Vasari Art Codex

trending_up market schedule May 1, 2026 visibility 34 link 36 artists, 4 galleries

The 20 Most Expensive Artworks Hitting the Auction Block This Season

The May 2026 New York auctions at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips will feature 20 high-value lots priced at $30 million or more, including works by Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Pablo Picasso, Piet Mondrian, Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Cy Twombly, Gerhard Richter, and others. The sales are staggered around the Venice Biennale and Frieze New York, with Sotheby’s holding its contemporary evening auction on May 14 and Christie’s its 20th-century sale on May 18. Notable consignments come from the estates of S.I. Newhouse, former MoMA board president Agnes Gund, and dealer Marian Goodman.

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trending_up market schedule May 5, 2025 visibility 7 link 14 artists, 2 galleries

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The article previews the upcoming May 2025 marquee art auctions in New York, led by Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips. Key consignors include the collection of late Barnes & Noble founder Leonard Riggio and his wife Louise, along with works from Anne and Sid Bass, Tiqui Atencio, Daniella Luxembourg, the estate of Barbara Gladstone, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Notable lots include Dorothea Tanning's 'Endgame' (est. $1M–$1.5M), Robert Motherwell's 'Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 160' (est. $3.5M–$5.5M), and Andy Warhol's 'Big Electric Chair' (est. $30M). The article also reveals undisclosed consignors through research, such as the family of Harold and Gertrud Parker for the Tanning work and the Hess Art Collection for the Motherwell.

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trending_up market schedule May 5, 2025 visibility 4 link 7 artists, 5 galleries

pace louise nevelson sculpture lawsuit 1234740585

Days before a Louise Nevelson sculpture was to be auctioned at Sotheby’s in May 2022, Pace Gallery founder Arne Glimcher declared the work inauthentic, claiming it was assembled by the artist’s son, Mike, rather than by Nevelson herself. The consigner, the estate of collector Hardie Beloff, has now sued Pace Gallery in US District Court for Eastern Pennsylvania, alleging that Glimcher deliberately sabotaged the sale to protect Pace’s control over Nevelson’s market. The lawsuit centers on Glimcher’s call to Sotheby’s, where he warned the work would not be included in a forthcoming catalogue raisonné, and on a 1993 appraisal in which he had valued the same sculpture at $85,000 without questioning its authenticity.

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person people schedule Apr 25, 2025 visibility 3 link 4 artists, 5 galleries

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Philipp Kaiser is leaving Marian Goodman Gallery after more than six years, with his last day on May 2. He will remain as a curatorial consultant as needed. The gallery cited the recent Los Angeles wildfires as a factor in his decision to return to independent curatorial practice. Kaiser joined in 2019, a surprising move given his museum background, and became president and partner in 2021 when founder Marian Goodman stepped back. During his tenure, the gallery opened new spaces in New York and Los Angeles, but also lost major artists Gerhard Richter, Nan Goldin, and William Kentridge to rival galleries.

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trending_up market schedule May 7, 2025 visibility 6 link 22 artists, 6 galleries

consignors revealed new york auctions may 2025 2637611

The article reports on the upcoming May 2025 marquee auctions in New York at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips, which carry a combined low estimate of about $1.2 billion—similar to last year. However, the market faces headwinds from U.S. trade wars, stock market volatility, high interest rates, and ongoing global conflicts. Major consignors include estates (Len Riggio, Anne Bass), living patrons (Tiqui Atencio, Norman Braman), dealers (Daniella Luxembourg, Barbara Gladstone, Enrico Navara), and institutions (SFMOMA, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Phillips Collection). Notable lots include Sheldon Solow’s $70 million Alberto Giacometti at Sotheby’s and Riggio’s $50 million Mondrian at Christie’s. Collector Peter M. Brant is revealed as the seller of Basquiat’s Baby Boom (1982) and a John Currin painting at Christie’s.

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article news schedule May 5, 2025 visibility 8 link 29 artists, 17 galleries

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This week's art industry roundup covers major developments including the sale of Frieze to Hollywood powerbroker Ari Emanuel for $200 million, the opening of Frieze New York amid a cautious market, and the appointment of Alexander Rotter as global president of Christie's. Other highlights include the collapse of a record $32 million Gustav Klimt sale due to restitution issues, Phillips adding country-of-origin details to lot descriptions due to tariff confusion, and gallery moves such as Petzel now representing Tschabalala Self and Hauser & Wirth selling its Upper East Side townhouse for $10.5 million. The Mellon Foundation announced $15 million in emergency funds for state arts councils to offset cuts by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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article news schedule May 23, 2025 visibility 8 link 24 artists, 7 galleries

state of play asia art world news may 22 2648226

This edition of State of Play, part of Artnet Pro's Asia Pivot newsletter, reports on recent developments across Asia's art world. Taipei Dangdai Art and Ideas and Art Busan both concluded with slower sales and reduced attendance, citing economic and geopolitical uncertainty. Meanwhile, Art Basel announced a new fair in Doha for February 2026, and more Asian galleries are opening spaces in New York. In institutional news, philanthropist Yan Du is launching Yan Du Projects in London, the Simose Art Museum in Japan is hosting its first contemporary exhibition, and the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art has repatriated looted Zidanku Silk Manuscripts to China.

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trending_up market schedule May 19, 2025 visibility 11 link 23 artists, 3 galleries

christies 21st century auction may 2025 marlene dumas 1234742219

Christie's 21st century evening sale on May 14, 2025, generated $96.4 million against a presale low estimate of $79.5 million, with 39 lots offered and a sell-through rate of 90% before withdrawals. The top lot was Jean-Michel Basquiat's 'Baby Boom' (1982), which sold for $23.4 million with fees, consigned by collector Peter M. Brant. Marlene Dumas's 'Miss January' (1997) achieved $13.6 million, setting a new record for the most expensive living female artist, surpassing Jenny Saville's previous record. Other notable sales included Simone Leigh's 'Sentinel' (2020) at $5.7 million, while works by Ellsworth Kelly and Felix Gonzalez-Torres failed to sell.

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trending_up market schedule May 16, 2025 visibility 9 link 24 artists, 2 galleries

basquiat ruscha sothebys now contemporary art sale may 2025 1234742440

Sotheby's three-part evening sale in New York on Thursday generated $186.1 million across 68 lots, landing near the high end of its $141 million to $204.9 million estimate. The sale included a focused 12-lot offering from the collection of late gallerist Barbara Gladstone, which sold all works without guarantees and totaled $18.5 million, and a 15-work guaranteed sale from dealer Daniella Luxembourg featuring postwar Italian artists, where Lucio Fontana's 'Concetto spaziale, La fine di Dio' (1963) achieved $14.5 million and Michelangelo Pistoletto's 'Maria Nuda' (1969) sold for $2.7 million after a five-minute bidding war.

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article news schedule Jan 12, 2026 visibility 17 link 22 artists, 6 galleries

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This week's art industry roundup covers a postponement, financial losses, legal disputes, and leadership changes. New Jersey's Art Fair 14C has been postponed to May 2027, with organizers citing capacity issues unrelated to market conditions. Bonhams reported a 90% pre-tax loss jump to £213 million in 2024 due to impairment charges. A rediscovered Watteau drawing will be auctioned at Christie's Paris, and personal items of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter are featured in Christie's 'American Collector' sales. In galleries, Amy Sillman left Gladstone for David Zwirner, Trevor Paglen joined Jessica Silverman, and Maya Hewitt joined Theta. The Louvre partially closed after a staff strike demanding director Laurence des Cars' resignation and reassessment of a renovation plan. Belgium's plan to dismantle Antwerp's M HKA museum has sparked resignations and backlash. New appointments include Will Cary as COO of the Barnes Foundation and Patton Hindle as director of arts at the Knight Foundation. MATHAF museum in Doha announced a campus expansion by architect Lina Ghotmeh. Legal disputes emerged between Gian Enzo Sperone and Angela Westwater over the shuttered Sperone Westwater gallery.

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trending_up market schedule Jun 5, 2025 visibility 8 link 11 artists, 1 gallery

damien hirsts colorful spin painting of leonardo dicaprio just raised 1 3 million for charity 2311409

An enormous painting of Leonardo DiCaprio by Damien Hirst, titled *Beautiful Leonardo DiCaprio Looking Away Painting* (2016), sold for $1.3 million at the amfAR Gala in Cannes, France, on May 25. The work, a colorful spin painting signed by both the actor and artist, was donated by collector Christian Levett and auctioned by Simon de Pury. The gala raised $17 million total, with the top lot being a $1.6 million Aston Martin DB12, and also featured artworks by Claire Tabouret, Cecily Brown, Andres Valencia, and Robert De Niro.

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trending_up market schedule May 16, 2025 visibility 9 link 14 artists, 1 gallery

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Artnet Auctions has launched its latest Post-War and Contemporary Art sale, featuring works by Damien Hirst, Donald Judd, Francis Alÿs, Fernando Botero, and A.R. Penck. Bidding is open through May 22, 2025, with highlights including Hirst's impasto 'Cherry Blossoms' painting 'Gilded Blossom' (est. $100,000–$150,000), Judd's plywood 'Untitled' (1979), and a figurative work by Tom of Finland alongside an Andy Warhol lot.

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trending_up market schedule May 7, 2026 visibility 2 link 4 artists, 2 galleries

Loïc Gouzer’s Auction Platform Fair Warning to Sell Major Banksy at Tiffany’s Flagship Store

Loïc Gouzer's auction platform Fair Warning will sell Banksy's *Girl and Balloon on Found Landscape* from the 'Crude Oils' series in an invitation-only live auction at Tiffany & Co.'s Fifth Avenue flagship store on May 20. The work, which carries a $13 to $18 million estimate, modifies a thrifted landscape painting with the artist's signature red heart-shaped balloon. It will be publicly viewable in the store before the sale.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 27, 2026 visibility 22 link 7 artists, 4 galleries

Digital Art Pioneer Nancy Burson Collapses the Border Between Mysticism and Quantum Physics

Nancy Burson, a pioneering digital artist, presents her latest solo exhibition "Light Matter" at Heft Gallery in New York, featuring "Quantum Entanglement" paintings that appear as white dots on black canvases but reveal jittering forms and depth when viewed through a phone camera. The 78-year-old artist, known for her 1980s composite portraits blending faces of businessmen and movie stars, continues her exploration of perception and technology, claiming a special gift to perceive the universe's emergent energy grid. The exhibition runs through May 2.

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museum exhibitions schedule Feb 12, 2026 visibility 12 link 32 artists, 2 galleries

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The Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh has announced the artist list for its 2026 Carnegie International exhibition. The largest edition to date features 61 artists from around the world, including the Indigenous Argentinian collective Silät, Indian artist Sanchayan Ghosh, and Peruvian painter Arturo Kameya. The show, titled "If the word we," will open on May 2 and includes 36 new commissions, organized by curators Ryan Inouye, Liz Park, and Danielle A. Jackson.

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museum exhibitions schedule Feb 11, 2026 visibility 4 link 1 artist, 1 gallery

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Acquavella Galleries in New York will present a major exhibition, 'Matisse: The Pursuit of Harmony,' from April 9 to May 22, 2026. The show assembles 50 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper spanning half a century, including the complete 'Back' series and significant loans from private collections and major museums.

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trending_up market schedule Aug 11, 2025 visibility 5 link 6 artists, 3 galleries

palestinian artist samia halabys market rise to continue this fall 1234749012

Palestinian American artist Samia Halaby has experienced a dramatic surge in market value and institutional recognition over the past decade, with eight of her top 10 auction results occurring in the last three years. A Christie's sale in May 2025 saw her 2013 painting *Water Lilies* sell for $138,600, more than triple its 2020 result, while her 1974 work *Mediterranean #279* set her current auction record at £400,000 ($534,000) in 2020. Her first US museum survey opened in 2024 at Michigan State University's Eli and Edyth Broad Art Museum, and her work has been shown at MoMA, Tate Modern, and the Centre Pompidou, which acquired a piece last year.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 28, 2026 visibility 28 link 46 artists, 3 galleries

Venice Biennale 2026: all the national pavilions, artists and curators so far

The 61st edition of the Venice Biennale, the world's oldest and most prestigious art biennial, will open on 9 May 2026 and run through 22 November. The main exhibition follows the curatorial plan of the late Koyo Kouoh, while national pavilions have been announcing their participating artists and organizers. The article provides a comprehensive list of confirmed pavilions so far, including artists such as Genti Korini (Albania), Matías Duville (Argentina), Khaled Sabsabi (Australia), Florentina Holzinger (Austria), Faig Ahmed (Azerbaijan), and many others, with details on venues and organizers.

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trending_up market schedule Jan 5, 2026 visibility 11 link 5 artists, 5 galleries

top auction lots helen frankenthaler paintings 2693574

Artnet News reports on the top five most expensive Helen Frankenthaler paintings sold at auction, all from the 1970s and all sold within the past five years. The list includes "Basin" (1979, $4.53M at Christie's New York in May 2025), "Carousel" (1979, $4.74M at Sotheby's New York in 2020), "Circe" (1974, $4.77M at Sotheby's New York in 2022), and "Dream Decision" (1976, $5.89M at Sotheby's New York in 2021), with the top lot yet to be fully detailed. The article highlights Frankenthaler's soak-stain technique, her influence on Color Field painting, and the role of Gagosian Gallery in elevating her market after her death in 2011.

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museum exhibitions schedule Dec 2, 2025 visibility 9 link 10 artists, 1 gallery

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In September 1945, exiled Surrealist painter Leonora Carrington completed her masterpiece *Les Distractions de Dagobert* (also known as *The Pleasures of Dagobert*), a densely layered canvas teeming with mythical figures, ritual fires, and medieval references. The painting, loosely inspired by the 7th-century Merovingian king Dagobert, depicts the monarch in a red robe on a cow-headed cart surrounded by enigmatic scenes. After a fierce 10-minute bidding war at Sotheby’s New York in May 2024, the work sold for $28.5 million to Argentine collector Eduardo F. Costantini, shattering Carrington’s previous auction record of $3.3 million. The painting is now on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art as part of the exhibition “Dreamworld: Surrealism at 100,” the show’s only North American stop.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jun 4, 2025 visibility 8 link 11 artists, 7 galleries

5 artists gallery weekend beijing 2025 2650974

Gallery Weekend Beijing (GWBJ) returned for its ninth edition from May 22 to June 1, 2025, adopting a new invitation-only model that emphasizes curatorial integrity. The event expanded beyond the 798 Art District into neighboring areas including 751 district, Caochangdi, and the Beijing Free Trade Zone Art District. A committee of five gallerists selected participants, aligning with an inaugural 'Beijing Art Season' that also includes Beijing Dangdai and Art021 Beijing. The article spotlights five emerging local artists: Cheng Xinyi, Liao Wen, Guo Cheng, and others, highlighting their exhibitions and market traction.

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article news schedule Jun 2, 2025 visibility 12 link 11 artists, 9 galleries

paint drippings art industry news may 26 2649338

This week's art industry roundup covers major auction results, including Sotheby's $51.8 million sale of the Saunders Old Masters collection (a record for a single-owner sale in that category) and the $12.5 million sale of the Lalanne's 'Ostrich Bar' in Paris. The Breuer Building, purchased by Sotheby's in 2023, has been landmarked by New York City, preserving its interior during renovation by Herzog & de Meuron. Art Basel announced a new fair in Doha, Qatar, launching next February with 50 exhibitors, while Untitled Art revealed 84 exhibitors for its first Houston edition. In gallery news, Yan Du will open YDP in London, Annely Juda Fine Art is moving, and Jean-Paul Engelen joins Acquavella Galleries. Gladstone Gallery hired Julian Ehrlich from Christie's. Saudi Arabia opens its first specialized art storage facility in Jeddah. Creative Australia chair Robert Morgan retires amid controversy over the Venice Biennale team appointment, and Monash University reversed a decision to cancel an exhibition.

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trending_up market schedule May 23, 2025 visibility 10 link 12 artists, 3 galleries

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The collection of Old Masters assembled by Thomas A. Saunders III and his wife Jordan sold for $64.7 million at Sotheby’s on May 21, falling below its low presale estimate but still becoming the most valuable trove of Old Masters ever sold in a single auction. Seven artist records were set, including Luis Meléndez’s *Still Life of a Cauliflower…* ($6.3 million) and Jan Davidsz. de Heem’s floral still life ($8.8 million). The top lot was Francesco Guardi’s twin landscapes of Venice ($10.5 million). A further 14 paintings sold the next day, bringing the collection’s total to $65.4 million.

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trending_up market schedule May 12, 2025 visibility 7 link 8 artists, 3 galleries

why leonora carringtons otherworldly sculptures are generating interest and controversy 2608664

Leonora Carrington, the British-born Surrealist artist, has seen a dramatic revival of interest in her work, with her paintings breaking auction records and her sculptures gaining new attention. However, a bitter dispute has emerged between supporters of her later bronzes and critics questioning their legitimacy, complicating her legacy. Carrington lived most of her life in Mexico and died in 2011 at age 94, but her reputation has soared posthumously, marked by a 2015 retrospective at Tate Liverpool, her influence on the 2022 Venice Biennale, and a current retrospective traveling from Palazzo Reale in Milan to Musée du Luxembourg in Paris. Her painting *Les Distractions de Dagobert* (1945) sold for $28.5 million at Sotheby’s New York in May 2024, setting a record for a British-born female artist, while her wooden sculpture *La Grande Dame (The Cat Woman)* (1951) fetched over $11.4 million in November 2024.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 30, 2026 visibility 11 link 19 artists, 7 galleries

The 11 Exhibitions to See in May 2026

ArtReview's editors have curated a list of 11 must-see exhibitions worldwide for May 2026, excluding Venice. Highlights include Audie Murray's solo show at april april in Pittsburgh, featuring works made with her own hair and breast milk; Delcy Morelos's monumental earthwork 'origo' at the Barbican Sculpture Court in London; and Bold Tendencies' 20th anniversary season in Peckham, titled 'Euphoria', with new commissions across multiple disciplines.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 28, 2026 visibility 12 link 18 artists, 2 galleries

2026 Venice Biennale pavilions: your go-to list [Updated]

ArtReview has compiled a running list of national pavilions for the 61st Venice Biennale, running from 9 May to 22 November 2026. The Biennale was set to be curated by Koyo Kouoh, who died on 10 May 2025. Recent announcements include Haitham Al Busafi representing Oman, Genti Korini representing Albania with a three-channel video installation titled 'A Place in The Sun (still)', and Matías Duville representing Argentina with an interactive salt-and-charcoal installation. The Australia Pavilion will feature artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino, who were initially dropped due to controversy over Sabsabi's 2007 film 'You' but later reinstated. Florentina Holzinger will represent Austria with a water-themed performance.

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trending_up market schedule May 7, 2025 visibility 5 link 12 artists, 1 gallery

who was l s lowry british painter auction 2640506

L.S. Lowry's painting *Going to the Mill* (1925) sold for just over £800,000 ($1 million) at Mall Galleries in London on May 2, after being acquired in 1926 for only £10. The sale underscores Lowry's enduring market appeal, though it falls short of his auction record of £5.6 million set in 2011 for *The Football Match*. The article profiles Lowry, a 20th-century British painter known for his bleak industrial cityscapes filled with anonymous figures, and explores why he remains a beloved but often overlooked figure in the art world.

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museum exhibitions schedule May 1, 2026 source 3 sources visibility 12 link 39 artists, 10 galleries

15 Art Shows to See in NYC This May

Hyperallergic's May 2025 guide to New York City art shows highlights 15 exhibitions, including a survey of Hawaiian Japanese-American artists from the Metcalf Chateau group at Ryan Lee Gallery, a retrospective of Malian photographer Seydou Keïta at the Brooklyn Museum, and Renée Green's multimedia project 'Secret' at Bortolami Gallery. The article also features Lynette Yiadom-Boakye's quietude-focused works, a meditation on grief and death, and a document of a city devastated by the AIDS crisis through portraits of inanimate objects, among other shows.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 23, 2026 visibility 27 link 1 artist, 1 gallery

Edvard Munch Paintings for a Chocolate Factory Go on View in Norway

The Munch Museum in Oslo will open an exhibition titled “Edvard Munch and the Chocolate Factory” in May, featuring a series of large-scale paintings by Edvard Munch created in 1923 for the canteen of the Freia chocolate factory. Known as the Freia Frieze, these works depict summer life in a Norwegian coastal town and have never before been shown to the public outside the factory. The exhibition runs from May 21 to November 10 and includes related sketches from the museum’s collection.

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museum exhibitions schedule Dec 8, 2025 visibility 13 link 4 artists, 2 galleries

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Tate Britain has announced that French-Algerian artist Zineb Sedira will create the next Tate Britain Commission, her largest project to date, set to run from May 2026 to January 2027 in the museum's Duveen Galleries. Curated by Jessica Vaughan, the commission will feature a new site-specific work responding to the architecture and history of Tate Britain. Sedira, who represented France at the 2022 Venice Biennale with her acclaimed pavilion “Dreams Have No Titles,” is known for exploring themes of diaspora, memory, and identity through photography, video, and installation.

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