Christie’s Paris Sells $64 Million Worth of 20th- and 21st-Century Art at Auction

Christie’s Paris held a series of auctions focused on 20th- and 21st-century art, achieving over $64 million in total sales with a 92% sell-through rate. The sales included works from the Lise and Roland Funck-Brentano Collection and the Henri Canonne Collection, and featured Impressionist, Modern, and Contemporary art. Three world records and one national record were set, including a wooden relief by Sophie Taeuber-Arp that sold for $3.4 million and Jane Avril au Divan Japonais by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, which fetched over $6 million and set a national auction record for the artist. The evening sale alone brought in over $34 million, and the Contemporary Art sale exceeded its high estimate at over $9.4 million.

9 artists break auction records at Sotheby’s South Asian sale.

Nine artists broke auction records at Sotheby’s modern and contemporary South Asian sale in New York on March 17, 2025. The sale totaled $16.8 million, more than tripling its low estimate of $4.9 million. The top lot was Jagdish Swaminathan’s triptych *Homage to Solzhenitsyn* (1973), which sold for $4.68 million, far exceeding its estimate. Jehangir Sabavala’s *The Journey of the Magi* (1963) followed at $2.73 million. Other record-breakers included Ganesh Pyne, Madhvi Parekh, Nelly Sethna, Sheikh Mohammed Sultan, Mohan Sharma, and M. Sain.

Pilvi Takala at Kunsthall Trondheim

Finnish artist Pilvi Takala has opened a solo exhibition titled 'Breaking Ranks' at Kunsthall Trondheim in Norway. The show, which runs from February 19 to May 10, 2026, is documented with 28 images and is accompanied by guides in both English and Norwegian.

FLESH, FREQUENCY, FLIGHT: Acra’s Angels descend on the ICA

The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London is hosting 'Angels', a new exhibition of paintings by the multidisciplinary Venezuelan artist Arca. Returning to the venue where she gave her first live vocal performance over a decade ago, Arca presents a series of works created with paint, marker, and mixed media. These pieces explore themes of instability and transformation, featuring fluid forms that hover between figuration and abstraction.

parties metropolitan museum vanguard dinner

The Metropolitan Museum of Art hosted its 2026 Vanguard Council dinner, celebrating the institution's youngest patrons. The evening featured a Chinese-inflected menu developed by James Beard Award-nominated wine bar Lei, remarks from Met CEO Max Hollein and Vanguard Council co-chair Arielle Patrick, and a crowd of New York tastemakers including dealer Lucas Zwirner, patron Laila Blavatnik, and designer Isabel Wilkinson Schor. Guests departed with custom tote bags as parting gifts.

frick museum young fellows ball party

The Frick Collection in New York hosted its annual Young Fellows Ball, a fundraising gala themed 'Porcelain Garden' that celebrated the museum's newly renovated mansion. Benefit chairs included ballet dancer Misty Copeland, collector Laurence Ross Milstein, actor Lola Tung, and others. The event featured porcelain flower sculptures by Ukrainian artist Vladimir Kanevsky, inspired by the museum's original 1935 opening, and drew over 400 young patrons aged 21 to 45 who toured the galleries and danced to a DJ set.

Artist-led walk by K. S. Radhakrishnan at Chawla Art Gallery

Sculptor K. S. Radhakrishnan personally led an exclusive walkthrough of his exhibition "Once Upon a Sculptor" at Chawla Art Gallery. The event offered attendees an intimate look at his artistic evolution, from early works to his iconic Maiya and Musui figures, with the artist sharing insights into his ideas and processes.

Five can't-miss art exhibits in The City this winter

The article highlights five must-see art exhibitions in San Francisco during the winter season, centered around San Francisco Art Week in January. Featured shows include 'Labor Is on Our Mind' at CCA Wattis Institute, exploring labor through three interconnected exhibitions; 'Emory Douglas: In Our Lifetime' at the African American Art & Culture Complex, celebrating the artist's 50-year career in activism; 'Moving San Francisco' at City Hall's North Light Gallery, showcasing public transit history through photographs; and '1-800 Happy Birthday,' a participatory project beginning on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Despite years of political and economic turmoil, Iran’s art market is thriving

Tehran Auction, Iran's premier auction house, held a $1.5 million art sale at the Azadi Hotel in October, selling 120 works by top Iranian Modern and contemporary artists. This strong domestic performance contrasts sharply with the weak showing of Iranian art at Sotheby's and Christie's in London, where prices have slowed amid sanctions and geopolitical isolation.

Art Basel reveals exhibitor lineup for Paris fair's 2025 edition

Art Basel Paris has announced the exhibitor lineup for its 2025 edition, which will bring 203 galleries to the Grand Palais this autumn. The fourth edition features 89% returning exhibitors from last year and 25 newcomers, with a strong Parisian presence—one-third of participants operate a space in the French capital. The main sector includes 177 exhibitors such as Thaddaeus Ropac, Mor Charpentier, and Acquavella Galleries, while the Emergence section offers 16 solo stands for emerging artists, and the Premise sector challenges art historical canons with pre-1900 works and obscure practices. Highlights include a joint presentation by Gordon Robichaux and Stars of Janet Olivia Henry's dioramas, and a solo stand by Arash Nassiri at Ginny on Frederick.

Independent art fair adjusts as market slows

The Independent art fair in New York, running until 11 May, features 85 exhibitors—its largest edition yet—with 26 solo debuts. Amid a slowing art market, galleries are adjusting pricing strategies, with a notable increase in works priced between $10,000 and $20,000, which now account for about one-third of offerings. Several galleries reported strong sales during the VIP preview, including Long Story Short selling six works by Keita Morimoto and Ricco Maresca Gallery selling out its vintage board game collection for a six-figure sum. Co-founder Elizabeth Dee noted that VIP registrations were up 30% year-over-year, and dealers like Charles Moffett deliberately chose established artists to match collector comfort levels.

Seoul appeal: Korean art captivates Indonesia’s affluent connoisseurs

South Korean artist Choi Sang Chul, in his late 70s, held the opening of his exhibition 'Mumool' at Baik Art gallery in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 20, 2025. The event drew a crowd of wealthy local art patrons, and several of his works were sold before the ceremony ended. Choi, who earned a BFA from Seoul National University and has rejected artistic trends since the 1970s, uses unconventional methods like stones instead of brushes to create his pieces. His work initially received a tepid response at Art Jakarta in 2023, but interest has since grown.

The Photography Show fair in New York sets new attendance record

The Photography Show, presented by the Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD), returned to New York’s Park Avenue Armory for its second consecutive year from 23-27 April, featuring 64 exhibitors. The fair set a new attendance record with nearly 15,000 visitors, driven by strong foot traffic and a buzz around the iconic venue. Executive director Lydia Melamed Johnson noted the optimism surrounding the fair, which also highlighted Indigenous women photographers such as Jessica Eaton, Cara Romero, and Shelley Niro.

A Gauguin Portrait for Budapest

Un portrait de Gauguin pour Budapest

The Szépművészeti Múzeum (Museum of Fine Arts) in Budapest has acquired a portrait by Paul Gauguin. The painting was part of the collection of André and Françoise Kostolany, which was recently dispersed at auction by De Baecque & Associés in Versailles. The sale saw strong results, particularly for Hungarian paintings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with works by József Rippl-Rónai fetching high prices.

Reaching for the stars: enduring symbols of Soviet science – in pictures

Photographer Eric Lusito documents Soviet-era scientific institutes across former USSR states in his book "Soviet Scientific Institutes," published by FUEL. The photo essay captures decaying facilities and enduring equipment at locations including the Institute of Radio Astronomy in Kharkiv, Ukraine; the Byurakan astrophysical observatory in Armenia; the Andronikashvili Institute of Physics in Tbilisi, Georgia; and the Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute in Kazakhstan, among others.

EU Says It ‘Intends’ to Cut Funding to Venice Biennale Because of Russian Pavilion

The European Union has declared its intention to cut its €2 million funding contribution to the Venice Biennale in response to the exhibition's decision to host a Russian national pavilion for the first time since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that allowing Russia to exhibit while it "bombs museums, destroys churches and seeks to erase Ukrainian culture" is morally wrong, marking the union's strongest condemnation to date.

Petroglyphs and cave paintings, some more than 4,000 years old, discovered in Mexico

Archaeologists from Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) have identified 16 petroglyphs and cave paintings near the Tula River in Hidalgo. The artworks span over 4,000 years, ranging from prehistoric times through the Mesoamerican Postclassic period and into the early colonial era. The discovery, which includes depictions of the rain god Tláloc and various anthropomorphic figures, was made during archaeological salvage work for a new passenger rail line connecting Mexico City and Querétaro.

Arts Groups Speak Out Against US Trade Representative’s Potential New Tariffs

The U.S. Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, has launched a Section 301 investigation into 60 countries to determine if forced labor practices create unfair trade advantages. This move follows President Trump’s continued push for sweeping tariffs after previous attempts were struck down by the Supreme Court. Major art organizations, including the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) and Heritage Auctions, are formally petitioning for works of art and antiquities to be exempt from any resulting duties.

Roar materials: the ‘uncanny’ art of dinosaur puppetry – in pictures

The Australian puppetry company Erth is preparing for a new immersive dinosaur show at the Sydney Opera House. The article provides a behind-the-scenes look at their workshop in Marrickville, where a team of artists and designers hand-craft highly realistic, large-scale dinosaur puppets using animatronics, 3D printing, and traditional craftsmanship.

Keep it in the family: how Johannes Vermeer’s paintings remained out of view for so long

A new biography by art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon reveals that nearly two-thirds of Johannes Vermeer's known works were commissioned and owned by a single family, the Van Ruijvens, and later inherited by their daughter Magdalena and her husband Jacob Dissius. The collection of 20 Vermeer paintings remained intact within this family for nearly 40 years after the artist's death, only being dispersed after Jacob's death in 1695.

christies luxury head interview newsmakers

Christie's has promoted Kimberly Miller to the role of Global Managing Director of its luxury division. This move follows a period of strong performance for the auction house's luxury categories, which saw sales reach $795 million in 2025, a 17% increase, significantly outpacing its overall growth. Miller previously served as regional managing director for luxury in the Americas, where she oversaw jewelry, watches, wine, and handbags, and integrated the automotive auction house Gooding & Company.

art market minute feb 2

Saudi Arabia is scaling back some of its ambitious 'gigaprojects' under the Vision 2030 plan due to falling oil prices and budget constraints, raising questions about the future of its major cultural investments. This shift occurs as the art world's attention turns to the Gulf region for the inaugural Art Basel Qatar, highlighting the tension between grand cultural ambitions and economic realities in a key emerging art market.

south carolina artist wins 158k copyright infringement case mural

A federal judge in South Carolina awarded artist Todd Atkinson $158,400 in a copyright infringement case against artist Chan Shepherd and the building owner, Justin L. McFalls. Atkinson painted a mural of a train and water tank on a building in Clover, S.C., in 1982, and registered its copyright in 2023. After McFalls purchased the building, he hired Shepherd to paint a similar version over the original, removing Atkinson’s signature and adding Shepherd’s own. The court found violations of the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA), awarding $150,000 in statutory damages and $8,400 in actual damages.

rome new metro stations mini museums

Rome has opened two new subway stations on Line C—Colosseo/Fori Imperiali and Porta Metronia—that double as mini museums, showcasing over 500,000 artifacts unearthed during two decades of excavation. The stations, located 100 feet underground, feature displays of ancient ceramics, frescoes, mosaic floors, and the remains of a Roman military compound and thermal baths, curated by the Colosseum Archaeological Park and Sapienza University. Commuters can view the artifacts without a ticket in the station atriums, and future stations on the line will incorporate additional archaeological finds.

rome colosseum metro station archaeology

Rome's new Colosseo-Fori Imperiali metro station opened on Tuesday after 11 years of construction, featuring archaeological treasures uncovered during excavation, including ceramic fragments, statues, oil lamps, stone vessels, and 28 ancient wells. The station, part of Metro Line C, also revealed a nearly 260-foot early second-century military barracks and a home with frescoes and mosaics at the nearby Porta Metronia station. Mayor Roberto Gualtieri attended the opening ceremony, and the city plans to open a museum in the station.

sothebys is selling a watch gifted to admiral nelson before his last and defining victory at the battle of trafalgar

Sotheby’s is auctioning a historic watch gifted to Admiral Horatio Nelson by officers of the HMS Victory in 1805, just weeks before his death at the Battle of Trafalgar. The gilt metal, gold, and enamel timepiece, known as the “Victory Watch,” is the top lot in Sotheby’s “Fine Watches” online sale, with a high estimate of £400,000 ($537,000). It is the first time the watch has come to auction in 20 years, and the current bid stands at £65,000 ($87,300).

christies jonathan burden decorative arts auction results

Christie's online sale of decorative arts from the collection of Jonathan Burden, titled 'Crafted and Collected: The Jonathan Burden Sale,' achieved over $1.07 million with fees, more than doubling the low estimate of $487,500. The sale featured 151 lots, with only five unsold, a 97% sell-through rate. The top lot was a 10-foot-long French Incarnat Turquin marble dining table that sold for $101,600, far exceeding its $30,000 high estimate. The auction employed an innovative 'in-situ' viewing at Burden's studio in Long Island City, where potential bidders could meet the dealer, hear stories, and see pieces demonstrated. Many items sold for multiples of their estimates, including a Victorian metamorphic chair that brought $27,940 against a $3,000 high estimate.

egyptian antiquities trafficker jfk airport prison sentence

Egyptian doctor Ashraf Omar Eldarir has been sentenced to six months in prison by U.S. District Judge Rachel P. Kovner for smuggling hundreds of ancient Egyptian artifacts into the United States. Eldarir was arrested in 2019 after importing over 600 artifacts without declaring them on customs forms, including a polychrome relief, Roman limestone pieces, gold amulets, and wooden tomb model figures dating to 1900 BCE. The largest seizure of smuggled antiquities at JFK Airport occurred in January 2020, when customs officers found 590 artifacts wrapped in bubble wrap and foam, with loose sand and dirt indicating recent excavation. Eldarir pleaded guilty to four counts of smuggling and used fake provenances—including forged documents and photoshopped photographs—to sell artifacts at U.S. auction houses.

weill cornells future at sothebys former headquarters

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.

work of the week krishna kanwal

A rare painting by Indian modernist Krishna Kanwal (1910–1993) sold for £152,800 ($207,573) at Bonhams London on June 5, setting a new auction record for the artist. Titled *Portrait of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at His Enthronement*, the work came from the collection of British diplomat Sir Basil Gould and depicts the 1940 enthronement ceremony of the four-year-old Dalai Lama. The sale also included a group of 40 watercolors by Kanwal that fetched £457,600, and the 49-lot dedicated sale of Gould's collection achieved £951,770 with a 96% sell-through rate.