Sold-out Phillips auction in New York brings in $115.2m, more than double 2025 result

Phillips’s marquee spring auction in New York achieved a sold-out result, bringing in $91.73 million hammer ($115.2 million with fees), more than double the equivalent sale from a year ago. The top lot was Andy Warhol’s *Sixteen Jackies* (1964), which sold for $13.5 million ($16.2 million with fees), while a Jackson Pollock drip painting that had failed to sell in a previous auction found a buyer at $7.4 million. Fierce bidding occurred for contemporary works by artists with tightly controlled primary markets, such as Salman Toor, whose *Two Friends* (2020) surpassed its high estimate.

Watching You, Watching Me: On Panteha Abareshi and the Spectacle of Illness

One Erased Vermeer, Two Books, and No Consensus

Two new books examine the legacy of Johannes Vermeer from contrasting angles. Ruth Bernard Yeazell's "Vermeer's Afterlives" (Princeton University Press) explores how the artist's open-ended, figureless interiors have inspired later creators, from painter George Deem to novelist Tracy Chevalier. Andrew Graham-Dixon's "Vermeer: A Life Lost and Found" restores the historical and religious context of 17th-century Delft, arguing that modern readings have overlooked the original meanings of Vermeer's works.

Still in 'war mode': Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art reopens with exhibitions about conflict

The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA) has reopened with a weekly rotating post-ceasefire program called 'Art and War,' following weeks of bombardment that forced its closure and prompted emergency efforts to protect its collection. The program began with works by American Pop artists James Rosenquist, Roy Lichtenstein, and Robert Indiana, and this week features three works from Pablo Picasso's Weeping Woman series, focusing on Spain. Museum director Reza Dabirinezhad described the challenges of safeguarding the collection during US-Israeli strikes, including removing 80% of the oil from Noriyuki Haraguchi's installation 'Matter and Mind' (1977) to prevent fire risk, and protecting outdoor sculptures by Henry Moore, René Magritte, and Max Bill.

The British Museum Is Recreating the Bayeux Tapestry’s Medieval Woodland

The British Museum is installing a temporary woodland installation called "Tapestry of Trees" in its forecourt from May 16 to June 2, evoking the 11th-century English landscape depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry. Designed by garden designer Andy Sturgeon, the installation features 37 silver birch trees and planters with dyed hessian wraps matching the tapestry's colors, alongside woodland species like Guelder Rose and Foxglove. It launches public programming ahead of the tapestry's historic loan from France, which will be displayed in a blockbuster exhibition on the Norman Conquest starting in September.

Kiss and Tell! In Venice, Nude Tino Sehgal Work Is Talk of the Town

Laurent Asscher's AMA Venezia foundation in Venice is showcasing Tino Sehgal's live performance piece "Kiss (Clean Version)" during the 61st Venice Biennale. The work features a nude couple reenacting famous kisses from art history, performed by rotating dancers over hours. Asscher acquired the piece after meeting Sehgal, having previously bought a different Sehgal work at a charity auction. The performance has become a standout attraction amid the Biennale's crowded opening week.

A $35 M. Warhol, a $45 M. Basquiat, and More: Who’s Selling The Top Works in the May Sales?

The article reports on the upcoming May marquee sales at Christie’s and Sotheby’s, detailing high-value consignments from major collections. Christie’s will offer works from the estates of S. I. Newhouse (including a Brâncuși sculpture and a Jackson Pollock painting, each estimated at $100 million), former MoMA board president Agnes Gund (a Rothko estimated at $80 million), and the late dealer Marian Goodman (a Gerhard Richter estimated at $50 million). Sotheby’s counters with a Rothko from the collection of the late Robert Mnuchin (estimated at $100 million) and works from David and Shoshanna Wingate, including a Giacometti sculpture. The article also reveals previously unnamed consignors for top lots, such as collector John Sayegh-Belchatowski for a $45 million Basquiat and the Moore family for an Elizabeth Peyton painting.

What Does Damien Hirst Have to Do With This Giant McDonald’s Ball Pit in Milan?

An installation called "POOL. Ti sblocco un ricordo" was on view during Milan Design Week, organized by Nicolas Ballario and presented as part of the Tortona Rocks offsite exhibitions. The centerpiece is a giant swimming pool-shaped pit filled with hundreds of thousands of colorful balls, celebrating McDonald's 40th anniversary in Italy. The installation claims to be "informed by" Damien Hirst's "Spot Paintings" and also features a work from Vedovamazzei's "Early Works" series, which imagines how famous artists might have drawn as children. Other elements include vitrines of Happy Meal toys, a Ronald McDonald replica, and nostalgic McDonald's memorabilia.

Manoucher Yektai at Karma

Inside ‘Prince of Prints’ Jordan Schnitzer’s Sprawling Collection

Jordan Schnitzer, the Portland-based philanthropist often called the 'Prince of Prints,' recently provided a rare tour of his massive 50,000-square-foot art warehouse. The facility utilizes a sophisticated 'floating bin' logistics system, similar to those used by major retailers, to manage over 22,000 works, including extensive holdings by Andy Warhol, Joseph Beuys, and Richard Prince. Schnitzer’s foundation operates as a lending library, frequently shipping works to museums and hosting educational tours for students from districts where arts funding has been eliminated.

Desperate, Scared, But Social at UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art

The group exhibition "Desperate, Scared, But Social" at the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art (Langson IMCA) explores the complexities of contemporary social dynamics and collective anxiety. The show brings together diverse artistic perspectives to examine how individuals navigate a landscape defined by political instability, environmental concerns, and the pervasive influence of digital connectivity.

Who was Hilma? Af Klint exhibition to highlight exclusion of women from abstract art

The Swedish artist Hilma af Klint is receiving her first major solo exhibition in France, organized by the Grand Palais and the Pompidou Centre. The show focuses on her "Paintings for the Temple," a series of groundbreaking abstract works created years before male peers like Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian claimed to have invented the movement. Af Klint, a mystic who believed she was guided by higher spirits, famously ordered her work to be hidden for 20 years after her death, convinced the world was not yet ready for her vision.

Hirshhorn Museum Director Melissa Chiu Leaves for Guggenheim, Another Smithsonian Departure

Melissa Chiu has been appointed as the new director of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, departing her long-standing role at the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Starting September 1, Chiu will report to Mariët Westermann, CEO of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, effectively splitting the leadership responsibilities previously held by Richard Armstrong. During her decade-long tenure at the Hirshhorn, Chiu was known for staging massive blockbuster exhibitions, including the record-breaking Yayoi Kusama "Infinity Mirror Rooms" show, though she also faced criticism for commercial ventures like a reality TV competition.

Do We Have Duchamp All Wrong? A Brilliant MoMA Retrospective Reintroduces One of Modernism’s Greats

The Museum of Modern Art has launched a massive retrospective of Marcel Duchamp, featuring over 300 works spanning the artist's career from the early 1900s to the late 1960s. Organized in collaboration with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the exhibition eschews a heavy-handed narrative in favor of a methodical, factual presentation. Key highlights include the controversial "Genre Allegory" (1943) and his iconic readymades, alongside his early experiments in painting like "Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2)."

Museum acquisitions round-up: Andy Warhol in an apron, a solid-silver relief and Christo's luggage rack

Major international institutions have secured significant new acquisitions, ranging from intimate photographic archives to monumental silver reliefs. The Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art received over 400 stereoscopic slides by Ronnie Cutrone documenting Andy Warhol’s Factory, while the Germanisches Nationalmuseum acquired Luigi Valadier’s final silver masterpiece, 'Lamentation of Christ'. Additionally, the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation donated 14 works to the City of Paris, including the early sculpture 'Package on a Luggage Rack' for the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris.

The Dealers: Marta Makes Magic

The article profiles Marta, a prominent art dealer in Los Angeles, highlighting her recent activities and influence within the contemporary art scene. It details her gallery's program, her relationships with artists, and her specific curatorial approach that has garnered significant attention.

david hockney abstract art serpentine galleries

David Hockney has launched a critique against the prevalence of abstract art while debuting his latest exhibition, "A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts About Painting," at the Serpentine Galleries. The 88-year-old artist, recovering from an infection at his Kensington studio, presented a nearly 300-foot-long frieze of iPad drawings depicting the seasonal shifts of his Normandy gardens. The show emphasizes Hockney's commitment to figurative representation and observation, utilizing new stippling techniques and reverse-perspective compositions.

Gerhard Richter Church Windows

gerhard richter church windows

Gerhard Richter has been commissioned to design three stained-glass windows for Tholey Abbey in Saarland, Germany's oldest monastery church. The 87-year-old artist's designs will be unveiled in September, with the final installation expected by summer 2020 as part of the abbey's broader restoration. The project is being funded by a private investor and includes a collaboration with Richter’s longtime creative partner, the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt.

What a Wonderful World at Variety Arts Theater

Olfactory Objects: Scent, Attention, and the Post-Immersive Turn

british museum funding bayeux tapestry transport

The British Museum has allocated £1.2 million to facilitate the transport of the 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry from Normandy to London for a high-profile exhibition scheduled for 2026. This funding covers the logistical complexities of moving the 230-foot-long masterpiece, which is further protected by a £800 million UK Treasury guarantee. Despite the museum's rigorous planning and expert oversight, the loan has faced significant pushback from conservationists and public figures.

jeffrey epstein art world fallout

The U.S. Department of Justice has released approximately 3 million additional files related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, sparking a new wave of resignations and investigations across the global art world. The documents detail extensive connections between Epstein and high-profile figures, including museum leaders, major collectors, and artists. While inclusion in the files does not prove criminal wrongdoing, the public pressure following these revelations has forced several prominent individuals to step down from influential institutional roles.

sothebys royal academy of art sale

Sotheby's will auction ten works donated by Royal Academicians during its London spring sales to raise funds for the financially struggling Royal Academy of Arts. The sale, with a cumulative high estimate of £2.6 million, includes major works by El Anatsui, Sean Scully, William Kentridge, Tony Cragg, Georg Baselitz, Anish Kapoor, Mimmo Paladino, and Jeff Koons.

Devin Troy Strother at ArtCenter

The article is a table of contents for Issue 42 of Contemporary Art Review LA, which includes a review of an exhibition by artist Devin Troy Strother at ArtCenter. The review, written by Janelle Zara, is listed among other reviews, interviews, and features in the publication's November 2025 issue.

art basel qatar 2026 sales report art market

Art Basel Qatar concluded its first edition with strong attendance and sales, signaling Doha's emergence as a significant art market hub. The fair attracted over 17,000 visitors, with nearly half of the private collectors coming from the MENASA region, and saw institutional placements and steady sales across various price points. Notable sales included works by Lucy Bull, Issy Wood, Nari Ward, and Ahmed Mater.

ken griffin basquiat stephen friedman gallery

London's Stephen Friedman Gallery is facing serious financial difficulties, with its 2024 financial reports overdue and its 2023 accounts revealing a loss of £1.7 million. The gallery, which recently expanded with a large new London space and a New York outpost, is reliant on external financing and negotiations with creditors to continue operating, casting significant doubt on its future viability.

hirshhorn museum loan program

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden has launched the "50 for 50" loan program, a landmark initiative to disperse over 200 artworks from its collection to museums in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Major works by artists like Jackson Pollock, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Willem de Kooning will be loaned for up to five years, with a focus on reaching underserved and rural communities.

Jorinde Voigt at Marc Selwyn Fine Arts

antwerp contemporary art museum controvery

Belgium plans to revoke the museum status of Antwerp's Museum of Contemporary Art (M HKA) and transfer its 8,000-work collection to Ghent's Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art (Smak), canceling a promised $93 million new building. The proposal by Flemish culture minister Caroline Gennez has sparked resignations, legal challenges, and backlash from artists including Luc Tuymans and Anish Kapoor, who call it unlawful and a threat to cultural independence. A parliamentary hearing is expected in January 2026.

kenny schachter 2026 predictions van gogh private sale

Kenny Schachter offers his predictions for the art world in 2026, set against a backdrop of political chaos and rapid AI development. He forecasts only a marginal uptick in global art sales, which he estimates will exceed $57.5 billion, and warns that luxury goods—bags, watches, fossils—are increasingly encroaching on art fairs, auctions, and exhibitions. Schachter criticizes Sotheby's for blurring the lines between auction house, museum, and gallery, citing its traveling "Icon" show as a spectacle of price tags rather than art scholarship.