Mumbai Gallery Weekend looks beyond the city's historic art district

The 14th edition of Mumbai Gallery Weekend (MGW) is underway, running until January 12, and for the first time appoints co-leads from galleries outside the city's historic art district of Colaba and Fort. Ayesha Parikh of Art and Charlie (Bandra) and Sanjana Shah of Tao Art Gallery (Worli) helm the event, reflecting the geographic expansion of Mumbai's art scene into western suburbs and financial districts. The weekend features ambitious exhibitions, including a solo show of terracotta works by Chippa Sudhakar at Tao and a group show curated by Zeenat Nagree at Art & Charlie. MGW, co-founded in 2012 by Shireen Gandhy and other South Mumbai galleries, has grown from nine to 33 participating galleries, and now includes the Midtown Arts Collective, which represents galleries from Worli, Lower Parel, and Bandra.

Queer sexuality in Islamic art explored in Norway exhibition

A new exhibition titled "Deviant Ornaments" opens at the National Museum (Nasjonalmuseet) of Norway in Oslo, running from 27 November 2025 to 15 March 2026. Curated by Noor Bhangu, a South Asian curator and scholar based in Norway, the show explores queer desires and practices in the visual cultures of the Islamic world, bringing together over 40 works spanning 1,000 years. It connects historical objects—such as a Safavid textile, a 19th-century armband, and 13th-century Iranian wall tiles—with works by 12 contemporary artists, including Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Alize Zorlutuna, Shahzia Sikander, Taner Ceylan, Damien Ajavon, Rah Eleh, Kasra Jalilipour, and Sa’dia Rehman. Four works are newly commissioned.

An expansive monograph of Celia Paul paints a portrait of a single-minded, singular artist

A new monograph on Indian-born British painter Celia Paul (b. 1959) presents an expansive survey of her career, featuring over 500 color reproductions and essays by Hilton Als, Clare Carlisle, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Edmund de Waal, and Rowan Williams, alongside contributions from the artist herself. The book traces Paul's trajectory from her training at the Slade School of Fine Art and her decade-long relationship with Lucian Freud to her recent solo exhibition *Colony of Ghosts* at Victoria Miro in London, positioning her as a singular figure distinct from the shadow of Freud and the School of London painters.

Where are the Louvre Jewels?

Wo sind die Louvre-Juwelen?

Six months after a high-profile heist at the Louvre, investigators remain in pursuit of stolen jewelry valued at approximately €88 million. While four suspects are currently in custody, the bulk of the Second Empire-era treasures remains missing, leading to fears that the pieces may have been dismantled or melted down. The investigation has shifted focus toward how the thieves obtained a sensitive 2018 security audit that detailed vulnerabilities in the museum's defenses.

Khaled Sabsabi: Splintered Worlds

Khaled Sabsabi, a Lebanese Australian artist, explores the intersection of spirituality and perception through video and mixed-media installations rooted in Sufism. His work, such as the 18-minute video *Lefke Morning* (2012–18), captures the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Sufi Order's dawn meditations, using blurred imagery and soundscapes to challenge Islamophobic media tropes and evoke a sense of unity. Sabsabi's practice also draws on hip-hop, which he performed as "Peacefender" in the 1980s, using music to address social issues and support marginalized communities in Western Sydney.

Sun, Sea, and Security

"Sonne, Meer und Sicherheit"

The Art Cologne Palma Mallorca art fair has emerged as a strategic hub for wealthy German collectors, positioning the Mediterranean island as a safe and accessible alternative to more volatile global markets. While sales have been strongest in the lower price segments, the fair's revival highlights a trend toward 'lifestyle' art events that prioritize security and leisure. Simultaneously, the German art market faces a broader crisis of regionalization, where galleries are increasingly focusing on local buyers despite declining overall sales and a lack of transformative economic growth.

Adriana Groza Celebrates Grand Opening of Princeton Art Gallery

Award-winning artist Adriana Groza has announced the grand opening of the Adriana Groza Art Gallery & Studio at 38 Spring Street in Princeton, New Jersey, in the former Kopp’s Cycle building. The ribbon-cutting event takes place on Tuesday, November 25, from 5:25 to 7:25 p.m., coinciding with the 21st anniversary of Groza and her husband's arrival in the United States. Groza has been an active member of the Princeton arts community since 2021, maintaining a studio at Princeton Makes, an artist cooperative founded by Jim Levine. The new gallery will showcase her original paintings and serve as a hub for workshops, exhibitions, and community engagement.

pussy riot labeled extremist organization by russias justice ministry 1234767119

Russia’s justice ministry has officially designated Pussy Riot, the feminist punk rock band and art collective co-founded by Nadya Tolokonnikova, as an “extremist organization.” The ruling follows a December 15 closed-door hearing at Moscow’s Tverskoy Court, where prosecutor general Alexander Gutsan filed a lawsuit against the group. The designation bans all Pussy Riot activities in Russia and allows the state to seize property of members and their families, and to prosecute anyone supporting the group. Tolokonnikova told ARTnews the group will appeal, calling the decision a source of “anxiety and bureaucratic nonsense.” In September, five members were sentenced to 8–13 years for spreading “fakes” about the Russian military, and Tolokonnikova was placed on Russia’s wanted list in 2023 after her performance *Putin’s Ashes*.

mysterious art installation turns up on nycs north brother island 65895

A mysterious art installation featuring an outdoor living room has been discovered on the shores of North Brother Island, an abandoned site in New York City’s East River. The arrangement, which includes a vintage wood-paneled television and a leather armchair perched on a concrete block, was spotted by a local kayaker. The island, once home to a quarantine hospital and the site of the General Slocum maritime disaster, has been closed to the public since 1963.

elizabeth street garden mamdani reconsider demolition 2723645

For 12 years, a one-acre community garden in Manhattan's Nolita neighborhood, Elizabeth Street Garden, has been locked in a battle with New York City officials over plans to build affordable housing on the site. The city, under former Mayor Eric Adams, had scheduled an eviction for March 2024 to make way for Haven Garden, a 123-unit senior housing development. After a last-minute impasse, the Adams administration abandoned those plans in June, instead rezoning three nearby sites. However, newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who campaigned on closing the garden for housing, has revived uncertainty. Just before Mamdani took office, the Adams administration permanently dedicated the land as public parkland, requiring state legislative approval for any future development.

miami bakehouse art complex celebrates 40 years 2715414

The Bakehouse Art Complex in Miami’s Wynwood district is celebrating its 40th anniversary and the 100th anniversary of its Art Deco building, which originally opened as a bakery in 1926. Founded in 1985 by a group of artists who purchased the abandoned industrial bakery for $10, the nonprofit has provided studio space to over 1,500 local artists. The celebration kicked off with an exhibition titled “Bakehouse at Forty: Past, Present, Future,” attended by more than 1,000 guests, and included a gala fundraiser with affordable ticket prices. The organization is now planning to build 60 units of affordable artist housing as part of a revitalized campus.

K-Pop Band BTS Performed Two Songs from New Album ‘ARIRANG’ at the Guggenheim on Wednesday Morning

The K-pop group BTS performed two songs from their new album 'ARIRANG' in the main lobby of the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The private, phone-free event for about 150 invited fans featured the tracks "SWIM" and "2.0," with leader RM performing seated for one song due to an ankle injury.

Stephanie Chernikowski, 84, Dies; Photographed the ‘Rough Magic’ of Punk

Stephanie Chernikowski, a photographer who documented the raw energy of New York City's punk scene in the 1970s, has died at age 84. She captured iconic images of bands like the Ramones, Blondie, and the Patti Smith Group performing at legendary clubs such as CBGB, preserving the "rough magic" of that era.

Did Andrea Fraser’s Career Bloom Because Her Mother’s Career Died?

A New York Times article examines the complex relationship between artist Andrea Fraser's career and her mother's unfulfilled artistic ambitions. It details how Fraser's mother, a talented painter, largely abandoned her own practice to support her daughter's education and early career, a sacrifice that Fraser has grappled with both personally and within her institutional critique-focused artwork.

Bugarin + Castle on Representing Scotland at the 61st Venice Biennale

ArtReview published a questionnaire response from Bugarin + Castle, the artist duo representing Scotland at the 61st Venice Biennale (2026). Their exhibition, titled "Shame Parade" and curated by Mount Stuart Trust, explores charivari—medieval public shaming rituals involving sound, costume, and cross-dressing. The work draws on the artists' research into how noise and music have been used as tools of control, with particular attention to the Filipino legal definition of charivari as a punishable public disturbance. The exhibition includes sculpture, print, moving image, and a musical score created with Manila-based band Kalye Teresa, and is housed at the Olivolo, Castello pavilion.

In a Rome Exhibition, Nature Participates in the Creation of Artworks

In una mostra a Roma la natura partecipa alla creazione delle opere

Artist Pietro Pasolini presents his latest body of work, "Ossigrafie," in the solo exhibition "Il tempo inciso" at Galleria Valentina Bonomo in Rome. Moving away from his origins as a travel photojournalist, Pasolini has developed a sustainable, experimental technique that utilizes metal plates—specifically brass and copper—interacted with by natural elements like palm leaves, vines, water, and fire. These works require months to complete, as the artist allows the natural world to act as a co-creator, moving away from the environmentally harmful chemicals associated with traditional darkroom photography.

All the Poetry of the Sky on Show in a Rome Grand Hotel, Reminding Us of Our Own Complexity

Tutta la poesia del cielo in mostra nel grand hotel di Roma per ricordarci la nostra stessa complessità

Artist Giovanni Ozzola has opened a solo exhibition titled 'Il Cielo Dentro' (The Sky Within) at the Galleria Continua's space within The St. Regis hotel in Rome. The show features works centered on the sky as a metaphor for the vastness both outside and within the human experience, exploring the tension between internal and external horizons through light and abandoned architectural spaces like bunkers.

Shellburne Thurber: Full Circle

Shellburne Thurber's retrospective exhibition "Full Circle" runs from October 24, 2025 to March 21, 2026 at the Bates Museum of Art. The show surveys Thurber's decades-long photographic investigation of interior spaces—from her grandmother's home in southern Indiana in the 1970s to psychoanalytic offices published as a book in 2023 by Kehrer Verlag. Curated by Bates curator Samantha Sigmon, the exhibition traces how Thurber has consistently explored the relationship between constructed space and human energy, focusing on private, domestic, and psychological interiors that blur the line between public and private.

At the Grand Palais, the Paris Book Festival Puts Comics in the Spotlight

Au Grand Palais, le Festival du livre de Paris met la bande dessinée à l’honneur

The Festival du livre de Paris returns to the Grand Palais from April 17 to 19, 2026, marking a continued transformation from a massive trade fair into a curated cultural event. This year’s edition features 450 publishers and places a significant emphasis on comic books (BD), highlighted by two thematic exhibitions on the Balcon d’Honneur and a dedicated youth village. The program also includes a culinary-themed nocturne and the "Cabaret Extra!" performance series produced in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou.

Why western Sicily is Italy’s emerging arts hub | Sicily holidays

Western Sicily is emerging as an unexpected arts hub, driven by grassroots cultural initiatives that are repurposing abandoned historic buildings. The article highlights several key projects: the Museum of World Cities in Palermo, opening in a former convent; Farm Cultural Park in Favara, which transformed a depopulated mining town into a vibrant arts destination; Fondazione RIV in a deconsecrated church; and the artist-built town of Gibellina, which was reconstructed after a 1968 earthquake with art woven into its urban fabric. These efforts are led by local figures including Andrea Bartoli and Florinda Saievi, who have rehabilitated multiple sites across the region.

Pictorial Foundation Opens New Gallery in Newburgh with “Foundations of Practice”

Pictorial Foundation, an organization born from the international photography magazine The Pictorial List, has opened a new gallery space at 105 Ann Street in Newburgh, New York. The 1,500-square-foot gallery, located within the ADS Warehouse complex, debuts on February 7 with the group exhibition “Foundations of Practice,” featuring 19 artists whose work emphasizes process over finished results. Founder Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico, a Pratt Institute-trained artist, collaborated with her husband, architect Michael Pomarico of Pomarico Design Studio, to create a flexible system of suspended partitions that can be reconfigured for each show. The gallery grows out of a desire to move beyond the limitations of online art visibility and create a physical space for slow, thoughtful engagement with art.

San Francisco museum rejects permanent space in favour of site-specific exhibitions

The Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco (ICA SF) has abandoned plans for a permanent physical space, instead adopting a nomadic model focused on site-specific exhibitions. Its first project under this new approach launches during San Francisco Art Week at the Transamerica Pyramid Center, featuring installations by artists Lily Kwong and Tara Donovan. Kwong's EARTHSEED DOME is a 3D-printed soil structure embedded with native seeds that will bloom in the adjacent redwood grove, while Donovan's Stratagem series uses recycled CDs to create light-scattering columns inside the building's Annex Gallery.

A Calibrated Market: How 2025 Shaped the Landscape for Collectors in 2026

The article analyzes the art market in 2025, describing a year of divergence rather than a single trend. While aggregate sales remained below post-pandemic peaks, the year ended with a billion-dollar New York auction week, a record-setting Klimt portrait, and strong demand for exceptional works. Segments like Old Master auctions and the $1 million–$10 million band saw growth, while the ultra-contemporary segment struggled. Key events included the May marquee auctions in New York, the second edition of Art Basel Paris, and November sales at Christie’s and Sotheby’s, which demonstrated a split-level market with record highs at the top and discipline elsewhere.

Austin's HOPE Outdoor Gallery returns near the airport, offering walls for the public to paint

Austin's HOPE Outdoor Gallery, a landmark graffiti park, reopened on a 17-acre site near the airport after years of delay. The space features work from over 30 artists in a 6,000-square-foot gallery and on mural walls, along with a cafe and shop where visitors can buy spray paint to tag the outer walls. On opening day, attendees of all ages painted robots, band names, and colorful designs, with founder Andi Scull noting people were waiting to enter an hour before opening. The original gallery, which operated from 2010 to 2019 in the Clarksville neighborhood, was a temporary exhibit that became a long-term community hub.

Fall Arts Preview

The article previews the Fall 2025-26 arts and entertainment season in Richmond, Virginia, highlighting cultural venues and events across the city and surrounding counties. Key highlights include the new Foyer Gallery, which opens with a solo exhibition by Patrick Berran titled "Burn Blue," and the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront, which closes its inaugural season with performances by James Taylor, Leon Bridges, Steve Martin and Martin Short, and Tedeschi Trucks Band. Other venues mentioned include The National, The Valentine, and Hanover Tavern, along with events like "InLight" at Abner Clay Park and a concert by Jason Mraz.

The magic of Troy Hill—a series of unique whole house art installations in Pittsburgh

Evan Mirapaul, an art collector and former concert violinist, has transformed four ordinary homes in Pittsburgh's Troy Hill neighborhood into immersive, site-specific art installations. Inspired by Naoshima, Japan's art houses, Mirapaul commissioned artists including Thorsten Brinkmann, Robert Kuśmirowski, Lenka Clayton, Phillip Andrew Lewis, and Mark Dion to create entire-house works, such as a Cold War radio hub, a functioning lighthouse, and a natural history-filled home. The project began in 2013 and continues to expand, with Brinkmann's La Hütte Royal set to reopen in October.

Oasis Fever Hits Sotheby's: 'Liam + Noel' Portrait Set to Fetch $2 Million USD

Elizabeth Peyton's 1996 double portrait of Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, titled *Liam + Noel (Gallagher)*, is set to be auctioned at Sotheby's contemporary art sale in London on June 24. The painting is expected to fetch between £1.5 million and £2 million GBP ($2.03–$2.71 million USD). Created at the peak of the band's fame following their historic Knebworth Park shows, the portrait captures the brothers in a tight embrace, with Sotheby's specialist Antonia Gardner noting the "quiet tension" that foreshadowed their 2009 breakup. The work will be on public view at Sotheby's London galleries from June 18–24.

Christie’s Spring Marquee Week Totals $693 Million 123% Over Low Estimate - Christie's

Christie's Spring Marquee Week, held May 12–15, 2025 in New York, generated $693 million in total sales, exceeding the low estimate by 123% and surpassing the auction house's totals from both May and November 2024. The week featured six evening and day sales, led by the $272 million Leonard & Louise Riggio: Collected Works sale, with the top lot being Piet Mondrian's *Composition with Large Red Plane, Bluish Gray, Yellow, Black and Blue* (1922) selling for $47.6 million. Marlene Dumas' *Miss January* set a new auction record for a living female artist at $13.6 million, and additional records were set for Simone Leigh, Emma McIntyre, Louis Fratino, Dorothea Tanning, and Remedios Varo. The overall sell-through rate was 88% by lot, with strong bidding across all price bands.

Failed auction of $70M bronze bust stuns Sotheby’s bidders into silence

Sotheby's high-stakes Modern evening sale on Tuesday night ended in shock when Alberto Giacometti's bronze bust "Grand tête mince (Grand tête de Diego)," estimated at $70 million, failed to sell. Bidding stalled at $64.25 million, well below the reserve, and auctioneer Oliver Barker withdrew the lot. The consignment came from the Soloviev Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the late real estate mogul Sheldon Solow, who had declined an auction guarantee. The sale ultimately brought in only $152 million, far short of the $240 million low estimate, with the Giacometti representing nearly 30% of that target.

maine museum return funerary objects wabanaki nations 1234752667

The Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor, Maine, is repatriating 17 items—including a human tooth and funerary objects such as tools, animal hides, and fabric—to the Wabanaki Nations, a confederation of four local tribes (Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Mi’kmaq Nation, and Houlton band of Maliseet Indians). The objects, many excavated by Warren K. Moorehead in the late 19th century, passed through the R.S. Peabody Museum, the Bangor Historical Society, and the Abbe Museum, with some lost due to undocumented loans. A Field Register notice from the National Park Service, published September 11, 2025, details their complex provenance. The repatriation is set to occur on or after October 14, 2025.