Lifestyle

2023 was unofficially the year of Picasso as museums and galleries around the world united to celebrate the 70th anniversary since the prolific artist's death. With just days until the new year, the festivities continue in a number of spaces, including Gagosian's 522 West 21st Street location in New York. A Foreigner Called Picasso presents a comprehensive look at the Spanish artist's oeuvre, from his early beginnings till his passing in 1973. Featuring myriad works loaned from separate institutions and private collections, the exhibition is anchored by the figure of the harlequin — Picasso's allegorical avatar that appears throughout each period within his career. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gagosian (@gagosian)The title of the show refers to Annie Cohen-Solal’s award-winn...

American artist Paul Pfeiffer has been interrogating the act of image making for 25 years. Working across a wide range of creative disciplines, he commonly employs found and source material from pop culture to probe into the spectacle of sports and the myth of celebrity. On view at MOCA's Geffen Contemporary in Los Angeles, Pfeiffer presents a thorough look into his nearly three decade career. As the first US retrospective on the artist, Prologue to the Story of the Birth of Freedom unpacks society's obsession with spectacle and how our collective consciousness is constructed through image circulation. True to his deconstructionist aesthetic, Pfeiffer tinkers with audiences' perceptions by meticulously reframing scenes from years past. Three Figures in a Room (2015-18) showcases the highly...

It's been quite the year for the British Museum and not in the best way. The 270 year old institution, while having faced this criticism for some time now, experienced added pressure by Greek officials to return the Parthenon Marbles, amidst a number of similar repatriation efforts. In its defense, the museum claims that on top of "legal ownership" of the ancient reliefs, its reasons for withholding a return is due to a "moral responsibility to preserve and maintain all the collections in their care and to make them accessible to world audiences.” Ironically, the institution was caught in an internal scandal this year when longtime curator Peter Higgs was ousted for stealing over 1,500 artifacts from the museum's collection. Alas, Greece has a offered a simple trade solution. In an intervi...

Embarking on a journey through the realm of contemporary art, 2024 promises a spectacular lineup of exhibitions stateside offering diverse narratives, perspectives, and artistic legacies. From retrospectives honoring the pioneers to groundbreaking showcases redefining traditional mediums, these exhibitions serve as portals into the essence of cultural evolution. From Paul Pfeiffer's introspective unraveling of collective consciousness to Grace Wales Bonner's nuanced exploration of Black cultural heritage, each exhibition invites audiences on a transformative odyssey. Giants, curated by Kimberli Gant, spotlights the exceptional collection of music icons Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys, celebrating Black diasporic culture. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Museum of Art beckons with a comprehensive po...

When seeing the sums that float around at auction, it can feel daunting to enter the world of art collecting. Especially considering blue chip lots and works from rising stars in the making. French artist Claire Tabouret is certainly in the latter camp and has been one to watch over the past decade as one of the premier figurative painters in the world. While her intimate portraiture and abstract landscapes fetch anywhere from $100,000 to over $800,000 USD, there's still ways to own unique works from the Los Angeles-based artist, including a new ceramic plate by Galerie Perrotin.Portrait with Curls and Portrait with Stripes feature two expressive depictions of young girls — a prominent theme that the artist extrapolates within her practice. Whether shown singular or in a group, Tabouret's ...