66 stories on The Cultural Signal
On August 27, 2026, Galerie Max Hetzler announced that Edmund de Waal has been awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by France and the Isamu Noguchi Award for 2023. De Waal's work is featured in "Sacred Splendor: Jewish Ritual Art and Christian Treasures from St.
The Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam has covered its entire glass façade in multicolored polka dots designed by Yayoi Kusama Studio, ahead of the opening of a major survey of the artist's work on September 11, 2026.
Christie's 20th Century Evening Sale in New York achieved $287.4 million, exceeding the pre-sale estimate by 14%. The sale was led by a Picasso painting that sold for $45.7 million, and a Basquiat work that fetched $32.1 million. The auction featured 45 lots, with a sell-through rate of 91%.
On August 20, 2026, White Cube announced an exhibition by Josiah McElheny titled 'Instrument Object' at The Kitchen in New York, running from September 10 to November 7, 2026.
The 11th edition of the Zona Maco art fair took place in Mexico City, having surreptitiously moved its dates from April to February.
On August 31, 2026, M+ in Hong Kong announced the touring of three newly restored 4K films from its M+ Restored initiative: Jacob Cheung's 'Cageman' (1992), Allen Fong's 'Just Like Weather' (1986), and Tsui Hark's 'The Butterfly Murders' (1979).
Bonhams' fourth annual The Art of Hawaiʻi sale concluded on July 15, 2026, in Los Angeles, achieving a total of $1.7 million. The auction featured Hawaiian artists and works capturing the culture and history of the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands.
Bonhams will hold three live sales during Asia Week New York on September 14 and 15, 2026, at its flagship galleries at 111 West 57th Street.
Bonhams will present The Sandy Lerner Collection, encompassing nearly 1,000 lots of fine art, collectibles, and home furnishings from the Ayrshire Farm estate of businesswoman and philanthropist Sandy Lerner.
On March 30, 2026, Bonhams announced its New York Asia Week auctions, featuring a series of sales from March 21 to 23.
MOCA Cleveland will present "Tishan Hsu: permeable surface" from August 28, 2026 through March 7, 2027. The exhibition spans Hsu's four-decade career, including his first and most recent video works: "Folds of Oil" (2005) and "emergent mesh" (2025).
On July 17, 2026, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam announced 'Adam Pendleton: Some Wild Kind of Language', an exhibition opening October 8, 2026.
Coumba Samba: Stars and Stripes, the first solo museum presentation devoted to Senegalese American artist Coumba Samba, will open at the Whitney Museum in New York.
The Whitney Museum of American Art announced an exhibition titled "artport: A History of Internet Art" to mark the 25th anniversary of its online gallery space artport, which launched in 2001.
The Whitney Museum will open "Roy Lichtenstein: 1997," a focused exhibition highlighting rarely seen works from the last year of the Pop artist's life. The exhibition runs in conjunction with the major exhibition "Roy Lichtenstein: Like New" on the museum's fifth floor.
The Whitney Museum of American Art announced on July 30, 2026, that it will present "Sonya Kelliher-Combs: TITIQ/MARK," the artist's first solo museum exhibition in New York.
Otobong Nkanga (born 1974, Kano, Nigeria) will receive the Sikkens Prize 2026 on October 26, 2026, at a ceremony in Laren, Netherlands. The prize, awarded by the Sikkens Foundation, honors an artist or collective pioneering in the field of color.
On July 28, 2026, Lisson Gallery announced its return to Frieze Seoul with a presentation of new and historic works by Olga de Amaral, Huguette Caland, Ryan Gander, Hugh Hayden, Leiko Ikemura, Anish Kapoor, Julian Opie, Dalton Paula, and Hiroshi Sugimoto.
On August 28, 2026, High Line Art announced that artist Kathleen Ryan has been invited to submit a proposal for the seventh and eighth High Line Plinth commissions, to be installed in 2029 and 2030 in New York.
On August 4, 2026, T: The New York Times Style Magazine published a panel's selection of the 25 sculptures that define the modern age, with artist Arlene Shechet among those who determined the list.
Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese avant-garde artist known for her polka dots and infinity mirror rooms, died in Tokyo on August 14, 2026, at age 97. The Centre Pompidou in Paris, which holds her 1964 work "Macaroni Dress" in its collection, published a tribute to the artist.
Alvaro Barrington will present 'Western Beef-High Line' as part of the High Line's fall 2026 commissions programme, the Thaddaeus Ropac gallery said.
On August 27, 2026, Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) announced its return to FNB Art Joburg 2026 with a presentation titled "A: Black Consciousness of Spacetime" by Johannesburg-based artist Nolan Oswald Dennis.
On August 19, 2026, Galerie Max Hetzler announced a series of Eddie Martinez projects, led by a presentation at the Albertina Klosterneuburg pairing 350 works on paper by Martinez with drawings by Georg Baselitz, part of 'Donated with Love.' His debut monograph, 'Eddie Martinez: 20 Years of Paint.
On August 27, 2026, Galerie Max Hetzler announced that artist and writer Edmund de Waal has been awarded the medal of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by France.
On August 4, 2026, T: The New York Times Style Magazine published a feature naming the 25 most important sculptures made since 1945.
On August 27, 2026, Phillips announced that artist Cj Hendry will present 'Mere Mortals,' a playful and nostalgic exhibition at its New York gallery, inspired by the imaginative world of trading cards and childhood toys.
On August 27, 2026, the Centre Pompidou in Paris highlighted Yayoi Kusama's 1964 work 'Macaroni Dress' following the artist's death on August 14, 2026, at age 97 in Tokyo.
The Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam announced the death of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who died at an undisclosed age. Born in Matsumoto, Japan, in 1929, Kusama developed a distinctive visual language of polka dots, pumpkins, and mirrored environments over a career spanning more than seven decades.
Heritage Auctions, the largest collectibles auctioneer and third largest auction house globally, has opened a new branch office in Palm Beach, Florida.
On August 11, 2026, Heritage Auctions announced the appointment of Sarah Miller as Senior Vice President and Partner at its New York office. Miller brings a lifelong passion for numismatics, having studied coins since age 11 and worked in rare coins through high school and college.
Heritage Auctions announced on August 25, 2026, the promotion of Aviva Lehmann to Deputy Chairman of Fine Art and Alissa to a senior leadership role in American and Western Art.
The New Museum is offering $10 tickets for its exhibition 'New Humans' through August 30, 2026. The reduced pricing applies to all visitors, encouraging last-chance attendance before the show closes.
The Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, Switzerland, presents the fourth and final leg of the first European retrospective dedicated to Ruth Asawa, the influential American artist of Japanese descent.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York will present "nowhere," a daily dance performance by choreographer Sarah Michelson, from September 15 to October 11, 2026.
Bonhams concluded its Asia Week in New York with total sales of $16.96 million, the highest ever for the series. The six sales included Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art, The Maitri Collection, Chinese Works of Art, and Fine Japanese and Korean Art.
Lehmann Maupin, founded in New York in 1996, is marking its 30th anniversary with a year of exhibitions across its galleries in New York, London, and Seoul.
Lehmann Maupin has announced its representation of artist Todd Gray, who is based between Los Angeles, California and Akwidaa, Ghana. Gray is known for photo assemblages that critically examine ideas of African diaspora, colonialism, societal power structures, and dominant cultural beliefs.
Lehmann Maupin has promoted Jennifer Mora to Senior Director, recognizing her decade-long tenure at the gallery. Mora joined the gallery in 2010 as a gallery assistant and has since built deep relationships with artists, collectors, and curators.
Lehmann Maupin has appointed Fionna Flaherty as Partner, based in New York. Flaherty joins current partners Carla Camacho, Jessica Kreps, and Isabella Icoz, and will oversee the gallery's programmatic and sales initiatives, including international art fair participation.
Lehmann Maupin has announced the representation of Malawian artist Billie Zangewa, who lives and works in Johannesburg, South Africa. The gallery will present recent work by Zangewa in Frieze Art Fair's Online Viewing Room launching this week.
Lehmann Maupin has announced its representation of American artist Tammy Nguyen, known for a multidisciplinary practice spanning paintings, drawings, artist books, prints, and zines. Her work explores intersections of geopolitics, ecology, and lesser-known histories.
Lehmann Maupin has announced the representation of Korean artist Sung Neung Kyung, whose interdisciplinary practice spans over five decades and has influenced performance, Conceptualism, and politics.
On August 12, 2026, Sotheby's announced the launch of Nightcap, a new late-night auction series in New York. The series will offer a curated selection of contemporary art, design, and luxury items in a relaxed, after-hours setting.
Lehmann Maupin has announced its representation of the estate of Swiss artist Heidi Bucher, known for her latex-based explorations of the body, domestic space, and gender.
Lehmann Maupin announced its representation of New York-based sculptor Oren Pinhassi (b. 1985), whose anthropomorphic sculptures and large-scale installations examine the politics of architectural space and the human body.
Lehmann Maupin announced its representation of Chilean multidisciplinary artist Cecilia Vicuña.
Lehmann Maupin announced its representation of Madrid-based artist Teresa Solar Abboud (b. 1985), whose practice spans sculpture, drawing, and video. Her work explores fiction, natural history, ecology, and the tension between organic and synthetic forms.
Lehmann Maupin has promoted Alexis Rose to Senior Director, based in New York. Rose joined the gallery six years ago and has served as a liaison to artists including McArthur Binion, Loriel Beltrán, Lari Pittman, Arcmanoro Niles, and Billie Zangewa.
Frieze has published a comprehensive roundup of international art exhibitions, fairs, and biennale presentations, featuring artists including Arch Connelly, Shu Lea Cheang, Cao Fei, and Anselm Kiefer.
Lehmann Maupin announced its representation of Guimi You (b. 1985), a Korean artist known for ethereal paintings blending East Asian ink traditions with oil.
Lehmann Maupin announced its representation of Bangladeshi-British artist Rana Begum. The gallery will debut a work by Begum at its Art Basel booth, followed by her first solo exhibition in New York. Begum's recent U.S. museum debut, 'Reflection,' was held at the SCAD Museum of Art.
Frieze editors Chloe Stead, Vanessa Peterson, Marko Gluhaich, and Lou Selfridge convened a roundtable to discuss performance art trends in 2024, citing key works and events.
Frieze has announced the fifth edition of its Asian art fair, which will feature new curated sections and an expanded programme, once again connecting the global art world to Asia. The organizer noted that previous editions saw a strong response to Latin American artists and galleries.
Lehmann Maupin announced on August 21, 2026, that it now represents New York-based artist Anna Park (b. 1996), who creates charcoal and ink drawings that blend abstraction and figuration.
A rare M4 Enigma machine, designed for the German Navy during World War II, sold for $463,500 at Bonhams History of Science and Technology Sale in New York, setting a world record for the model. The fully operational machine, dating from 1943, exceeded its pre-sale estimate of $280,000-350,000.
Bonhams will stage three landmark Chanel auctions across New York, Paris, and London in September 2026, celebrating the house's craftsmanship and legacy. The New York sale, 'Chanel: From the Vault II,' runs September 7–17 with an exhibition from August 17 to September 2 at Bonhams' U.S.
On August 14, 2026, Artsy published a feature surveying artists about their summer reading, with Ali Banisadr among those sharing current selections.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) announced a major expansion project, adding approximately 30,000 square feet of gallery space dedicated to its contemporary art collection.
On August 14, 2026, the Whitney Museum of American Art and Little Island announced a new midnight performance by comedian Julio Torres and artist Martine Gutierrez as part of the Whitney Biennial 2026.
Hauser & Wirth and 303 Gallery have confirmed the death of artist Mary Heilmann, who passed away on August 14, 2026, on Long Island, New York, at the age of 86. She is survived by her nieces and nephew.
Gladstone Gallery has organized an exhibition of works by Alighiero Boetti on long-term view at Dia Beacon in New York.
On August 11, 2026, Phillips announced a collaboration with the artist collective KidSuper to release an edition of 50 KidSuper Studio Cases, each containing a unique original artwork.
The Guggenheim New York announced a season of free and low-cost public programs running from August through December 2026, including a block party, teen events, and architecture tours.
The New Museum in New York announced that its current exhibition, "New Humans: Memories of the Future," will close on August 9, 2026, and that a new exhibition, "The Bowery: Devil's Mile," will open on September 24, 2026.
On August 4, 2026, Thaddaeus Ropac published a feature on Robert Rauschenberg's "Bed," one of his earliest Combines from the mid-1950s.
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