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Frieze has announced plans to launch a new art fair in Abu Dhabi in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism, converting the existing Abu Dhabi Art into a Frieze-branded franchise by 2026. This follows a previously reported but unrealized deal between Abu Dhabi and Art Basel, which instead chose to launch a fair in Qatar. Meanwhile, a new London art space called Ibraaz, funded by Swiss Tunisian banker Kamel Lazaar and focused on global majority arts, will open October 15. Gagosian also announced Jeff Koons's return to the gallery with a solo show titled "Porcelain Series." Additionally, the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation is selling the artist's Florida compound due to hurricane damage, and Pepperdine University closed an exhibition early after artists withdrew works over alleged political censorship.

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Robert Mnuchin, an investment banker turned prominent art dealer, died at 92 in Bridgewater, Connecticut. After a 33-year career at Goldman Sachs, he opened C&M Arts in 1992, later partnering with Dominique Lévy to form L&M Arts, and eventually running Mnuchin Gallery. He represented major artists like Willem de Kooning, Andy Warhol, and Mark Rothko, and advised billionaires including Steve A. Cohen and Mitchell Rales. Notably, in 2019 he secured Jeff Koons's sculpture *Rabbit* (1986) for Cohen at Christie's for $91 million, a record for a living artist at auction.

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Top 200 Collector Steven A. Cohen has been revealed as the consignor of Maurizio Cattelan's golden toilet sculpture, *America* (2016), which will be auctioned at Sotheby's on November 18. The work, made of 18-karat gold and weighing over 100 kilograms, was purchased from Marian Goodman Gallery in 2017. It will be displayed in a bathroom at Sotheby's Breuer Building before the sale, with a starting bid expected around $10 million based on the price of its weight in gold. The piece has a notable history: one version was exhibited at the Guggenheim Museum, offered to the Trump White House as a loan alternative to a van Gogh painting, and another was stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019, making Cohen's the only extant version.

steve cohen revealed as consignor of cattelans golden toilet sothebys paris takes 21 5 m from davidson sale gladstone gallery now represents robert colescott morning links for november 7 202 1234760559

Billionaire financier and collector Steven Cohen has been revealed as the owner of one of Maurizio Cattelan's golden toilet sculptures, *America* (2016), which he purchased from Marian Goodman Gallery in 2017. Sotheby's will auction the 18-karat gold work on November 18 with an opening bid of about $10 million. Separately, Sotheby's Paris achieved €18.6 million ($21.5 million) from the collection of late real estate mogul Manny Davidson across two sales, the highest total for a single-owner sale in France this year. In other news, Gladstone Gallery now represents the estate of Robert Colescott, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art is planning a major Vincent van Gogh exhibition titled "Van Gogh's Sunflowers: A Symphony in Blue and Yellow" for 2026.

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Art critic Ben Davis reflects on the cultural landscape of early 2026, identifying a chaotic aesthetic defined by AI-generated imagery, esoteric Nazi dog whistles, internet trolling, and gaudy luxury, which he calls the "Chaotic Style." He also discusses the muted response to the 2025 Fall of Freedom initiative, the ongoing credibility crisis of liberal institutions over Gaza, and the need for serious AI criticism that moves beyond dismissing it as "slop."

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Robert Rauschenberg designed the cover for Talking Heads' 1983 album *Speaking in Tongues*, creating a limited-edition LP package with three plastic discs featuring cyan, magenta, and yellow designs that produced a full-color, kinetic composition when overlaid on the spinning record. The project stemmed from a friendship between Rauschenberg and frontman David Byrne, who met after Byrne saw Rauschenberg's photo collages in a New York gallery. Despite production challenges that limited the design to a special edition, the album won a Grammy for best album cover.

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Gloria Klein, a late New York-based painter known for anxious acrylic arrangements and methodical mathematical systems, is the subject of a new solo exhibition titled "Crisis Management" opening January 9, 2026, at Anat Ebgi New York. The show presents many of her later paintings for the first time, and coincides with the announcement that Anat Ebgi now represents her estate. Klein, born in Brooklyn in 1936, was a queer artist who participated in the feminist publication HERESIES, created portraits of critics Arlene Raven and Lucy Lippard, curated the 1977 exhibition "10 Downtown: 10 Years" at PS1, and was a member of the Criss Cross art cooperative. Despite a recent sale of her work for $30,000 at Frieze Los Angeles in 2023, she remains relatively unknown.

Filthy fossil fuels, a dizzying debut and the ominous side of the moon – the week in art

The Guardian’s weekly art roundup highlights the opening of 'Extraction' at Jupiter Artland, an exhibition featuring artists like Marguerite Humeau and John Gerrard that explores the environmental impact of fossil fuels. Other notable UK openings include Michaela Yearwood-Dan’s museum debut at The Whitworth, a survey of Paula Rego’s drawings at Victoria Miro, and a showcase of Thérèse Oulton’s textured landscapes at Vardaxoglou.

Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential List Includes Artist Cao Fei and Photojournalist Lynsey Addario

Time magazine has named artist Cao Fei and photojournalist Lynsey Addario to its 2026 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Cao Fei is recognized for her multidisciplinary work exploring digital technology and modernity, while Addario is honored for her decades of courageous reporting from global conflict zones, including her Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the war in Ukraine. The list also acknowledges prominent art patrons Susan and Michael Dell.

judge halts construction of trump ballroom maurizio cattelan wants you to confess to him morning links for april 1 2026 1234779586

Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan has launched a global hotline inviting the public to confess their sins to mark the 21st anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II. The project, which may coincide with April Fools' Day, culminates in a livestreamed event on April 23 where Cattelan intends to perform a secular act of absolution. Other major developments include a federal judge halting construction on a controversial White House ballroom and the death of British illustrator Glen Baxter at age 82.

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Digital artist Beeple is bringing his viral robotic installation, "Regular Animals (2025)," to the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin this April. The work features a pack of AI-powered robotic dogs with heads modeled after tech moguls like Elon Musk and art icons like Pablo Picasso, which roam a pen, capture images of the audience, and "eject" AI-filtered prints from their rears. The presentation will coincide with Gallery Weekend Berlin and include a dialogue with Nam June Paik’s "Andy Warhol Robot (1994)."

Mary, Queen of Scots Final Letter on View; French Artist Adds Armor to Dalida Sculpture: Morning Links for March 10, 2026

mary queen of scots final letter on view french artist adds armor to dalida sculpture morning links for march 10 2026 1234776708

Perth Museum has unveiled the final letter written by Mary, Queen of Scots, marking the document's first public display in Scotland in three decades. Penned hours before her execution in 1587, the letter to Henry III of France frames her death as a religious martyrdom and is subject to extreme conservation protocols that limit its exhibition frequency. Meanwhile, in Paris, artist Luz has installed a spiked, mirror-encrusted bodice on the famous Dalida bust in Montmartre to protest the tradition of tourists rubbing the sculpture's breasts for luck.

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Conceptual artist Anicka Yi has joined Pace Gallery, where she will be represented in partnership with Gladstone Gallery, 47 Canal, and Esther Schipper. Known for her research-heavy practice that utilizes scents, bacteria, and robotics, Yi cited Pace CEO Marc Glimcher’s background in biology and the gallery's history with light and space pioneers as primary reasons for the move. Her work will be featured in the New Museum’s upcoming expansion inaugural exhibition, "New Humans: Memories of the Future."

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Newly released emails from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein reveal that he discussed a plan by billionaire art collector Leon Black to purchase a Picasso painting from Gagosian gallery for $100 million. In a 2015 email to Melanie Spinella, a representative for Black, Epstein questioned the lack of a written contract for the overseas transfer. The emails also show Epstein advising Black on broader art purchasing strategies, including assigning agreements to family members, and offering opinions on Artspace, the online marketplace acquired by Black's publishing house Phaidon.

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W magazine's current art issue features Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence in a three-part collaboration with French filmmaker and artist Philippe Parreno, American painter Elizabeth Peyton, and German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans. Parreno shot a short film starring Lawrence, Tillmans photographed her at his London studio wearing a T-shirt referencing his Centre Pompidou exhibition, and Peyton painted a portrait of the actress in her signature loose, romantic style. The issue has three different covers, each dedicated to one collaborating artist's work.

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Greece's culture minister Lina Mendoni has publicly criticized the British Museum for hosting a lavish £2,000-a-ticket Pink Ball near the Elgin Marbles, attended by celebrities including Mick Jagger, Naomi Campbell, and Janet Jackson. Mendoni accused the museum of showing 'provocative indifference' by using the ancient Greek sculptures as mere 'decorative elements' for entertainment, echoing similar criticism from a fashion show held in the same gallery last year. Separately, disgraced Miami art dealer Les Roberts, previously charged with selling forged Andy Warhols, has opened a shop called Labubu Headquarters in Coconut Grove selling collectible monster figurines, despite bond conditions restricting him from working in the art industry. The article also reports that Richard Diebenkorn's estate has joined Gagosian, the J. Paul Getty Trust and the World Economic Forum will host a cultural table during Art Basel Paris, and Interpol has added stolen Louvre jewelry to its database.

dom perignon takashi murakami limited edition collaboration 1234754986

Dom Pérignon has partnered with artist Takashi Murakami to design limited-edition labels and packaging for its Vintage 2015 and Rosé Vintage 2010 releases. Murakami’s signature smiling floral motifs appear on black backgrounds, and the collaboration is framed as an exploration of time, transformation, and the intersection of historical craftsmanship with contemporary art. Murakami worked with Dom Pérignon’s Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon, and the project is part of a broader series titled “Creation is an eternal journey,” which also involves actors, musicians, and chefs.

dom perignon takashi murakami limited edition collaboration 1234754986

Dom Pérignon has partnered with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami to design limited-edition labels and packaging for its Vintage 2015 and Rosé Vintage 2010 champagnes. The designs feature Murakami's signature smiling floral motifs on black backgrounds, described by the brand as an encounter between historical mastery and innovation. Murakami worked with Dom Pérignon's Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon on the project, which is part of a larger series titled 'Creation is an eternal journey' that also includes collaborations with actors, musicians, and chefs.

Monet and Van Gogh Masterpieces Hit the Shampoo Aisle

Beauty brand Dove has launched a limited-edition haircare collection called "The Art of Repair" featuring iconic artworks by Claude Monet, Mary Cassatt, and Vincent van Gogh on its product packaging. The shampoo, conditioner, and serum bottles display images of Monet's *The Japanese Footbridge*, Cassatt's *The Loge*, and Van Gogh's *Roses*, drawing a parallel between art conservation and hair repair. The collection is exclusively available at Walmart.

Beeple's Robot Dogs to Roam Berlin's Neue Nationalgalerie

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Digital artist Beeple is set to make his German institutional debut at Berlin’s Neue Nationalgalerie with "Regular Animals" (2025), an installation featuring ten robotic dogs with heads modeled after tech moguls like Elon Musk and iconic artists like Pablo Picasso. The sculptures, which gained viral fame at Art Basel Miami Beach, use AI to process their surroundings and "defecate" stylized prints for visitors. The 11-day pop-up presentation will place Beeple’s work in dialogue with Nam June Paik’s "Andy Warhol Robot" (1994), exploring the intersection of art, media, and mechanical reproduction.

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On International Lego Day, the article ranks Lego Art sets inspired by famous artworks, including Vincent van Gogh's *Sunflowers* and *Starry Night*, Hokusai's *The Great Wave*, and others. The ranking is done by the author and their brother, an Adult Fan of Lego, who rate each set from both an art critic and a Lego builder perspective.

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Artnet News lists 10 immersive installation artworks that are creepy enough to double as haunted houses for Halloween. Featured works include Alex Da Corte's "Die Hexe" (2015) at Luxembourg & Dayan, which transformed a townhouse into a ghostly dollhouse with a morgue; Mike Kelley's "Exploded Fortress of Solitude" (2011) at Hauser & Wirth, a sculptural interpretation of Superman's lair; Jonah Freeman and Justin Lowe's "Scenario in the Shade" at Red Bull Studios, a dystopian arts festival installation; Tobias Rehberger's "Bar Oppenheimer" (2013) at Hotel Americano, featuring disorienting dazzle camouflage patterns; and Puppies Puppies' "Gollum" at Queer Thoughts, where an actor in a Gollum mask performs live.

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Artnet News has published a preview of major museum exhibitions scheduled across the United States in 2026, highlighting five standout shows. These include "Renaissance to Runway: The Enduring Italian Houses" at the Cleveland Museum of Art, which examines the intersection of fashion and art from the Renaissance to today; "The One-Two Punch: 100 Years of Robert Colescott" at the Tacoma Art Museum, celebrating the centenary of the artist known for his provocative figurative paintings; "Containing Multitudes" at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, a photography exhibition marking America's 250th year; and "Frida: The Making of an Icon" at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, focusing on Frida Kahlo's enduring legacy.

The story behind Iran’s only Van Gogh: ‘At Eternity’s Gate'

A rare, inscribed lithograph by Vincent van Gogh, 'At Eternity's Gate,' resides in the collection of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. The work, one of only seven surviving examples, was acquired in 1975 by Farah Pahlavi, the wife of the Shah of Iran, for the museum. It passed through notable hands, including those of US Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, before arriving in Tehran just before the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

Non-European artists are sorely under-represented in Paris galleries; Spanish minister officially rejects Guernica loan request by Basque government

non european artists are sorely under represented in paris galleries spanish minister officially rejects guernica loan request by basque government morning links for april 8 2026 1234780465

A new study by curator Louise Thurin and 193 Gallery founder César Lévy reveals significant demographic imbalances in Paris's commercial art scene. While female representation has tripled over the last decade to nearly 35%, artists born outside of Europe and North America remain marginalized, accounting for less than 15% of gallery rosters combined. Additionally, Spain’s Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun has officially denied a request to loan Pablo Picasso’s 'Guernica' to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, citing the masterpiece's extreme fragility and the need to follow conservation expert advice.

politicians trade barbs over guernica loan request artist thomas zipp dies henry taylor in paris morning links for april 7 2026 1234780242

Spanish political leaders are embroiled in a heated dispute following a formal request from the Basque regional government to loan Pablo Picasso’s 'Guernica' to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao for its 90th anniversary. Officials in Madrid have dismissed the request as provincial, while Basque leaders argue for the work's return to the region it depicts; meanwhile, the Museo Reina Sofía maintains its long-standing policy against moving the fragile masterpiece.

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The Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco announced a major public art commission by Jeffrey Gibson for Super Bowl LX festivities. The work, an adaptation of Gibson's 2022 video installation "THIS BURNING WORLD," will be installed as a 433-foot-long vinyl mural on the former Bloomingdale's building at San Francisco Centre, wrapping an entire city block. It will be fully unveiled on February 2, 2026, coinciding with the FOG Design+Art Fair. The project is funded by the San Francisco Downtown Development Corporation and the Yerba Buena Partnership, which have previously supported public art by Sarah Sze and Hank Willis Thomas.

notre dame windows climate activists acquitted morning links 1234765897

A Swedish court acquitted six climate activists who smeared red paint on a Claude Monet painting at Sweden's Nationalmuseum in June 2023, ruling they had no intent to damage the artwork. Separately, Claire Tabouret's designs for new stained-glass windows at Notre-Dame de Paris go on public display at the Grand Palais, despite controversy over replacing original 19th-century windows. Other news includes Pantone defending its 2026 Color of the Year choice, Brussels closing its Centrale for Contemporary Art due to budget cuts, the San Francisco Asian Art Museum returning looted Thai sculptures, and curator Pi Li leaving Hong Kong's Tai Kwun to help found a new museum in Shenzhen.

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At Art Basel Miami Beach 2025, Los Angeles–based gallery Commonwealth and Council is distributing a stack of posters featuring Andrea Fraser's latest project, *Lexicon* (2025). The work reproduces a list of approximately 200 words that have been banned or censored under the Trump administration, originally published in the *New York Times* in March 2025. The list includes terms related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), such as “racial diversity,” “activism,” “women,” and “they/them.” Fraser, known for her institutional critique works like *Museum Highlights: A Gallery Talk* (1989), created *Lexicon* as a direct response to executive orders terminating DEI programs and the subsequent preemptive censorship by federal agencies. She describes the project as an affirmation of art's role in fighting censorship, and it is linked to her ongoing research on museum boards and political donations.

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ARTnews has published a guide to Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on artists' tools and studio supplies, tracking discounts from US retailers on items ranging from tech gear like Samsung's The Frame TV and Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses to software subscriptions like Topaz Studio. The article advises readers to move fast as products may sell out, and explains the selection process involves research on art supply usage, customer reviews, expert advice, and the authors' own expertise as artists and teachers.