Artist Foundations’ Net Worth Has Nearly Tripled to $9 B., Led by Cy Twombly Foundation’s $1.5 B. in Art and Assets

New research from the Aspen Institute’s Artist-Endowed Foundation Initiative (AEFI) reveals that artist-endowed foundations in the U.S. now control roughly $9 billion in assets, nearly triple the $3.5 billion reported in 2011 and up 17% from $7.7 billion in 2018. The Cy Twombly Foundation leads with $1.5 billion in art and assets, followed by foundations for Alexander Calder, Joan Mitchell, Helen Frankenthaler, and Robert Rauschenberg, each holding over $500 million. The data, drawn from public tax forms, shows that just five of roughly 500 foundations account for more than half the total, with most established by postwar American artists born before 1931.

Picasso Painting That Cost S. I. Newhouse a MoMA Board Position Heads to Christie’s for $55 M.

Christie’s New York will auction 16 masterpieces from the collection of late Condé Nast magnate S. I. Newhouse on May 18, with an estimated total of $450 million. The highlight is Pablo Picasso’s Cubist painting *Homme à la guitare* (1913), estimated at $35–55 million, which Newhouse acquired in 2000 for $10 million after MoMA sold it from its collection. Newhouse, then a MoMA board member, violated museum policy by buying the work and subsequently resigned from the board.

Shreg the green ogre, a grey obsessive and Vermeer’s boiled egg – the week in art

This week's art roundup from The Guardian highlights a range of exhibitions across the UK, including Bruce Asbestos's 'Bootleg Shreg 2' at Exeter Phoenix Gallery, a playful show featuring a green ogre that parodies copyright rules. Other notable shows include Roy Oxlade's primitive paintings at Alison Jacques, May Morris's craft legacy at Lady Lever Art Gallery, a 30-year anniversary group show at Timothy Taylor, and Alan Charlton's monochrome grey works at Annely Juda Fine Art. The article also features an image of a naturally sculpted rock on Kangaroo Island, a review of the Turner Prize nominees, and a masterwork analysis of Vermeer's 'The Guitar Player' at Kenwood House, which was stolen in the 1970s and recovered with the help of a clairvoyant.

Rare early photographs reveal lost sites featured in Van Gogh’s paintings

Two rare photographic albums taken by art critic Gustave Coquiot in 1922 have been acquired by the newly established Van Gogh Academy in Auvers-sur-Oise, France, and are now on display. The images capture many of the sites in Arles that Vincent van Gogh painted in the late 1880s, including the Yellow House, the Langlois Bridge, and the Rhône riverbank. Several of these locations were later destroyed during World War II or by modernization, making Coquiot's photographs valuable historical records of Van Gogh's original subjects.

Tracing the Arc of British Sculpture From Modernism to Today

A new exhibition titled “Modern British: Modern & Contemporary British Sculpture” has opened at Bowman Sculpture in London, tracing the evolution of British sculpture from Modernism to the present day. The show features iconic figures such as Henry Moore, Eduardo Paolozzi, and Lynn Chadwick alongside emerging talents like Rufus Martin and Joanna Allen, creating cross-generational dialogues. Highlights include Moore’s *Small Seated Figure* (ca. 1936) and Paolozzi’s *Richard Rogers as Newton* (1990). The exhibition runs through May 29, 2026, and reflects the gallery’s shift from focusing on Modern masters to embracing contemporary voices.

A Joan Mitchell diptych and a rare stack by Donald Judd: our pick of the May auctions

The Art Newspaper highlights five major lots from New York's May 2025 auctions. Phillips offers Joan Mitchell's diptych 'Plain' (1989), estimated at $5-7 million, from the collection of late Miami art patron Tina Hills. Christie's presents Donald Judd's rare copper and red Plexiglas 'Untitled (Stack)' (1969), estimated at $10-15 million, from the Minimalist collection of the late Henry S. McNeil Jr. Sotheby's leads with Jean-Michel Basquiat's 'Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)' (1983), estimated above $45 million, and Mark Rothko's 'Brown and Blacks in Reds' (1957), estimated at $70-100 million from the collection of late dealer Robert Mnuchin.

Biennale di Venezia 2026. Le grandi mostre da non perdere in città

The article previews major exhibitions in Venice during the 2026 Biennale, highlighting a rich lineup of shows across the city's museums and foundations. Key highlights include a retrospective for Marina Abramović at the Gallerie dell'Accademia, a Peggy Guggenheim exhibition at her former home, and dual shows at Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana featuring artists like Michael Armitage, Amar Kanwar, Lorna Simpson, and Paulo Nazareth. Other notable venues include Fondazione Prada, Ca' Pesaro, and the Museo Correr, with artists ranging from Joseph Kosuth to Jenny Saville.

Researchers Identify Enslaved Boy in Joshua Reynolds Painting

Researchers in the U.K. have identified the enslaved boy depicted in Joshua Reynolds's 1748 painting of Royal Navy lieutenant Paul Henry Ourry. For centuries known only as "Jersey," the boy has been identified as George Walker, also called Boston Jersey, through baptismal and admiralty records. Walker was baptized at age 15 in Westminster in 1752, served on HMS Monmouth and HMS Deptford, and was discharged in 1753, after which his fate remains unknown. The research, a collaboration between the National Trust, the National Gallery in London, and Royal Museums Greenwich, also used scientific analysis to reveal Reynolds's original compositional intentions.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s new David Geffen Galleries reframe 6,000 years of history

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is preparing to open its new $720m David Geffen Galleries, a massive undulating concrete structure designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor. Spanning Wilshire Boulevard, the new building adds 110,000 square feet of gallery space and 3.5 acres of public parkland, marking the completion of a two-decade capital project led by Director Michael Govan. The facility will house the museum’s permanent collection, which has been largely out of public view for seven years, and features innovative exhibition strategies such as hanging artworks directly onto concrete walls.

Au musée Picasso, l’artiste africain-américain Henry Taylor dévoile sa peinture d’un quotidien troublé par la violence

The Musée Picasso in Paris is hosting a retrospective of African American artist Henry Taylor, running until September 6. The exhibition centers on Taylor's 2007 painting *From Congo to the Capital, and Black Again*, a bold reimagining of Picasso's *Les Demoiselles d'Avignon* that replaces the original figures with darker-skinned women and introduces Josephine Baker and a white man's arm. The show follows the museum's series on African American painting, after Faith Ringgold in 2023 and ahead of a Harlem Renaissance exhibition in 2027.

New catalogues reveal Royal Collection's vast sculpture holdings—and Queen Victoria's acquisition spree

A new four-volume catalogue, authored by former royal surveyor Jonathan Marsden, documents approximately 1,800 sculptures in the Royal Collection. The publication reveals the unsystematic nature of the collection's growth, driven by royal tastes and historical opportunities, and highlights significant discoveries like a previously unknown bronze satyr by Benvenuto Cellini.

From The Sheep Detectives to Rivals: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead

This week's entertainment guide from The Guardian includes a major outdoor sculpture exhibition of Henry Moore's monumental works at Kew Gardens, running from May 9, 2026 to January 31, 2027. The show features 30 of Moore's sculptures in the largest-ever presentation of outdoor works by the English modernist. Additionally, Parham Ghalamdar presents a solo exhibition of post-apocalyptic ceramic and glass works at Blenheim Walk Gallery in Leeds, and Photo London, the UK's leading photography fair, returns for its 11th year, moving to Kensington Olympia after a decade at Somerset House.

There will be mud! Could my child (and buggy) survive a day at a sculpture park?

A parent takes their toddler to Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) in West Yorkshire, UK, during a rainy February day. Despite the mud and drizzle, the child engages with outdoor artworks by Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Bharti Kher, Sol LeWitt, Vanessa da Silva, and Damien Hirst, treating the sculptures as playgrounds and objects of discovery. The park offers free activity packs, a Hidden Forest designed for under-fives, and a family-friendly environment that encourages children to explore art and nature without the constraints of indoor galleries.

How to Buy Minimalist Art

Artsy Editorial offers a guide on buying Minimalist art, explaining the movement's core principles of geometric shapes, limited color palettes, and material reduction. The article highlights key artists such as Carl Andre and Polly Apfelbaum, and emphasizes that Minimalism focuses on the idea behind the work rather than the artist's technical skill.

Peggy Guggenheim in London: The Making of a Collector

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice has announced a major exhibition for 2026 titled "Peggy Guggenheim in London: The Making of a Collector." The show focuses on the pivotal period between 1938 and 1939 when Guggenheim operated her first gallery, Guggenheim Jeune, on Cork Street. It will feature approximately 100 works by avant-garde masters such as Vasily Kandinsky, Jean Cocteau, and Yves Tanguy, alongside archival materials documenting her early career as a gallerist and patron.

The Top Exhibitions To See In London: May 2026

London’s art scene prepares for a major influx of high-profile exhibitions in May 2026, headlined by a comprehensive survey of Francisco de Zurbarán at the National Gallery and the grand opening of the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration in Clerkenwell. Other significant highlights include a sprawling outdoor installation of Henry Moore’s monumental bronzes at Kew Gardens, the debut of the 'Rising Voices' contemporary art exhibition at the newly opened V&A East, and a rare European retrospective of James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain featuring the iconic 'Whistler's Mother'.

The Incredible Story of Edmonia Lewis, America’s First Black and Indigenous International Art Star

The Peabody Essex Museum has launched "Edmonia Lewis: Said in Stone," the first-ever retrospective dedicated to the 19th-century sculptor who was the first Black and Indigenous American artist to achieve international fame. Curated by Shawnya L. Harris and Jeffrey Richmond-Moll, the exhibition is the culmination of seven years of research and detective work to locate surviving marble sculptures and archival fragments. The show tracks her journey from her early life as "Wildfire" to her education at Oberlin College and her eventual professional success in Boston and Rome.

Look Inside the Art-Filled Home of New York City's Cultural Crusaders

This profile explores the Upper West Side residence of Crystal McCrary McGuire and Raymond J. McGuire, a power couple deeply embedded in New York City’s cultural and financial sectors. Their home serves as a private gallery for a significant collection of African American art, featuring masterworks by Norman Lewis, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Elizabeth Catlett, and Romare Bearden. The couple’s shared passion for collecting began independently, sparked by their formative years studying in France, and has since evolved into a joint mission to preserve and live alongside Black artistic heritage.

Pioneering British photographer Julia Margaret Cameron honoured with a blue plaque in London

A blue plaque has been unveiled on the London home of pioneering British photographer Julia Margaret Cameron at 10 Chesham Place in Belgravia, celebrating her legacy. Cameron took up photography at age 48 and created iconic portraits of figures like Alfred Tennyson, Charles Darwin, and Thomas Carlyle, as well as images of her family and neighbors. The plaque was installed by English Heritage, with family members including musician Jules Cameron, singer Jasmine van den Bogaerde (Birdy), and artist Julian Bell attending the ceremony. Cameron's great-great-great-granddaughter Jules Cameron noted that the honor feels like a continuation of her work to fix presence in light and memory.

Story of enslaved boy featured in 1748 Joshua Reynolds portrait emerges in new study

A research project by the National Trust, the National Gallery in London, and Royal Museums Greenwich has uncovered new details about the identity of an enslaved boy known only as “Jersey,” who appears in a 1748 portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The painting, which hangs at Saltram in Devon, depicts Jersey with his enslaver, naval officer and MP Paul Henry Ourry. Through admiralty records, muster books, and baptismal certificates, researchers identified the boy as “Boston Jersey,” later baptised as George Walker, and found evidence of his naval service and possible path to freedom.

Museums have a duty to inspire the creatives of the future. At V&A East, I’ve made that my mission | Gus Casely-Hayford

Gus Casely-Hayford, the director of V&A East, outlines his vision for the new museum as a collaborative space designed specifically to re-engage young audiences. Highlighting a new commission by Cuban artist Tania Bruguera created with local youth, Casely-Hayford argues that museums must move beyond Victorian-era paternalism toward a model of co-creation. The institution has consulted over 30,000 young people to ensure its galleries, such as the "Why We Make" space, reflect contemporary concerns and community needs.

V&A East architecture review – from ceramics to codpieces, this is a honey-coloured treasure trove of human ingenuity

V&A East has officially unveiled its new museum building in London’s Olympic Park, a striking architectural addition to the city's burgeoning 'East Bank' cultural district. Designed by O’Donnell + Tuomey, the structure features a faceted, honey-colored concrete exterior inspired by the intricate folds of a sleeve in a Vermeer painting and the structural tailoring of Cristóbal Balenciaga. The interior houses a diverse collection of human ingenuity, ranging from Leigh Bowery’s sequined codpieces to historical ceramics, all organized within a framework that emphasizes the process of making.

V&A East collection review – a dazzling wealth of inspiration to fire up the geniuses of the future

The Victoria and Albert Museum has unveiled the first look at its new V&A East outpost in London’s Olympic Park, showcasing a collection that emphasizes diversity, global exchange, and the integration of art into daily life. The inaugural displays feature a wide-ranging mix of objects, from Althea McNish’s vibrant Caribbean-inspired textiles and Vivienne Westwood’s punk designs to a talismanic shirt inscribed with the Qur’an and a Japanese screen documenting colonial encounters. While the museum's public-facing branding focuses on community engagement, the actual curation offers a sophisticated, open-ended exploration of how different cultures influence and define one another.

The Best Exhibitions to See in Paris Right Now

Les meilleures expos du moment à voir à Paris

Beaux Arts Magazine has published a guide to the best current exhibitions in Paris for spring 2026, highlighting major shows such as "Martin Parr. Global Warning" at the Jeu de Paume, "Matisse. 1941–1954" at the Grand Palais, "Michel-Ange Rodin" at the Musée du Louvre, "Renoir et l'amour" at the Musée d'Orsay, "Calder. Rêver en équilibre" at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, and "Splendeurs du baroque" at the Musée Jacquemart-André. The article also features retrospectives of Hilma af Klint at the Grand Palais, Károly Ferenczy at the Petit Palais, Henry Taylor at the Musée Picasso, a Lee Miller exhibition at the Musée d'Art moderne de Paris, a Giovanni Segantini show at the Musée Marmottan Monet, and a Nan Goldin multimedia presentation at the Grand Palais.

Why the New Orleans Museum of Art Is One of the City’s Must-visit Cultural Gems

The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA), housed in a Beaux-Arts building within City Park, is profiled as a cultural cornerstone of the city. Founded in 1911 as the Isaac Delgado Museum of Art, it now holds over 50,000 works spanning global artifacts, Japanese ceramics, Egyptian relics, and modern pieces by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Edgar Degas, and Wangechi Mutu. The museum also features the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, a 12-acre free-admission outdoor space with works by Rodin, Moore, and Oldenburg. Upcoming 2026 programming includes Japan Fest, an Edo-period Rinpa exhibition, and a long-term show of French porcelain from the Thomas B. Lemann collection.

Lubaina Himid has been busy ‘Predicting History: Testing Translation’

Lubaina Himid has been selected to represent the United Kingdom at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2026 with a major solo installation titled 'Predicting History: Testing Translation' at the British Pavilion. The exhibition, running from May 9 to November 2026, features a new series of large, multipaneled paintings in dazzling colors, surreal settings, and a soundscape created in collaboration with artist Magda Stawarska. Himid, a Turner Prize-winning pioneer of the Black British Art Movement and Emeritus Professor at the University of Central Lancashire, explores themes of belonging, migration, and making a home in a new place.

Artist Henry Ossawa Tanner

This article profiles Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859–1937), the pioneering African American artist who achieved international fame in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Pittsburgh to a bishop father and a mother who escaped slavery, Tanner studied under Thomas Eakins at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts before moving to Paris to escape racial discrimination. He studied at the Académie Julian, became a mentor to Black artists including Aaron Douglas and Hale Woodruff, and gained renown for his biblical paintings such as "Daniel in the Lions' Den" (1896). Tanner traveled widely—to Egypt, Morocco, and Palestine—and was named a chevalier of the French Legion of Honor in 1927. The article lists numerous works by Tanner held in major collections, including the first painting by an African American artist acquired for the White House Collection.

May Arts Calendar 2026

The May Arts Calendar 2026 highlights a wide range of visual art exhibitions and events in the Seattle area, including group and solo shows at galleries such as Gallery B612, Visual Arts Gallery No. 85, JG Art Gallery, Piano Nobile, ArtXContemporary Gallery, and Common Objects. Notable exhibitions include "Layered Being: A Celebration of AAPINH Heritage" at Gallery B612, "Moving As One" by Tetsuo Aoki, "Material Meditations" featuring woodworker Andy McConell, blacksmith Maria Cristalli, and mixed media artist Jill Kyong, and "TADAIMA: 'I'm Home'" at MOHAI, which explores Japanese American history through dolls. The calendar also features a solo show by Yaminee Patel and a group show titled "Moga" at Fresh Mochi, celebrating Japanese and Japanese American artists.

May Things to Do: Visual Art

This article from a Seattle arts publication rounds up May visual art events, including the Seattle Art Book Fair (May 9–10) at Washington Hall featuring over 85 artists and free admission; Timothy White Eagle's exhibition "Once Wild River" (May 9–June 21) at Mini Mart City Park, culminating his EPA artist-in-residency; "Monochrome: Calder and Tara Donovan" (May 13–Jan 17, 2027) at the Seattle Art Museum, where Donovan responds to Alexander Calder's black works; "Rebels + Icons: The Photography of Janette Beckman" opening May 15 at MoPOP, the largest collection of her iconic musician portraits; and Drie Chapek's "Then Is Now" (May 21–June 27).

The Carnegie International Looks Back at Itself

The 58th Carnegie International at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh looks back at its own 130-year history, featuring a gallery dedicated to past iterations. The exhibition includes Chris Ofili's "The Adoration of Captain Shit and the Legend of the Black Stars" (1998), which was originally shown in the 53rd International in 1999, the same year Ofili's more notorious "The Holy Virgin Mary" sparked controversy at the Brooklyn Museum. The article reviews how the current iteration captures the excitement of earlier exhibitions while providing commentary on authoritarianism and militarism.