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An early Jean-Michel Basquiat painting, *Crowns (Peso Neto)* (1981), sold for $48.3 million at Sotheby’s contemporary evening sale on Tuesday night, exceeding its pre-sale estimate of $35–45 million. The work, making its auction debut, was created when Basquiat was 21 and features his signature motifs of crowns, black faces, and cartographic lines. Bidding lasted five minutes, with Sotheby’s chairman for China Jen Hua winning on behalf of a phone client. The painting had been held in three private collections over four decades and was previously exhibited at Basquiat’s first solo show at Annina Nosei, documenta 7, the Whitney Museum, and the Fondation Louis Vuitton.

bathroom stall performance space new york 2661549

Performance Space New York is auctioning naming rights to the stalls in its fourth-floor unisex restroom as a fundraising campaign. Artist Bailey Hikawa will create custom resin toilet seats and commemorative plaques for each stall, collaborating with donors to reflect their personal aesthetics. One stall remains available and will be auctioned online this summer. The campaign coincides with a sound installation by Kevin Beasley that transforms the restroom into an immersive acoustic environment. Senior director Pati Hertling produced a promotional video using AI tools, featuring a synthetic newscaster announcing the fundraiser.

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London's V&A Museum will open "Marie Antoinette Style" in September, the first U.K. exhibition focused on the French queen's influence on fashion and design. Featuring 250 objects including historical artifacts from Versailles, court dresses, jewels, and contemporary pieces, the show explores how Marie Antoinette's lavish personal style—from pastel gowns and towering wigs to rococo interiors—reshaped 18th-century aesthetics and continues to inspire artists and designers like Alexander McQueen and Sofia Coppola. The exhibition is sponsored by shoemaker Manolo Blahnik and includes immersive scent recreations of the queen's favorite perfume.

john singer sargent madame x three things 2633448

John Singer Sargent's iconic portrait *Madame X* (1883–84), depicting American-born socialite Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, caused a scandal when it debuted at the 1884 Paris Salon. Critics were outraged by the fallen shoulder strap on Gautreau's gown, which implied an illicit rendezvous, and by the public exposure of a recognizable high-society woman in such a provocative pose. Sargent repainted the strap after the Salon, but the damage was done: Gautreau's reputation suffered, and Sargent fled Paris for London to restart his career. The painting now belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and will be featured in its upcoming exhibition "Sargent and Paris."

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Elizabeth Peyton's double portrait of Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher sold for £1,992,000 ($2.7 million) at Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary Evening Auction in London, just above its low estimate of £1.5 million. The work, depicting the band in 1996, was backed by a house guarantee and irrevocable bid. The consignor had purchased it in 2011 for $511,640, yielding a positive return. The sale coincided with Oasis's upcoming reunion tour starting July 4.

conceptual art ulay is dead at 76 1790853

Frank Uwe Laysiepen, known as Ulay, has died at age 76 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The German-born artist was a pioneer of performance art, photography, and body art, best known for his collaborative works with former partner Marina Abramović, including the iconic "Relation Works" series and their 1988 walk along the Great Wall of China. Ulay had been recovering from lymphatic cancer; the cause of death has not been confirmed. He leaves behind the ULAY Foundation in Amsterdam and a project space in Slovenia.

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German artist Günther Uecker, renowned for his spiritual approach to art and innovative use of nails as a sculptural material, died on Tuesday at age 95 in a Düsseldorf hospital. His family confirmed the death to German news agency dpa, though no cause was given. Uecker was a key member of the Zero Group, which sought to reset art to a "zero base," and his work ranged from nail-covered surfaces to pianos, chairs, and television sets. He also designed a prayer room for Berlin's Reichstag and participated in major exhibitions including Documenta 4 and the Venice Biennale.

natural history museum will remove human remains from display 2381068

The American Museum of Natural History in New York City will remove human remains from its public displays over the next eight weeks and update its policies regarding the collection. The decision follows an investigation by Erin Thompson, a professor of art crime at John Jay College, whose report for Hyperallergic raised ethical and legal concerns about the acquisition of approximately 12,000 individuals' remains held by the museum. Museum president Sean Decatur announced the removal as the "right course of action," acknowledging that the remains were collected without consent and often used to advance racist scientific agendas.

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Katsushika Hokusai's iconic woodblock print "The Great Wave" (officially *Under the Wave off Kanagawa*) is examined through three lesser-known facts. The article notes that the print, created between 1830 and 1832, is surprisingly small—less than 15 inches wide—and that its vivid blue pigment, Prussian blue, was a recent European import that revolutionized Japanese ukiyo-e prints. It also highlights Hokusai's practice of adopting over 30 different names throughout his career, which now helps scholars periodize his work.

5 essential works rene magritte 2637456

René Magritte, the iconic Belgian Surrealist, remains a dominant force in the art market and popular culture. In November 2024, his painting *L’empire des Lumières* (1954) sold for a record $121.2 million at Christie’s in New York, followed by *La reconnaissance infinite* (1933) fetching £10.3 million ($13.7 million) at Christie’s in London in March 2025. Magritte also topped Artnet News’ 2025 Intelligence Report as the best-selling Impressionist & Modern artist, with over $312 million in sales. The article highlights five essential works, including *The False Mirror* (1928) and *The Lovers* (1928), both held by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and *The Treachery of Images* (1929), exploring their surrealist themes and enduring appeal.

neh stipends trump 2649896

The Trump administration is moving to eliminate the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) while simultaneously cutting its funding and reshaping its priorities. In early May, the NEH announced $9.55 million for 68 projects, a sharp drop from $26.2 million for 238 projects the previous year. The number of Summer Stipends was slashed from nearly 100 to just 18, with total funding cut by three-fourths to $144,000. Only one Media Project grant was awarded, down from ten. The administration has also sought to lay off NEH workers, cancel grants, and divert funds to a National Garden of American Heroes, a presidential pet project.

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More than sixty years after his death, Frank Lloyd Wright remains a highly influential architect, and in 2025 his legacy continues to generate news. This article from Artnet News compiles eight recent stories about Wright's buildings, including Marc Jacobs' restoration of the Max Hoffman House, Loyola University's acquisition of the Emil Bach House, the contested sale of Oklahoma's Price Tower, and the deteriorating condition of the J.J. Walser Jr. House in Chicago. It also notes a fictional Wright-inspired building appearing in the Apple TV+ series *The Studio*, starring Seth Rogen.

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Marcel Duchamp paid his dentist, Daniel Tzanck, with a hand-painted forged check in 1919, titled *Tzanck Check*. The work mimics a real bank check made out for $115, drawn on the fictitious “The Teeth’s Loan & Trust Company Consolidated.” Duchamp meticulously painted each letter to look printed, and the dentist—who was also a major art collector—never cashed it, recognizing its artistic value. The check is now a promised gift to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, with a 1938 reproduction held by M+ museum in Hong Kong.

theophile alexandre steinlen tournee du chat noir 2417712

The article explores the life and work of Théophile Alexandre Steinlen (1859–1923), the Swiss-born artist who created the iconic 1896 poster *Tournée du Chat Noir* for Rodolphe Salis’s legendary Parisian cabaret Le Chat Noir. It details how Steinlen, a resident of Montmartre, was introduced to the cabaret’s circle by fellow artist Adolphe Willette and went on to produce numerous commercial works featuring cats, including advertisements, exhibition announcements, and the artists' book *Des chats, dessins sans paroles*. The piece also highlights Steinlen’s involvement in leftist politics and his broader artistic output, which included landscapes, still lifes, and nudes shown at the Salon des Indépendants.

vladimir kanevsky frick collection porcelain 2633706

The Frick Collection has reopened after a $220 million, five-year renovation, featuring a new installation called "Porcelain Garden" by Ukrainian-born artist Vladimir Kanevsky. The display includes over 30 handcrafted porcelain floral pieces, such as a lemon tree, lilies of the valley, and a wild artichoke, placed alongside masterpieces by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Goya, and Bellini. Kanevsky, a 74-year-old Jewish-Ukrainian émigré who moved to New York in 1989, originally trained as an architect and turned to porcelain as a side project, which unexpectedly became his career. All the flowers at the Frick have been sold, with prices ranging from $5,000 to $500,000, though his secondary market remains minimal.

Archibald prize 2026 finalists: Virginia Trioli, Jan Fran, Ahmed al-Ahmed and more – in pictures

The Guardian has announced the finalists for the 2026 Archibald Prize, Australia's premier portraiture award, featuring 30 works including Loribelle Spirovski's 'Fingerpainting of Daniel Johns', Vincent Namatjira's self-portrait 'The Dust Bowl', and portraits of notable sitters such as Virginia Trioli, Jan Fran, Ahmed al-Ahmed, Layne Beachley, and Governor-General Sam Mostyn. The list also includes the Packing Room Prize winner, Sean Layh's 'The tragicall historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke', and works by artists like Mitch Cairns, Marikit Santiago, and Michael Zavros, with all finalist images published in a photo gallery.

fashion dries van noten foundation venice

Fashion designer Dries Van Noten is opening the Fondazione Dries Van Noten in Venice's 15th-century Palazzo Pisani Moretta, which he and his partner Patrick Vangheluwe acquired last year. The foundation's inaugural exhibition, "The Only True Protest Is Beauty," curated with Geert Bruloot, will open on April 25, featuring over 200 works across 20 rooms. Van Noten, who handed over his brand's creative direction to Julian Klausner in 2024, remains involved in the beauty arm and store design while launching this new cultural venture.

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Howardena Pindell, the 82-year-old artist known for her dot-based abstractions and incisive video works, was honored with a Cultural Leadership Award at the American Federation of Arts’s 2025 Gala. In an interview with Cultured, she discusses her current White Cube show “Off the Grid” in London, which spans her decades-long career from early figurative work to new abstract pieces. The exhibition runs through January 18, and Pindell also reveals upcoming projects: a 50-foot-tall stained-glass mural for the University of Texas at Austin, a Dia Beacon acquisition of her works for long-term display in 2026, and her inclusion as the only living artist in the AFA’s touring exhibition Abstract Expressionists: The Women.

art arne glimcher pace 125 newbury interview

Arne Glimcher, the 87-year-old founder of Pace Gallery, opened a satellite gallery called 125 Newbury in Tribeca in 2021 after his son Marc, Pace's CEO, told him he would have to wait three years for a show slot. The gallery, named after Pace's original Boston address, operates under Pace's umbrella but focuses on experimental, scholarly exhibitions that often feature artists not represented by Pace. Glimcher recently mounted a Kiki Smith show pairing her 1990s paper mannequins with bronze birds, and he continues to take risks, such as funding a pond for Max Hooper Schneider's exhibition. Despite the gallery not being self-sustaining, Glimcher remains committed to supporting original art and connoisseurship.

Protests in Mexico Challenge Move of Frida Kahlo Trove to Spain

A heated controversy has erupted in Mexico following the decision to move a massive trove of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera artworks to Spain for a long-term loan. Protesters and cultural advocates are challenging the relocation of the Dolores Olmedo Museum collection, which includes some of Kahlo’s most iconic paintings, to a new private museum in Madrid. In response to the backlash, Mexican officials have issued public assurances that the collection remains national heritage and is legally required to return to Mexico by 2028.

Why Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s Go-Go Dancer Piece Remains Subversive

The New York Times examines the enduring power of Felix Gonzalez-Torres's 1991 performance piece "Untitled" (Go-Go Dancing Platform), in which a go-go dancer performs on a pedestal for a brief, scheduled period each day. The work, currently on view at the Art Institute of Chicago, uses the dancer's absence as a central component, creating a poignant metaphor for queer presence and loss.

First Details of the German Pavilion

Erste Details zum deutschen Pavillon

The German Pavilion at the upcoming Venice Biennale will present an exhibition titled "Ruin," featuring works by the late Henrike Naumann and artist Sung Tieu. Curated by Kathleen Reinhardt, the exhibition explores historical ruptures and the lingering effects of political and social voids following German reunification. Tragically, Naumann passed away shortly after completing her contributions, and her studio team is now working to realize her final artistic vision for the prestigious international stage.

NADA New York 2026 Welcomes 121 International Galleries

The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) has announced the 12th edition of NADA New York, taking place from May 13 to 17, 2026, at the Starrett-Lehigh Building in West Chelsea. The fair will feature over 121 galleries, art spaces, and non-profit organizations from 15 countries and 46 cities, including 45 NADA Members and 51 first-time exhibitors such as Brigitte Mulholland (Paris), The Address (Brescia), and Central Server Works (Los Angeles). Returning initiatives include the TD Curated Spotlight, organized by Anthony Elms of the Mattress Factory, and NADA Presents, a series of conversations and performances. Highlights include solo presentations by Malcolm McCormick, Jonathan Torres, Effie Wanyi Li, Xiaoyi Gao, and others.

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A shipment of artworks by artist Sam Ghantous, destined for a New York exhibition at YveYang Gallery, has been detained at Newark Airport by U.S. Customs. The works, which include prints on silicon wafers, contain materials similar to those used in microchips, leading to potential confusion over trade regulations. The exhibition, titled "your golf course made my GPU," explores the global supply chain of sand and raw materials used in technology. Gallery manager Erica Kyung reported the delay, and the artist noted that the wafers are non-functional and cannot be used in computers.

Lévy Gorvy Dayan Bets on Urgency With New LGD Hammer Sales Platform

Lévy Gorvy Dayan has launched LGD Hammer, a new sales platform that blends gallery exhibition with auction-style urgency. The first work offered is Willem de Kooning's *Milkmaid* (1984), estimated at $10–$15 million, which will be on view by appointment from May 2 until the sale on May 16. Gallery cofounder Dominique Lévy will serve as auctioneer, drawing on her Christie's experience, while bidding occurs by phone with online observation. Cofounder Brett Gorvy emphasized the platform is not a market overhaul but a response to slowed private sales and cautious collectors who still respond to competitive pressure.

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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.

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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.

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The Studio Museum in Harlem has reopened after a seven-year closure in a new building designed by David Adjaye, with Thelma Golden continuing as director and chief curator. The museum has expanded its indoor spaces, replacing a garden with a public staircase called the Stoop, and added a rooftop terrace with city views. Adjaye faced sexual misconduct allegations in 2023, leading to Pascale Sablan taking over the project, though Adjaye remains listed as founder and principal of his firm.

In Minor Keys: how Venice's international exhibition was brought to life after the death of artistic director Koyo Kouoh

The 61st Venice Biennale's international exhibition, titled "In Minor Keys," was realized after the sudden death of its artistic director, Koyo Kouoh, in May 2025. A team of five of Kouoh's collaborators, known as "la squadra di Koyo Kouoh," worked with her before her death and finalized the exhibition's themes, artist list, and scenography. The exhibition features 111 invited artists, duos, collectives, and artist-led organizations, with the team emphasizing that this remains Kouoh's vision rather than a replacement.

the push to preserve nina simones childhood home just got a 6 million boost thanks to venus williams and adam pendleton 2307161

The childhood home of legendary singer and activist Nina Simone in Tryon, North Carolina, has been fully restored after nine years of effort by an artist coalition led by Adam Pendleton, alongside Julie Mehretu, Rashid Johnson, and Ellen Gallagher. The restoration, completed with a $6 million boost from a charity auction and gala co-hosted by tennis star Venus Williams and Pace Gallery, preserved the 650-square-foot clapboard house to its 1933–1937 condition, including historically accurate materials, an ADA ramp, geothermal climate control, and a century-old magnolia tree named “Sweetie Mae.” The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund announced the completion, and the property remains closed to the public while community programming and ethical cultural tourism are being planned.