design, practical luxury, and emerging studios. This year's theme, “scale,” prompts visitors to consider both micro craft gestures and macro production systems, with a focus on ethical and sustainable practices. Exhibitors include Lindsey Adelman Studio, a reading room with Villa Hegra, a collaboration with Byredo, and the return of the Zara Home x Dreamin’ Man café, alongside a new restaurant concept from Balbosté.

Artnet and Artsy Announce They’re ‘Joining Forces’ Under Shared Leadership

Artnet and Artsy have announced a strategic merger under a single leadership structure following their acquisition by Beowolff Capital. While both platforms will maintain their distinct brand identities and websites, they will now operate as a combined organization led by Artsy CEO Jeffrey Yin, with Beowolff Capital founder Andrew Wolff serving as chairman. The move aims to integrate Artnet’s industry-leading price database and journalism with Artsy’s expansive e-commerce and discovery marketplace.

parties spector craft prize new york 2

A celebratory apéro dînatoire was held at the New York home of patrons Warren and Abigail Klem Spector to launch the Spector Craft Prize, a new initiative by the Spector Family Foundation that supports fine craft and its makers through recognition and financial support. The evening was co-hosted by CULTURED Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson and artist Katie Stout, whose ceramics were integrated into the tablescape, and featured a crowd of cultural heavyweights including prize jury chairman Glenn Adamson, jurors Zesty Meyers and Rosanne Somerson, and designers Misha Kahn and Adam Charlap Hyman.

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.

Philadelphia Museum of Art to experiment with pay-what-you-wish tickets on Friday nights

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is reinstating a pay-what-you-wish admission policy for Friday nights from April 2026 through Labor Day. This initiative, funded by the William Penn Foundation and board chair Ellen Caplan, coincides with the museum's 150th anniversary and the launch of "Nation of Artists," a massive collaborative exhibition with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts featuring over 1,000 works.

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An August 15 audit by the Maryland Department of Legislative Services uncovered serious financial irregularities at Baltimore’s Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture. The audit found corporate credit card charges without a clear business purpose, payments made to an employee’s PayPal account, a former employee pocketing parking fees, and a practice of pre-signing blank checks stored in an unsecured office. Though only $10,115 was unaccounted for between April 2021 and January 2025, the museum’s annual budget is $6.3 million, and it receives up to half its funding from taxpayers. The museum’s president Terri L. Freeman and board chairman Drew Hawkins have since destroyed all pre-signed checks and implemented 12 of 18 audit recommendations, with four more in progress. The employees involved are no longer at the museum, and findings were referred to the Maryland Attorney General.

pemberton asset management buys bonhams from private equity firm epirus for undisclosed sum 1234757847

Pemberton Asset Management, a European private credit manager backed by Legal & General, has acquired the auction house Bonhams from private equity firm Epiris for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition led to the departure of Bonhams's global CEO Chabi Nouri and chief commercial officer Céline Assimon, with a new senior leadership team appointed including Seth Johnson as CEO, Liese Thomas as CFO, and Jennifer Babington as COO. Bonhams chairman Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard will remain in his role, while Chris Ellerker and Mohit Agarwal from Pemberton join the board.

Was This Anne Boleyn’s Seat? Rare 500-Year-Old Chair Linked to Tudor Queen

A rare, intricately carved wooden chair, potentially used by Anne Boleyn during her time in the French courts between 1510 and 1520, has been acquired and is now on display at Hever Castle. The chair was purchased by antiques dealer Paul Fitzsimmons from an online American auction in 2022, and its carvings—featuring dolphins, a Tudor rose, and the initials "AB" intertwined with a cordelière emblem of Queen Claude—suggest a strong link to the Tudor queen's early life.

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Fashion brand Frame has released a clothing collaboration with Sotheby’s, featuring loungewear, jeans, jackets, and accessories that prominently display the auction house’s logo. The capsule collection, described as a first-of-its-kind partnership, includes items like a $228 beach towel, $278 shorts, and a $1,298 cashmere sweater, modeled by Sotheby’s staff including SVP Ashkan Baghestani and AVP Kelly Pyrtle.

Anti-Russia Protests Spread Beyond the Biennale and Into Venice

Protests against the reopening of the Russian pavilion erupted at the Venice Biennale and spread across the city on the second day of the 61st edition. Visual artist Shalva Nikvashvili, who grew up in post-Soviet Georgia, began a silent performance wearing a muzzle-style mask and carrying a chair, holding a sign reading “La Biennale di Venezia” and “violence.” Shortly after, a group of about 20 protesters led by Pussy Riot co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova gathered outside the Russian pavilion, chanting against Vladimir Putin, waving Ukrainian flags, and releasing a pink smoke flare. The protests followed the Biennale's decision to allow Russia to participate for the first time since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, despite calls from artists and politicians to exclude the country.

Met Gala theme is Costume Art, celebrating fashion as fine art

The 2026 Met Gala, held on May 4, 2026, is co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with honorary chairs Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez. The theme, "Costume Art," celebrates fashion as an embodied art form, with guests interpreting the dress code "Fashion is Art" through sculptural, architectural silhouettes. The accompanying exhibition, also titled "Costume Art," opens at The Met Fifth Avenue on May 10, 2026, and runs through January 10, 2027, pairing garments with artworks from the museum's collection to highlight the connection between fashion and fine art.

Here's when the 2026 Met Gala red carpet arrivals start and end

The 2026 Met Gala will take place on Monday, May 4, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, with red carpet arrivals officially beginning at 5:30 p.m. and continuing for several hours as celebrities trickle in. The event raises funds for the museum's Costume Institute and celebrates the new spring exhibition "Costume Art," with a dress code of "Fashion is Art." Co-chairs include Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with a host committee chaired by Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz, and the event is made possible by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos.

At the 2026 Met Gala, 'Fashion is Art.' Here's what to expect

The 2026 Met Gala will take place on the first Monday in May at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, supporting the Costume Institute. The spring exhibition is titled "Costume Art" and will be the first to occupy the new Condé M. Nast Galleries. The dress code is "Fashion is Art," inviting guests to explore fashion as an embodied art form. Co-chairs include Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos as honorary chairs. The event will be livestreamed by Vogue, hosted by Ashley Graham, La La Anthony, Cara Delevingne, and Emma Chamberlain.

Hoffman Gallery hosts works by art instructors

The Hoffman Center Gallery in Manzanita, Oregon, is hosting a May exhibition featuring works by faculty members from the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland. Titled "The Goat Island project," the show includes pieces by Teresa Christiansen, Kristin Bradshaw, Emily Ginsburg, Yoshi Kitai, David Eckard, Matthew Letzelter, Michelle Ross, and Kate Copeland, opening April 30 and running through May 30, with a free public reception on May 2.

Beyoncé, Bezos, baubles and bustiers: What to know about the 2026 Met Gala

The 2026 Met Gala, scheduled for May 4, will serve as the fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, with a theme inspired by the new exhibition "Costume Art." The event is co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with lead sponsorship from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, and will inaugurate the museum's new Conde M. Nast Galleries.

Historic Attendance Elevates Korean Cultural Legacy as ‘Korean Treasures’ Exhibition Draws to a Close in Washington

The 'Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared' exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington D.C. concluded on February 1st after drawing an estimated 65,000 visitors. The show featured over 200 works from the vast personal art collection of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee and was celebrated with a gala event hosted by Samsung Electronics and the museum, attended by the Lee family, U.S. politicians, and business leaders.

"Lee Kun-hee Collection Showcases the Source of K-Culture’s Creativity"

The Lee Kun-hee Collection international tour exhibition, titled "Treasures from Korea: Collecting, Cherishing, Sharing," opened at the National Museum of Asian Art under the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., on March 15, 2025. Within one month, it attracted over 15,600 visitors—25% more than comparable past exhibitions—and all museum merchandise sold out within a week, generating approximately 100 million KRW in orders. The show features 330 works selected from over 23,000 pieces donated to South Korea in 2021 by the late Lee Kun-hee, former Samsung Group chairman, including seven National Treasures and fifteen Treasures. Highlights include the Beopgo-dae, which gained viral attention for resembling a character from the Netflix film 'KPop Demon Hunters.'