fall of freedom 2025

Across the U.S., artists and organizations have organized over 600 pop-up events, performances, readings, and other creative protests as part of Fall of Freedom, a new artist-led movement launching November 21–22. Initiated by artist, curator, and writer Accra Shepp and Puerto Rican artist Miguel Luciano, the program aims to activate the culture community against growing authoritarian threats. Events range from a participatory art action by ABC No Rio in Madison Square Park to a video installation by Los Herederos in a New York subway station, a roving digital billboard by NYC Resistance Salon, and a benefit concert at Pioneer Works headlined by Sheryl Crow. Participating venues include 601ArtSpace, Jack Shainman Gallery, Cristin Tierney Gallery, Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, El Museo del Barrio, and the Bronx Museum, though major institutions are notably absent.

All the Art You Need to See During Miami Art Week 2025

Casey Lesser's guide to Miami Art Week 2025 highlights ten key art destinations, led by Art Basel Miami Beach at the Miami Beach Convention Center with over 280 galleries. Other featured venues include ICA Miami, which presents five solo exhibitions by artists such as Igshaan Adams and Masaomi Yasunaga, and Untitled Art, a beachside fair focusing on emerging and mid-career artists. The article also notes non-art events like an NFL pop-up and a Sukeban wrestling match, alongside REEFLINE, an underwater sculpture park.

Nara's vampire-girl portrait sells for US$10m at Sotheby's, leading US$43m Hong Kong Evening Sale

Sotheby's Modern and Contemporary Evening Auction in Hong Kong on 28 September achieved HK$335 million (US$43.1 million), with a 95% sell-through rate across 40 lots. The top lot was Yoshitomo Nara's 2012 painting *Can't Wait 'til the Night Comes*, which sold for HK$79.9 million (US$10.3 million) to a private Asian collector. A group of five works by Roy Lichtenstein from the artist's personal collection also debuted at auction, collectively bringing HK$46.4 million (US$5.9 million).

youtubes first video acquired by londons va

London's Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has acquired a reconstructed version of YouTube's 2006 interface, including its first-ever uploaded video, 'Me at the zoo.' The interactive display, built using archived code and Adobe Flash, is now on view in the museum's 'Design 1900-Now' gallery, representing a significant effort to preserve the look and feel of early internet culture.

m hka will not be dismantled

The Flemish government in Belgium has reversed its controversial plan to dismantle Antwerp's Museum of Contemporary Art (M HKA). The original proposal would have stripped the museum of its status and transferred its permanent collection to another institution in Ghent, but following significant opposition, authorities have agreed to preserve M HKA as a museum with its collection intact.

M HKA Remains Museum, SMAK Plan Scrapped

m hka remains museum smak

The government of Belgium's Flanders region has reversed its controversial plan to close the M HKA contemporary art museum in Antwerp and transfer its collection to the SMAK museum in Ghent. Under a new plan called "M HKA 2.0," the museum will retain its collection, its museum status, and continue its programming, while SMAK will be operated by the regional government.

rossett mill jmw turner for sale

A 450-year-old watermill in Wrexham, Wales, that was the subject of a J.M.W. Turner watercolor has been listed for sale at £1.5 million ($2.05 million). The Rossett Mill, built in 1588, has been converted into a four-bedroom home with modern amenities while retaining its historic features, including a restored corn mill. The property is listed with Currans Unique and was previously owned by Celia and Branden Wilson, who restored it after it was rescued from demolition in 1973.

Salon des Refusés 2.0

Salon des Refusés 2.0

A group exhibition titled "we refuse_d" has opened at the Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst (M HKA) in Antwerp, bringing together 15 artists, many of whom faced cancellations or disinvitations from exhibitions following the October 7, 2023 attacks. The show, referencing the historic 1863 Salon des Refusés, aims to reclaim reputation and amplify marginalized voices, specifically focusing on Palestinian history and artists affected by the cultural fallout.

victoria albert museum first youtube video ever

The Victoria & Albert Museum has acquired the first-ever YouTube video, "Me at the zoo," along with the platform's original 2006 front-end code and early advertisements. The 19-second clip, featuring co-founder Jawed Karim at the San Diego Zoo, has been integrated into a reconstructed version of the site’s early "watch page" through a collaboration between museum curators and YouTube’s design team. The installation is now on view at V&A South Kensington and the V&A East Storehouse.

paul slocum digital art gallery sustainable interview

Paul Slocum, artist and gallerist, celebrated the 20th anniversary of his Dallas-based And/Or gallery, a pioneering space dedicated to new media and digital art. The gallery, founded in 2006, has championed early internet and computer-based artists like Cory Arcangel and Petra Cortright, operating from a DIY ethos largely independent of the traditional art market.

collector questionnaire yu chi lyra kuo technology art

Yu-Chi Lyra Kuo, an entrepreneur, investor, and Harvard-educated lawyer, is profiled for her pioneering work at the intersection of frontier technology and art. A former Princeton academic and one of the youngest board members of the Shed in New York, Kuo began collecting art as a child with a jade gourd from her grandfather's museum of Asian carvings. She was an early entrant into blockchain in 2011, co-founded OpenSea 2.0, and now advises frontier tech companies like Orchid Health. Kuo believes technologies such as AI and robotics can enhance human creativity, enabling individualized artworks, autonomous creations, and robot performances, rather than replacing human cultural meaning.

the round up 2025s highs lows and wtfs

In this year-end roundup episode of The Art Angle, co-hosts Kate Brown and Ben Davis, joined by Artnet Pro editor and art critic Andrew Russeth, review the defining trends, themes, and stories of 2025. They cover the art market's slump and subsequent rebound in New York's fall auctions and Art Basel Miami Beach, the political impact of Trump 2.0 on arts funding and museum governance, the question of a 'post-woke' art world, the return of digital art, and the ongoing power of red chip art. The episode also highlights the multi-front crisis facing institutions due to changing public expectations, rising costs, and political shifts, alongside lighter, unusual stories from the art world.

Yu-Chi Lyra Kuo Shares a Vision for the Future of Art, Technology, and Creativity

Yu-Chi Lyra Kuo, an entrepreneur, investor, Harvard-educated lawyer, former Princeton academic, and board member of the Shed, shares her vision for integrating frontier technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics into the art world. She argues that these tools can enhance human creativity rather than replace it, drawing on her early experiences with Asian antiquities and her pioneering work in blockchain, including co-founding OpenSea 2.0. The article, based on an interview with CULTURED, traces her journey from collecting a jade gourd as a child to advising tech companies and joining the board of the Shed, a Bloomberg-backed cultural center in Hudson Yards.

At this art show, kids make the rules

The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery in Toronto is hosting 'Colourful Parachutes: Imagining Alternative Futures Through the Power of Play,' a group exhibition that centers children as active participants rather than passive observers. Curated by Frances Loeffler, the show features interactive works by artists including Temitayo Ogunbiyi, Leisure (Meredith Carruthers and Susannah Wesley), Claire Greenshaw, Rivane Neuenschwander, Harold Offeh, Sassa Linklater, Tobias Linklater, and Robin Rhode, with installations that invite climbing, drawing, playing, and touching. The exhibition draws inspiration from a 1968 show at Moderna Museet in Stockholm that transformed the museum into an adventure playground.

‘I'm excited for the future because it's in great hands’: winners of Somerset House's Talent 25 on what the programme means to them

Somerset House in London has announced the first five winners of its Talent 25 programme, a scheme supporting artistic innovators within its creative community. The awardees—Shanti Bell, Tyreis Holder, enorê, Identity 2.0 (founded by Arda Awais & Savena Surana), and Piarvé Wetshi—each receive an £8,000 bursary and mentorship from artist-designer Yinka Ilori to develop new work. Their creations will be exhibited in September as part of the Step Inside 25 Weekend, celebrating 25 years of Somerset House's public opening.

Somerset House to mark 25 years as a public space with weekend of free events

Somerset House, a central London center for contemporary art and innovation, will host a free weekend of interactive events on September 13-14 to celebrate 25 years as a public space. The Step Inside 25 Weekend will feature installations by Turner Prize-winning artist Tai Shani, musician Gaika, and sound artist Nick Ryan, alongside works from the inaugural Talent 25 awardees—a new mentorship program led by artist Yinka Ilori. The event will open rarely accessible areas like the Deadhouse subterranean spaces and the Portico Rooms.

YouTube’s first ever video upload acquired by Victoria and Albert Museum in London

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London has acquired and reconstructed the first video ever uploaded to YouTube, titled 'Me at the zoo,' along with an early version of the platform's watch page. The 19-second clip from 2005, featuring YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim at the San Diego Zoo, is now part of the museum's collection and is on display.

K-Pop Band BTS Performed Two Songs from New Album ‘ARIRANG’ at the Guggenheim on Wednesday Morning

The K-pop group BTS performed two songs from their new album 'ARIRANG' in the main lobby of the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The private, phone-free event for about 150 invited fans featured the tracks "SWIM" and "2.0," with leader RM performing seated for one song due to an ankle injury.

Next Episode of Art21’s Art in the Twenty-First Century to Premiere in June

Art21 has announced the premiere of "Human Nature," the next episode of its documentary series *Art in the Twenty-First Century*, set to air on PBS on June 10, 2026. The episode features artists Lenka Clayton, Josh Kline, Delcy Morelos, and Sin Wai Kin, and explores themes of humanity's impact on the environment, social and economic systems, and interpersonal relationships. Directed by Ian Forster and produced by Andrea Chung, the episode will also be available on Art21.org, YouTube, and PBS Digital Platforms, with an advance screening on May 28 at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Robin Williams Center in Manhattan.

Exhibition | Nyakallo Maleke, 'A Soft Language of Distance' at Bode, Berlin, Germany

Johannesburg-based artist Nyakallo Maleke presents her solo exhibition, 'A Soft Language of Distance,' at Bode in Berlin. The show features an expanded practice of drawing that incorporates textiles, wax paper, and intricate stitching to explore themes of movement, memory, and spatial experience. Maleke, who was recently named the recipient of the 2025 Standard Bank Young Artist Award, utilizes these unconventional materials to create a tactile vocabulary that bridges the gap between intimate gesture and architectural form.

For Chicago, With Chicago

DePaul Art Museum (DPAM) in Chicago is presenting the exhibition "For Chicago, With Chicago," running from May 21-31, 2026. The show features works from the museum's collection, including pieces by Melissa Ann Pinney, Josh Dihle, and Claudio Dicochea, and was curated with input from DePaul students, staff, alumni, and the public. The exhibition is organized by DPAM interns, fellows, and delegates, highlighting a collaborative, community-driven approach.

Saudi Artist Breaks Record with $2m Sale at Sotheby’s Diriyah Auction

A painting by Saudi artist Safeya Binzagr, 'Coffee Shop in Madina Road' (1968), sold for $2.06 million at Sotheby's Origins II auction in Diriyah, shattering its high estimate of $200,000. The sale set a new auction record for Binzagr and is the third-highest price ever achieved by an Arab artist at auction.

Impressionist and Modern Works on Paper & Impressionist and Modern Art Day Sale Achieve $56.5 Million - Christie's

Christie's New York held back-to-back Day Sales on November 18, 2025, featuring Impressionist and Modern Works on Paper in the morning and Impressionist and Modern Art Day Sale in the afternoon. The two sales achieved a combined total of $56.5 million, with top lots including Edgar Degas's *Danseuses sur la scène* ($1.14 million), Childe Hassam's *The Flower Seller* ($2.15 million), and Robert Delaunay's *Portrait de Jean Metzinger* ($2.03 million). The sales drew from notable collections such as those of Robert F. and Patricia G. Ross Weis, Carol and Terry Wall, and Arnold and Joan Saltzman, with strong bidding across American, Latin American, and European artists.

Oasis Fever Hits Sotheby's: 'Liam + Noel' Portrait Set to Fetch $2 Million USD

Elizabeth Peyton's 1996 double portrait of Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, titled *Liam + Noel (Gallagher)*, is set to be auctioned at Sotheby's contemporary art sale in London on June 24. The painting is expected to fetch between £1.5 million and £2 million GBP ($2.03–$2.71 million USD). Created at the peak of the band's fame following their historic Knebworth Park shows, the portrait captures the brothers in a tight embrace, with Sotheby's specialist Antonia Gardner noting the "quiet tension" that foreshadowed their 2009 breakup. The work will be on public view at Sotheby's London galleries from June 18–24.

Art or jungle gym? The Power Plant’s new interactive exhibition is all about play

The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery in Toronto has opened a new interactive exhibition titled "Colourful Parachutes: Imagining Alternative Futures Through the Power of Play," running until September 7. The show features 10 international and local artists and breaks the traditional gallery rule of "do not touch" by inviting visitors to play, climb, and alter the artworks. Curated with children in mind, the exhibition includes works like Harold Offeh's immersive installation "The Mothership Collective 2.0," which uses music, video, and interactive elements to encourage imaginative thinking about the future.

46 artists to be involved in Art Macao Biennale: IC

The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) of Macau announced that the 2025 Art Macao Biennale will open on July 19, featuring 46 artists from four Chinese regions (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan) and 12 foreign countries. The event includes 30 exhibitions across six segments, with a main venue at the Macao Museum of Art, and will run through October 19. Chief curator Feng Boyi introduced the theme “Hey, what brings you here?” focusing on Macau’s local history and global presence. The budget is 4.5 million patacas, and 27% of participating artists are from Macau.

Artificial Intelligence as an Uncanny Machine is on Display in a Florence Air-Raid Shelter

L’intelligenza artificiale come macchina perturbante è in mostra in un rifugio antiaereo di Firenze

Artist and philosopher Francesco D’Isa presents "Latent Rooms" at Rifugio Digitale, a gallery located within a former air-raid shelter in Florence. The exhibition features video works created using generative AI models like Midjourney and Seedance 2.0, which D’Isa manipulates to create dreamlike, glitch-heavy sequences. Rather than aiming for cinematic realism, the artist embraces the technical errors and "hallucinations" of the AI, resulting in an aesthetic that blends Renaissance beauty with haunting, domestic melancholy.

Arte Museum, BTS team up for immersive "Arirang" exhibition in Las Vegas, Busan and New York

Digital art venue Arte Museum, operated by Seoul-based design company d'strict, has partnered with K-pop group BTS for a large-scale immersive exhibition titled "Arte Museum X BTS The City Arirang." Inspired by BTS's new album "Arirang," the exhibit debuted on Wednesday at the museum's Las Vegas branch and will run through June 17, with subsequent openings in Busan on June 5 and in New York at a later date. The show features five original media artworks—including "No. 29," "Body to Body," "Swim," "2.0," and "Into the Sun"—alongside an updated "Arirang Wave" installation, an interactive "Live Sketchbook" space, and a BTS-themed cafe. It is part of the band's "The City" project, which extends the concert experience into local venues during their "Arirang" world tour.

First Fridays Gallery Openings for Red Deer

The city of Red Deer is launching its March 'First Fridays' gallery cycle, featuring a series of exhibition openings across several local venues. Highlights include Jessica Symons’ landscape exhibition "Upon Return" at the Red Deer Arts Council Community Gallery, a group show titled "Alberta Animals and Their Homes" by the Red Deer Art Club at the Marjorie Wood Gallery, and the mixed-media installation "Anima Motrix V.2.0" by Trudy Golley and Paul Leathers at Viewpoint Gallery.

33 artists showcase art from the heart

The 5th Inspired Fine Art Exhibition, themed “Kita 2.0”, is being held from September 5-21 at Capital Fine Art Gallery in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Curated by Inspired Fine Art Studio and Capital Fine Art Gallery, the show features 140 works by 33 artists from Malaysia, South Africa, China, and Hong Kong, including watercolour, oil, acrylic, sculpture, and mixed media pieces. Most works are for sale, and weekend art workshops for adults and children are scheduled for September 13-14 and 20-21. The exhibition will be officially launched on September 12 by Zulkifli Hashim, director-general of Malaysia's National Unity and Integration Department.