jean widmer dead designer centre pompidou

Jean Widmer, the influential French-Swiss graphic designer who created the iconic visual identity for the Centre Pompidou, has died at age 96. Widmer is best known for distilling the complex, high-tech architecture of Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers into a minimalist logo of black lines and a zig-zagging diagonal, a design that has remained unchanged since the museum's opening in 1977. Beyond the Pompidou, his career spanned fashion art direction at Le Jardin des Modes and the creation of France's standardized highway signage system.

quattro gatti official gin 2026 venice biennale

Quattro Gatti Gin, a spirits brand founded by the prominent Mordant family of art patrons, has been named the official gin of the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026. The gin will be served at the Giardini and Arsenale venues, as well as during the high-profile professional preview days. Developed by Simon and Catriona Mordant alongside their children, the brand utilizes local Umbrian juniper and botanicals, marking a commercial extension of the family's deep ties to Italy and the international art world.

bedayat beginnings of saudi art movement

The National Museum of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh has launched "Bedayat: Beginnings of Saudi Art Movement," a landmark survey exhibition documenting the evolution of the country’s art scene from the 1960s through the 1980s. Curated by Qaswra Hafez and commissioned by the Visual Arts Commission, the show features a vast array of paintings, sculptures, and never-before-seen archival materials. The exhibition is organized into three sections that explore the foundations of the movement, the influence of modernization on daily life, and the specific contributions of four modernist pioneers: Mohammed Al-Saleem, Safeya Binzagr, Mounirah Mosly, and Abdulhalim Radwi.

georg kolbe museum to restitute nazi looted sculpture to heirs of holocaust victim

The Georg Kolbe Museum in Berlin has announced the restitution of the 1922 bronze sculpture 'Tänzerinnen-Brunnen' (Dancers’ Fountain) to the heirs of its original owner, a Jewish art collector and insurance executive named Stahl. Following an extensive provenance investigation, the museum determined that Stahl was forced to sell his villa and the sculpture under Nazi persecution and economic coercion in 1941, shortly before he was deported and murdered at the Theresienstadt concentration camp.

tai shani phaidon book deal leon blacks jeffrey epstein

Turner Prize-winning artist Tai Shani has officially terminated her book contract with Phaidon, the prominent arts publisher owned by billionaire collector Leon Black. Shani cited Black’s extensive financial ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the "horrific allegations" of sexual assault leveled against Black as the primary reasons for her withdrawal. Describing the move as a "feminist practice" of refusal, Shani walked away from a planned monograph despite praising the publisher's editorial team.

british museum explains removal palestinian wall texts

The British Museum has disputed a Telegraph report claiming it removed the word 'Palestinian' from wall texts under pressure from the pro-Israel group UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI). The museum stated that while some text was changed last year, using 'Canaanite descent' for a specific historical period, it continues to use 'Palestinian' as a cultural identifier where appropriate and that the changes predated the UKLFI letter. Museum director Nicholas Cullinan denied the changes were a response to the group's complaint, expressing frustration over the situation.

british museum palestine backlash

The British Museum has revised labels for ancient Middle Eastern artifacts in its Levant and Egypt galleries, removing the term 'Palestine' from descriptions of ancient civilizations. The institution states the changes are part of an ongoing review, driven by audience feedback and a recognition that the term is no longer historically neutral due to contemporary political sensitivities.

africa art market shift

The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in Marrakech saw a significant contraction in 2026, with participation dropping by over 25 percent to just 22 galleries. This decline coincides with the recent arrival of Art Basel in Doha, which is intensifying competition for galleries and collectors' attention across the MENASA region, forcing dealers to make strategic choices about which fairs to support.

joe frazier statue philadelphia museum of art steps

The Philadelphia Art Commission has approved a plan to relocate a statue of real-life boxer Joe Frazier to the base of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's steps. This move is intended to replace the iconic statue of fictional boxer Rocky Balboa, which is being moved to the top of the same steps.

l v hull home joins national register of historic places

The Kosciusko, Mississippi, home of self-taught African American artist L.V. Hull has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Hull transformed her property into a vibrant art environment over decades, using found objects and her signature dot paintings, attracting international visitors. This marks the first home-studio of an African American woman visual artist, and the first such environment by any African American artist, to be listed at the national significance level.

tefaf new york names 88 exhibitors for 2026

TEFAF New York has announced the exhibitor list for its 2026 edition, set to take place at the Park Avenue Armory from May 15 to 19. The fair will feature 88 galleries from 14 countries, including nine new participants and 78 returning dealers, with a focus on modern and contemporary art, design, jewelry, and antiquities. Major international galleries like Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, and David Zwirner will be present.

british museums samurai show reveals the untold story of women warriors

The British Museum has opened a major exhibition titled "Samurai" that challenges popular perceptions of the warrior class. It reveals that after 1615, half of all samurai were women, though they did not engage in combat, and explores the evolution of samurai from medieval fighters to Edo-period bureaucrats and cultural figures. The show features over 280 objects, from armor and weapons to everyday items like a woman's dressing set, and examines the contrast between historical reality and modern pop culture portrayals.

Dürer Copy Real, National Gallery Metzger

durer copy real national gallery metzger

Art historian Christof Metzger has challenged the long-held view that a portrait of Albrecht Dürer's father in London's National Gallery is a copy, declaring it an authentic work by the Renaissance master. Metzger, chief curator of the Albertina in Vienna, bases his argument on the painting's outstanding artistic quality and masterful technique, detailed in his new book, despite the museum's previous assessment that its unusual, streaky background suggests it is a copy.

artemisia gentileschi record christies

An early self-portrait by Artemisia Gentileschi, depicting the artist as Saint Catherine of Alexandria, sold at Christie’s in New York for $5.69 million, far exceeding its $2.5–3.5 million estimate. The painting, one of only five known self-portraits by Gentileschi, was painted when she was 20 and living in Florence. The previous auction record for the artist was $5.25 million set in 2019 at Artcurial in Paris.

louvre indefinitely postpones announcing winning architect expansion project

The Louvre has indefinitely postponed the competition to select an architect for its expansion project, Louvre—Nouvelle Renaissance, just days before the jury was set to vote on a winning proposal. Announced by French President Emmanuel Macron in January 2025, the $778 million plan aimed to ease overcrowding at the museum, which hosts 9 million visitors annually, by creating a new entrance, upgrading infrastructure, and controversially building a dedicated 33,000-square-foot gallery for the Mona Lisa. Five firms—Amanda Levete Architects, architecturestudio, Dubuisson Architecture, Sou Fujimoto, and STUDIOS Architecture—had been shortlisted. The postponement follows staff walkouts, a leaked memo detailing structural issues, and a high-profile theft.

philadelphia art museum new director

The Philadelphia Art Museum has appointed Daniel Weiss, former CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as its new director, effective December 1. Weiss takes over amid a legal battle with recently ousted director Sasha Suda, who filed a wrongful-termination lawsuit after her November 4 dismissal. The museum has escalated its defense, alleging Suda misappropriated funds prior to her firing. Weiss, who previously restored fiscal stability at the Met, is expected to guide the institution through this tumultuous period, which also includes backlash over a controversial rebrand.

georg wilsons pilar corrias

London artist Georg Wilson opens "Against Nature," her second solo exhibition with Pilar Corrias, exploring the hidden world of poisonous plants in the English countryside. The show features paintings of henbane, thorn apple, and nightshade, depicting them as rebellious agents that thrive in abandoned, uncultivated land. Wilson's work coincides with her institutional debut at Jupiter Artland in Edinburgh, titled "The Earth Exhales." Her research began by collecting second-hand botanical books, which led her to notice toxic flora growing unnoticed around London, including a towering thorn apple near her studio.

national gallery artemisia gentileschi provenance

The National Gallery in London is preparing to unveil Artemisia Gentileschi's 'Self-Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria,' a major 2018 acquisition. However, the museum has quietly added the painting to its list of works that could have been looted during the Nazi era due to a gap in its provenance from 1615 to the 1940s, specifically concerning its ownership by the French Boudeville family during the war.

schiaparelli paris recreates stolen louvre jewels

Schiaparelli's artistic director Daniel Roseberry debuted dramatic recreations of crown jewels stolen from the Louvre during the brand's Paris Haute Couture Week show. The pieces, worn by actor Teyana Taylor, were inspired by a pearl-and-diamond tiara and bow brooch once owned by Empress Eugénie, which were among an estimated $102 million in gems taken in a heist last October.

dinkins building civic fate statue public tours

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced that the rooftop of the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building in Manhattan will open for free public tours starting in June. The initiative, part of a $6 million improvement project, will allow visitors to access the cupola directly beneath the building's iconic 25-foot-tall gilded statue, Civic Fate, and enjoy panoramic views of the city.

portrait albrecht durer father national gallery authentic

A new catalogue raisonné by scholar Christof Metzger argues that a painting in London's National Gallery, long considered a copy, is an authentic work by Albrecht Dürer. Metzger, a curator at Vienna's Albertina Museum, contends that the 1497 portrait of Dürer's father shows masterful technique that distinguishes it from known copies.

rare greek funerary sculpture tefaf david aaron

A rare ancient Greek funerary sculpture, the Stele of Medeia (375-350 BCE), is being offered for sale at the TEFAF art fair by the London gallery David Aaron. The piece, priced at £450,000, depicts an unmarried young woman and retains significant original pigment. It has already attracted significant interest from a major US museum.

louvre abu dhabis manuel rabate tapped to lead indias largest private museum

Manuel Rabaté, the inaugural director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, has been appointed as the first chief executive and director of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) in New Delhi. He will lead the institution as it prepares to move from its current location in a shopping mall to a massive new purpose-built complex designed by David Adjaye Associates, which is slated to open within three years.

brooklyn museum robert wiesenberger senior curator

Robert Wiesenberger has been appointed as the new senior curator of contemporary art at the Brooklyn Museum. The position had been vacant since 2023, following the departure of Eugenie Tsai after 15 years. Wiesenberger is moving from his current role as a curator of contemporary art at the Clark Art Institute in Massachusetts.

walker museum cuts ties minneapolis police

The Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Institute of Art have announced they will cease contracting with the Minneapolis Police Department for security at events. The Walker's decision demands the MPD implement reforms, including demilitarizing training and holding officers accountable, stating 'George Floyd should still be alive.'

jonathan anderson dior magdalene odundo

Jonathan Anderson presented his debut haute couture collection for Dior, the Spring 2026 line, at Paris Fashion Week. The runway was transformed into a garden with suspended flowers, blending floral motifs with an edgy, exploratory aesthetic. Anderson drew inspiration from ceramicist Magdalene Odundo, whose sinuous forms influenced the collection's sculptural tension, and referenced 18th-century miniatures by Rosalba Carriera and John Smart for couture jewelry. The collection is now on view at the Musée Rodin in a week-long presentation titled "Grammar of Forms," alongside works by Christian Dior and Odundo.

studio museum in harlem sprinkler mishap

The Studio Museum in Harlem has temporarily closed due to water damage caused by a sprinkler emergency during a snowstorm. The incident, which affected the gift shop near the entrance, prompted an evacuation of staff and visitors. The museum will remain closed through February 7 for repairs, with all programs and events cancelled and refunds issued to ticket holders. No artworks or galleries were affected, according to a museum representative.

adolf hitler artwork auction germany

A group of 14 watercolors and drawings by Adolf Hitler, dated from 1904 to 1922, will be auctioned at the Weidler auction house in Nuremberg, Germany, between June 18 and 20. The works are expected to sell for between €1,000 and €45,000 each, following a previous sale of a Hitler watercolor that fetched €130,000 in November last year.

zahi hawass the man with the hat documentary

Zahi Hawass, the 78-year-old former Egyptian minister for antiquities, is the subject of a new self-mythologizing documentary titled "The Man With the Hat." The film recounts his rise to international fame through countless TV appearances, his role in overseeing major discoveries like the 3,000-year-old "lost golden city" in Luxor, and his leadership in building the $1 billion Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). Hawass is also shown advocating for the repatriation of artifacts such as the Nefertiti bust and the Rosetta Stone, while sidestepping controversies that have marked his career.

w david marx blanks space

W. David Marx joins Artnet News senior editor Kate Brown on the podcast 'The Art Angle' to discuss his new book, *Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century*. The book argues that creativity across art, media, and popular culture has stagnated over the past 25 years, driven by commercialization, rapid technology shifts, and a preference for profit-driven formulas over experimentation. Marx identifies a 'conspicuous blank space where art and creativity used to be' and proposes five strategies to revive cultural inventiveness.