Liu Wei’s "You Like Pork?" leads Poly Hong Kong modern and contemporary art sale at US$3.5m

Poly Auction Hong Kong concluded its modern and contemporary art sale on April 6, achieving a total of HK$76.4 million (US$9.8 million) with a 67% sell-through rate. The auction was headlined by Liu Wei’s 1995 masterpiece "You Like Pork?", which sold for HK$27.6 million (US$3.5 million) to a phone bidder. Other top performers included Zao Wou-Ki’s "15.07.67" from his Hurricane period and Wu Dayu’s "Rhymes of Beijing Opera," both of which surpassed the HK$10 million threshold.

Sotheby’s Opens the London Spring Marquee Sales With a £131M White-Glove Night

Sotheby’s London kicked off the spring auction season with a "white-glove" Modern & Contemporary Evening Sale, totaling £131 million ($176 million). Despite significant geopolitical instability and market anxiety following recent escalations in the Middle East, the auction achieved a 100 percent sell-through rate across 54 lots. Key highlights included works by Andy Warhol, a Claude Monet landscape once owned by John Singer Sargent, and a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting that sold for £3.7 million after a mid-sale renegotiation.

Spurs owner Joe Lewis to sell US$25m of School of London works at Sotheby’s

Billionaire Joe Lewis, the former owner of Tottenham Hotspur, is set to auction four significant works from the School of London at Sotheby’s London on March 4. The selection is headlined by a 1972 Francis Bacon self-portrait estimated at £8 million, alongside major paintings by Lucian Freud and Leon Kossoff. This marks the first time Lewis has publicly sold works from his renowned collection, which is estimated to be worth approximately $1 billion and is famously housed in part on his superyacht.

Auction Results: New Records for Noah Davis and Antonio Obá at Sotheby's, Major Paintings by Barkley L. Hendricks and Kerry James Marshall Went Unsold

Sotheby’s New York held its Now & Contemporary Evening Auction on November 18 at the newly opened Breuer building, featuring works by Black artists. Noah Davis’s “The Casting Call” (2008) sold for $2 million, setting a new auction record for the late artist, while Antonio Obá’s “Alvorada – Música Incidental Black Bird” (2020) achieved $1.016 million, nearly ten times its low estimate. However, major paintings by Barkley L. Hendricks and Kerry James Marshall went unsold, highlighting a mixed market for exceptional figurative works. The auction followed a blockbuster sale of Leonard A. Lauder’s collection, where Gustav Klimt’s portrait sold for $234 million.

Kicking off New York November sales, Christie's nets healthy $690m from double-header 20th-century auction

Christie's kicked off New York's November auction season with a double-header 20th-century evening sale on November 17, generating $574.7 million before fees and $690 million with fees. The sale featured 80 lots, including 18 from the collection of supermarket magnate Robert Weis and his wife Patricia Ross Weis, with highlights such as Pablo Picasso's *La Lecture (Marie-Thérèse)* selling for $45.4 million and Mark Rothko's *No. 31 (Yellow Stripe)* achieving $62.1 million. Two artist records were set, including for Leonor Fini, and the sale achieved a 94% sell-through rate, with 59 lots backed by third-party or house guarantees.

The art world's most infamous toilet is heading to New York auction for US$10m – and the starting bid moves with gold

Maurizio Cattelan's solid-gold toilet sculpture, *America* (2016), will be auctioned at Sotheby's New York on 18 November 2025 as part of the Now & Contemporary Evening Auction. The work, weighing 223 pounds of 18-karat gold, has a raw material value of around US$10.2 million based on current gold prices. In a first for auction history, the starting bid will fluctuate with live gold prices until bidding begins. The sculpture was previously installed at the Guggenheim Museum, where over 100,000 visitors used it, and later made headlines when the Guggenheim offered it to the Trump White House as a loan alternative to a Van Gogh painting. One edition was stolen and never recovered, making this the only surviving example.

Cattelan's famous gold toilet goes up for auction: America for sale at Sotheby's

Maurizio Cattelan's iconic 2016 gold toilet sculpture, 'America,' will be auctioned at Sotheby's on November 18, 2025, during The Now and Contemporary evening auction. The starting bid will be tied to the fluctuating gold market price, currently around $10 million based on its 101.2 kg weight, and Sotheby's will accept cryptocurrency as payment. The work, a fully functional toilet made of 18-karat gold, was famously installed at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2016, where over 100,000 visitors used it, and was later stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019. This is the only surviving version of the two originally made.

Headed to Paris for Art Basel? Here are the 17 museum shows not to miss

Art Basel Paris is underway, and this article highlights 17 must-see museum shows across the city. Key exhibitions include a joint tribute to Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely, and Pontus Hultén at the Grand Palais; a Rick Owens fashion retrospective at Palais Galliera; the first French monographic show of John Singer Sargent at the Musée d'Orsay, featuring his scandalous 'Portrait of Madame X'; a Bridget Riley exhibition exploring her debt to Georges Seurat; a Minimalism survey at the Bourse de Commerce; and a major Jacques-Louis David retrospective at the Louvre marking the bicentenary of his death.

Documenta Taps an All-Women Artistic Team—and More Art Industry News

Documenta has selected an all-women artistic team for its upcoming edition, marking a historic shift for the prestigious quinquennial exhibition. In other art industry news, Sotheby's will open its new global headquarters in the Breuer Building on November 8, Christie's London will auction the collection of Danish businessman Ole Faarup in October, and Bob Ross's market has surged with record auction prices. Several galleries announced new artist representations and relocations, including François Ghebaly adding Brooklin A. Soumahoro and Latitude Gallery moving to Tribeca. The Whitney Museum made three curatorial appointments, the Harvard Art Museums acquired a Heinz Mack sculpture, and Claudia Gould was named executive director of the Shaker Museum. The Helen Frankenthaler Foundation added new board members, and Maëlle Ebelle was appointed inaugural director of the Liu Shiming Art Foundation.

Blum Gallery’s Sudden End Shocked the Art Industry. What Happened?

On July 1, 2025, Tim Blum, the powerhouse Los Angeles dealer behind Blum Gallery, announced the sudden closure of his gallery after a 35-year run. The closure includes his Culver City headquarters, his Tokyo space, and a planned Tribeca location that will no longer open. Blum publicly framed the decision as a voluntary "sunset" due to systemic industry issues like over-expansion and burnout, but interviews with artists and staff reveal a more chaotic reality: the closure blindsided employees and artists, many of whom learned about it from news reports or a last-minute staff meeting that excluded Tokyo staff. Sources cite weak sales at Art Basel and Art Basel Hong Kong, poor business decisions—including buying out partner Jeff Poe and renovating a costly New York space—and a lack of severance or transition time as underlying factors.

SF's art scene is back— 9 summer shows you shouldn’t miss

San Francisco's art scene is showing signs of recovery after a difficult period marked by the pandemic, federal arts grant cuts, and museum closures. June brought positive developments: the Headlands Center for the Arts raised record funds at its annual auction, the shuttered San Francisco Art Institute plans to reopen as an artist studio, and local criticism magazine SquareCylinder is returning. The article highlights nine summer exhibitions across the Bay Area, including shows by Ruby Neri, William T. Wiley, Hank Willis Thomas, Charlie Tweddle, and Shepard Fairey, ranging from public art installations to gallery retrospectives.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 to Lenny Henry: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead

The Guardian's weekly entertainment guide highlights two major art exhibitions opening in May 2025: 'Aleksandra Kasuba' at Tate St Ives (2 May to 4 October) and 'Zurbarán' at the National Gallery, London (2 May to 23 August). The Kasuba show is the first UK presentation of the Lithuanian American artist's proto-immersive 'spatial environments,' featuring early paintings, mosaics, and installations focused on utopian social harmony. The Zurbarán exhibition presents a blockbuster survey of the 17th-century Spanish Baroque master, known for his intense religious subjects and dramatic chiaroscuro.

Lucas Museum Reveals First Set of Exhibitions Curated by Founder George Lucas

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles has announced its inaugural exhibitions, curated by founder George Lucas, ahead of its September opening. The initial hang will feature around 12,000 objects from the museum's collection of over 40,000, displayed across 30 galleries in the 300,000-square-foot building. Thematic galleries will highlight specific artists such as Thomas Hart Benton, Norman Rockwell, and N.C. Wyeth, as well as mediums like cinema, photography, muralism, and comics. Broader themes include "Everyday Life," "Narrative Forms," and "Western Stories."

Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter to Co-Headline ‘Immersive Experience’ at Art Basel

Thomas Bangalter, formerly of the electronic music duo Daft Punk, is scheduled to co-headline an immersive experience called 'WAREHOUSE ARTEFACTS' at the Art Basel fair in Basel, Switzerland. The event, produced by Nordstern Basel nightclub in cooperation with Art Basel and Fondation Beyeler, will also feature house music producer Rampa and conceptual artist Julian Charrière.

Sotheby’s Paris Notches a $41 M. Modern and Contemporary Sale, Led by a $12 M. Monet Unseen for a Century

Sotheby’s Paris achieved a landmark result for its modern and contemporary art sale, totaling €35 million ($41 million) and surpassing its high estimate. The auction was headlined by two Claude Monet paintings that had been hidden from public view for roughly a century, including 'Vétheuil, effet du matin' (1901), which sold for €10.2 million ($12.1 million), setting a record for the artist at auction in France.

Celeste Dupuy-Spencer, Painter Who Used Her Art to Fight for Justice, Dies at 46

Acclaimed American painter Celeste Dupuy-Spencer has passed away at the age of 46 at her home in Los Angeles. Known for her visceral and politically charged figurative works, Dupuy-Spencer rose to prominence through her inclusion in the 2017 Whitney Biennial and the 2018 Made in L.A. biennial. Her death was announced by the Jeffrey Deitch gallery just ahead of a scheduled exhibition of her new work in Los Angeles.

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.

after 35 years in business galerie francesca pia becomes latest dealership to fold amid market downturn 1234758348

Galerie Francesca Pia, a fixture of the Swiss art scene for 35 years, has announced it will close its doors at the end of October. Founded in Bern in 1990 before moving to Zurich's prestigious Löwenbräukunst-Areal district, the gallery will conclude its operations following a final exhibition with American artist Wade Guyton. The closure marks the end of a significant tenure for a dealership that was a regular participant at Art Basel for over two decades.

thirteen perfect fugitives book geoffrey kelly interview 1234776743

Geoffrey Kelly, the FBI’s lead investigator on the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist for over two decades, has released a new book titled 'Thirteen Perfect Fugitives'. Published ahead of the 36th anniversary of the 1990 theft, the book provides an insider’s perspective on the investigation into the world’s largest art heist, where 13 works valued at over $1 billion were stolen. Kelly, who retired in 2024, details the FBI's findings regarding the individuals involved and the ongoing, unsuccessful efforts to recover the missing masterpieces.

christies newhouse consignment pollock picasso brancusi masterworks 1234776047

Christie’s New York is set to headline its May marquee sales with a prestigious consignment from the collection of the late media magnate S.I. Newhouse. The offering features approximately 40 masterworks valued at an estimated $450 million, including Jackson Pollock’s drip painting "Number 7" (1948) and Constantin Brancusi’s bronze sculpture "Danaïde" (1913). Both works carry estimates of approximately $100 million, figures that would shatter the existing auction records for both artists if realized.

Venice Biennale Announces Participating Artists; Christophe Leribault Poised to Replace Ousted Louvre President; Morning Links for February 25, 2026

venice biennale announces participating artists christophe leribault poised to replace ousted louvre president morning links for february 25 2026 1234774514

The Venice Biennale has officially released the artist list for its 61st edition, titled “In Minor Keys,” which is set to open in May 2026. Despite the sudden passing of curator Koyo Kouoh last year, the exhibition will proceed based on her vision of 'minor keys'—a concept focusing on quiet tones, poetry, and improvisation as alternatives to dominant historical narratives. Simultaneously, a major leadership reshuffle is underway in Paris, with Christophe Leribault expected to lead the Louvre following Laurence des Cars' departure, and Annick Lemoine appointed to head the Musée d’Orsay.

peter campus phillips collection video art 1234773307

Peter Campus, a pioneering video artist, has a new exhibition at The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. The show features his early work, including the intense 1978 video 'Head of a Man with Death on His Mind,' alongside his recent 'philips quartet' (2023–24), a series of four landscape videos from his home on Long Island. The exhibition highlights his career-long themes of self-reflection, time, and mortality.

jeffrey epstein musee dorsay woody allen visit 1234771983

Emails released by the U.S. Department of Justice in January 2026 reveal that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein boasted to associates about securing a private after-hours visit to the Musée d'Orsay in Paris with filmmaker Woody Allen on March 18, 2012. In the correspondence, Epstein wrote to a recipient identified only as 'junkermann' that the French government would open the museum for him and Allen, and later messaged others including former girlfriend Eva Dubin, who responded with a 'King of the castle' quip. Epstein also made crude sexual references in connection with the visit, mentioning Edgar Degas's depictions of nude women.

kanal centre pompidou to open in november trump hotel plans nixed after serbias culture minister indicted morning links for january 29 2026 1234771297

The Kanal–Centre Pompidou in Brussels, a major new modern and contemporary art center housed in a converted 1930s Citroën garage, will open on November 28 with a launch program of 10 exhibitions. Its centerpiece, "A truly immense journey," will feature over 350 works from the Centre Pompidou's collection, exploring themes of migration and exchange.

shahzia sikanders animated film selected for m facade commission in hong kong 1234771236

Hong Kong's M+ museum has selected Pakistani American artist Shahzia Sikander's hand-painted animated film *3 to 12 Nautical Miles* (2026) for its latest M+ Facade commission, a massive LED media screen. Co-commissioned by M+ and Art Basel, the work will screen from March 23 through June 21. The animation explores entangled histories of empire and commerce, linking Imperial Britain, the Indian subcontinent, and Qing China, and chronicles the Mughal Empire's decline, the East India Company's rise, and the First Opium War.

52 walker david zwirner ebony haynes transition 1234770418

52 Walker, the Tribeca kunsthalle-style space founded by Ebony L. Haynes under David Zwirner in 2021, has quietly transitioned from a standalone venue into a standard David Zwirner gallery space. The change followed Haynes's promotion to global head of curatorial projects last fall. The final exhibition at 52 Walker as a dedicated physical space was a presentation by Nicole Eisenman. Haynes will continue to curate under the 52W banner as a nomadic, project-based initiative across Zwirner's global locations, with the next show being an Isa Genzken exhibition titled 'Vacation' opening in March.

tate director steps down smithsonian returns khmer sculptures and more morning links for december 12 2025 1234766706

Maria Balshaw, director of Tate in London, will step down in spring 2026 after nearly a decade leading the institution. During her tenure, she oversaw major exhibitions including "Van Gogh and Britain," "Yoko Ono," and "Sargent and Fashion," and her final project will be a Tracey Emin survey at Tate Modern. Separately, the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Asian Art announced it will return three Khmer Empire sculptures—Head of Harihara, The Goddess Uma, and Prajnaparamita—to Cambodia, citing evidence they were looted during the country's civil conflict. The US Senate also unanimously approved the HEAR Act of 2025 to help heirs reclaim art looted during the Holocaust.

mississippi museum of art frank lloyd wright home 1234762957

The Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) has acquired the Frank Lloyd Wright–designed property Fountainhead in Jackson, Mississippi, following approval from the Jackson Planning and Zoning Board and City Council. Originally designed in 1948 and completed in 1954 for oil speculator J. Willis Hughes, the 3,558-square-foot Usonian home was later restored by architect Robert Parker Adams and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980. The museum plans to open the home for public tours, with bus transportation from its main campus, and to establish community partnerships.

marquee art sales fall 2025 christies sothebys phillips 1234761496

Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips are holding their marquee fall 2025 sales in New York next week, with an unusually high volume of inventory. Christie's alone will offer 80 works on Monday night, and across the week 27 lots carry estimates above $10 million—a stark contrast to the tepid May sales. The season is top-heavy, with the $2 million–$5 million range considered the trickiest. Notable consignments include the estate of Leonard Lauder and the collection of Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson, while many discretionary sellers remain absent. Day sales feature works with significant price drops, such as a Steve Parrino painting last sold for nearly $1 million now estimated at $300,000–$500,000, and an Avery Singer work that sold for $3 million in 2022 now estimated at $600,000–$800,000. Several pandemic-era speculative purchases are also returning to market at steep discounts.

the studio museum in harlem basquiat painting 1234760555

The Studio Museum in Harlem revealed its new building to the press ahead of its public reopening on November 15, showcasing a major new acquisition: Jean-Michel Basquiat's 1984 painting *Bayou*, the first Basquiat painting to enter the museum's collection. The work was gifted in 2023 by financier Joseph Perella and his wife Amy, with Joseph having mentored Raymond J. McGuire, an ARTnews Top 200 Collector and the museum's board chair.