Art Fair Report: Stress Test

Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 drew 91,500 visitors and featured 240 galleries at the Convention and Exhibition Centre, alongside over 100 galleries at Art Central, three new boutique fairs, four new art spaces, multiple auction previews, and dozens of institutional shows and gallery openings. Despite a challenging 2025 that saw mega-galleries Pace and Perrotin close their Hong Kong spaces and auction results hit an eight-year low, blue-chip galleries reported strong sales, including David Zwirner’s USD 3.8 million sale of Liu Ye’s "Snow White" (2006) and Hauser & Wirth’s USD 2.95 million sale of a Louise Bourgeois work. The prevailing sentiment among collectors and gallerists was cautious optimism, with the phrase "Are you surviving?" overheard frequently.

The Essential Works of Rirkrit Tiravanija

ArtAsiaPacific profiles Rirkrit Tiravanija, a pioneering figure in relational aesthetics known for participatory works centered on communal dining and shared rituals. The article traces his career from his first solo exhibition "untitled 1990 (pad thai)" at Paula Allen Gallery in New York, where he cooked and served pad thai to visitors, to his current major retrospective "The House That Jack Built" at Pirelli HangarBicocca in Milan, running through July 26. Tiravanija, born in Buenos Aires in 1961 and raised across multiple countries, has received numerous accolades including the Hugo Boss Prize (2004) and a nomination in the Established Artist category at the 2026 Art Basel Awards. He is also preparing to present a tent-like structure at the Qatari pavilion for the 2026 Venice Biennale, featuring contributions by Sophia Al-Maria, Tarek Atoui, Alia Farid, and Fadi Kattan.

Queer Horizon: “Spectrosynthesis Seoul” at Art Sonje Center

The fourth edition of "Spectrosynthesis," Sunpride Foundation's exhibition series dedicated to LGBTQ+ art in Asia, opens at Art Sonje Center in Seoul. Curated by Sunjung Kim and Youngwoo Lee, the show unfolds in two parts: "The Two-Sided Seashell" and "Tender: Invisibly Visible, Unlocatably Everywhere," featuring works by artists including Sin Wai Kin and Young-Jun Tak. The exhibition engages with queer theory, particularly José Esteban Muñoz's concept of queerness as a horizon of potentiality, and responds to South Korea's recent political turbulence, including the 2024 martial law declaration and presidential impeachment.

battle over 1800 paintings attributed to russian modernist masters intensifies after litigation funder raises authenticity concerns

A legal battle over a collection of 1,800 paintings attributed to Russian modernist masters has escalated after the litigation funder backing the claimants, LitFin, raised concerns it may have been misled about the works' authenticity. The funder is now in a dispute with the claimants, the family of the late Palestinian collector Uthman Khatib, over halted payments and control of the lawsuits, which seek the return of the paintings or $323 million from Israeli-Russian businessman Mozes Frisch, who is accused of stealing them.

li hei di market analysis

Li Hei Di, a young Chinese-born painter based in London, has emerged as one of the most closely watched artists in the ultra-contemporary market despite its recent downturn. Since joining Pace Gallery in September 2024 as its youngest artist, Li's works have appeared at auction 12 times, with eight sales in Hong Kong. Nearly every lot has exceeded expectations, often doubling or tripling high estimates. A standout was the painting *There Was One Summer Returning Over and Over; There Was One Dawn I Grew Old Watching* (2023), which sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong for HK$2.67 million—more than double its high estimate—setting a new auction record. Auction specialists and dealers emphasize that Li's market reflects a slow, sustained buildup rather than a speculative spike, with bidding and buying activity spanning Asia, Europe, and the United States.

strongan african artist collective calls museums rectify their debt plantation workers seven easy steps strong

The Congolese Plantation Workers Art League (CATPC), an artist collective based at a plantation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has released a toolkit titled "Seven Easy Steps for Museums to Liberate the Plantations that Funded Them." The toolkit urges major museums—including London's Tate Britain, Cologne's Ludwig Museum, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven—to acknowledge and rectify their historical reliance on plantation wealth and exploited labor. CATPC presented the toolkit at a restitution conference at the Wereldmuseum in Amsterdam, organized with the Mondriaan Fund. The collective, founded in 2014, creates art from chocolate and has exhibited internationally, including at the 2024 Venice Biennale and the 2017 Armory Show.

ppow owen fu nicola vassell na kim industry moves

P.P.O.W. gallery has taken on representation of artist Owen Fu, while Nicola Vassell Gallery now represents Na Kim, known for her book covers and paintings. Jessie Washburne-Harris has been named Global Director at White Cube, overseeing the gallery's U.S. growth. Chris Sharp Gallery added Mark A. Rodriguez to its roster, and Berry Campbell took on the estate of Louisa Chase. Mexico City dealers Misa Yamaoka and Yuna Cabon launched an artist residency program at Third Born gallery. The article also reports that combined evening sales at Christie's, Phillips, and Sotheby's in Hong Kong totaled $136 million, a significant drop from $208.6 million last fall, and highlights the rising market interest in 17th-century artist Michaelina Wautier.

parties knight foundation pamm nada art basel miami beach

A group of cultural leaders including Kristina Newman-Scott, Heather Hubbs, Franklin Sirmans, Maribel Pérez-Wadsworth, and Sarah Harrelson hosted a launch party at Tropezón Miami for ECOLOGIES, a four-day series of public programming presented by NADA, the Knight Foundation, Pérez Art Museum, and CULTURED. The event featured tapas and tequilas, with guests including philanthropists Jorge and Darlene Pérez, artist Anastasia Samoylova, and NADA Director Heather Hubbs, among many others. Attendees received a copy of 'The Deep State: Art, Culture & Florida' as a parting gift.

art gerhard richter interview paris show

The Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris will host a major retrospective of Gerhard Richter's work, opening on October 17 and occupying all 34 of its galleries. Curated by Nicholas Serota and Dieter Schwarz, the exhibition assembles 270 works spanning over six decades, from early photo-paintings like 'Tante Marianne' (1965) to the final abstractions he made before stopping painting in 2017. The show traces Richter's evolution from his upbringing under Nazism and Socialist Realism in East Germany to his defection to the West and his ongoing daily pencil drawings. A companion show at David Zwirner's Paris gallery will feature Richter's later painted works and recent drawings.

allison rose dan rose aspen ranch

Allison Rose, a restaurateur and investor, and her husband Dan Rose, a tech venture capitalist, have purchased a working cattle ranch on Rose Spur Road in Snowmass, Colorado, near Aspen. The couple, who were drawn to the area after multiple visits following their 25th wedding anniversary in 2021, are restoring the property with a menagerie of miniature Highland cows, donkeys, and a mini horse named Pop Tart, while planning a greenhouse and future cattle raising. Allison Rose, who also owns a ranch in Hawaii and serves on the boards of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco and the Aspen Art Museum, shares her vision for the ranch and her thoughts on Aspen's culinary scene in an interview with Cultured.

Watching You, Watching Me: On Panteha Abareshi and the Spectacle of Illness

Manoucher Yektai at Karma

Here’s What LACMA’s Lavish New Building Looks Like

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has finally unveiled its new flagship building, the David Geffen Galleries, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. The concrete-and-glass structure famously straddles Wilshire Boulevard, featuring a continuous glass facade that offers panoramic views of the Los Angeles landscape and newly installed outdoor sculptures. Inside, the layout encourages a non-linear experience, moving visitors through varying light conditions and diverse gallery sizes that house a mix of contemporary and classical works.

Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential List Includes Artist Cao Fei and Photojournalist Lynsey Addario

Time magazine has named artist Cao Fei and photojournalist Lynsey Addario to its 2026 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Cao Fei is recognized for her multidisciplinary work exploring digital technology and modernity, while Addario is honored for her decades of courageous reporting from global conflict zones, including her Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the war in Ukraine. The list also acknowledges prominent art patrons Susan and Michael Dell.

Hirshhorn Museum Director Melissa Chiu Leaves for Guggenheim, Another Smithsonian Departure

Melissa Chiu has been appointed as the new director of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, departing her long-standing role at the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Starting September 1, Chiu will report to Mariët Westermann, CEO of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, effectively splitting the leadership responsibilities previously held by Richard Armstrong. During her decade-long tenure at the Hirshhorn, Chiu was known for staging massive blockbuster exhibitions, including the record-breaking Yayoi Kusama "Infinity Mirror Rooms" show, though she also faced criticism for commercial ventures like a reality TV competition.

The Dealers: Marta Makes Magic

The article profiles Marta, a prominent art dealer in Los Angeles, highlighting her recent activities and influence within the contemporary art scene. It details her gallery's program, her relationships with artists, and her specific curatorial approach that has garnered significant attention.

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.

Devin Troy Strother at ArtCenter

The article is a table of contents for Issue 42 of Contemporary Art Review LA, which includes a review of an exhibition by artist Devin Troy Strother at ArtCenter. The review, written by Janelle Zara, is listed among other reviews, interviews, and features in the publication's November 2025 issue.

Jorinde Voigt at Marc Selwyn Fine Arts

stpi print show and symposium singapore

STPI is launching the inaugural Print Show and Symposium Singapore during Singapore Art Week (January 22–31, 2026). The event will feature over 27 internationally acclaimed contemporary artists—including Jeff Koons, Louise Bourgeois, Takashi Murakami, and Do Ho Suh—showcasing their engagement with printmaking. A symposium titled "The Politics of Print: elephant in the room," curated by Stephanie Bailey, will bring together 25 curators, museum directors, and artists such as Michael Craig-Martin, Adele Tan, Sook-Kyung Lee, and Pinaree Sanpitak for six panels over two days.

columbia museum new collection galleries renovation

The Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, South Carolina, is unveiling newly reconfigured collection galleries to cap its 75th anniversary and culminate a yearlong renovation. The museum will reopen its collection galleries following a gala on January 16, presenting a newly conceived display across 20 galleries. The reinstalled galleries draw from the museum’s American, Asian, European, and modern and contemporary holdings, including Italian Renaissance works from the Kress Collection, an Asian gallery anchored by Chinese art from the Tang dynasty, and thematic galleries focused on landscape, still life, and art and architecture. The renovation, which began in January 2025, included new lighting and ceilings, reinforced walls, and conservation work on pieces by Sam Gilliam, Teiji Takai, and Benjamin Wilson.

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.

top auction moments of 2025

Artnet News rounds up the standout auction moments of 2025, highlighting both triumphs and disappointments. M.F. Husain's *Untitled (Gram Yatra)* (1954) smashed expectations at Christie's, selling for $13.8 million—more than double the artist's previous record and the first South Asian Modern work to exceed $10 million. In contrast, Piet Mondrian's *Composition with Large Red Plane, Bluish Gray, Yellow, Black and Blue* (1922) fell short of its $50 million estimate at Christie's, missing the artist's auction record, while Alberto Giacometti's *Grande tête mince* (1955) failed to sell at Sotheby's despite a $70 million asking price, underscoring market volatility.

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.

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.

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.

almaty museum of arts kazakhstan opens

The Almaty Museum of Arts (ALMA) opened on September 12 in Kazakhstan's largest city, becoming the country's first private museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Founded by auto and real estate tycoon Nurlan Smagulov, the museum houses his collection of over 700 artworks by Kazakh, Central Asian, and international artists. Led by artistic director Meruyert Kaliyeva and chief curator Inga Lāce, the museum's opening features a retrospective of Almaty-born artist Almagul Menlibayeva and a group show titled "Qonaqtar" that explores Kazakh art history and hospitality.

rauschenberg centenary shows

The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation is launching a global centenary celebration for the artist's 100th birthday, spanning 2025–2026. The program includes major exhibitions at seven institutions across five countries, such as "Five Friends" at Museum Brandhorst in Munich and Museum Ludwig in Cologne, photography shows at the Museum of the City of New York and Fundación Juan March in Madrid, and an exhibition at M+ in Hong Kong focusing on Rauschenberg's ROCI program. The foundation is also initiating grant-making initiatives to highlight Rauschenberg's legacy in art, technology, environmentalism, and social justice.

Event: Hammad Nasar and Billy Tang, Off the Record

ArtReview and Ursula magazine have announced a collaborative talk featuring curators Hammad Nasar and Billy Tang as part of their "Off the Record" series in London. The event, held at the Farm Shop in Mayfair, is designed as an intimate, live conversation focused on the working methods and inspirations of creative visionaries. Nasar, a veteran curator and MBE recipient, will join Tang, the Artistic Director of the new Yan Du Project, to discuss their respective practices and the evolution of creative thinking.

7 Essential Museum Exhibitions to Visit in Paris

Paris is hosting a major art week with Art Basel Paris returning to the renovated Grand Palais, alongside numerous other fairs like Paris Internationale, Design Miami.Paris, and Asia NOW. To complement the fair circuit, Galerie has curated a list of seven essential museum exhibitions across the city, including shows on Pontus Hulten with Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely at the Grand Palais, a Gerhard Richter retrospective at the Fondation Louis Vuitton featuring over 270 works, and a survey of Melvin Edwards at the Palais de Tokyo, among others.