what would happen to auction houses if luxury art sales

Major auction houses including Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips are experiencing a significant shift as luxury goods—such as cars, watches, handbags, and jewelry—see explosive growth while fine art sales decline. In 2025, fine art sales at the 'Big Three' fell by 35% to $7.04 billion, whereas luxury auction sales rose 18% to $1.84 billion. This trend is most visible at Sotheby’s, where luxury now accounts for a third of total revenue, driven by massive private sales and strategic expansions into sectors like collector cars.

Sotheby’s London Notches $63.3 Million Contemporary Sale, as Francis Bacon Portrait Soars

Sotheby's London held a contemporary evening sale on Thursday, totaling £47.6 million ($63.3 million), a significant increase from the £37.6 million ($49.2 million) achieved in the same Frieze-timed sale last year. The auction featured 27 lots, with a sell-through rate of 89%, and was led by Francis Bacon's *Portrait of a Dwarf* (1975), which sold for £13 million ($17.5 million), well above its high estimate. Tom Eddison, Sotheby's co-head of contemporary art, took the rostrum for his first marquee evening auction, guiding measured bidding that saw confident competition, including a cross-Channel contest for the top lot, ultimately won by Johan Nauckhoff for a client.

Olivia Bourrat revient au Quai Branly

Olivia Bourrat, a 45-year-old chief heritage curator trained at the École du Louvre, the INP, and the Sorbonne, has been appointed director of the heritage and collections department at the Musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac in Paris. She succeeds Anne-Solène Rolland, and returns to the museum after previous stints there, as well as at France-Muséums, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the French Ministry of Culture, and Paris Musées.

Hervé Barbaret s’éloigne de France-Muséums

Hervé Barbaret, aged 60, will step down as director general of France-Muséums on April 30, returning to the Cour des comptes (Court of Auditors). He had led the organization since 2019. Barbaret, a former student of the École Nationale d'Administration (ENA) and a senior counselor, previously served as general administrator of the Louvre, overseeing the Louvre-Lens project, the Department of Islamic Arts, and Louvre Abu Dhabi. He also directed the Mobilier national and was secretary general of the Ministry of Culture. France-Muséums coordinates French museum expertise internationally, from Louvre Abu Dhabi to a project in New Delhi. His successor has not yet been announced.

Christie's and Sotheby's end 2025 with increased sales, thanks to luxury goods, trophy lots and private deals

Christie's and Sotheby's both reported increased total projected revenue for 2025, reversing two years of market decline. Sotheby's led with $7bn in global sales (up 17%), boosted by a record $236.3m sale of Klimt's *Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer* and strong luxury sales. Christie's posted $6.2bn overall (up 6%), with private sales accounting for 24% of revenue and Old Masters rising 24% year-on-year. Both houses saw significant growth in the second half of 2025 and continued expansion in luxury categories, though Asian art and Asia Pacific buyer spending declined at Christie's.

Exhibition in Abu Dhabi marks collaboration between Korean and Emirati institutions

A partnership exhibition titled "Layered Medium: We Are in Open Circuits" has opened at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi, featuring 29 Korean contemporary artists from the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) collection. Organized with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), the show includes works by Nam June Paik, Haegue Yang, Lee Bul, and others, and runs until 30 June. A reciprocal exhibition of Emirati artists, "Intense Proximities," will open at SeMA in December 2025. The curators, Maya El Khalil and Kyung-hwan Yeo, chose to present each country's art scene separately to allow full appreciation on its own terms.

Russia and Israel cannot win any prizes at the next Venice Art Biennale 2026. The jury takes a stand

Russia e Israele non potranno vincere nessun premio alla prossima Biennale Arte di Venezia 2026. La giuria prende posizione

The international jury for the 61st Venice Biennale, led by Solange Farkas, has unanimously declared it will not consider countries whose leaders are currently accused of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. This means Russia and Israel are excluded from competing for the Golden Lion awards, including Best National Participation and Best Artist. The jury's statement, published on e-Flux Notes, emphasizes the Biennale's historical role as a platform connecting art with contemporary urgencies and acknowledges the complex relationship between artistic practice and state representation.

Building Through Change, Jean-David Malat, Founder of JD Malat Gallery on resilience, risk and the evolving art scene in Dubai

Jean-David Malat, founder of JD Malat Gallery, opened a new outpost in Downtown Dubai in early 2025, expanding from his established Mayfair space in London. The gallery launched with a group show, *Carte Blanche*, and has since hosted solo exhibitions, with plans for a *Made in UAE* initiative that received over 1,000 applications. Malat cites the slowing London market and growing momentum in the UAE as key factors in his decision to invest in Dubai, where he spent a month building relationships with collectors and the local community before opening.

421 is 10: Abu Dhabi’s 421 Arts Campus celebrates decade of proud achievement

Abu Dhabi's 421 Arts Campus, an independent arts platform supporting emerging artists from the UAE and the SWANA region, celebrates its 10-year anniversary on November 15, 2025. Over the past decade, it has supported over 1,500 creative practitioners, presented more than 50 exhibitions, commissioned hundreds of new works, and delivered around 2,000 programs including residencies, grants, and public events. It has also mentored over 60 interns and worked with more than 250 regional designers through its Dukkan421 design store.

Details on French museum works in Abu Dhabi

Des précisions sur les œuvres des musées français à Abu Dhabi

French museums and cultural institutions, including the Louvre, Versailles, the Centre Pompidou (Beaubourg), and the Musée d'Orsay, are refusing to disclose which specific artworks from their collections are currently on loan and on display at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. This lack of transparency occurs despite heightened regional security risks, including the threat of Iranian strikes. The French Ministry of Culture claims it is in close contact with UAE authorities to ensure the protection of the loaned works.

birkin bag jane birkin sold sothebys 2 8 million

A black leather Hermès Birkin bag previously owned by actress and style icon Jane Birkin sold at Sotheby’s for $2.9 million on December 5 at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi. The bag, known as Le Birkin Voyageur, features an inscription written by Birkin in 2007 for a charity auction supporting the International Federation for Human Rights, along with a sketch of a reclining female nude. It had been in private hands since that auction and was sold as part of a 4-day luxury goods sale. The bag exceeded its estimate of $240,000-$400,000 but fell short of the record $10 million paid for the original Birkin prototype earlier this year.

Inside the UAE Pavilion at Venice Biennale, a whisper becomes a portrait of a nation

The UAE Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale presents 'Washwasha,' an exhibition curated by Bana Kattan with assistant curator Tala Nassar. The show features six artists—Mays Albaik, Jawad Al Malhi, Farah Al Qasimi, Alaa Edris, Lamya Gargash, and Taus Makhacheva—whose works explore the concept of whispering in Arabic, encompassing oral history, language, rumor, and daily noise. Installations include glass sculptures, sound-based pieces from barbershops and farms, and a reconstructed hammam installation by Al Malhi that plays recordings of wedding rituals. The exhibition runs until November 22.

Leaning on luxury goods, Sotheby's launches auction week in Abu Dhabi

Sotheby's will hold its first auction week in Abu Dhabi this December, partnering with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). The event, which includes auctions, exhibitions, and events from October through December, focuses on luxury goods such as cars, jewelry, and watches, targeting ultra-high net worth individuals. Highlights include the sale of the 31.86-carat 'Desert Rose' diamond and a 'Triple Crown' car collection in collaboration with McLaren Racing. The move follows ADQ's $1 billion minority stake in Sotheby's in October 2024.

Museum of Islamic Art Hosts Empire of Light Exhibit Through May 2026

The Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar, is hosting the 'Empire of Light: Visions and Voices of Afghanistan' exhibition, running through May 30, 2026. The show features rare Afghan artifacts, illuminated manuscripts, and contemporary works, curated by Nicoletta Fazio, and is partnered with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. The museum, designed by I.M. Pei and opened in 2008, also offers weekend bazaars at MIA Park, enhancing the visitor experience with local crafts and jewelry.

stella alliance women art collectors global connection

Chimere Cissé and Greta Scarpa founded STELLA Alliance in November 2024, a global community dedicated to uplifting and connecting women art collectors. The platform offers invitation-only workshops, curated Art Drops featuring works vetted by curators and gallerists, and international gatherings from Milan to Abu Dhabi. In an interview with CULTURED ahead of Frieze London, the founders discuss their mission to close the gender gap in art collecting and build a network that prioritizes long-term cultural stewardship over short-term market trends.

Design Miami will expand to Dubai

Design Miami has announced plans to launch a new edition in Dubai in early 2027, in partnership with the Dubai-based cultural enterprise Alserkal. The fair, currently celebrating its 20th anniversary in Miami Beach, also runs an annual edition in Paris, while its Basel show was suspended earlier this year. The inaugural Design Miami Dubai will be led by Vilma Jurkute, executive director of Alserkal, Jennifer Roberts, CEO of Design Miami, and Jesse Lee, chairman of Design Miami and founder of Basic.Space, which acquired the fair in 2023. Beyond the annual event, the collaboration will establish a year-round programme of design talks and educational initiatives.