$181.2 Million Pollock, $107.6 Brancusi Million Sell at Christie’s, as Records Fall

Christie's New York auctioned 16 works from the collection of late media magnate S.I. Newhouse for a total of $630.8 million, far exceeding the $450 million estimate. The top lot was Jackson Pollock's "Number 7A" (1948), which sold for $181.2 million, setting a new auction record for the Abstract Expressionist and making him the latest artist to join the $100 million club. Minutes earlier, Constantin Brancusi's bronze sculpture "Danaïde" (1913) achieved $107.6 million, also a record for the Romanian modernist and the second-highest price ever for a sculpture at auction.

‘Depraved in all the right ways’: why forgotten no wave visionary Gordon Stevenson is about to take off

The article profiles Gordon Stevenson, a forgotten visionary of the no wave movement in late-1970s New York, who was an artist, jewelry designer, musician, and filmmaker best known for the notorious film *Ecstatic Stigmatic*. Decades after his death from AIDS, a storage unit full of his lost work has been discovered, including jewelry, mail-art collaborations with Ray Johnson, and clues to a surviving print of his film. His family has also recovered hundreds of letters he wrote to his parents, chronicling his life in downtown New York and his experiences as one of the city's first AIDS patients. The piece traces his journey from a small town in Georgia, where he met his wife Mirielle Cervenka (who later renamed Exene Cervenka), to their punk-era jewelry brand LHOOQ and his lasting influence on gothic fashion.

Inside TEFAF New York’s Annual Wealth Pageant

The 12th annual TEFAF New York fair took place at the Park Avenue Armory from May 15 to 19, attracting wealthy collectors with a mix of blue-chip art, design objects, and jewelry. Highlights included Kathleen Ryan's bejeweled 'Bad Fruit' sculptures at Gagosian, Cai Guo-Qiang's gunpowder paintings at White Cube (which sold 11 of 12 works), Sheila Hicks's textiles at Demisch Danant, and a new David Hockney painting at Annely Juda Fine Art. The fair featured 88 galleries from 14 countries, with VIP previews drawing art advisors and high-net-worth clients.

Rothko from Robert Mnuchin’s Estate Sells for $85.8 M., Leading Sotheby’s New York’s $433.1 M. Contemporary Art Sale

Sotheby’s New York held a $433.1 million modern and contemporary art sale at its Madison Avenue headquarters, led by Mark Rothko’s *Brown and Blacks in Reds* (1957), which sold for $85.8 million. The auction opened with 11 works from the estate of legendary dealer Robert Mnuchin, totaling $166.3 million, including a second Rothko and pieces by Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, and Pablo Picasso. The contemporary art segment followed, with Jean-Michel Basquiat’s *Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)* (1983) selling for $52.7 million. The overall sale was described by advisers as robust but not particularly exciting, and it significantly exceeded the $186.1 million equivalent sale from last year.

The Best Booths at Frieze New York, From Cindy Sherman’s Newest Photos to UFOs

The article reviews the best booths at Frieze New York 2026, held at the Shed in Hudson Yards. It highlights eight standout presentations, including Hauser & Wirth's debut of new Cindy Sherman photographs, Andrew Edlin Gallery's themed booth featuring artists like Paulina Peavy and Melvin Way who explore extraterrestrial themes, and Carlos/Ishikawa's display of Evelyn Taocheng Wang's monumental paintings that engage with Agnes Martin and Georgia O'Keeffe. The author notes that while art fairs prioritize commerce, some galleries successfully balance good art with monetization.

New Museum unveils Sarah Lucas's bawdy Bowery commission

The New Museum unveiled Sarah Lucas's sculpture "VENUS VICTORIA" (2026) on May 12 as the inaugural commission for its new public plaza on the Bowery in New York. The work features a pink-hued figure in yellow high heels straddling a giant cast-concrete washing machine, riffing on the classic reclining nude. Lucas's proposal was selected by an all-artist jury including Teresita Fernández, Joan Jonas, Julie Mehretu, Cindy Sherman, and Kiki Smith. The sculpture will remain on view for two years, after which another commission by a woman artist will take its place.

Two Museums Take on Performative Masculinity, Looksmaxxing, Incels, and Other Macho Buzzwords That Don’t Belong There.

The Stedelijk Museum and Kunstmuseum St. Gallen have co-organized an exhibition titled "Beyond the Manosphere: Masculinities Today," which aims to critically examine contemporary masculinity and its online manifestations such as incels, looksmaxxing, and pickup artists. The show features works by artists including Reba Maybury and Richard Serra, and is curated by Melanie Bühler, with directors Rein Wolfs and Gianni Jetzer overseeing the project. The exhibition will travel from the Stedelijk to the Kunstmuseum St. Gallen later this year.

Lubaina Himid on capturing the 'uneasiness' of Britain for her Venice Biennale pavilion

Lubaina Himid, the Turner Prize-winning artist born in Zanzibar and raised in England, is representing Great Britain at the Venice Biennale with a pavilion that captures the 'uneasiness' of living in Britain. The exhibition features her signature paintings, prints, and cutout figures, alongside a soundscape by Magda Stawarska, designed to evoke ambiguous encounters and the gap between a question and an answer. Himid describes the pavilion as a reflection of Britain's everyday pleasantness undercut by a persistent sense of otherness, drawing on her own experience as an East African brought up by English women.

Alvaro Barrington takes a road trip to the Venice Biennale

Artist Alvaro Barrington has created a vibrant haulage truck titled "Labor Day Parade ’91" (2026) as his contribution to the 61st Venice Biennale, part of the exhibition "In Minor Keys." The truck, decorated with scenes linked to his background and art historical references, was driven from London to Venice on an epic road trip across Europe. It is now parked in the Giardini next to the Austrian pavilion, with its front tyres punctured to prevent movement. During the preview, the work was admired by artist Julie Mehretu and Dia Art Foundation director Jessica Morgan.

Hotel and art hub Casabianca opens on Italy's Lake Como

The De Santis family, accomplished hoteliers on Lake Como, has opened Casabianca, a new hotel and art hub in a 1930 villa designed by Piero Ponci. The property features three apartment-style suites launching later this year, while its lower floors are already open to the public for €15, displaying around 50 works from the family's collection of post-war Italian art, including pieces by Arte Povera artists such as Alighiero Boetti, Mario Merz, and Jannis Kounellis. The venture is the latest in a series of heritage hotel restorations by the family, who previously revived the Grand Hotel Tremezzo and Passalacqua.

Arthur Jafa: ‘America has always been a demonic state. And we love it’

The article covers the exhibition "Helter Skelter: Richard Prince and Arthur Jafa" at the Prada Foundation’s Ca’ Corner della Regina in Venice, curated by Nancy Spector. It brings together over 50 works by Prince and Jafa in a call-and-response format, exploring themes of appropriation, race, violence, and American identity. The show pairs Prince’s iconic rephotographed images and Jafa’s video work "Love Is The Message, The Message is Death" (2016) with new and existing pieces, including Jafa’s "Big Wheel II" and Prince’s "Blasting Mats."

The Venice Biennale has long been a sales platform—now no one is pretending otherwise

The Venice Biennale, traditionally a government-subsidized non-commercial institution where sales were downplayed, is experiencing an unprecedented open embrace of commerce. For the first time, Christie's is hosting an invitation-only selling exhibition in Venice, offering works ranging from Old Masters like Lucas Cranach to Modern and contemporary giants such as Andy Warhol, Louise Bourgeois, and Mark Bradford, with prices from $500,000 to over $35 million. Dealers, auction houses, and private foundations are openly pricing and selling works to collectors, spurred partly by Italy's reduced 5% VAT rate on art imports, now Europe's lowest.

Zurbarán review – ecstatic visions, primitive surrealism … and the finest loincloths ever painted

The Guardian reviews a major exhibition of 17th-century Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbarán, highlighting his visionary and surrealist qualities. The show features works such as "The Apparition of Saint Peter to Saint Peter Nolasco" (1629), newly attributed paintings including a giant mask, and iconic pieces like "The Crucified Christ" and "Saint Serapion," all drawn from collections including the Prado and the National Gallery, London. The review emphasizes Zurbarán's ability to paint supernatural subjects with naturalistic conviction, his exquisite rendering of fabrics—especially loincloths—and his influence on modern artists like Salvador Dalí.

From monumental glass sculptures to a lagoon in the sky: what to see beyond the Venice Biennale pavilions

The article highlights several must-see exhibitions and installations beyond the main Venice Biennale pavilions. Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo's redevelopment of the island of San Giacomo opens on 7 May, transforming abandoned Napoleonic-era powder magazines into exhibition spaces with a solo show by British artist Matt Copson and a group show from her collection. American artist Melissa McGill presents 'Marea', a street-spanning installation of 100 paintings created with local residents and students, addressing climate change and rising sea levels. Dale Chihuly returns to Venice with 'Chihuly: Venice 2026', featuring monumental glass installations along the Grand Canal, including 'Gold Tower' (2025). Wallace Chan unveils titanium sculptures at the Chapel of Santa Maria della Pietà, with a parallel exhibition at the Long Museum in Shanghai.

‘I was super horny when I made my early work’: Loie Hollowell’s abstract paintings of breasts and vaginas

Loie Hollowell discusses her latest painting series 'Overview Effect,' currently on view at Pace Gallery in London. The series features large-scale canvases with twin concave and convex sculpted circles, inspired by the out-of-body experience she had during the home birth of her daughter. The works continue her abstract exploration of pregnancy, birth, and the female body, following earlier series like 'Split Orb' and 'Dilation Stage' that responded to the difficult birth of her son. Hollowell cites influences including Georgia O'Keeffe, Louise Bourgeois, and Luchita Hurtado, as well as Instagram home-birth photographs and the Ina May Gaskin childbirth book.

7 unique hotel experiences around the world for inspired travelers

7 expériences hôtelières inédites à travers le monde pour voyageurs inspirés

Beaux Arts Magazine presents a curated selection of seven unique hotel experiences worldwide, designed for art-loving travelers. The featured properties include a converted convent in Nice (Hôtel du Couvent, opened summer 2024), a Louis XIII-era castle near Fontainebleau (Domaine de Fleury), a five-star hotel in Amboise (Relais d'Amboise) with artworks by Bernar Venet, and a mountain inn in Sils-Maria, Switzerland (Chesa Marchetta) operated by art dealers Iwan and Manuela Wirth. Each destination blends historic architecture, exceptional landscapes, and artistic elements to offer immersive stays.

In Turin, fashion photography is the protagonist of The Phair 2026. All the news of the seventh edition of the fair

A Torino la fotografia di moda è protagonista di The Phair 2026. Tutte le novità della settima edizione della fiera

The Phair, a photography fair in Turin, returns for its seventh edition from May 22 to 24, 2026, at the OGR – Officine Grandi Riparazioni. This year's edition focuses on fashion photography as an autonomous art form, featuring works by photographers such as Nanda Lanfranco, Giovanni Gastel, Françoise Huguier, Marco Glaviano, and Michelangelo Di Battista. Participating galleries include Photo & Contemporary, Ira Leonis, Deodato Arte, Jaeger Art, and many others. The fair also expands its curatorial committee with figures like Umberto Benappi, Emilio Bordoli, and Brandei Estes.

Our Summer Art Reading List

Hyperallergic's summer art reading list features a curated selection of art books, including Kory Stamper's 'True Color' about the Merriam-Webster color definer, Megan O'Grady's essay collection on art as necessity, and 'O'Keeffe-isms' drawn from Georgia O'Keeffe's writings. The list also highlights art detective mysteries like 'The Case of the Disappearing Gauguin' by Stephanie Brown and provenance stories from the San Antonio Museum of Art, alongside upcoming Yale University Press titles on Anni Albers, Dorothea Tanning, and Edward Steichen. Additional coverage includes an exhibition of Jack Kerouac's letters and photographs in NYC, and the Printed Matter art book fair in Los Angeles.

No Need to Shed a Tear for the Jury

"Man muss der Jury keine Träne nachweinen"

The entire jury of the Venice Biennale resigned shortly before the opening, prompting criticism of Biennale President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco. Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli accused Buttafuoco of pursuing a misguided "pacificist fantasy" by readmitting Russia to the six-month exhibition, calling it failed "side foreign policy." Commentators in German media, including Niklas Maak (FAZ) and Marcus Woeller (Die Welt), see the resignation as a symptom of a crisis in the art world, with the jury having acted as a "political tribunal" by pre-judging artists based on nationality, particularly regarding Israel. The Biennale leadership defended inclusion, but the standoff has caused significant "image damage." Separately, Dirk Knipphals (wochentaz) delivers a scathing review of Wolfram Weimer's first year as cultural policy commissioner, accusing him of empty rhetoric and failing to counter right-wing cultural politics. Juliane von Mittelstaedt (Der Spiegel) reports on Saudi Arabia's use of a spectacular new art museum in Riyadh as a stability narrative amid regional conflict.

12 exciting fashion and jewelry exhibitions that will make you travel this summer

12 expos de mode et de bijoux passionnantes qui vous feront voyager cet été

Beaux Arts Magazine presents a curated selection of twelve fashion and jewelry exhibitions across France, Paris, and Vienna, running through summer 2026. Highlights include a retrospective of Mossi Traoré at the Mucem in Marseille, a showcase of Thai haute couture at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and "Africa Fashion" at the Musée du quai Branly, celebrating African design from the independence era. Other featured exhibitions cover Christian Dior, Gianni Versace, Daniel Brush, Provençal costumes, and anniversaries of glittering fashion houses.

The most beautiful Parisian museum terraces to enjoy the sunny days

Les plus belles terrasses de musées parisiens pour profiter des beaux jours

Beaux Arts Magazine has published a guide to the best museum terraces in Paris for enjoying the sunny days of spring and summer. The article highlights five standout spots: Rose Bakery at the Musée de la Vie romantique, Joli at the Musée Carnavalet, the Grand Café at the Grand Palais, Corail at the Musée d'Art moderne, and Sama at the Institut du monde arabe. Each terrace is described for its unique atmosphere, from the bucolic garden of the Musée de la Vie romantique to the spectacular colonnade of the Grand Palais, with details on chefs, menus, and seasonal highlights.

Remembering F. John Sierra, Valie Export, and Mary Lovelace O’Neal

This week's In Memoriam column honors seven figures from the art world who recently passed away, including muralist and Chicano art champion F. John Sierra (1942–2026), Austrian feminist performance and film artist Valie Export (1940–2026), and painter and Civil Rights activist Mary Lovelace O'Neal (1942–2026). Also remembered are Maltese coin and monument designer Noel Galea Bason (1955–2026), Iranian-Irish gallerist and polymath Jamshid MirFenderesky (1947–2026), Philadelphia painter and educator Peter Paone (1936–2026), and Italian sculptor and installation artist Remo Salvadori (1947–2026). Each entry highlights their key contributions, from founding institutions and participating in major biennials to shaping cultural identity and challenging societal norms through art.

Sift Through the Hundreds of Pacifiers, Graphic Tees, and Spoons in This NYC Couple’s Collection

Multidisciplinary artists Bobbi Salvör Menuez and quori theodor, a couple living in New York City, have built an extensive collection of everyday objects including T-shirts, cassette tapes, spoons, pacifiers, and playing cards sourced from sidewalks, thrift stores, and shoot sets. Their collecting practice is intuitive and deeply personal, driven by nostalgia, childhood memories, and their bond with each other, treating each object as a talisman or treasure rather than a financial investment.

The US pavilion's curator on the controversial choice of Alma Allen for the Venice Biennale

The US pavilion at the Venice Biennale has selected Alma Allen, a Utah-born, Mexico-based sculptor, as its representative artist—a controversial and surprising choice given his relative obscurity compared to past pavilion artists. The selection process was unusually fraught: the first artist chosen was dropped before official announcement, and the announcement was delayed by the US government shutdown. The pavilion's curator, Jeffrey Uslip, discusses the exhibition titled "Call Me the Breeze," which will feature Allen's sculptures in stone, bronze, and wood that appear to defy their own weight, emphasizing artistic autonomy despite the State Department's framing of the choice as showcasing "American excellence."

Follow PAPER Undercover at New York Art Week

The article follows the author's undercover experience during New York Art Week, focusing on the simultaneous openings of Frieze New York and TEFAF New York in May. Frieze, held at The Shed in Hudson Yards, features contemporary galleries from 28 countries, while TEFAF at the Park Avenue Armory offers a mix of contemporary art, antiques, and Old Masters. The author highlights standout works, including Kelly Sinnapah Mary's solo presentation at James Cohan and Aki Goto's dental installation at Gallery G, and notes the packed schedule of talks, gallery openings, and museum galas.

8 Standout Shows at the Venice Biennale 2026

The 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, titled "In Minor Keys" and curated by Artistic Director Koyo Kouoh, opened in Venice in 2026, running through November 22 at the Giardini, Arsenale, and various city locations. The main exhibition features 110 invited artists, collaborative duos, collectives, and artist-led organizations, realized by Kouoh's team after her passing in May 2025. Alongside 100 National Participations in historic pavilions, 31 Collateral Events and independent projects are on view. Art & Object highlights eight standout shows, including Lu Yang's immersive digital installation "DOKU The Illusion" at Espace Louis Vuitton, Oriol Vilanova's postcard-based "Los restos" at the Spanish Pavilion, and JR's photographic reinterpretation "Il Gesto" at The Venice Venice Hotel.

Five Whirlwind Days in Venice, at (and Beyond) the Biennale

The article recounts a whirlwind three-day visit to the 61st Venice Biennale, focusing on the main exhibition at the Giardini della Biennale curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, titled "In Minor Keys." The author highlights textile works by artists such as Thania Petersen, Billie Zangewa, and Annalee Davis, as well as Beverly Buchanan's "Spirit Jars" and Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons's portrait of Kouoh and Toni Morrison. The trip also includes visits to collateral events, a performance at Jordan Roth's palazzo, and a side trip to Gabriele D'Annunzio's estate on Lake Garda.

Amy Sherald Comes Home: “American Sublime” Opens at the High Museum

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta opens "Amy Sherald: American Sublime" on May 15, a mid-career retrospective featuring over 35 paintings from 2007 to 2024. The exhibition was originally scheduled to conclude at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., but Sherald canceled that stop after a Trump administration executive order directed Smithsonian institutions to remove so-called "un-American content." The High Museum secured the final slot after the Baltimore Museum of Art, following months of coordination with SFMOMA, Sherald's studio, and Hauser & Wirth. The show includes Sherald's portrait of Breonna Taylor and her iconic Michelle Obama portrait, organized into five thematic sections.

At TEFAF New York, the Masterpiece Market Had Plenty to Celebrate

TEFAF New York returned to the Park Avenue Armory with record attendance on its Collector Preview day, May 14, featuring 90 exhibitors showcasing modern and contemporary masterpieces, antiques, decorative arts, and jewelry. Dealers reported strong sales across price tiers, including an Andy Warhol Mao sold by ML Fine Art within the first hour, a Lucio Fontana *Concetto Spaziale* for $2.3 million at Mennour, and works by Giorgio Morandi, Giosetta Fioroni, and Meret Oppenheim sold by Galleria d’Arte Maggiore g.a.m. A new secondary-market partnership, Pace Di Donna Schrader Galleries, debuted with a booth anchored by a 1956 Rothko, signaling renewed confidence in the market.

Basquiat’s 'Museum Security' leads Sotheby’s New York contemporary evening sale at US$52.7m

Jean-Michel Basquiat's 1983 painting 'Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)' sold for US$52.7 million at Sotheby's Now and Contemporary Evening Auction in New York, becoming the fifth-most expensive Basquiat ever auctioned. The work, estimated at over US$45 million and backed by an irrevocable bid, hammered at US$45.3 million to a telephone bidder represented by Sotheby's Lucius Elliott. The auction totaled US$266.8 million with fees, selling 40 of 44 lots, and combined with the preceding Robert Mnuchin collection sale—led by Mark Rothko's 'Brown and Blacks in Reds' at US$85.8 million—the evening brought in US$433.1 million.