Robot dogs with Elon Musk's head 'poo' AI art in bizarre exhibition

Artist Beeple (Mike Winkelmann) has installed "Regular Animals" at Berlin's Neue Nationalgalerie, featuring robot dogs with hyper-realistic silicone heads of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and Beeple himself. The dogs roam the gallery and periodically "poo" printed images of their surroundings that have been transformed by artificial intelligence, with each dog's output reflecting the style of its figurehead—for example, the Picasso dog produces Cubist-style images. The work premiered at Art Basel Miami Beach 2025, where Beeple distributed the prints with certificates reading "100% organic GMO-free dog s**t" and QR codes for free NFTs.

Marcel Duchamp at MoMA: Five Revelations From the Artist’s First North American Survey in Over 50 Years

The Museum of Modern Art in New York has launched a major retrospective of Marcel Duchamp, marking the artist's first comprehensive North American survey in over half a century. The exhibition traces Duchamp’s evolution from his early satirical drawings and avant-garde paintings to his revolutionary experiments with movement and mechanization, featuring iconic works like "Nude Descending a Staircase" and "L.H.O.O.Q." alongside technical diagrams and studies for "The Large Glass."

At Art Basel Hong Kong, More Collectors Are Buying With Purpose

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.

Great Dunmow artist has painting featured in Harlow Open exhibition

Great Dunmow artist Mandy Whittick is among the selected participants in this year's Harlow Open exhibition at the Gibberd Gallery. Her acrylic painting, "Stocks and Tulips," was chosen from nearly 500 submissions by a panel of prestigious judges, including representatives from the Royal College of Art and the Cambridge School of Art. The annual showcase, organized by the Harlow Art Trust, features 205 works from regional creators and is curated this year by Laura Noble.

Must-see exhibitions in 2026: APAC

The article highlights a curated selection of must-see art exhibitions across the Asia Pacific region in 2026. Key shows include Zao Wou-Ki's printmaking retrospective at M+ in Hong Kong, a major Cartier jewelry exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, and a survey of Western landscape art from the Centre Pompidou collection. Other notable exhibitions feature ancient Egyptian treasures at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, as well as shows dedicated to Klimt, Van Gogh, and Vermeer in Taipei and Japan.

Heists, Records, and Robots. A Subjective Summary of the Art World in 2025.

The article reviews the art world in 2025, highlighting a mixed year of declining sales values and cautious buyers, yet punctuated by record-breaking auctions and dramatic events. Fine art auction sales in the first half of 2025 totaled $4.7 billion, an 8.8% drop from 2024, with the average lot price falling to a decade-low of $24,224, indicating a shift toward lower-value works and younger collectors. Major sales included Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer, which sold for $236 million at Sotheby's, becoming the second most expensive artwork ever auctioned, and Frida Kahlo's El sueño, which set a new auction record for a female artist at $55 million. The market was also unsettled by U.S. trade tariffs and economic uncertainty, while a daring heist and debates around AI art captured public attention.

Holiday Shopping at Sotheby's: All I Want for Christmas Is a Shot Marilyn

Sotheby's has opened its new global headquarters in the Breuer Building on Madison Avenue, New York, with an exhibition titled "Icons: Back to Madison" featuring 27 contemporary art masterpieces valued at over $2 billion. Highlights include Jean-Michel Basquiat's "Untitled" (1982), which sold for $110.5 million in 2017, and Andy Warhol's "Shot Orange Marilyn" (1964), reportedly sold privately for $200 million. The show offers a rare public viewing of works typically held in private collections, including pieces owned by billionaire collector Kenneth C. Griffin.

Gustav Klimt portrait sells for about R4 billion, breaking modern-art auction records

Gustav Klimt's portrait "Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer" (1914–1916) sold for $236.4 million (about R4 billion) at a Sotheby's auction in New York, becoming the most expensive modern artwork ever sold at auction and the second most expensive painting in history, behind only Leonardo da Vinci's "Salvator Mundi." The sale, which featured works from the estate of billionaire collector Leonard Lauder, unfolded in a tense 20-minute bidding war among six collectors. The painting had been hidden from public view since the 1980s. The same auction also saw Maurizio Cattelan's 18-karat gold toilet "America" sell for over $12 million.

Watch the Record-Breaking Auction of This Gustav Klimt Portrait, Which Just Became the Second Most Expensive Painting Ever Sold

Gustav Klimt's "Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer" sold at Sotheby's for $236.4 million on November 20, 2025, becoming the most expensive modern artwork ever auctioned and the second most expensive painting overall. The life-size oil painting, created between 1914 and 1916, depicts the 20-year-old daughter of prominent Jewish art collectors. After a 20-minute bidding war starting at $130 million, an anonymous telephone bidder won the work, which had been owned by cosmetics heir Leonard Lauder until his death in June 2025.

Auction Results: New Records for Noah Davis and Antonio Obá at Sotheby's, Major Paintings by Barkley L. Hendricks and Kerry James Marshall Went Unsold

Sotheby’s New York held its Now & Contemporary Evening Auction on November 18 at the newly opened Breuer building, featuring works by Black artists. Noah Davis’s “The Casting Call” (2008) sold for $2 million, setting a new auction record for the late artist, while Antonio Obá’s “Alvorada – Música Incidental Black Bird” (2020) achieved $1.016 million, nearly ten times its low estimate. However, major paintings by Barkley L. Hendricks and Kerry James Marshall went unsold, highlighting a mixed market for exceptional figurative works. The auction followed a blockbuster sale of Leonard A. Lauder’s collection, where Gustav Klimt’s portrait sold for $234 million.

Gustav Klimt portrait sale breaks modern art record

Gustav Klimt's portrait of Elisabeth Lederer sold for $236 million (£180 million) at Sotheby's in New York, setting a new record for the most expensive work of modern art ever sold at auction. The painting, completed between 1914 and 1916, depicts the daughter of Klimt's most important patrons and was part of the collection of the late cosmetics billionaire Leonard Lauder, who had purchased it in 1985. The sale took place during Sotheby's first evening sale at its new Manhattan headquarters, with bidding starting at $130 million and narrowing to two contenders before the hammer fell at $236 million.

Gustav Klimt's rare 'Elisabeth Lederer' painting fetches record $236.4 million - Most expensive work of mo

Gustav Klimt's rare portrait 'Elisabeth Lederer' sold for $236.4 million at Sotheby's, setting a new record as the most expensive work of modern art ever sold at auction. The painting, created in the final years of Klimt's life, narrowly survived World War II after being separated from other works destroyed in a fire at Immendorf Castle. It came from the collection of Estée Lauder heir Leonard A. Lauder, who died earlier this year. The sale also featured Maurizio Cattelan's 18-karat gold toilet 'America', which drew only a single bid and sold for $12.1 million.

A gold toilet and the most expensive modern artwork ever sold at auction boost the New York market

Sotheby's New York held a landmark auction evening on November 18, 2025, featuring two headline-grabbing lots: Gustav Klimt's 'Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer' (1914-16), which sold for $236.4 million, becoming the most expensive modern artwork ever sold at auction, and Maurizio Cattelan's solid-gold toilet 'America', which sold for a disappointing $12.1 million after a single bid. The Klimt came from the collection of the late cosmetics heir Leonard Lauder, whose two-night auction total reached $527.5 million. The toilet, previously owned by investor Steve Cohen, had been commissioned when gold prices were far lower, ensuring the seller a profit regardless of the modest bidding.

Gustav Klimt portrait sells for $236.4m, making it the second most expensive artwork ever sold at auction

Gustav Klimt's "Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer" sold for $236.4 million at Sotheby's New York on Tuesday night, becoming the second most expensive artwork ever sold at auction and the most expensive modern artwork ever auctioned. The six-foot-tall painting, created between 1914 and 1916, depicts the young heiress and daughter of Klimt's patrons. Six bidders competed for 20 minutes before the work was sold, though Sotheby's declined to name the buyer. The painting had been looted by the Nazis during World War II, returned to the Lederer family in 1948, and later acquired by Estée Lauder heir Leonard A. Lauder in 1985. Lauder died in June at age 92, and the sale was part of his collection auction that fetched $575.5 million total.

Record $236.3m Klimt leads Sotheby’s first night of auctions in Breuer Building

Sotheby's first evening auctions in its new Manhattan headquarters, the former Whitney Museum building designed by Marcel Breuer, achieved a record total of $605.1 million ($706 million with fees) on November 18. The night was headlined by the sale of 24 works from the collection of the late billionaire Leonard Lauder, which alone brought in $456.2 million. The standout lot was Gustav Klimt's 'Bildnis Elisabeth Lederer (Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer, 1914-16)', which sold for $205 million ($236.3 million with fees) after a nearly 20-minute bidding war, becoming the second-most-expensive painting ever sold at auction. A subsequent contemporary art auction added $148.8 million ($178.5 million with fees) across 44 lots.

Gold toilet, Klimt portrait sell for millions at Sotheby’s

A portrait by Gustav Klimt, *Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer* (1914–1916), sold for $236 million at Sotheby's in New York, setting a record for the auction house. The painting, depicting the daughter of Klimt's patron, was part of the collection of late billionaire Leonard A. Lauder. In the same sale, Maurizio Cattelan's solid gold toilet *America* (2016) fetched $12.1 million, with the piece satirizing superwealth. The toilet had previously been exhibited at the Guggenheim Museum and was stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019; its current whereabouts remain unknown.

This month’s New York auctions could bring up to $2.3bn

New York's leading auction houses, including Sotheby's and Christie's, expect to generate between $1.7bn and $2.3bn during their November sales, driven by major consignments such as 55 works from the estate of Leonard Lauder and 37 works from the collection of Jay and Cindy Pritzker. Sotheby's, which has moved its headquarters into the former Whitney Museum's Breuer Building, leads the season with estimated sales of $863m to $1.175bn, featuring Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer (estimated at $150m) and Frida Kahlo's El Sueño (La Cama) (estimated at $40m-$60m).

Maurizio Cattelan’s Gold Toilet Returns to Market at Sotheby’s This November

Sotheby's has announced that an edition of Maurizio Cattelan's gold toilet sculpture "America" (2016) will be auctioned in its The Now & Contemporary Evening Auction on November 18, 2025, with a starting bid of approximately $10 million based on its 101.2-kilogram weight in gold. The work first gained fame at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2009, where over 100,000 visitors used it, and later made headlines when it was stolen from Blenheim Palace in a raid that caused structural damage and flooding. The stolen piece was never recovered and is presumed melted down, making this edition the only one in existence.

Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson built an unforgettable collection defined by humanity and humour

Christie's will auction over 40 works from the collection of the late Stefan Edlis and his wife Gael Neeson, beginning with the 21st Century Evening Sale on 19 November and the Post-War & Contemporary Art Day Sale on 20 November in New York, with additional offerings continuing through 2026. The collection, housed in the couple's Chicago residence, includes iconic pieces by artists such as Ed Ruscha, Urs Fischer, Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, and Diego Giacometti, reflecting a blend of avant-garde, Pop, and Art Deco design.

A Bike Path Now Runs Through the Portland Art Museum

The Portland Art Museum (PAM) is opening a new 24,000-square-foot glass structure called the Mark Rothko Pavilion on November 20, 2025. The $111 million expansion, funded almost entirely by private donations, connects the museum's two existing buildings—the original travertine building designed by Pietro Belluschi and a former Masonic temple—above ground for the first time. The pavilion is named after the artist Mark Rothko, who had his first museum exhibition at PAM in 1932 under his birth name Marcus Rothkowitz. The project was designed by Chicago firm Vinci Hamp Architects and Portland's Hennebery Eddy.

After 50 years, LA Louver is closing its gallery in Venice, California

LA Louver, the longest-running gallery in Los Angeles, is closing its Venice, California space after 50 years in business. Founder Peter Goulds, who turns 77 next month, is transitioning the gallery into a private dealing model with pop-up exhibitions from its Jefferson Boulevard warehouse in West Adams. The Venice space will be listed for sale but remain open by appointment to sell inventory. The gallery is also donating its extensive archive to the Huntington Library in San Marino, which includes papers of writers like Octavia Butler and Christopher Isherwood.

Global Icons, Local Spotlight: Contemporary Art from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer

The Portland Art Museum (PAM) will open "Global Icons, Local Spotlight: Contemporary Art from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer" in September 2025, featuring over 75 works from the collections of Oregon collector Jordan D. Schnitzer and his Family Foundation. The exhibition includes pieces by major 20th-century artists like Jasper Johns, Helen Frankenthaler, and Robert Rauschenberg, as well as contemporary figures such as Nick Cave, Mickalene Thomas, and Jeffrey Gibson, many shown publicly for the first time. Highlights include Christopher Myers' installation "Let the Mermaids Flirt with Me," debuting at PAM after its 2022 Art Basel Miami premiere.

Ten essential works of art to see at the National Gallery in London

The National Gallery in London, home to over 2,300 paintings spanning Western European art from Giotto to Cézanne and including early modernism by Picasso, has recently completed a comprehensive rehang of its collection at its Trafalgar Square site. This coincides with the reopening of the Sainsbury Wing after a two-year renovation. The article highlights ten essential works to see, including Jan van Eyck's *The Arnolfini Portrait* (1434), Leonardo da Vinci's *The Burlington House Cartoon* (around 1506-08), and Paolo Veronese's *The Adoration of the Kings* (1573), emphasizing the gallery's free admission and its role as a cultural treasure.

Lacma will plant towering, flowering Jeff Koons sculpture outside new building

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma) has acquired Jeff Koons's monumental floral sculpture *Split-Rocker* (2000), a 37-foot-tall work featuring two halves of children's rocking toys embedded with over 50,000 flowering plants. Donated by collectors Lynda and Stewart Resnick through their foundation, the sculpture will be installed outdoors later this year, ahead of the museum's $715 million David Geffen Galleries opening in 2025. The work has previously been displayed at the Palais des Papes in Avignon, Château de Versailles, Fondation Beyeler, Glenstone, and Rockefeller Center.

‘The First Homosexuals’ showcases 300 queer artworks amid ‘rise of homophobic politics’

A major new exhibition, “The First Homosexuals: The Birth of a New Identity, 1869–1939,” has opened at Chicago’s Wrightwood 659, featuring over 300 queer artworks from 125 artists across 40 countries. Curated by Jonathan D. Katz and Johnny Willis, the show includes early photographs of drag, a painting of a late-1700s trans pioneer, and what is believed to be the first same-sex wedding depicted in art, alongside works by iconic figures like Gertrude Stein and James Baldwin. The exhibition, eight years in the making, draws loans from institutions such as the Tate and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as private collections, and runs through July 26.

Here’s what’s on the gallery walls in Boulder County

Boulder County’s art scene is currently hosting a wide array of exhibitions across its museums, galleries, and community centers. Highlights include the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art’s eclectic group show "Yes &…," a historical examination of segregation at the Lafayette Swimming Pool in the 1930s at the Collective Community Arts Center, and a showcase of Indigenous ecological knowledge at the Dairy Arts Center. The region is also emphasizing local talent through the Boulder Valley School District student showcase and various member exhibitions at the Louisville Art Association and Liminal Light Gallery.

parties cult100 cultured magazine guggenheim

CULTURED magazine hosted its second annual CULT100 party at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, in exclusive partnership with Valentino and Valentino Beauty. The event celebrated the magazine's spring issue, a 400-page edition honoring 100 luminaries and rising talents across food, film, art, fashion, and more. Guests including Keke Palmer, Lena Dunham, Naomi Watts, Adam Scott, and Anne Imhof gathered in the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed rotunda for cocktails, a Valentino Beauty lounge, and a program that coincided with artist Carol Bove's ongoing museum survey exhibition at the Guggenheim.

Le Louvre choisit son entrée côté colonnade

Le Louvre has selected a joint proposal by Studios Architecture Paris and Selldorf Architects for its new entrance via the Perrault colonnade, part of the 'Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance' plan. The project, announced by Emmanuel Macron on January 28, 2025, aims to create a new eastern access to relieve overcrowding at the Pyramid, with two underground entrances, vegetated moats, new services, and a dedicated space for the Mona Lisa. The selection was announced by Culture Minister Catherine Pégard on May 18, despite controversies over funding, heritage constraints, a theft in the Galerie d'Apollon on October 19, 2025, and the departure of museum president Laurence des Cars.

Embattled Louvre Director Laurence des Cars Resigns

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Laurence des Cars has resigned as director of the Louvre Museum following months of intense scrutiny and institutional turmoil. Her departure, accepted by French President Emmanuel Macron, comes in the wake of a massive $102 million jewelry heist in October 2025 that exposed severe security lapses, outdated infrastructure, and systemic management failures. Despite proposing a major security overhaul and a massive modernization project, Des Cars faced mounting pressure from government audits, staff walkouts, and investigations into ticket fraud.

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A leaked French government audit reveals that the Louvre Museum's security system is "outdated and inadequate," with significant gaps in CCTV coverage. The report, conducted by France's Court of Auditors and set for public release next month, found that modernization of security systems had been repeatedly postponed, and cameras were mostly installed only when rooms were refurbished. In the Denon Wing, home to the Mona Lisa, one-third of rooms lack cameras; in the Richelieu Wing, 75 percent of rooms are without them. Only 138 additional cameras have been installed since 2019. The audit was initiated by Louvre president and director Laurence des Cars after she assumed the role in 2021. The findings follow a robbery of French crown jewels from the museum and come amid staff strikes over understaffing and overcrowding.