Art News. Vasari Codex

museum exhibitions schedule Oct 4, 2025 visibility 16 link 2 artists

acropolis michael rakowitz athens allspice mesopotamia

Michael Rakowitz's survey exhibition "Allspice" at the Acropolis Museum in Athens explores themes of cultural displacement, looting, and historical narrative through works like his series "The invisible enemy should not exist" (2007–), which reconstructs looted artifacts from Baghdad's National Museum of Iraq using Arabic food wrappers and newspapers. The show also features his 2004 video "Return," documenting his effort to import Iraqi dates labeled as "product of Iraq" to the US after decades of sanctions, and includes interventions with the museum's own collection, such as a Cypriot head he linked to Assyrian art.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article policy schedule Oct 1, 2025 visibility 21 link 9 artists

mika rottenberg says trumps smithsonian situation is fucked up

Artist Mika Rottenberg, whose work is included in an upcoming show at the Smithsonian-run Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, called the Trump administration's interference with the Smithsonian "fucked up" in a Vanity Fair article. She praised Amy Sherald for canceling a Smithsonian show, calling it "amazing." British artist Richard Long also expressed concern about the administration "strangling everything" at the institution. The article notes that many other artists with works slated for Smithsonian presentations—including Nick Cave, Paul Chan, Olafur Eliasson, Spencer Finch, and Rashid Johnson—declined to speak to Vanity Fair, reflecting a cautious environment. Dread Scott, however, has been vocal, calling for the regime to be driven from power and urging art institutions to support dissenting artists.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Oct 1, 2025 visibility 15 link 3 artists

british museum ball international partnerships

The British Museum in London has announced a new fundraising event called the British Museum Ball, scheduled for October 18, with a pink theme inspired by the colors and light of India, tied to its exhibition 'Ancient India: Living Traditions.' The gala will be co-chaired by Isha Ambani, a patron of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai, and will feature a silent auction, music by Anoushka Shankar and Jules Buckley, and a guest list including Zadie Smith, Naomi Campbell, Idris Elba, Miuccia Prada, and others. Proceeds will support the museum's international partnerships and its goal of making its collection more accessible worldwide.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Sep 23, 2025 visibility 22 link 7 artists

turner prize reactions 2025 mohammed sami

The Turner Prize 2025 exhibition has opened at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Bradford, England, featuring four nominated artists: Mohammed Sami, Nnena Kalu, Rene Matić, and Zadie Xa. Critics have largely rallied behind Sami, a Baghdad-born, London-based painter whose large-scale works obliquely address war and memory, with several reviewers calling him a shoo-in for the award. The only major dissenter is Adrian Searle of the Guardian, who favors Kalu's sculptural works made from tape, fabric, and cable ties. The show has received mixed to positive reviews, with some critics noting the shortlist's focus on identity and diversity.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Sep 20, 2025 visibility 19 link 11 artists

sothebys karpidas sale white glove smashes estimate

Sotheby's achieved a white-glove sale of Pauline Karpidas's collection on Wednesday night, far exceeding its $53 million high estimate to reach $100 million. All 55 lots sold, with 70% surpassing their high estimates, marking the highest total for a designated auction held in London. Two additional sales from the collection are ongoing: a day auction of 193 lots and an online sale of 97 lots, with a combined presale estimate of $80 million. The auction featured 23 Surrealist works, including pieces by René Magritte, and replicated Karpidas's London home in the salesroom.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

rate_review review schedule Sep 19, 2025 visibility 17 link 9 artists

artists resisted fascism comrades in art andy friend

A group of British artists, frustrated by the Great Depression and inspired by socialist ideologies, founded the Artists International Association (AIA) in the early 1930s. Initially a Communist-inflected agit-prop group, it rebranded in 1935 to broaden its anti-fascist coalition, a move that sparked internal debates about ideological purity. The article, reviewing Andy Friend's book *Comrades in Art: Artists Against Fascism, 1933–1943*, highlights key episodes such as the AIA's 1940 exhibition 'The Face of Britain,' which opened amid the Blitz after bombs damaged the gallery.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Sep 17, 2025 visibility 18 link 8 artists

art basel paris loic prigent edward enninful

Art Basel has partnered with French journalist and filmmaker Loïc Prigent and British fashion editor Edward Enninful to curate public events at its upcoming Paris fair, running October 24–26 at the Grand Palais. Prigent will curate 'Oh La La!', an initiative inviting galleries to present new works during the fair's second half, while Enninful will oversee a day of talks under Art Basel's Conversations program, marking the launch of his media company EE72. The talks, held at the Petit Palais, will preview Enninful's exhibition 'The '90s' scheduled for Tate Britain next year.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Aug 4, 2025 visibility 22 link 18 artists

sothebys karpidas collection sale lots magritte surrealism

Sotheby's has announced the headline lots for the upcoming sale of British socialite and arts patron Pauline Karpidas's collection, set to take place September 17–19 in London. The 250-item auction, described as the 'greatest collection of Surrealism to emerge in recent history,' is led by René Magritte's oil painting *La Statue volante* (1940-41), estimated at £9–12 million ($12–16 million). Other highlights include ten more Magritte works, four Andy Warhol pieces from his 'Art from Art' series, and works by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Leonora Carrington, along with furniture and design objects.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Aug 4, 2025 visibility 20 link 12 artists

sothebys london to sell greatest collection of surrealism to emerge in recent history in september

Sotheby's London will auction the collection of British socialite, collector, and arts patron Pauline Karpidas on September 17 and 18. Described as the 'greatest collection of Surrealism to emerge in recent history,' it includes masterpieces by René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, Leonora Carrington, and Max Ernst, along with works by Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and others. The sale is expected to fetch £60 million ($81 million), the highest estimate ever placed on a single collection at Sotheby's in Europe. Karpidas, who began collecting 50 years ago after meeting gallerist Alexander Iolas, views herself as a 'temporary custodian' for the artworks.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article culture schedule Jul 22, 2025 visibility 15 link 12 artists

how ancient egypt influenced modern art

The article explores how ancient Egyptian art and design have influenced modern Western aesthetics, from Empire furniture to Art Deco. It traces the phenomenon of 'Egyptomania' back to the 19th century, when European artists and archaeologists like Dominique Vivant Denon, Jean-Léon Gérôme, and Howard Carter brought Egyptian motifs and artifacts to public attention. The piece highlights three key examples: the adoption of Egyptian-inspired Empire furniture under Napoleon, the use of Nubian tribute scenes in decorative arts, and the impact of King Tutankhamun's tomb discovery on early 20th-century design.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Jul 18, 2025 visibility 14 link 7 artists

ice age art

The British Museum has organized a new exhibition titled “Ice Age Art Now,” installed at Cliffe Castle Museum in Yorkshire, England, that presents Ice Age artifacts—carved images, figurines, and engravings dating from 24,000 to 12,000 years ago—alongside more recent artworks, including a print after Goya and a charcoal sketch by Maggi Hambling. Curated by Jill Cook, the show aims to reframe these prehistoric objects as artistic expressions rather than mere archaeological curiosities, highlighting their use of line, space, and scale to capture the observed world and communicate emotion.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

rate_review review schedule Jul 17, 2025 visibility 12 link 9 artists

william holman hunt the awakening of conscience

The article analyzes William Holman Hunt's 1853 painting *The Awakening Conscience*, which depicts a woman in a Victorian parlor rising from the lap of a man, her gaze fixed on a sunlit garden glimpsed in a mirror. Hunt, a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood alongside John Everett Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, filled the work with dense symbolism—such as the woman's ringless left hand, a discarded glove, and sheet music by Edward Lear and Thomas Moore—to reveal that the scene is not a married couple but a mistress and her lover, trapped in a gilded cage.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

article culture schedule Jul 16, 2025 visibility 16 link 8 artists

who was j m w turner why so important british artist

This article profiles British painter Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851), detailing his rise from a barber's son to one of Britain's most famous artists. It covers his early training at the Royal Academy Schools, his mastery of watercolor and oil, and his prolific output of over 500 oil paintings and thousands of works on paper. Key works discussed include *Jedburgh Abbey* (c. 1832), *Fishermen at Sea* (1796), and *The Battle of Trafalgar* (1822), the latter of which sparked controversy for historical inaccuracies. The piece notes that for his 250th birthday, international institutions are celebrating his legacy.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article culture schedule Jul 11, 2025 visibility 14 link 20 artists

modi johnny depp modigliani film

Johnny Depp has directed a new film titled "Modigliani – Three Days on the Wing of Madness," based on a play by Dennis McIntyre, which dramatizes 72 hours in the life of Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani. The film stars Riccardo Scamarcio as Modigliani and follows the artist's struggles with relationships, money, police, and a meeting with a collector, set against his bohemian life in early 20th-century Paris. It marks Depp's first directorial effort since 1997's "The Brave."

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Jul 9, 2025 visibility 14 link 9 artists

lorna simpson fort greene brooklyn home art studio hits the market

Lorna Simpson's former home and studio in Brooklyn's Fort Greene neighborhood, designed by British architect David Adjaye in 2006, has been listed for sale at $6.5 million. The four-story, 22-foot-wide building at 208 Vanderbilt Avenue, dubbed "Pitch Black," features black polypropylene panels on the front and glass walls at the back opening onto over 800 square feet of garden space. Simpson, who created the space after failing to find a suitable existing property, used it as a combined residence and studio with her then-husband, photographer James Casebere, before relocating to a larger commercial space nearby. The property now serves as archival and storage space and is being marketed by the Corcoran Group.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Jul 8, 2025 visibility 13 link 6 artists

work of the week emily carr

A painting by Emily Carr, titled *Fir Trees* (ca. 1935), sold for CA$576,000 ($418,370) at Cowley Abbott’s live auction of Canadian and international art in Toronto on May 28, more than doubling its low estimate. The work is a vivid example of Carr’s signature forest scenes, reflecting her deep connection to the British Columbian landscape and her association with the Group of Seven. The auction also saw strong results for other Group of Seven artists, including Franklin Carmichael’s *Old Orchard* (1940) at CAD$768,000, and for Marcelle Ferron’s untitled 1964 abstract painting at CAD$696,000.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

person people schedule Jul 3, 2025 visibility 19 link 10 artists

curator xiaowen zhu interview

Xiaowen Zhu, director of Esea Contemporary in Manchester, discusses her journey and the evolving representation of Asian artists in the global art world. Born in Shanghai, Zhu reflects on her formative encounter with Ai Weiwei's *Fairytale* at Documenta 12 in 2007, which shaped her understanding of diaspora and belonging. She now leads the UK's only non-profit art center dedicated to East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) artists, and serves on the British Council’s Arts and Creative Economy Advisory Group.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Jul 3, 2025 visibility 14 link 7 artists

work of the week marlow moss

Marlow Moss's painting *White, Black, Blue and Red* (1944) sold for £609,600 ($819,912) at Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary Evening Auction in London, far exceeding its presale high estimate of £480,000. The work, backed by a guarantee, sparked a bidding war among seven bidders and set a new auction record for the British Constructivist artist. The previous record was set in 2022 at Christie’s London.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Jul 1, 2025 visibility 22 link 16 artists

goodwood art foundation

The Goodwood Art Foundation, a new contemporary art destination set within the 11,000-acre Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, England, opens to the public on May 31. The inaugural season features works by Susan Philipsz, Rachel Whiteread (including a monumental staircase sculpture *Down and Up*), Veronica Ryan, Rose Wylie, Isamu Noguchi, and Hélio Oiticica (whose *Magic Square #3* will be the first outdoor sculpture by the late Brazilian artist in Europe). The estate, owned by Charles Gordon-Lennox, the 11th Duke of Richmond, is historically known for sporting events like the Festival of Speed and the Qatar Goodwood Festival, and houses a historic art collection including Canalettos and works by George Stubbs.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

gavel restitution schedule Jun 30, 2025 visibility 17 link 6 artists

parthenon marbles update

Greece is building a cultural coalition with Italy to strengthen its campaign for the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum. Italy's culture minister Alessandro Giuli pledged support during a visit to Athens and announced the repatriation of 145 ancient coins. Greek culture minister Lina Mendoni is leading efforts to build international backing, and the two countries have devised joint cultural initiatives, including an exhibition of modern Greco-Italian metaphysical painters. Meanwhile, the U.K.'s Labour government has taken a neutral stance on the issue, departing from the previous Conservative government's opposition, and negotiations between Greece and the U.K. are described as "ongoing and constructive."

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Jun 24, 2025 visibility 15 link 7 artists

john singer sargent and dollar princesses

A new exhibition titled “Heiress: Sargent’s American Portraits” at London’s Kenwood House explores the phenomenon of the “dollar princesses”—American heiresses who married into the British aristocracy between 1870 and 1914. The show features eight paintings and ten charcoal studies by John Singer Sargent, including portraits of notable figures like Nancy Astor and Consuelo Vanderbilt, and runs through October 5. Curated by Wendy Monkhouse of English Heritage, the exhibition examines the complex social dynamics behind these transatlantic unions, which were often criticized as mercenary transactions.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Jun 24, 2025 visibility 13 link 3 artists

queen elizabeth ii memorial design london st jamess park

The UK government has finalized design plans for a national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II in London’s St James’s Park. A team led by architect Norman Foster of Foster + Partners, including British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare CBE RA, will create a natural stone path connecting royal gardens, a translucent cast-glass balustrade on the Blue Bridge inspired by the Queen’s wedding tiara, and figurative sculptures of the Queen and Prince Philip. Landscape designer Michael Desvigne is also part of the team, working with the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee. The final design will be announced in April 2026, coinciding with what would have been the Queen’s 100th birthday, with a budget of £23 to £46 million from public funds.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Jun 20, 2025 visibility 20 link 4 artists

climate activist hurls pink paint at picasso painting at montreal museum

On Thursday, an environmental activist from the group Last Generation Canada hurled bright pink paint at Pablo Picasso's 1901 painting *L’hetaire* at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The protester, identified as 21-year-old Marcel, was arrested and later released pending a court appearance; two accomplices who filmed the act were detained and released without charge. The group cited the record-breaking heat wave in Winnipeg and Manitoba as a motivation, arguing that art is meaningless on a dead planet.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Jun 10, 2025 visibility 18 link 8 artists

francis bacon pope painting auction

Sotheby's London will auction three Francis Bacon paintings at its July contemporary art evening sale, including 'Study for a Pope I' (1961), one of six pope paintings Bacon created for a Tate exhibition. The work, previously owned by Gunter Sachs, sold for a record £10 million in 2005, and is now estimated at £25–35 million ($38.3–53.7 million). The sale also features a 1975 Bacon self-portrait and three studies for a 1980 self-portrait, with total sale expectations of £204 million ($312.9 million), 35 percent from British artists.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

article policy schedule Jun 10, 2025 visibility 20 link 4 artists

french museums hike ticket prices non european visitors

Several major French cultural institutions, including the Louvre, the Château de Versailles, and potentially the Arc de Triomphe, have implemented a "differential tariff" that raises ticket prices for non-European Union visitors. Starting January 1, 2026, non-E.U. tourists will pay €30 ($35) to enter the Louvre, up from €22 ($25). The policy, first reported by Le Monde, is expected to generate up to €20 million annually for the Louvre alone, helping to fund urgent renovations estimated at €400 million over 15 years. The move follows a leaked letter from Louvre director Laurence des Cars to culture minister Rachida Dati warning of severe building deterioration, including temperature fluctuations endangering artworks and water damage. French president Emmanuel Macron has announced a sweeping restoration, but state funding will cover only a fraction of the cost.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Jun 5, 2025 visibility 14 link 5 artists

ashmolean museum acquires fra angelico painting

The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford has raised $4.48 million ($5.8 million) to acquire Fra Angelico's early Renaissance painting "The Crucifixion with the Virgin, Saint John the Evangelist, and the Magdalen" (1420s). The work had been in a private British collection for two centuries and was nearly sold to a foreign buyer until the U.K. government imposed an export deferral in January 2024, giving time for a domestic buyer to step in. The acquisition was completed via a private treaty sale at a discounted price, funded by over 50 donors including chairman Lord Lupton, the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, and the Headley Trust.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Jun 5, 2025 visibility 10 link 4 artists

fight rages in norway over sale of barbara hepworth sculpture

A legal and public battle has erupted in Norway over Kunsthall Stavanger's decision to sell Barbara Hepworth's sculpture *Figure for Landscape* (1960) at Christie's London, with an estimate of £1-2 million. The sale is intended to fund the institution's operating and exhibition budget, as the Kunsthall faces potential closure without the proceeds. Local group Stavanger Byselskap filed a lawsuit to block the sale, which was settled in the Kunsthall's favor, but over 260 community members have signed a petition against the deaccession. The Hepworth estate has also condemned the sale as unethical, noting the work was sold to the institution at a reduced price due to Hepworth's wish to have her work in a Norwegian public collection.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Jun 5, 2025 visibility 15 link 4 artists

the national portrait gallery getty museum jointly acquire joshua reynolds portrait of omai

The National Portrait Gallery in London and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles have jointly acquired Joshua Reynolds's 1776 painting *Portrait of Omai* for an estimated £50 million ($62 million). This marks the first time museums in the UK and US have partnered on a single acquisition, with each institution paying half and sharing ownership of the artwork, which will be displayed alternately in both countries. The painting depicts Mai (Omai), a young Tahitian man who visited Britain in 1774 with explorer James Cook, and had never before been held in a museum collection.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Jun 5, 2025 visibility 22 link 9 artists

museum launches public appeal to buy rare barbara hepworth sculpture

The Hepworth Wakefield museum, supported by the Art Fund, has launched a public appeal to raise £3.8 million ($5 million) to acquire Barbara Hepworth's rare 1943 sculpture *Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red*. The work was purchased by a private collector at Christie's London in March 2024 for the same amount, but the UK government imposed a temporary export ban in December 2024, citing its outstanding historical and aesthetic significance. The museum has until August 27 to raise the remaining £2.9 million; the Art Fund has already contributed £750,000. If the goal is not met, the collector may export the piece.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article culture schedule Jun 4, 2025 visibility 14 link 6 artists

three things hokusai great wave

Katsushika Hokusai's iconic woodblock print "The Great Wave" (officially *Under the Wave off Kanagawa*) is examined through three lesser-known facts. The article notes that the print, created between 1830 and 1832, is surprisingly small—less than 15 inches wide—and that its vivid blue pigment, Prussian blue, was a recent European import that revolutionized Japanese ukiyo-e prints. It also highlights Hokusai's practice of adopting over 30 different names throughout his career, which now helps scholars periodize his work.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original