orientalist painting philadelphia penn museum auction

The Penn Museum at the University of Pennsylvania is courting controversy by consigning a major 1891 painting by Ottoman artist Osman Hamdi Bey, titled "At the Mosque Door," to Bonhams London with an estimate of $2.7–$4 million. Although the museum purchased the work directly from the artist in 1895, it was never formally accessioned into the collection, allowing the institution to bypass strict industry regulations that typically prohibit using art sale proceeds for anything other than new acquisitions or collection care. The museum intends to use the funds to establish a permanent endowment for the long-term maintenance of its vast archaeological holdings.

carol bove guggenheim museum retrospective review

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum has launched a major retrospective of Carol Bove, filling the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright rotunda with approximately 100 works spanning her career. The exhibition showcases Bove’s evolution from her early assemblages of driftwood, peacock feathers, and vintage books to her more recent large-scale, brightly colored steel sculptures. A defining feature of the show is Bove’s inclusion of "para-artworks"—pieces by other artists such as Lionel Ziprin, Agnes Martin, and Arnaldo Pomodoro—integrated into her own installations to highlight the influences and histories that inform her practice.

venice biennale neutrality national pavilions russia israel

The Venice Biennale is facing intense international backlash following its decision to allow Russia to return for the 2026 edition after a hiatus caused by the invasion of Ukraine. High-ranking politicians from 22 European nations, along with thousands of artists and curators, have signed open letters condemning the move as a platform for state-directed cultural diplomacy and war-crime whitewashing. The Biennale has defended its stance by claiming a policy of non-censorship, asserting that it accepts any nation recognized by the Italian government.

Raphael Met Museum Retrospective Review

raphael met museum retrospective review

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has launched "Raphael: Sublime Poetry," the first major retrospective of the Renaissance master ever staged in the United States. Curated by Carmen C. Bambach, the exhibition features 237 works, including rare loans of drawings and monumental tapestries that have not left Madrid since the 16th century. While some of his most famous paintings remain in Europe, the show provides an exhaustive look at the artist's development from a teenage prodigy to a papal favorite.

Newly Authenticated Modigliani Heads to Sale at Art Basel Hong Kong via Pace with a $13.3 M. Price Tag

A newly authenticated painting by Amedeo Modigliani, "Jeune femme brune" (1917–18), is being offered for sale by Pace gallery at Art Basel Hong Kong with a price tag of €11.5 million ($13.3 million). The work, the highest-priced piece at the fair, was only recently included in art historian Marc Restellini's forthcoming Modigliani catalogue raisonné after decades of authentication disputes and legal battles.

From ‘Game of Thrones’ to ‘Downton Abbey’—Iconic Costumes Go on View in Scotland

An exhibition titled "Costume Couture: Sixty Years of Cosprop" is opening at Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh, featuring over 80 iconic costumes from major film and television productions such as 'Game of Thrones,' 'Downton Abbey,' and 'Pirates of the Caribbean.' The show, which premiered last year in London, celebrates the six-decade legacy of the renowned costume house Cosprop, founded by Oscar-winning designer John Bright.

I thought my cuckoo clock was amazing, but it’s got nothing on my statue of Bert the cheery chef | Adrian Chiles

Adrian Chiles, a writer and broadcaster, recounts his acquisition of a whimsical figurine of a cheerful chef, which he named Bert after the reclamation yard owner from whom he bought it in the Black Country. He describes the personal joy and daily lift the statue brings him, contrasting it with a cuckoo clock whose novelty eventually wore off. Chiles details the statue's charming, slightly worn appearance and its role as a conversation piece, particularly due to the West Midlands slang word "bostin'" written on its menu board.

Frank O’Hara’s Curatorial Eye

The article examines the largely overlooked curatorial work of poet Frank O'Hara during his tenure at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It details his role in organizing significant exhibitions, championing emerging artists like Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns, and his influential collaborations with artists such as Larry Rivers.

From technology to Gen Z collectors, Adrian Cheng shares the key trends in Hong Kong’s art scene

Adrian Cheng, a key figure in Hong Kong's art world, identifies major trends shaping the city's art scene ahead of Art Basel Hong Kong. He highlights the convergence of major art fairs, auction house sales, and new gallery openings during the 'Art March' period, drawing a global audience with high-profile exhibitions by international artists like Mary Weatherford, Nicole Eisenman, and El Anatsui.

Shoplifting, sex shows and sheepdog-breeding: great artists and the side-hustles they did to get by

The article explores the unconventional and often illicit side jobs that famous artists historically took to support their creative pursuits. It details examples like Jean Genet's specialized book theft, Jean-Luc Godard's pilfering of books and cash, Chantal Akerman's ticket-skimming at a porn theater, and Kathy Acker's simulated sex show performances, highlighting how financial necessity drove them to inventive, sometimes desperate, measures.

Raphael Died Before 40. His Met Retrospective Begs the Question: What If He Had Lived?

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is preparing a major spring retrospective dedicated to Raphael, the Italian Renaissance master who died in 1520 before his 40th birthday. This will be his first such exhibition in the United States, aiming to reassess an artist traditionally viewed as a facile, efficient prodigy rather than a deep intellectual.

christopher columbus statue white house grounds

A replica of a Christopher Columbus statue was installed on the White House grounds under the direction of the Trump administration. The sculpture is a reproduction of a monument that was toppled and thrown into Baltimore’s Inner Harbor by protesters during the 2020 racial justice movements. Created by artist Will Hemsley using scans of the original fragments, the project was previously funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and has now been placed near the West Wing as part of preparations for the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Churchill Landscape Gets First U.K. Showing in Exhibition Tracing His Artistic Life

An exhibition titled "Churchill the Artist" has opened at Chartwell, Winston Churchill's former home in Kent, England. The show features personal artifacts like his paint-spattered Savile Row overalls and spectacles, alongside paintings, including the first U.K. display of his work "Quiet Waters," a gift to his friend Lord Beaverbrook.

Keeping up with the Kleins: exhibition brings together Yves’s talented artist family

The Stedelijk Museum Schiedam in the Netherlands has opened an exhibition titled 'Yves Klein and His Artist Family,' which presents the work of the iconic French artist Yves Klein alongside that of his father Fred Klein, his mother Marie Raymond, and his widow Rotraut Klein-Moquay. The show features 30 works by Yves and over 40 pieces by his family members, highlighting their distinct artistic contributions within 20th-century Modernism.

From Project Hail Mary to Saturday Night Live UK: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead

The article provides a comprehensive weekly entertainment guide, highlighting upcoming cultural events across cinema, music, art, and stage. Key art recommendations include a major Frank Bowling exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum, a Hurvin Anderson survey at Tate Britain, and a drawing-focused exhibition from Bruegel to Rembrandt at Compton Verney.

Czech Culture Minister Dismisses Director of Prague’s National Gallery, Generating Scrutiny

Czech Culture Minister Oto Klempíř has dismissed Alicja Knast from her position as director of Prague's National Gallery. The move has generated significant scrutiny, with critics questioning the lack of a formal explanation and the abrupt manner of her removal, which was announced without a joint press conference.

Brooklyn Museum Treasures, History-Making Guitars—and More Collectibles to Watch

The Brooklyn Museum is deaccessioning approximately 200 objects from its collection, including American furniture, artworks, and textiles, through a sale hosted by Brunk Auctions on April 9. Highlights include a rare circa 1690 walnut dressing table, estimated at $80,000–$120,000, and a late 17th-century oak cupboard. The museum states the sale is part of an ongoing effort to convert storage spaces into galleries and that proceeds will fund collection care and new acquisitions.

A Trove of Vivian Maier’s Photographs Could Rewrite Her Market

A collection of 206 sold-out estate prints by photographer Vivian Maier is being offered as a single lot in Artnet's Important Photographs auction, with an estimate of $1–1.5 million. The trove, which includes gelatin silver and archival pigment prints from the 1950s to 1980s, represents a rare opportunity to acquire a comprehensive group of her work that is no longer available through primary market galleries.

30 Iconic Feminist Works By Women Artists

ARTnews has expanded its list of iconic feminist works by women artists, adding 15 new entries to a previous selection. The article highlights specific pieces, such as Edmonia Lewis's *The Death of Cleopatra* (1876), Mary Cassatt's *The Reader* (1877), and Alice Pike Barney's *Medusa* (1892) and *Lucifer* (1902), providing historical context for each artist and their contribution to feminist discourse through art.

In a Show at Stanford, Miljohn Ruperto Trolls the Death Drive of AI Guys

Artist Miljohn Ruperto's exhibition at Stanford's Cantor Arts Center features works that critically engage with AI and technology. His piece *Fathoms (Tartarapelagic)* uses AI to generate images of deep-sea creatures from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, while highlighting that mining the minerals essential for that same AI technology is destroying their real-world habitats.

liz munsell vice president curatorial powerhouse arts

Powerhouse Arts, a nonprofit creative production facility in Brooklyn’s Gowanus neighborhood, has appointed Liz Munsell as its new Vice President of Curatorial and Arts Programs. Munsell, who previously held senior curatorial roles at the Jewish Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, succeeds Diya Vij following Vij's appointment as New York City’s cultural affairs commissioner. Alongside Munsell, the organization hired Constanza Valenzuela, formerly of High Line Art, as associate curator to support the expansion of its exhibition and residency programs.

new museum 43 million expansion

The New Museum in New York has announced a major $80 million capital campaign to double its physical footprint on the Bowery. The expansion will utilize an adjacent building already owned by the institution, increasing the total space from 58,000 to over 100,000 square feet. The museum has already secured $43 million of its goal, bolstered by a record-breaking undisclosed donation from longtime supporter Toby Devan Lewis.

massimiliano gioni interview

Massimiliano Gioni and Beatrice Trussardi have launched the Beatrice Trussardi Foundation, a nomadic art initiative that debuted with an installation by Polish artist Paweł Althamer in a remote 17th-century hut in Switzerland's Engadin Valley. The project, featuring a sculpture of St. Francis and a series of happenings, marks a new chapter for the duo who previously spent two decades staging ephemeral public art projects in Milan. The foundation aims to operate without a permanent home, bringing site-specific contemporary art to unexpected global locations.

British Museum did not remove Palestine from labels due to pressure campaign, museum sources say—as backlash continues

Over 200 cultural figures, including musician Brian Eno and writer Laleh Khalili, have signed an open letter condemning the British Museum for allegedly removing the word "Palestine" from labels in its Ancient Levant gallery. The letter, published in March, accuses the museum of historical revisionism and links the action to pressure from the advocacy group UK Lawyers for Israel, while also criticizing the museum's broader ties to Israel.

Exhibition explores how the US shaped Joan Miró—and he it

A major exhibition titled "Miró and the United States" opens at the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, exploring the profound artistic dialogue between Catalan artist Joan Miró and the United States. The show features Miró's paintings, sculptures, and works on paper alongside pieces by American contemporaries like Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner, and Alexander Calder, tracing how his visits and exposure to the New York art scene influenced his work and, in turn, inspired a generation of post-war American artists.

Remembering Axel Burrough, Kazumasa Nagai, and Éliane Radigue

This week's obituary column honors the recent passing of twelve significant figures from the global art and culture world. The list includes French experimental composer Éliane Radigue, Japanese graphic designer Kazumasa Nagai, British architect Axel Burrough, Indigenous Australian muralist Elizabeth Close, and Upper East Side gallerist Gertrude Stein, among other artists, patrons, and illustrators.

acer tags new museum graffiti

An anonymous graffiti artist known as Acer 444 successfully tagged the third-story facade of the New Museum on New York’s Bowery. The large-scale piece, featuring black lettering against a red background, was placed in a precarious, high-visibility location directly above Glenn Ligon’s neon installation. Despite the museum's security measures and its specialized aluminum mesh exterior, the artist managed to complete the work undetected before maintenance crews began removal efforts the following morning.

‘Absolutely transformative’: Willem de Kooning exhibition uncovers raw intensity of early work

The Princeton University Art Museum is presenting "Willem de Kooning: The Breakthrough Years," an exhibition revisiting the pivotal period from 1945-1950 that led to the artist's first solo show and established his reputation. The show features 18 paintings, including key works like *Black Friday* and *Dark Pond*, highlighting his intense exploration between figuration and abstraction with a restricted palette.

MoMA PS1 Rooftop Sprouts Salad Party

moma ps1 rooftop sprouts salad party

Artist Julia Sherman and urban farmer Camilla Hammer have transformed the rooftop of MoMA PS1 into a functional salad garden and social space. The initiative recently celebrated its launch with a rooftop party featuring herb-infused cocktails and fresh produce grown on-site. The garden serves as a platform for Sherman’s "Artist-Made" salad series, where notable figures from the art world collaborate on culinary creations.

7 museum openings of 2025

The global art landscape is set for a significant transformation in 2025 with the opening of several high-profile museum projects. These range from the long-awaited reopening of New York’s Frick Collection and the Studio Museum in Harlem to ambitious international debuts like the PoMo museum in Norway and the Fenix Museum of Migration Stories in Rotterdam. These projects feature designs by world-renowned architects including Annabelle Selldorf, India Mahdavi, and MAD Architects, often repurposing historic structures with bold contemporary additions.