The article surveys the art world's turbulent 2025, beginning with devastating Los Angeles wildfires that destroyed artworks and the political shockwaves of Donald Trump's re-election. Trump's administration targeted the National Portrait Gallery, whose director Kim Sajet resigned after threats of firing, while immigration crackdowns, tariffs on art imports, and attacks on diversity initiatives chilled the art community. The year also saw Venice residents protest Jeff Bezos's lavish wedding, Trump's gilded Oval Office renovations, and a major Veronese exhibition at the Prado that drew parallels between historical extravagance and decline.
This matters because the article captures how geopolitical shifts and domestic policies directly reshape art-world behavior—from artists canceling international travel due to immigration fears to curators rethinking historical narratives. The reported "gloom" and fear of speaking out among artists signal a potential long-term shift in artistic activism and institutional independence. The juxtaposition of Trump's opulence with the Prado's Veronese show offers a critical lens on how art reflects and critiques power, while the Harvard art history chair's observation of waning interest in contemporary art suggests deeper changes in cultural priorities.