5 Artists on Our Radar in December 2025

Artsy's December 2025 edition of "Artists on Our Radar" highlights five emerging visual artists who have gained attention through new gallery representation, exhibitions, auctions, or art fairs. Featured artists include British painter Imogen Allen, known for gauzy, nature-inspired works with a Gerhard Richter-like blur effect; Brazilian painter Elian Almeida, who reimagines marginalized figures in Brazilian visual culture through vibrant, narrative paintings; and nomadic American artist ektor garcia, who works with unconventional materials like wire, clay, and leather. The article details their recent exhibitions, gallery affiliations, and career milestones.

All the Art You Need to See During Miami Art Week 2025

Casey Lesser's guide to Miami Art Week 2025 highlights ten key art destinations, led by Art Basel Miami Beach at the Miami Beach Convention Center with over 280 galleries. Other featured venues include ICA Miami, which presents five solo exhibitions by artists such as Igshaan Adams and Masaomi Yasunaga, and Untitled Art, a beachside fair focusing on emerging and mid-career artists. The article also notes non-art events like an NFL pop-up and a Sukeban wrestling match, alongside REEFLINE, an underwater sculpture park.

Auction Results: New Records for Noah Davis and Antonio Obá at Sotheby's, Major Paintings by Barkley L. Hendricks and Kerry James Marshall Went Unsold

Sotheby’s New York held its Now & Contemporary Evening Auction on November 18 at the newly opened Breuer building, featuring works by Black artists. Noah Davis’s “The Casting Call” (2008) sold for $2 million, setting a new auction record for the late artist, while Antonio Obá’s “Alvorada – Música Incidental Black Bird” (2020) achieved $1.016 million, nearly ten times its low estimate. However, major paintings by Barkley L. Hendricks and Kerry James Marshall went unsold, highlighting a mixed market for exceptional figurative works. The auction followed a blockbuster sale of Leonard A. Lauder’s collection, where Gustav Klimt’s portrait sold for $234 million.

gulf museums consultants 2725193

A wave of museum openings has swept the Gulf region in recent weeks, including the Zayed National Museum and the Natural History Museum in Abu Dhabi, as well as new institutions in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. These projects are part of an ambitious cultural building drive fueled by oil wealth, with Western partners such as the Louvre, the British Museum, and consultancies like Cultural Innovations providing expertise in planning, governance, and exhibition design. The Zayed National Museum, designed by Foster + Partners, features objects on loan from the British Museum, while the Natural History Museum displays a T-rex skeleton bought at Christie's.

pilar zeta miami paris 2724449

Argentinian artist Pilar Zeta has unveiled 'The Observer Effect', a monumental public sculpture installed on Miami Beach during Art Basel Miami Beach. The work, presented by the Shelborne by Proper, features a colonnade of columns and arches with a matte automotive paint finish that shifts appearance with light and weather. Zeta activated the piece with sunrise and sunset performances by musician Laraaji. The self-taught artist, who moved to Miami at 19 and previously created album art for Coldplay, has also announced a follow-up installation opening next month at Place du Louvre in Paris.

house of electronic arts tezos foundation digital art 1234772554

The House of Electronic Arts (HEK) in Basel and the Tezos Foundation have announced a year-long partnership to integrate blockchain technology into museum experiences. The collaboration includes virtual and physical exhibitions, workshops, and preservation initiatives, featuring six international digital artists. Exhibitions will be hosted on HEK's online platform virtual.hek and outdoors during Art Basel, with artworks released via the Tezos-based marketplace Objkt. The partnership also involves on-site kiosks and educational workshops on NFTs and digital ownership, as well as HEK's participation in the EU COST Action EMBARK training school on NFT preservation at ZKM in Karlsruhe.

new museum reopening march 21 2026 1234769578

The New Museum in New York will reopen on March 21, 2026, after a two-year closure for a major expansion. Designed by OMA / Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas, the project adds 60,000 square feet to the existing SANAA-designed building, bringing the total footprint to nearly 120,000 square feet. New features include expanded exhibition space, a 74-seat Forum, an enlarged Sky Room, artist commissions by Tschabalala Self, Klára Hosnedlová, and Sarah Lucas, a larger bookstore, and a restaurant by Henry Rich with executive chef Julia Sherman. The reopening weekend will offer free admission funded by trustee Charlotte Feng Ford, and the museum will debut the exhibition “New Humans: Memories of the Future,” featuring over 200 artists including Francis Bacon, Salvador Dalí, and contemporary figures like Meriem Bennani and Hito Steyerl.

diriyah contemporary art biennale 2026 artist list 1234769006

The Diriyah Biennale Foundation has announced the artist list for the third edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, opening January 30 in the JAX District of Diriyah, near Riyadh. Titled “In Interludes and Transitions,” the biennale is curated by Nora Razian and Sabih Ahmed and features over 65 artists, including more than 20 new commissions. Participants range from historic figures like Pacita Abad and Etel Adnan to emerging voices such as Raven Chacon and Dineo Seshee Bopape, working across painting, installation, film, sound, architecture, and publishing.

art fairs luxury collaborations 2025 market 1234768449

In 2025, art fairs and auction houses have deepened their integration with luxury brands, with Sotheby's and Christie's reporting that luxury items like handbags, jewels, and watches now account for a significant share of revenue—roughly a third at Sotheby's, with private luxury sales surging 350% year-on-year. Art fairs such as Frieze London and Art Basel's global editions have moved beyond traditional sponsorship, embedding luxury partners like Tiffany & Co., Ray-Ban, Stone Island, and De Beers into curated sections, mentorship programs, and immersive installations. Industry figures like Marc Spiegler and Emily Glazebrook emphasize that the most successful collaborations prioritize artists over brands, with initiatives like UBS's Unlimited sector and the Chanel Culture Fund serving as models.

whitney biennial 2026 artist list 1234766723

The Whitney Biennial has announced the 56 artists selected for its 82nd edition, opening March 8, 2026. Curated by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer, the exhibition explores themes of relationality, kinship, infrastructure, and the US role in global affairs. The curators visited over 300 studios worldwide, and the list includes many emerging and lesser-known artists, with most participants under 45 and a significant number identifying as queer.

design miami exhibitors art craft design 1234765505

At Design Miami 2025, artist Nicole Cherubini presented monumental ceramic sculptures at Friedman Benda's booth, alongside Molly Hatch's installation of 288 ceramic plates at Todd Merrill's booth. The fair, curated under the theme "Make.Believe" by Glenn Adamson, saw 15 previous exhibitors drop out due to President Trump's tariffs—including a 50 percent tariff on steel and aluminum—while eight more booths appeared overall, dominated by younger, emerging talent and organic, pastel-hued designs. Established galleries like Donzello, Patrick Seguin, and Sarah Myerscough did not return, while first-time exhibitors included Arte y Ritual and Mass Modern Design.

altman siegel closes gallery san francisco 1234757474

Altman Siegel, a key gallery in San Francisco's art scene, will close in November 2025 after 16 years. Founder Claudia Altman-Siegel attributed the closure to a challenging market for mid-size galleries, stating it became too difficult to scale in the current climate. The gallery's final show is a solo exhibition by Shinpei Kusanagi, ending November 22. Its roster included artists such as Simon Denny, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Trevor Paglen, and others. The closure follows a trend of galleries shutting down or scaling back, including Blum and LA Louver in Los Angeles, and Clearing and Venus Over Manhattan in New York.

phillips london evening sale frieze results 1234757669

Phillips’s Frieze Week evening sale in London totaled £10.33 million ($13.88 million) across 22 lots, a 32% decline from last year’s £15.1 million on 31 lots. The sale was 82% sold by lot and 84% by value. Highlights included a new world auction record for Emma McIntyre, whose painting *Seven Types of Ambiguity* (2021) sold for £167,700, and strong results for Martha Jungwirth and Flora Yukhnovich. However, major lots by Banksy, Andy Warhol, and Jean-Michel Basquiat underperformed or failed to sell, and four lots went unsold, including works by Andreas Gursky and Sigmar Polke.

gagosian first to announce it sold out at frieze london 1234757231

Gagosian became the first exhibitor at Frieze London to announce a complete sellout of its booth, featuring a solo presentation of works by Los Angeles artist Lauren Halsey. The booth included pieces from Halsey's 2025 untitled series of polymer-modified gypsum and stain on wood, as well as a six-foot-tall plaza sign sculpture titled 'LODA PLAZA (2025)'. Gagosian director Antwaun Sargent confirmed that the works were placed with both institutions and serious long-term collectors in the U.S. and Europe.

gagosian first to announce it sold out at frieze london 1234757231

Gagosian became the first exhibitor at Frieze London to announce a complete sellout of its booth, featuring a solo presentation of works by Los Angeles artist Lauren Halsey. The booth displayed pieces from Halsey's 2025 untitled series of polymer-modified gypsum and stain on wood, alongside a six-foot-tall plaza sign sculpture titled 'LODA PLAZA (2025)'. Gagosian director Antwaun Sargent confirmed that the works were placed with institutions and serious long-term collectors in the U.S. and Europe.

jean michel basquiat work phillips frieze week sales london 1234755733

Phillips has announced the lineup for its October London sales during Frieze Week, headlined by Jean-Michel Basquiat's 1982 work on paper *Untitled (Pestus)*, estimated at £3 million ($4 million). The 26-lot evening auction on October 16 also features Andy Warhol's diamond dust portrait of Giorgio Armani, Banksy's *Kate Moss* (2005), and works by Jadé Fadojutimi, Flora Yukhnovich, Damien Hirst, Anish Kapoor, Sasha Gordon, and Emma McIntyre. A day sale on October 18 will include pieces by Keith Haring, Warhol, Basquiat, Anselm Kiefer, and Yoshitomo Nara.

abu dhabi to host most expensive art exhibition staged by sothebys in the middle east valued at 150 m 1234753618

Abu Dhabi will host the most expensive art exhibition ever staged by Sotheby's in the Middle East on October 1 and 2, valued at approximately $150 million. The exhibition features six masterpieces by Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Frida Kahlo, René Magritte, Camille Pissarro, and Edvard Munch, sourced from major private collections including those of Leonard A. Lauder, Cindy and Jay Pritzker, and Matthew and Kay Bucksbaum. It takes place at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation on Saadiyat Island Cultural District and marks Sotheby's first public fine art show in the UAE, ahead of its Abu Dhabi Collectors' Week in November.

whitney biennial 2026 pictures 2750796

The 2026 Whitney Biennial has opened to an early critical consensus of being "above average," though critics suggest the exhibition requires significant time to process. Curated by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer, the show emphasizes a subtle atmospheric mood rather than overt spectacle, featuring a diverse array of installations, sculptures, and multimedia works that span multiple floors of the museum and its exterior.

2026 Whitney Biennial Lineup Announced

2026 whitney biennial line up 2729835

The Whitney Museum of American Art has announced the artist lineup for the 82nd edition of its prestigious biennial, scheduled to open on March 8, 2026. Curated by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer, the exhibition will feature 56 artists, duos, and collectives selected after more than 300 studio visits. The upcoming edition is currently untitled and focuses on the theme of "relationships," exploring everything from family ties and technology to geopolitical entanglements and interspecies connections.

2026 Art Trends: Whitney Biennial, Greater New York, and Carnegie International

2026 art trends 2747369

Three major American art surveys—the Whitney Biennial, MoMA PS1’s Greater New York, and the Carnegie International—are set to define the artistic landscape of 2026. Early analysis of the artist lists reveals a significant overlap in curatorial interest for figures like Taína Cruz, Akira Ikezoe, and Jonathan González. These exhibitions appear to be moving away from rigid thematic structures in favor of "mood and texture," reflecting a broader institutional retreat from definitive political or social statements.

artists business art 2725483

Artnet News asked several working artists—Manuel Mathieu, Hanna Salomonsson, Aki Sasamoto, Nigel Hall, Sharmistha Ray, and Miljohn Ruperto—to share the practical and philosophical lessons that sustain their creative practices. Topics include building trust with collaborators, navigating financial uncertainty, setting up shared studio spaces, using recycled materials, maintaining optimism at age 82, reframing rejection, and adapting to the expectation that artists must act as entrepreneurs before their first gallery show.

emma mcintyre 2025 2717629

Emma McIntyre, a New Zealand-born painter known for her oxidation technique using rust on canvas, has rapidly ascended in the art world. After earning MFAs in Auckland and Pasadena, she joined mega-gallery David Zwirner in 2024, with additional representation by Château Shatto in Los Angeles and Air de Paris. Her auction record was set at Phillips London in October 2025, with her work "Seven types of ambiguity" selling for $225,100. McIntyre's practice blends material experimentation—including iron oxide pigments and bubble wrap—with references spanning Greek myth to Rococo art.

Frank O’Hara’s Curatorial Eye

The article examines the largely overlooked curatorial work of poet Frank O'Hara during his tenure at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It details his role in organizing significant exhibitions, championing emerging artists like Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns, and his influential collaborations with artists such as Larry Rivers.

nada new york 2026 exhibitor list 1234774146

The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) has announced the exhibitor list for its 12th New York edition, featuring over 110 galleries from around the globe. Scheduled for May 13–17, 2026, the fair returns to the Starrett-Lehigh Building in West Chelsea, showcasing a mix of 45 NADA members and 51 first-time participants. Highlights include the TD Bank Curated Spotlight, which will be organized by Anthony Elms, the artistic director of the Mattress Factory.

zona maco 2026 exhibitor list preview 1234769449

Zona Maco, one of Latin America's premier art fairs, will return to Mexico City from February 4–8, 2026, at Centro Banamex. The fair will feature 241 exhibitors across nine sections, including a new section called Forma, which blends contemporary art and design, and a revised Diseño Emergente section for emerging designers. Notable participants include Pace Gallery, Galleria Continua, Kurimanzutto, and OMR, with curated sections led by Aimé Iglesias Lukin and Manuela Moscoso. Founder Zélika García highlighted the fair's growth and its commitment to showcasing blue-chip galleries alongside emerging and mid-career talent.

expo chicago sales vip day report 1234780810

The thirteenth edition of Expo Chicago opened its VIP preview at Navy Pier with a streamlined floor plan and a focus on emerging talent. Despite a generally slow global art market, exhibitors reported strong early sales, including Nashville-based artist Annie Brito Hodgin’s debut outside her home state and Wenhui Hao’s near-sell-out presentation with Half Gallery. The fair’s decision to reduce the number of exhibitors from 170 to 130 was widely praised by dealers for improving the quality of presentations and making the event more navigable for collectors.

The Best Booths at Art Basel Hong Kong, From AI Magical Girls to Asia’s Unsung Masters

Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 showcased a vibrant array of talent, with standout presentations across its curated sectors like Discoveries and Insights. Highlights included Vin Gallery's ceramic skeleton shadow puppets by Ako Goto, Lucie Chang Fine Arts' case for the late painter Zhu Xinjian, and gdm's pairing of Kongkee's lightbox sculptures with abstract works by Thai modernist Tang Chang. The fair also featured a monumental, self-sabotaged neon sign by Kongkee reading "Price / Value."

arco madrid 2026 art fair report 1234776042

The 45th edition of Arco Madrid opened at the IFEMA Madrid complex with a notably slower start than previous years. While initial VIP attendance appeared thin due to competing events and geopolitical factors, the fair regained its momentum by midday, drawing a crowd of international collectors and 211 galleries from 30 countries. Exhibitors noted a more relaxed atmosphere compared to major fairs like Art Basel, with visitors taking a more contemplative approach to acquisitions.

frieze los angeles satellite fairs report 1234775094

The Felix Art Fair kicked off LA Art Week at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, drawing significant crowds despite logistical hurdles. While long lines for elevators slowed the initial flow of visitors to the upper floors, exhibitors reported steady interest and early sales. New York-based dealers faced particular challenges arriving for the opening due to a major Nor’easter that disrupted flights across the East Coast, forcing many to finalize their booths just hours before the VIP preview.

gordon parks foundation 20th anniversary 1234770037

The Gordon Parks Foundation is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026, marking two decades since the founding of the organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of photographer and artist Gordon Parks. Executive Director Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr. reflects on the foundation's growth, including exhibitions, museum partnerships, publications, and fellowships that support emerging artists. The foundation was co-founded by Parks and Kunhardt's grandfather, Phil Kunhardt, in 2006. As part of the anniversary, the foundation is publishing a new edition of "Gordon Parks: Diary of a Harlem Family, 1967/1968" and will realize three gallery exhibitions, starting with "We Shall Not Be Moved" at Alison Jacques Gallery in London, curated by Bryan Stevenson.