TEFAF New York 2026 is set to feature a stronger contemporary art presence, signaling a shift in the fair's traditional focus on Old Masters and antiques. The event will expand its contemporary offerings, attracting a broader range of galleries and collectors.
Vanity Fair's Nate Freeman reports on New York's spring art season, where auction houses are poised to sell at least $2.6 billion in art alongside major museum exhibitions (Raphael at the Met, Duchamp at MoMA, Matisse at Acquavella) and the opening of Frieze New York at The Shed. The article follows the social and commercial frenzy, highlighting a David Shrigley gong installation at Anton Kern Gallery's booth and the enduring dominance of New York, where nearly 90% of U.S. art sales occur.
Art Basel has announced new program highlights for its flagship fair in Basel this June, including a new initiative called Basel Exclusive. Developed in dialogue with galleries, Basel Exclusive requires participating exhibitors from the main Galleries sector to reserve at least one major work—or an entire presentation—from all pre-fair previews, online viewing rooms, and pre-sales, unveiling them publicly for the first time during the VIP opening on June 16. The fair also revealed the lineup for Unlimited, its platform for large-scale works, which will feature 59 projects by 66 international galleries, curated for the first time by Ruba Katrib of MoMA PS1. Unlimited Night returns on June 18 with extended hours and special performances.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) celebrated the opening of its new David Geffen Galleries with a star-studded gala that raised nearly $11.5 million. The event brought together architect Peter Zumthor, museum director Michael Govan, and a high-profile mix of Hollywood celebrities, artists, and major donors. The $720 million building, Zumthor's first major project in the United States, marks the culmination of a decades-long development process and is set to open to the public next week.
Hong Kong's major auction houses—Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips—concluded their March sales series with strong results, demonstrating resilience in the Asian art market. The sales were characterized by a high sell-through rate, robust bidding, and a notable shift towards collecting driven by deep knowledge and passion rather than pure speculation.
Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 opened with a renewed sense of optimism, featuring 240 galleries and a significant emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region. The VIP preview saw a surge in attendance primarily from regional collectors across mainland China, Taiwan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, signaling a robust recovery for the local market. While international travel remains a factor, the fair's success is increasingly driven by a localized ecosystem of younger collectors and long-term public investments in cultural infrastructure like the M+ museum.
Renowned Ghanaian artist El Anatsui is currently experiencing a significant professional moment with concurrent exhibitions at White Cube in Hong Kong and Seoul, timed to coincide with Art Basel Hong Kong. The artist, known for his monumental sculptures crafted from discarded liquor-bottle caps and copper wire, recently saw his 2023 work "G6" sell for $995,000 at Sotheby’s London to benefit the Royal Academy of Arts. Now living back in Ghana after decades teaching in Nigeria, Anatsui continues to explore the fluidity of his medium, which mimics the organic processes of growth and decay.
Art Basel Qatar opened its inaugural edition to VIPs in Doha, featuring an unconventional 'boothless' format with 87 exhibitors each presenting a solo artist. The fair, curated by artist Wael Shawky, is split between two venues in the Msheireb district, with blue-chip galleries in M7 and more emerging to mid-tier galleries in the Design District. The event is heavily subsidized by Qatar, significantly lowering costs for exhibitors and encouraging a focus on market education over immediate sales.
Artsy profiles 14 influential women who are shaping India's rapidly evolving art market, including Nita Mukesh Ambani, Jaya Asokan, Shireen Gandhy, and others. The article highlights their roles as founders, directors, collectors, and patrons, with a focus on the upcoming 17th edition of the India Art Fair, which will feature a record 135 exhibitors. Each woman is described as contributing to the growth of galleries, auction houses, biennales, and cultural institutions across the country.
Artsy spoke with 12 leading collectors about the artists, exhibitions, and trends they are most excited to follow in 2026. Highlights include the re-centering of women artists, the rise of South Asian and LGBTQ+ artists, and the impact of AI on gallery operations. Collectors point to major institutional milestones such as LACMA's new campus, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the Venice Biennale, and Art Basel's expansion into Qatar, as well as specific shows like Claire Tabouret's stained-glass commission for Notre-Dame and the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Montreal-based Galerie de Bellefeuille, a commercial gallery founded in 1980 that represents over 100 artists including Damien Hirst, Robert Indiana, Jeff Koons, and Alexander Calder, has announced it will open a 4,000-square-foot location at 136 NW 25th St. in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood this summer. The expansion comes shortly after the gallery's planned U.S. flagship in Midtown New York, and marks the latest in a wave of international galleries establishing a presence in Miami.
The article presents five predictions for the art market in 2026, following a relatively improved but still cautious end to 2025. Key forecasts include a subdued market rebound, a shift toward smaller and cheaper artworks, the continued expansion of Frieze fairs (possibly into India), a consolidating Art Basel, and a resurgence of London's art-world clout. The predictions are informed by trends such as declining demand for art as investment, gallery closures and geographic pruning, and the thematic direction of the 2026 Venice Biennale, curated by the late Koyo Kouoh under the title "In Minor Keys."
The autumn art market saw a significant upturn, with strong sales at Frieze London, Art Basel Paris, and New York auctions, including a $236.4 million Klimt and a $2.2 billion auction week in New York—up 77% year-on-year. Emerging London galleries like Ginny on Frederick, Rose Easton, and A. Squire have reinvigorated Frieze London, while Paris benefits from luxury-house funding, with the Fondation Cartier and Fondation Louis Vuitton hosting major shows. However, concerns persist about sustainability, as geopolitical volatility and post-Brexit challenges continue to affect the market.
Art Basel Miami Beach returned for its 23rd edition on December 3, 2025, with VIP previews at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The fair features 283 galleries from 43 countries, alongside nearly 20 satellite fairs including NADA and Untitled Art. Notable sales include a $5.5 million Gerhard Richter painting at David Zwirner and a $15 million Frida Kahlo miniature self-portrait at Weinstein Gallery. Director Bridget Finn expressed optimism about the fair's energy and its role in connecting contemporary art with music, fashion, and film.
Art Basel Miami Beach opened its 23rd edition with a surge of blue-chip sales, signaling renewed market confidence. Major galleries reported strong early results: David Zwirner sold a Gerhard Richter painting for $5.5m and an Alice Neel for $3.3m; Hauser & Wirth saw sales 40% higher than last year, including a George Condo for nearly $4m and a Louise Bourgeois for $3.2m. Other notable sales included works by Alex Katz, Pablo Picasso, Sam Gilliam, and Robert Rauschenberg, with 283 galleries participating at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Fall 2025 brings a wave of major monographic museum exhibitions worldwide, featuring artists such as Allan Rohan Crite, Wifredo Lam, Suzanne Jackson, Woody De Othello, and Theaster Gates. Highlights include the first mainstream museum shows for Crite in his hometown of Boston, the first solo museum exhibition for Gates in Chicago, and the first U.S. retrospective for Lam at MoMA. Other notable shows include surveys of Robert Colescott, Coco Fusco, Richard Hunt, Jacob Lawrence, and Cauleen Smith, spanning institutions from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town.
Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 opened on December 3 with strong sales, led by David Zwirner's sale of an abstract Gerhard Richter painting for $5.5 million. Other major transactions included a $4 million George Condo work at Hauser & Wirth, a $3.3 million Alice Neel painting at David Zwirner, and a $2.85 million Willem de Kooning at White Cube. Hauser & Wirth reported sales 40% higher than its entire 2024 fair week within the first three hours.
Art Basel Miami Beach opened with a VIP preview that saw strong sales across price points, from blue-chip acquisitions to mid-range works. David Zwirner led with a Gerhard Richter painting for $5.5 million, while Hauser & Wirth sold a George Condo for $4 million. The debut of Zero 10, a platform for digital art, sold out its presentation. Other notable sales included works by Alice Neel, Josef Albers, Louise Bourgeois, and Andreas Gursky, with galleries like Pace, White Cube, and Gladstone also reporting significant transactions.
Art Basel Paris officially opened on October 22, 2024, with a new VIP tier called 'Avant-Première' granting early access to favored collectors. The fair saw a shift in mood from socializing to business-focused transactions, with multimillion-dollar works on offer, including a Gerhard Richter painting reportedly sold for over $20 million by Hauser & Wirth. Pre-fair events included dinners hosted by Marian Goodman for artist Paul Sietsema, gallery openings at Salon 94's new Palais-Royal space, and a VIP evening at the Musée d'Orsay for a Bridget Riley exhibition. American galleries and collectors dominated the week's parties, with events by David Zwirner, Gladstone, and others.
Art Basel Paris 2025, now in its fourth edition, took place from October 22–26 at the restored 1900 Paris Exposition venue, a Beaux-Arts landmark with Art Nouveau iron and glasswork. The fair hosted 206 international galleries and introduced a new 'Avant-Première' V.V.I.P. day on October 21, where each gallery could allocate six guest passes. Blue-chip sales were swift, led by Hauser & Wirth selling Gerhard Richter's *Abstraktes Bild* (1987) for $23 million to a European collector. Other notable sales included Bruce Nauman's neon sculpture *Masturbating Man* for over $4.7 million and Amedeo Modigliani's *Jeune fille aux macarons* (1918) for $10 million at Pace Gallery. The fair also featured curatorial sectors Emergence (16 solo presentations by emerging artists) and Premise (ten historical projects with works predating 1900).
Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 is set to take place, bringing together leading galleries, artists, and collectors from around the world for its annual edition in Miami. The fair will feature a curated selection of modern and contemporary art, with special sections dedicated to emerging artists and large-scale installations.
Art Basel Paris opened its 'Avant Première' day at the Grand Palais on October 21, 2025, with strong early sales led by Hauser & Wirth's sale of Gerhard Richter's *Abstraktes Bild (Abstract Painting)* (1987) for $23 million. Other notable sales included Julie Mehretu's *Charioteer* (2007) for $11.5 million at White Cube, Amedeo Modigliani's *Jeune fille aux macarons* (1918) for just under $10 million at Pace Gallery, and a Ruth Asawa sculpture for $7.5 million at David Zwirner. The fair, running through October 26, features 203 galleries and introduced the exclusive preview day as a new scheduling element.
Numéro magazine lists the must-see exhibitions during Art Basel Paris art week. Highlights include a major minimal art exhibition at the Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection featuring Sol LeWitt, Agnes Martin, and Lygia Pape; a historic Gerhard Richter retrospective at the Fondation Louis Vuitton with nearly 300 works; the Fondation Cartier's new space near the Louvre designed by Jean Nouvel, showcasing artists like Ron Mueck and Junya Ishigami; and a carte blanche exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo curated by Naomi Beckwith exploring the influence of French theory on American art.
Art Basel Paris has rewarded top dealers with significant sales during its new VVIP preview slot, Avant-Première, held on October 21. Hauser & Wirth led with over $30 million in sales, including Gerhard Richter's "Abstrakte Bild" (1987) for $23 million, while David Zwirner sold a Ruth Asawa sculpture for $7.5 million. Goodman Gallery sold two works by William Kentridge to museums, and White Cube placed Julie Mehretu's "Charioteer" (2007) for $11 million. However, some dealers like Philomene Magers found the opening too crowded, and adviser Aileen Agopian noted the market remains far from the frenzy of previous years, with no single sale surpassing the $40 million Mark Rothko painting brought by Pace two years ago.
Vanity Fair profiles 33 emerging art stars who have broken into the upper echelon of the art world within the last five years, despite a contracting art market. The feature, written by Nate Freeman and photographed by Jeff Henrikson, highlights artists like Jadé Fadojutimi, Anna Weyant, and Chase Hall, whose work commands high prices and long waiting lists from top collectors. The selection was based on research including gallerist interviews, museum acquisitions, auction results, and dealer insights.
Art Basel Paris 2025 returns to the Grand Palais, with off-site events across the city. For those without fair tickets, galleries throughout Paris are hosting notable shows alongside the fair, including Gerhard Richter at David Zwirner, Robert Rauschenberg's 'Gluts' series at Thaddaeus Ropac, Hans Op de Beeck at Templon, and Heinz Mack at Almine Rech. The article highlights ten must-see gallery exhibitions running concurrently with the fair.
Artnet's Auction Price Database reveals the top 10 living American artists by auction sales value in 2024, with the U.S. art market generating $4.3 billion. The list includes Cindy Sherman ($180.9 million total sales, record $6.8 million for Untitled Film Stills), Mark Bradford ($226.6 million, record $12 million for Helter Skelter I), and Mark Grotjahn ($241 million, record $16.8 million for Untitled (S III Released to France Face 43.14)). Sherman is the only woman and photographer on the list; Bradford is the only African American and represented the U.S. at the 2017 Venice Biennale; Grotjahn is a California-based abstract painter.
Kenny Schachter's article opens with a broad critique of the political climate under the Trump administration, linking it to a chilling effect on free speech and democracy, before pivoting to the art world. He notes the absence of a U.S. representative for the 61st Venice Biennale, mentions Marilyn Minter's protest piece, and references David Hockney's *Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)* at Christie's. The piece also touches on market negativity, the resilience of art, and skepticism about the Middle East as a market savior.
The article highlights a curated selection of must-see gallery shows opening in New York City this fall, coinciding with The Armory Show and the overlapping Frieze Seoul fair. Featured exhibitions include Ambera Wellmann's "Darkling" at Hauser & Wirth, Caleb Hahne Quintana's "A Boy That Don't Bleed" at Anat Ebgi, and shows by Sasha Gordon, Dew Kim & Filippo Cegani, Elizabeth Glaessner, Yuan Fang, Bernardo Pacquing, Celeste Rapone, and Omara Mara Oláh, among others. The piece also notes the group exhibition "Downtown/Uptown: New York in the Eighties."
On July 1, 2025, Tim Blum, the powerhouse Los Angeles dealer behind Blum Gallery, announced the sudden closure of his gallery after a 35-year run. The closure includes his Culver City headquarters, his Tokyo space, and a planned Tribeca location that will no longer open. Blum publicly framed the decision as a voluntary "sunset" due to systemic industry issues like over-expansion and burnout, but interviews with artists and staff reveal a more chaotic reality: the closure blindsided employees and artists, many of whom learned about it from news reports or a last-minute staff meeting that excluded Tokyo staff. Sources cite weak sales at Art Basel and Art Basel Hong Kong, poor business decisions—including buying out partner Jeff Poe and renovating a costly New York space—and a lack of severance or transition time as underlying factors.