whitney museum new york isp open letter artists 1234747904

More than 100 artists and scholars, including Emily Jacir, Hans Haacke, and Michael Rakowitz, have signed an open letter defending Dr. Sara Nadal-Melsió, the former associate director of the Whitney Museum of American Art's Independent Study Program (ISP), whose position was eliminated in June 2025. The termination followed the cancellation of a pro-Palestine performance titled "No Aesthetic Outside My Freedom: Mourning, Militancy, and Performance" by artists Fadl Fakhouri, Noel Maghathe, and Fargo Tbakhi, scheduled for May 12, 2025. The museum canceled the event after viewing a recording where a performer asked attendees who "believe in Israel in any incarnation" to leave. Nadal-Melsió had published a protest letter against the cancellation, leading to her dismissal. The open letter also demands the reopening of the ISP, which was suspended for the 2025-2026 program.

ulay sues marina ambramovic amsterdam 362099

Performance artist Marina Abramović is being sued by her former creative and romantic partner Frank Uwe Laysiepen, known as Ulay. Ulay alleges that Abramović violated a 1999 contract by failing to share royalties and credit for collaborative works they created together. He claims Abramović has omitted his name from attributions and provided inaccurate sales statements, paying him only four times in 16 years. Abramović's lawyer has dismissed the allegations, and the case may be heard in Amsterdam district court.

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A new documentary titled "Maintenance Artist," directed by Toby Perl Freilich, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival this month. The film follows Mierle Laderman Ukeles, the longtime unpaid artist-in-residence with New York City's Department of Sanitation, as she reflects on her career. It traces her journey from graduate student at Pratt Institute to pioneering maintenance art, including her Queens Museum retrospective and international projects elevating everyday workers. The documentary features interviews with art historians, curators, and city officials, and highlights Ukeles's iconic performances, such as shaking hands with every sanitation worker over 11 months.

superrare new york gallery digital art 2663363

SuperRare, the digital art trading platform, is opening a permanent New York gallery called Offline in the East Village at 243 Bowery, the former home of Salon 94. The inaugural exhibition, “Mythologies for a Spiritually Void Time,” curated by X.S. Hou and Jack Wedge, opens July 8 and features 15 artists working across animation, painting, sculpture, and networked media. The launch includes a week-long festival with dance performances, panels on art and A.I., and a choreographed NFT auction ritual.

richard hambleton obituary 1134122

Richard Hambleton, the Canadian street artist known for his iconic "shadowman" silhouettes that appeared on New York City walls in the 1980s, died on Sunday at age 65, as confirmed by Woodward Gallery. Hambleton emerged alongside Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Kenny Scharf in the downtown graffiti scene, but a long battle with heroin and crack addiction plagued his life. His career saw a resurgence following a documentary by Oscar-nominated director Oren Jacoby, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April, leading to renewed exhibitions including his participation in "Club 57: Film, Performance and Art in the East Village, 1978-1983" at the Museum of Modern Art.

10 young female artists feminism 753911

The article profiles ten young female artists who are using their work to explore and assert feminist perspectives in the face of contemporary misogyny, particularly referencing the US president-elect's rhetoric. Featured artists include Emma Sulkowicz, known for her durational performance 'Carry That Weight' protesting campus rape culture, and Sarah Maple, a British artist whose multimedia works tackle identity and gender with provocative humor. The piece highlights how these artists address themes such as sexual violence, gender fluidity, and the reclaiming of femininity through mediums ranging from performance and video to painting and photography.

artists pull work whitney isp show palestine performance canceled 1234743072

A group of artists participating in the Whitney Museum's Independent Study Program (ISP) have withdrawn their work from a capstone exhibition at Westbeth Gallery to protest the museum's cancellation of a pro-Palestine performance. The performance, titled "No Aesthetics Outside My Freedom: Mourning, Militancy, and Performance," by artists Fadl Fakhouri, Noel Maghathe, and Fargo Tbakhi, was scheduled for May 12 as part of the ISP curatorial exhibition "a grammar of attention." The Whitney canceled it after viewing a recording of an earlier presentation, citing the performers' demand that attendees who believe in Israel leave the audience and the valorization of specific acts of violence. ISP Associate Director Sara Nadal-Melsió stated that the cancellation was imposed by Whitney leadership, including director Scott Rothkopf, and that the independence of the ISP has been seriously compromised.

Gladstone Gallery Now Represents the Estate of Pope.L, Boundary-Crossing Performance Artist

Gladstone Gallery has announced its representation of the estate of the late performance and conceptual artist Pope.L. The gallery will present its first solo exhibition of his work in New York in 2027, joining existing representatives Modern Art in London and Vielmetter Los Angeles in stewarding his legacy.

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Artist Claudia Bitrán has completed a decade-long project titled "Titanic, A Deep Emotion," a shot-by-shot remake of James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster. Premiering at Cristin Tierney Gallery in New York, the film features a cast of 1,400 participants and utilizes a lo-fi, multidisciplinary approach involving painting, sculpture, and performance. Bitrán plays the role of Rose throughout, while the character of Jack is portrayed by a rotating cast of actors of various ages, genders, and ethnicities, with all special effects created by hand using recycled materials.

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Artnet News compiled a roundup of 2025 interviews with celebrities whose creative work intersects with the visual art world. Sharon Stone turned to portrait painting after her mother's death, creating a series of works channeling historical and personal figures. Adrien Brody exhibited new works at Eden Gallery in New York, discussing how his acting career supported his art practice. Director Yorgos Lanthimos held his first photography exhibition at Webber Gallery in Los Angeles, while Alejandro Iñárritu created a multisensory installation at Mexico's LagoAlgo to mark the 25th anniversary of his film *Amores Perros*. Actor Lili Taylor performed in an artist lecture by Suzanne Bocanegra centered on a Renaissance tapestry from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Across the U.S., artists and organizations have organized over 600 pop-up events, performances, readings, and other creative protests as part of Fall of Freedom, a new artist-led movement launching November 21–22. Initiated by artist, curator, and writer Accra Shepp and Puerto Rican artist Miguel Luciano, the program aims to activate the culture community against growing authoritarian threats. Events range from a participatory art action by ABC No Rio in Madison Square Park to a video installation by Los Herederos in a New York subway station, a roving digital billboard by NYC Resistance Salon, and a benefit concert at Pioneer Works headlined by Sheryl Crow. Participating venues include 601ArtSpace, Jack Shainman Gallery, Cristin Tierney Gallery, Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, El Museo del Barrio, and the Bronx Museum, though major institutions are notably absent.

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Alex Da Corte has resurrected his inflatable sculpture "Kermit the Frog, Even" for Art Basel Paris, displayed at Place Vendôme through October 26. The work references the 1991 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade incident where the Kermit float was deflated by a lamppost or tree, leaving its head sagging. Da Corte first debuted the piece in Buenos Aires in 2018 for the Art Basel Cities exhibition curated by Cecilia Alemani. The artist, known for mining children's media like Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street, also activated the sculpture with performers for the first time in Paris, navigating wind and rain during the performance.

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TONO, the time-based art festival, has announced its 2026 lineup, running March 6–22 across Mexico City and Puebla. The program includes video installations, performance commissions, music events, and screenings at venues such as Laboratorio Arte Alameda, Casa del Lago UNAM, Museo Jumex, Museo de Arte Moderno, and Museo Amparo. Featured artists include Tino Sehgal, Space Afrika, Franziska Aigner, Kelman Duran, Ho Tzu Nyen, Avantgardo, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, and Melanie Smith. International collaborations bring dance works via 99 Canal and Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels, and a joint evening with Berlin’s Neue Nationalgalerie. The festival is also co-producing Camille Henrot’s exhibition Água Viva at São Paulo’s Instituto Bardi.

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A new arts institution called Canyon is set to open on Manhattan's Lower East Side in 2026, occupying a 40,000-square-foot former commercial space at the foot of the Williamsburg Bridge. Founded by philanthropist and art collector Robert Rosenkranz and Joe Thompson, the founding director of MASS MoCA, Canyon will focus on video art, sound art, and performance art. The venue will include 18,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 60-foot-tall performance area, and a 300-seat performance hall. Early programming plans include a retrospective of Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda and an expanded iteration of the video game-themed group exhibition "Worldbuilding," curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist. The architecture firm New Affiliates is redesigning the space, and Sam Ozer has been appointed curator-at-large. Admission will be $30, with free access for school groups and library cardholders.

art how to start art collection advice

Cultured magazine profiles 10 art collectors, sharing the stories of their first acquisitions. The article features collectors such as Miami real estate developer Craig Robins, hotelier Steve Wilson, Allison Sarofim, Brandon John Harrington, James Frey, and Rodrigo Padilla, recounting how they began their collections—from a Dalí sketch and a Matisse drawing to an Andy Warhol portrait and a late-night Instagram purchase. Each narrative highlights the personal, often serendipitous moments that sparked a lifelong passion for art.

Senga Nengudi: Performance Works 1972-1982

Whitechapel Gallery in London is presenting "Senga Nengudi: Performance Works 1972-1982," an archival exhibition featuring photographic works, archival materials, and films that focus on a pivotal decade in the pioneering African-American artist's career. The show highlights Nengudi's early performance pieces, including her "spirit flags" and works incorporating hosiery and her body, created in collaboration with artists like David Hammons and Maren Hassinger.

$5.5 million Gerhard Richter painting leads Art Basel Miami Beach opening sales.

Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 opened on December 3 with strong sales, led by David Zwirner's sale of an abstract Gerhard Richter painting for $5.5 million. Other major transactions included a $4 million George Condo work at Hauser & Wirth, a $3.3 million Alice Neel painting at David Zwirner, and a $2.85 million Willem de Kooning at White Cube. Hauser & Wirth reported sales 40% higher than its entire 2024 fair week within the first three hours.

Slim Phillips London Sale Totals $13.9 Million, Off 32 Percent From 2024

Phillips London's evening sale of Modern and contemporary art on Thursday totaled £10.3 million ($13.9 million), a 32 percent drop from the equivalent sale in 2024. The 45-minute auction saw 4 of 26 lots withdrawn before bidding, and 4 of the remaining 22 failed to sell, including works by Banksy, Andreas Gursky, Sigmar Polke, and Andy Warhol. The top lot was Jean-Michel Basquiat's *Untitled (Pestus)* (1982), which sold for £2.37 million ($3.19 million), just below its estimate. A new auction record was set for Emma McIntyre, whose painting *Seven types of ambiguity* (2021) more than doubled its high estimate to fetch £167,700 ($225,355).

9 Must-See Shows at Paris Gallery Weekend 2025

Paris Gallery Weekend 2025 takes place May 23–25 across 74 galleries in the capital, featuring vernissages, performances, exhibition walkthroughs, and artist talks. Now in its second decade, the event was founded to spotlight Paris’s contemporary art scene and offers a counterpoint to the art fair circuit. Highlights include Sophie Calle’s "SÉANCE DE RATTRAPAGE" at Perrotin, where she revisits unfinished projects from her 2023 Picasso Museum exhibition, and major institutional shows like the David Hockney retrospective at Fondation Louis Vuitton and "Corps et âmes" at Bourse de Commerce. The weekend also includes a new Agnès Varda exhibition at Musée Carnavalet linking her photography to her Montparnasse atelier.

At Sotheby’s, a $70M Giacometti Fails to Sell While Works By Munch and Cézanne Ignite Buyer Excitement

Sotheby’s Modern Evening Auction on May 13, 2025, achieved $186.4 million in sales but was overshadowed by the failure of its headline lot: Alberto Giacometti’s hand-painted bronze bust *Grande tête mince (Grande tête de Diego)*, estimated at $70 million. The work, consigned by the Soloviev Foundation, went unsold after minimal bidding, lacking a guarantee or irrevocable bid. Other highlights included a strong performance by Edvard Munch and Paul Cézanne works, with 40% of lots exceeding high estimates. Notable sales included Georgia O’Keeffe’s *Leaves of a Plant* ($12.97 million) and Alexander Calder’s *Four Big Dots* ($8.285 million), both fresh to market.

Frieze and NADA New York’s Early Sales Signal Buyer Confidence

Frieze New York opened its VIP preview on May 7, with early sales indicating cautious but steady buyer confidence amid economic uncertainty and the recent acquisition of the fair by Endeavor's former CEO Ari Emanuel. American buyers dominated, while Asian and European collectors were largely absent. Mega-galleries like Gagosian and Pace reported significant sales, including Jeff Koons's Hulk Elvis sculptures and works by Adam Pendleton and Lynda Benglis, though the atmosphere was more subdued and negotiation-friendly than in previous years.

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Artnet News published its quarterly analysis of the most exhibited living artists at over 250 U.S. museums in March 2025, identifying more than 3,700 artists. The top artist is photographer Cara Romero, who appears in multiple museum shows including a major retrospective at the Hood Museum at Dartmouth College. Three of the six most featured artists have Native American backgrounds, reflecting a surge in exhibitions celebrating Indigenous art. The list excludes the late Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, a Native painter and curator who died in January 2025 at age 85 and would have ranked highly.

A Venice Biennale in Protest

Hundreds of protesters, led by the Art Not Genocide Alliance, blocked the entrance to the Israeli pavilion at the Venice Biennale on May 6, waving Palestinian flags and accusing Israel of operating a "genocide pavilion." Activists from Pussy Riot and FEMEN also staged a pink smoke-filled protest against Russia's participation. Meanwhile, the Biennale jury suddenly resigned, and Israeli pavilion artist Belu-Simion Fainaru made legal threats against the Biennale alleging antisemitism and discrimination. The article also covers exhibitions in Upstate New York, a tribute to Beat Generation icon Jack Kerouac, and obituaries for performance art champion Steven Durland, artist Georg Baselitz, cartoonist Nicole Hollander, and arts patron Doris Fisher.

With more than 3,000 participating institutions, the European Night of Museums returns this Saturday, May 23

Avec plus de 3 000 institutions participantes, la Nuit européenne des musées revient ce samedi 23 mai

The 22nd edition of the European Night of Museums returns on Saturday, May 23, with over 3,000 institutions across France and Europe opening their doors free of charge from late afternoon. Many museums are offering special activities such as concerts, performances, games, guided tours, and walks. The youth program "La classe, l'œuvre!" will again involve primary, middle, and high school students acting as mediators for artworks they studied throughout the year. Highlights include exhibitions at the Centre Pompidou-Metz dedicated to François Morellet and Louise Nevelson, a concert at Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle's Cyclop in Milly-la-Forêt, a dance performance by Korean artist Eun-Me Ahn at the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, and exhibitions at museums in Tours, Vernon, Rouen, and Sète, as well as a Brazilian ball at the Château des ducs de Bretagne in Nantes.

Art Dubai Marks 20 Years with Special Edition Focused on Collaboration and Cultural Exchange – Friday, 15-17 May 2026.

Art Dubai returns to Madinat Jumeirah from 15–17 May 2026 for a special 20th-edition programme that reflects on the fair's evolution and reaffirms Dubai's role as a global cultural hub. Presented in partnership with A.R.M. Holding and Dubai Culture, the fair features approximately 75 presentations from commercial galleries, institutional partners, and cultural initiatives, with around 60% of participating galleries drawn from the region. Highlights include the Made Forward presentation from Dubai Collection, the 20th edition of the Global Art Forum titled 'Before and After Everything', and an exhibition of modern Arab art from the Barjeel Art Foundation. The fair also introduces an innovative risk-sharing model where booth costs are payable based on sales performance, and entry is free for all visitors.

20th and 21st Century auctions in New York total $965 million

Christie’s New York concluded its 20th and 21st Century Art sales week on November 21, 2025, generating a total of $964.5 million, the auction house’s highest in three years. The sales included the Collection of Robert F. and Patricia G. Ross Weis, which alone brought in $218 million, led by Mark Rothko’s *No. 31 (Yellow Stripe)* at $62.1 million. Other top lots included works by Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, and David Hockney, each exceeding $40 million. Fifteen artist records were broken, including for Beauford Delaney, Leonor Fini, Firelei Báez, and Olga de Amaral. Bidding was active across all platforms, with the highest online bid ever placed at a live Christie’s auction.

Christie’s Holds Its Nerve Mid-Marathon as the 21st Century Evening Sale Secures a Steady $123.6 Million

Christie's 21st Century Evening Sale on November 20 achieved $123.6 million across 45 lots, with a 98% sell-through rate. The top lot was Andy Warhol's *The Last Supper*, selling for $8.1 million with fees, while works from the collection of Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson brought in $49.2 million. The sale included strong results for Christopher Wool, Cindy Sherman, and Diego Giacometti, though it lacked the record-breaking fireworks of earlier sessions.

Frieze London diary: art historical speed dating and frozen faeces

During Frieze week in London, the National Gallery hosted its 'Unexpected Views' talk series, where eight contemporary artists including Grayson Perry, Shirazeh Houshiary, and Haegue Yang gave ten-minute talks on their favorite works. Tracey Emin and British Museum director Nicholas Cullinan held a candid discussion titled 'Confessions in the Museum,' and the art collective Konn Artiss placed ice blocks containing frozen feces outside major galleries and auction houses as a protest against the art market. The week also featured a lavish Frieze Collectors' Dinner with guests including Ari Emanuel, Sadie Coles, and Christian Levett, and a secret performance by musician Sampha.

Frieze London 2025

Frieze London 2025 has opened with a wide-ranging program spanning contemporary art, photography, antiquities, and performance. Key highlights include the inaugural Echo Soho fair celebrating women-run galleries, the London edition of Dallas Invitational set to open at the former US embassy in 2026, and strong sales at Frieze Masters including a Triceratops skull. Christie's and Sotheby's auctions during the week showed a mixed market: Peter Doig's 'Ski Jacket' sold for £106.9m, but overall estimates and price corrections indicated caution. The fair also features Sophia Al-Maria performing stand-up as winner of the Frieze London Artist Award, a new pricing structure for greater gallery diversity, and a pop-up by The Art Newspaper and L'OFFICIEL.

Nara's vampire-girl portrait sells for US$10m at Sotheby's, leading US$43m Hong Kong Evening Sale

Sotheby's Modern and Contemporary Evening Auction in Hong Kong on 28 September achieved HK$335 million (US$43.1 million), with a 95% sell-through rate across 40 lots. The top lot was Yoshitomo Nara's 2012 painting *Can't Wait 'til the Night Comes*, which sold for HK$79.9 million (US$10.3 million) to a private Asian collector. A group of five works by Roy Lichtenstein from the artist's personal collection also debuted at auction, collectively bringing HK$46.4 million (US$5.9 million).