epstein files leon black antiquities smuggler douglas latchford

Newly released documents from the Jeffrey Epstein files suggest a direct link between billionaire collector Leon Black and the disgraced late antiquities dealer Douglas Latchford. An inventory titled "Leon Black/ Narrows South East Asian Art Inventory" found in Epstein’s emails lists 12 Southeast Asian works purchased by Black for $23.85 million. Among these is a $7 million bronze Shiva that matches the description of a piece featured in Latchford’s 2004 book, raising significant questions about the provenance of Black's collection.

carol bove guggenheim museum retrospective review

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum has launched a major retrospective of Carol Bove, filling the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright rotunda with approximately 100 works spanning her career. The exhibition showcases Bove’s evolution from her early assemblages of driftwood, peacock feathers, and vintage books to her more recent large-scale, brightly colored steel sculptures. A defining feature of the show is Bove’s inclusion of "para-artworks"—pieces by other artists such as Lionel Ziprin, Agnes Martin, and Arnaldo Pomodoro—integrated into her own installations to highlight the influences and histories that inform her practice.

Frank O’Hara’s Curatorial Eye

The article examines the largely overlooked curatorial work of poet Frank O'Hara during his tenure at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It details his role in organizing significant exhibitions, championing emerging artists like Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns, and his influential collaborations with artists such as Larry Rivers.

new museum 43 million expansion

The New Museum in New York has announced a major $80 million capital campaign to double its physical footprint on the Bowery. The expansion will utilize an adjacent building already owned by the institution, increasing the total space from 58,000 to over 100,000 square feet. The museum has already secured $43 million of its goal, bolstered by a record-breaking undisclosed donation from longtime supporter Toby Devan Lewis.

‘Absolutely transformative’: Willem de Kooning exhibition uncovers raw intensity of early work

The Princeton University Art Museum is presenting "Willem de Kooning: The Breakthrough Years," an exhibition revisiting the pivotal period from 1945-1950 that led to the artist's first solo show and established his reputation. The show features 18 paintings, including key works like *Black Friday* and *Dark Pond*, highlighting his intense exploration between figuration and abstraction with a restricted palette.

MoMA PS1 Rooftop Sprouts Salad Party

moma ps1 rooftop sprouts salad party

Artist Julia Sherman and urban farmer Camilla Hammer have transformed the rooftop of MoMA PS1 into a functional salad garden and social space. The initiative recently celebrated its launch with a rooftop party featuring herb-infused cocktails and fresh produce grown on-site. The garden serves as a platform for Sherman’s "Artist-Made" salad series, where notable figures from the art world collaborate on culinary creations.

rauschenberg centennial award senga nengudi david thomson

The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation has announced the recipients of its Rauschenberg Centennial Awards, granting $100,000 in unrestricted funds to five creators across four disciplines. The winners include Senga Nengudi for art, David Thomson for performance, Chandra McCormick and Keith Calhoun for photography, and Patricia Spears Jones for writing. Established to commemorate the late artist’s 100th birthday in 2025, the awards recognize alumni of the foundation’s Captiva Residency program who demonstrate artistic excellence and community impact.

cindy sherman office killer blu ray review

Vinegar Syndrome has released a new 4K UHD and Blu-ray restoration of 'Office Killer', the only feature film directed by renowned photographer Cindy Sherman. Originally released in 1997 to critical derision and box-office failure, the film follows a meek magazine editor who begins murdering her colleagues during a period of corporate downsizing. The restoration highlights Sherman's transition from her iconic 'Untitled Film Stills' to the more visceral, abject imagery of her 'Disasters' and 'Sex Pictures' series.

met museum cy twombly retrospective

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is reportedly planning a major retrospective of the American artist Cy Twombly, scheduled for 2029. Evidence of the exhibition surfaced through a job posting for a researcher, which describes a comprehensive show featuring paintings, sculptures, and drawings that explore Twombly’s career across two continents and the influence of ancient myths and literature on his work. While the Met and the Cy Twombly Foundation have not yet officially confirmed the exhibition, the listing remains active on several professional platforms.

Taína Cruz Interview

taina cruz interview

Taína H. Cruz has emerged as a central figure in the 2024 New York art season, achieving the rare feat of being featured simultaneously in the Whitney Biennial and MoMA PS1’s "Greater New York." A 2023 Yale MFA graduate, Cruz has become the literal face of the Whitney Biennial, with her painting "I Saw the Future and It Smiled Back" displayed on a massive billboard outside the museum. Her work, which often explores Black female identity through a lens of folklore, horror, and celebrity culture, is characterized by a moody and unsettling atmospheric quality.

guggenheim union rally carol bove new contract

Unionized staff at the Guggenheim Museum staged a rally outside the institution during a VIP preview for artist Carol Bove, demanding a more robust second contract. Members of UAW Local 2110, including conservators, archivists, and educators, are protesting recent layoffs that cut 7% of the workforce and left remaining employees with unsustainable workloads. The union is currently negotiating for higher wages, lower healthcare benefit costs, and improved job security following a grievance filed against the museum in February 2025.

2026 Art Trends: Whitney Biennial, Greater New York, and Carnegie International

2026 art trends

Three major American art surveys—the Whitney Biennial, MoMA PS1’s Greater New York, and the Carnegie International—are set to define the artistic landscape of 2026. Early analysis of the artist lists reveals a significant overlap in curatorial interest for figures like Taína Cruz, Akira Ikezoe, and Jonathan González. These exhibitions appear to be moving away from rigid thematic structures in favor of "mood and texture," reflecting a broader institutional retreat from definitive political or social statements.

refik anadol moma ai art 60 minutes debate

Refik Anadol’s controversial AI installation 'Unsupervised' at the Museum of Modern Art has sparked a heated debate on the nature of art and technology, recently highlighted in a '60 Minutes' segment. While Anadol defends his work as a poetic use of 'data as pigment' that captures viewer attention for an average of 38 minutes, critics and fellow artists raise concerns about the substance and ethics of the medium. The piece, which uses MoMA’s metadata to create morphing abstractions, became a viral sensation that challenged traditional museum engagement.

Epstein Emails and the Art Market

epstein emails art market

A massive release of over three million documents by the U.S. Department of Justice has exposed the deep ties between the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and prominent figures in the global art world. The files reveal how Epstein utilized sophisticated financial structures to manage and enhance the value of blue-chip art collections, most notably for billionaire Leon Black. The fallout from these disclosures has already led to high-profile resignations, including Jack Lang from the Arab World Institute and David A. Ross from the School of Visual Arts, while others like collector Steve Tisch face renewed scrutiny.

wifredo lam surrealism moma

The Museum of Modern Art in New York is presenting the exhibition "Wifredo Lam: When I Don't Sleep, I Dream," featuring the iconic Cuban Surrealist painter. The show includes his seminal work *The Jungle*, acquired by MoMA in 1946, and explores his complex artistic identity.

cvad unt canceled exhibition criticizing ice

The College of Visual Arts and Design Galleries at the University of North Texas abruptly canceled the solo exhibition "Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá (Not From Here, Not From There)" by artist Victor "Marka27" Quiñonez after it had been fully installed. The show, which includes works from his "I.C.E. Scream" series critically rebranding Immigration and Customs Enforcement as "Inhumane and Cruelty Enforcement," was removed without explanation, and gallery staff ceased communication with the artist.

flaming hot cheetos meme artist sunday nobody

An artist known as Sunday Nobody has created a new work consisting of a bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos encased in resin and suspended inside a 3,000-pound concrete sarcophagus, which he has buried outside Seattle with instructions for it to be opened in 10,000 years. The 28-year-old motion graphics designer, who maintains anonymity, funds his complex, labor-intensive projects through his day job and documents their creation in viral social media videos.

agnes gund collection christies rothko twombly cornell

Three major artworks from the collection of the late philanthropist and collector Agnes Gund will be offered at Christie's marquee May sales in New York. The lots include Mark Rothko's 'No. 15 (Two Greens and Red Stripe)' (estimated around $80 million), Cy Twombly's 1961 'Untitled' (estimated $40-60 million), and Joseph Cornell's 'Untitled (Medici Princess)' (estimated $3-5 million), all being sold on the secondary market for the first time.

untangling the myths behind henri rousseau eccentric masterpiece

The article examines the history and critical reception of Henri Rousseau's 1897 painting *The Sleeping Gypsy*. It details the painting's creation, its initial exhibition at the Société des Artistes Indépendants, and its subsequent journey through the art market—from being lost and rediscovered at a coal dealer's to being sold by dealer Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler and collected by John Quinn, before ultimately entering the collection of The Museum of Modern Art in New York.

moma ps1 greater new york 2026 artist list

MoMA PS1 has announced the 53 artists selected for the 2026 edition of its quinquennial exhibition, Greater New York. The show, opening April 16, is organized by the museum's in-house curatorial staff and focuses on artists living and working in New York City, with a strong emphasis on early and mid-career practitioners. It notably features only one deceased artist, painter Jay Carrier.

ronald lauder jeffrey epstein files

Ronald Lauder, the billionaire art collector and heir to the Estée Lauder fortune, is named over 900 times in the recently released Jeffrey Epstein court documents. The emails reveal his assistants frequently scheduling meetings and calls with Epstein in 2017, though the substance of their discussions remains largely unclear. One email suggests Epstein sought to review Lauder's tax returns and will, while another indicates Epstein attempted to arrange a dinner involving filmmaker Woody Allen.

hammer museum leadership michael wellen regan pro

The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles has appointed Michael Wellen as its new chief curator and Regan Pro as chief of learning, engagement, and research. Wellen joins from Tate Modern, while Pro was previously at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. The appointments fill key leadership roles that had been vacant, with the chief curator position open since 2023.

south africa cancels gabrielle goliath gaza venice biennale

South Africa selected a work by artist Gabrielle Goliath for its Venice Biennale pavilion, then rescinded the decision on January 2, just eight days before the finalization deadline. The culture ministry, led by Minister Gayton McKenzie, objected to a section of Goliath's "Elegy" series that included words by Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in 2023. The pavilion's selection committee publicly disagreed with the cancellation, calling it censorship and highlighting a history of mismanagement.

franco regime censored robert motherwell painting moma show

Newly uncovered documents from the Museum of Modern Art’s archives confirm that the Franco regime in Spain attempted to censor Robert Motherwell’s painting *Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 35* (1954–58) before its scheduled 1958 exhibition in Madrid. The painting was part of MoMA’s traveling show “The New American Painting,” which introduced Abstract Expressionism to Europe. Spanish authorities demanded Motherwell remove the phrase “Spanish Republic” from the title, but the artist refused, leading to the work’s exclusion from the exhibition. The documents, reviewed by *El País*, also reveal that Catalan artist Antoni Tàpies boycotted state-sanctioned shows, calling the regime’s cultural propaganda “scandalous.”

suprising history behind whistlers mother

The article explores the enduring appeal of James McNeill Whistler's 1871 painting commonly known as "Whistler’s Mother," officially titled "Arrangement in Grey and Black, No.1." It recounts how the painting was acquired by the French state in 1891 and became the first American painting in the Louvre, now housed at the Musée d'Orsay. The piece also reveals little-known facts: the sitter's full name was Anna Matilda McNeill Whistler, who wore mourning clothes for 31 years after being widowed and moved in with her son in London, displacing his mistress. The article includes her recipe for a dessert called Floating Island and notes that Whistler incorporated his earlier etching "Black Lion Wharf" into the portrait.

curators reveal their favorite artworks of all time

Artnet News asked leading curators and museum directors to share their favorite artworks of all time. Connie Butler of MoMA PS1 chose David Hammons's "Bliz-aard Ball Sale" (1983), praising its connection from Duchamp to AI. Julieta Gonzalez of the Wexner Center selected Hans Holbein the Younger's "The Ambassadors" (1533), highlighting its anamorphic skull as a metaphor for viewing modernity from the margins. Madeleine Grynsztejn of MCA Chicago picked Francisco Goya's "A Pilgrimage to San Isidro" (1819–23) from his Black Paintings cycle, calling it a metaphor for fanaticism.

brazil library heist matisse

Brazilian authorities arrested one suspect after an armed robbery at São Paulo's Mário de Andrade Library on Sunday, where two thieves stole eight Henri Matisse engravings and works by Brazilian painter Candido Portinari. The artworks were displayed in a glass vitrine as part of the exhibition “From the Book to the Museum,” which was set to close November 30. The thieves held up a security guard and a couple, stuffed the items into a canvas bag, and discarded some works near a rubbish heap during their escape, partially captured by facial recognition cameras. The second suspect remains at large, and the library has not disclosed which specific works were taken.

studio museum harlem reopening

The Studio Museum in Harlem reopened its newly rebuilt, seven-story space on 125th Street after nearly eight years without a permanent home. A press preview on November 6, 2025, showcased the $300 million, 82,000-square-foot building designed by Adjaye Associates with Cooper Robertson, which more than doubles the museum's exhibition space. The public reopening is set for November 15 with a free community celebration. Inaugural exhibitions include "From Now: A Collection in Context," works by over 100 alumni of the artist-in-residence program, and a solo show of Tom Lloyd, whose work was featured in the museum's first exhibition in 1968. The building features a grand staircase, a cantilevered auditorium called the "Stoop," a roof terrace, and prominent works by David Hammons and Glenn Ligon.

ralph lemon artnews awards 2025 lifetime achievement

Ralph Lemon has been awarded the 2025 ARTnews Lifetime Achievement Award for his multidisciplinary practice spanning dance, drawing, painting, installation, sculpture, and writing. The article highlights his career trajectory from founding the Ralph Lemon Dance Company to disbanding it in 1995 to focus on broader artistic collaborations. Central to his work is the Geography Trilogy (1996–2004) and his long-term collaboration with Walter Carter, a former Mississippi sharecropper, whose life and family became a recurring subject. Lemon's recent exhibition "Ceremonies Out of the Air: Ralph Lemon" at MoMA PS1 (November 14, 2024–March 24, 2025), curated by Connie Butler and Thomas Lax, featured videos, found African sculptures, drawings, and a four-channel performance piece, Rant (redux), with Kevin Beasley and Okwui Okpokwasili.

artnews awards 2025 jury

The second annual ARTnews Awards have announced their 2025 winners, selected by a jury of five esteemed US-based curators: Ryan N. Dennis (Co-Director & Chief Curator, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston), Anne Ellegood (Executive Director, Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles), Rosario Güiraldes (Curator of Visual Arts, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis), Ruba Katrib (Chief Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, MoMA PS1, New York), and Victoria Sung (Phyllis C. Wattis Senior Curator, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive). These jurors reviewed exhibitions held between August 2024 and July 2025, meeting twice alongside two ARTnews senior editors to nominate and select winners across six categories.