In New York, Sotheby's Exhibition-Sales Are Packed

À New York, les expositions-ventes de Sotheby’s font salle comble

Sotheby's New York has experienced an unprecedented surge in public attendance at its exhibition-sales held in the iconic Breuer Building. In just two weeks, over 25,000 visitors—a 3.8-fold increase from the previous year—queued around the block to see works by artists like Gustave Klimt, Maurizio Cattelan, and René Magritte, with total attendance from November to late January reaching 46,325. The crowds, reminiscent of a major museum show, initially overwhelmed staff, who had to manage the flow to preserve the viewing experience for high-value clients.

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Four suspects have been arrested for allegedly stealing the French crown jewels from the Louvre Museum last month. One suspect, identified as 39-year-old Abdoulaye N., is a former security guard at the Centre Pompidou and a social media influencer known for motocross stunts under the name Doudou Cross Bitume. His DNA was found at the crime scene, and he is suspected of breaking into the museum's Apollo gallery through an unsecured window before escaping on a motorbike. He has a prior criminal record including a 2014 jewelry store robbery conviction, and was due in court for a separate case. The stolen jewels have not yet been recovered.

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Hilde Lynn Helphenstein, the creator of the popular Instagram account Jerry Gogosian, announced she is winding down the project after seven years. The account, known for its sharp and often acerbic commentary on the art market, amassed 151,000 followers since its launch in 2018. Helphenstein initially ran the account anonymously, revealing her identity in 2020, and used it to mock dealer Larry Gagosian, comment on auction records, and document her experiences at art fairs. The account also had real-world impact, including prompting Gagosian gallery to drop a director after Helphenstein urged people to come forward with sexual harassment allegations. Helphenstein, who previously ran her own gallery in Los Angeles, said she has 'grown out' of the project and is looking toward her next endeavor.

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Immigration lawyers report that social media influencers and OnlyFans models are increasingly qualifying for O-1B visas—the U.S. visa category for individuals with extraordinary ability in the arts—by presenting online metrics such as follower counts, earnings, and brand deals as evidence of distinction. Traditionally, visual artists have needed exhibition histories, recommendation letters, and press clips to apply, but attorneys say the criteria have shifted to accommodate digital fame, with some arguing that the quality of approved applicants has been "watered down."

Want to be a museum influencer? London’s National Gallery launches open call for content creators

London's National Gallery has launched an open call for its next cohort of content creators as part of its 200 Creators programme. Following the success of the inaugural 2024 initiative—which generated 42 million views and 2.2 million engagements—the museum is now seeking 50 new social media influencers (applications due by 31 August). Selected creators will receive access to exhibition previews, workshops, out-of-hours gallery access, and four paid opportunities of £4,000 each. Applicants are suggested to have at least 50,000 followers on YouTube, 100,000 on Instagram, or 50,000 followers with a million likes on TikTok, though the museum encourages those with followings on other platforms to apply.

art charles porch instagram art collecting

Charles Porch, VP of Global Partnerships for Instagram, moved from Venice Beach to a historic West Village brownstone in 2020. He enlisted sculptor-turned-designer Jed Lind to renovate the property, blending vintage furnishings with contemporary artworks collected from emerging artists. The home features pieces by Pierre Augustin Rose, Michael O’Connell, and artworks by Whitney Bedford, Robert Natkin, and Brett Cody Rogers. Porch later married Robert Denning, a philanthropist on the Met’s Board of Trustees, and the couple has since moved to a Chelsea space, combining their collections.

paris art dealer found guilty harassing brigitte macron 1234768919

A Paris art dealer, Bertrand Scholler, cofounder of gallery 55 Bellechasse, was among 10 people found guilty of online harassment for falsely claiming that French First Lady Brigitte Macron was born male. The court issued suspended sentences, fines, and a six-month ban from X, with the defendants also ordered to pay compensation. Scholler, who has over 108,000 followers on X, announced he would close his account for six months in compliance with the court order.

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YouTube star Rachel Accurso, known as Ms. Rachel, announced an exhibition and fundraiser titled "Colors That Survived" featuring artworks created by children in Gaza. The show opens Tuesday at Caelum Gallery in New York's Chelsea neighborhood, with limited-edition prints priced at $200 each available through January 30 via the nonprofit Artists Support. All proceeds will go to young Palestinian artists. Accurso, who has over 18 million YouTube subscribers, became an advocate for children in Gaza after participating in a Save the Children fundraiser in May 2024, and has faced backlash from Zionist groups including StopAntisemitism, which falsely accused her of receiving funds from Hamas.

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YouTube megastar MrBeast (James Donaldson) released a video titled "I Survived 100 Hours in an Ancient Temple" on May 10, amassing over 55 million views in four days. Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) confirmed that the production had full permission from federal and state authorities to film at Mayan archaeological sites including Chichén Itzá, Calakmul, and Balamcanché, and that all shoots occurred in public areas without disrupting other visitors. However, INAH also pointed out several inaccuracies in the final cut: no drones were flown inside El Castillo, no helicopter descents occurred, no one spent the night at a site, and a funerary mask shown in the video was a contemporary reproduction, not an authentic artifact.