LR Vandy’s Rope Sculptures Disentangle Histories of Colonialism and Transportation

London-based artist LR Vandy has opened her first solo museum exhibition, "Rise," at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The show features a series of sculptures crafted from nautical materials like Manila rope, ship's helms, and hull-shaped wooden forms, many of which were created in her studio at the Chatham Historic Dockyard. The works explore the complex intersections of maritime history, trade, and the labor systems that powered the Age of Discovery.

Whitney Biennial 2026

The 2026 Whitney Biennial, curated by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer, has received generally lukewarm responses from critics, a notable shift from the more intense takedowns and boycotts that characterized recent editions of the exhibition. Left-oriented critics have criticized the curatorial framework as indeterminate and evasive, particularly in light of the Whitney Museum's controversial board decisions, including the recent closure of the museum's Independent Study Program.

In the Studio with Casey Engel

Casey Engel, an artist based in Asheville, North Carolina, is profiled in her studio, where she creates ceramic, fiber, and paper works that blend craft traditions with avant-garde sensibilities. The article, structured as an interview with writer Merin McDivitt, explores Engel's tactile process—from pinching clay to hand-stitching quilts—and her emphasis on touch, intuition, and the tension between functionality and art. Engel previously curated over sixty shows at Blue Spiral 1 before dedicating herself full-time to her own practice.

City Life Org - New York Art World Celebrates Angela Davis, Amy Sherald, Clara Wu Tsai, Crystal McCrary, Raymond McGuire at Awards Dinner in NYC

The Gordon Parks Foundation held its annual Awards Dinner and Auction at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City, raising nearly $2 million to support its mission of social justice through the arts. The gala honored a distinguished group of changemakers, including activist Angela Davis, painter Amy Sherald, philanthropist Clara Wu Tsai, producer Crystal McCrary, and businessman Raymond McGuire. Hosted by Kaseem Dean (Swizz Beatz) and Executive Director Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr., the event celebrated the enduring legacy of Gordon Parks and his commitment to documenting and advancing civil rights.

Usher, Spike Lee, and Tyler Mitchell Helped Raise $3.7 Million for the Studio Museum in Harlem at a Party for the Ages

The Studio Museum in Harlem hosted a star-studded gala at the Glasshouse in Manhattan, raising $3.7 million to support its upcoming reopening. The event marked a significant milestone for the institution, which has been undergoing extensive renovations for seven years and is scheduled to open its new doors on West 125th Street on November 15. Director and Chief Curator Thelma Golden described the evening as a 'threshold' moment, celebrating the museum's legacy of shaping cultural history since its founding in 1968.

Hoffnung auf Rekorde bei Auktionen in New York

New York's major auction houses, Sotheby's and Christie's, are gearing up for their spring sales with high-value consignments from prominent collections. Sotheby's will auction Mark Rothko's "Towering Brown and Blacks in Reds" (1957), estimated at up to $100 million, from the estate of investment banker Robert Mnuchin. Christie's is offering works from the collection of the late gallerist Marian Goodman, including Gerhard Richter's "Kerze" (1982) valued at up to $50 million and "Mohn" (1995) around $15 million, alongside pieces from the estates of publisher S. I. Newhouse and collector Agnes Gund, with a Constantin Brâncuși sculpture and a Jackson Pollock painting each estimated at $100 million, and another Rothko at $80 million.

Where to go this weekend?

Wohin am Wochenende?

This week's art tips from Monopol magazine highlight exhibitions and events across Germany and Europe. In Berlin, the Helmut Newton Museum reopens with a new immersive film space and a fresh presentation of its collection, while the Neue Nationalgalerie showcases Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's iconic painting "Potsdamer Platz" in the exhibition "Ruin und Rausch. Berlin 1910-1930." In Bozen, Chinese artist Evelyn Taocheng Wang presents new works at Museion, blending painting, textiles, and installation. The Art Brussels fair returns with a reduced lineup of 138 galleries, focusing on Belgian and neighboring markets. In Duisburg, Anish Kapoor receives the Wilhelm-Lehmbruck Prize, accompanied by a solo exhibition at the Lehmbruck Museum.

The 25th Biennale of Sydney: “Rememory”

The 25th Biennale of Sydney, titled "Rememory," opened in March 2026 across multiple venues in Sydney, including the prominent White Bay Power Station. Curated by Hoor Al-Qasimi, the exhibition features 83 artists and collectives from around the world, presenting works that demand slow, immersive engagement rather than spectacle, with highlights including large-scale textile installations by Edgar Calel and Nikesha Breeze.

Husband of Prominent New York Gallerist Convicted in Murder-for-Hire Plot

Brent Sikkema, a prominent New York gallerist known for championing artists like Kara Walker, was found stabbed to death in his apartment in Brazil in 2024. His husband has now been convicted in a murder-for-hire plot connected to the killing, which occurred amid their divorce proceedings.

Julie Mehretu and John Jasperse Find Common Ground

Julie Mehretu, the celebrated abstract painter, and John Jasperse, a noted choreographer, are collaborating on a joint project at Marian Goodman Gallery in New York. The article explores how the two artists are working together to merge visual art and dance, asking how they can bring something productive to each other’s creative practices.

The Prince of Italian Pop Art Smiles Again

Lévy Gorvy Dayan gallery is presenting a new exhibition that offers fresh insights into the work of Domenico Gnoli, the Italian painter known for his meticulous, oversized depictions of everyday objects and figures. The show highlights both his perfectionist technique and a playful, goofy side to his caricatures of reality, capturing the essence of la dolce vita.

‘Overworked’: Çağla Ulusoy in Conversation With ArtReview

ArtReview and Dirimart London are hosting a conversation between artist Çağla Ulusoy and ArtReview editor Fi Churchman about Ulusoy's book 'Overworked', which features 83 selected abstract paintings and accompanying collages. The event takes place on 6 June 2026 at Dirimart's London gallery, coinciding with the group exhibition 'Colour is the Place', which includes Ulusoy's work alongside artists Hashel Al Lamki, Tala Worrell, and Berke Yazıcıoğlu. Ulusoy's practice integrates lived experiences from various cultures into abstract compositions using materials like acrylic, oil paint, sand, and wax.

Locating Luigi Ghirri

Fashion photographer Alessio Bolzoni and film director Luca Guadagnino have collaborated on 'Felicità', a new book and exhibition at Thomas Dane Gallery featuring 45 previously unseen color photographs by the late Italian master Luigi Ghirri. The project is divided into two portfolios: the first focuses on intimate, abstract details of found objects and surfaces in Modena, while the second expands into larger vistas and populated spaces across Italy during the 1980s.

Notes from New York: Rotting Meat

Artist Jen Liu’s solo exhibition 'Pound of Flesh' at Silverlens New York explores the dehumanizing nature of digital labor through visceral imagery of raw meat. The show features paintings where human consciousness is replaced by butcher-shop cuts and an animated video based on Liu’s research into microworkers—individuals who perform repetitive, low-paid tasks to train AI models. By juxtaposing the biological reality of the body with the clinical extraction of data, Liu highlights the physical and psychological toll of the 'Agentic Age.'

Isabel Nolan on Representing Ireland at the 61st Venice Biennale

Artist Isabel Nolan will represent Ireland at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026 with an exhibition titled 'Dreamshook' in the Arsenale. Her presentation will feature a room of tapestries, sculptures, and drawings, inspired by late Medieval European humanist thinkers who questioned inherent human goodness and sought meaning in earthly life.

Marcel Duchamp & Sturtevant | Dialogues are mostly fried snowballs

Thaddaeus Ropac Milan is hosting a landmark exhibition titled "Dialogues are mostly fried snowballs," marking the first-ever joint presentation of Marcel Duchamp and Sturtevant. The show stages a cerebral confrontation between Duchamp’s original readymades, such as "Porte-bouteilles" and "Trébuchet," and Sturtevant’s radical repetitions of his work. By showcasing these pieces alongside archival materials and films, the exhibition traces how Sturtevant used Duchamp’s style as a medium to investigate the canonization and "understructure" of conceptual art.

sothebys spring modern contemporary evening sale london result

Sotheby’s London achieved a rare "white-glove" result during its spring modern and contemporary evening sale, with every lot finding a buyer. The auction totaled £131 million ($175 million), representing a 110 percent increase over the previous year's equivalent sale. High-profile successes included a record-breaking £5.2 million sale for Leon Kossoff’s "Children’s Swimming Pool" and strong performances for works by Andy Warhol and Josef Albers, largely driven by prestigious consignments like the Lewis Collection.

derrick greaves patrick caulfield james hyman gallery

James Hyman Gallery is presenting a dual-artist online exhibition titled “Signature Pots: Patrick Caulfield | Derrick Greaves,” which runs through December 25, 2025. The show brings together works by two major British artists—Derrick Greaves (1927–2022) and Patrick Caulfield (1936–2005)—exploring their shared focus on still life, color, and form. Greaves, who represented Britain at the Venice Biennale in the 1950s and was associated with the Kitchen Sink painters, later developed a graphic style linked to Pop art. Caulfield emerged in the 1960s as part of the New Generation alongside David Hockney and Bridget Riley. The exhibition highlights how both artists transformed everyday objects into iconic images, with works such as Greaves's "Still Life with White Lillies" (2021) and Caulfield's "Untitled (signature pots)" (ca.1975) demonstrating their mastery of line, shape, and color.

10 most expensive lots sold auction march 2025

In March 2025, major auction houses, particularly in London, achieved strong sales despite the month typically being quiet. Christie’s and Sotheby’s sold ten high-value lots, led by Jean-Michel Basquiat’s *Sabado Noche* (1984) at £8.4 million ($14.5 million). A standout result was M.F. Husain’s *Untitled (Gram Yatra)* (1954), which sold for $13.75 million at Christie’s New York, marking the first time an Indian Modern artwork exceeded $10 million at auction. Other notable sales included works by René Magritte, Yoshitomo Nara, Francis Bacon, Tamara de Lempicka, Amedeo Modigliani, Paul Delvaux, Michael Andrews, and Lisa Brice.

Vima 2026: Highlights From Cyprus’ Emerging International Art Fair

The second edition of Vima, Cyprus' emerging international art fair, took place in Limassol from May 15-17, 2026, drawing 5,200 visitors and featuring 26 invited galleries from over 20 countries. Artworks sold ranged from €550 to €90,000, reflecting increased sales from the inaugural 2025 edition. Highlights included a special exhibition curated by Kostas Stasinopoulos titled "The Crashing Waves," performances by Scottish choreographer Magnus Westwell, and notable presentations by galleries such as Cut Art Gallery (Riga) and Eins Gallery (Limassol). The fair also hosted 25 events including talks, live music, and off-site shows across Limassol and Nicosia.

Alexander James Dissects Painting’s Most Enduring Shape in Hong Kong Exhibition

British artist Alexander James presents *Dissecting the Square*, a new exhibition at Phillips Gallery in Hong Kong, running until 31 May 2026. The show features a series of paintings, sculptures, and installations that explore the square as a geometric form, inspired by a moment when sunlight dissected an empty canvas in his studio. James divides canvases into quadrants, creating works that balance order and disruption. The exhibition also includes Josef Albers’ *Homage to the Square: In Time* (1967) and a sculpture by Sean Scully, placing James’s practice in dialogue with art historical precedents.

Amy Sherald Comes Home: “American Sublime” Opens at the High Museum

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta opens "Amy Sherald: American Sublime" on May 15, a mid-career retrospective featuring over 35 paintings from 2007 to 2024. The exhibition was originally scheduled to conclude at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., but Sherald canceled that stop after a Trump administration executive order directed Smithsonian institutions to remove so-called "un-American content." The High Museum secured the final slot after the Baltimore Museum of Art, following months of coordination with SFMOMA, Sherald's studio, and Hauser & Wirth. The show includes Sherald's portrait of Breonna Taylor and her iconic Michelle Obama portrait, organized into five thematic sections.

Global Art Biennials: Renovation, Revelation—or Repetition?

The article examines the current state of global art biennials, arguing that recent controversies—such as the 2022 documenta antisemitism crisis and geopolitical tensions at the 61st Venice Biennale—reveal these exhibitions as deeply politicized platforms rather than neutral cultural events. It highlights how juries and curators have introduced geopolitical criteria, and cites ongoing debates in Artforum (April 2026) featuring voices like Daniel Birnbaum, Michelle Grabner, and Adam Szymczyk, who diagnose visible tensions but overlook deeper structural conditions.

Kick off summer with these 10 must-see NYC art exhibitions

A roundup article highlights ten must-see museum and gallery exhibitions in New York City for the summer season. Featured shows include Carol Bove's interactive installation at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, a dual exhibition of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera at MoMA, Sarah Lucas's public sculpture "VENUS VICTORIA" at the New Museum, and Andreas Schulze's "Cake" at Sprüth Magers Gallery New York. Other notable exhibitions include "Revolutionary Women" at The New York Historical and "Another Wonderland" at the Museum of the City of New York, which presents a restored 1930s Alice in Wonderland mural.

At TEFAF New York, the Masterpiece Market Had Plenty to Celebrate

TEFAF New York returned to the Park Avenue Armory with record attendance on its Collector Preview day, May 14, featuring 90 exhibitors showcasing modern and contemporary masterpieces, antiques, decorative arts, and jewelry. Dealers reported strong sales across price tiers, including an Andy Warhol Mao sold by ML Fine Art within the first hour, a Lucio Fontana *Concetto Spaziale* for $2.3 million at Mennour, and works by Giorgio Morandi, Giosetta Fioroni, and Meret Oppenheim sold by Galleria d’Arte Maggiore g.a.m. A new secondary-market partnership, Pace Di Donna Schrader Galleries, debuted with a booth anchored by a 1956 Rothko, signaling renewed confidence in the market.

You Can’t Drive It; You Can Only Look At It: A Conversation with Heidi Vaughan

Houston gallerist, secondary market art broker, and fine art appraiser Heidi Vaughan discusses her gallery Heidi Vaughan Fine Art (HVFA), the recent opening of McKay Otto's show 'GOLD,' and her multifaceted role in the art world. Vaughan represents established Houston artists like McKay Otto and Thedra Cullar-Ledford, as well as emerging painter Afi Lane, and offers services ranging from valuation and authentication to collection management and liquidation. She also hosts a radio show, 'The Houston Hour,' on 90.1 KPFT HD2, and is a prominent advocate for the arts in Houston.

Guggenheim New York Announces Spring and Summer Public Programs

The Guggenheim New York has announced its spring and summer 2026 public programs, featuring a range of events including a performance lecture by LG Guggenheim Award recipient Trevor Paglen on May 18, a conversation between artist Carol Bove and curator Katherine Brinson on June 2, and the annual Museum Mile Festival on June 9. Other highlights include Late Shift evening events with live music, family-friendly activities like Stroller Hour and Art Cart, Teen Circle and Teen Tuesdays, and a screening of Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno's video work "Zidane, a 21st century portrait" in celebration of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Poet-in-Residence Patrick Rosal will also launch summer activations.

Frieze New York 2026 Sales Report & Contemporary Art Market Trends

Frieze New York 2026 concluded with significant sales activity, as galleries reported strong demand for blue-chip contemporary works. The fair featured a mix of established and emerging artists, with notable transactions including major paintings by living artists and secondary market pieces. Dealers noted a cautious but steady market, with collectors focusing on high-quality, investment-grade works.

Nalini Malani’s Venice Biennale 2026 exhibition confronts violence, myth, and motherhood

Artist Nalini Malani will present a solo exhibition titled "Of Woman Born" at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026. The show features a site-specific installation commissioned by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, comprising 67 animations with over 30,000 iPad drawings and a haunting soundscape. The work centers on the Greek myth of Orestes, who kills his mother Clytemnestra, and explores themes of violence against women, motherhood, and justice. Malani, now 80, has been a key figure in bringing Indian contemporary art to global prominence, with her work held by major institutions including Tate, MoMA, and Centre Pompidou.

Our Highlights From Frieze New York 2026

Frieze New York 2026 took place from May 13 to 17 at The Shed in Manhattan, featuring nearly 70 galleries. Highlights included Cindy Sherman’s new photographs at Hauser & Wirth (many sold on preview day, with Leonardo DiCaprio visiting), the Focus section curated by Lumi Tan and sponsored by Stone Island, and the Frame section where Diedrick Brackens’ woven works were acquired by the Brooklyn Museum. Frieze Sculpture at Rockefeller Center, curated by Brett Littman, showcased 14 international artists including Nick Cave and Hank Willis Thomas. Mapuche artist Seba Calfuqueo won the Focus Stand Prize for hair-centered works exploring feminism and indigenous heritage.