Vasari Art Codex

article policy schedule Feb 11, 2026 visibility 1 link 8 artists, 2 galleries

trump administration removes pride flag from stonewall monument mfa boston to create people in culture position and denies targeting minorities in layoffs morning links for february 11 2026 1234773075

The Trump administration removed the rainbow Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument in New York City, citing a federal order that only the U.S. flag or official government logos can fly on National Park Service property. The move has sparked widespread outrage from politicians and LGBTQ+ advocates, who see it as an attempt to erase history and community pride.

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article policy schedule Feb 10, 2026 visibility 2 link 9 artists, 1 gallery

trump 100 days artists 2626985

Artists in the United States are facing heightened repression, including censorship, funding cuts, and deportation threats, during the first 100 days of Donald Trump's second presidential term. The administration's executive orders have targeted cultural institutions, with a campaign to purge the Smithsonian of 'improper ideology' and the gutting of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Funding for arts grants, particularly those focused on underserved communities, has been canceled or left in limbo, creating a climate of fear and uncertainty.

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article policy schedule Feb 9, 2026 visibility 3 link 5 artists

trump wants his own smithsonian npg display 2744110

The White House is pushing for a dedicated display of fan-created portraits of President Donald Trump at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. Administration officials, following a December tour, suggested installing a selection of artwork sent to the president by supporters, a move that would break with the museum's tradition of reserving multiple depictions for former presidents.

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article policy schedule Feb 7, 2026 visibility 3 link 4 artists, 1 gallery

white house trump display smithsonian portrait gallery 1234772720

In mid-December, Abby Jones, acting chief of protocol at the State Department, suggested during a tour of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery that the museum create a dedicated gallery featuring multiple images of President Donald Trump, in addition to his official portrait. The White House later noted it regularly receives artworks depicting Trump from supporters and proposed displaying some at the museum, though no formal request has been made. The discussion follows the gallery’s recent replacement of Trump’s official photograph with a more flattering image and the removal of wall text referencing his two impeachments, which the museum described as part of a broader exhibition update.

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trending_up market schedule Feb 4, 2026 visibility 3 link 2 artists, 4 galleries

Stephen Friedman Gallery goes into administration after 30 years

Stephen Friedman Gallery, a prominent London-based contemporary art gallery, has entered administration and closed its doors after 30 years in business. The gallery had recently expanded, opening a new space in New York and moving to larger premises in London, but financial strain from construction costs, rent, and a downturn in the art market led to its collapse. The gallery's closure was confirmed just as Art Basel Qatar opened, where its planned solo booth was taken over by the represented artist's estate and another gallery.

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article local schedule Feb 3, 2026 visibility 1 link 1 gallery

Columbia High School Senior Wins Merit Award at Statewide Art Exhibition

Columbia High School senior Francie Christensen won a Merit Award for her photograph "Sarah" at the Art Administrators of New Jersey (AANJ) Emerging Artists Exhibition. The awards ceremony was held at the James Howe Gallery at Kean University, recognizing exceptional high school visual artists from across the state.

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article policy schedule Feb 2, 2026 visibility 1 link 8 artists, 2 galleries

biggest museums moments 2025 2719276

The past year saw major museum events dominated by high-stakes thefts and political interference. The Louvre in Paris suffered a shocking $102 million jewel heist in broad daylight, leading to arrests and an €80 million security overhaul. Other European museums, including the Drents Museum in the Netherlands, were also targeted, raising fears of an organized criminal network.

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article policy schedule Jan 28, 2026 visibility 3 link 4 artists

slavery exhibit removal independence park josh shapiro suit 1234771206

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro filed an amicus brief supporting Philadelphia's lawsuit against the Trump administration's removal of an exhibit about slavery at Independence National Historical Park. The exhibit, "Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation," memorialized nine enslaved people who worked at the President's House Site and included panels on the slave trade and economy. The Interior Department removed it citing President Trump's March 2025 executive order against what it called "historical revision." Philadelphia's suit argues the removal violated a 2006 agreement requiring city approval for exhibit changes.

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article policy schedule Jan 27, 2026 visibility 2 link 4 artists

composer philip glass withdraws symphony kennedy center 1234771138

Composer Philip Glass has withdrawn his Symphony No. 15, a commissioned work honoring Abraham Lincoln, from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ahead of its scheduled premiere by the National Symphony Orchestra in June. Glass informed the center in a letter on Tuesday, stating that the Kennedy Center's current values are in direct conflict with the symphony's message, calling the decision an obligation. He joins soprano Renée Fleming in severing ties, while the Washington National Opera has already relocated due to low attendance. The center's board voted to add President Donald Trump's name to the institution in December, a move questioned for its legality and opposed by Kennedy family members and Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty.

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article policy schedule Jan 23, 2026 visibility 1 link 4 artists, 1 gallery

US National Park Service removes slavery memorial at Philadelphia historic site

The US National Park Service has removed an outdoor exhibit titled “Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation” at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. The exhibit, which focused on nine people enslaved by George Washington and explored the paradox between slavery and freedom in the nation's founding, was dismantled following a directive from President Donald Trump to eliminate “corrosive ideology” from cultural heritage sites. The removal, captured on social media on January 22, aligns with a March 2025 executive order instructing the NPS to emphasize American achievements and avoid materials that “inappropriately disparage Americans.”

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article culture schedule Jan 21, 2026 visibility 2 link 11 artists, 2 galleries

art trends 2026 2738010

Art critic Ben Davis reflects on the cultural landscape of early 2026, identifying a chaotic aesthetic defined by AI-generated imagery, esoteric Nazi dog whistles, internet trolling, and gaudy luxury, which he calls the "Chaotic Style." He also discusses the muted response to the 2025 Fall of Freedom initiative, the ongoing credibility crisis of liberal institutions over Gaza, and the need for serious AI criticism that moves beyond dismissing it as "slop."

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article news schedule Jan 21, 2026 visibility 2 link 19 artists, 12 galleries

paint drippings art industry news jan 19 2738212

This week's art industry roundup covers a flurry of developments across art fairs, auction houses, galleries, and museums. A new boutique fair called Enzo will launch alongside Frieze Los Angeles in an Echo Park warehouse with 10 New York galleries, while Felix Los Angeles returns to the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel with 50 exhibitors. Art Cologne's revived Palma Mallorca fair announces 88 exhibitors for its April debut. At auction, Christie's London will offer the Vanthournout collection of modernist and Surrealist works, including a Magritte painting estimated at $4.7 million, while Bonhams sells rare Oscar Wilde materials and three Bob Ross paintings. In gallery news, Roland Augustine steps down at Luhring Augustine, Lehmann Maupin opens a London space, and several galleries announce new artist representations. Museums see leadership changes at the Park Avenue Armory and Wrightwood 659, and the Rijksmuseum plans a new sculpture garden.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jan 20, 2026 visibility 3 link 5 artists

michelangelo florence art trail 2738744

Seven museums in Florence have merged to form the Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze e Musei del Bargello, creating the world's largest collection of works by Michelangelo. The new complex includes the Bargello National Museum, the Medici Chapels, Palazzo Davanzati, Orsanmichele, Casa Martelli, the former Church of San Procolo, and the Accademia, home to Michelangelo's David. Starting March 15, joint tickets will be available, with a system-wide pass costing €38 for 72 hours. Ticket prices at individual museums will rise on February 1, and three themed tours will launch in May, including one focused on Michelangelo's innovations.

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article policy schedule Jan 20, 2026 visibility 1 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

neh awards grants promote classical art conservative values 1234770194

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded $75.1 million to 84 projects in its first grant round since President Donald Trump dismissed nearly all members of the National Council on the Humanities. The largest grants—$10 million each—went to the University of Texas at Austin and the Foundation for Excellence in Higher Education (FEHE), with other significant awards to the Abigail Adams Institute, Grand Central Atelier, and the Museum of the American Revolution. Many funded projects emphasize American exceptionalism, classical philosophy, civics, and Western canonical texts, reflecting the Trump administration's conservative priorities.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jan 20, 2026 visibility 3 link 7 artists, 2 galleries

claire tabouret notre dame windows grand palais 2732150

French artist Claire Tabouret is presenting her full-scale maquettes for Notre-Dame Cathedral's new stained glass windows at the Grand Palais in Paris, in an exhibition titled "In a Single Breath." The six windows, each over 20 feet tall, were selected by a committee from over 100 submissions last December, replacing 19th-century designs by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. The project has sparked controversy: conservation group Sites and Monuments launched a petition with over 328,000 signatures and a legal case arguing the replacement violates the 1964 Venice Charter and French historic monuments law. A Paris administrative court ruled in favor of the state in late November, but the group plans to appeal. Tabouret's designs are now being fabricated by the historic Atelier Simon-Marq glass workshop.

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article policy schedule Jan 19, 2026 visibility 1 link 4 artists

National Endowment for the Humanities awards $75.1m to 84 projects across the US

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded $75.1 million to 84 projects across the United States, marking the first grants since the Trump administration dismissed most members of the National Council on the Humanities. Major recipients include the University of Texas at Austin and the Foundation for Excellence in Higher Education, each receiving $10 million for programs focused on civics, strategy, and "Great Books." Other notable grants include $2.2 million for Philadelphia's Museum of the American Revolution and $2 million for Grand Central Atelier, a small art school in Queens that teaches classical realist techniques.

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article policy schedule Jan 15, 2026 visibility 1 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

trump eyes park near jefferson memorial garden of heroes 1234769973

The Trump administration is considering West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C., as the site for its proposed “National Garden of American Heroes,” a sculpture garden featuring statues of American historical figures. According to anonymous sources cited by the Washington Post, the park—located near the Jefferson Memorial and memorials to Martin Luther King Jr. and Franklin D. Roosevelt—may require an exemption under the Commemorative Works Act if the southern tip is used. The project, first announced in January 2021, received $40 million in congressional funding through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025, and the National Endowment for the Humanities launched a new grant program for statue design after canceling most of its existing grants.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jan 15, 2026 visibility 1 link 7 artists, 1 gallery

Newport Art Museum Busy with Members Revival and Speaker Series

The Newport Art Museum is reviving its Members Annual Juried Exhibition, titled "Springboard," on January 22, after discontinuing the tradition years ago. The show features 140 works by 112 artists, including local Newport figures like brothers Rupert and Sandy Nesbitt, Natasha Harrison, and James Baker, as well as international participants such as Salvadoran artist Oscar Molina, who will represent his country at the 2026 Venice Biennale. The museum is also launching a companion watercolor exhibition by longtime member Pamela Granbery and inaugurating its 97-year-old Winter Speakers Series on January 24 with stone carver Nick Benson.

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article policy schedule Jan 14, 2026 link 6 artists, 5 galleries

warhol foundation fall 2025 grants 1234769877

The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts has announced its Fall 2025 grant recipients, awarding over $4 million to 57 arts organizations across 17 states, Washington, D.C., and two international locations. Grantees range from established institutions like the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and Independent Curators International to smaller artist-run spaces such as Mini Mart City Park in Seattle and Transformer in Washington, D.C. Twenty organizations are first-time recipients, including Path with Arts in Seattle and Access Gallery in Denver. Exhibition support covers solo shows for artists like Ching Ho Cheng, Gisela Colón, and Leilah Babirye, as well as group exhibitions such as “Telenovelas” at the Americas Society and the Counterpublic 2026 Triennial.

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trending_up market schedule Jan 14, 2026 visibility 1 link 2 artists

more bob ross paintings auction bonhams 1234769858

Three paintings by Bob Ross, the beloved host of PBS's *The Joy of Painting*, will be auctioned at Bonhams on January 27 as part of a 30-work consignment benefiting American Public Television (APT). The works—*Valley View* (1990), *Change of Seasons* (1990), and *Babbling Brook* (1993)—carry combined estimates up to $155,000. Previous Ross sales through Bonhams have been strong, including a November auction that brought $662,000 for three works and a separate sale exceeding $1 million organized by comedian John Oliver.

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article news schedule Jan 14, 2026 visibility 2 link 9 artists, 2 galleries

canceled south africa pavilion artist and curator appeal to president roland augustine steps down morning links for january 14 2025 1234769849

South Africa's government abruptly canceled its pavilion at the 2025 Venice Biennale, pulling the plug on artist Gabrielle Goliath's video installation "Elegy" just days before the deadline. The work, a ritual of mourning featuring seven women singers sustaining a single B note, was dedicated to victims of femicide and expanded to include references to Namibia and Gaza. Sports, Art, and Culture minister Gayton McKenzie deemed the Gaza section "divisive," prompting Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo to appeal directly to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the foreign ministry. Meanwhile, the Smithsonian Institution submitted photographs of wall labels and exhibition texts to the Trump Administration in response to a "content review" ultimatum, with Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III confirming compliance while asserting curatorial authority. Roland Augustine, cofounder of Luhring Augustine, announced he is stepping down to focus on philanthropy, marking a transition for the New York gallery.

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article culture schedule Jan 14, 2026 visibility 2 link 4 artists

artist renee good last words new york ice office 1234769759

Performance artist Maria De Victoria spent Tuesday chanting the last words of Renee Nicole Good—a poet and mother killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis—outside the ICE field office in New York City's Jacob K. Javits Federal Building. Dressed in a coat bearing Good's phrase "I'm not mad at you, dude," De Victoria performed the endurance piece from sunrise to sunset as an act of dissent against federal immigration crackdowns. The work concluded with a silent vigil, and De Victoria, an immigrant from Peru represented by Desnivel Gallery, has a history of politically charged endurance performances.

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article news schedule Jan 14, 2026 visibility 1 link 8 artists, 2 galleries

no ice protest art new york 2736915

Activists took to the streets across the U.S. over the weekend of January 11, 2026, for "No War, No Kings, No ICE" protests, sparked by the killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent and the U.S. invasion of Venezuela. In New York City, a coalition of 11 activist groups led by the NYC Democratic Socialists of America organized a march starting at Grand Army Plaza, featuring protest art including giant grayscale posters of Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Representative Jeffries, as well as signs designed by Brooklyn artist Julie Peppito. An estimated tens of thousands attended the New York rally, part of some 1,000 protests nationwide.

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article policy schedule Jan 13, 2026 visibility 2 link 4 artists

us withdrawal un cultural organizations alarm 2736000

President Donald Trump has withdrawn the United States from 66 international organizations, including several that safeguard creative rights and freedoms, via a January 7 memo. The New York-based Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) expressed deep concern, particularly over the impact on its partner, the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA). ARC listed affected organizations such as the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, the Freedom Online Coalition, the UN Democracy Fund, UN Women, the UN Alliance of Civilizations, and the International Development Law Organization, all of which support artistic freedom, cultural heritage, and protections for artists under threat.

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person people schedule Jan 13, 2026 visibility 2 link 10 artists, 2 galleries

kim sajet milwaukee art museum 2683680

Kim Sajet, former director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery (NPG), has been appointed as the new director of the Milwaukee Art Museum, starting September 22. She left the NPG in June after a high-profile clash with President Donald Trump over diversity initiatives and funding. Sajet brings extensive experience from museums in the Netherlands and Australia, and during her 12-year tenure at the NPG, she doubled attendance and raised $85 million. She replaces Marcelle Polednik, who departed in May after nine years.

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article policy schedule Jan 13, 2026 visibility 2 link 7 artists, 1 gallery

Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery removes wall text mentioning Trump’s impeachments

The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, has removed wall text accompanying a portrait of Donald Trump that mentioned his two impeachments. The text, part of the America's Presidents exhibition, listed Trump's achievements and noted he was impeached for abuse of power and incitement of insurrection, then acquitted by the Senate. The portrait by Matt McClain was replaced with a black-and-white photo by Daniel Torok, with a simplified label stating only Trump's birth year and status as the 45th and 47th president. The museum says it is beginning a planned update of the gallery, which will close from April 6 to May 14.

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article policy schedule Jan 13, 2026 visibility 1 link 2 artists, 2 galleries

Why is the French government spending millions on art no one sees?

The French government agency Centre national des arts plastiques (CNAP), established in 1982 to support living artists and collect their work, has come under scrutiny following two opposing government reports. A July white paper by Martin Bethenod recommended refocusing CNAP's acquisitions on France-based artists and galleries, while a November report from the Cour des Comptes by Julien Aubert found the agency financially fragile and redundant, noting that 24,472 works—one quarter of its collection—have never been exhibited. Aubert recommended closing the CNAP by 2030, sparking backlash from over 1,000 art professionals who signed an open letter criticizing the ideological attack on public cultural service.

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article news schedule Jan 12, 2026 visibility 1 link 1 artist

sasha suda philadelphia art museum ceo title removed 1234769452

Sasha Suda, the former director and CEO of the Philadelphia Art Museum, gave her first extensive interview since her firing last November to Philadelphia Magazine, alleging that the board attempted to strip her of the CEO title. She claims former board chair Leslie Anne Miller initially offered both roles but later tried to separate them, only allowing her to hold both temporarily. Suda says she rejected the revised offer, leading the board to backpedal. The article also reveals that Suda placed chief curator Carlos Basualdo on administrative leave in 2024, a decision that upset some trustees and may have contributed to tensions. Suda was abruptly fired on Election Day via email citing "cause," and she and the board have traded allegations over misuse of funds and unfair investigations.

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article news schedule Jan 12, 2026 visibility 2 link 8 artists, 3 galleries

smithsonian drops text about trumps impeachments legendary painter beatriz gonzalez dies at 93 morning links for january 12 2025 1234769447

The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery removed wall text referencing President Donald Trump's two impeachments from its "America's Presidents" exhibition after installing a new portrait of him. The original label had noted Trump's political accomplishments and his impeachments for abuse of power and inciting insurrection, which had reportedly been a sore point for the Trump administration. Separately, Colombian painter Beatriz González died at age 93; she was known for reworking Old Master paintings in garish colors and later addressing political upheaval in her country.

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article policy schedule Jan 12, 2026 visibility 1 link 5 artists, 2 galleries

smithsonian drops wall text mentioning trumps double impeachment 1234769438

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery has removed wall text referencing President Trump’s two impeachments from its “America’s Presidents” exhibition after installing a new black-and-white portrait of him by White House photographer Daniel Torok. The original label noted Trump’s impeachments for abuse of power and inciting insurrection, but the revised text now identifies him only as the 45th and 47th president and his birth year. The change follows years of contention from the Trump administration, which compiled a list of complaints accusing former director Kim Sajet of political bias; Sajet resigned, and Elliot Gruber now serves as acting director.

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