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.

christies anime manga new york sale

Christie’s is launching its first New York auction dedicated to Japanese anime and manga, titled "Anime Starts Here: Japanese Subculture Reimagines Tradition." Scheduled for March 18–31 during Asian Art Week, the online sale features over 40 lots including original production cels from Hayao Miyazaki’s films, manga drawings by Tezuka Osamu, vintage Godzilla posters, and Hokusai prints. Most items are priced accessibly, with many estimates falling below $3,000.

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.

four major works by bacon freud and kossoff from lewis collection to hit auction block at sothebys london in march

Sotheby's London will auction four major works from the Lewis Collection in its March 4 Modern and Contemporary evening sale. The highlights include a 1972 self-portrait by Francis Bacon, two portraits by Lucian Freud, and a rare swimming pool scene by Leon Kossoff, all representing the School of London movement.

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.

london courtauld new contemporary art galleries blavatnik

London’s Courtauld Gallery will open two new contemporary art galleries at its Somerset House campus, funded by a £10 million ($13.8 million) gift from the Blavatnik Family Foundation. The top-floor spaces, originally built as a display area for the Royal Society in the 18th century, are expected to debut in 2029. The donation brings the foundation’s total support for the Courtauld to £20 million ($27.5 million), following earlier backing for the museum’s 2021 renovation. The new galleries will be programmed in part by students in the Courtauld’s curating master’s program and will host exhibitions connecting historical and contemporary art.

evan beard left masterworks launch new york gallery

Evan Beard, a former Navy intelligence officer and Oxford economics graduate, is launching a new secondary market gallery called Beard & Co. on New York's Upper East Side after leaving Masterworks, the $1 billion art-tech startup where he ran its secondary market gallery Level & Co. Beard's career path includes stints at Deloitte and Bank of America, where he managed art financing operations and worked with major U.S. collectors. His new gallery will employ a half-dozen staff and function as a discreet private bank for collectors, offering services such as art loans, auction guarantees, consignments, and estate planning.

christies london belgian 54 million collection magritte

Christie's London will auction a major collection of modern and contemporary art from Belgian collectors Roger and Josette Vanthournout during its March marquee sales week. The collection, estimated at £40 million ($53.8 million), spans six decades of collecting and includes works by René Magritte, Henry Moore, Pablo Picasso, Yayoi Kusama, Lucio Fontana, Agnes Martin, and Max Ernst. It will be offered across three sales: a March 5 evening sale, a March 6 daytime sale, and an online sale from February 25 to March 12. Highlights include Magritte's 'La plaine de l'air' (1940) and Moore's 'Goslar Warrior' (1973–74), each estimated at £3.5–5.5 million.

yoshiko mori former chair mori art museum died 85

Yoshiko Mori, the founding chairperson of Tokyo's Mori Art Museum, died on December 23 from pneumonia at age 85. Alongside her husband, real estate developer Minoru Mori, she opened the museum in 2003, which has since become one of Japan's premier contemporary art institutions. Mori served as chairperson from 2003 to 2024, then as chairperson emerita until her death. She also founded the Mori Contemporary Art Foundation in 2025 and held numerous international board positions, including trustee at the Royal Academy of Arts and member of the International Council at MoMA and Tate.

jeffrey epstein art world connections

The article details the ongoing release of documents related to disgraced sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, revealing his extensive ties to prominent art world figures. Key connections include former MoMA chairman Leon Black, who paid Epstein tens of millions for tax advice and engaged in art transactions involving a Giacometti sculpture and a Cézanne watercolor; retail mogul and art collector Leslie Wexner; and artist Andres Serrano. It also highlights the story of artist Maria Farmer, who was assaulted by Epstein and Maxwell and faced threats against her art career when she tried to report them in the 1990s.

what are the 10 best works of art in new york museums let the debate begin

Artnet News critic Christian Viveros-Fauné has published a personal list of the ten best works of art in New York museums, sparking debate among readers. The selection includes iconic pieces such as Giovanni Bellini's *St. Francis in the Desert* at the Frick Collection, Gerhard Richter's *October 18, 1977* at MoMA, Paul Cézanne's *The Card Players* at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, James Rosenquist's *F-111* at MoMA, Diego Velázquez's *Juan de Pareja* at the Met, and Pablo Picasso's *Les Demoiselles d'Avignon* at MoMA, among others.

asia society muhammad artwork censorship

New York's Asia Society and Museum has been accused of censorship by Islamic art scholars after a virtual tour of its exhibition "Comparative Hell: Arts of Asian Underworlds" blurred two artworks depicting the Prophet Muhammad. The museum acknowledged the error, blaming an outside contractor and insufficient oversight, and announced plans to restore the images to the online tour. The blurred works include a folio from the Falnama (ca. 1555) on loan from the Arthur M. Sackler Museum at Harvard and a manuscript page from the David Collection in Copenhagen showing Muhammad ascending to heaven. The controversy follows a similar incident at Hamline University, where an adjunct professor lost her contract after showing images of Muhammad in an art history class.

frank gehry architect obituary

Frank Gehry, the renowned American architect, has died at age 96 in his Santa Monica home after a brief respiratory illness. He is survived by his wife, three children, and a vast portfolio of iconic buildings including the Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, and the 8 Spruce skyscraper in New York. The article traces his life from his birth in Toronto in 1929, his education at USC and Harvard, his early career at Gruen Associates, and his rise to fame through innovative, sculptural designs that transformed modern architecture.

alma allen us venice biennale pavilion non political artist

Alma Allen, a sculptor known for sleek, abstract works, has been selected to represent the United States at the 2026 Venice Biennale, marking the country's 250th anniversary. The selection process, run by the US State Department and funded by the newly formed American Arts Conservancy—which the article notes is stocked with Trump allies—has drawn criticism for favoring politically neutral art. Allen's sculptures, often made of marble and wood with digital technology, are described as aesthetically inoffensive and reminiscent of Constantin Brâncuși, with no apparent commentary on current US issues.

after a life backstage es devlin is ready for her spotlight

Es Devlin, the renowned set designer behind iconic pop culture moments for Beyoncé, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, and Miley Cyrus, is shifting focus from large-scale commercial spectacles to more personal artistic projects. A new monograph and retrospective at the Cooper Hewitt, titled "An Atlas of Es Devlin," catalogues her three-decade career, while her latest installation "Surfacing," commissioned by BMW and unveiled at Art Basel 2024, marks a turn toward fine art. Devlin, now 50, describes this phase as a liberating new chapter where she feels "nothing to lose."

romare bearden digital catalogue raisonne

The Wildenstein Plattner Institute (WPI) and the Romare Bearden Foundation have launched the first installment of a digital catalogue raisonné for the artist Romare Bearden, covering his work from 1964 to 1969. The project, which began in earnest in 2017, has so far documented 3,000 artworks, including 210 in this initial chapter, and has uncovered previously unknown works such as a portrait of artist Edmonia Lewis. The research builds on three decades of archival work by the foundation, which digitized Bearden's ephemera to aid in tracking down works he often gave away informally.

sothebys leonard lauder contemporary by the numbers

Sotheby's held a marathon evening sale in New York on Tuesday night, achieving $706 million in total sales—the highest single-evening total in the auction house's history. The standout was the collection of Leonard A. Lauder, which alone brought $527.5 million, led by Gustav Klimt's *Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer* (1914-16) that sold for $236.4 million after a 20-minute bidding war. A second sale of contemporary and ultra-contemporary works added $178.5 million, with Jean-Michel Basquiat's *Crowns (Peso Neto)* (1981) topping that session at $48.3 million. Notably, no lots were withdrawn across both sales, and Asian collectors drove bidding on many high-value lots. Maurizio Cattelan's gold toilet *America* (2016) sold for $12.1 million, drawing only one bid.

christies edlis neeson sale 124 million

Christie's 21st-century evening sale in New York on Wednesday night achieved $123.6 million, just below its $126 million high estimate and 16% above last year's sale. The sale featured 19 lots from the collection of the late Stefan Edlis and his widow Gael Neeson, which brought in $49.2 million against a $30 million estimate. The top lot was Christopher Wool's "Untitled (RIOT)" (1990), selling for $19.8 million. New auction records were set for Firelei Báez ($1.1 million) and Olga de Amaral ($3.1 million). Only one of 45 lots failed to sell—a Cecily Brown painting estimated at $4–6 million. The sale was characterized by careful use of third-party guarantees and lowered reserves, with art advisor Aileen Agopian noting bidding was "deep and robust" despite a flat atmosphere.

november marquee auction sales midpoint analysis

Christie's and Sotheby's November marquee auctions in New York generated a combined $1.4 billion, with Sotheby's achieving a record $706 million from a double-header sale. The highlight was Gustav Klimt's "Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer" (1914–16), sold for $236.4 million from the collection of late cosmetics heir Leonard Lauder, becoming the most expensive modern artwork ever sold at auction. Christie's Monday sale brought in $690 million, falling short of its $731.5 million high estimate but still marking a 42% increase over its equivalent sale last November.

jeff koons gagosian porcelain series review

Jeff Koons's latest exhibition at Gagosian Gallery in New York features his new series of large-scale porcelain and stainless-steel sculptures, including the centerpiece *Aphrodite* (2016–21), an eight-and-a-half-foot-tall nude. The show marks Koons's first solo presentation in New York in seven years and follows a turbulent period in his career, including record auction sales, a move to Pace Gallery and back to Gagosian, and two lawsuits. Critic Christopher Garcia Valle panned the works as unstimulating and banal, arguing they fail to awe viewers despite their technical ambition and massive scale.

records fall during 706 million night at sothebys turbocharged by blue chip lauder trove

Sotheby's achieved a record-breaking $706 million auction night at its new global headquarters in the Breuer Building, New York, the highest total in the auction house's 281-year history. The sale was propelled by the collection of late art patron Leonard A. Lauder, whose 24 pieces sold for $527.5 million, led by Gustav Klimt's *Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer* (1914–16) which fetched $236.4 million, becoming the second-priciest artwork ever sold at auction. A subsequent contemporary and ultra-contemporary art sale added $178.5 million.

sothebys charles stewart supply and demand

Sotheby's CEO Charles Stewart told CNBC that the art market has entered a new phase this fall, with supply finally catching up with demand after months of strong bidder activity. New York's marquee auction houses are preparing for sales expected to total more than $1.4 billion, a roughly 50% jump from last year, driven by major consignments including the estate of Leonard Lauder (55 works valued at over $400 million, led by Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer) and collections from Jay and Cindy Pritzker. Christie's highlights include a Monet Nymphéas, a David Hockney portrait, and a Mark Rothko, each estimated at $40–60 million.

marquee art sales fall 2025 christies sothebys phillips

Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips are holding their marquee fall 2025 sales in New York next week, with an unusually high volume of inventory. Christie's alone will offer 80 works on Monday night, and across the week 27 lots carry estimates above $10 million—a stark contrast to the tepid May sales. The season is top-heavy, with the $2 million–$5 million range considered the trickiest. Notable consignments include the estate of Leonard Lauder and the collection of Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson, while many discretionary sellers remain absent. Day sales feature works with significant price drops, such as a Steve Parrino painting last sold for nearly $1 million now estimated at $300,000–$500,000, and an Avery Singer work that sold for $3 million in 2022 now estimated at $600,000–$800,000. Several pandemic-era speculative purchases are also returning to market at steep discounts.

ex christies chief jussi pylkkanen works trends watch auction season

Jussi Pylkkanen, former Christie's chairman, analyzes the upcoming New York 20th and 21st Century Art sales, noting a return to market confidence after strong European auctions in London and Paris aligned with Frieze and Art Basel Paris fairs. Christie's London posted its best October sales since 2018, Sotheby's had its most valuable Paris season, and a Picasso portrait sold for $37 million at Hôtel Drouot. The season shows a shift from speculative buying toward established artists like Bacon, Freud, Picasso, and Klimt, with 27 works valued over $10 million, led by Gustav Klimt's *Portrait of Elizabeth Lederer* from the Leonard Lauder collection, estimated to exceed $150 million at Sotheby's.

sothebys newly relocated to the breuer building reintroduces itself to new york

Sotheby's has relocated its New York headquarters to Marcel Breuer's iconic Brutalist building on Madison Avenue, formerly home to the Whitney Museum, the Met Breuer, and a Frick Collection outpost. After a renovation by Herzog & de Meuron that restored original gallery proportions and upgraded infrastructure, the auction house is inaugurating the space with a series of exhibitions featuring three major single-owner collections—Leonard A. Lauder, Cindy and Jay Pritzker, and Exquisite Corpus—estimated at over a billion dollars. Highlights include Gustav Klimts from the Lauder trove, a Van Gogh still life from the Pritzker collection, a Frida Kahlo painting expected to set a record for a woman artist, and a Basquiat work in the contemporary evening sale.

art basel paris vip preview sales report

Art Basel Paris opened its VIP preview on Wednesday, following a new invite-only preview called Avant Première on Tuesday. Major galleries reported strong sales, including Hauser & Wirth's $23 million Gerhard Richter abstract, the highest reported sale at the fair. Other notable sales included Julie Mehretu's $11.5 million painting at White Cube, a $4.7 million Bruce Nauman neon at Hauser & Wirth, and a $2.5 million Marlene Dumas painting at David Zwirner. Dealers noted that the staggered two-day opening helped spread out crowds and allowed collectors to return for the official VIP day, with many describing the fair as the most successful edition in Paris to date.

art basel paris avant premiere vip sales report

Art Basel Paris launched a new ultra-exclusive invitation-only preview called Avant Première, held one day before the official VIP preview. The four-hour event on Tuesday afternoon saw strong sales, with Thaddaeus Ropac selling works including a 1953 Alberto Burri for €4.2 million and two George Baselitz pieces, while Hauser & Wirth sold Gerhard Richter's 1987 *Abstraktes Bild* for $23 million, the highest reported sale. The fair limited each gallery to six invites with plus-ones, resulting in an estimated 3,000 attendees compared to 6,000 for the regular First Choice preview, creating a more manageable and urgent atmosphere.

david hockneys ipad drawings sell for 8 3 m at sothebys london doubling sales high estimate

A group of 17 iPad drawings by David Hockney, titled 'The Arrival of Spring,' sold for a combined £6.2 million ($8.3 million) at Sotheby’s London on Friday, more than doubling their high estimate. Fifteen of the 17 works achieved record prices for the subject, with the top lot, 'The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 – 19 February (2011),' selling for £762,000 ($1 million), breaking the artist's print record three times. The sale was a white-glove result, with 40 percent of the drawings going to American collectors and 65 percent bought online.

jeff koons first new york show 2025 gagosian

Jeff Koons will present his first solo show at Gagosian in seven years, titled “Porcelain Series,” opening November 13 at the gallery’s 541 West 24th Street location. The exhibition features new and recent sculptures and paintings that explore beauty and mythology, including mirror-polished stainless steel figurines modeled on 18th- to early-20th-century porcelain and oil paintings incorporating historical engravings. Koons, who left Gagosian in 2021 for Pace and returned in 2025, debuted new work at Frieze New York in May.