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Artist Tod Lippy is launching a mobile protest piece titled "All Of the Gang" during Frieze Los Angeles, featuring an LED truck that displays emails and documents linking prominent art world figures to Jeffrey Epstein. The project highlights correspondence and associations involving major industry names like Larry Gagosian, Leon Black, and David A. Ross, aiming to confront the public with the industry's perceived complicity and lack of accountability.

dealers abuzz frieze los angeles vip day frenzy 1234774824

The VIP opening of Frieze Los Angeles at Santa Monica Airport saw a surge of high-value transactions and heavy foot traffic from both local and international collectors. Major galleries reported multi-million dollar sales within the first few hours, including a $2.8 million work by Njideka Akunyili Crosby at David Zwirner and a sold-out booth of Conny Maier paintings at Hauser & Wirth. Dealers described the atmosphere as a "frenzy," noting that sales figures in some cases already tripled their performance at previous major fairs like Art Basel Miami Beach.

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The British Museum has allocated £1.2 million to facilitate the transport of the 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry from Normandy to London for a high-profile exhibition scheduled for 2026. This funding covers the logistical complexities of moving the 230-foot-long masterpiece, which is further protected by a £800 million UK Treasury guarantee. Despite the museum's rigorous planning and expert oversight, the loan has faced significant pushback from conservationists and public figures.

Louvre Theft Caused by Mismanagement; Veterans Sue to Halt Building of Arc de Trump: Morning Links for February 20, 2026

louvre theft caused by mismanagement veterans sue to halt building of arc de trump morning links for february 20 2026 1234774018

A French parliamentary commission has released a scathing report accusing the Louvre of systemic mismanagement and a 'denial of risks' following the October 2025 theft of the French crown jewels. The investigation suggests the museum operates as an unaccountable 'state within a state,' leading to security failures that enabled the high-profile heist. Meanwhile, veterans have filed a lawsuit to block the construction of the 'Arc de Trump' monument in Washington D.C., and the National Constitution Center faces leadership turmoil amid political pressure.

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Bonhams has opened its new U.S. headquarters at 111 West 57th Street in New York, moving from its longtime Madison Avenue location into a 42,000-square-foot space within the restored Steinway Hall. The design features an 80-foot glass atrium, a grand staircase, and restored historic elements, aiming to create a transparent, cultural-center-like atmosphere rather than a traditional salesroom.

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Performance artist Pat Oleszko, known for her satirical costumes and public interventions, is receiving significant institutional recognition in New York. At 78, she is featured in the 2026 Whitney Biennial and is the subject of a solo exhibition, "Fool Disclosure," at SculptureCenter, her first institutional solo show in the city in over 35 years.

art galleries join anti ice national strike 1234771368

A significant number of New York art galleries, including major players like Pace Gallery, David Zwirner, and Marian Goodman, will close on January 30 to join a nationwide general strike protesting expanded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. The strike is a response to allegations of federal overreach, including the use of deadly force against protestors and the detention of Native Americans, which have fueled widespread outrage.

big name artists donate works to auction benefitting gaza courtauld unveils plans for two new contemporary art galleries morning links for january 27 2026 1234771112

A group of 21 artists, including Antony Gormley, Brian Eno, and Mona Hatoum, have donated works to “Seeds of Solidarity,” an art auction organized by Health Workers 4 Palestine to support medical professionals in Gaza. The sale will take place on February 1 at The Savoy in London, with proceeds benefiting the Gaza Medics Solidarity Fund, which provides stipends for doctors, supports mobile clinics, and helps rebuild maternity wards. Separately, the Courtauld in London announced plans for two new contemporary art galleries and a reading room at Somerset House, funded by a £10 million donation from the Blavatnik Family Foundation, as part of an £82 million redevelopment set to open in 2029.

tishan hsu paintings ai bodies lisson gallery 1234765843

Tishan Hsu, a 74-year-old artist who began creating abstract paintings with sculptural elements in the 1980s, has recently gained significant recognition. His first-ever museum survey was held at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles in 2020, followed by his debut at the Venice Biennale in 2022. Now, Hsu is showing new works at Lisson Gallery in New York through January 24, his first exhibition with the gallery after joining its roster. These paintings on wood boards incorporate artificial intelligence, a tool Hsu has embraced to generate surreal imagery that merges skin, organs, and natural forms, alongside a video created using a gaming engine.

aldrich museum decennial 2026 survey connecticut artists 1234769786

The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut, has announced a new recurring exhibition series called the Aldrich Decennial, which will take place every ten years. The inaugural edition, titled “I am what is around me,” runs from June 7, 2026, to January 10, 2027, and features 40 artists living and working in Connecticut who have not previously exhibited in the state. Organized by chief curator Amy Smith-Stewart and curatorial and publications manager Caitlin Monachino, the survey spans the museum’s entire campus and includes high-profile names such as Dominic Chambers, Tammy Nguyen, Em Rooney, Aki Sasamoto, and Julia Wachtel, with artists ranging in age from Lucy Sallick (born 1937) to Remy Sosa (born 1995).

amid ongoing layoffs brown university terminates both bell gallery curators rankling faculty 1234768426

Brown University terminated both curators at the David Winton Bell Gallery—Kate Kraczon, director of exhibitions and chief curator, and Thea Quiray Tagle, associate curator—on December 4, as part of broader layoffs and austerity measures amid a financial crunch. The university eliminated 55 vacant positions and laid off 48 staff across campus, but has not publicly commented on the curators' terminations, which were confirmed via an internal message shared with ARTnews. Faculty members expressed surprise and frustration, saying they received no clear explanation beyond budget cuts, and it remains unclear who will handle future programming at the gallery.

christies h1 2025 auction sales report 1234747544

Christie’s announced a projected sales total of $2.1 billion for the first half of 2025, matching its H1-2024 figure. While art categories like Impressionist, modern, and Old Masters saw modest growth—Old Masters sales rose 15% to $55 million—luxury categories (handbags, watches, cars, jewelry) surged nearly 30% to $468 million, now accounting for 22% of the total. Notable sales included René Magritte’s *La reconnaissance infinite* (1933) for £10.3 million and Piet Mondrian’s *Composition with Large Red Plane, Bluish Grey, Yellow, Black, and Blue* (1922) for $46.7 million. Guaranteed lots remained low at 1.5%, and the sell-through rate held steady at 88%.

philadelphia art museum rocky statue exhibition 1234765749

The Philadelphia Art Museum is organizing a 2026 exhibition titled “Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments,” centered on the famous Rocky Balboa statue that sits atop the museum's steps. Curated by Paul Farber, co-founder of Monument Lab, the show will feature over 150 works by more than 50 artists, spanning 2,000 years of artifacts, and explore the role of monuments in fine art, sports, and popular culture. The exhibition coincides with the 50th anniversary of the original Rocky film and includes works by Keith Haring, Rashid Johnson, Kara Walker, and Andy Warhol, among others.

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ARTnews reporter Daniel Cassady recounts his experience navigating the nightlife and social events surrounding Art Basel Miami Beach 2024. The article details his week from Monday to Wednesday, including parties at Untitled Art's venue at The Moore, a dinner at Joe's Stone Crab hosted by dealer Rob Dimin, Gagosian's party at Mr. Chow, and late-night gatherings at Casa Tua and Mac's Club Deuce. He spotlights art-world figures such as dealer Lindsey Jarvis, collector Beth DeWoody, and artist Lucy de Kooning Villeneuve, while noting the chaotic, phone-thieving atmosphere of the Deuce.

ifpda print fair expands drawings dealers 2026 1234762614

The International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA) is expanding its annual print fair to include drawings dealers, rebranding as the International Fine Prints & Drawings Association. The 2026 edition, running April 9–12 at New York's Park Avenue Armory, will feature 77 exhibitors, including new drawings-focused member Sigrid Freundorfer Fine Art and returning dealers like Crown Point Press and Hauser & Wirth. The change follows a membership vote and legal restructuring, driven by record attendance of over 21,000 visitors at the 2025 fair and a 57% jump in VIP registrations, fueled by Gen Z and millennial collectors.

jay gorney modern art archives launch 1234762850

The New York Gallery History Project, a partnership between Independent and Contemporary Art Library, has launched the digital archives of Jay Gorney Modern Art, a seminal New York gallery that operated from 1985 to 1998. The archive includes documentation of landmark exhibitions such as Lari Pittman's first New York solo show, Nan Goldin's first prints of "The Ballad of Sexual Dependency" (1985), and shows by Catherine Opie, Barbara Bloom, and others. The project also collects material from other closed galleries like Foxy Production, Off Vendome, and Paradise Garage to preserve art history that might otherwise be lost.

art basel hong kong 2026 exhibitor list announced 1234761975

Art Basel Hong Kong has announced its exhibitor list for the 2026 edition, featuring 240 galleries from 42 countries and territories, nearly matching last year's 242. The fair runs March 27–29 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, with preview days on March 25–26. There are 32 first-time exhibitors from regions including Australia, Japan, Turkey, France, Germany, and the US, while 33 galleries from the previous edition will not return due to closures, acquisitions, or non-participation. New sectors include Echoes, showcasing works created in the last five years, and the Encounters sector will be curated by a team led by Mami Kataoka. Pakistani-American artist Shahzia Sikander will create a public artwork for the M+ Museum facade, co-commissioned by Art Basel and M+ with UBS support.

art basel hong kong 2026 exhibitor list announced 1234761975

Art Basel Hong Kong has announced its exhibitor list for the 2026 edition, featuring 240 galleries from 42 countries and territories, roughly the same size as last year's 242 galleries. The fair runs March 27–29 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, with preview days on March 25–26. New additions include 32 first-time exhibitors from Australia, Japan, Turkey, France, Germany, and the US, while 33 galleries from the previous edition are absent—some due to closures (Blum, Clearing, Kasmin) or acquisitions (Millan bought by Almeida & Dale). A new sector called Echoes will showcase works created in the last five years, and the Encounters sector will be curated by a team led by Mami Kataoka. Media artist Ellen Pau will oversee the film program for the first time, and Shahzia Sikander has been commissioned to create a public artwork for the M+ Museum facade.

christies takes 690 m at fall curtain raiser art basel hong kong announces 2026 details and more morning links for november 18 2025 1234762067

Christie’s opened New York’s fall marquee auctions with a $690 million evening sale across 79 lots, surpassing the pre-sale low estimate of $534.7 million. The doubleheader included the Robert and Patricia Ross Weis collection, featuring works by Picasso, Matisse, Mondrian, and Rothko, followed by a 20th-century sale. The auction achieved a 97% sell-through rate by value and a 96% by lot, marking a 41% increase from May’s auctions. Separately, Sperone Westwater gallery announced it will close after 50 years, and Art Basel Hong Kong revealed details for its 2026 edition featuring 240 galleries.

christies takes 690 m at fall curtain raiser art basel hong kong announces 2026 details and more morning links for november 18 2025 1234762067

Christie’s opened New York’s fall marquee auctions with a $690 million evening sale across 79 lots, surpassing the pre-sale low estimate of $534.7 million. The doubleheader included the Robert and Patricia Ross Weis collection and a 20th-century sale, with works by Picasso, Matisse, Mondrian, Rothko, and others. The sell-through rate was 97% by value and 96% by lot, marking a 41% increase from May’s auctions. Separately, Sperone Westwater, a New York gallery that championed artists like Bruce Nauman and Francesco Clemente, announced it will close after 50 years. Art Basel Hong Kong also revealed its 2026 edition will feature 240 galleries from 42 countries.

sperone westwater gallery closing 1234762042

Sperone Westwater, a pioneering New York gallery that launched artists like Bruce Nauman, Richard Long, and Francesco Clemente, will close on December 31 after 50 years. Co-founders Angela Westwater and Gian Enzo Sperone are pursuing separate endeavors. The gallery’s final show is a current exhibition for Long, and it will still participate in Art Basel Miami Beach next month. Founded in 1975 in SoHo, the gallery was known for championing Neo-Expressionism and transavanguardia, and later diversified its roster with artists like Joana Choumali and Gamaliel Rodriguez. Its eight-story Bowery building, designed by Norman Foster, faces an uncertain future.

sperone westwater gallery closing 1234762042

Sperone Westwater, a pioneering New York gallery that launched artists like Bruce Nauman, Richard Long, and Francesco Clemente, will close on December 31 after 50 years. Co-founders Angela Westwater and Gian Enzo Sperone are pursuing separate endeavors. The gallery's final show is a current exhibition for Long, and it will still participate in Art Basel Miami Beach next month. Founded in 1975 in SoHo, the gallery was known for championing Neo-Expressionism and transavanguardia, and later diversified its roster with artists like Joana Choumali and Gamaliel Rodriguez. Its eight-story Bowery building, designed by Norman Foster, faces an uncertain future.

jeffrey epstein emails leon black picasso gagosian 1234761921

Newly released emails from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein reveal that he discussed a plan by billionaire art collector Leon Black to purchase a Picasso painting from Gagosian gallery for $100 million. In a 2015 email to Melanie Spinella, a representative for Black, Epstein questioned the lack of a written contract for the overseas transfer. The emails also show Epstein advising Black on broader art purchasing strategies, including assigning agreements to family members, and offering opinions on Artspace, the online marketplace acquired by Black's publishing house Phaidon.

jenny saville lands first solo show in venice should selfies be banned in museums and more morning links for november 13 2025 1234761536

Jenny Saville will have her first solo exhibition in Venice at the International Gallery of Modern Art at Ca’ Pesaro, running from March 28 to November 22, 2026, coinciding with the 2026 Venice Biennale. The show, supported by Gagosian, will feature 30 paintings curated by Elisabetta Barisoni. Separately, former Sotheby’s CEO Tad Smith expressed optimism about blockchain art ahead of Robert Alice’s NFT sale at Sotheby’s New York, and Ed Ruscha created a limited-edition chocolate bar shaped like California’s Central Valley. Other news includes the upcoming auction of Kirk Hammett’s Frank Frazetta painting and the closure of San Francisco’s Rena Bransten Gallery.

cai guo qiang centre pompidou activists respond 1234758938

Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang staged a fireworks performance titled *Le Dernier Carnival (The Last Carnival)* outside the Centre Pompidou in Paris on October 22, during Paris Art Week, to mark the museum's five-year closure for renovations. The show, created in collaboration with White Cube gallery, used pyrotechnics, paint, and a custom-built AI model. Activists from Students for a Free Tibet France protested the event, condemning Cai for a previous pyrotechnic stunt in Tibet that sparked environmental concerns and led to the dismissal of four Chinese officials.

gagosian reunites with richard diebenkorn 1234757979

Gagosian has announced representation of the late American painter Richard Diebenkorn (1922–1993), marking the artist's return to the gallery more than thirty years after his final solo exhibition there during his lifetime. To celebrate, the gallery will mount a career-spanning exhibition at its Madison Avenue flagship opening November 8, curated by Jasper Sharp in collaboration with the Richard Diebenkorn Foundation. The show will feature works from every period of Diebenkorn's six-decade career, including early California landscapes, wartime watercolors, and the celebrated Ocean Park abstractions, with highlights such as a 1943 watercolor, a monumental 1960 canvas, and late works on paper.

centre pompidou fireworks display cai guo qiang 1234758447

On September 22, the Centre Pompidou in Paris closed for a five-year renovation, marking the occasion with a daytime fireworks display titled “The Last Carnival” by Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang. Organized with White Cube gallery and set during Art Basel Paris, the three-act gunpowder spectacle—The Banquet, The Dawn of AI, and The Last Carnival—was conceived using Cai’s custom AI model, cAI™, and turned the museum’s façade into a monumental painting.

This Sam Doyle Painting May Mark a New Price Peak for the Self-Taught Artist

A solo presentation of self-taught artist Sam Doyle's work at the Outsider Art Fair in New York is generating significant attention, particularly a painting titled "Dr Bus Ha.Lo." being offered for sale for the first time at $85,000. The immersive booth, organized by London's Gallery of Everything, recreates the artist's front yard and showcases his vivid portraits of local Gullah community figures and Black cultural icons.

Art Industry News: November 1, 2021

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The global art landscape is undergoing significant shifts, from the cultural erasure facing Afghan artists under Taliban rule to a surge in grassroots restitution efforts led by organizations like the Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign. Meanwhile, major institutional moves include the appointment of Julieta González as artistic director of Brazil’s Inhotim and the opening of the Nesr Art Foundation in Luanda, Angola, which aims to bolster the local contemporary art scene through residencies and private collection displays.

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Major international museum projects are nearing completion for 2026, signaling a period of significant institutional expansion despite global economic and political pressures. Key highlights include the long-awaited Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, designed by Frank Gehry, which will finally open its doors on Saadiyat Island after two decades of planning. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is preparing for two major debuts: George Lucas’s $1 billion Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and Refik Anadol’s Dataland, a dedicated space for AI-driven digital art.