The art world is currently reflecting on the enduring legacy of Jasper Johns, highlighted by a new Gagosian exhibition focusing on his 1970s output. Critic John Yau explores Johns's career-long fascination with materiality and the inevitable decay of art, noting how the artist uses newsprint and wax to acknowledge that nothing remains static in time.
This moment serves as a broader look at institutional acquisitions and the preservation of cultural memory. From the Hispanic Society’s rare acquisition of an early Wifredo Lam portrait to Saad Khan’s digital archiving of censored South Asian media, the industry is increasingly focused on reclaiming overlooked histories and navigating the complex provenance of both physical and digital artifacts.