Artists made their mark at 2026 Met Gala

The 2026 Met Gala, held on May 4 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, raised a record $42 million for the Costume Institute, surpassing last year's $31 million. Honorary chairs Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Bezos contributed at least $10 million, but their involvement sparked protests outside the event, with demonstrators holding signs like "Tax the Rich" and a group called Everyone Hates Elon leaving fake urine bottles labeled with Bezos's face. Inside, artists made a strong impression: Amy Sherald wore a Thom Browne look based on her painting; Jordan Roth donned a Robert Wun outfit inspired by a Met collection work; and Tschabalala Self collaborated with Brandon Blackwood on a gown evoking Degas's ballerina sculpture. The gala's dress code was "fashion is art," and the accompanying exhibition, "Costume Art" (May 10–January 10, 2027), debuts the Met's new 12,000-square-foot Condé M. Nast Galleries.

‘This is the place of dreams’: Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo’s Venetian island venue opens to public

Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo opened San Giacomo, a Venetian lagoon island she and her husband bought in 2018, to the public on May 7 during the Venice Biennale. The former military site now houses exhibition spaces in converted munitions storehouses, featuring a solo show by Matt Copson curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, selections from the Sandretto collection with works by Michael Armitage, Sarah Lucas, Victor Man, and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, and outdoor installations by Pamela Rosenkranz, Claire Fontaine, Hugh Hayden, and Goshka Macuga. The island also includes a chapel-like structure by Hayden and a rocket sculpture by Macuga.

Biennale di Venezia 2026. Le grandi mostre da non perdere in città

The article previews major exhibitions in Venice during the 2026 Biennale, highlighting a rich lineup of shows across the city's museums and foundations. Key highlights include a retrospective for Marina Abramović at the Gallerie dell'Accademia, a Peggy Guggenheim exhibition at her former home, and dual shows at Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana featuring artists like Michael Armitage, Amar Kanwar, Lorna Simpson, and Paulo Nazareth. Other notable venues include Fondazione Prada, Ca' Pesaro, and the Museo Correr, with artists ranging from Joseph Kosuth to Jenny Saville.

The Week in Art: Iran's Heritage, Art Market Recovery, Sydney Biennale

Art communities and heritage in Iran, moderate recovery in the art market, Sydney Biennale—podcast

The latest episode of The Week in Art podcast covers three main topics. First, it discusses the impact of the ongoing Middle East conflict on cultural communities and heritage sites in Iran and Lebanon, including damage to the Chehel Sotoun palace in Isfahan. Second, it analyzes the new Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report, which indicates a market recovery but reveals a complex picture. Third, it features a new installation by Indigenous American artist Cannupa Hanska Luger at the Sydney Biennale, consisting of ceramic dingo skulls, which has gained relevance following a recent tragedy in Australia.

1969 gallery space zero one wet paint

The New York art scene is witnessing a shift in the Tribeca gallery landscape as 1969 Gallery, a fixture known for championing emerging painters, has shuttered its physical space at 39 White Street. Founder Quang Bao confirmed the closure following the building owner's decision to sell the property, noting that he is currently operating from Barcelona with plans to pivot toward collaborations and residencies rather than the traditional gallery model. Meanwhile, the itinerant Ward Gallery continues to gain traction by hosting pop-up symposia at institutions like the International Center for Photography, signaling a broader trend toward real-estate-free dealership.

magritte drawing ebay rago wright auction

An anonymous buyer purchased an untitled René Magritte drawing on eBay for $1,580 in January 2025. The work, executed in ballpoint pen, colored pencil, and pencil on paper, will be auctioned by Rago/Wright in Lambertville, New Jersey on May 21 with a high estimate of $150,000—a nearly hundred-fold increase. The drawing depicts three giant white chess pieces towering over a landscape and once belonged to Mora Henskens, companion of Harry Torczyner, a friend and collector of the artist. It was acquired by Henskens from Magritte's widow, Georgette Berger Magritte, and later sold through VanDeRee Auctions before appearing on eBay.

new frick collection elitist pleasure

The Frick Collection in New York has reopened after a multiyear renovation and expansion by Selldorf Architects with Beyer Blinder Belle. Under director Ian Wardropper, the museum hired ambitious young curators who introduced fresh perspectives, including online programming focused on social contexts, temporary relocation to the Whitney's old space (Frick Madison) where they presented female old masters like Rosalba Carriera and contemporary artists of color like Barkley Hendricks, and a rehang that organized works by time and place. The expansion adds new exhibition spaces, a gallery for old master drawings, and opens the Frick family's former bedrooms to the public, housing treasures like gold ground paintings and Impressionist works.

Big Crisis, Small Gestures

Große Krise, kleine Gesten

The article reviews the second edition of the Klima Biennale Wien, which opened in early April in Vienna. It notes that while the biennale aims to address the urgent triple crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, its execution falls short. The exhibition features symbolic works such as a beached whale, a broken boat, and a compostable SUV sculpture, but these motifs feel repetitive and lack the necessary impact. The author contrasts these with historical precedents like Menashe Kadishman's 1978 Venice Biennale installation and Joseph Beuys' "7000 Eichen" (1982), arguing that the themes of nature and sustainability are not new, only the urgency has intensified.

Lily Allen’s ‘West End Girl’ Portrait Makes Its Museum Debut

Lily Allen's portrait, created by Spanish artist Nieves González for the cover of her album 'West End Girl,' has gone on public display at London's National Portrait Gallery. The painting, which blends Old Master techniques with contemporary fashion, was loaned to the museum by Allen herself and will be exhibited for a year.

almine rech closes london gallery

Almine Rech is closing her London gallery in Mayfair after more than a decade, as reported by Melanie Gerlis in the Art Newspaper. The space, which opened in 2014 on Savile Row before moving to Grosvenor Hill, hosted exhibitions by artists including Javier Calleja, Chloe Wise, Jeff Koons, and Esther Mahlangu. Rech stated that London remains "important" to her and that she plans to open something in the city in the future, but offered no specifics. The London branch was put into liquidation, with Companies House filings indicating a £6.3 million deficit, though Rech said she owes no money to artists, workers, or suppliers and described the filing as a technical step to restructure a lease. Her gallery will continue operating its other eight locations across Paris, New York, Brussels, Shanghai, Monaco, and Gstaad.

The 2026 Venice Biennale Is Quintessential Biennial Art

The 61st Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys" and curated by the late Swiss-Cameroonian curator Koyo Kouoh, opened in 2026. The main exhibition at the Arsenale and Giardini features works by artists such as Éric Baudelaire, Maria Magdalena Campos Pons, Mohammed Z. Rahman, Sohrab Hura, and Rose Salane, among others. The exhibition centers on themes of mourning, colonial history, slavery, and healing, with works like Baudelaire's video installation linking the flower trade to the transatlantic slave trade, and a tribute section honoring artists Beverly Buchanan and Issa Samb.

Singapore Biennale 2025 Review: Divorced From Reality

Singapore Biennale 2025 Review: Divorced From Reality

The 8th Singapore Biennale, titled 'pure intention', features artworks like Gala Porras-Kim's picnic blanket sold in migrant-worker shops, intended to blur lines between art and daily life. The exhibition, curated by SAM staff, deliberately explores contradictions in artistic intention and challenges notions of purity and power through over 80 artists' works.

At the Guggenheim Bilbao, the Infinite Poetry of Ruth Asawa’s Aerial Sculptures

Au Guggenheim Bilbao, l’infinie poésie des sculptures aériennes de Ruth Asawa

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is hosting the first major European retrospective of American artist Ruth Asawa, showcasing her signature hand-woven wire sculptures. These delicate, organic forms, which challenge gravity and play with transparency, are presented in dialogue with the museum's monumental architecture. The exhibition traces her journey from a childhood spent in Japanese-American internment camps during WWII to her formative years at the legendary Black Mountain College under the mentorship of Josef Albers.

Nan Goldin will present major London exhibition at the Hayward in 2026.

American artist and activist Nan Goldin will present a major exhibition titled "You Never Did Anything Wrong" at London's Hayward Gallery from November 24, 2026, through March 7, 2027. This marks her first institutional presentation in the U.K. since 2002 and will conclude the Southbank Centre's 75th anniversary year.

10 Must-See Shows During the Venice Biennale 2026

The 2026 Venice Biennale is embroiled in multiple controversies, including the cancellation and reinstatement of Australia's representative artist Khaled Sabsabi, ongoing calls to bar Israel from participating, criticism over allowing Russia to participate, and mounting voices to exclude the U.S. in response to President Donald Trump's actions in Iran. Despite these disputes, the article highlights that many of the city's most exciting shows will take place away from the main Biennale venues.

How This Cannabis CEO Brings an Edge to Art Collecting

How This Cannabis CEO Brings an Edge to Art Collecting

A cannabis industry CEO is applying the aggressive, data-driven tactics of his business to the art market, building a significant collection focused on underrepresented artists. Steve DeAngelo, co-founder of Harborside Inc., leverages his company's analytical approach to identify value and emerging trends, targeting works by artists of color, women, and LGBTQ+ creators that he believes are undervalued by the traditional market.

frieze los angeles 2026 exhibitor list

Frieze Los Angeles has announced its 2026 exhibitor list, featuring 95 galleries from 22 countries at the Santa Monica Airport, running from February 26 to March 1. The lineup includes blue-chip names like Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, and David Zwirner, alongside local staples such as Commonwealth & Council and David Kordansky Gallery. First-time participants include El Apartamento, Bradley Ertaskiran, and Sprüth Magers returns after a hiatus. The Focus section, curated by Essence Harden, highlights galleries under 12 years old. Notable absentees include Marian Goodman Gallery, Bortolami, and Sean Kelly, while five galleries that participated in 2025 have since closed. The fair follows a challenging 2025 edition impacted by LA wildfires, which prompted withdrawals and a charity initiative.

strongan african artist collective calls museums rectify their debt plantation workers seven easy steps strong

The Congolese Plantation Workers Art League (CATPC), an artist collective based at a plantation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has released a toolkit titled "Seven Easy Steps for Museums to Liberate the Plantations that Funded Them." The toolkit urges major museums—including London's Tate Britain, Cologne's Ludwig Museum, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven—to acknowledge and rectify their historical reliance on plantation wealth and exploited labor. CATPC presented the toolkit at a restitution conference at the Wereldmuseum in Amsterdam, organized with the Mondriaan Fund. The collective, founded in 2014, creates art from chocolate and has exhibited internationally, including at the 2024 Venice Biennale and the 2017 Armory Show.

art culture technology photography ai

This article from Cultured magazine presents a roundup of five distinct stories spanning art, culture, and technology. It features a new column by psychoanalyst Jamieson Webster in conversation with artist Mindy Seu about digital libidinal history; an analysis of the declining photography auction market by collector Ralph DeLuca; a review of the Los Angeles art scene by Juliana Halpert; a guide to Paris Art Week following a heist at the Louvre and the opening of Art Basel Paris; and a report on the Fondation Louis Vuitton's retrospective of Gerhard Richter curated by Nicholas Serota and Dieter Schwarz.

art gerhard richter interview paris show

The Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris will host a major retrospective of Gerhard Richter's work, opening on October 17 and occupying all 34 of its galleries. Curated by Nicholas Serota and Dieter Schwarz, the exhibition assembles 270 works spanning over six decades, from early photo-paintings like 'Tante Marianne' (1965) to the final abstractions he made before stopping painting in 2017. The show traces Richter's evolution from his upbringing under Nazism and Socialist Realism in East Germany to his defection to the West and his ongoing daily pencil drawings. A companion show at David Zwirner's Paris gallery will feature Richter's later painted works and recent drawings.

Marica Vilcek, Art Historian Whose Foundation Upheld the Work of Immigrants, Dies at 89

Marica Vilcek, art historian and co-founder of the Vilcek Foundation, has died at 89 in New York. She and her husband Jan, both immigrants from Czechoslovakia, established the foundation in 2000 to provide grants and prizes, primarily to immigrant artists, curators, and scientists, celebrating their contributions to American society.

King Charles Visits Christie’s in New York, After White House Dinner

King Charles III and Queen Camilla made a surprise visit to Christie’s headquarters in New York on April 29, 2026, following a White House dinner and address to Congress. They attended a gala for the King’s Trust, a charity supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, rather than bidding on auction lots like a $100 million Jackson Pollock or a $60 million Roy Lichtenstein. The event, co-chaired by Lionel Richie, drew guests including Martha Stewart and Anna Wintour, and featured a dinner in the James Christie Room. Christie’s CEO Bonnie Brennan curtsied to the king, and the royals viewed the new rostrum designed by Jony Ive, set to debut in New York during Christie’s May marquee week.

Here’s What LACMA’s Lavish New Building Looks Like

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has finally unveiled its new flagship building, the David Geffen Galleries, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. The concrete-and-glass structure famously straddles Wilshire Boulevard, featuring a continuous glass facade that offers panoramic views of the Los Angeles landscape and newly installed outdoor sculptures. Inside, the layout encourages a non-linear experience, moving visitors through varying light conditions and diverse gallery sizes that house a mix of contemporary and classical works.

Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential List Includes Artist Cao Fei and Photojournalist Lynsey Addario

Time magazine has named artist Cao Fei and photojournalist Lynsey Addario to its 2026 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Cao Fei is recognized for her multidisciplinary work exploring digital technology and modernity, while Addario is honored for her decades of courageous reporting from global conflict zones, including her Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the war in Ukraine. The list also acknowledges prominent art patrons Susan and Michael Dell.

The Dealers: Marta Makes Magic

The article profiles Marta, a prominent art dealer in Los Angeles, highlighting her recent activities and influence within the contemporary art scene. It details her gallery's program, her relationships with artists, and her specific curatorial approach that has garnered significant attention.

Damien Hirst offers his hot take on art dealers

On a recent podcast, artist Damien Hirst identified his manager, Joe Hage, as the most influential person he's met, praising his work with other major artists. Hirst also downplayed the role of major galleries like Gagosian and White Cube, comparing them to 'estate agents,' and revealed a new private commission: an amethyst-encrusted grotto for the Getty family.

jonathan yeo snap augmented reality sxsw

British portrait artist Jonathan Yeo is bringing his augmented reality exhibition, "Spectacular," to South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin following its debut at the Centre Pompidou. Developed in collaboration with Snap Inc., the showcase utilizes AR glasses to animate Yeo’s traditional oil paintings, including his famous portrait of King Charles III and a depiction of Cara Delevingne. The experience allows viewers to interact with the works, such as having a digital butterfly from the King's portrait land on their hand, while exploring the intersection of static portraiture and immersive technology.

Collaborations: Robert Rauschenberg, Laurie Anderson, Trisha Brown, and Merce Cunningham at BAM

collaborations robert rauschenberg laurie anderson trisha brown and merce cunningham john cage bam dancing

The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is hosting "Dancing with Bob," an international tour celebrating the centennial of Robert Rauschenberg’s birth. The program features restagings of seminal avant-garde dance collaborations, most notably the 1983 masterpiece "Set and Reset," which combined the choreography of Trisha Brown, the music of Laurie Anderson, and the visual design of Rauschenberg. The tour also includes a rare professional restaging of the 1977 piece "Travelogue," a collaboration between Rauschenberg and Merce Cunningham.

ken griffin basquiat stephen friedman gallery

London's Stephen Friedman Gallery is facing serious financial difficulties, with its 2024 financial reports overdue and its 2023 accounts revealing a loss of £1.7 million. The gallery, which recently expanded with a large new London space and a New York outpost, is reliant on external financing and negotiations with creditors to continue operating, casting significant doubt on its future viability.

ls lowry ian mckellen documentary

A new BBC documentary, *L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes*, will mark the 50th anniversary of the artist's death in 1976. The film features never-before-heard recordings of conversations between Lowry and a young fan, Angela Barratt, recorded in his living room—the last and longest interview he ever gave. These tapes will be brought to life through dramatic reenactments, with Ian McKellen lip-syncing Lowry's words and Annabel Smith portraying Barratt. The documentary is produced by Wall to Wall Media and aims to reveal intimate insights into Lowry's thoughts, ambitions, regrets, and humor.