Sellers at the May Marquee Auctions Revealed, Bogotá’s MAMBO Museum Loses Its Director, and More: Morning Links for May 4, 2026

The spring auction season is underway, with ARTnews revealing that Jean-Michel Basquiat's 1983 painting *Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)* is headed to Sotheby's contemporary art sale on May 14 with a $45 million estimate, consigned by Joahn Sayegh-Belchatowski. Christie's postwar and contemporary day sale includes a collection dubbed "A Matter of Seeing" from Ronald Lauder. Meanwhile, Lévy Gorvy Dayan is testing a new auction-gallery hybrid model, and British billionaire Joe Lewis plans to sell another $200 million in art at Sotheby's in June. In other news, Martha Ortiz has left the Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá (MAMBO) following harassment allegations, after the earlier dismissal of artistic director Eugenio Viola. The article also covers a planned Derrick Adams portrait of Koyo Kouoh in Venice, the death of cartoonist Nicole Hollander, a free-entry stunt by Maurizio Cattelan at Fondation Beyeler, a Christo installation at Gagosian London, and a report on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's political interference in cultural institutions, including the Venice Biennale.

More Than 300 Yayoi Kusama Works Take Over a German Museum

The Museum Ludwig in Cologne has launched a major retrospective of Yayoi Kusama's work to mark its 50th anniversary. The exhibition features over 300 pieces, including sculptures, paintings, and installations, and spans her entire career from a childhood drawing to a newly commissioned Infinity Room. It also debuts several works in a museum setting and spreads beyond the gallery walls to the museum's roof.

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Maike Cruse, the new director of Art Basel's flagship fair in Basel, is preparing for the 2025 edition opening to VIPs next week. The fair will feature 285 galleries from around the world, including the Unlimited section for large-scale works and a conceptual wheat field by Agnes Denes originally planted at the World Trade Center in 1982, now growing at the Messeplatz. In an interview, Cruse discusses her transition from leading Gallery Weekend Berlin for a decade, the evolution of Basel as an art market hub, and her vision for rejuvenating the fair while maintaining its regional identity.

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At a Christie’s New York 21st-century art sale, Marlene Dumas’s painting *Miss January* (1997) sold for $13.6 million with premium, setting a new auction record for the most expensive artwork by a living woman artist. The work, estimated at $12–18 million, narrowly surpassed the previous record of $12.4 million held by Jenny Saville since 2018. Dumas, a 71-year-old South African painter based in Amsterdam, has built a steady market over decades, with her galleries carefully managing her work to avoid speculation.

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Art Basel returns to its Swiss namesake city from June 19 to 22, with VIP previews on June 17 and 18. The article recommends stepping outside the fair to explore top-tier exhibitions across Basel, including Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's rediscovered painting 'Tanz im Varieté' (1911) at Kunstmuseum Basel, a major survey of Medardo Rosso at the same museum, and a solo show by Thomas Ott at Cartoonmuseum Basel. It also highlights Clearing gallery's off-site project 'Maison Clearing' in a private house with works by over 40 artists.

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The 2025 Met Gala, officially the Costume Institute Benefit, was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, launching the exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” The event drew a star-studded guest list, with celebrities channeling the theme of Black dandyism through tailored silhouettes, bold patterns, and luxurious fabrics. Several attendees, including Cardi B, Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz, Colman Domingo, and Janelle Monáe, wore outfits that directly referenced specific artworks, such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s *Veronica Veronese*, Frank Stella’s *Rectangular Orange Painting with Diagonal Pattern*, and Hyacinthe Rigaud’s portrait of Louis XIV.

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Jordan Wolfson's new virtual reality artwork "Little Room" at the Fondation Beyeler in Basel, Switzerland, immerses participants in a multi-stage experience that begins with a full-body scan and proceeds to a VR encounter designed to be "morally and emotionally challenging." The piece combines elements from Wolfson's earlier puppet-based works with his notorious VR piece "Real Violence" (2017), which sparked controversy at the Whitney Biennial for depicting a brutal beating. Participants are paired, scanned, and guided through the experience by assistants, with early reactions suggesting the work provokes strong emotional responses.

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Ruth Asawa's first retrospective at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 1973 featured a communal "dough-in" where children made art from baker's clay, a practice that drew skepticism from some onlookers. Now in 2025, SFMOMA presents a larger retrospective of Asawa's work, showcasing her wire sculptures, drawings, and playful, community-oriented art. The exhibition, organized by SFMOMA's Janet Bishop and MoMA's Cara Manes, will travel to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Guggenheim Bilbao, and the Fondation Beyeler.

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Jordan Wolfson's latest virtual reality artwork, *Little Room* (2025), debuted at the Fondation Beyeler in Basel during Art Basel. The piece requires participants to undergo a full-body scan using 96 cameras, creating a detailed 3D model that is uploaded into a VR environment. Once inside, pairs of participants find they have swapped bodies, experiencing a disorienting and intimate encounter where they watch their own body being controlled by another person. The work involves a lengthy, ritualistic queue and a twelve-minute VR session that explores themes of identity, voyeurism, and technological mediation.

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Artnet News' Wet Paint gossip column presents a selective summer guide for the art world, highlighting key exhibitions and social hotspots. In Manhattan, the Upper East Side offers the Park Avenue Armory's Diane Arbus photo exhibition, the Met's John Singer Sargent show, and the newly opened Frick with its Westmoreland café. Downtown, Bar Oliver in Two Bridges has become an art world haunt, co-created by Olmo and Cy Schnabel. The column also previews themed group shows: "Hope is a dangerous thing" at P.P.O.W. and "CAKE" at Olympia Gallery, featuring edible artworks. Exclusive news reveals the engagement of Lucas Zwirner to Charlotte Lindemann, merging two powerful art-dealing families. Additionally, Sky High Farm in Germantown, New York, is launching a new biennial with works by Anne Imhof, Rudolf Stingel, and Felix Gonzalez-Torres.

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The Fondation Beyeler in Basel, Switzerland, is hosting a retrospective of Vija Celmins featuring roughly 90 works. The exhibition traces Celmins's career from her early still lifes of studio objects, through her grayscale depictions of war imagery like bombers and nuclear tests, to her later graphite drawings of clouds, ocean waves, and desert surfaces. The show also includes her bronze casts of stones painted to resemble the originals, presented in the installation *To Fix the Image in Memory*.

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Nahmad Contemporary will present an exhibition titled “Picasso | Painter and Model, Reflections by Naomi Campbell” at its Gstaad, Switzerland space from February 14 to March 15. The show focuses on Pablo Picasso’s late series “Le Peintre et son modèle” (The Painter and his model), featuring 14 works from 1963–1965, many previously exhibited at institutions like the Centre Pompidou, Fondation Beyeler, Museo Reina Sofía, and Guggenheim Museum. Supermodel Naomi Campbell contributes personal reflections on the artist-muse relationship, offering a contemporary perspective on themes of desire, power, and the gaze.

A major Jean-Michel Basquiat painting is expected to sell for more than $5 million in May.

A major Jean-Michel Basquiat painting is expected to sell for more than $5 million in May.

A major painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat, titled *Portrait of the Artist as a Young Derelict*, will be auctioned at Christie’s in New York this May. The 1982 work is a prime example of the artist's raw, graffiti-infused style and is expected to fetch over $5 million. This sale is part of Christie’s marquee spring auctions, highlighting continued strong market demand for blue-chip contemporary art.

A $35 M. Warhol, a $45 M. Basquiat, and More: Who’s Selling The Top Works in the May Sales?

The article reports on the upcoming May marquee sales at Christie’s and Sotheby’s, detailing high-value consignments from major collections. Christie’s will offer works from the estates of S. I. Newhouse (including a Brâncuși sculpture and a Jackson Pollock painting, each estimated at $100 million), former MoMA board president Agnes Gund (a Rothko estimated at $80 million), and the late dealer Marian Goodman (a Gerhard Richter estimated at $50 million). Sotheby’s counters with a Rothko from the collection of the late Robert Mnuchin (estimated at $100 million) and works from David and Shoshanna Wingate, including a Giacometti sculpture. The article also reveals previously unnamed consignors for top lots, such as collector John Sayegh-Belchatowski for a $45 million Basquiat and the Moore family for an Elizabeth Peyton painting.

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Maurizio Cattelan has been awarded the 2026 Preis der Nationalgalerie, administered by Berlin’s Nationalgalerie. The prize, given every two years to an influential contemporary artist, includes a solo exhibition at the Neue Nationalgalerie. Cattelan was selected by a jury of international directors including Emma Lavigne, Sam Keller, and Klaus Biesenbach. His exhibition will open in September 2026 during Berlin Art Week, curated by Biesenbach and Lisa Botti. Cattelan previously co-curated the 4th Berlin Biennale in 2006.

With Ruth Asawa, MoMA is set to open its biggest show ever by a woman artist

MoMA is opening "Ruth Asawa: Retrospective" on October 19, 2025, running through February 7, 2026, featuring 275 works by the artist, including over 60 looped-wire sculptures, bronze casts, paper folds, and drawings. The exhibition, which previously appeared at SFMoMA, occupies 16,000 square feet on MoMA's sixth floor and is the largest show ever devoted to a woman artist at either institution by checklist count, though neither museum has emphasized this superlative.

The 10 Best Booths at Art Basel 2025

Art Basel 2025 opened on June 17 with its VIP preview at Messeplatz in Basel, Switzerland, under intense heat. The 55th edition of the fair features 289 galleries from 42 countries, including 19 newcomers, and introduces a new Premiere section for mid-sized galleries showing recent works. Despite a challenging art market, the VIP day saw packed booths, international crowds, and strong sales of six- and seven-figure works, with dealers expressing optimism. The fair also includes returning sections like Statements and Feature, plus Art Basel Unlimited for monumental works, alongside concurrent events such as Liste Art Fair and museum shows by Jordan Wolfson and Steve McQueen.

Jordan Wolfson’s Newest Provocation Is a Creepy Prada Ad Campaign

Artist Jordan Wolfson has directed a new advertising campaign for Prada's Spring/Summer 2026 collection. The campaign, titled "I, I, I, I AM… PRADA," features unsettling, computer-generated birds and a bird-man hybrid alongside models including actors Carey Mulligan, Nicholas Hoult, Damson Idris, and Hunter Schafer, continuing Wolfson's signature style of disturbing digital avatars.

‘To this day, I can’t get it out of my mind’: Tobias van Gils on missing out on Maurizio Cattelan's orchid

Tobias van Gils, founder of the Zurich-based investment firm MLT Capital, discusses his art collection in an interview with The Art Newspaper. He shares his early collecting journey, recent acquisitions like a large mountainscape by Harold Ancart, and his regret over missing out on Maurizio Cattelan's blue orchid work "Meat" (2024). Van Gils also mentions launching the MLT Art Foundation with his wife to house their collection and support art programming focused on children. He offers personal insights on his decision-making process, favorite artworks, and tips for navigating Art Basel.

Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter to Co-Headline ‘Immersive Experience’ at Art Basel

Thomas Bangalter, formerly of the electronic music duo Daft Punk, is scheduled to co-headline an immersive experience called 'WAREHOUSE ARTEFACTS' at the Art Basel fair in Basel, Switzerland. The event, produced by Nordstern Basel nightclub in cooperation with Art Basel and Fondation Beyeler, will also feature house music producer Rampa and conceptual artist Julian Charrière.

What is a botanical curator? Rahel Kesselring takes on inaugural role at Fondation Beyeler

Fondation Beyeler in Switzerland has appointed Rahel Kesselring as its inaugural botanical curator, a newly created position supported by the Chanel Culture Fund. Kesselring, a former research associate at Humboldt University, will develop a hybrid curatorial programme focused on the museum's park and surrounding ecosystems, aiming to integrate botanical knowledge with artistic practice on a practical, material level.

An expert's guide to Alexander Calder: six must-read books on the US sculptor

An exhibition of nearly 300 works by Alexander Calder opens at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, exploring the development of his mobiles and wider practice. Guest curators Dieter Buchhart and Anna Karina Hofbauer have compiled a list of six essential books to deepen understanding of the artist's life and work.

art basel best of art guide

Cultured's "Art Basel Best of Art Guide" highlights key exhibitions and events in and around Basel, Switzerland, during the summer art season. Featured shows include Jordan Wolfson's VR installation "Little Room" at Fondation Beyeler, a Medardo Rosso retrospective at Kunstmuseum Basel, a Meret Oppenheim showcase at Hauser & Wirth, the second annual "Air Service Basel 2025" group show at Lo Brutto Stahl, Suzanne Lacy's video installation "By Your Own Hand" at Museum Tinguely, and works by Ser Serpas. The guide provides practical details such as dates, locations, and insider tips for each exhibition.

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Artnet News has published a preview of major European museum exhibitions opening in early 2026. Highlights include a monographic show on Paul Cézanne at Fondation Beyeler (January 25–May 25), featuring 80 works from his late career; “Yellow. Beyond Van Gogh’s Favourite Colour” at the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (February 13–May 17), exploring the color yellow across art, fashion, and literature; a solo exhibition by conceptual artist Danh Vo at the Stedelijk Museum (February 14–August 2); and “The First Homosexuals” at Kunstmuseum Basel (March 7–August 2), examining the intersection of emerging homosexual identity and the arts in the late 19th century.

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Art Collaboration Kyoto announced 72 exhibitors for its fifth edition, with 25 first-time participants. Patti Wong, former Sotheby's executive, launched New Perspectives Art Partners with Ed Dolman, Brett Gorvy, and others. Art Fair Tokyo's 20th edition saw sales of ¥2.86 billion, down 10% from last year. Lisa Horikawa and Mizuki Takahashi were appointed co-curators of Japan's pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The Sharjah Art Foundation named Angela Harutyunyan and Paula Nascimento curators of the 17th Sharjah Biennial. YDP, a new non-profit space in London, will open with a solo show by Duan Jianyu. At Sotheby's London, Yu Nishimura's painting sold for £292,100. Hong Kong collector Adrian Cheng resigned from New World Development's board.

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Sotheby's has announced the consignment of Roy Lichtenstein's painting *The Ring (Engagement)* (1962) for its May 12 spring contemporary evening sale in New York, with an estimated price of around $50 million. The work, one of the largest from Lichtenstein's iconic 1961–1964 comic-book-inspired series, has had only two owners in its 53-year history, most recently from the collection of Chicago philanthropist Stefan Edlis, who acquired it at Sotheby's in 1997 for $2.2 million.

Ruth Asawa: Retrospective

A major retrospective of the Japanese-American artist Ruth Asawa is touring internationally, organized through a partnership between SFMOMA and MoMA. The exhibition spans six decades of her career, featuring her iconic suspended looped-wire sculptures alongside tied-wire pieces, bronze casts, drawings, and archival materials. The show traces her journey from her formative years at Black Mountain College to her influential role as an arts advocate and educator in San Francisco.

Art Basel Diary: star brings K-pop magic, scents and sensibility, and Liam Gallagher’s romantic side

Art Basel 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, saw K-pop star RM (of BTS) visit the fair's Unlimited section, drawing screaming fans and highlighting his role as an art collector. Other notable moments included Friedrich Kunath's romantic portrait of Liam Gallagher (priced at $135,000) on view with Pace gallery, Italian collector Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo announcing a dual-site exhibition in Turin for her foundation's 30th anniversary, and Fondation Beyeler drawing luminaries like Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev and Don and Mera Rubell to Jordan Wolfson's VR experience 'Little Room'. The fair also introduced a bespoke fragrance called 'Racing Anticipation' in collaboration with Givaudan, though some staff reported allergic reactions.

‘My bank account is the only thing that slows me down’: Arlene Shechet on trusting her instincts

Artist Arlene Shechet discusses her dual role as creator and collector in an interview with The Art Newspaper ahead of Art Basel. She is installing her welded aluminum sculpture *Midnight* (2024) in the fair's Unlimited section, a work originally commissioned for her show at Storm King Art Center. Shechet reveals that she uses a portion of her sales to buy works by other artists, citing pieces by Fred Sandback, Barry Le Va, Joan Jonas, Kinke Kooi, and Marlon Mullen in her collection. She also mentions a regret over not purchasing a Louise Bourgeois drawing for $5,000 and names a medieval Book of Hours as her dream museum acquisition.

Venice Biennale: South African pavilion scandal, Marian Goodman remembered, Paul Cezanne in Basel—podcast

South Africa's culture minister, Gayton McKenzie, has cancelled the country's planned pavilion at the upcoming Venice Biennale, a project by artist Gabrielle Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo. The artist and curator are fighting the decision, appealing to the nation's president and filing a case with the high court.