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The article reports that Charli XCX plays a sculptural harp by artist Amanda Camenisch in the film *100 Nights Of Hero*, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival. The instrument, titled *Elemental Harp: Fire* (or "Fire Harp"), was commissioned by the London Brent Biennial in 2022 and is part of a series of five sound sculptures representing elemental forces. Camenisch, a London-based photographer, filmmaker, and performer, creates hand-forged sonic sculptures designed for participatory rituals and vibrational healing.

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Francis Ford Coppola sold a collection of seven personal watches at Phillips New York in early December 2025, raising millions to offset financial losses from his film Megalopolis (2024). The sale was led by a unique watch he co-designed with F.P. Journe, known as the FFC, which sold for $10.8 million—ten times its estimate and a world record for the brand. Other timepieces, including a Patek Philippe and a Breguet, also far exceeded their high estimates.

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Artist Jack Butcher (b. 1988) debuted his first-ever booth at Art Basel Miami Beach, titled *Self Checkout*, where he sells art—literally receipts—on a pay-what-you-wish model. Each receipt includes a seed phrase creating a custodial Ethereum wallet holding a digital copy, but the NFT cannot be sold; it merely proves ownership of the physical receipt. The project features a real-time tracker showing his progress toward recouping the $74,211 total cost of the booth, with purchases made at self-checkout kiosks or online in Ethereum. By the fair's second day, the amount needed had dropped to $33,103.56, and Butcher was optimistic about breaking even. If the countdown hits zero, he will auction the flip board and receipt case as a one-of-one sculpture.

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Belgian police are investigating the theft of the infant Jesus figure from a controversial Nativity scene at a Brussels Christmas market. The installation, created by German artist Victoria-Maria Geyer, features faceless cloth figures intended to allow all Catholics to identify with the biblical story, but it sparked a national scandal and political backlash, with critics calling the design zombie-like and the €65,000 cost exorbitant. The figure was stolen from its manger in the early hours of November 29, and authorities have since replaced it with a new model.

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The Borso d'Este Bible, often called the 'Mona Lisa of Illuminated Manuscripts,' has gone on rare public display at the Italian Senate in Rome as part of the Vatican's Holy Year celebrations. The two-volume manuscript, commissioned by Duke Borso d'Este in the mid-15th century and created by calligrapher Pietro Paolo Marone and illuminators Taddeo Crivelli and Franco dei Russi, is usually kept in a safe at a library in Modena. It was transported with elaborate security and is now showcased behind humidity-controlled glass with a digital touch-screen experience for visitors.

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Shanti Escalante-De Mattei's column 'Link Rot' examines the debate over generative AI in creative fields, focusing on the argument that AI is just another tool like a paintbrush. The article critiques this view by highlighting how AI is being used by clients and studios to pressure animators, cut pay, and impose unrealistic deadlines, while the technology was built on ethically questionable datasets scraped from public websites without permission.

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As part of the recent ceasefire deal brokered by the Trump Administration, Hamas returned 20 living hostages and four bodies of deceased hostages to Israel on Monday, but failed to return all 28 bodies as agreed. Among the deceased is Israeli graffiti artist and art student Inbar Haiman, known as “Pink,” who was abducted at age 27 from the Nova Music Festival on October 7. Her family is demanding the return of her remains, with her aunt Hannah Cohen emphasizing the need for closure. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum condemned the incomplete return as a violation of the agreement, and Israel has threatened consequences if the remaining bodies are not handed over.

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NeueHouse, a high-end coworking space known for hosting art events, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy to liquidate its assets and closed all its locations on September 5. The company cited legacy liabilities as the reason for its demise, though specific debts remain unclear. NeueHouse had locations in New York, Hollywood, and Venice Beach, and was a hub for the art, fashion, media, and entertainment industries, cohosting events with ARTnews sister publication Art in America and Artnet.

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Danielle SeeWalker, a Húŋkpapȟa Lakȟóta artist and citizen of the Standing Rock Sioux Nation, settled a lawsuit with Vail, Colorado, after the town canceled her artist residency in 2023. The cancellation followed her posting of a pro-Palestine painting titled "G for Genocide" on Instagram, which linked Palestinian and Indigenous liberation movements. The American Civil Liberties Union sued Vail on her behalf, alleging First Amendment violations. Under the settlement, SeeWalker may hold a powwow in Vail for five years, and the town will host a non-public community forum on Israel and Palestine involving Jewish, Palestinian, Muslim, and other community leaders.

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Snoop Dogg's art collection, titled 'Ashes to Art,' sold for $148,100 at auction. The top lot, 'Snoop Doggy Dogg Genesis Burn,' featuring the rapper's signed and burned 1993 LAPD mugshot with a partially smoked blunt, fetched $70,000. Other works included 'DoggyStyle Decoded' with an original CD and joint tip, which sold for $16,500. The seven original pieces were created in collaboration with artist Erica Kovitz and coated in epoxy and marijuana resin.

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Weill Cornell Medicine is proceeding with plans to develop a research facility at 1334 York Avenue, the former headquarters of Sotheby’s, despite a federal funding freeze that has disrupted hundreds of research projects. The 200,000-square-foot leased space is intended for medical research, patient care, and teaching, and the university has stated the lease is not contingent on government funding. However, S&P Global Ratings has revised the property’s valuation downward by nearly 12% since last year, citing uncertainty over Weill Cornell’s financial commitment to complete the build-out.

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A 54-pound chunk of Mars, believed to be the largest Martian meteorite ever discovered on Earth, will be auctioned at Sotheby’s New York on July 16 with an estimate of $2 million to $4 million. Named NWA 16788, the meteorite was found in November 2023 in Niger’s Agadez region and accounts for 6.5 percent of all known Martian material on Earth, making it 70 percent larger than the next largest piece. Sotheby’s is billing it as the most valuable meteorite ever offered at auction, and it will be on public view from July 8–15 before the live sale.

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Artnet is co-presenting Midnight Moment in partnership with Times Square Arts this June, featuring Yuge Zhou's video work *Trampoline Color Exercise*. The piece uses archival Olympic footage to show gymnasts tumbling on pink-gridded trampolines in a seamless collage, exploring themes of globalization, geopolitical tension, and humanity's pursuit of perfection. Zhou, a video artist with a background in computer science and a former child singer in China, discusses her creative journey and the inspiration behind the work in an accompanying interview.

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Pierre-Jean Chalençon, described as France's most famous antiques collector, is selling around 100 lots of Napoleonic memorabilia at Sotheby's Paris on June 25. The collection includes Napoleon's bicorne hat, coronation sword, stockings, and camp bed. Chalençon has publicly expressed hope that Elon Musk will buy the entire collection to keep it together, calling Musk "the new Napoleon." The sale comes as Chalençon reportedly faces pressure to repay a €10 million loan from Swiss Life Banque Privée, which he used to finance his purchases and the acquisition of Palais Vivienne, his Parisian mansion turned Napoleon shrine.

Australian photographer wins at world photography awards with ‘barefoot volcanologist’ image

Australian photographer Elle Leontiev has been named the Open Photographer of the Year at the 2026 Sony World Photography Awards. Her winning image, titled 'Barefoot Volcanologist,' features Phillip Yamah standing on a lava bomb at Mount Yasur in Vanuatu. Leontiev captured the surreal portrait under challenging technical conditions, relying entirely on autofocus beeps after her camera screens shorted out due to volcanic activity.

Binoculars, selfies and epic leaps: Grand National meeting 2026 – in pictures

Award-winning photographer Tom Jenkins captures the high-stakes atmosphere of the 2026 Grand National meeting at Aintree. The photo essay documents the dramatic physical feats of the horses, including falls at the notorious 'Chair' fence, alongside the vibrant social culture of the spectators, from the high-fashion 'Style Awards' on Ladies’ Day to the rain-soaked crowds of the final day.

Body, Territory, and Food Sovereignty at MAMM

CUERPO, TERRITORIO Y SOBERANÍA ALIMENTARIA EN EL MAMM

The Museo de Arte Moderno de Medellín (MAMM) has inaugurated a trio of exhibitions titled 'Nos habitan pájaros y montañas', 'La luz, el fuego y la ceniza', and 'El susurro del barro'. These shows collectively explore the intersection of the human body, territorial sovereignty, and food security, featuring a dialogue between the museum's permanent collection—specifically the work of Débora Arango—and contemporary artists. The exhibitions utilize diverse media, including sound and raw materials like clay and soil, to address environmental and social crises.

The Phillies Owner and His Wife Collect Art’s Heavy Hitters

John Middleton, the majority owner of the Philadelphia Phillies, and his wife Leigh have publicly debuted their private collection of blue-chip American art. The couple has lent a significant selection of works for a dual-venue exhibition in Philadelphia, coinciding with the city's preparations for the 250th anniversary of the United States.

‘The Christophers’ Review: Fine Art, Frayed Artists

Director Steven Soderbergh’s latest film, 'The Christophers,' features standout performances by Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel in a narrative centered on the high-stakes intersection of the art world and global finance. The story follows the psychological and professional fraying of artists and dealers as they navigate a landscape defined by ego, commerce, and the pursuit of prestige.

The 10 Best Venice Films

Die 10 besten Venedig-Filme

Monopol magazine has published a ranking of the ten best films set in Venice, timed to coincide with the opening of the Venice Art Biennale. The list includes titles such as Steven Spielberg's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989), Joseph L. Mankiewicz's "The Honey Pot" (1967), and Kenneth Branagh's "A Haunting in Venice" (2023), highlighting how the lagoon city serves as a central character in action films, comedies, and love dramas.

Industrial Dreams of the GDR

Industrieträume der DDR

The exhibition "Robotron – Arbeiterklasse und Intelligenz" has opened at the Hartware Medienkunstverein (HMKV) in Dortmund, following its initial run in Leipzig. Centered on the history of the GDR’s largest computer manufacturer, the show features 20 artistic positions including photography, film, and sculpture, alongside a significant five-meter oil sketch by Socialist Realist painter Werner Tübke. The presentation bridges East and West German industrial histories by juxtaposing state-commissioned propaganda with progressive, unofficial works by artists like Ruth Wolf-Rehfeldt and A.R. Penck.

Once a Year: Shock Trauma!

"Ein Mal im Jahr: Schock-Trauma!"

Artist Nik Nowak is exploring the "Sound Horeg" phenomenon in East Java, Indonesia, where massive DIY loudspeaker systems are mounted on trucks and boats for extreme mobile discos. These parades, characterized by towering walls of speakers and intense bass, represent a global evolution of sound culture influenced by social media rather than traditional folklore. Nowak's research into these unregulated, high-tech spectacles has culminated in a new body of work featuring sculptures and photographs.

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Toteme and CULTURED hosted a pre-Frieze week cocktail party at Toteme's Melrose Avenue flagship in West Hollywood. The intimate sunset gathering featured Ruinart champagne, Grey Goose martinis, and a curated collection of artworks by Swedish women artists, including pieces by Barbro Bäckström, Lisa Larson, and Alina Chaiderov. Guests included fashion tastemakers, arts patrons, interior designers, dealers, artists, and models, such as Christine Wuerfel-Stauss, Michelle Rubell, Yana Peel, Emma Webster, and Esther Kim Varet.

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CULTURED and Aritzia co-hosted a dinner party at the former Fred Segal store on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles during Frieze Week. The event celebrated Aritzia's Artistic License series, featuring photographer Gregory Crewdson, whose work appears on shopping bags and in stores. Guests included Aritzia CEO Jennifer Wong, CULTURED Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson, artists Chloe Wise and Maya Man, curator Essence Harden, and others from the art and fashion worlds. The evening featured a multi-course meal, Krug champagne, and copies of CULTURED's Entertainers Issue.

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Korean-American painter and sculptor Lisha Bai unveiled a new window installation at Hermès Maison Madison in New York, created to coincide with New York Fashion Week. The installation features polychrome fabrics molded into geometric forms, drawing inspiration from the Korean patchwork tradition of bojagi and the quilts of Gee’s Bend, reflecting Bai’s experience growing up as a Korean-American in Alabama. A conversation between Bai and Cooper Hewitt curator Alexandra Cunningham Cameron explored how Bai translates textile techniques and light into immersive art. The event was attended by Hermès Americas President and CEO Diane Mahady and VP Diane Kruger, among other guests.

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A celebratory apéro dînatoire was held at the New York home of patrons Warren and Abigail Klem Spector to launch the Spector Craft Prize, a new initiative by the Spector Family Foundation that supports fine craft and its makers through recognition and financial support. The evening was co-hosted by CULTURED Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson and artist Katie Stout, whose ceramics were integrated into the tablescape, and featured a crowd of cultural heavyweights including prize jury chairman Glenn Adamson, jurors Zesty Meyers and Rosanne Somerson, and designers Misha Kahn and Adam Charlap Hyman.

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Chanel and Art21 hosted a screening event at the Roxy Cinema in New York to celebrate the launch of their new docuseries "IRL/url," which premieres on TikTok. The evening featured remarks by Yana Peel, Chanel’s President of Arts, Culture & Heritage, and a screening of selected films from the series, followed by a conversation between Art21’s Executive Director Tina Kukielski and seven of the eight featured artists: Neïl Beloufa, Jacky Connolly, Julien Creuzet, Sara Cwynar, Xin Liu, Rachel Rossin, and Jacolby Satterwhite. The event also drew a crowd of notable artists, advisors, curators, and cultural figures.

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Elin Kling and Karl Lindman, the Swedish couple behind the womenswear brand Toteme, discuss their design philosophy and the opening of their first flagship store in mainland Europe, located on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. The article, accompanied by photography from Mikael Jansson, details how the brand has resisted trends like "quiet luxury" and minimalism labels, instead focusing on precision, restraint, and timeless essentials. The Paris store, designed by Stockholm-based Halleroed, features art-gallery-white walls, Italian limestone floors, and works by Marc Newson, Lucie Gottlieb, and Jansson, reflecting the brand's serene, uncluttered aesthetic.

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CULTURED magazine's Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson hosted a candlelit dinner at her Los Angeles home to celebrate the release of the Artists on Artists issue. The event was co-hosted by actor Kyle MacLachlan, the issue's digital cover star, and skincare brand Aēsop. Guests included artists Alex Israel, Jennifer Guidi, Callida Rawles, and Lauren Halsey; actors Jeanne Tripplehorn, Jordan Firstman, and Lisa Rinna; art dealers Sara Lee Hantman and Robert Goff; collector Sonya Yu; and other creative Angelenos. The evening featured Ruinart champagne, seasonal fare by Chris Kronner's Mayday group, and Aēsop gift kits as parting favors.

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Anthony Vaccarello, creative director of Saint Laurent, has opened a new Paris flagship store at 37 Avenue Montaigne, housed in the former Canadian embassy. The store reflects his vision with a mix of modern design and vintage furniture, including pieces by Jean-Michel Frank and François-Xavier Lalanne, alongside contemporary artworks by Mark Bradford, Camille Henrot, and Thomas Houseago on loan from the Pinault Collection. Vaccarello discusses the two-year transformation, his approach to retail as a context for the clothes, and his broader creative expansions into film with Saint Laurent Productions and the revival of Charlotte Perriand furniture designs.