Vasari Art Codex

article news schedule Dec 22, 2025 visibility 19 link 26 artists, 24 galleries

contemporary art galleries 2025 2731623

The article reflects on the closure of several notable contemporary art galleries in 2025, including Clearing, Blum, High Art, Venus Over Manhattan, Sperone Westwater, Galerie Francesca Pia, Tilton Gallery, Altman Siegel, Kasmin, Rena Bransten Gallery, L.A. Louver, and Canal Projects. It opens with a eulogy for Florine Stettheimer by Georgia O'Keeffe, drawing a parallel between the artist's unique way of life and the distinctive, charismatic spirit of galleries that have shuttered. The author recounts personal experiences at now-closed spaces like Metro Pictures, JTT, and Clearing, and quotes dealer Olivier Babin and the legendary Leo Castelli on the fleeting importance of galleries.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

article culture schedule Dec 10, 2025 visibility 7 link 8 artists, 3 galleries

artist studio 2709225

Journalist Bianca Bosker went undercover as a studio assistant for painter Julie Curtiss and other artists, revealing the gritty, athletic reality behind art-making—a world of blood, sweat, and sleepless nights. The article explores how mounting financial pressures, especially for sculptors and installation artists like Ivana Bašić, Erwin Wurm, and Lindsey Mendick, force tough decisions about studio space and production. Bašić, despite critical acclaim, lost a subsidized Dumbo studio and now outsources production to keep costs down, while a growing number of established artists pass on wisdom through residencies and assistant teams.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Dec 9, 2025 visibility 4 link 5 artists

louvre leak strike 2725275

A water pipe burst at the Musée du Louvre in Paris on November 26, damaging 300 to 400 archival documents related to Egyptian history in the Mollien Pavilion. The leak, which also posed a fire risk due to a nearby electrical cabinet, was followed by a smaller leak days later. Employees, represented by a coalition of unions including CGT, CFDT, and Sud, have voted unanimously to begin a rolling strike next Monday, demanding urgent renovations and the hiring of 200 new staff to restore the workforce to 2014 levels. The Louvre's director Laurence des Cars had previously warned that the museum's buildings were in "poor condition" and "no longer water tight," and a major renovation was announced, but pipe repairs were not scheduled until September 2026.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

article culture schedule Jul 16, 2025 visibility 6 link 10 artists, 1 gallery

strategies art world 2667436

Cem A., an artist and anthropologist known for the art meme page @freeze_magazine, argues that the art world is suffering from an oversupply of graduates trained by art schools that cannot sustain them. He describes a paradox where art graduates face high unemployment and are dismissed as unqualified for non-art jobs, while those who remain in the field must align with market trends and the attention economy, risking burnout and compromised creativity. Cem A. shares his own experience of being rejected for being "too artsy" before finding success through his Instagram page, which opened doors that traditional career paths could not.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Jul 11, 2025 visibility 3 link 6 artists

ulay wins case regarding against former collaborator marina abramovic 664205

A Dutch court has ordered performance artist Marina Abramović to pay her former collaborator Ulay (Ulay Laysiepen) over €250,000 ($280,500) for violating a 1999 contract regarding joint works created between 1976 and 1988. The court ruled that Ulay is entitled to 20 percent net royalties on sales of those works, plus €23,000 in legal costs. Ulay had accused Abramović of failing to provide accurate sales statements and making only four payments over 16 years. The case stems from their decade-long artistic and romantic partnership, which ended in 1988 with their famous walk on the Great Wall of China.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule May 16, 2025 visibility 4 link 7 artists, 1 gallery

by the numbers christies 20th century sale totals modest 217 million 2643857

Christie’s held a doubleheader evening sale on May 12, 2025, featuring its regular 20th-century art auction and the Riggio collection. The various-owners sale achieved $216.9 million in total sales after fees, a 52% decline from the $413 million equivalent sale the previous year. The top lot was Claude Monet’s *Peupliers au bord de l’Epte, crépuscule* (1891), which sold for $42.9 million with fees. The sale had a 94% sell-through rate, with 34 of 36 lots sold and none bought in. Notable moments included a new auction record for Dorothea Tanning at $2.3 million and a strong result for Remedios Varo’s *Revelación* (1955) at $6.22 million.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

article culture schedule Mar 18, 2026 visibility 14 link 3 artists

Museum as Networked Modality

The article examines the evolving and often problematic relationship between museums and digital art. It highlights the institutional struggle to define and categorize works that use contemporary technologies like AI, blockchain, and robotics, noting that canonical figures like Leo Villareal, Jenny Holzer, and Andreas Gursky are often excluded from the "digital art" label. The piece cites specific examples, from Harold Cohen's early algorithmic work to Sougwen Chung's robotic collaborations and Rhea Myers's responsive NFTs, to illustrate the diverse and transmedia nature of these practices.

newspaper ArtReview open_in_new Read original

person people schedule Apr 16, 2026 link 28 artists, 3 galleries

literature hans ulrich obrist curator book

Hans Ulrich Obrist, the prolific Swiss curator and artistic director of Serpentine Galleries, discusses his lifelong passion for books in a new interview timed to the U.S. release of his memoir "Life in Progress." Obrist reveals his daily ritual of buying a book, which has amassed an archive of over 40,000 volumes housed at LUMA Arles, and shares current reading recommendations including Kenneth O. Stanley's "Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned." He also reflects on the serendipitous origins of his Instagram Post-it note project, inspired by philosopher Umberto Eco and artist-poet Etel Adnan.

newspaper Cultured open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Apr 24, 2026 visibility 15 link 1 artist

How Much Is That Chagall in the Window: Metropolitan Opera Faces Funding Crisis After Saudi Deal Collapse

The Metropolitan Opera in New York faces a $30 million deficit after a $200 million funding deal with Saudi Arabia collapsed. The Saudi government withdrew from the agreement, which would have sent Met performers to the Royal Diriyah Opera House for three weeks each February, citing economic pressures from the Iran War and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. To address the shortfall, the Met is considering selling two monumental Marc Chagall paintings—The Sources of Music and The Triumph of Music (1966)—valued at $55 million, along with other options like selling naming rights or seeking a similar deal with another country.

newspaper Artforum open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 15, 2026 visibility 15 link 4 artists, 17 galleries

Art Dubai Unveils Leaner ‘Special Edition’ Built Around Regional Core

Art Dubai has announced a streamlined "special edition" for its 2026 iteration, featuring a reduced roster of approximately 75 exhibitors. Scheduled for May 15–17 at Madinat Jumeirah, the fair is pivoting toward a regional core, with 60 percent of participants hailing from the Gulf and Southwest Asia. To address economic pressures and regional instability, the fair is implementing a novel risk-sharing financial model where booth costs are partially tied to sales performance.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Jul 16, 2025 visibility 2 link 3 artists, 3 galleries

global auction sales h1 2025 arttactic analysis 1234747389

Global auction sales at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips fell 6.2% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, while the number of lots sold rose 1.3%. ArtTactic’s analysis reveals significant category shifts: post-war and contemporary art dropped 19.3% to $1.22 billion, impressionist and modern art fell 7.7% to $989.5 million, and luxury sales were nearly flat. In contrast, Old Masters surged 35.6% to $171.2 million, and design, decorative arts, and furniture rose 20.4% to $172 million. The decline in high-value trophy lots, including the withdrawal of Andy Warhol’s *Big Electric Chair* and Alberto Giacometti’s *Grande tête mince*, contributed to the slump in contemporary sales.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Apr 27, 2026 visibility 9 link 4 artists, 1 gallery

The Art Trade Is Taking Calculated Risks With A.I.

The article examines how the art trade is cautiously experimenting with artificial intelligence, noting that while AI tools are being developed to attract newer collectors, the industry remains heavily reliant on trust and personal relationships that technology cannot replicate. It also reports on Fair Warning's new 'No Warning' sealed-bidding auction format, reflecting a rise in private auctions, and highlights a Sotheby's New York sale of the Jean and Terry de Gunzburg collection that set a U.S. record for design auctions at $96 million, led by a set of 15 mirrors by Claude Lalanne for Yves Saint Laurent that sold for $33.5 million.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Dec 19, 2025 visibility 10 link 17 artists, 3 galleries

top auction moments of 2025 2712941

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.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Dec 1, 2025 visibility 7 link 9 artists, 9 galleries

art miami aqua art miami context art miami fair 2720381

Miami Art Week 2025 features three interrelated fairs—Art Miami, Context Art Miami, and Aqua Art Miami—running from December 2–7. Art Miami, celebrating its 35th year at One Herald Plaza, hosts over 160 galleries from 24 countries with blue-chip and emerging works, including a never-before-seen Alex Katz piece and Keith Haring's Subway Drawings. Context Art Miami returns for its 13th edition as a platform for emerging and mid-career artists with nearly 70 galleries, while Aqua Art Miami on Miami Beach transforms the Aqua Hotel into an intimate fair space for its 19th year.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule May 16, 2025 visibility 6 link 12 artists, 4 galleries

70 million giacometti flops at sothebys as demand for trophy art softens 2644144

The top lot of Sotheby's May auction season in New York, Alberto Giacometti's bronze sculpture *Grande tête mince (Grande tête de Diego)* (1955), estimated at $70 million, failed to sell on Tuesday night. The work was consigned by the Soloviev Foundation, set up by Stefan Soloviev, son of late mega-collector Sheldon Solow, and was offered without a financial guarantee, a risky strategy that backfired when no bidders emerged. Auctioneer Oliver Barker made several chandelier bids before declaring the lot unsold at $64.2 million, shocking the packed salesroom.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Aug 14, 2025 visibility 4 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

justin sun maurizio cattelan comedian bloomberg news lawsuit 1234749376

Justin Sun, the billionaire founder of TRON and buyer of Maurizio Cattelan's "Comedian," filed a lawsuit against Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Inc. on August 11 in the U.S. District Court in Delaware. He seeks a temporary restraining order and injunctions to prevent Bloomberg from publishing his highly confidential financial information, including specific cryptocurrency holdings, which he claims would cause irreparable harm, risk of theft, hacking, and physical danger to him and his family. Bloomberg's attorney argued the application is moot because the article had already been published hours before Sun's lawyers gave notice. The Bloomberg profile estimated Sun's net worth at $12.4 billion, detailing his ownership of over 60 billion Tronix, 17,000 Bitcoin, 224,000 Ether, and 700,000 Tether.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Jan 15, 2026 visibility 5 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

‘It’s madness’: David Hockney blasts plans to loan Bayeux Tapestry to UK

British artist David Hockney has publicly criticized plans to loan the Bayeux Tapestry from France to the British Museum in London, calling the move “madness.” Writing in The Independent, Hockney argues that the 11th-century embroidery, which depicts the Norman invasion of England, could be damaged during transport across the English Channel, citing risks to its aged linen backing and wool threads. The tapestry is set to be displayed at the British Museum’s Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery from September 2026 to July 2027 while its home in Normandy undergoes renovations. In response, British Museum director Nicholas Cullinan defended the loan, citing the museum’s expertise in handling ancient artifacts. The UK Treasury will insure the tapestry for an estimated £800 million, and in exchange, British treasures including the Lewis chessmen and Sutton Hoo helmet will travel to Normandy.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Nov 16, 2025 visibility 14 link 26 artists, 15 galleries

Art Collaboration Kyoto holds its most global edition yet

Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK) opened its fifth edition at the Kyoto International Conference Center, running until 16 November. The fair, launched in 2021 to connect Japanese and international galleries, has grown to a record 72 exhibitors, half from overseas. Special exhibitions are staged at historic temples across Kyoto, including shows by Isabella Ducrot at Kousei-in, Carrie Yamaoka at Manshu-in, and Shio Kusaka with Jonas Wood at Ryosoku-in. Sales were strong on opening day, with galleries like KAYOKOYUKI, Kurimanzutto, Mendes Wood DM, and TARO NASU reporting brisk transactions.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Dec 29, 2025 visibility 5 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

cinema icon brigitte bardot dies olfactory art shines in germany controversy at imperial war museum and more morning links for december 29 2026 1234768207

This morning links roundup from ARTnews covers several art-world stories. UK ministers will underwrite up to £800 million in potential damage to the Bayeux Tapestry during its loan to the British Museum, making the British taxpayer the ultimate guarantor. London's Imperial War Museum has been accused of sidelining Victoria Cross recipients in favor of highlighting LGBTQ+ history after closing its gallery of the medals and returning them to Lord Ashcroft. Two exhibitions in Germany explore olfactory art, the Natural History Museum plans to open two spaces, and Ireland has reportedly turned the former Israeli embassy in Dublin into a museum for Palestine.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Oct 23, 2025 visibility 7 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

investigators look to dna analysis video footage to identify louvre thieves 1234758560

On October 19, 2025, thieves broke into the Louvre Museum's Apollo Gallery in Paris, using a cherry picker and an angle grinder to steal nine pieces of jewelry worth an estimated $102 million in under eight minutes. One piece was recovered outside the museum. Approximately 100 investigators are now analyzing DNA evidence found on a helmet and gloves at the scene, as well as video footage captured by a bystander showing two suspects escaping on scooters. The museum reopened the day after the heist, but the Apollo Gallery remains closed due to the ongoing investigation.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article policy schedule Feb 3, 2026 visibility 2 link 1 artist, 1 gallery

british museum ai backlash 2742244

The British Museum faced significant criticism from archaeologists and the public after posting images containing A.I.-generated content on its Instagram and Facebook accounts. The posts, which featured a young woman contemplating exhibits, were tagged to an A.I. model and a marketing agency. Following a wave of negative comments, the museum removed the posts approximately six hours later and reportedly unfollowed critics on social media.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

article policy schedule Dec 9, 2025 visibility 6 link 1 artist, 1 gallery

security threats force londons va to remove prophet muhammad artwork 232724

The Victoria & Albert Museum in London removed an image of an artwork depicting the Prophet Muhammad from its website due to security concerns following the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack. The artwork, a poster made by an Iranian artist around 1990, remains in the museum's collection and is available to scholars by appointment. The decision has drawn criticism from experts who view it as self-censorship that could undermine the study of Islamic art.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Nov 28, 2025 visibility 5 link 4 artists, 1 gallery

louvre security report 2720444

A 2018 security audit commissioned by the Louvre from Van Cleef and Arpels identified critical vulnerabilities in the museum's Apollo Gallery, including a balcony accessible via a lift platform—the exact entry point used by thieves in a daring October 19, 2025 heist. The audit, which included diagrams highlighting a window facing Quai François-Mitterrand as a major weakness, was not passed on to current Louvre president Laurence des Cars when she took over in 2021. The museum only discovered the document after the theft, prompting an internal review and referral to France's General Inspectorate of Cultural Affairs. French authorities have since arrested four more suspects, bringing the total to eight, as the investigation continues into the theft of eight valuable pieces including Napoleon Bonaparte's emerald-and-diamond necklace.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Apr 27, 2026 visibility 13 link 9 artists, 8 galleries

6 Black-owned Galleries Placing Artists in Major Museum Collections

Six Black-owned galleries—Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Gallery Guichard, Galerie Myrtis, Richard Beavers Gallery, and Jenkins Johnson Gallery—are profiled for their success in placing artists into major museum collections. Each gallery has built institutional relationships that lead to acquisitions by museums such as the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Bronx Museum, often retaining artists through the placement stage to capture long-term market value.

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person people schedule Apr 21, 2026 visibility 16 link 11 artists, 5 galleries

Pilar Corrias: The Woman Who Changed the West End

Pilar Corrias, a London gallerist, opened her eponymous gallery in 2008 during the global financial crisis, defying the trend of closures. She commissioned architect Rem Koolhaas to design the space and built a program with a strong intellectual focus and a diverse roster of artists.

newspaper Mutual Art open_in_new Read original

person people schedule Feb 10, 2026 visibility 5 link 4 artists, 3 galleries

Ai Weiwei faced vote about his Royal Academy of Arts, London membership after Gaza tweet

Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei faced a vote by the Royal Academy of Arts in London on whether to revoke his membership as an international Royal Academician. This followed a controversial tweet he posted in late 2023 about the Israel-Hamas conflict, which he later deleted and which led his gallery, Lisson Gallery, to postpone a show of his work. The RA's General Assembly ultimately voted to retain his membership.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

article culture schedule Jan 23, 2026 visibility 11 link 6 artists, 1 gallery

African LGBTQ+ art at the Smithsonian, the Iran crisis, Louise Nevelson at Pompidou Metz—podcast

The latest episode of The Art Newspaper's 'The Week in Art' podcast, hosted by Ben Luke, covers three major stories. It features a discussion with co-curator Kevin Dumouchelle about 'Here: Pride and Belonging in African Art,' a new exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C., focusing on LGBTQ+ artists from Africa and its diaspora. The episode also examines the cultural impact of the protests and brutal crackdown in Iran, with reporter Sarvy Garenpayeh, and highlights Louise Nevelson's 'Tropical Garden II (1957)' as the Work of the Week, tied to a new survey of the sculptor's work at the Centre Pompidou-Metz.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Dec 4, 2025 visibility 7 link 9 artists, 4 galleries

Nightlife scenes and local lore abound at Nada Miami's busy opening

At the VIP preview of Nada Miami, dealers reported brisk sales of paintings, with galleries like Hawkins Headquarters, Shrine, Burnaway, the Locker Room, and Baker—Hall showing works by artists including Jackson Markovic, Angela China, Alex Hutton, Clare Torina, Eric Diehl, and Thomas Bils. Nightlife themes were prominent, with Markovic's fluorescent nightclub photographs and Raffi Kalenderian's painting of Mac's Club Deuce dive bar. The Pérez Art Museum Miami acquired works by Bils, Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe, and Pallavi Sen through its Nada Acquisition Gift programme.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Sep 16, 2025 visibility 6 link 8 artists, 2 galleries

Comment | Picasso’s ‘Three Dancers’ sparked my love of art. Let's give others the chance to find their own way in

Tate Modern’s exhibition *Theatre Picasso*, opening this week, centers on Pablo Picasso’s painting *The Three Dancers* (1925), which the artist himself valued above *Guernica*. The show marks the painting’s 100th anniversary, featuring Tate’s entire Picasso collection alongside major loans, and is staged by artist Wu Tsang and writer-curator Enrique Fuenteblanca with contributions from contemporary dancers and choreographers. The article’s author recounts a personal journey with the painting, from initial confusion in a secondary school art room to a lifelong passion ignited by teacher Jean Morrison and a school trip to Paris.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Jul 17, 2025 visibility 5 link 4 artists, 2 galleries

Phillips Sues Wealthy Scion for Failure to Come Through on Pollock Purchase

Phillips auction house has filed a lawsuit against film producer David Mimran, alleging he failed to pay $14.5 million for a Jackson Pollock painting after serving as a third-party guarantor. The untitled ca. 1948 white-on-black drip painting, which had appeared in a 1998 retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art, received no bids at a November auction in New York, leaving Mimran legally obligated to purchase it. Mimran missed two payment deadlines and later claimed he could not meet a third, prompting Phillips to file a complaint with the Supreme Court of New York.

newspaper Artforum open_in_new Read original