south koreas art loving ex first lady arrested queer art in crisis beloved barbie designers killed in car crash morning links for august 14 2025 1234749363

Former South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee was arrested on charges of stock price manipulation and election interference. Known for organizing exhibitions featuring artists like Andy Warhol and Mark Rothko, she joins her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, in detention, marking the first time a former presidential couple in South Korea has been detained simultaneously. Separately, the article reports on the cancelation of queer art exhibitions at US museums, including Amy Sherald's Smithsonian show, amid Trump administration directives. It also covers the tragic death of Italian designers Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi, celebrated for transforming Barbie dolls into high-value art pieces, who died in a car crash.

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James Rondeau, president and director of the Art Institute of Chicago since 2016, has voluntarily stepped away from his role amid an investigation into an alleged incident on a flight from Chicago to Munich in April. According to a CBS News report citing anonymous sources, police were called after a passenger reportedly stripped off his clothes following consumption of alcohol and prescription medication; sources identified that passenger as Rondeau. The museum confirmed it has opened an independent investigation and that Rondeau is taking time off during the process.

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Frieze New York kicked off at the Shed in Hudson Yards with a notable sale: Jeff Koons's Incredible Hulk sculpture (Tubas) purchased for around $3 million, signaling a reunion between the artist and Gagosian after his departure to Pace in 2021. Despite a cautious market amid President Trump's tariff uncertainties, dealers reported better-than-expected sales on VIP day, with a focus on affordable works in the $50,000-to-$200,000 range. However, challenges emerged including U.S. Customs delays affecting international shipments and tariff confusion that led some fashion designers to withdraw from the Esther II fair.

148 News Roundup: Career Moves, Infrastructure, Controversies, Public Domain

Curator and writer Reuben Keehan has been appointed artistic director of the forthcoming Kontempo – Center for Contemporary Art in Manila, a new institution developed by the Ayala Foundation. Keehan will relocate from Australia, ending his 15-year tenure as curator of contemporary art at Brisbane’s Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. In other career moves, Manuel Rabaté has become CEO and director of New Delhi’s Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, bringing over 25 years of museum leadership including his previous role as inaugural director of Louvre Abu Dhabi. Additionally, the Kochi Biennale Foundation has named board member and Mumbai-based artist Jitish Kallat as president of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, succeeding Bose Krishnamachari who resigned in January.

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Expo Chicago has announced the list of over 130 exhibitors for its 2026 edition, taking place April 9–12 at Navy Pier. The fair has been reduced by nearly 25 percent compared to 2025, with a smaller floor plan designed to foster deeper engagement. New features include a partnership with the Obama Presidential Center, whose museum director Louise Bernard will curate two sections, and the rebranding of the Exposure section as Focus, curated by Katie A. Pfohl. The Profile section will be curated by Essence Harden, and a continued partnership with the Galleries Association of Korea will bring 12 Korean galleries.

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This week's art industry moves include Allison Blais being named President and CEO of the Wadsworth Atheneum, succeeding Jeffrey N. Brown. The Onassis Foundation's ONX art-and-tech hub is expanding with a new Tribeca space opening in January 2026, debuting with the exhibition "TECHNE: Homecoming." Other appointments include Frank Lord joining Withers as senior counsel, Matthew Stavro becoming Senior Specialist at Freeman's, and Madeline Cornell as Sales Director at Morgan Presents. Galleries announced new artist representations: Anthony Meier and von Bartha jointly represent the estate of Barbara Stauffacher Solomon, Jessica Silverman now represents Lava Thomas, Kendall Koppe represents Michael Bühler-Rose, and David Kordansky Gallery takes on Tristan Unrau. The Spector Craft Prize launches with Crystal Bridges Museum partnership. A blue diamond pendant known as the Mellon Blue sold at Christie's for $25 million, a 22% drop from its previous sale. The New York Times explores whether artist-podcaster Joshua Citarella could be the "Joe Rogan of the left."

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Jean-Paul Engelen, currently president for the Americas and worldwide co-head of modern and contemporary art at Phillips auction house, will join Acquavella Galleries as a director starting July 1. Engelen spent a decade at Phillips, where he helped increase auction sales by 72 percent between 2015 and 2021, and previously worked at Christie’s for 16 years and at Qatar Museums.

Must-see Chicago museum openings, exhibitions and events in 2026

Chicago's cultural institutions are preparing a diverse slate of exhibitions and openings for 2026. Highlights include the Art Institute of Chicago presenting Henri Matisse's complete 'Jazz' book of cutouts for the first time, a survey of Dominican artist Firelei Báez at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the National Museum of Mexican Art exploring the history of Mexican railroad workers, and a costume design exhibition featuring Paul Tazewell's work at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. The year also features the grand opening of the Obama Presidential Center and a Barbara Nessim survey at the DePaul Art Museum.

Frieze VIP day defined by dealers’ resilience

Frieze New York's VIP opening on Wednesday saw strong attendance despite economic uncertainty following President Donald Trump's April 2 tariff announcement, which caused stock market volatility. Gallerists reported early sales driven by institutional buyers, with works by Tuan Andrew Nguyen, Rashid Johnson, Lorna Simpson, Claire Tabouret, and WangShui finding homes at museums including the Moderna Museet, Dallas Museum of Art, and Heredium Museum. Notable sales included Jeff Koons's Hulk (Tubas) for over $3 million at Gagosian and a solo stand sellout for Claire Tabouret at Perrotin.

Frieze New York shows signs of stability in challenging US art market

Frieze New York (7-11 May) opens its 13th edition at The Shed with around 65 galleries, including mega-galleries Gagosian, David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth, Pace, and White Cube. The fair arrives amid a turbulent art market: global art sales declined 12% in 2024 per Clare McAndrew's Art Market Report, and President Trump's tariff decisions have roiled the stock market. Frieze's owner Endeavor recently sold the fair to a new company founded by former CEO Ari Emanuel. Despite this, US fair director Christine Messineo expresses optimism, citing strong sales at Frieze Los Angeles in February. The Focus section features 12 emerging galleries, seven of which are first-time participants, including King's Leap, Management, Voloshyn Gallery (Kyiv), and Public Gallery (London).

Weekly News Roundup: April 16, 2026

The art landscape in Asia is undergoing significant shifts with Art Basel renewing its five-year commitment to Hong Kong and the Centre Pompidou announcing a June opening for its new Seoul branch. Meanwhile, the Ayala Foundation unveiled designs by architect Kulapat Yantrasast for Kontempo, a major new contemporary art center in Manila slated for 2028, and the Kochi-Muziris Biennale appointed Jitish Kallat as president following the resignation of cofounder Bose Krishnamachari.

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The past year saw major museum events dominated by high-stakes thefts and political interference. The Louvre in Paris suffered a shocking $102 million jewel heist in broad daylight, leading to arrests and an €80 million security overhaul. Other European museums, including the Drents Museum in the Netherlands, were also targeted, raising fears of an organized criminal network.

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The Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) has canceled the 2025 edition of its annual New York art fair, The Art Show, which was scheduled to open at the Park Avenue Armory on October 28. The decision was communicated to members via email and confirmed by ADAA president Susan Sheehan, with the board citing a strategic pause to reimagine the fair for long-term sustainability. The fair has been a staple of the New York social calendar, with its VIP opening night serving as a fundraiser for the Henry Street Settlement, raising over $38 million for the nonprofit over three decades.

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.

Who are the members of the Venice Biennale jury?

Qui sont les membres du jury de la Biennale de Venise ?

The 61st Venice Biennale, opening May 9, 2026, has announced its international jury, which is composed entirely of women. The five members are Solange Oliveira Farkas (president), Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi, hailing from Brazil, Thailand, Spain, the United States, and Switzerland. Their backgrounds span the Global South, feminist studies, and transnational curatorial practices.

The Centre Pompidou will inaugurate its South Korean branch in a former Seoul aquarium in early June

Le Centre Pompidou inaugurera début juin son antenne sud-coréenne dans un ancien aquarium de Séoul

The Centre Pompidou has announced the official opening date for its new South Korean satellite, the Centre Pompidou Hanwha, scheduled for June 4, 2026. Located in a former aquarium within Seoul’s financial district, the 11,000-square-meter space was redesigned by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte and will launch with a major cubism exhibition featuring 90 works by masters such as Picasso and Braque. The inauguration was recently marked by a site visit from French President Emmanuel Macron and key cultural officials.

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The Barnes Foundation has promoted Will Cary to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, where he will oversee new revenue initiatives, the Calder Gardens partnership, and a newly formed Brand department. Bukia Vakhania Gallery (formerly Gallery Artbeat) is opening a Berlin location on January 15 with a solo show by Nina Kintsurashvili. Heritage Auctions reported $2.2 billion in sales for 2025, its highest-ever annual total, driven by coins, comics, sports memorabilia, and illustration art. Antenna Space will open a Hong Kong outpost in March 2026, directed by Jeff Li. A Deloitte Private and ArtTactic report reveals that 50% of non-bank art lenders experienced loan defaults in 2024, up from 17% in 2023.

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Two key staffers have been fired from the Kennedy Center following President Trump's takeover: Kevin Struthers, senior director of music programming, and Malka Lasky, a social impact staffer and coordinator for the free Millennium Stage shows. Meanwhile, Canadian artist Armand Vaillancourt, 96, has sent a cease-and-desist letter to San Francisco officials to block the demolition of his 1971 Brutalist fountain in Embarcadero Plaza, which is fenced off due to structural hazards. Two Nazi-looted still life paintings by 17th-century Dutch artist Ambrosius Bosschaert have reportedly surfaced from an abandoned safety deposit box at an Ohio auction house, and if authenticated, will be returned to the descendants of a Jewish family. Additionally, the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris has fired its director Simon Baker after an internal investigation for psychological harassment.

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A powerful hailstorm caused water to leak through the Louvre's roof into the Salle Rosa room, where the exhibition "A New Look at Cimabue: At the Origins of Italian Painting" is on view. The water narrowly missed Giovanni Cimabue's unprotected "Maestà" panel painting (circa 1280), but drips hit the base of Nicola Pisano's "Three Acolytes" (1264-67) on loan from Florence's Museo Nazionale del Bargello. Another near miss occurred near Duccio di Buoninsegna's "Madonna of the Franciscans" (1285-88), which was protected by glass. The museum closed the exhibition early for firefighter inspection, identified a damaged glass seal as the cause, and reopened the next morning after repairs.

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A portrait of President Donald Trump gifted by Vladimir Putin has been unveiled, depicting Trump raising his fist after an assassination attempt, with the Russian artist Nikas Safronov behind the work. In a separate development, journalist and media entrepreneur Wolfram Weimer is set to become Germany's next Minister of State for Culture, replacing Green Party member Claudia Roth, a surprise appointment that contradicts earlier reports.

Louvre Robbery: Security Overhaul and Investigation Update

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The Louvre Museum has announced a massive €80 million ($92 million) security overhaul following a brazen daytime heist on October 19, where thieves stole imperial jewels valued at €88 million. The investigation revealed significant institutional failures, including outdated software and weak passwords like "Louvre," allowing local thieves to enter via a movers' lift and escape on scooters in under seven minutes. While four suspects from the Paris suburbs have been charged, the majority of the stolen items remain unrecovered.

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The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has updated its 2026 fiscal year grant guidelines, cancelling the Challenge America grants that targeted underserved communities and replacing them with a focus on projects celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States (America250). The changes, announced in response to executive orders by President Donald Trump, eliminate DEI-related funding and require applicants to have a five-year history of arts programming. Organizations that had applied for the $10,000 Challenge America grants must now resubmit under the broader Grants for Arts Projects category, with extended deadlines.

Agnes Gund, collector and philanthropist who helped transform MoMA, has died, aged 87

Agnes Gund, the influential American arts philanthropist and collector, has died at age 87. Gund was a transformative figure at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, serving on its board from 1976, as president from 1991 to 2002, and later as president emerita. She helped raise funds for MoMA's $858m expansion, donated around 100 works to the museum, and pushed for acquisitions of women and artists of color. Beyond MoMA, she founded Studio in a School in 1977 to bring art education to New York City public schools and co-chaired a Sotheby's auction to support Miss Porter's School. Her death was first reported by The New York Times; she is survived by four children.

Christine Ruiz-Picasso, Founder of Museo Picasso Málaga and Artist’s Daughter-in-Law, Dies at 97

Christine Ruiz-Picasso, the daughter-in-law of Pablo Picasso and a pivotal figure in preserving his artistic legacy, has passed away at the age of 97 in Provence, France. Married to Picasso’s eldest son, Paul, she became a primary advocate for the artist's work following her husband's death in 1975. Her most significant achievement was the 2003 founding of the Museo Picasso Málaga, realized through her donation of over 200 artworks and her persistent collaboration with the Andalusian government.

Manitoba Anishinaabe Artist Designs Moon Patch; Uffizi Targeted by Cyberattack

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Anishinaabe artist Henry Guimond has designed a mission patch for Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen to wear during the Artemis II lunar mission. The artwork features seven symbolic animals representing the Seven Sacred Laws of Anishinaabe custom, intended as a universal message for humanity that will literally travel beyond Earth's orbit.

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President Donald Trump has unveiled a rendering for his planned presidential library in downtown Miami, envisioned as a 47-story skyscraper. The proposal features a gold entranceway, a 20-foot-tall golden statue of the former president, and a replica of the Oval Office, alongside a hotel and office space. The project is being designed by architecture firm Bermello Ajamil and is reportedly seeking to raise nearly $1 billion in donations to fund the construction on highly valuable waterfront land.

Claire Tabouret’s Stained-Glass Windows for Notre-Dame Divide French Society, with a Legal Threat Looming

French contemporary artist Claire Tabouret has been commissioned to create six new stained-glass windows for the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, replacing six existing 19th-century grisaille windows designed by architect Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc. The project, announced by President Emmanuel Macron and the Archbishop of Paris as a "contemporary gesture" following the 2019 fire, has sparked a major public and institutional controversy, with a petition against it gathering over 335,000 signatures.

Venice Biennale Announces Participating Artists; Christophe Leribault Poised to Replace Ousted Louvre President; Morning Links for February 25, 2026

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The Venice Biennale has officially released the artist list for its 61st edition, titled “In Minor Keys,” which is set to open in May 2026. Despite the sudden passing of curator Koyo Kouoh last year, the exhibition will proceed based on her vision of 'minor keys'—a concept focusing on quiet tones, poetry, and improvisation as alternatives to dominant historical narratives. Simultaneously, a major leadership reshuffle is underway in Paris, with Christophe Leribault expected to lead the Louvre following Laurence des Cars' departure, and Annick Lemoine appointed to head the Musée d’Orsay.

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The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) has denied targeting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) staff after laying off 33 employees, including its only Muslim, Native American, and Black curators. The layoffs, effective January 30, 2026, prompted a petition with nearly 2,000 signatures and a demand from 130 staff at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design for the curators' reinstatement. MFA Director Pierre Terjanian attributed the cuts to financial deficits from the COVID-19 pandemic, stating the proportion of staff of color remained unchanged.

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The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) has appointed Kristen Shepherd as its new president and CEO, effective February 9. Shepherd, 54, previously served as executive director and CEO of the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida, and held leadership roles at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum in New York, and Sotheby’s in New York and London. She also runs her own consulting firm, Shepherd Lane + Associates. Shepherd takes over at a challenging time for PAFA, which closed its college last May due to rising costs and low enrollment, though it continues to offer K-12 and continuing education programs.