taipei art week taiwan market review

The second edition of Taipei Art Week has drawn a large crowd, anchored by Art Taipei—Asia's longest-running art fair—and the 14th Taipei Biennale. Galleries have raised their ambitions, with pop-up shows, talks, and collectors' parties filling the city. However, Taiwan's art market faces significant headwinds: art imports fell 15.2% in 2024, Ravenel's spring auction sales plummeted from $14.6 million in 2020 to $3.6 million in 2025, and Taipei Dangdai announced it would cease operations after its sixth edition. Geopolitical tensions with China have reduced Chinese collector participation and visitor numbers at the National Palace Museum.

dyala nusseibeh director of abu dhabi art on the gulf market a hugely important chapter ahead of us

Abu Dhabi Art Fair returns for its 17th edition from November 19–23 on Saadiyat Island, featuring 140 galleries from 35 countries—up from 104 last year and 40 in 2009. Under director Dyala Nusseibeh, the fair introduces new thematic sectors including 'The Collectors Salon' for historical objects, an expanded 'Emerge' section for works under $3,000, and a Global Focus highlighting modern masters from Nigeria and Türkiye. The growth reflects Abu Dhabi's broader cultural strategy of ambitious development, with museums long in the works finally opening and attracting global attention.

labubu kasing lung art market

The article examines the meteoric rise and current cooling of the market for Labubu, the Nordic fanged monster character created by artist Kasing Lung. After a decade of slow development, Labubu exploded in popularity through Chinese toy blind-box manufacturer Pop Mart, leading to record auction sales in 2025. Yongle Auction in Beijing organized the world's first themed Labubu sale, where a mint-green sculpture sold for RMB 1.242 million and a painting, 'Pure' (2021), fetched RMB 1.61 million, setting successive records. The frenzy attracted a diverse range of buyers, from streetwear collectors to traditional ceramics enthusiasts, many of whom share their purchases on social media platforms like Douyin.

brooklyn museum removing overpainting erotic gauguin relief panel

The Brooklyn Museum is preparing to investigate the restoration of Paul Gauguin’s relief panel, *Te Fare Amu*, which was recently gifted to the institution by the Henry and Rose Pearlman Foundation. The artwork features a crouching nude figure whose genitals were painted over with green pigment by the collector Henry Pearlman in 1954 to bypass U.S. Customs indecency laws. While a 2017 conservation assessment at the Art Institute of Chicago deemed the overpainting too risky to remove, Brooklyn Museum conservators plan to re-evaluate the piece when it arrives for exhibition this fall.

paula modersohn becker degenerate doubles auction record

A 1906 self-portrait by German modernist Paula Modersohn-Becker, titled *Selbstbildnis nach halblinks (Self-Portrait Looking Slightly Left)*, sold for €1.3 million ($1.5 million) at Berlin's Grisebach auction house on Thursday—more than quintupling its low estimate and more than doubling the artist's previous auction record. The work was acquired by an unnamed European private collector. The painting had previously been seized by the Nazis as "degenerate" art from the St. Annen Museum in Lübeck and was later acquired by the collector Bauer, who aimed to rehabilitate persecuted artists.

sothebys karpidas collection sale lots magritte surrealism

Sotheby's has announced the headline lots for the upcoming sale of British socialite and arts patron Pauline Karpidas's collection, set to take place September 17–19 in London. The 250-item auction, described as the 'greatest collection of Surrealism to emerge in recent history,' is led by René Magritte's oil painting *La Statue volante* (1940-41), estimated at £9–12 million ($12–16 million). Other highlights include ten more Magritte works, four Andy Warhol pieces from his 'Art from Art' series, and works by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Leonora Carrington, along with furniture and design objects.

museum launches public appeal to buy rare barbara hepworth sculpture

The Hepworth Wakefield museum, supported by the Art Fund, has launched a public appeal to raise £3.8 million ($5 million) to acquire Barbara Hepworth's rare 1943 sculpture *Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red*. The work was purchased by a private collector at Christie's London in March 2024 for the same amount, but the UK government imposed a temporary export ban in December 2024, citing its outstanding historical and aesthetic significance. The museum has until August 27 to raise the remaining £2.9 million; the Art Fund has already contributed £750,000. If the goal is not met, the collector may export the piece.

trial ron perelman insurance claim warhol ruscha twombly

The trial between billionaire collector Ron Perelman and a group of insurers began Monday in New York Supreme Court, nearly seven years after a 2018 fire at his Hamptons estate, the Creeks. Perelman claims the fire damaged five paintings—two by Andy Warhol, two by Ed Ruscha, and one by Cy Twombly—insured for a collective $400 million, arguing the works lost their "oomph" due to smoke, humidity, and relocation during the fire. The insurers, including Lloyd's of London, Chubb, and AIG, contend the works sustained no detectable damage and that Perelman's claim is a "money grab" filed amid serious financial difficulties, including margin calls and the sale of 71 artworks for $963 million between 2020 and 2022.

Spanish Government Threatens to Fire Director of Museo Reina Sofía

Manuel Segade, director of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Spain, has been threatened with removal by lawmakers if he does not complete a full inventory of the museum’s over 25,000 artworks by December 31, 2025. The pressure comes from Spain’s Court of Auditors, which has criticized the museum’s cataloguing methods for years, and is backed by the far-right and the conservative Popular Party. Segade, appointed in 2023, has been overseeing a multi-year renovation and has increased the representation of women artists to 35%, though only 15% of the collection’s 26,000 pieces are by women. The museum recently refused to lend Picasso’s *Guernica* to the Guggenheim Bilbao, and a pro-Israel group filed a complaint over a Palestinian flag display and a seminar series.

art collector mistake guide

The article compiles personal anecdotes from several art collectors—Laurent Asscher, Suzanne Syz, Rob and Eric Thomas-Suwall, Toby Milstein Schulman, and Danielle Falls—who share mistakes they made while building their collections. Asscher recounts buying a lesser Basquiat at Christie's before quickly reselling it to acquire a superior work at Phillips; Syz regrets buying a piece because others wanted it; the Thomas-Suwalls missed out on a Dominique Fung diptych; Schulman accidentally bought a work attributed 'after Keith Haring' at a charity auction; and Falls reflects on her early eagerness as a young trustee of the Bronx Museum.

Art Rotterdam focuses on photography

The 27th edition of Art Rotterdam took place at the Rotterdam Ahoy, featuring over 150 galleries with a heavy emphasis on the Dutch art scene. This year’s fair was marked by a strategic integration with the photography fair Unseen and coincided with major local developments, including the relocation of the Nederlands Fotomuseum to its new 'Santos' home and the opening of the Fenix Museum of Migration. Notable presentations included Sakir Khader’s poignant photography of Palestinian resistance at No Man's Art Gallery and Shimon Kamada’s atmospheric oil paintings at Diez Gallery.

25 of 2025: 5 Groundbreaking Fiber Artists You Need to Know

Artnet News profiles five groundbreaking fiber artists as part of its "25 of 2025" series, highlighting Diedrick Brackens and Melissa Joseph among them. Brackens, born in 1989, has seen his textile works exhibited at major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery of Art, and LACMA, with a solo show "the shape of survival" at the SCAD Museum of Art and a U.K. debut at the Holburne Museum in 2025. Melissa Joseph, who only began working with felt in 2020, has rapidly gained attention through solo exhibitions and major public commissions, including a 2024 installation at Rockefeller Center and the 2025 UOVO Prize-winning work "Tender" at the Brooklyn Museum.

Art Busan Is Building a More Sustainable Art Market

Art Busan, celebrating its 15th anniversary, will be held from May 21 to 24, 2026, at BEXCO in Busan, South Korea, bringing together over 110 galleries from 18 countries. The fair introduces two new integrated segments: DEFINE, which expands the fair to include collectible design, furniture, and craft, and LIGHTHAUS, which transforms gallery booths into curated spatial experiences to encourage deeper engagement. These initiatives aim to move beyond purely transactional sales and speculative momentum.

Indian Art In London: Sakshi Gallery Marks 40 Years With Landmark Show By Contemporary Indian Artists This June

Sakshi Gallery, a Mumbai-based gallery founded in 1986 by Geetha Mehra, is presenting a contemporary art show titled 'Unfolding Narratives: Perspectives in Contemporary Indian Art' at London's Mall Galleries from June 30 to July 8, 2026, marking its 40th anniversary. The exhibition features works by six artists—Amit Ambalal, Manjunath Kamath, Ravinder Reddy, Rekha Rodwittiya, Shine Shivan, and Surendran Nair—with several pieces created specifically for the show. It serves as a prelude to a larger institutional exhibition planned for 2027 in London.

10 Art Shows to See in Upstate New York This February

This article is a curated guide to ten art exhibitions taking place across Upstate New York in February. It highlights a diverse range of shows, including Kim Tateo's abstract paintings at Context Collective, Barbara Todd's politically charged textile works at Opalka Gallery, Michael Salomon's photographic landscapes, and group shows celebrating creative courage and Hudson Valley artists. Other featured exhibitions include Sita Gómez's paintings of women at Hudson Hall and photography shows by Ocean Vuong and Nona Faustine at the Center for Photography at Woodstock.

top collectors best advice

Cultured magazine presents advice from ten acclaimed art collectors for newcomers navigating the art world. The collectors—including Will Bennett, Laurent Asscher, Chad Leat, Rob Thomas-Suwall, and Kelly Williams—share tips on trusting one's instincts, focusing on quality over price, visiting museums and galleries, and taking risks. They emphasize that building a collection is a personal journey, not a prestige-driven pursuit, and encourage beginners to ask questions, use tools like the See Saw app, and support local institutions.

Pinakothek in Munich Returns Nazi-Looted Painting by Lesser Ury to Jewish Heirs

The Pinakothek museums in Munich have restituted a painting by German-Jewish Impressionist Lesser Ury to the heirs of its original owner, Berlin banker Curt Goldschmidt. The work, 'Interior with Children (The Siblings),' was sold at a forced auction in the 1930s after the Goldschmidt family bank collapsed under Nazi economic policies.

How NADA is Cultivating the Next Generation of Collectors Through Salons

how nada next generation of collectors salons

The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) has launched a new initiative called NADA Collects, a series of salons and educational events designed to demystify the art-buying process. Through gallery walks, dinners, and informal Q&A sessions, the program addresses the intimidation factor that often prevents potential buyers from entering the contemporary art market. By fostering a space where "no question is too dumb," NADA aims to bridge the gap between galleries and a new generation of collectors who may feel alienated by the perceived elitism of the art world.

Collecting in Madrid: 50 Ways to Build the Contemporary

COLECCIONAR EN MADRID: 50 FORMAS DE CONSTRUIR LO CONTEMPORÁNEO

The exhibition 'Madrid Colecciona. 50 colecciones de arte contemporáneo' opened at CentroCentro, showcasing a hundred works from fifty private collections in Madrid. It shifts focus from the artwork and artist to the often-opaque figure of the collector, allowing each collector to present two pieces: one of personal significance and one recent acquisition, accompanied by their own explanatory texts.

Online Auctions Continue to Draw in First-Time Art Buyers as Sales Grow

Online-only sales of fine art at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Phillips, Bonhams, and Artnet Auctions reached $423.9 million in 2025, an 8 percent increase from 2024. The number of lots sold remained steady at 29,623, but the average price per work rose 8.6 percent to $14,309. Sales were 270 percent higher than in 2019, before the pandemic accelerated the shift to digital auctions. Christie’s reported that 63 percent of new buyers in 2025 made their first purchase online.

This ‘Star Wars’ C-3PO Head Just Netted $1 Million at Auction

An original C-3PO head prop from the 1980 film *The Empire Strikes Back* sold for $1 million at a Propstore auction in Los Angeles. The piece, the only original head remaining on the collector's market, features functional lighting eyes and was created from molds of actor Anthony Daniels. It exceeded its high estimate of $700,000.

The Swiss Collector Building a Massive Trove of Chinese Art

Swiss businessman and former diplomat Uli Sigg has spent over three decades assembling one of the largest private collections of contemporary Chinese art, comprising thousands of works. Artist Ai Weiwei has referred to Sigg as “my maker,” highlighting the collector’s pivotal role in promoting Chinese contemporary art on the global stage.

10 Works Under $10K at Frieze New York 2026

Frieze New York 2026 offers a selection of artworks priced under $10,000 in its online Viewing Room, making the fair more accessible to a broader range of collectors. Featured works include Esther Pearl Watson's UFO-themed paintings of rural America and Nobuyoshi Araki's intimate photographs of his cat, among other affordable pieces from various galleries.

This California Art Show From Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys Pairs Major Artists With a Stunning Pacific Backdrop

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego is hosting "Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys," an exhibition featuring over 130 works by 37 Black American and diasporic artists. The show, which began at the Brooklyn Museum in 2024, includes pieces by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Gordon Parks, Mickalene Thomas, and Derrick Adams, and was celebrated with a preview party attended by the collectors and their creative community.

Remembering Sylvio Perlstein, the Belgian art collector and jeweller, who died aged 94

Sylvio Perlstein, the Belgian art collector and jeweller, died at age 94 in Antwerp, where he was born in 1931. A third-generation gem-cutter from a diamond dynasty, he fled the Nazis with his Jewish family to Brazil as an infant, reinventing himself as "Sylvio." His collecting began as an adolescent in Rio, where he bought a strange painting from a florist. Over decades, he amassed a major collection of 20th-century avant-garde art, befriending artists like Man Ray and Yves Klein, and acquiring works by René Magritte, Marcel Broodthaers, and Pablo Picasso. He was known for his discerning eye, seeking works that were "esquisito"—weird, strange, and different—rather than conventionally beautiful.

Ahead of new fair in 2026, Qatar takes centre stage at Art Basel

Qatar is making a major push at Art Basel this week, highlighted by the announcement of Art Basel Qatar, a new fair launching in February 2026. Models of upcoming cultural venues, including the Herzog & de Meuron-designed Lusail Museum, are on display in the Collectors Lounge, while Qatar Airways has announced a global partnership with Art Basel. Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani made a rare public appearance, speaking on a panel about the country's cultural ambitions and the role of art in addressing post-colonial identity and conflict.

Take a rare chance to see the astonishing Ringier Collection of artworks in Düsseldorf

The Langen Foundation in Neuss, outside Düsseldorf, is hosting a rare public exhibition of the Ringier Collection, featuring 500 works from artists including Cindy Sherman, Barbara Kruger, Richard Prince, John Baldessari, and Sylvie Fleury. Titled 'Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Film, Video, Sound', the show was curated by Beatrix Ruf and artist Wade Guyton, and spans sketches to large-scale oils and photographic works from the 1960s to the present. The collection is owned by Swiss publishing mogul Michael Ringier, who began collecting 30 years ago and now holds 5,000 works.

BmoreArt’s Picks: April 14-20

Baltimore’s art scene is hosting a dense schedule of events from April 14–20, 2026, featuring major lectures, exhibition openings, and multimedia performances. Highlights include a talk by Dr. Denise Murrell at the Baltimore Museum of Art regarding Matisse’s time in Martinique, a lecture on Afrofuturism by Dr. Myers Perry at Goucher College, and the opening of Douriean Fletcher’s jewelry exhibition at the Walters Art Museum. Other notable events include the "More Than Trust" group show at Design Distillery and the Baker Artist Award Finalist Showcase at Current Space.

Modern and Contemporary African and Middle Eastern Art: Olympia Auctions’ Largest Sale to Date

Olympia Auctions will hold its largest-ever sale of Modern and Contemporary African and Middle Eastern Art on May 7, 2025, in London. The auction features over 100 lots including works by pioneering Nigerian artists appearing at auction for the first time, Egyptian modernists from the Zulficar collection, classic South African paintings from a major collection, and Botswanan works on paper. Highlights include a portrait of Oum Kalthoum by George Bahgoury (estimate £25,000-30,000) and satirical portraits by Kingsley Obasi. Olympia Auctions expert Janet Rady, who has led the secondary market for Middle Eastern art since 2013, curated the sale.

How Blue-Chip Art Markets Are Opening Up to New Collectors

The contemporary art market in 2025 is experiencing a paradox: traditional indicators show cooling, but online sales are booming and attracting new, younger collectors. According to the Art Basel and UBS Art Market Report 2025, online sales now account for 22% of dealer transactions, with 46% of online sales in 2024 going to first-time buyers—up from 35% the previous year. High-net-worth individuals increasingly prefer purchasing through digital channels like dealer websites or Instagram, and established collectors are also buying sight unseen. This shift is driven by greater access to authenticated limited editions and prints by blue-chip artists such as Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Banksy, David Hockney, and Damien Hirst, offered by galleries like Calder Contemporary in London with transparent pricing and provenance.