The Facts
On October 15, 2026, Galerie Max Hetzler announced a range of projects by artist and writer Edmund de Waal, headlined by a solo exhibition at The Huntington in Los Angeles opening October 18, 2026. Titled 'the eight directions of the wind', the show unfolds across three locations with site-specific installations exploring the movement of ideas, people, and objects. Separately, de Waal is donating nearly 2,000 books from his installation 'Library of Exile' to Mosul University Library in Iraq to help rebuild its collection. The installation itself will become part of the Warburg Institute in London. De Waal was also awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by France and the Isamu Noguchi Award in 2023, the latter presented at the Noguchi Museum on September 12, 2023.
The Signal
The flurry of institutional activity underscores de Waal's evolution from studio artist to a public figure wielding cultural diplomacy. The Huntington exhibition pairs his signature porcelain vessels with text and natural materials, while the Mosul donation transforms a Venice Biennale artwork into practical restitution. The simultaneous recognition by France and the Noguchi Foundation signals growing institutional appetite for artists who address migration, memory, and displaced heritage—themes that now define his practice as much as his ceramics.
The Morning Signal · Daily
Enjoying this? Get the daily wire.
The art world in one daily email — auctions, openings, and acquisitions from 90+ primary sources, distilled into a five-minute read. Independent — no marketplace, no gallery ads.
Join collectors, dealers & curators
No spam · free every morning · unsubscribe anytime
- Artists: Edmund de Waal
- People: Edmund de Waal, Theaster Gates, Hanya Yanagihara, Elif Shafak, Hartwig Fischer, Count Moïse de Camondo
- Galleries: Galerie Max Hetzler
- Museums: The Jewish Museum, The Huntington, Warburg Institute, British Museum, Noguchi Museum, Musée Nissim de Camondo, Mosul University Library
- Locations: London, Los Angeles, New York, Venice, Dresden, Mosul
The Jobs Digest · Weekly
New art-world jobs, every Monday
The Jobs Digest rounds up the week’s new museum, gallery, and auction-house openings — with salary when disclosed. One email a week, unsubscribe anytime.
