aby rosen pays 55 million for gilded age building artist jay maisel bought for 102000 around 1966

Art collector and real estate financier Aby Rosen paid $55 million for the Gilded Age landmark building at 190 Bowery in New York, which had been owned for decades by photographer Jay Maisel. Maisel bought the property—the former Germania Bank building—around 1966 for a reported $102,000, making the sale a dramatic example of New York real estate appreciation. The building, located near the New Museum, was listed on Rosen's company RFR Holdings before he entered a contract to purchase it in August, and was subsequently re-listed for sale through Cushman & Wakefield.

kim kardashian gets authentic donald judd furniture lawsuit

The Judd Foundation has settled a lawsuit with Kim Kardashian and Clements Design over a 2022 promotional video in which Kardashian promoted knockoff versions of Donald Judd's minimalist furniture. The video, which garnered over 3.6 million views before being deleted, featured tables resembling Judd's La Mansana Table 22 and Chair 84. Under the settlement, Kardashian will acquire authentic Judd furniture from Donald Judd Furniture LLC, and both parties expressed satisfaction with the outcome.

artcurial twenty one contemporary

On June 6, 2025, Artcurial Paris will host "Twenty One Contemporary," a curated auction dedicated exclusively to 21st-century art. The sale features works by artists such as Xavier Veilhan, Barthélémy Toguo, Aboudia, Thomas Houseago, and Guillaume Bresson, spanning experimental sculpture, painting, and works on paper. Highlights include Veilhan's machine-carved birch sculpture "The Neptunes" (2015), Toguo's large-scale watercolor "Homing Pigeon" (2005), and Bresson's photorealistic "Sans titre" (2010), with estimates ranging from €15,000 to €120,000.

are trophy lots losing their luster

New York's marquee spring auctions in May 2025 tested the theory that strong supply drives demand, but results were mixed. Alberto Giacometti's *Grande tête mince* (1955), estimated at $70 million, failed to sell at Sotheby's, while Christie's withdrew a $30 million Andy Warhol electric-chair painting. The top lot of the week was Piet Mondrian's *Composition with Large Red Plane, Bluish Gray, Yellow, Black and Blue* (1922), which fetched $47.6 million from the collection of late Barnes & Noble founder Len Riggio. However, Christie's pre-sold 93% of that collection's value to third-party backers, and the house fell $26 million short of its guaranteed amount. Sotheby's avoided financial risk on the Giacometti by not guaranteeing it, still earning $34.4 million in buyer's premiums. A new record for a living woman artist was set when Marlene Dumas's *Miss January* (1997) sold for $13.6 million at Christie's, though adjusted for inflation it fell short of Jenny Saville's 2018 record.

kim kardashian art world

Kim Kardashian, the media personality and billionaire entrepreneur, has increasingly intersected with the art world through high-profile purchases, legal disputes, and controversial photo shoots. She bought Jean-Michel Basquiat's painting "Both Poles" (1982) for $5 million at Christie's in 2017, later confirmed in 2024. She faced a lawsuit from the Donald Judd Foundation in 2024 for falsely claiming two tables were authentic Judd works. She also sparked outrage with a Tesla Cybertruck photoshoot for Perfect magazine during the "Tesla Takedown" protests, and engaged in a bidding war with Tom Brady over a George Condo artwork.

state of the art market understanding regional differences in the globalized art market

Artnet News and Morgan Stanley have released an analysis of the global art market, examining auction performance by artists from different regions over the past decade. The report breaks down sales by region—North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East—and by genre categories including Old Masters, Impressionist and Modern, Postwar and Contemporary, and Ultra-Contemporary. Key findings show that North American and European artists dominate the market, while African-born artists have seen notable but uneven growth, and Asia-Pacific-born artists have experienced a marked decline.

rare basquiat sothebys contemporary auctions in new york

Sotheby's will auction a rediscovered early Jean-Michel Basquiat painting from 1981, unseen for 36 years, with a $10–15 million estimate at its Contemporary Evening Auction in New York this May. The sale also features major works from three tightly held private collections: the estate of Barbara Gladstone, the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, and Daniella Luxembourg's 'Im Spazio' group, alongside top lots by Lucio Fontana, Robert Rauschenberg, Frank Stella, and Ed Ruscha. The Modern Evening Auction includes a Pablo Picasso musketeer portrait and a Georgia O'Keeffe painting, with combined estimates for both sales reaching up to $525.2 million.

Art as seen by… Louise Bourgoin

L’art vu par… Louise Bourgoin

French actress Louise Bourgoin discusses her deep-rooted connection to the visual arts, stemming from her studies at the Beaux-Arts de Rennes. She reflects on her first art purchase in the Czech Republic, her obsession with line drawing, and how the abstract works of Mark Rothko have informed her acting performances. Bourgoin also reveals her upcoming project: illustrating a children's book written by Arthur Dreyfus, set for release in September.

How Dayanita Singh Got Into Venice’s Archives

Artist Dayanita Singh mounted a major exhibition titled "ARCHIVIO" at the State Archives of Venice, which opened to the public as an exhibition venue for the first time in its history. Without institutional funding or a public relations budget, Singh relied on a "friendship economy" to install her signature "photo-pillars"—images of Indian archival documents bound in red cloth. The show attracted visitors despite the lack of traditional promotion, as documented in an interview with Hyperallergic Editor-at-Large Hrag Vartanian.

Rare Early Basquiat Works Return to Brooklyn After HBCU Tour

An intimate collection of early Jean-Michel Basquiat works and ephemera, titled "Our Friend, Jean," is returning to Brooklyn's The Bishop Gallery starting May 16, 2026. The exhibition draws primarily from the archive of Alexis Adler, Basquiat's former roommate and partner from 1979–80, and includes paintings on sweatshirts, postcards, writings, and photographs Adler took of the artist. Originally presented in 2019, the show traveled to six historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) between 2022 and 2024, attracting 10,000 visitors and involving students in the installation process.

art collector mistake guide

The article compiles personal anecdotes from several art collectors—Laurent Asscher, Suzanne Syz, Rob and Eric Thomas-Suwall, Toby Milstein Schulman, and Danielle Falls—who share mistakes they made while building their collections. Asscher recounts buying a lesser Basquiat at Christie's before quickly reselling it to acquire a superior work at Phillips; Syz regrets buying a piece because others wanted it; the Thomas-Suwalls missed out on a Dominique Fung diptych; Schulman accidentally bought a work attributed 'after Keith Haring' at a charity auction; and Falls reflects on her early eagerness as a young trustee of the Bronx Museum.

david cancel tina knowles nancy magoon

CULTURED magazine revisits its weekly series on top art collectors, offering a peek into the homes and collections of David Cancel, Jarl Mohn, Nancy Magoon, César and Mima Reyes, and Nicola Erni. The article highlights Cancel's journey from graffiti and Keith Haring's Pop Shop to supporting Puerto Rican and Afro-Caribbean artists, Mohn's dramatic installation of a four-ton Michael Heizer sculpture, and the Reyes' commitment to women artists and Puerto Rican cultural institutions.

‘I told his family he was HIV positive’: Keith Haring’s best friend on life with the artist as unseen works go on show

A collection of unseen Keith Haring works, including a crib he painted for his best friend's unborn child, is going on display at Sotheby's New York before being auctioned in May 2025. The collection belongs to Kermit Oswald, Haring's childhood friend, and features 20 works, with a 1985 self-portrait estimated at $3m-$5m and the crib valued at $250,000-$350,000. Oswald shares intimate stories of their friendship, from childhood pranks in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, to their move to New York to study at the School of Visual Arts, and Haring's later collaboration with William Burroughs.

The Best Booths at Expo Chicago, From a 16th-Century Belgian Manuscript to a Painting of a Mariachi Band

The 13th edition of Expo Chicago has opened at Navy Pier with a streamlined selection of 130 international exhibitors. This year’s fair features a more curated and manageable scale, drawing a significant crowd of museum directors, curators, and collectors to the Windy City. Notable presentations range from contemporary Canadian artist duos to rare historical artifacts, reflecting a high bar for quality across diverse media.

basquiat estate new print pace

The estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat is releasing a new screenprint titled *King Alphonso*, available from Pace Prints starting November 5. Produced in an edition of 60, the print reproduces a 1982–83 drawing in acrylic and charcoal, referencing the Spanish monarch Alfonso XIII, known as “El Africano.” The work will be stamped and signed by Basquiat’s sisters, Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Heriveaux, administrators of his estate. The announcement follows recent estate activities, including the 2022 “King Pleasure” exhibition in New York and the designation of Great Jones Street as “Jean-Michel Basquiat Way.”

art dealer mary boone says prison was very relaxing

Mary Boone, the influential New York art dealer, has reemerged in the art world five years after her release from prison. She collaborated with Lévy Gorvy Dayan on the exhibition “Downtown/Uptown: New York in the Eighties,” featuring artists she championed like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Ross Bleckner, Keith Haring, and Julian Schnabel. In a recent interview with New York magazine, Boone described her time at Danbury Correctional as “very relaxing,” noting she went to the gym daily and read a book a day. She also revealed that Martha Stewart advised her to get a criminal lawyer early in her tax evasion case, though Boone initially ignored the suggestion. Boone served 13 months of a 30-month sentence after securing early release during the Covid-19 pandemic.

re air the rise of the red chip art world

Artnet News re-airs an episode on "red chip art," a phenomenon characterized by Cybertrucks, crypto wallets, and artists like KAWS, MSCHF, and Daniel Arsham. The episode is prompted by actor Adrien Brody's solo exhibition "Made in America" at Eden Gallery in New York, featuring mixed-media paintings of Marilyn Monroe, Basquiat-inspired motifs, and interactive elements like audience chewing gum on the wall. Brody's show exemplifies the red chip art world's blend of celebrity, commerce, and spectacle.

sothebys contemporary art auction report

Sotheby's held a three-part marathon of contemporary art auctions in New York on Thursday evening, totaling $186.1 million with fees across 68 lots. The evening included white-glove sales for the collections of legendary dealer Barbara Gladstone and veteran dealer Daniella Luxembourg, with the Gladstone offering exceeding its presale estimate. Top lots included Richard Prince's "Man Crazy Nurse" (2002–03), which sold for $3.96 million, and Lucio Fontana's "Concetto spaziale, La fine di Dio" (1963), which achieved $14.5 million. The main contemporary evening sale took in $127 million, while the overall result fell short of last May's equivalent sale of $234.6 million.

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.

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.

basquiat baby boom christies auction

Christie’s will auction Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1982 painting *Baby Boom* with an estimate of $20–$30 million during its May 14 sale of 21st-century art in New York. The work, which depicts three figures thought to be the artist and his parents, was first shown in a landmark 1982 exhibition at Fun Gallery and later appeared at Lévy Gorvy gallery in 2017 with a $30 million price tag. Its seller at that time was collector Peter Brant.

Bruno Bischofberger stirbt im Alter von 86 Jahren

Bruno Bischofberger, the influential Swiss gallerist and art collector, has died at age 86. His gallery announced the news. Bischofberger was a key figure in the international art trade, known for introducing American post-war art to Europe. He formed a close partnership with Andy Warhol, who granted him a lifelong first-refusal right on his works. In 1984, Bischofberger initiated the collaboration between Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, and also facilitated joint works with Francesco Clemente. He opened his first gallery in Zurich in 1963, showing artists like Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, Claes Oldenburg, and Gerhard Richter, and later expanded to Männedorf and St. Moritz.

10 most expensive lots sold auction march 2025

In March 2025, major auction houses, particularly in London, achieved strong sales despite the month typically being quiet. Christie’s and Sotheby’s sold ten high-value lots, led by Jean-Michel Basquiat’s *Sabado Noche* (1984) at £8.4 million ($14.5 million). A standout result was M.F. Husain’s *Untitled (Gram Yatra)* (1954), which sold for $13.75 million at Christie’s New York, marking the first time an Indian Modern artwork exceeded $10 million at auction. Other notable sales included works by René Magritte, Yoshitomo Nara, Francis Bacon, Tamara de Lempicka, Amedeo Modigliani, Paul Delvaux, Michael Andrews, and Lisa Brice.

At TEFAF New York, the Masterpiece Market Had Plenty to Celebrate

TEFAF New York returned to the Park Avenue Armory with record attendance on its Collector Preview day, May 14, featuring 90 exhibitors showcasing modern and contemporary masterpieces, antiques, decorative arts, and jewelry. Dealers reported strong sales across price tiers, including an Andy Warhol Mao sold by ML Fine Art within the first hour, a Lucio Fontana *Concetto Spaziale* for $2.3 million at Mennour, and works by Giorgio Morandi, Giosetta Fioroni, and Meret Oppenheim sold by Galleria d’Arte Maggiore g.a.m. A new secondary-market partnership, Pace Di Donna Schrader Galleries, debuted with a booth anchored by a 1956 Rothko, signaling renewed confidence in the market.

Basquiat’s 'Museum Security' leads Sotheby’s New York contemporary evening sale at US$52.7m

Jean-Michel Basquiat's 1983 painting 'Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)' sold for US$52.7 million at Sotheby's Now and Contemporary Evening Auction in New York, becoming the fifth-most expensive Basquiat ever auctioned. The work, estimated at over US$45 million and backed by an irrevocable bid, hammered at US$45.3 million to a telephone bidder represented by Sotheby's Lucius Elliott. The auction totaled US$266.8 million with fees, selling 40 of 44 lots, and combined with the preceding Robert Mnuchin collection sale—led by Mark Rothko's 'Brown and Blacks in Reds' at US$85.8 million—the evening brought in US$433.1 million.

Andy Warhol | Ace Gallery Exhibition Poster "The American Indian S… (1976) | For Sale

An Andy Warhol offset lithograph poster from his 1976-1977 "American Indian Series" is being offered for sale by Revolver Gallery in West Hollywood. The poster, designed to advertise Warhol's exhibition at Ace Gallery Los Angeles in February 1977, depicts Native American civil rights activist Russel Means, a member of the American Indian Movement. Warhol created three different posters for consecutive exhibitions at Flow Ace Gallery Paris (October 1976), Ace Gallery Vancouver (November 1976), and Ace Gallery Los Angeles (February 1977), with this blue version corresponding to the Los Angeles show. The work is signed by Warhol, includes a certificate of authenticity, and is priced at $2,860.

A Spring Journey Through the Season’s Standout Exhibitions

This article highlights a curated spring journey through major exhibitions across Europe and the US, focusing on artists represented in the UBS Art Collection. Featured shows include Catherine Opie at the National Portrait Gallery in London, Yin Xiuzhen at the Hayward Gallery, Tracey Emin at Tate Modern, Lorna Simpson at Palazzo Grassi in Venice, and Jean-Michel Basquiat at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark. Each exhibition offers fresh perspectives on the artists' practices, from photography and installation to painting and works on paper.

Louisiana reunites Basquiat's 'Heads' for the first time

The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark is hosting "Headstrong," the first museum exhibition in Scandinavia dedicated to Jean-Michel Basquiat. The show reunites 49 works on paper created between 1981 and 1984 that focus on the artist's depiction of the head—works Basquiat originally kept for himself and which were only discovered after his death. The exhibition includes the record-breaking 1982 "Untitled" painting, which previously sold for $110.5 million.

Pilar Corrias now represents Alexis Ralaivao

London gallery Pilar Corrias has announced the representation of French painter Alexis Ralaivao in partnership with New York-based Olney Gleason. The announcement coincides with Ralaivao’s debut UK solo exhibition, "Flirter avec l’abstrait," which is currently on view at the gallery’s Conduit Street location in Mayfair. Ralaivao is recognized for his intimate, diaristic oil paintings that blend 17th-century Dutch technical precision with contemporary emotional depth.

10 Chicago art exhibitions we’re most excited about in spring 2026

Chicago’s major cultural institutions have unveiled a diverse lineup of exhibitions for the spring 2026 season, ranging from historical retrospectives to pop-culture crossovers. Highlights include the U.S. debut of the Pokémon Fossil Museum at the Field Museum, a rare display of Henri Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes at the Art Institute of Chicago, and an immersive recreation of Anne Frank’s Secret Annex at the Griffin Museum of Science & Industry. Other notable shows explore the intersection of contemporary art and Caribbean music genres at the MCA Chicago and a site-specific residency by Brendan Fernandes at the Driehaus Museum.