Vasari Art Codex

article news schedule Jul 28, 2025 visibility 2 link 13 artists, 2 galleries

art worlds lifestyle competition art detective 2671494

The article examines the seductive and often corrupting influence of extreme wealth in the art world, detailing how high-end dealers, advisors, and collectors indulge in lavish lifestyles involving private jets, couture, and exclusive parties. It highlights recent scandals, including the imprisonment of art dealer Inigo Philbrick and advisor Lisa Schiff for defrauding clients, and a new legal battle between prominent art advisors Barbara Guggenheim and Abigail Asher, who accuse each other of misappropriating millions to fund luxury expenses.

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article news schedule Jul 18, 2025 visibility 2 link 2 artists

guggenheim asher legal brawl reactions 1234747784

A bitter legal battle has erupted between prominent art advisors Barbara Guggenheim and her former partner Abigail Asher, whose firm Guggenheim Asher Associates (GAA) has collapsed. Guggenheim accused Asher of misusing firm funds for personal expenses and claiming up to $20.5 million in future commissions. Asher countersued, alleging Guggenheim stole money for personal costs including her husband's funeral, bullied her, and encouraged her to build a relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The dispute has drawn widespread attention in the art world, with collector Sylvain Levy calling it a moment of reckoning for an industry built on trust and discretion.

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article news schedule Jul 16, 2025 visibility 1 link 10 artists, 3 galleries

prominent art advisory implodes after 37 years as ex partners fire off lawsuits 2667729

Art advisors Barbara Guggenheim and Abigail Asher, who ran the blue-chip advisory Guggenheim Asher Associates for 37 years, are now locked in a bitter legal dispute. Lawsuits filed in New York Supreme Court allege fraud, tax evasion, misappropriation of funds, abuse, and exploitation. Guggenheim claims Asher misappropriated over $20.5 million in revenue, while Asher counters with accusations of unethical behavior, including using sex and kickbacks to secure artworks and lying to collectors. The firm’s clients included celebrities like Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise and corporations such as Sony and Coca-Cola.

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