culture editors gift guide christmas holidays

Cultured magazine's editors have published a holiday gift guide featuring a curated selection of items ranging from books and film memberships to robes, facials, and art-related products. Recommendations include Elaine Kraf's novel "The Princess of 72nd Street," an AAA24 membership from production company A24, a Hanro shawl collar cotton robe, a facial from Cali Strauhs, and a set of architecture-themed notebooks and books from the New Museum and Special Special. The guide also highlights a bronze sculpture by artist Ryan Schneider, tying the list to contemporary visual art.

art miami art week gallery museum guide

Cultured magazine has published a guide to gallery and museum exhibitions taking place during Miami Art Week, spanning from December 2025 through early 2026. The roundup highlights solo shows by Studio Lenca at David Castillo Gallery, Aneta Grzeszykowska at Voloshyn Gallery, and Woody De Othello at Pérez Art Museum Miami, alongside a posthumous survey of Richard Hunt at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, and a pop-up exhibition organized by Jeffrey Deitch in the Miami Design District. Other featured presentations include Shayla Marshall's installation at a Walgreens storefront, Lawrence Lek's "NOX Pavilion" at the Bass, and a show by Thomas Houseago.

Valie Export, Avant-Garde Icon and Feminist Trailblazer, Dies at 85

Valie Export, the Austrian avant-garde artist known for her radical feminist performances, films, and sculptures, has died at age 85. Her gallery, Thaddaeus Ropac, announced her death, noting her groundbreaking work in the 1960s and 1970s introduced a new form of embodied feminism to Europe. Export, born Waltraud Lehner in Linz, Austria, changed her name in 1967 and became known for provocative works such as "Aktionshose: Genitalpanik" (1969) and "Tap and Touch Cinema" (1968–1971), which challenged voyeurism and the sexualization of women's bodies. She also co-founded the Austrian Filmmakers Cooperative in 1968 and was commissioned by the Austrian Broadcast Corporation for her film "Facing the Family" (1971).

The Box LA, Beloved Risk-Taking Art Space, Closes After 19 Years

The Box LA, a pioneering experimental art space in Los Angeles known for its fearless support of unconventional and performance art, is closing after 19 years. Founded in 2007 by Mara McCarthy in Chinatown (later moving to the Arts District), the gallery operated as a commercial space but with a nonprofit ethos, championing underrecognized artists from her father Paul McCarthy's generation alongside emerging talents. Its final exhibition, a retrospective of Wally Hedrick presented with Parker Gallery, ended April 4, with a closing celebration planned for June 6 featuring a fashion show by Johanna Went. The closure is attributed to financial struggles, exacerbated by the Eaton Fire that destroyed McCarthy's home and her family's, and a shift in support from McCarthy Studios.

New York Galleries: Openings and Closings (04/27-05/03)

nada new york 2026 exhibitor list

The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) has announced the exhibitor list for its 12th New York edition, featuring over 110 galleries from around the globe. Scheduled for May 13–17, 2026, the fair returns to the Starrett-Lehigh Building in West Chelsea, showcasing a mix of 45 NADA members and 51 first-time participants. Highlights include the TD Bank Curated Spotlight, which will be organized by Anthony Elms, the artistic director of the Mattress Factory.

untitled art houston 2025 exhibitor list

Untitled Art has announced the 84 exhibitors for its inaugural Houston edition, taking place September 19–21, 2025, at the George R. Brown Convention Center, with a preview day on September 18. The fair, which has run in Miami Beach for 12 years, expands to Houston citing the city's $1.3 billion arts-related spending in 2022, making it the largest art market in Texas. The exhibitor list includes 17 Texas-based galleries (about 20% of participants), leading US galleries from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit, and New York, and international dealers from Canada, Spain, the UK, Peru, the Bahamas, and Latvia. A Nest section offers reduced booth prices for 20 galleries, and the fair will collaborate with Houston institutions including the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and the Menil Collection for special projects.

art cynthia hawkins painter black abstraction

Cynthia Hawkins, a 76-year-old Black abstract painter, discusses her latest work and career in an interview with Cultured. She describes her ongoing "Maps Necessary for a Walk in 4D" series, which began in 1979, and her current exploration of a new iteration called "Fielding Space" or "Maps Fielding Space." Hawkins will be featured in the upcoming "Hard Art" exhibition at MoMA PS1 opening November 5, which places her work alongside over 40 other Black abstract artists including Sam Gilliam and Carolyn Lazard. She reflects on her early art experiences, from learning to draw Mickey Mouse with her father to rejecting paint-by-numbers, and her enduring fascination with color, particularly orange and yellow.

art gordon veneklasen sigmar polke

Art dealer Gordon VeneKlasen, former longtime partner of Michael Werner, launched his own gallery at the start of 2025. The new VeneKlasen Gallery made its art fair debut at the inaugural Art Basel Qatar in Doha and will open twin shows of the late German artist Sigmar Polke at its New York and London spaces on March 3 and 12, respectively. In an interview, VeneKlasen discusses his career trajectory, from studying art history and working at the Ashmolean Museum to a stint with the U.S. Census Bureau, before joining Michael Werner and eventually striking out on his own. Several artists, including Florian Krewer, Issy Wood, and Sanya Kantarovsky, are following him to his new venture.

art bunker artspace queer exhibition

The Bunker Artspace in Palm Beach, Florida, has opened "Beyond the Rainbow," a major exhibition of LGBTQ+ art curated by Laura Dvorkin and Maynard Monrow, along with 19 other artists, curators, gallerists, architects, and writers. The show draws from the collection of patron Beth Rudin DeWoody and features works by Catherine Opie, Andy Warhol, Nicole Eisenman, Lyle Ashton Harris, and others, running from December 7 through May 1, 2026. The exhibition was inspired by a visit to the Centre Pompidou's "Over the Rainbow" show in Paris.

art new york gallery guide november

CULTURED magazine's November gallery guide for New York highlights five exhibitions across Manhattan galleries. Aiza Ahmed's debut solo show "The Music Room" at Sargent's Daughters draws on Satyajit Ray's 1958 film, featuring paintings, sculpture, and a musical composition. B. Wurtz's "13 Works" at Garth Greenan presents assemblages of everyday objects exploring consumption and waste. Ali Banisadr's "Noble/Savage" at Olney Gleason responds to visual overload with paintings, bronzes, and works on paper. Brock Enright's "I AM SO PRETTY" at Club Rhubarb showcases diverse mediums from his collecting habit. Jay DeFeo's "Garnets on the Boulder" at Paula Cooper focuses on her post-"The Rose" abstract expressionist works from the 1980s.

art amitha raman weed moma collector

Collector Amitha Raman shares her journey into art collecting, which began with late-night classes at MoMA under art historian Agnes Berecz, where she explored empty galleries after hours. Her first acquisition was Mary Beth Edelson's "Hounds of Hell" (1973), and she now serves as co-chair of MoMA's Young Patrons Council and a member of its Black Arts Council. Raman's collection includes works by Rashid Johnson, Wolfgang Tillmans, Tracey Emin, Jenny Holzer, and Jeffrey Gibson, and she actively loans pieces to major museums worldwide.

Tiny Cranach Painting That Vanished During WWII Returns to Dresden

A miniature portrait of Friedrich III (Frederick the Wise) by Lucas Cranach the Elder, missing since World War II, has been returned to the State Art Collections of Dresden, Germany. The painting was last documented in May 1945 in a limestone quarry shelter near Pockau-Lengefeld before vanishing. It resurfaced in 2024 when consigned to Parisian auction house Artcurial, whose provenance investigation revealed a matching inventory number from 1722–1728. The Dreyfus family in France, the modern owners, returned the work after negotiations and a financial agreement. It is now on view at the Coin Cabinet of the Royal Palace in a special exhibition marking the 500th anniversary of Friedrich III's death, and will later be permanently displayed in the Semper Gallery.

Ghosts, nudes and lesbian pageant queens: highlights from NYC’s Photography Show – in pictures

Aipad: The Photography Show is taking place at the Park Avenue Armory in New York from April 22-26, 2026, featuring works from over 70 galleries. The exhibition highlights include Bill Brandt's 1952 nude, Rania Matar's portrait of a young woman in Lebanon, and Zanele Muholi's 2009 portrait of a lesbian pageant queen, alongside works by Tania Franco Klein, Ruth Thorne-Thomsen, and others that explore themes of identity, anxiety, and alternative realities.

Art Dubai Unveils Leaner ‘Special Edition’ Built Around Regional Core

Art Dubai has announced a streamlined "special edition" for its 2026 iteration, featuring a reduced roster of approximately 75 exhibitors. Scheduled for May 15–17 at Madinat Jumeirah, the fair is pivoting toward a regional core, with 60 percent of participants hailing from the Gulf and Southwest Asia. To address economic pressures and regional instability, the fair is implementing a novel risk-sharing financial model where booth costs are partially tied to sales performance.

alserkal art month dubai art week expansion art dubai 2026

Alserkal Avenue in Dubai is expanding its traditional Art Week into a five-week "Art Month" running from April 18 to May 18. This strategic extension includes 16 gallery exhibitions, over 100 public events, and a new commercially focused group show featuring 12 UAE-based galleries. The initiative aims to provide a more sustainable platform for the local art ecosystem, especially as the Art Dubai fair has been rescheduled to mid-May and adapted in response to regional instability.

Artists respond to the continuing toll of colonialism in the Americas

The Chicago art space Wrightwood 659 is hosting a major survey titled "Dispossessions in the Americas: The Extraction of Bodies, Land, and Heritage from La Conquista to the Present." Featuring over 35 contemporary Latin American artists, including Regina José Galindo and the late Ana Mendieta, the exhibition is the culmination of a multi-year research project funded by the Mellon Foundation. The show explores the historical and ongoing impacts of colonial dispossession on Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and LGBTQ+ communities through diverse media ranging from performance art to installation.

Overdue payments to artists, landlords and workers at a popular gallery reflect pressures squeezing the dealer sector

The Hole, a prominent gallery with locations in New York and Los Angeles, is facing significant financial distress characterized by shuttered spaces and mounting legal disputes. Following a period of rapid expansion fueled by the 2021–2023 art market boom, the gallery has permanently closed its West Hollywood location and is currently facing multiple lawsuits from Manhattan landlords alleging over $180,000 in unpaid rent and taxes. Founder Kathy Grayson attributes the crisis to a sharp decline in sales starting in late 2023, which has left the gallery struggling to pay artists, staff, and creditors.

Independent 2026 Exhibitor List Announced

independent 2026 exhibitor list

Independent has unveiled the exhibitor list for its 17th edition, scheduled for May 14–17, 2026. The fair is relocating to a new venue at Pier 36 in New York’s Lower East Side and will feature 76 exhibitors showcasing over 100 artists. Notably, more than 70 percent of the booths will be dedicated to solo presentations, including a special solo project by Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garçons and sculptural installations by Gretchen Bender and Francis Upritchard.

At Palm Beach’s Hottest Fair, Blue-Chip Meets Emerging Art

The ninth edition of the Palm Beach Modern and Contemporary (PBM+C) art fair opened with a VIP preview benefiting the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens. The fair, presented by Art Miami, features 55 international galleries showcasing a mix of blue-chip modern works, contemporary art, and emerging talent, with highlights including special exhibitions dedicated to Russell Young's Marilyn Monroe centennial works and a satellite exhibition at the sculpture garden.

the mayor gallery celebrating 100 years

The Mayor Gallery in London is celebrating its centenary with a three-part exhibition series revisiting its history. The second part, 'Celebrating 100 years – Part 2: European Art,' is on view through February 20, 2026, showcasing post-war European artists from movements like ZERO, Arte Povera, and Concrete art, including works by Armando, Lucio Fontana, François Morellet, and Man Ray.

veneklasen gallery appoints new partners winds down los angeles

Dealer Gordon VeneKlasen has announced plans to open his own eponymous gallery after separating from Michael Werner Gallery, where he ran the New York space for over 30 years. As part of the agreement, VeneKlasen will take over Werner's New York and London locations, while the short-lived Los Angeles branch of Michael Werner Gallery will close. Two longtime employees, Justine Birbil and Kadee Robbins, have been promoted to partners at VeneKlasen Gallery. The gallery will debut at the inaugural Art Basel Qatar with a solo presentation of works by Issy Wood, followed by exhibitions of Sigmar Polke's paintings in New York and London.

goodman gallery drops artists gabrielle goliath pavilion

Artist Gabrielle Goliath was dropped by her South African representative, Goodman Gallery, before the cancellation of her proposed Venice Biennale pavilion, according to a report by Daily Maverick. Goliath was one of around a dozen artists who exited the gallery between last fall and the present. The gallery clarified that it did not end representation because of her pavilion, citing a structural business review and market contraction. Goliath had been with the gallery for over a decade and will continue to be represented by Galleria Raffaella Cortese. After her representation ended, South African culture minister Gayton McKenzie canceled her pavilion, which was to address killings of women and queer people in South Africa, a genocide in Namibia, and Israel’s war in Gaza. McKenzie denied censorship, claiming interference by an unnamed foreign country, later reported by Ynetnews to be Qatar.

these galleries dropped out of art basel miami beach heres what happened next

Several galleries withdrew from Art Basel Miami Beach 2024 amid rising costs and a contracting art market, leaving some like San Francisco's Altman Siegel facing cancellation fees despite closing. Claudia Altman-Siegel, who shut her gallery, owed $22,000 after missing the free-cancellation deadline. Other dealers, including Miguel Abreu, Tilton Gallery, and Sperone Westwater, navigated the fair's strict payment terms for different reasons—some pulling out early to avoid penalties, others proceeding despite business challenges. The fair proceeded with 283 exhibitors and reported strong sales, including an $18.5 million Joan Mitchell painting, signaling a potential market upturn.

parker gallery artnews awards 2025 best gallery group show

Parker Gallery in Los Angeles mounted its final exhibition, “Bowls, Boxes, Plates & Vessels,” at its longtime home in the Los Feliz neighborhood from February 1 to October 19, 2025. The show featured an intergenerational group of artists—including Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, Nancy Shaver, Ruby Neri, Shio Kusaka, Zachary Leener, and Daisy Sheff—who had previously exhibited at the gallery, invited back to explore the theme of the container as form. Works in ceramic ranged from small hand-held bowls to large-scale sculptures, displayed within the domestic space of founder Sam Parker’s home, adding intimacy and resonance.

tristan unrau

Tristan Unrau, a 36-year-old Los Angeles-based painter originally from Canada, creates works that deliberately avoid a singular style, instead copying or channeling a vast range of art historical sources—from Old Masters and Modernists to cartoons and photorealism. His pluralistic approach has earned him a dedicated following, and David Kordansky Gallery announced representation of the artist this fall, planning a major solo exhibition in Los Angeles in March 2026. Unrau, who earned his MFA at UCLA, is currently preparing for that show in his East Hollywood studio, producing paintings that reference artists such as Bruegel, Jean-Luc Godard, František Kupka, Emil Nolde, and Willem de Kooning.

how to close your gallery

Claudia Altman-Siegel closed her San Francisco gallery, Altman Siegel, in November 2025 with a farewell party, handing out beers to friends, artists, and visitors. She aimed to provide closure and avoid the sudden, chaotic closures that have become common in the mid-tier art market, which often leave artists unpaid, works unreturned, and staff in limbo. Other dealers, including Tif Sigfrids and Rena Bransten, shared strategies for ethical closures, such as continuing to support artists through networks, paying them on time, and returning all works. Bransten's gallery, after 50 years, is shifting to a nomadic model rather than fully closing.

paul pfeiffer religion prescient nba basketball justin bieber

Paul Pfeiffer's studio visit reveals his ongoing exploration of media spectacles, particularly through his "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" series (2001–), which digitally isolates NBA basketball players by erasing teammates, opponents, and jersey details from archival images. The artist discusses his counterintuitive relationship to sports, his intense Christian upbringing in Hawaii and the Philippines, and the influence of horror films like "The Exorcist" on his work, which examines the religious undertones of secular activities and the mechanics of voyeurism.

tilton gallery closure

Tilton Gallery in New York has announced that its upcoming exhibition, featuring late abstract painter Ruth Vollmer, will be its last. The show runs from September 30 to November 15, after which the gallery will vacate its Upper East Side space. The decision was made by Connie Rogers Tilton, Jack Tilton's widow, who has run the gallery since his death in 2017. She stated it is time to pursue her own projects in a more private setting. The gallery was founded in 1983 by Jack Tilton, who previously worked for Betty Parsons, and was known for launching careers of artists like Marlene Dumas, Nicole Eisenman, and Glenn Ligon, as well as promoting Chinese artists in the 1990s.

untitled art miami beach 2025 exhibitor list

Untitled Art, Miami Beach has announced the 157 exhibitors for its 2025 edition, running December 3–7 on Miami Beach. The fair introduces a new “Artist Spotlight” section organized by artist Petra Cortright, alongside its main Galleries section and the reimagined Nest section curated by Jonny Tanna. Notable first-time exhibitors include Meliksetian | Briggs, PALMA, and Soho Revue in the main section, while several galleries have switched from NADA and Art Basel Miami Beach, including Kavi Gupta returning after a lawsuit hiatus. The fair also features Allison Glenn as curator of site-specific Special Projects.