Frieze Los Angeles launched with significant early momentum as Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel acquired three quilts by artist Yvonne Wells from Fort Gansevoort before VIP hours officially began. The fair's opening day saw robust activity, including the $3.7 million sale of an Ed Ruscha painting, while major galleries like Pace Prints and Opera Gallery announced strategic expansions into Los Angeles and Houston respectively.
This week's art industry news covers significant developments across fairs, auctions, galleries, and museums. Frieze New York announces its 15th edition with a strong Latin American gallery presence, while the India Art Fair reports robust sales, including works by Atul Dodiya and N.S. Harsha fetching up to $600,000. Sotheby's will offer a major Francis Bacon self-portrait from the collection of Joe Lewis, and Christie's is set to sell three masterpieces from Agnes Gund's collection, estimated at over $123 million. Gallery news includes Federica Beretta's return to Opera Gallery and David Zwirner's new representation of painter Louis Fratino.
Ari Hodara, a 58-year-old engineer from Paris, has won a Pablo Picasso painting valued at approximately $1 million after purchasing a raffle ticket for just 100 euros. The artwork, a 1941 gouache-on-paper titled "Head of a Woman," depicts the artist's muse Dora Maar and was provided by Opera Gallery. The raffle sold 120,000 tickets globally, successfully raising significant funds for charity.
French engineer Ari Hodara has won a 1941 Pablo Picasso painting titled 'Tête de Femme' through a charity raffle after purchasing a single €100 ticket. The draw, held at Christie’s Paris, sold 120,000 tickets globally and raised €12 million for the Alzheimer’s Research Foundation. The artwork was sourced from the Opera Gallery, which will receive approximately €1 million of the proceeds.
A charity raffle in France is offering participants the chance to win a 1941 Pablo Picasso portrait, 'Tête de Femme', for the price of a €100 ticket. The initiative aims to sell up to 120,000 tickets to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Research Foundation in Paris, with the painting's current owner, Opera Gallery, receiving €1m from the proceeds. The artwork will be displayed at Christie’s in Paris ahead of the drawing.
The article highlights the Artis Arundo Spotlight, a chapter of the TOP CHARITY Art exhibition in Warsaw, featuring 10 contemporary artists including Helena Stiasny, Courage Hunke, Aleksandra Liput, and Zuzanna Szary. Their works are available in an online charity auction until June 8, 2025, with proceeds supporting artist grants, residencies, and project funding. The exhibition, held at the King John III Palace Museum in Wilanów, also includes a preview of the OmenaArt Foundation's African art collection, a Sculpture Garden with Opera Gallery, and a tribute to Amedeo Modigliani's Tête de Cariatide.
Private galleries and pop-ups are collaborating with venues and brands to bring immersive experiences during Miami Art Week 2025. Highlights include the launch of CONTRA, a private events platform, with a VIP grand opening at Wyncatcher in Wynwood featuring DJ sets and an installation by Daniel Allen Cohen. The NFL returns with an expanded Artist Replay experience, including debut artworks from active player Marco Wilson and legend Martellus Bennett. Opera Gallery Miami presents “In Dialogue with Color: Mid-20th Century to Now” with works by Roy Lichtenstein, Yayoi Kusama, and others. London-based SLAWN debuts “Heroes, Villains, and Violence” at The Art of Hip Hop, while artists Amanda Linares and Lee Pivnik install site-specific works for the City of Miami Beach’s “No Vacancy 2025” program at hotels.
Opera Gallery has officially opened its first Texas location in Houston’s River Oaks district, marking the 16th global space for the Singapore-founded network. The inaugural exhibition, running through April 19, 2026, features a high-caliber selection of Modern and Post-War masterworks by Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, and Marc Chagall alongside contemporary pieces by Yayoi Kusama and Kehinde Wiley. The gallery is free to the public and intends to host several curated exhibitions annually.
Opera Gallery has officially opened its first Texas location in Houston’s River Oaks District, debuting with a high-caliber exhibition featuring original works by masters such as Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and Yayoi Kusama. The space functions as a hybrid between a commercial gallery and a museum, offering the public free access to museum-quality pieces that are typically held in private collections or behind glass.
Opera Gallery has officially opened its latest international location in Houston’s River Oaks District, marking the occasion with a series of high-profile events including a collector's preview and a VIP opening. The new space debuted with an impressive inventory of modern and contemporary masterpieces, featuring works by blue-chip artists such as Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Yayoi Kusama, and Keith Haring. The opening festivities drew a significant crowd of Houston’s social and art elite, signaling a major addition to the city's luxury retail and art landscape.
Opera Gallery has officially opened its 14th international location in Houston’s River Oaks District, marking a significant expansion of its global footprint. The new space debuted with a high-profile presentation featuring masterworks by Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, and Marc Chagall, alongside contemporary pieces by Yayoi Kusama and Kehinde Wiley. Led by Director Gregory Lahmi and Deputy Director Kara Przybyl McIver, the gallery plans to host several curated exhibitions annually focusing on Modern and Post-War art.
Opera Gallery, a major international gallery specializing in modern and contemporary art, is opening a new location in Houston's River Oaks District on March 20. The gallery will present three to four curated exhibitions annually, featuring works by artists like Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, and Yayoi Kusama.
This fall, the University of Washington (UW) is promoting a series of visual arts exhibitions featuring its alumni and faculty across Seattle and beyond. Notable shows include Carly Sheehan's "Call Me Superstitious" at Specialist Gallery (July 3–Aug. 17), Caryn Friedlander's "When Water Becomes Light" at ArtX Contemporary (Aug. 7–Sept. 20), Mary Ann Peters' "myself inside your story" at Whatcom Museum (Aug. 16–Jan. 25, 2026), and Whiting Tennis' "Refuge" at Greg Kucera Gallery (Sept. 4–Nov. 1). Each artist draws on personal history, cultural heritage, and experimental techniques such as shibori dyeing and mixed-media sculpture.
The article highlights top art exhibitions in Seattle for July, including the return of the Seattle Art Fair (July 17-20) and several gallery shows. Featured exhibitions include Cable Griffith's 'Return to Sender' at J. Rinehart Gallery, Jite Agbro's 'Penumbras' at Patricia Rovzar Gallery, a duo show 'Color and Line' with Kevin Cosley and Soo Hong at Chatwin Arts, Althea Rao's 'Commit to Memory, Know it Will Perish' at Gallery 4Culture, and Humaira Abid's 'The Shape of Life' at Greg Kucera Gallery.
A dramatic oil painting by contemporary landscape artist Sarah Jane Brown will be featured in a new exhibition launching the annual Pembrokeshire Art Trail at West Wales Arts Centre at Peppers in Fishguard. The exhibition, curated by North Pembrokeshire Open Studios, opens May 17 and runs through May 31, showcasing works from local artists and makers ahead of the main Art Trail event scheduled for August 23 to September 6. Sarah Jane Brown, who regularly opens her studio for the Art Trail, paints the Welsh coast and is represented by Etcetera Gallery and Art Unlimited.
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has announced the return of its biannual DIFC Arts Night, scheduled to take place from April 23 to 26, 2026. This 21st edition will transform the Gate Village into an open-air gallery featuring a diverse range of mediums including digital art, sculpture, photography, and murals. The event is set to feature high-profile collaborations with Opera Gallery and Christie’s, offering a program that includes live performances, panel discussions, and creative workshops.
Elaine Holt has stepped down as Chairman of Modern and Contemporary Art, Asia at Sotheby's after just one year in the role. Jasmine Prasetio, Managing Director of Sotheby's Southeast Asia, will temporarily assume leadership of the Modern and Contemporary Art department in Asia, relocating from Singapore to Hong Kong. Alex Branczik, Chairman and Head of Modern and Contemporary Art, Europe, will continue to oversee the Asia team remotely from London. Holt, a well-known figure in Asian modern and contemporary art, previously spent a decade at Christie's and held roles at Opera Gallery and Ravenel before joining Sotheby's in July 2024.
Quimera Gallery ATX, a new art gallery and event space founded by Praful Parmar and Pooja Parmar, opened its doors in East Austin on January 5, 2026. Located at 1815 Rosewood Avenue, the venue aims to showcase local Austin artists while also functioning as a flexible space for events like music performances, book readings, and fundraisers.
Paris-based Opera Gallery plans to open its first Texas location in Houston's River Oaks District, with a $7 million build-out of a 3,000-square-foot space at 4444 Westheimer, Suite A115. Construction is scheduled from early September to December 2025, and the gallery has hired Houston-based Abel Design Group as the design firm. Opera Gallery, which began in 1994 with simultaneous openings in Paris and Singapore, caters to high-wealth collectors.
The second edition of Chitralekha, an art exhibition featuring works by 21 Sri Lankan alumni of Indian institutions, opened at the J.D.A. Perera Gallery in Colombo. The exhibition was inaugurated by Deputy High Commissioner of India Dr. Satyanjal Pandey and Member of Parliament Jagath Manuwarna, and is organized by the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre of the High Commission of India. It runs until September 13.