adrien brody beniecio del toro leslie bibb top june stories

Cultured magazine's June issue features a mix of celebrity profiles and art-world news. Highlights include Benicio del Toro opening up to Scarlett Johansson about filmmaking, Leslie Bibb sharing summer style tips, and Adrien Brody promoting his solo art show 'Made in America' at Eden on Madison Avenue, alongside his musical pursuits. The issue also introduces Cultured's inaugural Young Dealers List, spotlighting 23 galleries under five years old selected from over 100 recommendations by collectors, advisors, and curators.

collectors queer art pride month

CULTURED revisits four collector questionnaires from Pride Month, featuring Rob and Eric Thomas-Suwall (the Icy Gays), Chad Leat, and Ilan Cohen. Each collector shares their personal journey, motivations, and the LGBTQ+ artists they champion, including Salman Toor, Dominique Fung, Anna Weyant, Roni Horn, John Giorno, Wolfgang Tillmans, Doron Langberg, Louis Fratino, and TM Davy. The article offers intimate glimpses into their homes and collections, highlighting how they discovered art, built relationships with dealers, and navigated collecting from remote or non-traditional locations.

critics picks in manhattan and brooklyn bridge park june

Zoë Hopkins reviews Torkwase Dyson's Public Art Fund commission 'Akua' at Brooklyn Bridge Park, a sculptural pavilion that immerses visitors in water sounds and voices of Black writers like Christina Sharpe and Dionne Brand. Paige K. Bradley covers the first-ever solo exhibition of late poet N.H. Pritchard at Peter Freeman, Inc., featuring his concrete visual poems from the Black Arts Movement. Johanna Fateman highlights the work of identical twin artists Jane and Louise Wilson.

artist lisa yuskavage interview morgan library exhibition

Lisa Yuskavage is set to have a major exhibition of her works on paper at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York, running through January. The show features dozens of drawings spanning over three decades, many of which have never been publicly shown before, discovered in her flat files by her registrar. The exhibition places her provocative figurative work—known for its vulgar, humorous, and desire-laden imagery—in dialogue with the museum's renowned Old Master drawing collection.

must see summer gallery shows new york

Cultured magazine has published a roundup of must-see summer gallery shows in New York, featuring exhibitions by Che Lovelace at Nicola Vassell, Seth Price at 15 Orient, Carrie Yamaoka at Anonymous Gallery, Kati Heck at Bortolami, Lutz Bacher at Galerie Buchholz, and Dustin Yellin at Almine Rech. The shows run through July and August 2025, highlighting a diverse range of media including painting, video collage, sculpture, and light installation, with themes spanning post-colonial identity, historical collage, reflective surfaces, mythological realism, and enigmatic legacy.

upper east side new york resurgence

A wave of new creative energy is reshaping Manhattan's Upper East Side, as artists, gallerists, and tastemakers migrate uptown. Notable newcomers include White Cube's gallery outpost (opened 2023), fashion brands like Khaite and Toteme, and fresh eateries such as Chez Fifi and Maxime's. Artist Margaret Lee, who co-founded a downtown gallery, notes the special feeling of crossing Park Avenue. Playwright Matthew Gasda observes an influx of young people while the neighborhood retains its multigenerational character. The article features nine local residents—including designer Leandra Medine Cohen and Instagram documentarian Joshua Kamei—sharing their perspectives on the area's evolution.

art basel best of art guide

Cultured's "Art Basel Best of Art Guide" highlights key exhibitions and events in and around Basel, Switzerland, during the summer art season. Featured shows include Jordan Wolfson's VR installation "Little Room" at Fondation Beyeler, a Medardo Rosso retrospective at Kunstmuseum Basel, a Meret Oppenheim showcase at Hauser & Wirth, the second annual "Air Service Basel 2025" group show at Lo Brutto Stahl, Suzanne Lacy's video installation "By Your Own Hand" at Museum Tinguely, and works by Ser Serpas. The guide provides practical details such as dates, locations, and insider tips for each exhibition.

cultured young dealers list art gallerists

Cultured magazine has published its first Young Dealers List, highlighting 23 galleries under five years old that are revitalizing the art world. The list was compiled from over 100 recommendations gathered from more than 40 collectors, advisors, and curators. The article profiles one of the selected gallerists, Adora Mba, founder of ADA Contemporary Art Gallery in Accra, Ghana, who opened her space in 2020 after working as a cultural news producer. Mba emphasizes supporting emerging African artists and has dedicated her 2025 program to women artists and curators.

larry gagosian bookhampton summer reading

Larry Gagosian, the world-renowned art dealer, has purchased BookHampton, an independent bookstore in East Hampton, after its original owner put it up for sale last fall. In an interview for CULTURED's new column "Required Reading," Gagosian discusses his reading habits, his plans to maintain the store as a community hub while expanding its art and design offerings, and shares his personal summer reading list, which includes biographies of Douglas Cooper and Albert Barnes.

shows worth traveling for summer

This article from Cultured magazine highlights several art exhibitions and museum openings around the world that are worth traveling for in summer 2025. Featured shows include Andra Ursuța's "Apocalypse Now And Then" at the Deste Foundation in Hydra, Greece; Wangechi Mutu's "Black Soil Poems" at Galleria Borghese in Rome; Ha Chong-Hyun's "Light Into Color" at Château La Coste in France; Cindy Sherman's "The Women" at Hauser & Wirth in Menorca; the 12th Site Santa Fe International in New Mexico; and the opening of the Naoshima New Museum of Art in Japan, designed by Tadao Ando. Each entry includes a brief description of the artist's work and practical tips for visitors.

liam lis child star music art collection

Liam Lis, a 23-year-old former child star who toured with Fifth Harmony and Zendaya, is now building a private art collection with his family in New York. In an interview with Cultured, he discusses key works in the collection, including Jean-Michel Basquiat's "Gringo Pilot (Anola Gay)" (1981), Damien Hirst's "Damnation" (2004), and Richard Prince's "A Nurse Involved" (2002), and credits his father, real estate developer Harry Lis, for nurturing his passion for art.

Researchers at Art Gallery of Ontario identify painter and subject of 18th-century portrait of Black woman

Researchers at the Art Gallery of Ontario have identified the artist and sitter of an 18th-century portrait of a young Black woman. The painting, purchased in 2020, is now titled 'Portrait of Eleonora Susette' (1775), revealing the subject as a woman born around 1756 in the Dutch colony of Berbice (now Guyana). The artist is Berlin-born Jeremias Schultz, who painted the portrait in Amsterdam after Eleonora Susette was brought there by her enslaver, the artist's cousin.

Can a Play Capture an Artist as Enigmatic as Henry Darger?

Can a Play Capture an Artist as Enigmatic as Henry Darger?

A new play, *Bughouse*, is attempting to portray the life of reclusive artist Henry Darger on stage at New York's Vineyard Theater. The one-man show, starring John Kelly, draws from Darger's own lengthy autobiography to depict his traumatic childhood, institutionalization, and decades of solitary life in Chicago, where he secretly created his vast, fantastical artwork and writings.

Metropolitan Museum und Neue Galerie in New York fusionieren

The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Neue Galerie in New York are merging. Starting in 2028, the Neue Galerie will operate as a satellite of the Met, renamed "The Met Ronald S. Lauder Neue Galerie." Founded in 2001 by cosmetics entrepreneur and art collector Ronald Lauder, the Neue Galerie houses a renowned collection of German and Austrian art, including Gustav Klimt's "Adele Bloch-Bauer I." Met director Max Hollein announced the merger, which also includes a donation of 13 works from Lauder and his daughter Aerin, plus an endowment for ongoing operations.

Tate Britain previews new garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Tate Britain is previewing its new garden at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, offering a sneak peek of the forthcoming Clore Garden designed by Tom Stuart-Smith and scheduled for completion in 2027. The show garden features Barbara Hepworth's 1949 sculpture *Bicentric Form*, the first work Tate acquired by the artist, alongside Mediterranean plants adapted to London's warming climate, a wildlife pond, and recycled materials from the Millbank site. After the show, the garden will be relocated to Tate Britain.

Pace Gallery Lands Brancusi Estate on Eve of Potential $100 Million Sale

Pace Gallery has secured global representation of the Constantin Brancusi Estate, announcing plans for a London exhibition this fall curated by art historian Jérôme Neutres. The news coincides with the auction of Brancusi's 1917 sculpture *Danaïde* at Christie's New York, estimated at $100 million, from the collection of late media mogul S.I. Newhouse. The estate was previously represented by Kasmin gallery, which closed last year. Pace's CEO Marc Glimcher emphasized the gallery's investment in modernist expertise and its ambition to become a market center for Brancusi works.

Inside TEFAF New York’s Annual Wealth Pageant

The 12th annual TEFAF New York fair took place at the Park Avenue Armory from May 15 to 19, attracting wealthy collectors with a mix of blue-chip art, design objects, and jewelry. Highlights included Kathleen Ryan's bejeweled 'Bad Fruit' sculptures at Gagosian, Cai Guo-Qiang's gunpowder paintings at White Cube (which sold 11 of 12 works), Sheila Hicks's textiles at Demisch Danant, and a new David Hockney painting at Annely Juda Fine Art. The fair featured 88 galleries from 14 countries, with VIP previews drawing art advisors and high-net-worth clients.

TEFAF New York Opened to Crowded Aisles, Bullish Collectors, and Strong Booths

TEFAF New York opened at the Park Avenue Armory with unexpectedly strong crowds and a buoyant mood, defying the typical afternoon lull. Dealers reported heavy foot traffic and sustained conversations, with gallerist Sean Kelly calling it the best edition in years. The fair, running through May 19, features a mix of antiquities, design, modern, and contemporary art, with standout booths including Alison Jacques’s pairing of Dorothea Tanning, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Gordon Parks, and Sean Kelly Gallery’s display of works by Shahzia Sikander and Sam Moyer. The newly launched Pace Di Donna Schrader Galleries made its TEFAF debut with works by Eugène Delacroix, Willem de Kooning, and Alexander Calder.

Inside the Unlikely Bond Between Lucian Freud and Kate Moss

In 2002, Lucian Freud unveiled a portrait of a naked and pregnant Kate Moss, a rare celebrity subject for the artist who had turned down Princess Diana. A new film, *Moss & Freud*, dramatizes the unlikely friendship that developed between the aging painter and the supermodel during the creation of *Naked Portrait (2002)*. Directed by James Lucas, the film stars Ellie Bamber as Moss and Derek Jacobi as Freud, and explores their intense studio sessions, personal revelations, and the bond that formed despite their contrasting lifestyles.

The Can’t-Miss Moments at TEFAF New York 2026

TEFAF New York 2026 opened to packed crowds at the Park Avenue Armory, showcasing a mix of historic and contemporary works. Highlights include Gagosian’s solo booth of Kathleen Ryan’s bejeweled “Bad Fruit” sculptures, Thaddaeus Ropac’s presentation of monumental canvases by Danish painter Eva Helene Pade, and Axel Vervoordt Gallery’s spotlight on overlooked Italian painter Ida Barbarigo. The fair also features collectible design and perennial favorites like Alexander Calder mobiles and Alighiero Boetti tapestries.

Rothko Leads Sotheby’s $433.1 M. Contemporary Art Sale, UK Returns Artifacts to Ethiopia, and More: Morning Links for May 15, 2026

Sotheby’s kicked off the May marquee auction season with a $433.1 million result from its modern and contemporary art evening sales in New York. The sale was led by Mark Rothko’s painting *Brown and Blacks in Reds* (1957), which sold for $85.8 million from the estate of late dealer Robert Mnuchin, who had purchased it in 2003 for $6.7 million. The auction also saw strong results for works by women artists like Joan Mitchell and ultra-contemporary artists such as Ding Shilun and Yu Nishimura. Separately, the King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum Trust in the UK returned looted artifacts to Ethiopia, including a lock of hair and blood-stained cloth belonging to Emperor Tewodros II, taken during the Anglo-Indian Expedition of 1868.

Rothko from Robert Mnuchin’s Estate Sells for $85.8 M., Leading Sotheby’s New York’s $433.1 M. Contemporary Art Sale

Sotheby’s New York held a $433.1 million modern and contemporary art sale at its Madison Avenue headquarters, led by Mark Rothko’s *Brown and Blacks in Reds* (1957), which sold for $85.8 million. The auction opened with 11 works from the estate of legendary dealer Robert Mnuchin, totaling $166.3 million, including a second Rothko and pieces by Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, and Pablo Picasso. The contemporary art segment followed, with Jean-Michel Basquiat’s *Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)* (1983) selling for $52.7 million. The overall sale was described by advisers as robust but not particularly exciting, and it significantly exceeded the $186.1 million equivalent sale from last year.

Does L.A’s Bold New LACMA Museum Work?

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has debuted a long-awaited new building designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, costing $750 million. The museum opened to the public last month with a gala for the David Geffen Galleries, and its charismatic director Michael Govan promises a new vision for how museums show art and relate to the public. Art critic Carolina Miranda joins Artnet News's Ben Davis to discuss the building's significance, having published her own analysis calling it an instant LA icon.

Dutch Designer Iris van Herpen’s High-Tech Garments Are On View in a Mid-Career Retrospective at the Brooklyn Museum

The Brooklyn Museum is opening a mid-career retrospective titled “Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses,” showcasing the Dutch designer’s high-tech garments. The exhibition features over a decade of van Herpen’s work, including the first 3D-printed garment sent down a runway in 2010, pieces worn by celebrities like Lady Gaga, Björk, and Beyoncé, and new collaborations such as an algae dress grown from living microorganisms. Organized by senior curator Matthew Yokobosky, the show originated at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and has traveled internationally before arriving in Brooklyn, where it is augmented with objects from the museum’s collections in art, science, and natural history.

The Met and Neue Galerie Embark on Historic Merger

The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Neue Galerie in New York have announced a historic merger set for 2028. The Met will acquire the Neue Galerie's Beaux-Arts mansion, renaming it the Met Ronald S. Lauder Neue Galerie (or Met Neue Galerie), while preserving its museum experience. The merger comes ahead of the Neue Galerie's 25th anniversary and its renovations from May to August 2026. Founder Ronald S. Lauder will remain involved, and the Met will supplement the Neue Galerie's programs, research, and digital initiatives. Major fundraising is underway, with the endowment target of $200 million already 80 percent met, supported by Lauder, his daughter Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer, and trustee Marina Kellen French.

The Met Teams Up with Band-Aid on Art-Themed Adhesive Bandages

The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Band-Aid have reunited for a second collaboration, releasing a new set of art-themed adhesive bandages in 2026. The bandages feature details from three flower paintings in the Met's collection: Claude Monet's *Water Lilies* (1919), Vincent van Gogh's *Irises* (1890), and Odilon Redon's *Bouquet of Flowers* (ca. 1900–1905). The 50-count assortment includes small, medium, and large fabric bandages packed in a collectible tin, available exclusively at Target for $7.29. The 2025 Hokusai collection, which sold out quickly, is also back on sale at major retailers.

Hungary’s New Minister of Culture Vows to Restore Artistic Freedom, Turner’s Famous ‘Self-Portrait’ Called Into Doubt, and More: Morning Links for May 14, 2026

An expert claims that the iconic self-portrait of J.M.W. Turner, which hangs in Tate Britain and appears on British £20 notes, was not actually painted by Turner. James Hamilton, a Turner scholar, argues the work was misattributed when it entered the Turner Bequest and may instead be by Turner contemporary John Opie. Meanwhile, Hungary’s new Minister of Culture, Zoltán Tarr, vows to restore artistic freedom and dismantle political control over cultural institutions following the election of Prime Minister Peter Magyar. The Trump administration is proceeding with construction of a contested Triumphal Arch and a White House ballroom, and a former Louvre employee has been charged in a ticket fraud scandal.

5 Art Novels to Read This Summer

ARTnews has published a list of five art novels to read this summer, all released within the past year. The featured books include Ben Lerner's 'Transcription,' Larissa Pham's 'Discipline,' Deborah Levy's 'My Year in Paris with Gertrude Stein: A Fiction,' Stephanie Wambugu's 'Lonely Crowds,' and Luke Goebel's 'Kill Dick.' Each novel explores how art emerges through relationships—with friends, mentors, parents, lovers, and historical artists—offering a range of perspectives from anxious inner monologues to satirical critiques of the art world.

The Best Booths at Frieze New York, From Cindy Sherman’s Newest Photos to UFOs

The article reviews the best booths at Frieze New York 2026, held at the Shed in Hudson Yards. It highlights eight standout presentations, including Hauser & Wirth's debut of new Cindy Sherman photographs, Andrew Edlin Gallery's themed booth featuring artists like Paulina Peavy and Melvin Way who explore extraterrestrial themes, and Carlos/Ishikawa's display of Evelyn Taocheng Wang's monumental paintings that engage with Agnes Martin and Georgia O'Keeffe. The author notes that while art fairs prioritize commerce, some galleries successfully balance good art with monetization.

‘The content, material and form support each other’: Sandy Rodriguez on her Hispanic Society Museum show

Sandy Rodriguez presents her new exhibition, *Tierra Insurgente*, at the Hispanic Society Museum and Library in Washington Heights, featuring her hand-painted maps on amate paper alongside historic codices and globes from the institution's collection. Her works blend Mesoamerican and colonial-era imagery with contemporary symbols of state violence and resistance, such as riot police, calavera-style surveillance helicopters, and references to the 2020 racial-justice protests in New Orleans. Rodriguez uses natural pigments like cochineal and hand-processed minerals on bark paper, a material once outlawed by Spanish colonizers, to create a dialogue between past and present.