design art precious okoyomon garden

Precious Okoyomon, editor of CULTURED at Home gardens, selects five unconventional natural landscapes that thrive against difficult odds. These include Dumbarton Oaks in Washington DC with its ancient wisteria, the radioactive waste site Dead Horse Bay in Brooklyn where invasive species bloom, the childhood haven Glen Helen Nature Preserve in Ohio, the Persian-inspired Untermyer Gardens in Yonkers, and Derek Jarman's seaside garden beside a nuclear plant in Dungeness, UK. Each location is described through Okoyomon's personal reflections, illustrated by Erin Knutson.

art met roof garden jennie c jones

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has unveiled its 2025 Roof Garden Commission, titled *Ensemble*, by artist Jennie C. Jones. The installation features three upright sculptures made from concrete travertine and powder-coated steel, whose angular forms are inspired by musical instruments—a zither, an Aeolian harp, and a one-string instrument. A fourth red floor piece acts as a "conductor." The works are equipped with frets and strings that vibrate in the wind, inviting viewers to engage with them as both visual and sonic objects. The exhibition also includes collaborative programming, performances, and a publication with contributions from curator Lauren Rosati and artist Glenn Ligon.

art heist genre film tv books guide

This article from Cultured explores the history and evolution of the art heist genre across film, television, and books. It traces the genre's origins from the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa by Vincenzo Peruggia to its appearance in 19th-century detective serials by Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle, and later in French New Wave noirs and slick 1990s heist films. The piece highlights recent entries like Kelly Reichardt's film *The Mastermind* starring Josh O'Connor, and compiles a list of key works including *Animal Crackers* (1930), *How to Steal a Million* (1966), *The Thomas Crown Affair* (1968/1999), and *Hudson Hawk* (1991), noting how the genre reflects changing attitudes toward wealth, crime, and the sublime power of art.

parties getty images prize ann philbin

The J. Paul Getty Trust awarded its annual Getty Prize to Ann Philbin, who served as director of the Hammer Museum at UCLA for 25 years. A celebratory dinner was held at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, attended by artists, philanthropists, and museum directors. Philbin used the prize's $500,000 grant to support NPR, KCRW, and LAist, emphasizing the importance of free speech and public broadcasting.

parties high museum alison saar john legend

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta honored artist Alison Saar with the 2025 David C. Driskell Prize, a national award celebrating contributions to African American art. The gala featured a live performance by musician John Legend, a bespoke award designed by David Yurman, and drew Atlanta tastemakers, arts leaders, and cultural figures. Saar joins past recipients including Amy Sherald, Mark Bradford, and Rashid Johnson.

food daniel humm eleven madison park sothebys

Daniel Humm, the chef behind Eleven Madison Park, has curated a selection of artworks for Sotheby's Contemporary Curated sale, drawing parallels between composing a meal and assembling an exhibition. In an interview with CULTURED, Humm discusses his approach, which was influenced by a transformative encounter with Claude Monet's Water Lilies at the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris, and his selections include works by Roni Horn, Alex Katz, Keith Haring, and Sarah Crowner.

art raul de nieves pioneer works

Raúl de Nieves, a queer Mexico-born artist based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is preparing for his latest institutional exhibition, “In Light of Innocence,” opening September 12 at Pioneer Works in Red Hook. The show features 40 new stained glass assemblages made from tape, acetate, and inexpensive materials, installed above a single floor-bound work—a departure from his typically maximalist style. De Nieves, who has exhibited at the ICA Boston, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the Cleveland Museum of Art, and gained prominence after the 2017 Whitney Biennial, describes the exhibition as a valediction, stating it will be the last time he creates this kind of work.

art james frey author art collection

James Frey, the controversial author of "A Million Little Pieces" and "Bright Shiny Morning," opens his home in Pound Ridge, New York, to discuss his personal art collection. The collection includes works by Rashid Johnson, Robert Colescott, Nate Lowman, Richard Prince, Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, and Auguste Rodin, among others. Frey describes his art-buying philosophy as driven by emotion rather than market trends, and recounts purchasing his first pieces—a Picasso drawing and a Matisse drawing—for cash in 1994.

art burning man dustin yellin

Artist and Pioneer Works founder Dustin Yellin discusses his annual tradition of attending Burning Man in the Nevada desert with journalist Sophia Cohen. Yellin, who first attended the festival in 2012 despite initial skepticism, describes the transformative experience of biking through the Playa with its lights and large-scale artworks. After this year's Burning Man, he will return to New York to complete *The Politics of Eternity*, a 10,000-pound sculpture debuting at the Armory Show.

site santa fe international

Site Santa Fe has announced its 12th International exhibition, titled "Once Within a Time," opening June 27 and running through January 2026. Curated by Cecilia Alemani, who previously curated the 59th Venice Biennale, the show draws its name and dreamlike logic from a 2022 film by Santa Fe artist Godfrey Reggio. Featuring over 70 artists and more than 300 works—including new commissions, archival interventions, and contemporary selections—the exhibition uses 20 figures with ties to New Mexico as narrative catalysts, among them Navajo code talker Chester Nez, novelist Willa Cather, and the Fire Spirit from local folklore. For the first time, the International will be fully embedded within Santa Fe's urban fabric, activating sites such as a historic foundry, a toy store, and a dispensary alongside traditional cultural partners. Participating artists include Simone Leigh, David Horvitz, and Dominique Knowles, with contributions from writers Tommy Orange, Lucy R. Lippard, and Estevan Rael-Gálvez.

moca gala art performance party

The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) held its annual gala, presented by BVLGARI, at the Geffen Contemporary space in Little Tokyo. The evening introduced a new format called MOCA Legends, honoring artist Theaster Gates, architect Frank Gehry, and philanthropist Wendy Schmidt. Guests included actors Jane Fonda, David Alan Grier, Sarah Paulson, director Ava DuVernay, and artists Andrea Bowers, Charles Gaines, Henry Taylor, and Olafur Eliasson, whose exhibition OPEN was on view. After a performance by the TAIKOPROJECT Japanese drum ensemble, House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi surprised attendees by introducing Gehry. Rapper Tierra Whack performed during dinner, and the event raised $3.1 million for museum operations.

david rimanelli willem de kooning cosey fanni tutti

Art critic David Rimanelli reviews Willem de Kooning's exhibition "Endless Painting" at Gagosian's 555 West 24th Street location, curated by Cecilia Alemani, running through June 24, 2025. The show spans de Kooning's career from 1944 to his final phase, though notably omits his black-and-white oil-and-enamel paintings from the late 1940s. Rimanelli expresses ambivalence, finding the show dreary and pointless despite the high caliber of individual works, and critiques the press release's focus on fragmented body parts. Separately, Johanna Fateman reviews Cosey Fanni Tutti's exhibition at Maxwell Graham, highlighting her controversial 1970s series "Magazine Actions" (1972–80), on view through June 28, 2025.

jane fonda lauren halsey usher hammer museum

The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles held its 20th annual Gala in the Garden on Saturday night, raising $2.4 million for the institution. The event honored artist Lauren Halsey and actor-activist Jane Fonda, with speeches from director Zoë Ryan, Studio Museum director Thelma Golden, and actors Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen. Attendees included LeBron James, Dustin Hoffman, Will Ferrell, Stormzy, Ed Ruscha, Catherine Opie, Mark Bradford, and Andrea Bowers, with a performance by singer Griff.

artadia artists tennis court benefit

Artadia, a nonprofit grantmaker, held its third annual tennis tournament at the Los Angeles Tennis Club in May 2025, moving the event from its traditional pre-Frieze slot in response to the year's wildfires. The fundraiser, co-chaired by Charles Gaines, Jennie Lamensdorf, and Rafael Flores, gathered over 130 guests including gallerists from Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, and David Zwirner, as well as curator Mia Locks and artists Ally Hilfiger, Todd Gray, and Roksana Pirouzmand. Forty-five participants played in a rotating doubles format, while others socialized; Locks gave remarks and won the tournament.

alison saar david c driskell prize 2

Alison Saar has been named the 2025 recipient of the David C. Driskell Prize by Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, recognizing her significant contributions to the African American art canon. The announcement was made in New York at a celebration held at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in partnership with CULTURED, with a formal gala planned for September featuring a performance by John Legend. Saar, a Los Angeles native known for her commanding sculptures and mixed-media works exploring race, gender, and spiritual identity, joins past honorees including Naomi Beckwith, Ebony G. Patterson, Amy Sherald, and Rashid Johnson.

guggenheim ycc party new york

The Guggenheim Young Collectors Council (YCC) hosted its 2025 party at the museum's New York rotunda, honoring Korean artist Ayoung Kim as the recipient of the LG Guggenheim Award. The event featured a multisensory experience with tarot readings, motion-capture avatars, a performance by YCC Artist Collaborator LaJuné McMillian using LG OLED technology, and a DJ set by Kito, drawing a crowd of artists, curators, and collectors including Naomi Beckwith, Ella Emhoff, Tschabalala Self, and Moses Sumney.

dustin yellin pioneer works birthday party

Pioneer Works founder Dustin Yellin celebrated his 50th birthday with a fundraiser called Village Fête, raising $1.4 million for the nonprofit arts and sciences center he founded 13 years ago. The event featured a cocktail hour, seated dinner, performances by Annie & the Caldwells and David Byrne, and an afterparty co-hosted by CULTURED, with attendees including Claire Danes, Moses Sumney, Maggie Rogers, and Darren Aronofsky. Speakers included lead sponsor Gabriela Hearst, artist Nate Lewis, artist Azikiwe Mohammed, and founding team members Gabriel Florenz and Janna Levin, who highlighted the institution's impact on over 450 artists.

Form in the Age of Living Materials. Interview with Curator Pablo José Ramírez

LA FORMA EN LA ERA DE LOS MATERIALES VIVOS. ENTREVISTA AL CURADOR PABLO JOSÉ RAMÍREZ

The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles is presenting "Several Eternities in a Day: Form in the Age of Living Materials," an exhibition curated by Pablo José Ramírez running until August 23. Featuring 22 artists from the Americas, the show explores materials such as avocado, cacao, achiote, cochineal, stone, clay, and natural dyes that evolve, degrade, or transform over time. Organized into three acts, the exhibition challenges conventional notions of the art object by treating these materials as living agents with memory and agency, rooted in Indigenous knowledge and the concept of "brownness." In an interview, Ramírez discusses how these materials destabilize extractivist logics and institutional frameworks, forcing a rethinking of conservation protocols and the very conditions of exhibition-making.

GEORGE FEBRES: TRANSLATION, IRONY, AND LIBERATION. AN ECUADORIAN ARTIST IN THE DIASPORA

The article examines the life and work of George Febres (1943–1996), an Ecuadorian artist who spent most of his career in the United States, primarily in New Orleans. Febres’s practice blends Pop Art, Neo-Surrealism, and Southern US culture with his experiences as a migrant and queer subject, using bilingualism and ironic tropical imagery to create a hybrid, irreverent body of work. Despite his significance, no works by Febres exist in Ecuadorian public collections, and no major retrospective has been held in his home country, reflecting a broader erasure of queer narratives from national art history.

Collecting in Madrid: 50 Ways to Build the Contemporary

COLECCIONAR EN MADRID: 50 FORMAS DE CONSTRUIR LO CONTEMPORÁNEO

The exhibition 'Madrid Colecciona. 50 colecciones de arte contemporáneo' opened at CentroCentro, showcasing a hundred works from fifty private collections in Madrid. It shifts focus from the artwork and artist to the often-opaque figure of the collector, allowing each collector to present two pieces: one of personal significance and one recent acquisition, accompanied by their own explanatory texts.

From the artist who painted with his feet to the splashes of Pollock: abstraction takes over the Centre Pompidou Malaga

The Centre Pompidou Malaga has opened the exhibition 'Gesture and Matter. International Abstractions (1945–1965)', running until September, featuring around 30 works by 26 artists. The show highlights abstract art as a post-World War II response, with key pieces including Jackson Pollock's 'Number 26A. Black and White' and Kazuo Shiraga's 'Planet Nature', painted with his feet while suspended from ropes. Co-curated by Anne Foucault and Christian Briend, the exhibition traces abstraction's development from Paris and New York to Asia and Europe, emphasizing painting as a full-body, performative act of freedom.

Andrew Cranston’s Paintings of Dreamlike Domesticity

Scottish artist Andrew Cranston has opened a new solo exhibition titled 'I’m going in a field' at Modern Art gallery in London. The show features eleven paintings that blend landscape, memory, and domestic scenes, drawing inspiration from the artist's childhood in Hawick, Scotland, and his reflections on activities like golf, which he views as a form of landscape experience.

Plymouth museum and art gallery The Box in 'record-breaking year'

The Box, Plymouth’s flagship museum and art gallery, has announced a record-breaking performance for 2025, surpassing its annual visitor target by 18%. Since opening in 2020, the institution reached a milestone of 1.1 million total visitors, driven largely by the massive success of the 'Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy' exhibition. The show attracted 52,000 visitors in just its first nine weeks, with nearly half of those attendees traveling from outside the local region.

The Art Market Enters 2026 With Renewed Confidence and a Sharper K-Shape Divide

ArtTactic's Global Art Market Outlook 2026 report reveals renewed confidence in the art market, with 51% of participants expecting growth and 42% anticipating stability. Strong sales in London, Paris, and Miami Beach, along with multi-billion-dollar November auction results, have buoyed sentiment. The recovery is uneven but meaningful, driven by selective demand for established names: Impressionist art rose 80.4%, Modern art 19.4%, and Old Masters 68.7%. The K-shaped divide is sharpening, with robust performance at the top end (above $1 million) and accessible tiers (below $50,000), while the middle market remains sluggish. Top performers include Klimt, Picasso, Rothko, and Calder, while ultracontemporary artists like Nicolas Party and Matthew Wong have seen significant declines.

Marianna Simnett schafft eine exklusive Edition für Monopol

Marianna Simnett, one of the most radical contemporary artists known for exploring metamorphosis, myth, ecstasy, sex, and pain, has created an exclusive edition titled "The Healer" for the German art magazine Monopol. The work is a watercolor depicting a naked female figure licking a lion lying on the ground, with other lions roaring in the background. The edition is an archival pigment print in a size of 60 x 79 cm, published in an edition of 25 plus two artist's proofs, priced at 950 euros plus VAT.

Prize commemorates Henrike Naumann – MMK takes over estate

Preis erinnert an Henrike Naumann – MMK übernimmt Nachlass

A new prize named after the late artist Henrike Naumann has been established by the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa) and the Zeit Stiftung Bucerius, coinciding with her posthumous presentation at the German Pavilion of the Venice Biennale. The €15,000 Henrike-Naumann-Preis für Bildende Kunst, plus €5,000 in production funds, will be awarded regularly starting this year to early- to mid-career artists whose work engages with social transformation, political fault lines, or transnational contexts. Meanwhile, the Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt (MMK) has acquired Naumann's estate, which will be catalogued and made publicly accessible to ensure her work receives long-term scholarly and curatorial attention.

Deutscher Pavillon wird zum Plattenbau

The German Pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale has been transformed into a prefabricated concrete slab building (Plattenbau) for this year's edition, designed by artists Sung Tieu and the late Henrike Naumann, who died suddenly in February at age 41 from cancer. Curator Kathleen Reinhardt described the pavilion as part of a highly political Biennale, with Tieu covering the 1938 fascist-era building with a mosaic of over three million tiles depicting a Berlin apartment block that once housed Vietnamese contract workers. Naumann's interior installation features mint-green references to Soviet barracks in East Germany, a cartography of war, and works including a relief of chairs, a curtain of chainmail, and the performance "Trümmerfrau."

An Old Man Whose Egoscentrism Knows No Bounds

"Ein alter Mann, dessen Ich-Sucht keine Grenzen kennt"

More than 30 current and former jury members of the Stiftung Kunstfonds have issued a formal protest against German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer, accusing his office of political interference and intimidation. The controversy stems from reports that the ministry requested lists of all jury members across various art institutions and bypassed jury decisions to exclude specific recipients from awards based on intelligence service reports.

Foreign Office Reprimands Goethe-Institut for Exhibition

Auswärtiges Amt rügt Goethe-Institut für Ausstellung

The German Foreign Office has formally reprimanded the Goethe-Institut for its involvement in an exhibition in Vilnius, Lithuania, featuring Palestinian-American artist Basma al-Sharif. The ministry stated that events organized by German cultural intermediaries must leave no doubt about the government's firm rejection of antisemitism and hatred of Israel, and demanded greater care in planning and conceptualizing such events with partners. The exhibition, "Bells and Cannons - Contemporary Art in Times of Militarization," was a collaboration between the Goethe-Institut Vilnius, the Contemporary Art Centre Vilnius, and the Berlin Academy of Arts.

Art Dubai announces details for revised 2026 edition

Art Dubai has unveiled the details for its 2026 "special edition," which features a significantly reduced scale in response to ongoing regional conflict. The fair will host 50 galleries—a sharp decline from the 120 participants in 2025—with a strategic focus on regional representation, as nearly two-thirds of the exhibitors hail from the Middle East. To compensate for the smaller commercial footprint, the event will deepen its ties with local institutions like the Sharjah Art Foundation and Alserkal Avenue through expanded collaborative programming.