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Tuesday, June 16, 2026 · No. 166

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Today: White Cube Returns to Art Basel with Emin and Gates Installations at Unlimited • Today: Gladstone Gallery's Ugo Rondinone Unveils 'The Song is You' at Royal Academy of Arts ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 
CS

The Morning Signal

June 16, 2026

 
THE LEAD

Getty Appoints Francesca Casadio as Director of Getty Conservation Institute

via Getty

On June 9, 2026, the J. Paul Getty Trust appointed Francesca Casadio as the next John E. and Louise Bryson Director of the Getty Conservation Institute. Casadio currently serves as vice president and Grainger Executive Director of Conservation and Science at the Art Institute of Chicago, where she established the scientific research laboratory and leads design of the $50M Grainger Center for Conservation and Science. She will oversee the Getty Conservation Institute's strategic vision, research initiatives, global partnerships, and programs addressing built heritage, collections, and heritage science. Casadio will begin the role in early fall 2026, reporting to Getty President and CEO Katherine E. Fleming.

Getty's appointment of Francesca Casadio as Conservation Institute director brings a scientist with deep technical experience into the Trust's senior ranks.

Appointment

Read more →
The Number

€78.7M

across 5 auctions this week

 Signal of the Day

Phillips New York cleared $75.8 million at Watch Auction XIV, the strongest watch result posted by any house this season.

The Week in Brief
The Pattern

Exhibitions accounted for 29 of the 59 stories logged, with London generating 14 and New York 7. Auctions produced €78.7 million aggregate, a modest figure relative to the exhibition volume.

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow's anchors are Almine Rech's Rhine cruise book signing with Francesco Vezzoli and Art Basel's appointment of Trevor Paglen for the Zero 10 initiative.

— The Cultural Signal AI Editor

Today's dispatch  London (6) · Basel (3) · Los Angeles (2) · Hong Kong (2) · Cape Town (2)

Market Snapshot

6 stories today | 3 exhibitions opening

This week · 59 stories · 5 auctions (€78.7M aggregate) · 29 exhibitions opening · most-active city: London

Just Opened
Jun 16 Lisson Gallery Artist Bernard Piffaretti Featured in Royal Academy Summer Exhibition — Lisson Gallery
Jun 16 Lisson Gallery: Anish Kapoor Exhibition Opens at Hayward Gallery June 16, 2026 — Lisson Gallery
By Region
Americas Phillips New York Watch Auction XIV Achieves $75.8 Million via Phillips
Europe Lisson Gallery: LAS Art Foundation Presents Quantum Conversations at Prouvost Grand Palais Exhibition via Lisson Gallery
Asia-Pacific MOMAT to Present Solo Exhibition June 16 to September 13, 2026 via Galleria Continua
Middle East & Africa A4 Arts Foundation Presents Three Curated Projects in Cape Town Through August 2026 via Sadie Coles HQ
Featured
Tate Modern Unveils Six Frida Kahlo Murals in Bankside as Exhibition Tickets Exceed 35,000

On June 15, 2026, Tate Modern announced a city-wide programme of public art coinciding with its exhibition Frida: The Making of an Icon. Six large-scale murals created by artists under 25 were…

Why it matters
Tate's Frida exhibition has already sold more than 35,000 tickets, indicating sustained collector interest ahead of the June 25 opening.

via Tate · Exhibition

9th Thessaloniki Biennale at MOMUS Features Meriem Bennani and Arthur Jafa

On June 15, 2026, MOMUS Museum of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki opened the 9th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art titled everything must change. The exhibition, curated by Nadja…

Why it matters
Thessaloniki's inclusion of Meriem Bennani and Arthur Jafa shows secondary European biennials can still attract artists with strong London and New York representation.

via Sadie Coles HQ · Exhibition

Art Basel Hong Kong Show Details Galleries, Conversations Program and VIP Network

Art Basel provides practical information for its Hong Kong show, listing leading galleries from established to emerging that are participating in the fair. The Conversations program brings together…

Why it matters
Art Basel Hong Kong's published gallery roster and Conversations schedule give dealers concrete visibility into Asia-Pacific collector access for the coming edition.

via Tokyo Gallery + BTAP · Fair

This Week Ahead
Today White Cube Returns to Art Basel with Emin and Gates Installations at Unlimited via White Cube
Today Gladstone Gallery's Ugo Rondinone Unveils 'The Song is You' at Royal Academy of Arts via Gladstone Gallery
Today MOMAT to Present Solo Exhibition June 16 to September 13, 2026 via Galleria Continua
Today Art Basel Announces 2026 Basel Edition with 290 Galleries and New Basel Exclusive Initiative via Art Basel
Tomorrow Almine Rech to Host Francesco Vezzoli Book Signing on Rhine River Cruise via Almine Rech
Tomorrow Art Basel Names Trevor Paglen Curator of Zero 10 Digital Initiative in Basel via Art Basel
Thu Jun 18 Luminato Festival and Wedge Curatorial Projects Host Tyler Mitchell Talk in Toronto via Gagosian

Full calendar →

Next Week
Thu Jun 25 Tate Modern to Present 'Frida: The Making of an Icon' Exhibition Opening June 25, 2026 via Tate
Fri Jun 26 The Drawing Center Presents Pope.L Survey of Over 200 Works on Paper via Gladstone Gallery
Fri Jun 26 Ali Banisadr: Temple of the Mind Exhibition Opens at AKG June 26 via Thaddaeus Ropac
Sat Jun 27 Lisson Gallery Announces Tony Bechara Survey at Parrish Art Museum via Lisson Gallery
Sat Jun 27 M+ to Present 'Design Ah! Experience the Wonder of Everyday Design' Exhibition in Hong Kong via M+

Trending Institutions ▲ Almine Rech (11) · ▲ Sadie Coles HQ (9) · ▲ Lempertz (7) · ▲ Lisson Gallery (7) · ▲ Tate (7) · ▲ Galerie Max Hetzler (6) · ▼ Thaddaeus Ropac (6)

Artist Spotlight
Anish Kapoor · 4 mentions this week

Anish Kapoor is a British sculptor internationally recognized for his large-scale, immersive installations and his use of reflective surfaces and intense pigments. His work frequently explores the relationship between space, form, and the viewer's perception.

Read profile →

The Wire
1. A4 Arts Foundation Presents Three Curated Projects in Cape Town Through August 2026 — Sadie Coles HQ
2. Lisson Gallery: LAS Art Foundation Presents Quantum Conversations at Prouvost Grand Palais Exhibition — Lisson Gallery
In Case You Missed It
1. Phillips New York Watch Auction XIV Achieves $75.8 Million — Phillips
2. Kunsthaus Zürich Stages First Swiss Museum Retrospective of Vilhelm Hammershøi — Kunsthaus Zürich
3. Bonhams|Cars Offers 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Coupé at Monaco Sale Estimated €2.5M-3M — Bonhams
4. Tate Britain Director Issues Statement on David Hockney Death — Tate
5. Bonhams to Auction Duffy's Original 'Aladdin Sane' Bowie Print for £250,000-300,000 — Bonhams

Opportunities  28 new jobs · 8 new grants   Browse careers →

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