The Sky High Farm Biennial Cultivates Something Special

The Sky High Farm Biennial, curated by former Downtown art star Dan Colen, opened in a cold storage warehouse in Germantown, N.Y., featuring over 160 works by 50 artists across two floors. The exhibition is loosely themed around humanity's relationship with the natural world, with immersive installations by Anne Imhof (a maze of cider crates) and Rudolf Stingel (a mirrored floor requiring paper booties). Highlights include works by Nan Goldin, Thiago Rocha Pitta, Stephen Lichty, Carrol Dunham, Pia Camil, and Ann Craven. The show balances informal and polished elements, offering a breezy summer experience while serving as a thesis on artist community.

Monarch Alumna to Lead Next Chapter for Art Museum

Alison Byrne, who began as an intern at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in 2000, has been named the museum's executive director as of late September 2024. Over 25 years, she rose through roles including curator of education and deputy director, and was named Museum Art Educator of the Year by the Virginia Art Education Association in 2020. Byrne will lead the museum's relocation in 2026 to a new 35,000-square-foot facility at Virginia Wesleyan University, featuring a 21% increase in gallery space. The inaugural exhibition will showcase works by contemporary artist Nina Chanel Abney.

Capture the Senses: Attraction and Horror in Early Modern Art // Haggerty

The Haggerty Museum at Marquette University will present 'Capture the Senses: Attraction and Horror in Early Modern Art' from August 22 to December 20, 2025. The exhibition draws from the museum's own collection to explore how Early Modern artists combined aesthetic pleasure with terrifying subject matter, featuring works by Albrecht Dürer, Ferdinand Bol, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, and Francesco Solimena. Curated by Kirk Nickel, the show examines themes such as the end times, human sacrifice, imperial decay, and fate, using paintings, prints, and sculpture from Europe and the Americas between the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution.

How Third-Party Guarantees Are Quietly (But Significantly) Rewriting the Rules of the Art Auction

The article reports that the New York Spring Marquee auctions in May 2025 generated $1.27 billion, an 8% decline from $1.38 billion in May 2024, followed by a 26% drop in London June auctions to £98 million. In response to this volatile market, auction houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s are increasingly relying on third-party guarantees (or irrevocable bids), where a buyer agrees in advance to purchase a lot at a set price if no higher bid emerges. Data from Pi-eX Ltd shows that third-party guarantee coverage surged from near zero in 2021 to a record 73% in May 2025, with the Leonard & Louise Riggio collection being 99% backed by such guarantees.

The art market bites back as estimates fail to score

Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips raised a combined $1.27bn from their May 2025 marquee auctions of Modern and contemporary art in New York, an 8% decline from the same period last year, according to data from London-based auction analysts Pi-eX. The highest-priced lot, Alberto Giacometti’s 1955 bronze bust *Grande tête mince (Grande tête de Diego)*, estimated at $70m, failed to sell, while Andy Warhol’s *Big Electric Chair* (1967), valued at $30m, was withdrawn before Christie’s auction to avoid a similar fate. The downturn is attributed to geopolitical uncertainty under Donald Trump’s presidency, including tariffs announced on April 2, which have unsettled buyer confidence.

Remembering Sebastião Salgado, world builder, photographer of collective humanity and prophet of possibility

Sebastião Salgado, the legendary Brazilian photographer known for his monumental documentary projects capturing collective humanity and environmental activism, has died. Born in 1944 in Aimorés, Brazil, Salgado studied economics at the University of São Paulo and was exiled to France for political activism before turning to photography in the 1970s. He joined Magnum Photos in 1979 and went on to create epic, multi-year projects such as "Workers" (1986-93), "Migrations" (1993-99), "Genesis" (2005-13), and "Amazônia" (2011-19), which redefined documentary practice through total immersion and scale. His work earned him the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador role, and numerous awards including the W. Eugene Smith Grant and the Royal Photographic Society’s Centenary Medal.

Oasis Fever Hits Sotheby's: 'Liam + Noel' Portrait Set to Fetch $2 Million USD

Elizabeth Peyton's 1996 double portrait of Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, titled *Liam + Noel (Gallagher)*, is set to be auctioned at Sotheby's contemporary art sale in London on June 24. The painting is expected to fetch between £1.5 million and £2 million GBP ($2.03–$2.71 million USD). Created at the peak of the band's fame following their historic Knebworth Park shows, the portrait captures the brothers in a tight embrace, with Sotheby's specialist Antonia Gardner noting the "quiet tension" that foreshadowed their 2009 breakup. The work will be on public view at Sotheby's London galleries from June 18–24.

Art auctions see millennials, Gen-Z, snap up Asian art, blue-chip artists

A 2024 report by Artprice shows global art auction sales fell by a third to US$9.9 billion, the lowest since 2009, reflecting cautious collector behavior amid economic uncertainty. Despite the downturn, major auction houses—Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Phillips, and Bonhams—have opened new flagship showrooms in Hong Kong, signaling confidence in recovery. Phillips, Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Bonhams all unveiled spaces in the West Kowloon Cultural District, The Henderson, Landmark Chater, and Six Pacific Place respectively. Online auctions and private sales are growing, with digital innovation helping engage younger buyers.

'So Happy You Came' new paintings by Diana Young

Diana Young, a nearly 90-year-old artist who has been painting for over 80 years, presents her new exhibition "So Happy You Came" at Gold/Smith Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, from June 18 to July 21. The show features her latest works in acrylic and tempera, which emphasize motion, line, and dynamic interlocking shapes rather than realism, inspired by outdoor locations and her profound sense of place. A reception will be held on June 21.

Pussy Riot co-founder starts Los Angeles prison performance with existential scream

Nadya Tolokonnikova, co-founder of Pussy Riot, began a durational performance titled "Police State" at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles on June 5, 2025. Inside a mock prison cell at the Geffen Contemporary, she screams, plays a pink toy piano, synthesizer, and laptop, and layers live music with sampled prison noises to create an 80-hour experimental soundscape. The performance, running until June 15, references her own 2012 imprisonment in Russia for an anti-Putin protest. On the fourth day, MOCA closed due to clashes between ICE agents, the California National Guard, and protesters over immigrant raids, prompting Tolokonnikova to post: "Police State exhibit closed today due to police state."

Millom: Art exhibition set to bring town's industrial past to life

An art exhibition in Millom, Cumbria, will honor the late artist David Frederick Bates (1929–2024), whose sketches and paintings from 1949–50 document the town's ironworks, mines, and landscapes. Organized by Millom and District Local History Society in partnership with Holy Trinity Church, the show runs June 13–15, 2025, and includes a talk by Bates's son Malcolm. The exhibition also features works by Bates's wife June Moss and by Jim Billsborough, a former student of Bates.

Tokyo’s latest Godzilla art exhibition is a roaring tribute to the 70-year-old icon

The Mori Arts Center Gallery in Tokyo is hosting 'Godzilla The Art Exhibition', running until June 29, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the iconic monster. Featuring over 25 artists from Japan and abroad, including Tadanori Yokoo, Sachiko Kazama, Kikuji Kawada, and actor-artist Tadanobu Asano, the exhibition presents original works in sculpture, painting, photography, diorama, and performance. Designed by the creative team Cekai, the immersive environment simulates Godzilla's destruction with cracked walls and shattered floors, while thematic chapters explore the monster as a symbol of modern anxieties, historical trauma, and cultural evolution.

The rise of contemporary African art in a global market

The article reports on the rapid growth of the contemporary African art market, which has more than doubled in value since 2016 to an estimated annual combined value of $72 million. Sales of ultra-contemporary works by African-born artists under 45 surged from $16.2 million in 2020 to $40.6 million in 2021, and the market could reach $1.5 billion this year. Aspire Art, a South African auction house, has set records for artists like Joseph Ntensibe, whose painting *Forest Scene* sold for R924,200, and Nicholas Hlobo, whose work *Intlambo yochulumanco* fetched R1,479,400.

Mumbai’s IFBE hosts one-day art show ‘Still, it Moves’: Artist Tara M Khanna’s show captures spirituality i...

On Saturday, 3 May, multidisciplinary artist Tara M Khanna presented her first solo exhibition, 'Still, it Moves', at IFBE (Ice Factory) in Ballard Estate, Mumbai. The one-day show featured contemporary paintings exploring themes of nature, movement, stillness, and spirituality, including works such as 'Sacred Sway' depicting Lord Krishna. In an interview, Khanna described her art as rooted in devotion to god and influenced by artists like M.F. Husain and Raja Ravi Varma.

Basquiat masterpiece expected to fetch $15m at Sotheby’s auction

A rare, untitled 1981 Jean-Michel Basquiat painting, unseen for over three decades, will headline Sotheby’s Contemporary Evening Auction in New York this May, with an estimate of $10–15 million. The work, created when Basquiat was 20, captures his transition from street art to international fame and has been held in the same private collection since 1989. The auction also features pieces from Barbara Gladstone’s collection, the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, and works by Lucio Fontana, Robert Rauschenberg, and Pablo Picasso.

Art Dubai Postpones 2026 Fair Amid Iran War Fears

Art Dubai has postponed its 2026 fair from April to May 14–17, shifting to an "adapted format" at its usual venue, the Madinat Jumeirah resort. The fair, a cornerstone of the Middle Eastern art scene, will proceed with a more focused model, featuring galleries from over thirty-five countries but altering its financial structure, with participating galleries paying a percentage of sales instead of standard booth fees.

Un itinerario fotografico tra installazioni e progetti d’autore della Design Week 2026. La collaborazione tra Artribune e i computer di MSI

This article outlines a one-day itinerary through Milan's 2026 Fuorisalone design week, highlighting key installations and exhibitions. It begins at Torre Velasca, featuring Polish Modernism and Brazilian modernist Jorge Zalszupin, then moves to the University of Milan's cloisters for the Interni magazine exhibition themed 'Materiae,' with oversized sculptures and a yacht installation by Piero Lissoni for Sanlorenzo. Other stops include Palazzo Litta, where architect Lina Ghotmeh presents 'Metamorphosis in Motion,' and Galleria Rossana Orlandi, focusing on the theme of doors. The itinerary concludes at Alcova in the former Baggio Military Hospital, an abandoned space reactivated by curators Valentina Ciuffi and Joseph Grima.

Lebanese Artist Ali Sbeity Reportedly Killed in Israeli Strike

Lebanese artist Ali Sbeity was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the southern town of Kafra. The death was confirmed by the Artists at Risk Connection and reported by local media. Sbeity was known for his vibrant portraits and landscapes of his rural hometown, which he frequently shared on social media.

Image of Family Torn by ICE Wins World Press Photo of the Year

American photojournalist Carol Guzy won the 2026 World Press Photo of the Year for her image "Separated by ICE," which captures a tearful family torn apart by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after an immigration court hearing in New York amid President Trump's broader crackdown. The contest, established in 1955, selected 42 global winners from over 57,000 photographs submitted by nearly 3,800 photographers across 141 countries. Finalists included Saber Nuraldin's "Aid Emergency in Gaza" and Victor J. Blue's "The Trials of the Achi Women," while other winners addressed displacement, war, and environmental crises.

Zurich: Peripheral Presence. by Tibor Bielicky and Ellena Ehrl

Zurich’s urban landscape is defined by functionalist structures from the 1990s and early 2000s that serve as the 'understated backdrop' to daily life. These buildings, including the Signal Box by Gigon Guyer and the Telecap 2000 by Hans Ulrich Imesch, act as navigational markers at the city’s geographic choke points. Despite their significance in shaping the city's rhythm and internal choreography, many of these structures are now reaching the end of their first lifecycle and face the threat of demolition due to real estate speculation.

Participatory Design or Processual Formalism? Frei Otto, the Ökohaus, and the Ökohäusler by Matthew Kennedy

The Ökohaus (Eco-House) project in Berlin stands as a radical experiment in participatory architecture, born from the 1987 Internationale Bauausstellung (IBA) urban renewal program. Designed by Frei Otto, the complex features three residential buildings characterized by a 'double informality' where dense foliage and a patchwork of diverse cladding materials—ranging from timber and metallic shingles to exposed concrete—create a ruin-like yet meticulously resolved aesthetic. The project challenged traditional housing models by allowing residents, or 'Ökohäusler,' to engage in a collective and individualized construction process.

Comment | After a market shake up in 2025, it's time to create a right-sized art trade

The article reflects on the art market's turbulent 2025, marked by gallery closures, weak auction results, and canceled art fairs. Rather than viewing this as a collapse, the author argues it represents a necessary "right-sizing" of an industry that over-expanded during boom years. Key figures like Philip Hoffman of the Fine Art Group advocate for leaner, more agile business models, such as his new advisory firm New Perspectives Art Partners. Meanwhile, dealers in New York and Los Angeles are adapting through shared exhibition spaces and strategic mergers, including Marian Goodman Gallery hosting Jenkins Johnson Gallery and the formation of Hoffman Donahue.

Genuflecting Before “Don Colossus”

A 15-foot-tall gold-leafed bronze statue of Donald Trump, titled "Don Colossus," was unveiled at his National Doral golf club in Miami, Florida, ahead of the G20 summit. The statue, funded by $450,000 raised by cryptocurrency moguls and sculpted by Alan Cottrill (founder of Four Star Pizza), depicts Trump raising a triumphant fist with a plaque reading "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!" The unveiling was organized by televangelist Mark Burns of "Pastors for Trump," who posted that the statue was "not a golden calf," and was attended by evangelical Christian leaders and reportedly some Hassidic rabbis.

Two photographers tried to tell Tuscany beyond the usual clichés

Due fotografi hanno provato a raccontare la Toscana oltre i soliti cliché

The article profiles photographers Gioconda Rafanelli and August Kaciuruba, who are contributing to the "How Italy Feels" project curated by Marina Serena Cacciapuoti and Cesare Cacciapuoti of Italy Segreta. The project involves twenty local photographers capturing Italy beyond stereotypes. In the Tuscany chapter, Rafanelli and Kaciuruba present a lived, off-duty vision of the region, blending fashion, architecture, and cinematic influences. They discuss their collaborative process, their shared gaze, and how their work shifts between the fast pace of Milan and the slower rhythms of Tuscany, drawing inspiration from filmmakers like Wong Kar-wai, Stanley Kubrick, Luchino Visconti, and Michelangelo Antonioni.

What Did Mozart’s Life Look Like?

An exhibition at the Morgan Library & Museum, titled "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Treasures from the Mozarteum Foundation of Salzburg," presents a curated journey through the composer's life and career. The show features well-preserved ephemera, including Mozart's childhood violin, original sketches for the opera "The Magic Flute," and personal letters that reveal his scatological humor, alongside portraits of his patrons.

Nesting Seagull Becomes Unexpected Star of Venice Biennale

A seagull nesting near the Polish pavilion at the Venice Biennale has become an unexpected attraction, drawing bemused visitors and media attention. The bird laid eggs in the Giardini grounds, and a fence with a warning sign in English and Italian was erected around the nest. Organizers say this is the first known instance of a seagull nesting in such a prominent area of the exhibition. The Polish pavilion was closed on May 8 as part of a historic strike protesting the inclusion of aggressor states in the Biennale, with a sign supporting the Ukrainian Pavilion.

The Great Festival of Contemporary Creativity in Parma Celebrates Its First 10 Years: The Events to See

Il grande festival di Parma sulla creatività contemporanea festeggia i suoi primi 10 anni: gli eventi da vedere

The Parma 360 Festival, a major contemporary creativity festival in Parma, Italy, celebrates its tenth edition with the theme "Lux. Visioni sulla Luce" (Lux: Visions of Light). Curated by Chiara Canali and Camilla Mineo, the festival features five exhibitions across special city locations, transforming Parma into a diffuse museum. Highlights include Antonio Barrese's "Morphology Light. Viaggio nella forma della luce" at Galleria San Ludovico, exploring light as plastic matter, and Michael Kenna's photographic exhibition "Il fiume Po. Scritture di luce" at Palazzo Pigorini, capturing the Po River through contemplative black-and-white imagery. Over its nine previous editions (2016–2025), the festival has presented more than 70 official exhibitions and involved over 200 artists.

Rome and its visions in contemporary photography: from Carbone to De Angelis, to Hervé Gloaguen

Roma e le sue visioni nella fotografia contemporanea: da Carbone a De Angelis, fino a Hervé Gloaguen

The article critiques a recent trend in contemporary photography of Rome, exemplified by a 2020 exhibition at the Mattatoio (Nuove produzioni 2020 per la collezione Roma) that presented black-and-white images reducing the urban landscape to a dark, lifeless mass. The author contrasts this with a personal photograph of a horse taken during the Covid-19 pandemic, which captures Rome's periphery with warmth and specificity, and praises the 2024 exhibition "Roma 1975, città, volti e storie dell'anno giubilare" featuring photojournalist Fabio De Angelis's rediscovered work as a vital counterpoint.

“Yellow Letters”: arte e politica, libertà e censura nel nuovo film di İlker Çatak

Ilker Çatak's fifth film, "Yellow Letters," premieres on April 30, 2026, distributed by Lucky Red. The story follows Derya and Aziz, a Turkish artist couple whose lives unravel after Aziz, a professor at Ankara University, receives a "yellow letter" terminating his employment. The film, inspired by post-2016 coup purges in Turkey, shifts to Berlin and Hamburg, where the director deliberately avoids mimicking Turkish locations, instead using explicit captions like "Berlin as Ankara" to create a Brechtian alienation effect. Çatak explores how arbitrary state repression fractures personal relationships and moral boundaries, drawing on interviews with artists who faced unjust dismissals.

Social documentary network ZEKE award 2026 winners – in pictures

The 2026 ZEKE award winners have been announced, with Ginevra Bonina winning the award for systemic change for her project 'Out for Blood,' which documents period poverty in India and the women fighting to reclaim their bodies. Ebrahim Alipoor won the award for documentary photography for his long-term project 'Bullets Have No Borders,' capturing the lives of border porters carrying goods across the Iran-Iraq mountains.