Cai Guo-Qiang joins White Cube

White Cube now represents Cai Guo-Qiang, making the British gallery the first to represent the Chinese-born, New York-based artist known for his gunpowder paintings. The announcement coincides with White Cube’s solo presentation of Cai’s ongoing gunpowder painting series featuring birds at Tefaf New York (14-19 May). Cai had a solo show at White Cube’s Bermondsey space last autumn, titled *Gunpowder and Abstraction 2015-2016*, his first London presentation since his large-scale project at Tate Modern in 2003.

Our Guide to New York Art Week 2026

New York Art Week 2026 brings a major convergence of art events across the city, including several prominent art fairs such as Frieze New York, Independent New York, TEFAF New York, and NADA New York. The week also features gallery openings spanning from Tribeca to the Upper East Side, as well as auction previews ahead of key sales at Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and Phillips.

Tefaf New York wishlist: a Tiffany window and an Egyptian goddess with a nose job

The article highlights three standout artworks being offered at Tefaf New York. A Tiffany Studios stained-glass window, "Birches and Irises" (around 1915), designed by Agnes Northrop, is priced at $1.25 million through Macklowe Gallery. An Egyptian goddess bust from 570-526 BC, rediscovered at a regional auction in England and later authenticated after scientific study, is offered for £1.5 million by David Aaron. A painting by Cecily Brown, "Functor Hideaway" (2008), is listed at $3.9 million by Berggruen Gallery, coinciding with her current exhibition at London's Serpentine Gallery.

Ten years on, Tefaf New York still stands out from the crowd

Tefaf New York returns to the Park Avenue Armory from 15 to 19 May, bringing together 88 exhibitors from 14 countries. The fair, which launched in 2016 as a two-part event and consolidated into a single annual edition in 2022, spans Greco-Roman antiquities, jewellery, 20th-century design, and contemporary art. This year’s edition includes nine new exhibitors such as David Lévy, Larkin Erdmann, Piano Nobile, Macklowe Gallery, and ML Fine Art, and sees the return of John Berggruen after a three-year absence. Fair leadership, including director Leanne Jagtiani and head of fairs Will Korner, emphasize the fair’s distinctive focus on Modern art, which they say differentiates it from other spring fairs in New York that are more heavily weighted toward contemporary work.

What You Should Definitely Avoid in Venice

Was man in Venedig unbedingt vermeiden sollte

The article humorously critiques the Venice Biennale, highlighting several disappointments. It describes a Japanese pavilion installation by Ei Arakawa-Nash featuring baby dolls for diaper-changing, which a critic dismisses as a male artist over-romanticizing parenthood. Other flops include long queues for the German and Austrian pavilions, underwhelming main exhibition "In Minor Keys," and annoying self-promotional performers outside venues. The piece also laments the presence of loud American collectors and donors who dominate the event.

11 Must-See Shows During New York Art Week 2026

New York Art Week 2026 is set to be a packed event, with major art fairs including Frieze, TEFAF, and Independent all scheduled within a single week this May. The art world will arrive directly from the Venice Biennale, and New York galleries are opening their major spring exhibitions to coincide with the influx of curators and collectors.

Fair Week in NYC!

New York City is hosting a packed week of art fairs in May 2025, including Frieze at The Shed, Independent Art Fair at Pier 36, TEFAF New York at the Park Avenue Armory, and NADA New York at the Starrett-Lehigh Building. The fairs feature hundreds of international galleries, with Frieze emphasizing Central and South American exhibitors, Independent exploring a dystopian theme, TEFAF offering antiquities and fine art, and NADA celebrating its 12th edition with 121 galleries. The article also notes recent major exhibitions at the New Museum, Whitney Biennial, MoMA PS1, The Met, and MoMA, and includes a guide to Upstate New York art destinations.

New York art world spared worst of logistics woes

New York's spring art fairs—including Frieze, Tefaf, Independent, and Nada—are proceeding largely on schedule despite ongoing disruptions from the war in Iran. Airspace closures, reduced flights, rising fuel costs, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have strained global art logistics, forcing rerouting, last-minute cancellations, and cost increases of up to 2,500%. Logistics firms like Hasenkamp and Gander & White report that while shipments are still arriving, the system has become fragile, with clients prioritizing safety and resilience over speed.

Eva Helene Pade Paints the Thin Line Between Ecstasy and Violence

Danish painter Eva Helene Pade, born in 1997, has been working in a borrowed London studio while her Paris home undergoes renovations. Three of her new monumental paintings—Jagt (Hunt), Nærmere (Closer), and Opstand (Surge)—will debut with Thaddaeus Ropac at TEFAF New York this week. Known for tempestuous, large-scale nocturnal scenes filled with writhing naked female bodies, Pade draws on influences from Edvard Munch, James Ensor, and Gustav Klimt, though she now works more intuitively. She signed with Thaddaeus Ropac in 2024 as the gallery's youngest represented artist and was featured in Artnet's Intelligence Report 'Zero to Hero' list for a major spike in search interest.

Female nudity and art that stinks: key takeaways from Venice Biennale 2026

The 2026 Venice Biennale opened with 99 participating countries, including first-timers Somalia and Qatar, under the shadow of curator Koyo Kouoh's death. Her planned theme of "enhancement" and the main show "In Minor Keys" were disrupted by political protests: Pussy Riot objected to Russia's inclusion, and a strike against Israel's participation forced several national pavilions (UK, Austria, France) to close. Key takeaways include pervasive female nudity across pavilions, debates over Russia's presence, criticism of the US pavilion's lackluster art, maritime themes dominating several shows, and the rise of olfactory art.

New York Art Week Will Test the Market’s Momentum

New York Art Week is set to test the art market's momentum with half a dozen fairs and major auctions. Frieze New York opens at the Shed on May 13 with 68 galleries, while Sotheby's leads auction sales starting May 14, featuring a Mark Rothko painting estimated at $70–$100 million from Robert Mnuchin's collection. The total low estimate for Sotheby's week is $690.4 million, roughly 70% higher than last year's hammer total. Alternative fair Esther, co-founded by Margot Samel and Olga Temnikova, kicks off May 12 at the Estonian House for its third and final edition, emphasizing intentionality and community over scale.

How Does an Art Fair Stand Apart? TEFAF NY Has an Answer.

TEFAF New York returns to the Park Avenue Armory from May 15-19, featuring 88 dealers and galleries from 14 countries across four continents. The fair distinguishes itself from competitors like Frieze, NADA, and Independent by offering an unusually broad range of works—from Modernist paintings and contemporary sculpture to ancient artifacts, fine jewelry, and design. Notable exhibitors include Gagosian showing Kathleen Ryan’s bejeweled fruit sculptures, Thaddaeus Ropac presenting newcomer Eva Helene Pade, and Belgian dealer David Lévy pairing Keith Haring with Willem de Kooning. Design is a particular highlight this year, with galleries such as Sarah Myerscough, Gomide&Co, and Modernity Stockholm showcasing everything from Shaker-inspired chairs to Brazilian modernist furniture and Scandinavian classics.

A Painting by Gerard van Honthorst in Utrecht

Un tableau de Gerard van Honthorst à Utrecht

The Centraal Museum in Utrecht has acquired a painting by Gerard van Honthorst, titled *Extase de Marie-Madeleine* (c. 1618-1620), purchased from Cantore Galleria. The work was previewed at TEFAF Maastricht, where the museum also announced a major retrospective dedicated to the artist, titled "Gerard van Honthorst - En tout point différent de Rembrandt," which opened on April 25.

Art Abounds on Campuses Outside of New York City

Academic museums at Princeton, Yale, Cornell, and Skidmore have organized several standout exhibitions worth visiting beyond TEFAF New York. These shows highlight the rich programming happening on campuses outside the city, offering diverse artistic perspectives and scholarly depth.

Aude Herledan | Black Venus (2015) | For Sale

This is a sales listing for Aude Herledan's bronze sculpture "Black Venus" (2015), an editioned work from her series "Faithful To My African Roots." The piece is offered by 1831 Art Gallery in Paris, with a certificate of authenticity and price available on request. The listing also provides a biography of Herledan, a French-born artist raised in Kinshasa who studied at the École Estienne, Parsons School, École des Beaux-Arts, and École du Louvre, and who has shown at major fairs including TEFAA and Art Paris.

These Artisans, Showing at TEFAF New York, Push the Limits of Materials

TEFAF New York is showcasing a group of artisans who are pushing the boundaries of traditional craft. Exhibitors include a couple who grow their own furniture, an artist who polishes metal to a mirror-like finish, and another who collaborates with insects in their creative process. These works challenge conventional definitions of craft and material use.

The Korean Artist Park Daesung Is In the Spotlight at 81

The Korean artist Park Daesung, now nearly 81 years old, is experiencing a surge of international attention. His works have recently been featured in exhibitions across major cities including Chicago, London, Washington, and Los Angeles, and are now set to be shown at TEFAF New York.