German artist Kerstin Brätsch has opened a comprehensive solo exhibition titled "MƎTAATEM" at Kunstmuseum Bonn. The presentation features a vast array of works that document her experimental approach to painting, including her signature use of glass, marbling, and collaborative processes that challenge the traditional boundaries of the medium.
Isa Genzken's monumental 16-meter-tall sculpture 'Vollmond' has been installed in front of Den Frie in Copenhagen for nearly a year. The venue is now hosting the exhibition 'World Receiver,' which gathers significant works from the German artist's career spanning several decades.
The Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) is hosting "Proximities: Contemporary Art from the United Arab Emirates," a major survey featuring over 110 works by 47 artists. Co-curated by Maya El Khalil and Eunju Kim in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), the exhibition eschews traditional chronological narratives in favor of a dense, non-linear exploration of Emirati identity. The show is organized into thematic chapters led by artist-curators, featuring works ranging from Shaikha Al Mazrou’s precarious sculptures to Raja’a Khalid’s olfactory installations.
A new exhibition, "Bernini i Barberini," at Rome's Palazzo Barberini explores the profound artistic partnership between Pope Urban VIII and the young sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. This relationship, beginning in 1623, led to decades of Baroque masterpieces that transformed Rome's architecture and urban design, showcasing the papacy's use of art as a tool of power and propaganda.
An exhibition titled 'New Woman, New Vision: Women Photographers of the Bauhaus' opens at the Museum of Photography in Berlin. It focuses on the pioneering work of female Bauhaus photographers like Marianne Brandt, Lucia Moholy, and Gertrud Arndt, who used the camera to capture unconventional perspectives and explore artistic freedom during the Weimar Republic.
Jean Widmer, the influential French-Swiss graphic designer who created the iconic visual identity for the Centre Pompidou, has died at age 96. Widmer is best known for distilling the complex, high-tech architecture of Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers into a minimalist logo of black lines and a zig-zagging diagonal, a design that has remained unchanged since the museum's opening in 1977. Beyond the Pompidou, his career spanned fashion art direction at Le Jardin des Modes and the creation of France's standardized highway signage system.
This article explores the history and significance of illuminated manuscripts, correcting the common misconception that they were exclusively produced by medieval European monks. It highlights five standout examples, including the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, made for Jean I, Duke of Berry around 1411 by the Limbourg brothers, and the Book of Kells, created around 800 C.E. by monks of Iona Abbey. The article notes that illuminated manuscripts, defined by the decorative use of gold or silver, date back to the 4th century B.C.E. and span cultures from the Middle East to Africa and Mesoamerica, serving primarily as status symbols rather than reading material.
A new biography by art historian Elizabeth Goldring, titled "Holbein: Renaissance Master," traces the journey of German painter Hans Holbein the Younger from his humble beginnings in Augsburg to becoming the official painter of King Henry VIII in Tudor England. The book, already released in the U.K. and hitting U.S. bookshops on January 6, examines how Holbein's portraits—including the iconic image of Henry VIII and rival courtiers Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell—defined the visual legacy of the Tudor dynasty. Goldring highlights Holbein's ability to confer power through paint, with his works still shaping global perceptions of the Tudors centuries later.
Clémentine Bruno’s artistic practice explores the tension between presence and absence, treating the canvas as a site of temporal layers rather than a flat surface for representation. Her work emphasizes the preparatory stages of painting—the laying of gesso and the construction of supports—allowing images to emerge reluctantly through processes of sanding, veiling, and partial erasure. Recent exhibitions, such as "Educational Complex" at Tonus and "Vision of Fading" at Mendes Wood DM, highlight her interest in how institutional structures and memory maps dictate what is retained and what is forgotten.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has unveiled its new $724 million David Geffen Galleries, a long-awaited and controversial expansion designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. The structure, which spans Wilshire Boulevard with its distinctive horizontal, glass-walled design, marks the culmination of a decade-long effort to modernize the campus and replace several aging buildings.
Sue Webster's solo exhibition 'Birth of an Icon' at Firstsite in Colchester traces her lifelong obsession with pop culture, from teenage fandom of Siouxsie Sioux to her evolution as an artist. The show features a sprawling installation 'The Crime Scene' (2017–) that maps her personal history through albums, newspaper clippings, and objects, alongside painted jackets and self-portraits. It marks a departure from her earlier work as half of the duo Tim Noble and Sue Webster, embracing a more personal, amateurish style that reflects her journey through adolescence, marriage dissolution, and motherhood.
L’artista italiano che parte dall’Isola d’Elba in barca a vela per raggiungere Sant’Elena: si parla di potere e si gira un film
Italian artist Luca Vitone (born Genoa, 1964) has launched a project titled "Pro Tempore," which involves a two-month sailing journey from the Island of Elba—Napoleon Bonaparte's first place of exile—to the remote island of Saint Helena, where Napoleon died in exile. The voyage, aboard the boat Adriatica, includes four intermediate stops (Balearic Islands, Algeciras, Canary Islands, Cape Verde) and is funded by the 14th edition of the Italian Council grant, in partnership with the Fondazione Oelle. The project explores the concept of temporary power and uses Napoleon's biography and the sea as metaphors for control and instability.
Giancarlo Politi, the influential founder and publisher of Flash Art magazine, has died at the age of 89. Established in Rome in 1967, Flash Art became a cornerstone of international art criticism, famously documenting the rise of the Arte Povera movement and providing an early platform for iconic artists like Marina Abramović, Maurizio Cattelan, and Jeff Koons. Politi, alongside his wife Helena Kontova, transformed the publication into a global network that bridged European and American art scenes, effectively serving as a "hands-on school" for generations of critics and curators.
In 2025, art fairs and auction houses have deepened their integration with luxury brands, with Sotheby's and Christie's reporting that luxury items like handbags, jewels, and watches now account for a significant share of revenue—roughly a third at Sotheby's, with private luxury sales surging 350% year-on-year. Art fairs such as Frieze London and Art Basel's global editions have moved beyond traditional sponsorship, embedding luxury partners like Tiffany & Co., Ray-Ban, Stone Island, and De Beers into curated sections, mentorship programs, and immersive installations. Industry figures like Marc Spiegler and Emily Glazebrook emphasize that the most successful collaborations prioritize artists over brands, with initiatives like UBS's Unlimited sector and the Chanel Culture Fund serving as models.
W. David Marx's book "Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century" argues that 21st-century culture has stagnated, blaming the Internet and its economies for a lack of innovation. The book cites critics like Jason Farago and Alex Ross who lament the death of monoculture and the failure of the Internet's promised diversity, while Marx himself longs for a past era of linear artistic progress defined by -isms like Realism and Cubism. However, the review criticizes Marx's framework as rooted in a 19th-century positivist fallacy, noting that art history has never been a clean linear progression and that overlooked artists—such as Hilma af Klint and Hector Hyppolite—have always complicated the canon.
This episode of the Art Angle podcast, hosted by Kate Brown with co-hosts Ben Davis and Andrew Russeth, covers three major art-world stories: crypto collector Justin Sun’s escalating legal battle with billionaire David Geffen over a Giacometti sculpture; Jeff Koons’ trio of massive Hulk sculptures that debuted at Frieze New York; and the first round of the new Art Basel Awards. The discussion weaves together legal disputes, market signals, and institutional recognition.
Miles Davis, born in 1926 in Illinois, rose from a middle-class background to become a transformative figure in jazz. He left formal studies at Juilliard to play with Charlie Parker, but soon forged his own iconic sound characterized by intimate tone and phrasing, most famously on the seminal *Birth of the Cool* sessions. His career was defined by constant reinvention, pioneering multiple major movements from cool jazz and modal recording to jazz fusion, earning him the nickname "the Picasso of Jazz" from Duke Ellington.
Riyadh Art, a public art initiative led by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, is expanding its Permanent Collection with 115 new installations planned through 2026 and beyond, adding to the 75 works already installed across the Saudi capital. The collection includes works by international artists such as Alexander Calder, Anish Kapoor, Jeff Koons, Giuseppe Penone, and Ugo Rondinone, alongside Saudi practitioners like Zaman Jassim and Mohammed Al Saleem, with recent additions including Calder's 'Janey Waney' and Nobuo Sekine's 'Phase of Nothingness'.
Art Busan, celebrating its 15th anniversary, will be held from May 21 to 24, 2026, at BEXCO in Busan, South Korea, bringing together over 110 galleries from 18 countries. The fair introduces two new integrated segments: DEFINE, which expands the fair to include collectible design, furniture, and craft, and LIGHTHAUS, which transforms gallery booths into curated spatial experiences to encourage deeper engagement. These initiatives aim to move beyond purely transactional sales and speculative momentum.
"Im Moment ist die Verunsicherung auf dem Kunstmarkt extrem"
Prominent Cologne gallerist Gisela Capitain is celebrating her 40th anniversary amid a period of significant market volatility. In recent interviews, she reflects on her career—defined by long-term artist relationships like that with Martin Kippenberger—while critiquing the current state of the art world. She notes that buyers have become increasingly hesitant and deliberate, describing the current level of uncertainty in the art market as extreme and calling for reforms to institutions like Art Cologne.
A limited edition 30th-anniversary exhibition poster for the historic Warhol/Basquiat collaboration is currently being offered for sale. The work, an offset lithographic poster published by the Tony Shafrazi Gallery in 2015, commemorates the iconic 1985 exhibition that brought together the king of Pop Art and the rising star of Neo-Expressionism. Signed by the publisher Tony Shafrazi, the piece is part of an edition of 300 and is being shipped from Hong Kong.
Doris Lockhart, the US-born art collector who played a pivotal role in shaping the Saatchi collection and championing contemporary art in the UK, has died at age 88. Alongside her then-husband Charles Saatchi, she helped introduce postwar American artists like Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, and Robert Rauschenberg to British audiences, and was instrumental in recognizing the Young British Artists (YBAs) of the 1990s, including Damien Hirst and Gary Hume. After their divorce in 1990, Lockhart continued collecting independently, backing emerging talents and expanding her interests to architectural models and drawings.
Chung Sang-hwa, a leading figure of the Korean Dansaekhwa (monochrome painting) movement, died on January 28 at the age of 93. His death was reported by the Korea Times following a prolonged illness.
Emma Webster is preparing her first solo exhibition with Petzel gallery, opening April 30, featuring paintings of domestic animals like horses, cows, and dogs. The Los Angeles-based artist uses a multi-step process: building physical maquettes from clay and wire, 3D-scanning them, rendering digital dioramas in Blender, and then painting from those digital references. For the first time, she will also project the digital diorama in the gallery's entryway for viewers to interact with in real time.
APC ART is offering for sale a gray variant of KAWS's iconic figure "Along the Way" (2019), a painted cast vinyl sculpture measuring 10 × 7 1/2 × 3 1/2 inches. The work is a miniature version of the artist's 2013 wooden sculpture, originally exhibited at Mary Boone Gallery in New York. The piece features two of KAWS's signature "Companion" characters leaning on each other for emotional support. The work is brand new, in hand, signed in plate, and includes a certificate of authenticity. It is offered exclusively by APC ART, which ships from the USA.
This article, written by Brian Hieggelke, serves as an editorial introduction to a special issue focused on the visual art scene in Wisconsin. It contrasts the state's art world with that of neighboring Illinois, highlighting Wisconsin's unique, friendly quirkiness and its abundance of self-taught artists. The piece recounts a visit to the inaugural Door County Contemporary art fair in Fish Creek, noting the small scale but immense charm, and the multi-hyphenate nature of Wisconsin's art players who are simultaneously artists, gallerists, and writers. The article then provides a table of contents for the issue, covering topics from the Kohler Arts Residency to the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts, and introduces several contributors including artists, writers, and educators.
The Ford Foundation Gallery in New York presents "Body Vessel Clay: Black Women, Ceramics & Contemporary Art," opening September 10, 2025. The exhibition features over fifty works across ceramics, film, photography, and archives, bringing together three generations of Black women artists. It highlights the legacy of Nigerian potter Ladi Dosei Kwali (1925-1984) and traces how Black women artists have transformed ceramics over seventy years. Curated by Dr. Jareh Das, the U.S. debut includes new works by Adebunmi Gbadebo, Simone Leigh, and Anina Major, following critical acclaim at Two Temple Place in London and York Art Gallery in 2022.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has finally unveiled its new David Geffen Galleries, a $724 million concrete and glass structure designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. Spanning Wilshire Boulevard, the 110,000-square-foot elevated gallery space will house 1,700 works from the museum’s permanent collection, including masterpieces by Francis Bacon, Henri Matisse, and Katsushika Hokusai. The building is scheduled to open to the public on April 19, marking the completion of a massive campus expansion that has been nearly two decades in the making.
The article highlights standout booths at the Independent Art Fair, newly relocated to Pier 36 in Manhattan's Lower East Side. With 76 exhibitors, 26 of whom are presenting an artist's New York debut, the fair features notable presentations including Sprüth Magers' restaging of Gretchen Bender's 'TV Text & Image (PEOPLE WITH AIDS)', Omar Mismar's debut with abstract paintings on salvaged PVC banners referencing Lebanese protests, Carrie Schneider's large-format photographs from the Venice Biennale, and works by Kim Stolz and Raphael Egil at YveYANG. The fair runs through Sunday and aims for greater attendance and institutional influence.
British artist Lucy Sparrow will present her first U.S. museum exhibition, “The Beginning of Convenience,” at the Momentary, the contemporary art hub of Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, opening in summer 2026. The immersive installation recreates an American supermarket entirely in felt, featuring approximately 20,000 hand-sewn plush products evoking the 1980s and 1990s. Sparrow researched Walmart’s archives to curate semi-vintage items, nodding to the museum’s founding family. Unlike her previous felt installations, nothing will be for sale, and the free exhibition will include a recreation of her studio and a documentary. Sparrow will also debut a candy shop titled “Sugar Rush” at Art Miami with TW Fine Art in December 2025.