Local Resort Reportedly Pays $45 M. For Rauschenberg’s Famed Captiva Island Property
South Seas, a luxury resort on Captiva Island, has purchased Robert Rauschenberg’s 22‑acre beachfront property for $45 million, including a 1,000‑foot shoreline and the artist’s 8,000‑square‑foot studio. The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation sold the land after a sustainability assessment deemed ongoing maintenance unsustainable, ending its artist‑in‑residence program that hosted over 500 fellows. The resort plans to incorporate the studio into new art‑focused programming, while local residents decry the sale as a betrayal of Rauschenberg’s legacy. The transaction marks the final chapter of the foundation’s Captiva presence.
Uffizi Museum in Florence Denies Severity of Security Breaches Resulting From February Cyber Attack
The Uffizi Gallery in Florence confirmed it was hit by a cyber attack on February 1, 2026, but insists no data, security maps, or employee contacts were stolen. The museum attributes the temporary closure of the Pitti Palace and the relocation...
Max Levai Bets on Scale—And Himself—With New Chelsea Gallery
Former Marlborough Gallery president Max Levai is launching a 7,000‑square‑foot flagship at 529 West 20th Street in Chelsea, slated to open this fall. The ground‑floor space will host two independent programs—Levai’s own and a co‑located 47 Canal gallery—allowing him to...
A New Immersive Art Exhibition on the Sistine Chapel Is Coming to New Jersey Mall
An immersive "Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition" will debut at New Jersey’s Westfield Garden State Plaza on April 10. The traveling show reproduces all 34 of Michelangelo’s ceiling and altar frescoes using licensed high‑resolution imagery and advanced printing techniques. Rated...
Caravaggio Documentary Will Premiere on Marquee TV Next Week
The feature‑length documentary *Caravaggio* will debut on the arts‑focused streaming service Marquee TV on April 6, expanding its reach beyond the limited theatrical run last fall. Directed by Phil Grabsky and David Bickerstaff after five years of research, the film spotlights the...
Bicoastal Art World Satire ‘Kill Dick’ Imagines Sackler Revenge
Luke Goebel’s debut novel *Kill Dick* skewers the art world’s cozy relationship with the Sackler family, portraying opioid‑peddling philanthropists as grotesque antagonists. The story follows privileged addict Susie, who stages a shocking Skid Row installation that brands the Sacklers as corporate...
Getty Museum Acquires Two Significant Dutch Still Lifes
The Getty Museum announced the acquisition of two Dutch Baroque still lifes, including Jan Davidsz. de Heem’s *Glass Vase with Flowers and Fruit*—a work the museum has pursued for over twenty years. The de Heem painting, newly emerged from a German private...
Pinakothek in Munich Returns Nazi-Looted Painting by Lesser Ury to Jewish Heirs
The Alte Pinakothek in Munich has returned Lesser Ury’s painting “Interior with Children (The Siblings)” to the heirs of its original Jewish owner, Berlin banker Curt Goldschmidt. The work, forced into a 1930s auction under Nazi duress, sold then for about 800...
Jeff Koons Designs Two Bottles for Evian’s 200th Anniversary
Evian is commemorating its 200th anniversary with a limited‑edition partnership with artist Jeff Koons, releasing clear glass bottles for still and sparkling water that showcase his iconic pink and blue balloon‑dog designs. The still bottle features a pink cap, while the...
François-Xavier Gbré Uses His Photography to Fill in History’s Gaps
French‑Ivorian photographer François‑Xavier Gbré debuted his "Radio Ballast" series at the International Center of Photography, pairing it with fellow Ivorian Nuits Balnéaires. The body of work documents Côte d’Ivoire’s century‑old railway, tracing colonial extraction, post‑independence modernization, and contemporary landscapes. Gbré spent 2024...
1-54 New York Lines-Up More Than 20 Exhibitors, with a Special Focus on Brazil
The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair will return to New York’s Starrett-Lehigh Building from May 13‑17, featuring more than 20 galleries. The lineup blends returning exhibitors such as 193 Gallery and Galerie Myrtis with newcomers from Lagos, São Paulo and the...
Gladstone Gallery Now Represents the Estate of Pope.L, Boundary-Crossing Performance Artist
Gladstone Gallery announced it will represent the estate of performance artist Pope.L, planning its first solo exhibition in New York for 2027. The representation joins Modern Art in London and Vielmetter Los Angeles, both of which handled the artist before...
Giant Golden Toilet Sculpture Appears Near Lincoln Memorial in D.C.: ‘A Throne Fit for a King’
A 10‑foot golden toilet sculpture titled *A Throne Fit for a King* was installed near the Lincoln Memorial, created by the anonymous collective Secret Handshake. The work lampoons former President Donald Trump’s controversial renovation of the White House’s Lincoln Bathroom,...
Antonio Homem, Champion of the Ileana Sonnabend Collection, Dies at 86
Antonio Homem, the longtime steward of the Ileana and Michael Sonnabend art legacy, died at 86. He began working with Ileana Sonnabend in the late 1960s, helped open her Paris and New York galleries, and later directed the Sonnabend Collection...
I Saw a Great Show in China That Would Be Censored in the United States
The Rockbund Art Museum in Shanghai is hosting “The Great Camouflage,” a show that runs through April 26 and reexamines Afro‑Asian revolutionary histories through a Black feminist lens. Curated by X Zhu‑Nowell and Kandis Williams, the exhibition spotlights women activists‑artists such...
Yto Barrada Says France Had ‘Full Awareness’ of Her Views on Israel When It Chose Her for Venice Biennale
Artist Yto Barrada, selected for France’s 2026 Venice Biennale pavilion, sparked controversy after signing an open letter calling for Israel’s removal from the exhibition. The Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF) demanded that the French government force her to...
K-Pop Band BTS Performed Two Songs From New Album ‘ARIRANG’ at the Guggenheim on Wednesday Morning
BTS staged an exclusive two‑song performance at New York’s Guggenheim Museum on March 25, showcasing “SWIM” and “2.0” from their newly released album ARIRANG. About 150 invited fans watched the show in the museum’s iconic rotunda, with phones barred to preserve...
Hauser & Wirth Partner Cristopher Canizares Departs to Start Artist Agency
Cristopher Canizares, a 16‑year partner at Hauser & Wirth, is leaving to launch Artist Legacy Bureau, an artist‑first management agency. The boutique firm will serve a small roster of five to six artists, offering long‑term career strategy across galleries, institutions,...
Louvre Plans Its ‘Most Ambitious’ Painting Restoration Ever: A Refresh for Rubens’s Medici Cycle
The Louvre announced its most ambitious restoration to date, removing the 24‑painting Marie de’ Medici cycle by Peter Paul Rubens from public view for four years. The Baroque masterpieces, covering roughly 3,100 square feet, suffer from yellowed varnish and discordant...
Preservation Groups Sue Trump Administration Over Planned Renovation of Kennedy Center
A coalition of eight preservation groups has sued the Trump administration over the planned two‑year closure and renovation of the Kennedy Center. The plaintiffs argue the renovation could involve demolition and structural changes without required reviews by the National Capital...
East Village Brownstone Where Mark Rothko Once Lived Now for Sale as Luxury Condominiums
Mark Rothko’s 1930s East Village studio in a Greek Revival brownstone has been transformed into the Rothko House, a boutique two‑unit condominium. After a 2022 fire, the six‑story building sold for nearly $3.7 million and underwent a multimillion‑dollar restoration. The top‑floor...
Jordan Wolfson’s Newest Provocation Is a Creepy Prada Ad Campaign
Prada’s Spring/Summer 2026 campaign is directed by controversial artist Jordan Wolfson, known for unsettling VR installations and violent imagery. The ad features high‑profile models such as Carey Mulligan and Nicholas Hoult alongside oversized, computer‑generated birds that create a disquieting atmosphere. Titled “I, I,...
San Francisco Mural of Cesar Chavez Painted Over, Venice Mayor Warns Russian Pavilion Against Peddling Propaganda: Morning Links for March...
A San Francisco mural honoring Cesar Chavez was painted over after new sexual‑abuse allegations against the labor leader were confirmed, prompting the building owner and the artist to act swiftly. In Venice, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro warned that the Russian pavilion at the biennale...
30 Iconic Feminist Works By Women Artists
The latest feature adds fifteen seminal feminist artworks to a previously published roster of thirty iconic pieces by women artists, extending the timeline from early first‑wave feminism to contemporary intersectional practice. The selection spotlights creators such as Edmonia Lewis, Mary...
Sotheby’s and Gagosian Veteran Publishes a History of the Art Market, From the Renaissance to Today
Valentina Castellani, former Sotheby’s deputy director and Gagosian senior director, is releasing *Trading Beauty*, the first book to chronicle the art market from the Renaissance to the present. Published by Gagosian’s shop for $40 on May 1 and later distributed by...
Monet Once Pledged His Paintings to Secure a Loan, a Letter Reveals
A newly uncovered 1875 letter shows Claude Monet borrowing 1,000 francs from Gustave Manet, with repayment tied to the sale of 35 paintings the following February. The loan included eight works already delivered and the unfinished "La Japonaise," which later...
Paris Dealer Kamel Mennour Buys Galerie Malingue, Founded Over Five Decades Ago
Paris dealer Kamel Mennour has purchased the historic Galerie Malingue space at 26 Avenue Matignon. The 4,300‑square‑foot venue will showcase modern, post‑war and contemporary artworks drawn from private, museum‑quality collections. Mennour, who opened his own gallery in 1999 and runs...
Monet, Munch, and Hockney Headline Tate’s 2027 Exhibition Calendar
The Tate announced its 2027 exhibition calendar across its four UK venues, spotlighting a first‑ever solo Monet show at Tate Modern from February to June, co‑curated with Paris’s Musée de l’Orangerie. David Hockney will dominate both Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall...
Newly Unearthed Letter Reveals Edvard Munch’s Influence on Paula Rego
In 1951 a 16‑year‑old Paula Rego wrote to her mother about the impact of an Edvard Munch exhibition, highlighting *The Scream* and *Inheritance*. The letter, uncovered by the Guardian, reveals how Munch’s expressionist style directly inspired Rego’s early work, including...
Founder of Art School That Received $2 M. NEH Grant: Artists Would Be ‘Wise’ to Be ‘Unpolitical’
Grand Central Atelier, a Queens‑based art school championing pre‑19th‑century techniques, secured a $2 million grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, one of the few NEH awards exceeding $1 million. Founder Jacob Collins, a vocal critic of modernism, frames the school’s...
Artists and Art Professionals Denounce Mexico’s Handling of Resurfaced Art Collection: ‘An Institutional Blunder’
More than 200 Mexican artists and cultural professionals signed an open letter condemning the government for allowing the Gelman collection, a trove of roughly 300 Mexican modernist works, to be exported to Spain under the Santander Foundation. The collection, which...
South Carolina’s International African American Museum Officially Acquires Earliest Known Daguerreotypes of Enslaved Americans
The International African American Museum in Charleston has taken stewardship of a rare set of fifteen 1850 daguerreotypes—believed to be the earliest photographs of enslaved Americans. The images, originally commissioned by Harvard naturalist Louis Agassiz to support racist scientific theories,...
Senators Whitehouse and Schumer Call for ‘Proactive Measures’ to Protect Philip Guston and Ben Shahn Murals
Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Chuck Schumer sent an open letter to GSA administrator Ed Forst demanding proactive measures to protect New Deal-era murals by Philip Guston and Ben Shahn in the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building. The building, a National...
Van Gogh Museum Acquires Only Third Painting by a Female Artist at TEFAF
The Van Gogh Museum purchased Virginie Demont‑Breton’s 1887‑88 painting *L’homme est en mer* at TEFAF Maastricht, making it only the third work by a female artist in its permanent collection. The acquisition, funded with public money, was priced between €500,000...
King Charles Visited Tate Britain’s ‘Turner and Constable’ Show and Loved What He Saw
The Tate Britain’s "Turner and Constable" exhibition, opened in November, has drawn roughly 185,000 visitors and celebrates the 250th birthdays of J.M.W. Turner and John Constable. King Charles visited the show, expressing enthusiasm for Turner’s early work, "The Rising Squall,...
Collector Bob Rennie Donates 24 Works to National Gallery of Canada
The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa received a gift of 24 contemporary artworks from collector Bob Rennie and his family, bringing their total donations to 284 since 2012. The donation includes 17 pieces by Christopher Williams, two by Kerry James Marshall, four...
Netflix Is Developing a Series About Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera
Netflix announced a scripted series chronicling the lives of Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. The drama adapts French author Claire Berest’s biography and will be directed by Patricia Riggen and Gabriel Ripstein, with María Renée Prudencio as head writer. Production is in early...
Luxembourg’s Culture Minister Defends Country’s Venice Biennale Budget After Critics Say It’s Too High
Luxembourg is spending €540,000 on its Venice Biennale pavilion, featuring Aline Bouvy’s provocative "La Merde" installation. The budget sparked criticism from the right‑wing ADR, which called the cost excessive amid fiscal pressures. Culture Minister Éric Thill defended the expenditure, citing...
Works by Auerbach, Chadwick, and Hepworth to Spearhead Christie’s Modern British and Irish Art Sale in London
Christie’s London is set for its modern British and Irish art auction on March 18, featuring 26 works anchored by Frank Auerbach, Lynn Chadwick and Barbara Hepworth. Auerbach’s 2004‑05 ‘Christmas Tree at Mornington Crescent’ carries a £2 million high estimate, while Chadwick’s...
Legal Conflict Between Art-Dealing Brothers Escalates Into Competing Assault Accusations
A legal battle between New York art‑dealing brothers Prajit and Projjal Dutta, stemming from a 2019 split of Aicon Gallery, has escalated from trademark and contract disputes to physical‑assault accusations. On April 11, 2025, gallery director Harry Hutchison filed a...
Met Museum Appears to Be Planning the First US Cy Twombly Retrospective in More Than 30 Years
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has posted a researcher position for a major Cy Twombly retrospective slated for 2029, marking the first U.S. survey of the artist in more than three decades. The exhibition will span paintings, sculptures, and drawings,...
Art by Infamous Prisoner Charles Bronson Will Head to Auction
Five hundred artworks by England’s notorious prisoner‑artist Charles Bronson will be sold as a single lot on March 11 by David Duggleby Auctioneers. The pieces, drawn in crayon, ink and pencil on prison documents, are expected to fetch between £100,000 and £200,000. Bronson,...
Lebanese Ministry of Culture Urges UNESCO to Grant Enhanced Protections to Cultural Property
Lebanon’s Ministry of Culture has asked UNESCO to boost protection for its cultural heritage amid the spillover of the U.S.–Israel–Iran conflict into southern Lebanon. Minister Ghassan Salamé appealed directly to UNESCO Director‑General Khaled El‑Enany, highlighting sites such as the National...