“The news arrived (in September 2025) with both excitement and a pang of grief: The oldest national history museum in the Americas was slated to partially (and temporarily) reopen for the first time since a 2018 fire destroyed more than 16 million objects — 80 percent of its collections.” - Smithsonian Magazine
“The houses leaned into spectacle — including a promotional video featuring Nicole Kidman dancing around a bronze Brancusi head — and prearranged deals … that reduced their risk. The result was a season with a few flashy records — and … a broader return to deliberate bidding, quality material and logical prices.” - The New York Times
French artist JR has taken over Paris’s Pont Neuf—the oldest bridge over the Seine, and the city’s first built from stone, not wood. JR’s hotly awaited hometown installation La Caverne du Pont Neuf (2026) measures 120 meters long, 20 meters wide, and, in some spots, 18 meters tall. - Artnet
Reaching more than 20 feet in height, the hall was built over the course of nine months by a team of more than 100 volunteers who relied on the tools and techniques of their Neolithic ancestors. - Artnet
“What we have seen, across the country, is that institutions that have eliminated admissions have generally not seen an increase in visitation in any meaningful way,” says Daniel Weiss. - The Art Newspaper
The artwork, which still appears on Danziger’s website, does not contain a title but is headlined A.I. GENERATED, From the prompt: Make a realistic color version of Ansel Adams’ iconic “Moonrise Over Hernandez”. - ARTnews
Daniel Weiss took over as director and CEO in December after the dismissal of former leader Sasha Suda. He has rolled back some of the decisions made during her tenure, including the brief renaming of the museum as the “Philadelphia Art Museum,” or PhAM. And now new leaders in finance and human resources. - Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
The museum has committed to supporting four artists over the next several years—P. Staff, Tarik Kiswanson, Jenna Sutela and Eglė Budvytytė—in four distinct ways: acquiring their work throughout the period; financially supporting external production; providing a part-time stipend for a year to alleviate financial pressure; and covering health insurance for a year. - The Art Newspaper
“The Trump administration does not plan to seek approval from Congress for President Donald Trump’s planned 250-foot arch, arguing that they do not need it because lawmakers a century ago authorized a somewhat similar project that was never built.” - The Washington Post
The whistleblower complaint made numerous detailed allegations. Among them are claims that the museum improperly reclassified funds in its endowment to meet cash crunches. - ARTnews
“A Paris judge has rejected a request to halt the removal of six 19th-century stained-glass windows by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc from Notre-Dame Cathedral, which are to be replaced by government-commissioned contemporary works (by artist Claire Tabouret).” - ARTnews
“The planned Museum of Digital Art (MODA) … is part of Dubai’s monumental $27 billion transformation of its financial center into a tech hub, announced earlier this year, and will platform various art forms that rely on emerging technologies, including immersive and interactive experiences. No budget or completion date has yet been announced.” - Artnet
The major exhibition featuring collections from both institutions will be staged first in Paris at the Centre Pompidou, after its five-year renovation, around 2029 or 2030, before being hosted at the M+ with a focus on visual culture in France and China. - South China Morning Post
“If my art isn’t in your budget right now, I’ll accept the following as payment…” the viral posts on Instagram and TikTok read. The caption includes a list of items or services that the artist will trade the work for, ranging from handmade clothes, jewellery and tattoos to accommodation, meals and beauty services. - The Art Newspaper
