Vasari Codex. A living chronicle of the art world.

article news schedule Jun 1, 2026

Brazilian Police Believe They Have Identified Architect of Matisse Theft at Biblioteca Mário de Andrade

Brazilian police have identified Laéssio Rodrigues de Oliveira Silva as the alleged mastermind behind the December 2025 theft of eight Henri Matisse prints and five Cândido Portinari illustrations from the Biblioteca Mário de Andrade in São Paulo, Brazil's second-largest library. The heist occurred on the final day of the exhibition “From Book to Museum,” organized with the São Paulo Museum of Modern Art; two armed men held a guard and an elderly couple at gunpoint before fleeing with the works. Rodrigues de Oliveira Silva, already in custody for a separate attempted theft, is described by investigators as a longtime rare-book thief who allegedly coordinated the operation through intermediaries. Two other suspects have been arrested, but one gunman remains at large and the artworks have not been recovered.

article news schedule May 31, 2026

British Museum Evacuated After Suspicious Device Found in Restroom

The British Museum was evacuated on Saturday after staff discovered a suspicious device in a restroom, prompting a police response. The Metropolitan Police investigated the object and determined it posed no threat, allowing visitors back into the museum by 4 p.m. The museum also reported receiving malicious communications prior to the evacuation, though officials declined to elaborate on their nature, citing an ongoing police matter. No injuries were reported.

candle obituary schedule May 30, 2026

Julio Le Parc, Pioneer of Kinetic Art and Venice Biennale Prize Winner, Dies at 97

Julio Le Parc, the Argentine-born pioneer of kinetic art and winner of the Grand Prize for Painting at the 1966 Venice Biennale, died on May 30 in Paris at age 97. His son Yamil confirmed the death to La Nación; Le Parc had been hospitalized after a decline in health and died at the American Hospital in Paris. He had been eagerly anticipating a major retrospective scheduled to open at Tate Modern on June 11, which surveys nearly seven decades of his career.

article news schedule May 29, 2026

Art Critic Anthony Haden-Guest Says Socialite–Collector Libbie Mugrabi Won’t Return His Cartoons

Art critic and cartoonist Anthony Haden-Guest has filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court against socialite and collector Libbie Mugrabi, alleging she refuses to return 97 of his original drawings. The works were entrusted to Mugrabi roughly 15 years ago for a planned exhibition at her Southampton home that never materialized; instead, the drawings remained hanging in her Hamptons mansion. Haden-Guest also claims he is owed $18,000 for creative work on Mugrabi's fashion venture, and seeks at least $115,000 in damages plus the return of the artwork. Mugrabi has reportedly called the allegations "bogus."

trending_up market schedule May 28, 2026

Sotheby’s $30 M. T. rex Is Further Evidence That Dinosaurs Are Becoming the Ultimate Trophy Object for the Ultra-Wealthy

Sotheby's is set to auction 'Gus,' a 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton estimated at $20–$30 million, the highest estimate ever placed on a dinosaur fossil. The specimen, excavated in South Dakota, is one of the largest and most complete T. rex skeletons discovered. The auction follows a growing trend of dinosaurs appearing not only at major auction houses like Sotheby's and Christie's but also in contemporary art galleries and private museums, such as Amanita's recent exhibition pairing Maiasaura fossils with a John Chamberlain sculpture.

article policy schedule May 28, 2026

No-Bid Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Contract Swelled to $13.1 M. With “Inflated” Profit Margin, as Leak Problems Persist

Newly obtained federal documents reveal that the contractor hired to repaint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, secured what government officials described as an "inflated" profit margin while struggling to stop the pool from leaking. The no-bid contract ballooned from President Trump's initial estimate of under $2 million to roughly $13.1 million, with the company charging a 20 percent profit margin and another 20 percent for overhead—well above the typical 6–12 percent range for similar federal projects. Internal Park Service records show the contractor failed multiple attempts to seal leaks, and workers had to remove and reinstall materials. The project has also drawn criticism for coating the basin in "American Flag blue," which preservationists argue transforms the historic monument into something resembling a resort swimming pool.

museum exhibitions schedule May 28, 2026

Art Basel Paris Names 206 Exhibitors for This Year’s Edition, the First Under a New Director

Art Basel Paris has announced 206 exhibitors from 41 countries for its fifth edition, taking place October 23–25 at the Grand Palais, with preview days on October 21–22. This is the first edition under new director Karim Crippa, who replaces Clément Delépine. The fair expands its main Galeries sector to over 180 exhibitors, introduces a record 12 joint booths, and welcomes nearly 30 first-time galleries. Notable returnees include Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, and David Zwirner, while several galleries from last year are absent. The fair continues its Emergence and Premise sections, with Premise featuring historical presentations on artists like Robert Indiana and Ellsworth Kelly.

candle obituary schedule May 27, 2026

Donald Newhouse, Publishing Heir and Brother of Si Newhouse, Dies at 96

Donald Newhouse, the billionaire newspaper publisher and heir to the Condé Nast media empire, died at 96 from lymphoma at his home in Lambertville, New Jersey. He and his brother Si Newhouse inherited a vast media conglomerate from their father; Donald focused on Advance Publications' newspaper business, running The Star-Ledger and expanding holdings to include The Plain Dealer, The Times-Picayune, and The Oregonian. His death comes days after Christie's evening sales of works from Si Newhouse's collection, which included a record-breaking sale of Jackson Pollock's Number 7A, 1948 for $181.2 million.

gavel restitution schedule May 27, 2026

Heir Says Cézanne Watercolor Shown in Basel Was Lost During Nazi Era

A Cézanne watercolor, *La Montagne Sainte Victoire* (ca. 1888), recently exhibited at the Fondation Beyeler in Basel, may have been lost by its Jewish owner due to Nazi persecution. Provenance researcher Willi Korte, working for the owner's heir, uncovered documents showing that Gustav Schweitzer, a Jewish businessman who fled Berlin in 1935, loaned the work to a 1936 exhibition at the Kunsthalle Basel. After the exhibition, Schweitzer asked the museum to safeguard the watercolor and help find a buyer; it was returned to his secretary in Paris in 1939, after which its whereabouts became unclear. The Fondation Beyeler stated it would inform the lender but return the work, citing a lack of legal authority to retain it.

museum exhibitions schedule May 26, 2026

Nick Doyle’s AI Oracle at Perrotin is Part Influencer, Part Therapist, Part Snake Oil Salesman

Nick Doyle's exhibition "Collective Hallucinations" at Perrotin New York features an AI oracle named Ava, an interactive chatbot that offers therapy-like advice in the style of a Gen Z influencer. The installation, centered around a structure called Mirror, Mirror that resembles a psychic storefront, uses ChatGPT, ElevenLabs voice software, and the HeyGen avatar platform. Doyle developed Ava's persona to sound like a blend of Cher from Clueless, a life coach, and a reality-TV confessional, complete with an accidentally acquired Australian accent. The show closes on May 30.

gavel restitution schedule May 26, 2026

Long-Lost Lucas Valdés Paintings Resurface at Auction Amid Spain’s Restitution Battles

Spanish police have recovered two 17th-century paintings by Sevillian artist Lucas Valdés that went missing nearly a century ago after being loaned to the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition in Seville. The oval oil-on-pine-panel works, originally part of the main altarpiece at the Hospital of the Venerable Priests, resurfaced when consigned for auction in September 2025. Alerted by the Archdiocese of Seville, Spain's Culture Ministry and National Police intervened before the sale, confirmed the works' identity, and negotiated their return to the hospital last week.

article news schedule May 22, 2026

Jury Convicts Daniel Sikkema in Killing of New York Dealer Brent Sikkema

Daniel Sikkema, the estranged husband of murdered New York art dealer Brent Sikkema, was found guilty in Manhattan federal court on charges related to a murder-for-hire plot. Prosecutors proved that Daniel orchestrated the killing of Brent Sikkema, founder of the Chelsea gallery Sikkema Jenkins & Co., at his vacation home in Rio de Janeiro in January 2024, amid a bitter divorce and custody dispute. Daniel was convicted on three counts for conspiring to hire Alejandro Triana Prevez, a Cuban former security officer, who stabbed the dealer 18 times. Daniel faces a mandatory life sentence.

article policy schedule May 21, 2026

Spain Threatens to Oust Reina Sofía Director Over Missing Artworks and Finances

Spain’s government has escalated pressure on the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, demanding a complete inventory of its 25,000-plus artworks by December 31, 2026. A parliamentary oversight committee passed a resolution backed by the conservative Popular Party and far-right, warning that failure to comply could lead to the removal of museum director Manuel Segade. The resolution calls for a full audit of holdings, including loans and missing pieces, and updated financial valuations. The museum faces years of criticism from Spain’s Court of Auditors over weak internal controls and tracking issues, including a 2021 donation that can no longer be fully accounted for.

person people schedule May 20, 2026

Art Basel Qatar Taps Former Mathaf Director Wassan Al-Khudhairi to Shape 2027 Fair

Art Basel has appointed Iraqi curator Wassan Al-Khudhairi as artistic director for the 2027 edition of Art Basel Qatar, succeeding Egyptian artist Wael Shawky who shaped the inaugural edition. The fair will take place January 28–30, 2027, with preview days on January 26–27, at Doha Design District and M7 in Msheireb Downtown Doha. Al-Khudhairi, former founding director of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, brings deep ties to Qatar and international curatorial experience from biennials including Gwangju and the Asian Art Biennial.

trending_up market schedule May 20, 2026

Sotheby’s Pulls In $303.9 M. in a Solid but Subdued Modern Evening Sale Led by $48 M. Matisse

Sotheby’s Modern Evening Auction on Tuesday night achieved $303.9 million in total sales, with 98% of lots sold, led by Henri Matisse’s *La Chaise lorraine* at $48.4 million—the second-highest price ever for a Matisse painting at auction. Other top lots included Pablo Picasso’s *Arlequin (Buste)* (1909), which sold for $42.6 million, and works by Alberto Giacometti and Vincent van Gogh. However, bidding was often cautious, with few prolonged contests, and the total fell below the presale high estimate of $320.2 million, reflecting a tempered market atmosphere.

museum exhibitions schedule May 19, 2026

Sotheby’s Launches Museum Partnership Series, Starting with Exhibition by New York’s Hispanic Society Museum & Library

Sotheby's has launched a new exhibition initiative called 'In Residence' at its Breuer building on Madison Avenue, starting with a presentation of three paintings by Spanish master Joaquín Sorolla from the collection of the Hispanic Society Museum & Library. The inaugural show, titled 'In Residence: The Hispanic Society Sorollas,' opened Monday and runs through June 1, featuring works including 'Sea Idyll' (1909), 'Louis Comfort Tiffany' (1911), and 'Señora de Sorolla in a Spanish Mantilla' (1902). This marks the first partnership between Sotheby's and the Hispanic Society, and the first edition of a broader program inviting museums to stage focused exhibitions inside the Breuer building, which previously housed the Whitney Museum and the Met Breuer.

trending_up market schedule May 18, 2026

The 16 Most Expensive Artworks Ever Sold at Auction

ARTnews published an updated list of the 16 most expensive artworks ever sold at auction, highlighting recent record-breaking sales such as Gustav Klimt's *Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer* (1914–16), which fetched over $236.4 million at Sotheby's, and Jackson Pollock's *Number 7A, 1948*, which sold for well above its $100 million estimate at Christie's in May 2026 from the S. I. Newhouse collection. The article traces the history of top auction prices, including Vincent van Gogh's *Orchard with Cypresses* (1888), which sold for $117 million during the Paul Allen sale at Christie's in November 2022, part of a record $1.5 billion single-evening auction.

person people schedule May 18, 2026

Felix Art Fair Founder Mills Morán Steps Back From Gallery Duties

Mills Morán, cofounder of the Los Angeles gallery Morán Morán, is stepping away from its day-to-day operations to focus on Felix Art Fair, the fair he cofounded with his brother Al Morán and collector Dean Valentine in 2018. The fair, held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel alongside Frieze Los Angeles, has staged eight editions. Morán announced the decision in a statement shared with artists and colleagues, citing personal recalibration after nearly two decades in the art world and a desire to be more present for loved ones.

article news schedule May 18, 2026

The Wild Nine-Month Journey that Led to Nathaniel Mary Quinn Designing the Rolling Stones’ New Album Cover

Nathaniel Mary Quinn was commissioned to create the cover art for the Rolling Stones' new album *Foreign Tongues*, due July 10, after a three-way call with Mick Jagger and producer Andrew Watt. Over nine months, Quinn developed a composite portrait merging the faces of Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood, and also redesigned the band's iconic tongue-and-lips logo. The process involved regular conversations with Jagger and Richards, a private rehearsal session, and a lunch at the Baccarat Hotel, culminating in the band choosing Quinn's original composite over a second option featuring a vintage sports car.

article local schedule May 18, 2026

Billionaire Collector Fred Eychaner Sued Over Chicago Museum Expansion

Billionaire philanthropist Fred Eychaner, founder of the private exhibition space Wrightwood 659 in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, is being sued by Lisa Berron, a condo owner who claims the museum's planned expansion will block natural light and skyline views from her top-floor home. Berron filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court in March, alleging that the expansion would rise above her roofline and sit just feet from her windows. Eychaner's team has already purchased two of the three units in her building and argues the project complies with existing zoning laws, while Berron reportedly rejected settlement offers and demanded nearly $4 million for her condo, which was appraised at around $1.2 million.

trending_up market schedule May 15, 2026

TEFAF New York Opened to Crowded Aisles, Bullish Collectors, and Strong Booths

TEFAF New York opened at the Park Avenue Armory with unexpectedly strong crowds and a buoyant mood, defying the typical afternoon lull. Dealers reported heavy foot traffic and sustained conversations, with gallerist Sean Kelly calling it the best edition in years. The fair, running through May 19, features a mix of antiquities, design, modern, and contemporary art, with standout booths including Alison Jacques’s pairing of Dorothea Tanning, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Gordon Parks, and Sean Kelly Gallery’s display of works by Shahzia Sikander and Sam Moyer. The newly launched Pace Di Donna Schrader Galleries made its TEFAF debut with works by Eugène Delacroix, Willem de Kooning, and Alexander Calder.

trending_up market schedule May 14, 2026

At Independent, Joel Mesler’s ‘Death Wish’ Is Part Art Exhibit, Part Market Experiment

Joel Mesler, a former gallerist turned artist, is debuting a new series of figurative paintings titled “Interiors” at the Independent art fair under the deliberately strange name “Joel Mesler Presented by The Estate of Joel Mesler.” The project includes only 12 paintings, which will not be sold through a gallery sales team; only Mesler himself and his former dealer David Kordansky can sell the work. Mesler describes the presentation as part art exhibit, part controlled market experiment, reflecting his frustration with the contemporary art market's loss of intimacy and unpredictability.

museum exhibitions schedule May 13, 2026

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Announces 314 New Acquisitions During 50th Anniversary Year

The Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden announced 314 new acquisitions in 2025, its 50th anniversary year. The additions span photography, mixed-media works, and contemporary American artists, including pieces by Lorna Simpson, Sarah Sze, Mickalene Thomas, Danny Lyon, Graciela Iturbide, Adam Pendleton, and Mark Bradford. Major gifts include a multi-year donation from collectors Doug and Toni Gordon of 176 works forming an archive of Pendleton's works on paper, as well as 13 contemporary Chinese works tied to a 2022 exhibition. The museum also acquired nine architectural photographs by Ezra Stoller documenting its 1974 opening and 19 prints by Joel-Peter Witkin.

article news schedule May 8, 2026

Former Korean Prosecutor Convicted in Alleged Lee Ufan Painting Bribery Scheme

A former senior South Korean prosecutor, Kim Sang-min, has been convicted on appeal for allegedly gifting a painting by renowned artist Lee Ufan to former first lady Kim Keon Hee in exchange for political support ahead of the 2024 parliamentary elections. The Seoul High Court overturned an earlier acquittal, sentencing Kim to two years in prison (suspended for three years) for bribery, plus a separate suspended sentence for illegal political donations. The case took a strange turn when Kim's defense argued the artwork, titled *From Dots (No. 800298)* and valued at 140 million won ($95,500), was a forgery worth less than $700—a claim the court rejected after physically examining the piece and consulting experts.

museum exhibitions schedule May 7, 2026

Aspen Art Fair Names More Than 35 Exhibitors for 2026 Edition at Hotel Jerome

The Aspen Art Fair has announced more than 35 exhibitors for its third edition, returning to the Hotel Jerome from July 29 through August 1, 2026. This will be the first edition under director Kelly Cornell, who also leads the Dallas Art Fair. Newcomers include Albertz Benda, Friedman Benda, Library Street Collective, Monique Meloche Gallery, and R & Company, alongside returning galleries such as Marianne Boesky Gallery, Perrotin, Sean Kelly, and Galerie Gmurzynska. The fair will debut an outdoor sculpture garden and continue its Art Prize Program with residencies and commissions through Anderson Ranch Arts Center and Buckhorn Public Arts. It also coincides with the AIR festival organized by the Aspen Art Museum and partners with the Aspen Education Foundation to support local student artists.

article policy schedule May 7, 2026

America’s Museums Have a Building Problem

A new report from the Government Accountability Office, analyzed by The Art Newspaper, reveals that roughly 85 percent of American museums are dealing with deferred maintenance or major repair needs, and about 77 percent have at least one structural issue that could endanger their collections. Many of the country's 16,700 museums are small, under-resourced operations housed in aging or historic buildings, with half reporting over $100,000 in deferred maintenance. Basic repairs like roofs or HVAC systems can consume large portions of annual budgets, forcing some institutions to store artworks in makeshift spaces like garages or bathrooms.

trending_up market schedule May 7, 2026

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.

trending_up market schedule May 6, 2026

Robert Therrien Estate Leaves Gagosian for David Zwirner, Olney Gleason Now Represents Jill Magid, and More: Industry Moves for May 6, 2026

The ARTnews article reports a series of significant gallery representation changes and industry moves in the art world as of May 6, 2026. Key shifts include the Robert Therrien Estate leaving Gagosian for David Zwirner, Olney Gleason now representing Jill Magid, and several other artists—Tianyue Zhong, Africanus Okokon, Seung Ah Paik, Khalif Tahir Thompson—joining or switching galleries. Miriam Machado has been named director of the Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum. The article also notes the rising costs and commercial realities of staging exhibitions at the Venice Biennale, including a Christie's selling show at Palazzo Ca' Dario.

article news schedule May 6, 2026

The Biennale Isn’t a Court. Tell That to the Protesters.

Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, president of the Venice Biennale, defended the decision to allow Russia to reopen its pavilion for the first time since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, stating that the Biennale is "not a court; it is a garden of peace." The move has sparked widespread backlash, including threats to pull €2.3 million in EU funding. Protests have erupted on the ground, with Pussy Riot and FEMEN staging a theatrical demonstration outside the Russian Pavilion, setting off smoke flares and chanting slogans. Separately, around 60 artists performed a "Solidarity Drone Chorus" to protest Israel's participation, and the Art Not Genocide Alliance has called for a 24-hour strike and rallies across Venice. The Russian Pavilion will be open only during press preview days due to EU sanctions, with video projections visible from outside for the rest of the Biennale's run.

gavel restitution schedule May 6, 2026

Malaysia Showcases Recovered 1MDB Artworks, From Picasso to Miró

Four artworks recovered from the 1MDB scandal—by Picasso, Miró, Balthus, and Maurice Utrillo—have gone on public display for the first time at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission headquarters in Putrajaya. The paintings were repatriated from New York after being traced through Sotheby’s and shipped back to Malaysia on April 14. They are part of a broader art trail linked to the massive financial fraud, with Malaysian officials framing the display as an act of restitution rather than an art event.

trending_up market schedule May 5, 2026

Billionaire Collector Ken Griffin Buys Second Rare Constitution Printing

Billionaire collector Ken Griffin has quietly acquired a second rare first printing of the US Constitution, known as the Van Sinderen copy, through a private deal after it was pulled from a planned Sotheby’s auction in 2022. Griffin, who previously paid $43.2 million at Sotheby’s in 2021 for another copy, now holds the only two copies of the 1787 document still in private hands. The newly acquired document will go on public display starting May 27 at the South Street Seaport Museum in New York, headlining an exhibition titled “The Promise of Liberty” that includes other foundational texts.

gavel restitution schedule May 5, 2026

Nahmad Seeks to Reopen Modigliani Restitution Case With New Witnesses

David Nahmad's lawyers are asking a New York court to reconsider its April 3 decision in the restitution case over Amedeo Modigliani's *Seated Man with a Cane* (1918), which awarded the painting to the estate of dealer Oscar Stettiner. They cite new eyewitness testimony from Frédéric Allain, who recalls a different Modigliani—smaller, darker, and without a seated man or cane—hidden by the Van der Klip family in Paris during World War II, suggesting the wrong painting may have been the focus of the case. The filing also references a 1946 report describing the missing work as a self-portrait and a new catalogue raisonné by Marc Restellini that finds no link between the painting and Stettiner. Mondex, representing Stettiner's heirs, rejects the claims, asserting that *Seated Man with a Cane* bears Stettiner's name and was in the family's possession from 1944 to 1996.

article news schedule May 4, 2026

Chanel and Guggenheim Launch Transatlantic Curatorial Fellowship

Chanel and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation have announced a new transatlantic curatorial fellowship, set to launch in 2027. The Chanel Culture Fund Fellowship is a one-year program for MA- and PhD-level scholars, who will begin at the Guggenheim Museum in New York before moving to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. The announcement coincides with the start of the Venice Biennale, and the open call for fellows will begin this fall. The fellowship includes a stipend and travel support, and is designed to complement the Peggy Guggenheim Collection's existing International Fellowship.

article news schedule May 4, 2026

What It Takes to Build the Venice Biennale

Three weeks before the Venice Biennale opens on May 5, the city remains a construction site, with the Giardini closed and parts of the Arsenale requiring special access. Artist Faustin Linyekula rehearses his performance *The Galeazze Project* in a 16th-century roofless complex, working with the existing gravel, natural light, and lagoon acoustics rather than imposing a structure. Geopolitical conflicts, supply chain disruptions, and the sudden resignation of the Biennale’s international jury via Instagram add pressure to the already challenging logistics of mounting the global exhibition.

trending_up market schedule May 2, 2026

Lévy Gorvy Dayan Bets on Urgency With New LGD Hammer Sales Platform

Lévy Gorvy Dayan has launched LGD Hammer, a new sales platform that blends gallery exhibition with auction-style urgency. The first work offered is Willem de Kooning's *Milkmaid* (1984), estimated at $10–$15 million, which will be on view by appointment from May 2 until the sale on May 16. Gallery cofounder Dominique Lévy will serve as auctioneer, drawing on her Christie's experience, while bidding occurs by phone with online observation. Cofounder Brett Gorvy emphasized the platform is not a market overhaul but a response to slowed private sales and cautious collectors who still respond to competitive pressure.

museum exhibitions schedule May 1, 2026

Conductor Launches in Brooklyn With Venice Biennale-Bound Artists and Immersive Projects

Conductor, a new art fair hosted by Powerhouse Arts, opened in Brooklyn on Wednesday night, drawing over 800 visitors within hours. The fair features 28 galleries and 20 special projects, with installations spilling out of traditional booths into shared spaces. Highlights include House of Silence, a tent-like structure by Turkish artist Vuslat and architect Sana Frini; Retorno (2022) by Juan José Barboza-Gubo, presented by Praise Shadows Gallery; and works by Beya Gille Gacha, who is set to appear in the Cameroon Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Fair director Adrianna Farietta noted that some galleries had to withdraw due to the war in Iran, but the result remains an inclusive and immersive event.

person people schedule Apr 30, 2026

Auctioneer Kimberly Pirtle Leaves Sotheby’s to Launch Hybrid Art-Philanthropy Advisory

Kimberly Pirtle, a fast-rising auctioneer at Sotheby’s, has left the company to launch Gabriel Advisory Group, a hybrid art advisory and cultural philanthropy firm. The new practice works across primary and secondary markets, advising collectors on acquisitions while also guiding philanthropic strategy and institutional engagement, drawing on Pirtle’s experience in Sotheby’s collectors group and her work with benefit auctions for organizations including the Pratt Institute, the Bronx Museum of the Arts, the Queens Museum, and the Gordon Parks Foundation. Pirtle is also maintaining a role as a VIP consultant with Frieze.

article news schedule Apr 28, 2026

New Jersey Father and Daughter Plead Guilty to $2 M. Counterfeit Art Scheme

Two New Jersey residents, Erwin Bankowski and his daughter Karolina Bankowska, pleaded guilty to running a counterfeit art scheme that funneled over 200 fake works into the legitimate market between 2020 and 2025. The pair consigned forgeries attributed to artists including Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Banksy, and Luiseño artist Fritz Scholder to galleries and auction houses across the United States, defrauding buyers of at least $2 million. They fabricated ownership histories, forged gallery stamps and certificates of authenticity using antique books and aged paper, and now face up to 20 years in prison plus restitution.

gavel restitution schedule Apr 28, 2026

Judge Orders Prado to Hold Disputed Velázquez Painting in Divorce Case

A Spanish judge has ordered the Museo del Prado in Madrid to take custody of a painting attributed to Diego Velázquez, which is at the center of a divorce dispute between steel magnate José María Aristrain and his ex-wife Gema Navarro. The work, a portrait of Philip IV linked to Velázquez’s early years in Madrid, was removed from Aristrain’s residence on March 17 and transferred to the Prado’s storage after Navarro filed a complaint alleging it had been wrongly withheld from her. The Ministry of Culture, acting with court and prosecutorial support, designated the museum as custodian until ownership is resolved. The painting had previously surfaced at auction, failing to sell in 2007 amid attribution doubts, before being acquired by Navarro in 2015 for €878,000.

person people schedule Apr 27, 2026

At 77, Painter Archie Rand Is Still Telling New Stories

At 77, painter Archie Rand continues to create vibrant, narrative-driven works from his expansive Brooklyn studio. A new exhibition of his "Heads" series at Jarvis Art, co-curated by Max Werner and Lindsay Jarvis, features paintings that plunge viewers into the middle of unfolding stories, such as "Duck" (2025), where children sail a catboat through rough seas. Rand describes his process as chasing what lies "around the corner" in his compositions, prioritizing the mystery of the background over the central figures.

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 24, 2026

Gagosian Opens a New Ground-Floor Flagship at 980 Madison Avenue with Duchamp-Rauschenberg Double Header

Gagosian is opening a new ground-floor flagship gallery at 980 Madison Avenue in New York, moving from its former upper-floor space in the same building. Designed by Caplan Colaku Architects, the 12,000-square-foot, two-level space consolidates three storefronts into a continuous layout with restrained materials like Portland Taupe stone and brushed stainless steel. The inaugural exhibition pairs a major Marcel Duchamp show with six early works by Robert Rauschenberg on loan from the Cy Twombly Foundation, coinciding with a Duchamp retrospective at MoMA and referencing a 1965 Duchamp exhibition held in the same building.

trending_up market schedule Apr 22, 2026

An Auction Without Bidding: Loïc Gouzer’s Latest Bet on How to Sell Art

Loïc Gouzer's auction app Fair Warning is launching a new sales format called "No Warning." The system eliminates bidding wars; a work is listed with a price, and buyers can either purchase it immediately or submit a single, binding offer. The highest offer is presented to the seller, who decides to accept or reject it, with no public record of the sale unless disclosed by the parties. The first test of the format is a 1999 Elizabeth Peyton watercolor priced at $400,000.

trending_up market schedule Apr 21, 2026

Tiffany Window From Connecticut Church Could Fetch $2 M. at Christie’s

A late 19th-century stained-glass window by Tiffany Studios, known as the Boyd Family Memorial Window (The Falls), is set to be auctioned at Christie's New York in June with an estimate of up to $2 million. The window, commissioned in 1898 and installed in 1899 at the Second Congregational Church in Winsted, Connecticut, depicts a waterfall landscape and has been in the church for about 125 years.

article news schedule Apr 20, 2026

Diego Rivera’s grandson donates more than 150,000 objects to Mexico City’s Museo Anahuacalli

Juan Rafael Coronel Rivera, grandson of Diego Rivera, has donated his private collection of 157,300 objects to Mexico City's Museo Anahuacalli. The vast donation spans ceramics, textiles, prints, photographs, archives, and a research library, with works dating from the 16th century to the present. It will be transferred in stages and is expected to be fully integrated by the end of the year.

article policy schedule Apr 20, 2026

Alma Allen’s US Pavilion Heads to Venice Amid Questions Over Selection Process

The selection of Alma Allen to represent the United States at the 2026 Venice Biennale has ignited controversy over the process. The U.S. State Department abandoned its traditional selection model, which involved a panel of experts convened by the National Endowment for the Arts, and instead handed control to a new nonprofit, the American Arts Conservancy, led by individuals with little museum experience. This shift has drawn criticism from prominent figures in the art world, with some artists declining to participate due to concerns over the political context and unfamiliar leadership.

article news schedule Apr 20, 2026

Investor Says Artnet Layoffs Were Necessary for ‘Financial Strength’

Investor and owner Andrew E. Wolff has publicly explained the recent layoffs at Artnet and Artsy as a necessary step for the companies' financial restructuring and future growth. He framed the cuts as part of a broader consolidation strategy, merging the US businesses and organizational structures of the two digital art platforms while keeping their brands separate.

trending_up market schedule Apr 17, 2026

Sotheby’s Returns to Profit as Sales Rise, Though Cash Pressures Persist

Sotheby’s has reported a return to profitability in 2025, posting a $53 million pre-tax profit following a significant $190 million loss the previous year. Driven by a 20 percent increase in sales totaling $7.1 billion, the auction house benefited from a broader 4 percent recovery in the global art market. Despite these gains, the company is navigating complex financial pressures, including a $10.2 million commission lawsuit from Cushman & Wakefield and the need to refinance $765 million in debt by 2027.

trending_up market schedule Apr 17, 2026

Jennifer Gilbert Consigns Blue-Chip Works to Sotheby’s to Fund Detroit Arts Space

Philanthropist Jennifer Gilbert is consigning a selection of blue-chip postwar artworks to Sotheby’s this spring to fund Lumana, a new arts nonprofit in Detroit. The auction highlights include Joan Mitchell’s 'Loom II', estimated at $5 million to $7 million, and a significant target-style painting by Kenneth Noland that could set a new auction record for the artist. The collection also features works by George Rickey and Harry Bertoia, emphasizing a cohesive blend of midcentury abstraction and design.

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 15, 2026

Art Dubai Unveils Leaner ‘Special Edition’ Built Around Regional Core

Art Dubai has announced a streamlined "special edition" for its 2026 iteration, featuring a reduced roster of approximately 75 exhibitors. Scheduled for May 15–17 at Madinat Jumeirah, the fair is pivoting toward a regional core, with 60 percent of participants hailing from the Gulf and Southwest Asia. To address economic pressures and regional instability, the fair is implementing a novel risk-sharing financial model where booth costs are partially tied to sales performance.

trending_up market schedule Apr 15, 2026

Beowolff Combines Artsy and Artnet in Digital Art Market Push

Beowolff Capital has consolidated two of the art world’s digital giants, Artsy and Artnet, under a single ownership structure. While both platforms will maintain their distinct brand identities, they will begin integrating their underlying infrastructure and data systems. Jeffrey Yin, the current leader of Artsy, will take the helm as CEO of the combined entity, with Beowolff founder Andrew Wolff serving as chairman.

person Daniel Cassady