Art News. Vasari Codex

person people schedule Sep 5, 2025 visibility 18 link 9 artists, 1 gallery

clement delepine lafayette anticipations director art basel

Clément Delépine, the director of Art Basel Paris, has been appointed as the next director of Lafayette Anticipations, a prominent Parisian exhibition space. He will succeed Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel, who is leaving after six years to pursue new challenges. Delépine will assume the role on November 17, shortly after the upcoming edition of Art Basel Paris, which opens to VIPs on October 22. A search for a new director for the Paris fair is underway.

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candle obituary schedule Sep 4, 2025 visibility 38 link 9 artists, 3 galleries

robert grosvenor sculptor minimalism dead

Robert Grosvenor, a sculptor known for his idiosyncratic works that initially aligned with Minimalism before evolving into unclassifiable forms, died in New York at age 88. His death was confirmed by Paula Cooper Gallery, with no cause given. Grosvenor gained prominence in the 1960s through exhibitions like "Primary Structures" at the Jewish Museum and later created spare, industrial sculptures ranging from ceiling-piercing steel forms to altered car-like objects and works incorporating creosote and water. He appeared in two editions of Documenta and the 2022 Venice Biennale, and a survey of his work opened at the Fridericianum museum in Kassel just days before his death.

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trending_up market schedule Sep 3, 2025 visibility 21 link 14 artists, 1 gallery

barbara gladstone gallery chelsea townhouse sold 13 million

The Chelsea townhouse of the late gallerist Barbara Gladstone sold for $13.1 million, over $1 million above its $11.99 million asking price, in an all-cash deal that closed on August 27. The 19th-century Greek Revival row house at 344 W. 22nd St was purchased by an unnamed buyer, with brokers Scott Hustis and Mark Jovanovic of Compass reporting the sale set a record per square foot for a Chelsea townhouse. Gladstone, who founded the Gladstone Gallery in 1980 and became one of New York's most prominent dealers, died in June 2024 at age 89. She had bought the property in 2011 for $6.3 million. Architect Annabell Selldorf designed the current iteration of the 4,395-square-foot home, and Piet Oudolf designed its garden. The home featured gallery-like Venetian plaster walls and white oak floors that showcased works from Gladstone's private collection.

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candle obituary schedule Aug 18, 2025 visibility 25 link 8 artists, 4 galleries

walter swennen dead

Walter Swennen, a Belgian artist who began his career as a poet before turning to painting, has died at age 79. His death was announced by his gallery, Xavier Hufkens, without specifying a cause. Swennen was known for his playful, language-infused paintings that combined cryptic phrases, comic-book-like figures, and unconventional materials such as found wood and metal. He rose to prominence in Belgium alongside other painters interested in materiality, but his work stood out for its freewheeling humor and destabilization of meaning. A major retrospective at WIELS Contemporary Art Centre in Brussels in 2013 helped revive his career, leading to later shows at Gladstone Gallery in New York and a growing international following.

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article news schedule Aug 3, 2025 visibility 16 link 5 artists, 2 galleries

blum staffers speak closure ex art basel boss slams art financialization

Tim Blum, founder of Blum Gallery, announced the closure of his gallery in early July, citing systemic problems and burnout. However, former employees and artists have since spoken out, claiming they were blindsided by the decision and criticizing the lack of notice, severance, and transparency. Some sources allege that poor business decisions, including a buyout of partner Jeff Poe and costly renovations in a shaky economy, contributed to the closure, while others dispute Blum's claims of strong sales at Art Basel. Separately, a bipartisan Senate bill seeks to extend a 2016 law aiding Holocaust victims in reclaiming Nazi-looted art, but major museums are pushing back, arguing the law unfairly hinders their ability to defend claims.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jul 30, 2025 visibility 18 link 6 artists, 2 galleries

rene magritte les lalannes exhibition di donna galleries

Di Donna Galleries in New York will present a major exhibition titled “Magritte and Les Lalanne: In the Mind’s Garden,” opening October 8, 2025, in collaboration with London-based Ben Brown Fine Arts. The show features over 50 works—paintings, works on paper, and sculptures—by Belgian Surrealist René Magritte and French sculptors François-Xavier Lalanne and Claude Lalanne, including rare loans from private collectors and the Lalanne estate. Highlights include Magritte’s *L’ami intime* (1958), which sold for £33.66 million at Christie’s, and François-Xavier Lalanne’s *Hippopotame I* (1968/1998) and “Sauterelle” Bar (1970).

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trending_up market schedule Jul 14, 2025 visibility 17 link 9 artists, 1 gallery

ai art market revolution

A survey by PwC found that 88% of U.S. companies plan to increase AI budgets, and the art world is following suit. The article explores how AI is infiltrating the art market beyond controversial authentication and IP issues, covering topics like autonomous agents, data privacy, logistics partnerships (Carpenters Workshop Gallery with Convelio), and new AI-powered search tools being developed by Artnet using Google's Gemini. It also notes that collector Jorge Pérez used AI assistance to acquire 24 works at Art Basel in Basel.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jul 2, 2025 visibility 16 link 13 artists, 1 gallery

rena bransten gallery

Rena Bransten Gallery in San Francisco is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a series of exhibitions highlighting key moments in its history. The second installment, "RBG at 50: Photo & Video," on view through August 23, 2025, features works by artists such as Dawoud Bey, Sophie Calle, Jim Campbell, and Vik Muniz. The show traces the gallery's expansion beyond its original focus on ceramics, which began in 1979 with a solo exhibition of photographer Judith Golden. Highlights include Sophie Calle's "La Robe de Mariee" (1989) and a photograph by Dawoud Bey documenting a performance by David Hammons.

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trending_up market schedule Jun 30, 2025 visibility 13 link 5 artists, 1 gallery

five art world power players form new advisory firm

Five major art world figures have formed a new advisory firm called New Perspectives Art Partners, aimed at serving high-end collectors and institutions. The founders include former Christie’s and Philips CEO Ed Dolman and his son Alex (Dolman Partners), Brett Gorvy of Lévy Gorvy Dayan, Philip Hoffman of the Fine Art Group, and former Sotheby’s rainmaker Patti Wong of Patti Wong and Associates. All five will maintain their existing roles while collaborating on complex, project-driven client needs, leveraging their collective expertise and regional networks.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jun 20, 2025 visibility 18 link 21 artists, 1 gallery

lucia painted her own myth

The article profiles Lucia Wilcox, a nearly forgotten Surrealist painter born in 1899 who lived an extraordinary life—raised in Beirut, partying with Surrealists in Paris, fleeing to New York in 1938, and becoming a doyenne among expatriate artists in the Hamptons. She painted joyful, mythical women and was shown by major dealers Sidney Janis and Leo Castelli, but after her death in 1974 she faded into obscurity. Now, a tightly curated exhibition titled "Lucia Wilcox: LUCIA" at Berry Campbell in New York (through June 28) reintroduces her work, focusing on over 20 paintings from the 1940s, including the vibrant "Untitled (Jungle)" (1944).

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article news schedule Jun 13, 2025 visibility 20 link 14 artists, 2 galleries

pariss musee dart moderne to receive 180 artworks from french gallerist

French gallerist Kamel Mennour has announced a donation of 180 artworks to the Musée d’Art Moderne (MAM) in Paris. The gift, drawn from his namesake gallery and personal collection, includes works by over 45 artists such as Alicja Kwade, Anish Kapoor, Daniel Buren, and Lee Ufan. The donation will join MAM’s permanent collections after validation by Paris Musées and the French government, with an exhibition planned for 2027 in the museum’s ARC rooms.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jun 5, 2025 visibility 15 link 7 artists, 1 gallery

barbara hepworth stringed sculptures piano nobile

London's Piano Nobile gallery has opened "Barbara Hepworth: Strings," the first exhibition dedicated to the British sculptor's use of string in her work. The show explores how Hepworth (1903–1975) incorporated string into sculptures, paintings, and drawings from 1939 onward, including pieces never before exhibited in the U.K. Highlights include the rediscovered "Theme on Electronics (Orpheus)," 1956, commissioned by Mullard and long thought lost, and "Pierced Hemisphere (Telstar)," 1963, making its U.K. debut. Curated by Michael Regan, the exhibition draws on Hepworth's letters and archival material to illuminate her innovative approach to tension, space, and light.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jun 4, 2025 visibility 16 link 10 artists, 1 gallery

silvia heyden charles moffett

Swiss-born textile artist Silvia Heyden (1927–2015) devoted over half a century to weaving nearly 800 innovative tapestries, despite early discouragement from pursuing violin-making due to her gender. A new exhibition, “Improvisational Nature: The Weavings and Drawings of Silvia Heyden,” at Charles Moffett gallery in New York (through June 7) marks her first solo show in the city and her first U.S. exhibition of tapestries and drawings since 1972. The show, organized with her family, highlights her improvisational, music-inspired approach to the loom, which she likened to playing a violin.

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trending_up market schedule May 29, 2025 visibility 19 link 7 artists, 2 galleries

3 key insights from the art business conference new york

The sixth edition of the Art Business Conference took place in Midtown Manhattan on May 22, drawing over 200 art professionals including gallery staff, auction-house specialists, and lawyers. Chaired by former Artnet executive editor Julia Halperin and founded by Louise Hamlin, the event featured keynotes and panels addressing the state of the art market, legal challenges, and the impact of tariffs. Christie’s CEO Bonnie Brennan reported a $700 million haul from recent auctions, noting a thin top end but strong activity for female Surrealists and Simone Leigh sculptures. Advisors Megan Fox Kelly and Alex Glauber described the market as 'recalibrating' rather than in crisis, with buyers showing increased selectivity.

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article news schedule May 28, 2025 visibility 18 link 13 artists, 4 galleries

a pay to play art show in marfa sparks controversy and more juicy art world gossip

The Marfa Invitational, a small art fair in West Texas, has sparked controversy after pivoting to a new format called the "Marfa Invitational Open." The fair issued an open call to Texas-based artists, charging a $75 application fee and later requiring an additional $150 "installation fee" not disclosed in the original terms. Over 500 artists applied, but many dropped out after the hidden fee was revealed, leading to a boycott campaign. Approximately 160 artists ultimately exhibited at the Saint George Hotel last weekend. The fair had previously faced scandal in 2023 when its tax-exempt status was revoked due to cofounder Michael Phelan's failure to file required paperwork.

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trending_up market schedule May 19, 2025 visibility 19 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

phillips leadership changes 2025

Phillips announced a major leadership shakeup on Monday, with global chairwoman Cheyenne Westphal resigning after eight years. Robert Manley was named chairman of modern and contemporary art, and Miety Heiden was appointed chairman of private sales. Additionally, Jean-Paul Engelen, president for the Americas and worldwide co-head of modern and contemporary art, is leaving after over a decade to join Acquavella Galleries as a director. The changes follow a challenging marquee auction season, where the May evening sale matched its pre-sale estimate of $52 million but fell 40% below the previous year's $86 million haul.

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museum exhibitions schedule May 19, 2025 visibility 17 link 5 artists, 1 gallery

thalita hamaoui botanical dramas

Brazilian artist Thalita Hamaoui presents her New York debut exhibition "Nascer da Terra" at Marianne Boesky Gallery, featuring large-scale, jewel-toned landscapes inspired by her grandmother's stories of Romania. Hamaoui, who was raised in São Paulo and had never visited Romania, translates her grandmother's vivid tales into fantastical, tropical-infused scenes filled with explosive plant life and dreamlike terrains. The exhibition runs through June 14 and includes paintings and drawings created during lockdown, reflecting her instinctual compositional process and influences from Brazilian Tropicália and artist Alberto da Veiga Guignard.

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trending_up market schedule May 15, 2025 visibility 16 link 5 artists, 1 gallery

by the numbers christies 21st century sale edges out estimate aided by bounty of guarantees

Christie’s 21st-century art sale on Wednesday achieved $96.5 million in total sales, a 20 percent increase over the same sale last year. The auction featured 43 lots, with four withdrawn before the sale, and a sell-through rate of 83.7 percent (92.3 percent after withdrawals). The top lot was Jean-Michel Basquiat’s *Baby Boom* (1982), which sold for $23.4 million. The sale was heavily supported by guarantees—24 lots were guaranteed, including 18 with third-party guarantees—accounting for 75 percent of the total presale low estimate. Auctioneer Yü-ge Wang faced cautious bidding, prompting playful remarks as collectors tested lower increments.

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museum exhibitions schedule May 9, 2025 visibility 15 link 8 artists, 5 galleries

esther ii conductor alternative art fair reports

During New York Art Week, two smaller art fairs—Esther II and Conductor—offer alternatives to the major events like Frieze and TEFAF. Esther II, now in its second edition, takes place at the Estonian House in Murray Hill, featuring 25 galleries from 17 cities with site-specific installations and performances. Conductor debuts at Powerhouse Arts in Gowanus, focusing on artists from the Global South and its diasporas, with a unique model that allows artists to fabricate work on-site using the venue's production facilities.

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trending_up market schedule May 5, 2025 visibility 18 link 10 artists, 2 galleries

anne imhof sculpting bronze

Anne Imhof, the German artist known for her provocative multimedia performances, is presenting new bronze relief sculptures at the TEFAF art fair (May 9–13) at New York's Park Avenue Armory, the same venue where her performance "DOOM: House of Hope" recently premiered. The works, which debuted in her 2024 exhibition "Wish You Were Gay" at Kunsthaus Bregenz, mark a shift from her signature tech-infused performances to sculptural forms inspired by ancient Greek friezes and Renaissance reliefs. Priced at €250,000 each, the bronzes depict intertwined nude figures, skulls, animals, and apocalyptic imagery, reflecting themes of love, death, and the afterlife.

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trending_up market schedule May 2, 2025 visibility 15 link 10 artists, 1 gallery

sothebys to sell highlights of gallerist barbara gladstones collection

Sotheby's has been selected by the trustees of Barbara Gladstone's estate to auction twelve major works from the legendary gallerist's personal collection. The single-owner sale, estimated at over $12 million, will take place on May 15 as part of the New York marquee sales. Highlights include Richard Prince's "Man Crazy Nurse" (2003, est. $4–6 million), Andy Warhol's black "Flowers" (1964, est. $1–1.5 million), and works by Mike Kelley, Rudolf Stingel, Carroll Dunham, Elizabeth Peyton, and Alighiero e Boetti. None of the artists are currently affiliated with Gladstone Gallery, though some were previously represented by her.

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trending_up market schedule Apr 23, 2025 visibility 12 link 11 artists, 5 galleries

art dubai digital

Art Dubai became the first major art fair to launch a dedicated digital art section in 2022, inspiring similar initiatives at Paris Photo and Art SG. Now in its fourth year, Art Dubai Digital is thriving in the Gulf region, where cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi have heavily invested in emerging technologies, including the Dubai A.I. campus, the Museum of the Future, and teamLab Phenomena. The fair has attracted tech entrepreneurs and crypto investors, and Sotheby's recent decision to accept cryptocurrency in Saudi Arabia reflects growing infrastructure for digital art transactions. However, the question remains whether digital art can appeal to traditional collectors or will remain a separate market.

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trending_up market schedule Apr 23, 2025 visibility 13 link 7 artists, 1 gallery

basquiat christies baby boom

A 1982 Jean-Michel Basquiat painting, "Baby Boom," is returning to auction at Christie's 21st-century evening sale on May 14 in New York, with an estimate of $20 million to $30 million. The work, a triple portrait believed to depict the artist and his parents, has been in private hands for nearly 25 years and is being sold by major Basquiat collector Peter M. Brant. It was previously offered for $35 million in 2017 but did not sell.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 23, 2025 visibility 10 link 1 artist, 1 gallery

ho tzu nyen 2026 gwangju biennale

The Gwangju Biennale has appointed Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen as artistic director for its 2026 edition, marking a departure from its tradition of selecting world-renowned curators. Ho, known for his films exploring Asia's evolving identity, previously organized the 2019 Asian Art Biennale and represented Singapore at the 2011 Venice Biennale. The biennial hinted that the 2026 edition will focus on art's power to drive change, with Ho emphasizing a collaborative approach that resonates with Gwangju's legacy of democratic transformation.

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museum exhibitions schedule May 7, 2025 visibility 16 link 9 artists, 2 galleries

overlooked no more jack whitten ascends with a stellar retrospective at moma

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has opened "Jack Whitten: The Messenger," a major posthumous retrospective featuring nearly 200 objects, mostly paintings, by the late artist Jack Whitten. Curated by MoMA's curator at large Michelle Kuo, the exhibition occupies MoMA's top-floor gallery and is arranged largely chronologically, highlighting Whitten's experimental techniques such as using dried acrylic tesserae and extruding paint through screens. The show includes early works from the 1960s and later mosaic compositions, offering a comprehensive view of his career.

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rate_review review schedule Mar 20, 2026 source 4 sources visibility 29 link 4 artists

The Whitney Biennial Is for the Faint-Hearted

A critical review of the 2026 Whitney Biennial argues that the exhibition is timid and fails to directly confront the urgent political crises of the moment, including domestic authoritarianism, state violence, and immigration policies. The reviewer finds the show somber, fearful, and overly focused on mood and introspection, suggesting it represents a retreat from meaningful political engagement.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 23, 2026 visibility 19 link 4 artists, 1 gallery

Thousands of Strips of Silk Undulate in Kenny Nguyen’s ‘Deconstructed Paintings’

Kenny Nguyen, a Vietnamese-born artist based in Charlotte, North Carolina, creates large-scale wall works using thousands of hand-cut strips of silk. Drawing on his background in fashion design, he employs techniques like pinning, weaving, sewing, and layering to produce what he calls “deconstructed paintings.” Each piece is built around an imaginary body, with creases and undulating forms that evoke movement. Though the works appear fixed, they are malleable—their shape changes depending on pin placement during installation. Nguyen’s work is currently on view in the group exhibition *Textile Art Redefined* at Saatchi Gallery in London.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 14, 2026 visibility 22 link 4 artists, 2 galleries

LR Vandy’s Rope Sculptures Disentangle Histories of Colonialism and Transportation

London-based artist LR Vandy has opened her first solo museum exhibition, "Rise," at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The show features a series of sculptures crafted from nautical materials like Manila rope, ship's helms, and hull-shaped wooden forms, many of which were created in her studio at the Chatham Historic Dockyard. The works explore the complex intersections of maritime history, trade, and the labor systems that powered the Age of Discovery.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 24, 2026 visibility 19 link 25 artists, 3 galleries

Whitney Biennial 2026

The 2026 Whitney Biennial, curated by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer, has received generally lukewarm responses from critics, a notable shift from the more intense takedowns and boycotts that characterized recent editions of the exhibition. Left-oriented critics have criticized the curatorial framework as indeterminate and evasive, particularly in light of the Whitney Museum's controversial board decisions, including the recent closure of the museum's Independent Study Program.

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trending_up market schedule May 12, 2026 visibility 24 link 8 artists, 1 gallery

Hoffnung auf Rekorde bei Auktionen in New York

New York's major auction houses, Sotheby's and Christie's, are gearing up for their spring sales with high-value consignments from prominent collections. Sotheby's will auction Mark Rothko's "Towering Brown and Blacks in Reds" (1957), estimated at up to $100 million, from the estate of investment banker Robert Mnuchin. Christie's is offering works from the collection of the late gallerist Marian Goodman, including Gerhard Richter's "Kerze" (1982) valued at up to $50 million and "Mohn" (1995) around $15 million, alongside pieces from the estates of publisher S. I. Newhouse and collector Agnes Gund, with a Constantin Brâncuși sculpture and a Jackson Pollock painting each estimated at $100 million, and another Rothko at $80 million.

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