At Home at Hong Kong Art Week

During Hong Kong Art Week, beyond the dominant Art Basel Hong Kong fair, a series of intimate interventions and installations across the city explore the boundaries between art, design, and everyday life. One notable event is a 'Listening Session' organized by Guangzhou's Vitamin Creative Space in a private home in the New Territories, where Lebanese artist-composer Tarek Atoui debuted two new 'instruments' that transform the living room itself into an interactive sound sculpture. The gathering of about 30 people, mostly in town for art week, blurred the lines between performance, installation, and domestic space.

Behind Christie’s $1 B. Blockbuster Result, the Market Still Looks Uneven

Christie’s New York achieved over $1 billion in sales during a two-part evening auction, led by Jackson Pollock’s *Number 7A, 1948* which sold for $181.2 million. The sale, the first billion-dollar night since the Paul G. Allen collection in 2022, also saw records for other works and active bidding from a small group of buyers, including dealer Jeffrey Deitch. However, the blockbuster results mask a more cautious middle market, where works priced between $100,000 and $1 million remain slow to sell.

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

The Same Dead Thing Alive: Contemporary Archives in L.A. and Beyond

Frieze New York marks 15th edition with expanded international reach

Frieze New York marks its 15th edition from 13-17 May at the Shed, featuring 68 galleries from over 25 countries. The fair includes 57 exhibitors in the main section and 11 in Focus, with nearly half maintaining a New York location. First-time participants include Europa, Sargent’s Daughters, Soft Opening, Ulrik, and W-galería. Latin American representation has grown significantly, with 14 galleries from the region, including Campeche from Mexico City, Isla Flotante from Buenos Aires, and Central from São Paulo. Christine Messineo, Frieze’s director of fairs for the Americas, highlights the fair’s increasingly international scope and the strong Brazilian contingent.

MONUMENTS at MOCA and The Brick

The article reviews the exhibition "MONUMENTS" held at both MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles) and The Brick, as covered by Contemporary Art Review LA. The review, written by Qingyuan Deng, appears in Issue 43 (February 2026) of the publication, which also features other reviews, interviews, and essays on topics ranging from olfactory art to tarot and video art.

Next stop – infinity! My transcendental experience on Japan’s ‘art island’ guided by its master Lee Ufan

The article profiles Korean-born artist Lee Ufan, who turns 90 next month, and his transcendental art on Japan's Naoshima island. It describes his upcoming major shows: a retrospective in Venice coinciding with the Biennale, and an exhibition at Dia Beacon in New York. Lee, a key figure in the Mono-ha movement, creates works like the steel arch "Porte Vers l'Infini" on Naoshima that engage with nature and perception. The piece traces his career from early violent, resistant sculptures involving cracked glass and boulders to later meditative paintings and installations.

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.

2026 Carla Art Auction is Live!

Under new ownership, Art Monte Carlo voices 'global ambitions'

The 10th edition of Art Monte Carlo took place from April 29 to May 1 in the Grimaldi Forum, featuring 26 exhibitors ranging from Old Master paintings to contemporary works by Picasso, Warhol, and Richter. The fair was acquired last year by Informa Prestige, a luxury offshoot of Informa, which also owns Miami's Untitled fair. Executive chair John Paton aims to grow the fair, nearly double its size within two years, and expand to another location, leveraging complementary audiences from yachting and supercars.

King Charles Visits Christie’s in New York, After White House Dinner

King Charles III and Queen Camilla made a surprise visit to Christie’s headquarters in New York on April 29, 2026, following a White House dinner and address to Congress. They attended a gala for the King’s Trust, a charity supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, rather than bidding on auction lots like a $100 million Jackson Pollock or a $60 million Roy Lichtenstein. The event, co-chaired by Lionel Richie, drew guests including Martha Stewart and Anna Wintour, and featured a dinner in the James Christie Room. Christie’s CEO Bonnie Brennan curtsied to the king, and the royals viewed the new rostrum designed by Jony Ive, set to debut in New York during Christie’s May marquee week.

Minnie Pwerle, Emily Pwerle, Molly Pwerle, Galya Pwerle at Château Shatto

Château Shatto gallery in Los Angeles is presenting a group exhibition featuring works by Minnie Pwerle, Emily Pwerle, Molly Pwerle, and Galya Pwerle, four Indigenous Australian artists from the Anmatyerre community. The show highlights their distinctive painting styles, which often draw on ancestral stories and bold abstract patterns, continuing the legacy of Aboriginal art in a contemporary gallery context.

Private Sales Are Surging as Auction Houses Lean into Exclusive, Experience-Led Selling

Sotheby's and Christie's are increasingly turning to private, invitation-only sales to move high-value artworks, bypassing the traditional auction model. Sotheby's recent "The Apartment" exhibition in London, featuring works by David Hockney, George Condo, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, sold half its $40 million inventory before the public even saw it. Christie's reported that its three most expensive paintings sold in 2025 were all private transactions, with the house trading $1.5 billion privately last year—nearly a quarter of its global sales.

Manoucher Yektai at Karma

Here’s What LACMA’s Lavish New Building Looks Like

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has finally unveiled its new flagship building, the David Geffen Galleries, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. The concrete-and-glass structure famously straddles Wilshire Boulevard, featuring a continuous glass facade that offers panoramic views of the Los Angeles landscape and newly installed outdoor sculptures. Inside, the layout encourages a non-linear experience, moving visitors through varying light conditions and diverse gallery sizes that house a mix of contemporary and classical works.

ken griffin global recession iran strait of hormuz

Billionaire hedge fund manager and prominent art collector Kenneth C. Griffin has issued a stark warning regarding the global economy, stating that a recession is inevitable if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed through the end of the year. Speaking at the Semafor World Economy summit, Griffin highlighted that the closure of this vital oil passageway has created energy shocks and treacherous conditions for central bankers, potentially forcing further interest rate hikes to combat inflation.

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.

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)."

Are We Too Reverent of Marcel Duchamp?

The Museum of Modern Art has launched a major retrospective of Marcel Duchamp, co-organized with the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The exhibition tracks the artist's evolution from his early Cubist experiments and the scandal of 'Nude Descending a Staircase' to his radical invention of the readymade, exemplified by the infamous urinal, 'Fountain'. The show presents a comprehensive look at 'The Duch' through a reverential, church-like atmosphere, concluding with his later years as a dapper, enigmatic figure of the avant-garde.

Paying tribute to storied printmaker Kenneth Tyler at the IFPDA Print Fair

The International Fine Prints and Drawings Association (IFPDA) Print Fair at the Park Avenue Armory is honoring the legacy of master printer Kenneth E. Tyler. A central highlight of the event is the presentation by the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) of a new three-volume catalogue raisonné documenting Tyler Graphics from 1986 to 2001. The 94-year-old Tyler, a foundational figure in American printmaking, collaborated with titans of Modern art including Robert Rauschenberg, Helen Frankenthaler, and Roy Lichtenstein across his storied career at Gemini GEL and Tyler Graphics.

Alex Heilbron at as-is

Artist Alex Heilbron presents a solo exhibition at the Los Angeles gallery as-is. The show is featured as a lead review in the February 2026 issue of Contemporary Art Review LA, highlighting Heilbron's continued exploration of painting and visual language within the Southern California art scene.

Eddie Kang at Gana Art Los Angeles

The article is a table of contents for the February 2026 issue of Contemporary Art Review LA, listing numerous features, interviews, and reviews. It highlights an interview with artist Eddie Kang at Gana Art Los Angeles, alongside other content covering topics like olfactory art, tarot, video art, and reviews of exhibitions across Los Angeles galleries and museums.

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.

Carla Soirée & Art Auction 2026

The article is a table of contents for the February 2026 issue of the Contemporary Art Review LA, listing its featured articles, interviews, dealer profiles, and exhibition reviews. The content covers a wide range of subjects including olfactory art, tarot art, the Made in L.A. 2025 biennial, video art, and reviews of shows at various Los Angeles galleries and museums like MOCA, the Orange County Museum of Art, and Château Shatto.

Curating Around Social Urgencies: How Artists Refuse Quietism

The article focuses on the curatorial approach and artistic ethos of the 2025 edition of the 'Made in L.A.' biennial, highlighting how artists are actively engaging with pressing social and political issues rather than retreating into quietism or abstraction. It examines specific works and the overall thematic drive of the exhibition, which is organized by the Hammer Museum and the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.

Interview with Kelly Wall

The article is an interview with artist Kelly Wall, conducted by Olivia Gauthier, published in the February 2026 issue of Contemporary Art Review LA. It appears within a broader issue exploring themes like scent in art, tarot, and social urgencies in contemporary practice.

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.

Art as Memorial in Lotusland

The article "Art as Memorial in Lotusland" by Aleina Grace Edwards appears in the February 2026 issue of Contemporary Art Review LA (CARLA). It is part of a larger issue exploring themes like scent in art, tarot, social urgencies in curation, and video art, positioning it within a critical discussion of contemporary art practices in Los Angeles.

450 million newhouse trove heads to christies led by 100 million pollock

Christie’s has secured a prestigious collection of 35 to 40 artworks from the estate of the late media mogul S.I. Newhouse, valued at approximately $450 million. Scheduled for the May auction season, the selection is headlined by Jackson Pollock’s drip painting 'Number 7' (1948) and Constantin Brancusi’s bronze sculpture 'Danaïde' (1913), both estimated at around $100 million. The consignment marks the fourth time Christie’s has handled material from the Newhouse estate, which has previously set records for artists like Jeff Koons.