Heritage Auctions achieved a record $2 billion in sales in 2025, driven by explosive growth in the collectibles market. CEO Joe Maddalena highlights the sustained and increasing global demand for categories like sports memorabilia, comic books, trading cards, and vintage toys, noting that money previously focused on traditional art is now consistently flowing into these areas.
A growing number of gallerists are moving away from the traditional 'white cube' gallery model, opting instead for spaces with unconventional architecture and distinct character. These include locations in repurposed industrial buildings, historic structures, and uniquely designed new constructions that actively shape the visitor's experience of the art.
A new book titled 'Can Love Be a Photograph: 40 Years of Inez and Vinoodh' has been published, accompanied by an exhibition at the Kunstmuseum Den Haag. The publication celebrates four decades of work by the influential fashion photography duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, featuring celebrity portraits and surrealist visions organized around 16 thematic connections.
Veteran art advisor Patti Wong, who left Sotheby's after three decades to start her own firm, analyzes a significant recalibration in the auction market. She notes a new discipline among auction houses and buyers following the frothy post-pandemic years, with houses becoming more selective, relying heavily on third-party guarantees, and facing greater buyer scrutiny on provenance and estimates. She also highlights the industry's expansion into new geographies like Saudi Arabia and new categories like luxury goods.
Luke Goebel's new novel 'Kill Dick' is a satirical, chaotic takedown of the contemporary art world and its entanglement with the Sackler family, fictionalized here as the Sicklers. The book follows protagonist Susie, the daughter of the Sickler family lawyer, as she navigates addiction, familial disgust, and a numbed existence against the backdrop of 2016 America. Its prose is deliberately abrasive and shocking, mirroring the emotional state of its narrator.
Global fine-art auction sales reached $11.7 billion in 2025, marking a 13.3 percent increase over the previous year and the first market growth since 2021. While the first half of the year was hampered by inflation and geopolitical tensions, a surge in the second half—particularly during New York’s November marquee sales—pushed the market upward. This recovery was led by a renewed appetite for "trophy works," highlighted by the record-breaking $236.4 million sale of Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer at Sotheby’s.
A mysterious new art fair called "The Island" is generating intrigue with plans for a super-secretive inaugural edition in the US Virgin Islands this May. Promotional materials suggest an exclusive event for mega-collectors, featuring special water sports activities and rumors of commissions from artists like Andres Serrano and Jeff Koons, with the unusual claim that all sales will be "redacted after the fact."
A major retrospective of Turner Prize-winning artist Veronica Ryan has opened, showcasing her career-long exploration of organic forms and repurposed materials. The exhibition features new works made from plastic bottles, bandages, and avocado trays, alongside earlier sculptures in bronze and lead that reference seed pods and fruit.
Major London auction houses Sotheby's and Christie's posted strong results in early March, with their Modern and contemporary art evening sales raising £131m and £197m respectively. These figures represented significant increases over the previous year, with high sell-through rates, despite concurrent geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East. Key lots included Francis Bacon's 'Self Portrait' selling for £16m and Henry Moore's 'King and Queen' achieving a record £26.3m.
The article profiles seven artists whose works have recently achieved significant auction results, often far exceeding their pre-sale estimates. Nathanaëlle Herbelin, Poppy Jones, Kathleen Ryan, Eva Helene Pade, Georg Wilson, and Ding Shilun are highlighted as contemporary artists with strong market momentum, while the poster artist A.M. Cassandre is noted for a historic sale.
Artist Yto Barrada, selected to represent France at the Venice Biennale, has stated that the French government and pavilion organizers were fully aware of her political views when they chose her. This follows criticism from the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF), which denounced Barrada for signing an open letter calling for Israel's exclusion from the Biennale and suggested the government should force her to withdraw her signature.
The auction industry's "middle market"—typically defined as lots under $1 million—is facing a period of intense competition and shrinking profit margins. While these lower-priced works account for the vast majority of transaction volume and a significant portion of earnings, the overhead costs of selling them remain high. Furthermore, aggressive financial maneuvers like guarantees and "enhanced hammers," once reserved for blue-chip masterpieces, are now being demanded by sellers and advisors at much lower price points.
James and Kathryn Murdoch, through their respective organizations Lupa Systems and Futurific, are partnering with MCH Group, the parent company of Art Basel, to create a new major festival called the Futurific Institute. The event, set to launch in Basel, Switzerland in the summer of 2028, aims to be a cross-disciplinary gathering focused on art, culture, technology, and future-oriented problem-solving, drawing comparisons to world's fairs and events like TED Talks.
A distinctive cartoon illustration style, rooted in 1920s 'rubber hose' animation and influenced by graffiti, vintage Americana, and underground comics, has become ubiquitous in contemporary branding. This aesthetic, characterized by exaggerated, jointless limbs and friendly faces, now adorns everything from independent pizza shops like London's Yard Sale Pizza to wine labels for Top Cuvee, podcasts, and even global fashion collaborations.
The advisory board of Chicago's DePaul Art Museum has sent a strongly worded letter to DePaul University leadership, condemning the decision to permanently close the 40-year-old museum on June 30. The letter, signed by board chair Scott J. Hunter and members including artists Brendan Fernandes and former Expo Chicago head Tony Karman, expresses "anger, frustration, and deep sadness" over the abrupt closure and the university's unilateral plans for the museum's 4,000-object collection.
British television presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have obtained a High Court order to investigate potential financial misconduct involving their contemporary art collection. The duo is seeking disclosure from art dealer Andrew Lilley regarding transactions for several Banksy prints, alleging that an unnamed intermediary may have pocketed undisclosed profits. The court found a "good arguable case" of wrongdoing after a discrepancy of approximately $335,000 was discovered between what the presenters paid and what the dealer reportedly received.
Christie’s has unveiled a new auctioneer’s rostrum designed by Jony Ive and his design collective, LoveFrom. The sleek, oak-wood platform replaces the traditional design originally created by Thomas Chippendale in the 18th century, which had been the standard for the auction house for over 260 years. Crafted from French oak, the new rostrum features a contemporary rounded aesthetic and was engineered specifically to enhance the acoustic resonance of the auctioneer's gavel.
mark bradford carrie may weem latest artists commissioned obama presidential center
The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago has announced its latest cohort of commissioned artists, featuring high-profile names such as Mark Bradford and Carrie Mae Weems alongside local Chicago talents like Tyanna J. Buie and the duo Sam Kirk + Dorian Sylvain. These site-specific installations will be integrated across the center's 19-acre campus, including a three-story atrium collage by Bradford and a jazz-inflected photo mural by Weems. The project, which has already engaged over two dozen artists including Maya Lin and Julie Mehretu, is overseen by art program leaders Louise Bernard and Virginia Shore with direct input from the Obamas.
The Pritzker Architecture Prize has issued a formal statement defending its selection process following the release of legal documents detailing past ties between foundation director Tom Pritzker and Jeffrey Epstein. The Hyatt Foundation, which sponsors the prestigious award, emphasized that its jury operates with complete independence and remains focused on architectural excellence despite the controversy surrounding Pritzker’s previous association with the disgraced financier.
Renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei critiques the intersection of artificial intelligence and censorship, drawing parallels between AI's algorithmic limitations and the Chinese government's systematic suppression of dissent. Using the emergence of the Chinese AI model DeepSeek as a catalyst, Ai recounts how the tool refused to discuss him, mirroring the state's long-standing strategy of erasing sensitive topics from public discourse. He argues that AI's reliance on existing data sets inherently replicates societal biases and moral codes, leading to factual inaccuracies and the homogenization of human thought.
Filmmaker and multimedia artist Harmony Korine, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, declared his full commitment to creating with artificial intelligence. He described moving beyond traditional narrative forms to explore "post-narrative, sensory, experimental" entertainment through his Miami-based studio EDGLRD, viewing AI as a new creative tool akin to a paintbrush.
The opening ceremony of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics featured significant art-historical references, including a flame cauldron inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's knot drawings and performances that brought to life the marble sculptures of Antonio Canova. Dancers animated recreations of works like 'Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss,' and the ceremony included symbolic representations of Italian architectural landmarks like the Colosseum and Florence's Duomo.
French figurative painter Claire Tabouret has been awarded the commission to create new stained glass windows for Notre-Dame Cathedral, replacing 19th-century works by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and Jean-Baptiste Lassus that survived the 2019 fire. Her designs, featuring multiethnic, multigenerational worshipers during Pentecost, were unveiled in the exhibition "Claire Tabouret: In a Single Breath" at the Grand Palais. The project, chosen by President Emmanuel Macron and Archbishop Laurent Ulrich from 110 candidates, has drawn criticism as an act of vanity and a possible violation of heritage guidelines, though Tabouret and Macron remain undeterred.
The Washington Post laid off approximately 30% of its newsroom staff, including Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Sebastian Smee, as part of broader cuts to sports, local news, and international coverage. Smee, who joined the Post in 2018 after working at the Boston Globe and The Australian, confirmed his departure in a statement to ARTnews, expressing gratitude to former editor Marty Baron and solidarity with affected colleagues. Another Pulitzer-winning critic, Philip Kennicott, reportedly remains on staff. The layoffs come shortly after the release of a documentary produced by Amazon MGM Studios, owned by Post owner Jeff Bezos.
Canadian artist Nicole Young has joined Vancouver's Kostuik Gallery as its represented artist. Her work, which blends painting and textile collage using reclaimed fabrics and natural pigments, is noted for its minimalist, Color Field-inspired compositions and its focus on sustainable artistic practices.
Chinese artist and dissident Ai Weiwei returned to China last month for the first time in a decade, visiting Beijing for three weeks after years of exile in Europe. His passport had been confiscated in 2015, ending travel restrictions tied to his political dissent. Upon arrival, Ai was interrogated for nearly two hours at Beijing's airport before being granted entry. He documented the trip on Instagram, including a reunion between his 17-year-old son and 93-year-old mother, and described the experience as like reconnecting a long-disconnected phone call.
Artist Briony Godivala is performing a year-long piece called *The Inked Link*, in which she has a QR code tattooed on her forearm that redirects to a new link each day based on public votes. Since January 2025, the voting site has been hacked to repeatedly play an anime episode, and participants have submitted links to pornographic, fascist, and racist content, as well as footage of death. Godivala, a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, previously explored collective responsibility in physical performances where audience members carried her until they dropped her; she now uses social media to continue these experiments in a virtual space.
A 36-foot-tall stainless steel sculpture by Jaume Plensa, titled *Endless*, collapsed outside the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame on December 10, 2024. The work was found broken into two pieces after standing for nearly three years; no injuries occurred and only minor damage to the surrounding concrete was reported. Museum director Joseph Becherer stated the cause remains unknown, with no evidence of external force, and the remaining portion was dismantled as a precaution. The sculpture, installed in 2023 as a permanent outdoor commission, was donated by alumnus Charles Hayes and reflects Plensa's signature motif of letters exploring language and shared humanity.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Walser House, a rare Prairie-style home in Chicago's Austin neighborhood, is returning to market after being acquired by Fannie Mae through foreclosure. The house has been vacant and neglected since 2019, when its long-time owner died, and requires an estimated $2 million in restoration work. A foreclosure sale in December 2025 failed when preservation advocates were priced out by a minimum bid of $240,000, well above the property's appraised value of $65,000. Fannie Mae now holds the title and is preparing the property for listing, offering a potential path to new ownership.
French artist Claire Tabouret is presenting her full-scale maquettes for Notre-Dame Cathedral's new stained glass windows at the Grand Palais in Paris, in an exhibition titled "In a Single Breath." The six windows, each over 20 feet tall, were selected by a committee from over 100 submissions last December, replacing 19th-century designs by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. The project has sparked controversy: conservation group Sites and Monuments launched a petition with over 328,000 signatures and a legal case arguing the replacement violates the 1964 Venice Charter and French historic monuments law. A Paris administrative court ruled in favor of the state in late November, but the group plans to appeal. Tabouret's designs are now being fabricated by the historic Atelier Simon-Marq glass workshop.