cowley abbott spring auction 2025

Cowley Abbott's spring live auction, 'Select Masterworks of Canadian and International Art,' will take place on May 28, 2025, featuring over 90 lots. Highlights include works by Marcelle Ferron (Sans titre, 1964, est. $300,000–$400,000), Andy Warhol (Ladies and Gentlemen (Ivette and Lurdes), 1975, est. $70,000–$90,000), Emily Carr (Fir Trees, ca. 1935, est. $275,000–$375,000), Henri Le Sidaner (L’Escalier, Beauvais, ca. 1900, est. $100,000–$150,000), and Fernand Léger (Composition, 1950, est. $30,000–$50,000). The sale spans Pop art, Canadian Modernism, Post-Impressionism, and abstraction.

decorative art sold 2024

Sales in the decorative-art category—including design objects, furniture, jewelry, and watches—dropped nearly 42% year on year in 2024, netting $3.3 billion, the lowest total in a decade. The average price of a decorative artwork at auction fell 39.5% to $13,010, also the lowest since 2014. Sotheby’s and Christie’s remained nearly tied, with Sotheby’s edging ahead by $72.9 million. Europe led regional sales with $1.3 billion, followed by Asia at $1 billion and North America at $898 million.

wayne thiebaud pie bonhams

Wayne Thiebaud's 1961 painting *Pie a la Mode* will headline Bonhams' 20th and 21st century sale in New York on May 14, with an estimate of $1.2 million to $1.8 million. The work, which depicts a lone slice of pie with melting ice cream against a stark black background, is making its auction debut after six decades in a private collection. The 25-lot sale also includes works by Willem de Kooning, Alexander Calder, Fernando Botero, Joel Shapiro, and Ernie Barnes.

national garden of american heroes analysis

President Trump is moving forward with the National Garden of American Heroes, a monument featuring 250 life-size statues of American historical figures, to be built for the U.S. semiquincentennial in 2026. The project, first announced in a 2020 executive order, has released grant guidelines offering $200,000 per sculpture, with $34 million diverted from the NEA and NEH. The list of 244 subjects includes figures like Hannah Arendt, Neil Armstrong, and John Singer Sargent, with six remaining to be chosen by a presidential aide. The statues must be realistic, using materials like marble or bronze, and the location is still undecided, though South Dakota is a strong contender.

a controversial caravaggio debut in india

A Caravaggio painting, *Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy* (ca. 1606), has been publicly exhibited in India for the first time, hosted at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) in Delhi. The exhibition, organized in partnership with the Italian Embassy’s cultural center, coincides with a visit by Italy’s deputy prime minister Antonio Tajani and runs through May 18. It includes a VR experience and a documentary series about the artist. The painting was only rediscovered in 2014 and authenticated by scholar Mina Gregori, though some experts still debate whether it is a 17th-century copy rather than an original Caravaggio.

‘It’s a world heritage site, but it’s my home’: the last resident of Casa Milà on life in Gaudí’s masterwork

Ana Viladomiu, a 70-year-old writer, is the last remaining tenant of Antoni Gaudí’s Casa Milà (La Pedrera) in Barcelona, a UNESCO World Heritage site that receives about a million visitors annually. She has lived in the luminous apartment since 1988, originally moving in with her then-husband Fernando Amat, owner of the iconic design store Vinçon. Viladomiu holds a rare renta antigua (fixed-rent contract) that allows her to stay until she or Amat dies, after which the not-for-profit foundation managing the building will take ownership. The rest of the building now houses offices and cultural event spaces.

Chris Mullen obituary

Chris Mullen, a distinguished educator and historian of art and design, has died at the age of 81. Throughout a career spanning over three decades at the Norwich School of Art and the University of Brighton, Mullen became a pivotal figure in integrating contextual studies with studio practice. He was renowned for his vast personal archive of printed ephemera and his digital project, "The Visual Telling of Stories," which served as a vital resource for generations of students and researchers.

Colours of Time review – Monet meets Mamma Mia in charming French artist comedy

Director Cédric Klapisch’s new film, *Colours of Time* (originally *La Venue de L’Avenir*), is a sentimental French comedy that weaves a fictional romantic history around Impressionist master Claude Monet and pioneering photographer Félix Nadar. The plot follows a group of modern-day descendants who discover a trove of historical secrets in a derelict cottage, leading to a whimsical, time-bending exploration of their ancestors' lives in Belle Époque Paris.

Bridget Jones statue becomes permanent resident of Leicester Square: ‘She makes Londoners feel seen’

A bronze statue of the iconic literary and film character Bridget Jones has been granted permanent residency in London’s Leicester Square. Originally intended for a three-year temporary stay, the sculpture was unveiled in November as part of Westminster Council’s 'Scenes in the Square' trail, joining other cinematic figures like Harry Potter and Mary Poppins. The decision to make the installation permanent coincides with the 25th anniversary of the first film's release.

Italy purchases rare Caravaggio painting for $34.7 million.

Italy purchases rare Caravaggio painting for $34.7 million.

The Italian government has purchased Caravaggio's *Ecce Homo* for $34.7 million, preventing the 17th-century masterpiece from leaving the country. The painting, which depicts a bound Christ presented to the crowd, was sold by its private owners after its rediscovery and authentication in 2021. The state exercised its right of first refusal to match a sale agreed with an unnamed foreign buyer, securing the work for public ownership.

Naufus Ramírez-Figueroa “Lugar de Consuelo (Place of Solace)” at MoMA, New York

MoMA's Kravis Studio is presenting Naufus Ramírez-Figueroa's multimedia work "Lugar de Consuelo (Place of Solace)" (2020), marking the artist's first solo presentation at the museum. The work, jointly acquired in 2022 through MoMA's Latin American and Caribbean Fund and Fund for the Twenty-First Century, includes prints, drawings, costumes, sculptures, videos, and a related performance that explore political and personal histories of Guatemala.

“Photography as a Way of Life” at PU Art Museum

The Princeton University Art Museum has unveiled "Photography as a Way of Life," a major exhibition running from April 19 through September 7. The show examines the interconnected careers of Minor White, Aaron Siskind, and Harry Callahan, three titans of mid-20th-century American photography. Drawing heavily from the museum’s Minor White Archive, the exhibition features unpublished color and black-and-white prints, archival documents, and a reconstruction of White’s slide projection piece, "Slow Dance."

Newport Art Museum launches the Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Society

The Newport Art Museum has launched the Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Society, a new fund to support ambitious exhibition programming. The initiative was previewed at the Members' Show Exhibition and will be announced at the Julie Keyes Gallery Pop Up at Palm Beach Modern Auctions on February 13. The fund will support major projects including 'Sheila Isham: Between Worlds' opening July 10 and a 2028 exhibition on Edward Mitchell Bannister developed with multiple partners. The society is named after Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, a charter member of the Newport Art Association and influential arts patron.

Metropolitan Museum's new Condé M. Nast Galleries will put fashion at the forefront

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will open the Condé M. Nast Galleries, a nearly 12,000-square-foot space adjacent to the Grand Hall, next spring. The new galleries will become the permanent home for the annual Costume Institute exhibition, replacing the museum's largest retail space. The inaugural show, "Costume Art" (10 May 2026–10 January 2027), will pair paintings, sculptures, and other art objects with historical and contemporary garments, emphasizing the dressed body as a central theme across the museum's collections. The move follows the record-breaking success of 2018's "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination," which drew over 1.6 million visitors.

Maurizio Cattelan opens a hotline to absolve us of our sins via WhatsApp

Maurizio Cattelan ouvre une hotline pour nous absoudre de nos péchés par WhatsApp

Italian provocateur Maurizio Cattelan has launched "The Confessional," an international hotline allowing participants to confess their sins via WhatsApp, SMS, or voice notes from April 2 to April 22, 2026. This participatory performance culminates in a livestream on April 23, where Cattelan will personally grant absolution to selected participants. The project coincides with the release of a limited edition of 666 miniature replicas of his infamous 1999 sculpture, "La Nona Ora," which depicts Pope John Paul II being struck by a meteorite.

Thomas Zipp has died

Thomas Zipp gestorben

The Berlin-based artist Thomas Zipp has died. His gallery, Barbara Thumm, announced the news on Saturday. Zipp, born in 1966, was a professor of painting and multimedia at the Berlin University of the Arts and was considered one of the most significant figures in German contemporary art since the 1990s. His work was shown internationally at venues including the Venice Biennale and museums in New York, London, and Zurich.

BTS RM to unveil personal art collection at SFMOMA

BTS member RM (Kim Namjoon) will present his personal collection of modern Korean art in an exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) from October 3 to February 7. The show, titled "RM x SFMOMA," will feature approximately 200 works from both his holdings and the museum's collection, including pieces by Korean artists like Yun Hyong-keun, Park Rehyun, and Kim Whan-ki, alongside works by Western artists such as Mark Rothko and Agnes Martin.

Philadelphia Museum of Art 'Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments (4/25-8/2)'

필라델피아미술관 '라이징업: 록키와 기념비 제작(Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments, 4/25-8/2)' - Lounge

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has announced a major exhibition titled "Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments," scheduled to open in April 2026. Curated by Paul Farber of Monument Lab, the show will feature over 150 works by more than 50 artists, including Keith Haring, Kara Walker, and Andy Warhol. The exhibition uses the iconic Rocky statue—a fictional character that has become one of the city's most visited landmarks—as a focal point to explore the history, mythology, and evolving role of public monuments from antiquity to the present day.

Anyone can say something against injustice. This group uses artwork to do that.

The exhibition "Instructions for Unrest: Art Against Complacency" has opened at Art Produce Gallery in San Diego, featuring a group of artists who utilize their work as a tool for political and social disruption. Curated by Alessandra Moctezuma in collaboration with the nonprofit Space 4 Art, the show presents a diverse range of media aimed at addressing issues such as immigrant rights, LGBTQ+ protections, and environmental policy.

Walferdange exhibition ‘BeComing’ explores identity

Ukrainian visual artist Tetiana Popyk is presenting her first major solo exhibition, titled 'BeComing,' at the Gallery CAW in Walferdange. Running from April 17 to May 3, 2026, the show features a diverse range of photography, mixed media, and conceptual photo collages that explore the intersection of femininity, cultural identity, and belief systems. The exhibition includes works from several of her established series, such as 'Majestic Women of the World' and 'Ukrainian Legends,' alongside a new project focused on androgyny that was originally conceived during the pandemic.

‘Rubens with jokes’: UK exhibitions place Beryl Cook in the art historical canon

Two concurrent exhibitions in Plymouth, England, are re-evaluating the work of the late British artist Beryl Cook, long dismissed by critics for her popular, humorous paintings of plump, joyful people. The Box gallery presents "Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy" (until 31 May), which places Cook within the Western art canon by tracing her influences from Peter Paul Rubens and Pieter Brueghel the Younger to Stanley Spencer and Edward Burra. The show features over 80 paintings, sculptures, textiles, and a personal archive, and is curated by Terah Walkup. A parallel exhibition at Karst gallery, "Discord and Harmony" (until 18 April), pairs Cook's legacy with contemporary artists like Olivia Sterling, Rhys Coren, and Flo Brooks, who similarly champion overlooked communities.

Museum Exhibitions Coming to East & South Texas in Spring 2026

Several museums in East and South Texas have announced their spring 2026 exhibition schedules. The Beeville Art Museum will open a solo show of landscape painter William Anzalone in January. The Art Museum of South Texas in Corpus Christi will present 'In Nature’s Studio: Two Centuries of American Landscape Painting,' a traveling exhibition from the Reading Public Museum. The Longview Museum of Fine Arts will host a retrospective of photographer Frank Armstrong. The International Museum of Art and Science in McAllen will open three shows: 'Piñatabstract' by Josuè Rawmirez, 'Voces del Arte Popular' featuring Mexican folk art, and 'Aviary,' a bird-themed exhibition. South Texas College will also present two exhibitions in January and February, including Leila Hernández's 'The Lessons of the Empress.'

The Art Newspaper and L'OFFICIEL to launch Frieze week pop-up at historic London newsagent

The Art Newspaper, in collaboration with L'Officiel, is launching a pop-up takeover at Shreeji, a historic newsagent on Chiltern Street in Marylebone, London, during Frieze week. The pop-up will run from 8:30am to 6pm on Saturday 18 and 8:30am to 4pm on Sunday 19, offering free copies of The Art Newspaper's daily Frieze papers, the October issue with a special supplement on the British Museum, the autumn/winter issue of Art of Luxury magazine, and the latest L'Officiel. Visitors can also enjoy L'Officiel coffee and complimentary drinks on Saturday evening.

Farhad Moshiri In the Raha Gallery Collection

Iranian artist Farhad Moshiri passed away on July 17, 2024, at age 61. A pioneering figure in Middle Eastern contemporary art, Moshiri made history as the first artist from the region to sell a work at auction for over one million USD, achieving this milestone twice—first with "Love" at Bonhams Dubai in 2008 and later with "Secret Garden" at Christie's Dubai in 2013. The article highlights his work "Toothpicker" (2008), now part of the Raha Gallery Collection, which was exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery in London in 2010 and sold at Christie's Middle East in 2014. Moshiri's practice combined pop art, kitsch, and precious materials like crystals and glitter, earning him a solo exhibition at the Andy Warhol Museum in 2017.

Red Grooms, Mimi Gross, and The Ruckus Construction Co.: Excerpts from “Ruckus Manhattan”

The Brooklyn Museum is presenting "Red Grooms, Mimi Gross, and The Ruckus Construction Co.: Excerpts from 'Ruckus Manhattan'," a focused exhibition drawn from the original 1976 installation "Ruckus Manhattan." The show, on view from June 13, 2025 to June 5, 2026, marks the first time in over 30 years that elements of this sprawling, 6,400-square-foot "sculptural comic book" are being publicly displayed. Created by artists Red Grooms and Mimi Gross with their collaborative team, the original work satirized 1970s New York City through a vibrant mix of painting, sculpture, performance, and puppetry. Key pieces on view include "Dame of the Narrows" (returning for the first time since 1994) and "42nd Street Porno Bookstore," both offering a playful yet critical look at urban life.

Martin Wong’s Brick Monument to Popeye

Hyperallergic reviews Martin Wong's posthumous exhibition "Popeye" at PPOW gallery, featuring six motorized plywood panels that reimagine the cartoon character Popeye as curving brickwork. The show includes smaller works like "Sacred Shroud of Pepe Turcel" (1989–90) and paintings of vintage cartoon characters Mutt and Jeff, Little Lulu and Tubby, all rendered in Wong's signature brick style. The review highlights Wong's queer, magpie sensibility and his ability to cross boundaries between high and low culture.

È morto Bruno Bischofberger, il gallerista e collezionista svizzero che fece lavorare assieme Warhol e Basquiat

Bruno Bischofberger, the influential Swiss gallerist and collector, has died at age 86. A pivotal figure in the contemporary art market, he opened his first gallery in Zurich in 1963 and was instrumental in introducing American Pop Art to Europe, exhibiting Warhol, Lichtenstein, and Rauschenberg. He later championed Minimalism, Land Art, and Neo-Expressionism, representing artists like Sol LeWitt, Donald Judd, and Francesco Clemente. Most famously, Bischofberger discovered Jean-Michel Basquiat in 1981 and orchestrated the legendary collaboration between Warhol, Basquiat, and Clemente. His close relationship with Warhol included a first-refusal agreement on future works and the suggestion of standardized portrait commissions that became Warhol's primary income source.

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art unveils opening exhibitions

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles has announced its inaugural exhibitions ahead of its opening on September 22. Founded by filmmaker George Lucas and philanthropist Mellody Hobson, the museum was designed by MAD Architects founder Ma Yansong. The opening will feature 18 thematic exhibitions showcasing over 1,200 works across 30 galleries, spanning genres such as cinema, photography, comics, manga, and anime, with dedicated shows for illustrators like Norman Rockwell, Jessie Willcox Smith, and Frank Frazetta. The collection also includes works by Beatrix Potter, Frida Kahlo, Winsor McCay, Alison Bechdel, Gordon Parks, and Dorothea Lange, alongside the Lucas Archives containing props and costumes from Lucas's film career.

‘Get in the Game’ at PAMM puts sports and art on a level playing field

The Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) presents 'Get in the Game: Sports, Art, Culture,' an exhibition running through August 23 that bridges the worlds of sports and visual art. Featuring over 100 works by international artists alongside sports memorabilia—including vintage sneakers, racing equipment, and FIFA World Cup soccer balls from 1930 to 2023—the show is organized by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and adapted for Miami with local additions. Curated by PAMM director Franklin Sirmans and co-curator Fabiana A. Sotillo, the exhibition is divided into six thematic sections such as Fandom, Winning and Losing, and Mind and Body, aiming to make both sports and art accessible to all visitors.

Plymouth museum and art gallery The Box in 'record-breaking year'

The Box, Plymouth’s flagship museum and art gallery, has announced a record-breaking performance for 2025, surpassing its annual visitor target by 18%. Since opening in 2020, the institution reached a milestone of 1.1 million total visitors, driven largely by the massive success of the 'Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy' exhibition. The show attracted 52,000 visitors in just its first nine weeks, with nearly half of those attendees traveling from outside the local region.