Stories

The Inn Crowd, invites readers into over 20 unique, stylish independent inns across the Northeastern US. We talk to the woman who photographed them and spoke to their owners.

The artist tells us how a rural Maine setting resulted in a very special edition.

The Netflix star chef and Sunny Days, Taco Nights author tells us how his love of the humble taco took him from kitchen table to top table.

Our Barbecue author (and former rock star drummer, no less) on why he thinks barbecue is a meditative force that crosses all cultures, how the death of his dad set him on the road to success, and why meat is more important than marinade.

Our What a Shell Can Tell author combines a diver’s devotion to exploring the oceans, a scientist’s attention to detail, and a storyteller’s obsession with words and ideas.

As a child, our Alpha Bravo Charlie illustrator created ‘paper worlds’ for the cats in her neighbourhood. As an adult she always looks for the essential in each illustration and believes books are a critical break from a fast-paced childhood.

The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Guardian writer on the rhythm of words, why his book Brick is akin to a Dharmic text, and how he finds comfort in the darkness of Tomi Ungerer.

The Chinese American illustrator of Phaidon's Our World series of books has attracted the admiration of Oprah Winfrey as well as legions of kids across the world.

When she was a little girl in Ukraine, our Spooky Celebrations illustrator would put her finger on a map and imagine the adventures she’d have getting from her side of the world to another.

This legendary designer has created impactful work for Swatch, MoMA, and New York Times, to name just a few, but when our kids book The Story of Pasta and How to Cook It! beckoned, he just couldn’t resist.

This London-based curator, historian, artist, and educator is on a mission to turn kids on to contemporary and historical art – and not always through conventional means.

The acclaimed Barcelona-based artist behind Phaidon’s Shell and Superpowered books always tries to get a family member – animal or human – into her illustrations.

When she's not branding Hermès, Bulgari, and Marimekko, this Finnish designer makes Pasta!, Pancakes!, and Spaghetti! dishes look delicious for our interactive recipe books.

Faster! Higher! Stronger! We talk to the woman encouraging kids to astound their classmates with incredible animal world facts.

In a series of interviews with designers featured in our new interiors book Defining Style, we talk to a true master of minimalism.

The Emerald Drifters photographer tells us how to see beauty in everyday life, why cakes can be art, and what happened when she asked literary sensation Ocean Vuong to write the afterword in her new book.

The Rose Bakery founder talks to Phaidon about her new book Breakfast, Lunch, Tea with Children.

In a series of interviews with designers featured in our new interiors book Defining Style, we talk to the King of England's designer of choice.

In a series of interviews with designers featured in our new interiors book Defining Style, we talk to the man who loves to make art the centrepiece of any home.

The Pakistani American artist has created a special edition called Her-Vimana to accompany her new book, Collective Behavior.

Kevin Beasley, a multifaceted contemporary artist known for his innovative blend of sculpture, sound, and performance, presents his largest and most ambitious installation yet at Storm King Art Center in New York’s Hudson Valley. Titled PROSCENIUM | Rebirth/Growth: The Watch / Harvest / Dormancy: On Reflection, the expansive work spans 100 feet and explores the cycles of the seasons through four triptychs made of vintage clothing and natural elements encased in resin. Drawing inspiration from World War II acoustic mirrors, Beasley’s curved installation engages with sound and landscape, amplifying environmental noises and inviting viewers into a sensory dialogue between history, identity, and the land. Complementing the show, a limited edition series of four intricate prints was created using tactile materials and traditional screen printing techniques, capturing the essence of his evolving practice and communal approach to art-making.

In the second part of our interview the Time Lost photographer talks about Frank Sinatra, Donald Trump and some of the darker places photography took him to.

Jonathan Becker is one of the great visual storytellers of our time. Our new book Lost TIme collects photographs from across his career, charting his journeys through New York, Paris, and London from the 1970s to the 2010s.

The food researcher, recipe tester, and author of Crumbs: Cookies and Sweets from Around the World, tells us all we need to know and more about cookies.

Sculptural statements, colourful facades, curvaceous concrete, Mid-Century Modern really was a golden age for architecture

The superstar chef curator of our new book The Contemporary African Kitchen on his journey from opera house to African continent via upscale restaurants.

KAWS and Billie Eilish are fans, she’s just had her first institutional show outside the US and has been called ‘a major new figure in drawing today’. We talk to the Korean-born, Brooklyn-based artist on an incredible career curve right now.

‘Dawn is the beginning of everything. I thought that was perfect because it’s my first small sculpture. It’s a new thing that I’m doing.’

The Café Cecilia founder tells us about his perfect dinner party dish, that time he set the kitchen on fire, the one food he’ll never eat, and why he still asks himself: what would Ruth Rogers do?

Nicole Wittenberg, known for her evocative reinvention of realism, finds profound inspiration in the rural landscapes of Maine, where her studio—a repurposed former government factory—serves as a sanctuary away from the urban rhythm of New York. Her new silkscreen edition, *Goldenrod and Queen Anne’s Lace, 2025*, captures the vibrant, fleeting beauty of wildflowers through layered strokes and gestural mark-making that evoke the immediacy and sensuality of being immersed in nature. Drawing en plein air, Wittenberg embraces chance and movement, translating the dynamic qualities of light, wind, and growth into a vivid, almost abstracted floral composition that speaks to her desire to stop thinking and truly see. The edition, accompanied by a signed monograph, coincides with three summer exhibitions and underscores her ongoing exploration of emotional expression and the spontaneous sensations found in the natural world, firmly rooting her practice in the tension between observation, memory, and feeling.

Jim Hodges captivates with his ability to infuse everyday objects with profound emotion and narrative, blending drawing and sculpture through humble materials transformed to evoke memory and imagination. His new edition, *with you, 2024*, created for the TWO x TWO for AIDS Art Gala, features two elegant vessels—one basalt stone, one cast glass—set on a walnut pedestal, designed to be completed and continually reborn through the ritual of adding fresh flowers. This work reflects themes of impermanence, renewal, and connection, inviting owners to participate actively in its life and meaning. Hodges’s use of contrasting natural and crafted materials speaks to timeless artistic traditions while celebrating collaboration and care. Known for deeply contemplative, beautiful works exhibited worldwide, Hodges sees art as an invitation to slow down, reflect, and experience the transformative power of relationships and generosity.

Patricia Cronin’s art boldly intertwines classical techniques with urgent contemporary issues, exploring themes of feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, and social justice through oil painting, sculpture, and printmaking. Renowned for her groundbreaking work like the groundbreaking "Memorial To A Marriage," a marble sculpture advocating marriage equality, Cronin channels her deep research and conceptual rigor into projects such as her recent series inspired by 19th-century sculptor Harriet Hosmer. By creating a unique catalogue raisonné combining hand-painted images and historical scholarship, Cronin not only revives Hosmer’s legacy but also critiques the underrepresentation of women artists. With a fearless commitment to activism, Cronin’s work challenges the status quo, inspiring both audiences and students to envision a world where art carries the power to confront injustice and reshape cultural narratives.

Cig Harvey’s latest limited edition print, *Wisteria, 2025*, captures a dreamlike moment where her friend Emily is enveloped by lush purple wisteria, blurring the lines between human and nature. Rooted in Harvey’s lifelong obsession with color and sensation, the image embodies her belief that photography should speak to the gut before the intellect, using beauty to draw viewers into a visceral experience of living in the body. Created during a serendipitous detour through a Maine town, the photograph celebrates the wild, untamed beauty of everyday life and the fleeting nature of light and time. Paired with Harvey’s new book *Emerald Drifters*, the edition invites audiences to embrace color’s mysterious power and the magic found in the world just beyond routine.

British artist Michaela Yearwood-Dan, renowned for her richly layered semi-abstract paintings that blend millennial pinks, lush vegetation, poetic texts, and shimmering embellishments, has released a new edition titled *Dream a little dream, 2025*. Comprising 50 editions—40 archival pigment prints enhanced with silkscreen varnishes and glass flocking, plus 10 uniquely hand-finished pieces with acrylic paint, oil pastel, ink, and glitter—the work invites viewers into a deeply personal and intimate journey, underscored by the inscription, “You are in every single dream.” Yearwood-Dan’s practice fluidly explores identity and emotional intimacy, weaving language, music, and layered materials to create multifaceted narratives rooted in her British Caribbean heritage. Committed to charitable causes, proceeds from this edition support New Contemporaries, an organization empowering emerging artists. Her work, which recently set auction records, continues to evolve with a confident, intuitive approach that embraces complexity and healing through creative expression.

Pakistani American artist Shahzia Sikander’s new lithograph, Her-Vimana, 2025, draws inspiration from the mythological flying palaces of Hindu and Jain texts to explore themes of transformation, resilience, and feminine strength. Created with vibrant hues and intricate detail, this limited edition print coincides with Sikander’s solo exhibitions at the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Cleveland Museum of Art, following her major survey at La Biennale di Venezia. Renowned for pioneering the neo-miniature movement, Sikander blends traditional South Asian miniature painting with contemporary media to challenge Eurocentric art histories and highlight gender, colonialism, and migration through a feminist lens. Her multi-layered storytelling weaves together myth, spirituality, and social commentary, reflecting an enduring commitment to amplifying women’s narratives and reimagining cultural heritage in dynamic, boundary-crossing forms.

In his latest Black Dada series exhibited at Pace New York, Adam Pendleton expands his artistic language through vibrant purples, reds, and metallic hues, emphasizing the interplay between process and form. This exploration continues in his Untitled (Blue Amphora), a hand-painted ceramic piece created for Artspace and Avant Arte to support charity: water. Layered with spray paint, stenciled geometries, and expressive brushstrokes, Pendleton’s work captures the dynamic tension between order and chaos, reflecting our complex sensory experience of the world. Rooted in his long-standing “Black Dada” philosophy, which interrogates Blackness through abstraction and avant-garde concepts, Pendleton moves fluidly from canvas to clay, translating his gestural marks into three-dimensional form. The amphora stands as a poetic extension of his practice, embodying transformation and the ongoing dialogue between intention and happenstance.

Jean-Michel Othoniel is a master of transforming fragile glass into radiant, poetic sculptures that embody emotion, resilience, and beauty. Originally a painter, he shifted to sculpture in the 1990s, pioneering the use of molten glass and sulfur to create luminous, jewel-like forms that blend sensuality with permanence. Inspired by Indian glassmaking traditions and the symbolic power of bricks as "piles of hopes and dreams," Othoniel’s work fuses ancient techniques with contemporary artistry. His latest limited edition, Untitled (2024), crafted from mirrored glass, reflects light and emotion while supporting the New Orleans Museum of Art. With new solo shows unfolding globally and an ambitious exhibition planned for 2025 in Avignon, Othoniel continues to enchant the art world with his alchemical vision.

Artist Harland Miller reflects on his deep connection to water and creativity in his unique amphora, "R U OK?", created in collaboration with Artspace, Avant Arte, and charity: water. Drawing on the ancient Greek tradition of amphorae—storied vessels for storing water and wine—Miller explores the challenge of translating a painting onto a curved, three-dimensional surface, where every angle shifts perception. His work poses a simple yet profound question, echoing modern digital shorthand while inviting contemplation on human connection and the preciousness of water. Part of a series by seven artists, each amphora is available to support charity: water’s mission to provide clean water worldwide. Miller’s piece, priced at €6,000, embodies both artistic innovation and a heartfelt commitment to a vital cause.

Artists Harland Miller, Hilary Pecis, Adam Pendleton, Jordan Casteel, Derek Fordjour, Jenny Holzer, and Josh Smith have collaborated with Artspace and Avant Arte to hand-paint a series of amphorae, blending ancient form with contemporary art. Each of the seven editions, priced at €6,000 each or €35,000 for the complete set, features unique designs that reflect the artists’ distinct styles—from Casteel’s lush garden-inspired vines to Miller’s playful exploration of water and communication, Pecis’s endless lily pond, Pendleton’s transformation from canvas to clay, Smith’s iconic palms, Fordjour’s rhythmic marching band homage, and Holzer’s poignant survival texts. Proceeds support charity: water, bringing clean, safe water to communities worldwide, giving these beautifully reimagined vessels both artistic and humanitarian significance.

Cameron Jamie, a California-born artist now based in Paris, creates captivating work that blurs the lines between the strange and familiar, exploring identity through film, drawing, sculpture, and printmaking. His art delves into folklore, ritual, and the subconscious, influenced by his surreal Southern California upbringing and a deep engagement with subculture. Jamie’s intuitive approach rejects formulas, pushing boundaries across mediums—including ceramics and printmaking. His latest release, Pinky Blues (2024), a meticulously crafted 17-color silkscreen edition, captures vibrant, gestural energy and offers a fresh dimension to his practice. Accompanied by a new Phaidon monograph, this edition showcases Jamie’s commitment to evolving his artistic expression, affirming his status as an aesthetic maverick whose work continues to challenge conventions after three decades.

Summer Wheat’s vibrant and textured paintings delve into themes of labor, community, and the intimate bond between humans and nature, with a special focus on women’s nurturing roles. Her innovative technique—pushing paint through fine mesh screens—creates richly tactile surfaces that blur the lines between painting and sculpture, evoking the labor of weaving and embroidery. Wheat’s latest release, *Watering Weeds, 2024*, a limited edition series of hand-embellished prints, celebrates the nurturing figure as a fountain, symbolizing the interconnectedness of self-care and environmental stewardship. Drawing on historical art traditions and personal experiences, these works balance structure and spontaneity with a bold palette, inviting viewers into a playful, yet contemplative garden—both literal and metaphorical—where creativity, care, and resilience flourish.

Tschabalala Self’s practice explores identity as a rich tapestry woven from inherent traits and lived experiences, particularly through her striking depictions of female bodies crafted with sewn, printed, and painted materials. Her new limited edition print, The Actress Alexis, 2024, celebrates Alexis Cofield, an actor from Self’s experimental play Sounding Board, highlighting themes of intimacy, control, and the intersections of race and gender. This exclusive print combines archival pigment print, screen printing, and hand-applied paint, showcasing Self’s multidisciplinary approach and deep connection to printmaking. Known for her vivid colors, dynamic forms, and layered narratives, Self views her figures as ongoing mysteries that reveal themselves over time, reflecting her commitment to nuanced storytelling and self-discovery. As she continues to gain international recognition and prestigious commissions, Self’s work invites viewers into profound meditations on identity, character, and the symbolic power of the body.

Hank Willis Thomas is an artist whose powerful work critically explores the complexities of America through iconic symbols like the flag, weaving themes of hope, injustice, and identity into his art. With a career dedicated to examining racial and economic inequalities, Thomas uses mixed media—including quilts, prints, and sculptures—to challenge and reinterpret the symbol of the American flag. His latest edition, *Twilight’s Last Gleaming, 2024*, inspired by the U.S. national anthem and his 2021 mixed media piece, reflects the fractured yet interconnected nature of the nation, embodying a patchwork of diverse perspectives and agendas. As co-founder of For Freedoms, Thomas channels art into civic engagement and dialogue, using large-scale campaigns and public installations to provoke critical conversations about democracy and unity. This new edition not only crystallizes a pivotal moment in American political history but also supports For Freedoms’ mission to foster creative discourse, urging viewers to acknowledge both the struggles and shared futures that bind them.

Henry Taylor’s retrospective, "Henry Taylor: B-Side," has garnered rave reviews from major publications like The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The New Yorker, celebrating his ability to blend personal empathy with profound societal insight. Known for his vibrant, deeply human portraits that transcend traditional boundaries, Taylor captures not just faces but the complex histories and social forces shaping his subjects' lives. His latest limited edition print, "Portrait of Andy Robert, 2024," released in collaboration with Artspace and Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, exemplifies his bold use of color and life-infused brushwork. Following a landmark exhibition tour and record-breaking sales at Sotheby’s, Taylor’s work continues to affirm his place as a defining figure in contemporary American art, featured in prestigious collections worldwide.

Jeff Koons presents his new edition, Flag II, 2024, created exclusively for the Democracy Matters Benefit Auction on Artspace, highlighting his ongoing commitment to supporting a just, fair, and inclusive democracy. This vibrant archival pigment print, featuring Koons’ signature mylar balloon imagery, symbolizes the shared values of all Americans beyond political divides. The auction, running from September 24 to October 1, features works by leading contemporary artists like Ed Ruscha, Barbara Kruger, and Jenny Holzer, with proceeds benefiting Democracy Matters and its allied progressive organizations. Art lovers can now browse and bid on exclusive pieces supporting the vital cause of strengthening democracy—without any buyer’s premium.

Anna Park, a South Korean-born artist now based in Brooklyn, has captivated the art world with her intricate charcoal and ink drawings that explore identity, femininity, and the fractured nature of attention in our digital age. Drawing inspiration from a mix of Pop art, comics, and graphic design, Park’s work deftly weaves text and image to challenge how we perceive ourselves and others in a social media-saturated culture. Her debut lithograph, *Look, look., 2024*, born from her first major institutional show in Australia, captures the frenetic distraction of modern life—faces crowding the page, urging viewers to pay attention even as they look away. With prominent collectors like KAWS and Billie Eilish, Park’s raw, expressive style resonates deeply, blending dreamlike figuration with frenetic energy while embracing the immediacy and messiness of charcoal. Balancing vulnerability and sharp cultural critique, her art invites us to confront how we navigate presence, identity, and connection in an always-on world.

From November 2022 to January 2024, Henry Taylor’s major American retrospective, *Henry Taylor: B Side*, showcased the artist’s vibrant, improvisational approach to painting, capturing complex narratives beyond portraiture. The exhibition, which traveled from the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles to the Whitney Museum in New York, drew acclaim for its powerful depictions of Black history and contemporary life, blending social commentary with intimate portrayals of friends, acquaintances, and historical figures. Taylor’s work, rooted in his experiences growing up in California and his early days painting on found materials, shines with raw emotion and insight, highlighting stories often overlooked. His art resonates as both a reflection and critique of social dynamics in America, earning comparisons to greats like Kerry James Marshall and Henri Matisse, while emerging as vital contributions to 21st-century American art.

Arlene Shechet, a septuagenarian sculptor celebrated for her dynamic, gravity-defying forms, describes her creative process as a deeply intuitive experience, eschewing planning to let each work emerge with its own energy and life. Known for sculptures that seem to move and change with the viewer’s perspective, Shechet’s latest exhibition, Girl Group at Storm King Art Center, showcases a stunning fusion of large-scale steel and aluminum outdoor sculptures alongside intimate ceramics. From this show emerges her first limited edition bronze sculpture, New Dawn, a smaller, tactile piece distilled from the larger work "Dawn," embodying the same complex planes and textures with a warm, reactive brass patina. Shechet emphasizes the importance of space and placement, recounting the meticulous two-year process of situating these works within the landscape to create a dialogue between art, nature, and the viewer. With each edition being handmade and uniquely evolving over time, New Dawn invites personal interaction and reflection—a compact yet powerful extension of Shechet’s ongoing exploration of movement, materiality, and the profound connection between art and human experience.

Arlene Shechet, a celebrated American sculptor with dual studios in upstate New York, seamlessly blends diverse materials—from clay and wood to metal—in her vibrant, boundary-pushing works. Revered for her lively ceramics as well as ambitious outdoor commissions at Storm King Art Center, Shechet’s practice is deeply influenced by her Buddhist philosophy and a commitment to creative aliveness. Having evolved from figurative plaster sculptures to boldly abstract forms, she resists easy categorization, embracing artistic risk and trust in the creative process. With pieces held in prestigious museums worldwide and a career marked by innovation and resilience, Shechet continues to inspire with her fearless exploration of materials and form.

Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys showcases 100 powerful works by nearly 40 multigenerational Black American, African, and African diasporic artists, reflecting the Deans’ philosophy of collecting "by the artist, for the artist, with the people." Curated by the Brooklyn Museum, this major exhibition and accompanying book highlight influential voices such as Nick Cave, Ebony G. Patterson, Derrick Adams, Kehinde Wiley, and Mickalene Thomas, who use their art to challenge societal norms, celebrate Black identity, and inspire change. Through vivid portraits, multimedia installations, and provocative performances, these artists engage viewers with themes of culture, history, joy, and resistance, inviting us to see the world through their unique perspectives and to envision a more inclusive future.

Ana Benaroya’s art boldly reimagines femininity through powerful, muscular female figures that challenge traditional norms and vividly express the intensity of lesbian desire. Drawing inspiration from childhood comics, queer icon Tom of Finland, and a love of music that infuses emotion into her work, Benaroya’s vibrant paintings and prints blend humor, seriousness, and raw desire. Her new Artspace edition, The Nun’s Litany, 2024, channels themes of power, identity, and longing, reflecting both personal and broader queer narratives. Embracing screen printing as a vital part of her practice, she masterfully uses color and form to create striking images that scream with emotional intensity, while supporting causes like Visual AIDS, demonstrating art’s profound ability to connect, heal, and empower.

Somalia-born, Kenya-raised artist Uman brings her vibrant, kaleidoscopic vision to life with an intuitive blend of acrylic, oil, and pastel, reflecting the colorful traditions of her East African heritage and her deep connection to nature and memory. Now based in rural upstate New York, Uman’s latest work, *Valentine, 2024*, is a stunning limited edition silkscreen print celebrating life, emotion, and intuitive creativity. Each of the 35 hand-embellished prints—featuring 26 colors and gold leaf—carries her distinctive touch and personal story, inspired by her fifteenth-year cat, Valentine, and the bursts of color found in the natural world around her studio. This edition, debuting at the Independent Art Fair in New York, exemplifies Uman’s joyful exploration of abstraction and figuration, where hidden figures and intense emotion weave together to tell stories of identity, heritage, and resilience.

Museums, art galleries, cemeteries, churches, bridges, skyscrapers, hotels, casinos, opera houses, and even a theatre boat that looks a bit like a UFO - imagine how different our world might have looked

Anthony Cudahy’s evocative drawings and paintings capture intimate moments of human connection infused with a sense of both vulnerability and collective isolation. Drawing inspiration from family photos, LGBTQ+ archives, and art history spanning from the Middle Ages to contemporary culture, Cudahy’s work often revisits persistent images through multiple iterations, each subtly unique. His latest edition, *Sleeper with Signs* (2024), features a tender, dreamlike scene inspired by a film still of activist Douglas Crimp at rest, with each of the 30 editions hand-embellished by Cudahy to create one-of-a-kind variations. With a masterful use of color and texture, his compositions evoke warmth and introspection, exploring themes of protection, longing, and intimacy. Cudahy’s practice balances narrative and ambiguity, weaving together personal stories and historical influences in a continually evolving dialogue that cements his rising prominence in contemporary art.

Brooklyn-based artist Anthony Cudahy creates paintings that capture quiet, intimate moments charged with emotional depth and existential reflection. Drawing from a rich archive of personal photos, historical artworks, and contemporary ephemera, his work blends vivid color narratives with a meditative stillness, evoking memory and the complex inner lives of his subjects. Influenced by medieval and Renaissance imagery as well as queer archives, Cudahy’s figurative paintings resonate with a unique balance of specificity and openness, exploring themes of identity, history, and the omnipresent shadow of mortality. His evolving style, enriched by formal training and a decade as a graphic designer, challenges the boundaries between high and low culture, resulting in art that feels both timeless and urgently of the moment.

Pilar Corrias, founder of a pioneering London gallery, shares how her international upbringing—from Tokyo to Lisbon to Angola—shaped her deep connection to art and freedom of expression. Growing up amid political upheaval and diverse cultures, art became a refuge and a language of identity, fostering her feminist perspective early on. Reflecting on the influential works surrounding her childhood, including a powerful Diego Rivera portrait of her family, she reveals how these pieces continue to resonate. Corrias also opens up about her unique collecting philosophy, emphasizing close relationships with the artists she represents, such as Tala Madani and Christina Quarles, whose provocative and thoughtful works reflect contemporary issues and her own life journey. For her, art is not only a business but a deeply personal, evolving dialogue with creativity, history, and the future.

Magnus Resch, author of *How To Collect Art*, revolutionizes the art-buying experience by blending rigorous data analysis with real-world insights to demystify the often intimidating art market. His book breaks down gallery hierarchies and investment strategies while emphasizing responsible buying—supporting artists and their communities rather than chasing quick profits. Resch’s approach encourages both newcomers and seasoned collectors to trust their passion for art, offering practical advice on everything from auction houses to print editions. Drawing from interviews with top art world figures and backed by six years of academic research, *How To Collect Art* is a must-read guide that inspires confidence, transparency, and genuine connection in art collecting.

Art market expert Magnus Resch shares his passion for inspiring first-time art buyers through editions by prominent contemporary artists, highlighting how collecting art supports not just creators but entire communities. Drawing on his deep connections from Germany’s Kunstakademie Düsseldorf to global art institutions, Resch spotlights five exceptional editions, from Florian Krewer’s evocative prints benefiting social causes to Jameson Green’s powerful biblical reinterpretations and Marilyn Minter’s striking collaborations celebrating feminine beauty. He also honors Cecily Brown’s captivating market success and Mickalene Thomas’s groundbreaking explorations of Black female identity, as well as Rashid Johnson’s iconic portrayals of anxiety that resonate widely today. Each edition embodies a unique blend of artistic innovation, cultural dialogue, and personal meaning, offering readers a chance to engage with art that transforms spaces and sparks ongoing conversation.

Nicholson started cultivating tulips15 years ago, and now has the largest collection of historic tulips in the UK. We asked her about her fascinating journey

Charline von Heyl’s latest editions with Universal Limited Art Editions showcase her fearless fusion of abstract forms, loose gestures, and geometric shapes, pushing beyond traditional painting into a dynamic layering of visual events. Inspired by literary and poetic worlds, such as Gertrude Stein’s Villa Curonia and Russell Edson’s “Metals Metals,” von Heyl’s work invites viewers into a realm where intuition and intentionality merge, creating compositions that surprise and challenge both creator and audience. Embracing experimentation and risk, she blends figuration and abstraction without formulas, crafting images that shift and unravel, encouraging personal interpretation and emotional connection. Through her bold, architectural approach to painting, von Heyl calls for art to be a shared, private experience—one that sparks thought and feeling beyond conventional definitions.

Guadalupe Maravilla’s art profoundly intertwines his experiences as an undocumented Salvadoran migrant and cancer survivor, using his monumental vibrational healing instrument, Mariposa Relámpago, as both a powerful symbol and tool for transformation. His work transcends traditional art forms, blending performance, healing rituals, activism, and sculpture to address trauma and inspire resilience within underserved communities. Recently showcased at MoMA alongside a coat drive for migrants, Maravilla’s new bronze edition, Mini Relámpagos, captures the symbolism of migration and healing through its lightning-bolt serpent and butterfly designs. Committed to creating spaces for communal healing, including visions of temples where art and wellness merge, Maravilla’s practice fosters social impact and cultural empowerment, embodying a unique blend of artistry and activism rooted in his personal journey and broader human struggles.

Vogue, Gucci, (no Fiorucci) - the photographer's new book captures 30 years of his fashion photography

Somali-born artist Uman, known for her vibrant, emotionally charged paintings, embraces her unique vision unapologetically, creating work that intertwines abstraction, figuration, and meditative patterns to explore both the physical and spiritual. Having endured displacement from Somalia to Kenya and then Denmark, and now based in New York, Uman channels her personal journey—including her experience as a trans woman—into deeply biographical canvases that often serve as self-portraits. Her meticulous layering of acrylics and oils produces a distinct washy effect, while her bold use of color draws inspiration from her heritage and favorite artists. Despite limited formal training and complex familial relationships, Uman remains fiercely dedicated to her craft, transforming her studio into a vibrant laboratory of creativity and emotion, continually pushing boundaries and defying categorization.

The acclaimed architectural photographer tells us about new book Before / After

German artist Daniel Richter captivates with paintings that transcend language and reason, offering viewers an expansive, often ineffable truth. Rising from Hamburg’s punk scene in the 1980s, Richter’s early work fused underground music culture with bold, abstract elements inspired by Dadaism and iconoclasts like George Grosz. Over time, his canvases evolved to portray fragmented, vivid bodies set against stark monochromes, drawing comparisons to Francis Bacon and Symbolist masters. Influenced by mentors such as Martin Kippenberger and Albert Oehlen, Richter embraces a dynamic tension within his compositions, where figures clash and converge in a restless, layered surface. His artistic process is one of brooding, listening, and transformation, turning mistakes into new opportunities. His acclaimed career includes retrospectives and exhibitions at major institutions worldwide, reflecting his status as a vital voice in contemporary painting.

Anna Perach’s groundbreaking solo show, Holes, at Gasworks brings to life a compelling exploration of female identity through a blend of sculpture, performance, and tactile fabric art. Drawing on rich historical references—from Renaissance witch trials and 17th-century anatomical Venus figures to 19th-century neurology—Perach confronts the boundaries of the body and societal norms by transforming female archetypes into surreal, layered hybrids. Her work delves into liminal spaces, examining how the female form has been simultaneously mystified, controlled, and demonized across cultures and time, all while inviting viewers to experience these themes not just intellectually but viscerally. Combining her background in psychotherapy with influences from Slavic mythology and avant-garde traditions, Perach creates a multifaceted, immersive experience that challenges perceptions of femininity, power, and transformation.

The acclaimed artist says his new print edition is “a threshold of sorts, where ambiguity is encouraged.”

Cerith Wyn Evans is a visionary Welsh artist whose work blurs the boundaries between fine art and life, inviting viewers to step through enigmatic “thresholds” into spaces of ambiguity and imagination. Drawing inspiration from symbolist poetry and avant-garde literature, Evans creates multi-dimensional sculptures, installations, and limited editions that offer unique, personal experiences for each observer. Rooted in the vibrant, queer-inflected London club scene of the 1980s, his practice blends sound, performance, and visual art to evoke unexpected encounters and deeper emotional connections. His latest limited edition, Untitled, 2023, exemplifies this ethos, presenting an image that “turns its back” to the viewer, prompting reflection on what lies beyond perception. Through a career spanning nearly five decades, Evans remains a provocateur who resists easy explanation, championing ambiguity and the freedom of thought in art.

For over forty years, Nick Waplington has masterfully used photography to reveal the raw, unvarnished realities of working-class life and vibrant urban cultures, from the coal-mining broxtowe estate in Nottingham to the pulsating 90s New York club scene. Rising to acclaim with his intimate Living Room series, Waplington immersed himself in the lives he documented, forging genuine connections that lend his work an unparalleled emotional depth. His approach—patient, instinctive, and deeply embedded—allowed moments of everyday life to unfold naturally before his lens. Drawing from a childhood shaped by silence and vigilance, Waplington evolved a unique observational style that has informed his diverse projects, including a landmark Alexander McQueen exhibition at Tate Britain. Now, for the first time, a limited edition print from his seminal 1989 Living Room series is available, accompanied by a comprehensive survey of his prolific career, offering a rare glance into the human stories behind his evocative imagery.

Untitled (Superman and Rabbit), 1989 (2023) was part of the esteemed photographer's highly acclaimed Living Room project

'The subject for this etching came from a feeling that I had on the walk to the studio - a kind of awareness of the outside and inside.'

Dana Schutz creates immersive worlds through her paintings and sculptures, where abstracted, often humanoid figures navigate surreal, tense landscapes that reveal life’s ambiguities. Based in Brooklyn and celebrated internationally, Schutz’s work is marked by its dynamic structure, expressive faces, and vibrant, gestural brushwork that organically evolves as she paints. Her latest edition, *Line Painter* (2023), captures a moment of quiet tension and movement—a two-headed figure marking a line on the street, embodying both contradiction and presence. With major exhibitions at prestigious museums and collections including the Whitney and MoMA, Schutz continues to redefine contemporary oil painting, blending narrative and abstraction to stunning effect.

Rashid Johnson’s iconic Anxious Men series, first unveiled in 2015, continues to resonate deeply as a powerful illustration of collective anxiety and vulnerability. These uniquely hand-crafted drawings and paintings serve as timeless mirrors reflecting evolving societal tensions, capturing "the decisive moment" of emotional expression. Now released as a limited edition Soft Ground Etching—the first and possibly only print of the series—this intimate grouping of four heads offers a fresh, nuanced narrative within Johnson’s broader artistic journey. Known for their ability to foster self-reflection and connection, the Anxious Men invite viewers to see themselves in the tenderness and fragility of these figures, challenging perceptions and emphasizing the personal over the performative. As Johnson reflects, this edition marks a poignant chapter in the enduring legacy of a work that has symbolized both individual and collective emotional landscapes across diverse spaces and moments in time.

Kansas artist Katherine Bello approaches painting as a deeply emotional and intuitive journey, blending spontaneity with careful consideration to evoke moments, places, and feelings through abstract forms and vibrant color. With a rich background spanning chemical engineering and fine art, Bello draws inspiration from memory, poetry, science, history, and personal nostalgia, creating works that serve as visual poetry and invite reflection from viewers. Her latest collection reflects the complexities of recent years, balancing light and darkness while embracing both chaos and calm. Known for her experimental layering and collage elements, Bello's paintings resonate powerfully with audiences, often sparking intimate emotional responses and personal stories, underscoring her belief that art is a shared experience between artist and viewer.

Rebecca Manson’s latest work, *A Fluke* (2023), marks her first foray into bronze sculpture, presenting a captivating edition of three cast bronze leaves that invite collectors to assemble them in a personally meaningful way. Known for her large-scale ceramics inspired by natural forms and the tension between control and chance, Manson distills these themes into this intimate, interactive piece that celebrates the fleeting beauty of nature’s spontaneous moments. The sculpture’s playful yet meticulous design reflects her desire to capture the spirit rather than a literal copy of nature, encouraging each owner to engage with the work uniquely. Accompanied by a hand-illustrated guide and housed in a custom box, *A Fluke* also supports charitable causes through its sale, blending artistry with purpose in a distinctive new expression of Manson’s vision.

Thom Browne hosted a VIP dinner in London last week, attended by Janet Jackson and Nick Knight – but before that there was a very special book talk at the V&A

The 10 unique prints feature glitter, thread, and acrylic on canvas

Michael Raedecker, an Amsterdam-born, London-based artist, uniquely blends painting with embroidery to challenge traditional fine art techniques, creating works rich in depth and texture. His new limited edition series, *day at night* (2023), showcases ten distinct embroidered prints on canvas, each enhanced with thread, paint, and glitter to create singular, tactile artworks reflecting his innovative process. Fascinated by the motif of swimming pools, Raedecker explores themes of fantasy and reality, drawing inspiration from cultural references and personal memory to evoke the tension between idyllic leisure and underlying unease. Combining ‘high’ art with ‘low’ craft, his pieces invite viewers to rethink the boundaries of painting while embodying the enigmatic ‘presence of absence,’ igniting imagination beyond the visible. Through meticulous layering and a thoughtful fusion of traditional and contemporary techniques, Raedecker continues to redefine the narrative of modern painting.

We talk to America's best chef and The Korean Cookbook co-author and food historian Jungyoon Choi

Michael Raedecker’s art uniquely blends the dreamlike with the everyday, drawing inspiration from mundane moments and transforming them into visually compelling narratives. His iconic paintings of suburban swimming pools evoke a surreal mix of leisure and unease, reflecting a world both idyllic and subtly foreboding, much like the atmosphere in the 1968 film *The Swimmer*. Raedecker’s distinctive technique marries traditional painting with embroidery, using thread as a disruptive and intimate element that challenges art conventions and introduces a tactile, domestic dimension to his work. From a background in fashion design to becoming a celebrated contemporary artist, Raedecker’s inventive approach explores painting’s history while carving a new path through craft, memory, and the construction of visual stories. His work is featured in major international collections and will be showcased in a solo retrospective at the Kunstmuseum in The Hague in Spring 2024.

Rebecca Manson’s work breathes new life into leaves, transforming what she calls ‘nature’s trash’ into dynamic sculptures that pulse with energy and emotion. Inspired by childhood memories and a deep connection to nature, Manson’s pieces blend meticulous craftsmanship with elements of chance, as she pushes materials beyond their limits in the kiln to reveal unexpected forms. Her immersive installations, like the sweeping 2021 work *Gutter*, capture the whirlwind motion of leaves tumbling in a breeze, serving as powerful metaphors for emotional release and resilience. Drawing on diverse artistic influences and a lifelong curiosity about materials, Manson’s evolving practice challenges conventions, inviting viewers into a collaborative dialogue between artist and medium. Most recently, her residency in the Norwegian arctic reignited her focus on observation and connection to the natural world, fueling the intense, layered works she continues to create for major exhibitions worldwide.

The cocktail trends taking place in a bar near you, the one cocktail anybody can make and how Mick Jagger reinvented the Tequila Sunrise are all revealed in this fascinating interview

Our interview with the chef and founder of America's favourite cafe sees him reflect on 20-hour days, marriage proposals, celebrity guests, and more

Her whirlwind visit to London culminated in an open-hearted and often funny talk with Tim Blanks at FANE. Here are some of the highlights.

Photographer Steven Meisel and supermodel Linda Evangelista share one of fashion’s most iconic and enduring creative partnerships, spanning from 1987 to 2011 during a golden era of high-glamour editorial photography. Their collaboration, marked by deep mutual understanding and artistic synergy, produced images that continue to define fashion history. Now, a rare limited-edition archival print from their celebrated 1990 Paris shoot is available, exclusively released in a luxurious boxed set with signed certificates and a commemorative book. Known for his emotional sensitivity and selectiveness with exhibitions, Meisel’s work captures Evangelista not just as a model, but as a transformative muse who embodied the storytelling and character-driven essence of fashion photography at its most expressive.

Florian Krewer’s journey from a disengaged student to a celebrated contemporary artist is marked by his raw, emotive approach to painting. Inspired by personal experiences and the vibrant, diverse life of New York City, Krewer’s work captures moments charged with tension, vulnerability, and sensuality, blending human and animal forms to explore the complexity of connection and isolation. His bold use of color and fluid brushstrokes challenge conventional boundaries, revealing the constant flux of emotion and space in urban life. Praised internationally and featured in prestigious collections, Krewer continues to evolve his practice with a fearless embrace of reinvention, while supporting social causes like the Sylvia Rivera Law Project through his art editions, embodying a deep commitment to both creative expression and social justice.

Jenny Holzer is a pioneering American conceptual artist whose razor-sharp text-based works have resonated powerfully for over four decades. Rising to prominence in the late 1970s with her iconic Truisms—pithy one-liners pasted across New York City—Holzer challenged viewers to confront complex ideas about power, politics, and human experience. Her art transcends traditional forms, appearing on diverse surfaces from LED signs to granite benches designed to outlast apocalypse, reflecting a striking blend of immediacy and permanence. Throughout her career, Holzer has responded to social crises, from the AIDS epidemic to war, with works that combine intellectual rigor and emotional depth. Even as she shifted from authoring her own texts to curating voices of others, her pieces continue to provoke thought, disruption, and dialogue, proving that concise truths, like those in her enduringly relevant aphorisms, remain as potent as ever.

Kenny Scharf, a pioneering figure of the 1980s street art movement alongside legends like Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, has built a vibrant career merging high and low culture through his playful, surrealist, and imaginative work. Emerging from New York's underground art scene at Club 57, Scharf’s art celebrates excess and movement, drawing inspiration from popular culture, cartoons, and science fiction. His latest project, "Los Niños Y Las Niñas" (2023), is a limited edition archival pigment print born from a mural created at the New York Academy of Art, embodying his signature exuberant style and continuing his mission to connect fine art with accessible, energetic expression.

Mandy El-Sayegh’s dynamic collages blend newsprint, advertisements, maps, and personal elements like her father’s calligraphy with hand-painted and unconventional materials such as latex, creating layered works that explore how meaning shifts when fragments are recontextualized. Rooted in a philosophy of “suturing” and “skins,” her art evokes corporeality, weaving together societal commentary, art history, and the ephemeral nature of identity. Highlighted in the influential *Vitamin C+ Collage in Contemporary Art*, El-Sayegh’s practice spans painting, installations, and performance, emphasizing the reparative and improvisational essence of collage. Her pieces invite viewers into intricate dialogues between fragments and wholes, challenging traditional perceptions of collage as merely ephemeral. With a prolific exhibition history and recent acquisitions by the Tate, El-Sayegh continues to push collage into new realms, envisioning complex assemblages that transcend the picture plane, as seen in her upcoming shows in London.

The absence of human presence in this Dutch artist’s woven paintings invite us to contemplate architecture as a mental or emotional space

Artists have long found inspiration in their beloved dachshunds, from Andy Warhol’s Archie and Amos to Picasso’s muse Lump, but it is David Hockney who truly captured the intimate bond between artist and dog through his vibrant portrayals of Stanley and Boodgie. Living together in California, these two charming companions became the heart of Hockney’s work in the late Eighties and Nineties, their personalities vividly brought to life in a celebrated series of drawings, paintings, and prints. Hockney’s creation was more than just pet portraiture—it was a profound expression of love and personal connection, especially poignant following the loss of close friends. His “dog wall” exhibitions offered a warm, tender glimpse into his world, celebrating the simple joys and quiet companionship his dogs brought to his life. Today, Stanley and Boodgie’s playful spirits endure through Hockney’s art, a lasting tribute to the profound friendship between artist and muse.

Seattle-born, New York-based artist Ford Crull delves into the unconscious power of symbols in his vibrant, densely painted works, where familiar icons like hearts and crosses collide with abstract forms to evoke deep cultural and personal meanings. Influenced by 19th-century Symbolists and 20th-century modernists such as Paul Klee and Arshile Gorky, Crull sees painting as a journey guided by intuition—believing that “the brush knows more than the mind.” His art explores how symbols subtly shape our identity and perceptions, creating layered, multi-interpretative experiences that resonate differently with each viewer. With a career marked by continual evolution and solo shows worldwide, Crull embraces the mystery and drama of symbols, inviting audiences to uncover the hidden narratives behind the images that permeate our daily lives.

Pam Glick, a Buffalo-based artist with a storied career that includes exhibiting alongside luminaries like Basquiat and Wool, explores the fluidity of color and abstraction in her latest work. Her vibrant compositions challenge the boundaries of perception, blending rhythmic gestures with a dynamic use of acrylics, oils, and enamel to create a universal language of emotion and time. Drawing inspiration from the grandeur of Niagara Falls, Glick infuses her pieces with themes of change and resilience, while her disciplined studio routine and love for deadlines fuel her creative process. Collaborating with Derriere L’Etoile Studios, she has produced a stunning new series of prints that showcase her intuitive and thoughtful color interactions, inviting viewers to discover the depth behind her playful yet purposeful abstractions.

Noelle Sharp masterfully balances life as a fine artist and entrepreneur, beginning her days in peaceful early mornings filled with studio work or nature hikes. Drawing from her diverse upbringing across the United States and Iceland, and grounded in her BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Sharp has developed a unique artistic voice centered on weaving, textiles, and natural materials. Her business, Aporta, blends handmade goods from global artists with her own creations, reflecting her passion for intricate textures and rhythmic, nature-inspired designs. Embracing both the joy and challenges of turning art into a livelihood, she explores themes of societal roles, emotions, and the breaking of cultural norms. Recently inspired by an Arctic residency, her work continues to evolve, integrating natural elements with digital weaving techniques, offering a fresh, meditative approach that invites viewers into a world where art, nature, and tradition beautifully intersect.

For over fifty years, Italian architect and designer Gaetano Pesce has embraced radicalism and creative freedom, constantly reinventing himself and defying artistic conventions. His latest work, *Self Portrait (The Complete Incoherence)*, is a striking edition of 50 unique resin sculptures that capture his signature experimental spirit and challenge the notion of coherence as a limitation. Pesce discusses how his creativity is fueled by an evolving mindset that resists repetition and embraces change, viewing design as both functional and deeply expressive—a way to reflect and provoke thought about contemporary realities. Celebrated internationally and honored with prestigious awards, Pesce sees design’s role as much more than utility; it has the power to inspire social reflection and change, urging society to think critically rather than succumb to passivity.

Charlotte Hopkins Hall’s art boldly confronts the complexities of contemporary society, exploring themes of free will, social media’s influence, and political polarization through her meticulously crafted figurative paintings. Known for her striking imagery of repeated motifs—often the backs of figures in black-and-white striped shirts—her work creates hypnotic visual narratives that challenge collective conformity and highlight societal absurdities. With a deep commitment to justice and human rights, Hopkins Hall channels her fascination with psychology and existentialism into pieces that range from tongue-in-cheek to profoundly serious, all grounded in conceptual rigor and precise technique. Drawing inspiration from political and sociological discourse, her latest series, "Barriers and Quagmires," reflects on the world’s growing divisions and mental turmoil, inviting viewers to consider individuality amid the chaos of today’s social landscape.

Since 2014, Charles-Antoine Bodson, CEO of THE SKATEROOM, has transformed skateboards into powerful canvases that fund social projects empowering disadvantaged youth worldwide. From building skateparks in Afghanistan, Cambodia, and South Africa to supporting education and resource programs, Bodson’s passion for art and skateboarding has driven collaborations with over 50 artists, including Ai Weiwei and Paul McCarthy, resulting in 350 unique editions. Emphasizing sustainability and meaningful partnerships, THE SKATEROOM recently launched a limited Andy Warhol self-portrait collection to support the Harold Hunter Foundation, uplifting at-risk youth in New York. Bodson’s journey from a childhood collector to a visionary changemaker reveals how art and skateboarding can create opportunities, dignity, and hope for thousands of children globally.

Nicoletta Fiorucci, the Italian-born arts patron, curates a uniquely personal collection that spans from Renaissance masterpieces to cutting-edge contemporary works, reflecting her journey from traditional tastes to embracing bold innovation. Rejecting the notion of being a museum, she treats her collection as an intimate expression of self, housed across her homes in London, Monaco, and beyond, where art lives in domestic and unconventional spaces fostering creativity and collaboration. With a foundation that supports innovative projects—such as living environments for endangered pollinators and avant-garde scent research—Fiorucci champions artists who push boundaries. Her love for art grew from childhood exposures to Italian ecclesiastical art and evolved through encounters with contemporary creators, highlighting the importance of ‘spending yourself’ in art collecting. Fiorucci’s approach emphasizes meditation, risk-taking, and grounding, intertwining aesthetics, personal narrative, and community in a living collection that celebrates artistic freedom and the ever-changing dialogue between past and present.

Melbourne-based artist Despa Hondros captivates viewers with her exquisitely detailed pencil drawings, where tens of thousands of tiny circles come together to evoke natural forms like the sea, rainfall, or landscapes. Her work invites a meditative experience, drawing people in closer to appreciate the intricate repetition and subtle variations that reveal the quiet beauty beneath the surface. Hondros’s process is one of intense focus and precision, blending control with spontaneity, and reflecting her deep passion for drawing despite an unconventional path to becoming an artist. Through her minimalist yet profoundly complex pieces, she offers a unique visual journey that calms and mesmerizes, encouraging reflection on the infinite complexity found in nature’s simplicity.

For this Italian artist, designer, and architect, right angles are wrong angles; his charming works challenge the monotony of modernity

Woody De Othello’s vibrant new edition, *our glass* (2023), brilliantly captures the warmth and energy of domestic life through his signature anthropomorphized everyday objects and bold use of color. Inspired by the rhythms of community and caregiving, the work features a joyful gathering scene infused with lush plant life as a metaphor for growth and renewal. This edition, created in collaboration with Artspace and the nonprofit RxART, includes fluorescent prints alongside handmade ceramic sculptures, marking Othello’s first fusion of painting and sculpture in this way. Rooted in Afro-futurism and ancestral healing, Othello’s art radiates optimism and humor while inviting viewers to share in moments of connection and light. With a playful nod to the title *our glass* as a pun on “hourglass,” the piece embodies a hopeful spirit of togetherness and renewal, perfectly aligning with RxART’s mission to transform children’s hospitals into healing environments through art.

The Vitamin C+ featured artist tells us how with collage, accidents rarely seem like failures

Salon 94 Design celebrated the New York launch of Monacelli’s new book, *Gaetano Pesce The Complete Incoherence*, honoring the wildly inventive and provocative Italian architect, designer, and artist Gaetano Pesce. Known for defying conventional design norms and blending art and functionality with a fearless, playful spirit, Pesce’s work spans over six decades and bridges key art and design movements without conforming to any. Curated by Glenn Adamson, a renowned design critic and longtime collaborator, the book offers an in-depth look at Pesce’s career, revealing his commitment to creating visual pleasure and evoking joy. The launch event, held in the stylish Salon 94 gallery, also previewed a colorful new edition reflecting Pesce’s signature freeform style, reinforcing his legacy of whimsical, vibrant, and boundary-breaking creations housed in major museums worldwide.

Both have Phaidon books right now, and earlier this week they told us the story behind their latest project together - the new Ikoyi restaurant

The Caracas-born, Berlin-based artist tells us about his 'ready-made, contaminated modernist' artworks

Painter Jameson Green draws deep inspiration from hip hop’s ability to blend and transform influences, applying a similar philosophy to his art by respectfully absorbing styles from great artists to create a unique visual language. His work, fueled by a lifelong passion for drawing and a decade of painting, explores themes of family, history, and music—often referencing song titles and personal narratives that weave together vulnerability, dark humor, and profound human experiences. Green’s intuitive approach to mark-making feels like riding a wave, blending melody and emotion with visual storytelling, while his reflections on lineage and identity reveal a commitment to embracing imperfection and self-acceptance. Through his engaging narratives and bold compositions, Green invites viewers into a dynamic interplay of past and present, ultimately crafting a vibrant expression that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.

The Vitamin C+ featured artist works with computers and scanners to create folds in space and time

The Vitamin C+ featured artist's collaged compositions exist in an ever-shifting middle ground between abstract and figurative

Chilean artist Félix Lazo’s creative journey is a rich, circular exploration that weaves together music, science, and visual art. Starting as a musician and biological science student, Lazo found his true calling in painting, influenced by cubism and masters like Miró and Matisse. His work vibrates with color and rhythm, reflecting his musical roots and a deep connection to the natural landscape of Patagonia, where he lives. Lazo’s abstract paintings invite viewers into dynamic visual experiences that oscillate between sound and sight, while his experimental ventures into digital art and interactive installations bridge technology and tradition. Constantly evolving, his current focus blends handwoven canvases with oil paint, creating textured compositions that challenge perceptions and invite immersion in vibrant, pulsating worlds.

Simon Evans™—the collaborative duo of Simon Evans and Sarah Lannan—invites us into a richly layered artistic world with their new edition, *This American Dollhouse* (2023), a striking cross-section of their Brooklyn apartment rendered as part theater, part dollhouse. Through intricate text-based collages, drawings, and poetic phrases, the piece peels back the veneer of domestic order to reveal the complexities of city life, materiality, and personal history. Filled with cultural nods—from Velvet Underground references to classic American iconography—this edition melds high and middle brow culture into a deeply personal yet universal portrayal of contemporary living. With enhanced printmaking techniques and thoughtful details scattered throughout, Evans and Lannan create an immersive experience that reflects their playful, conceptual approach to art and life.

Jameson Green, a rising star in contemporary American painting, draws on a rich tapestry of influences—from ancient myths and art history to pop culture and societal issues—to create vibrant, kinetic works that resonate deeply with today’s audiences. His latest project, a three-part lithograph series titled *Cain and Abel I, II, III*, delves into the timeless biblical story through bold colors and layered symbolism, exploring themes of witnessing, history, and the passage of time. Green’s unique approach blends traditional printmaking techniques with his signature visual language, inviting viewers to engage thoughtfully with a narrative that feels both ancient and strikingly present. This compelling edition marks Green’s first printmaking commission and highlights his ongoing exploration of storytelling through art, promising a captivating dialogue that will evolve far beyond the initial viewing.

Lia Bekyan, a Brooklyn-based Armenian art director and photographer, weaves painting, music, and photography into a deeply personal exploration of self, existence, and healing. From a young age, her artistic journey has been driven by a passion for bold colors and visual storytelling, reflecting both personal and collective psychic spaces. Her work, spanning portraiture, landscapes, and still life, captures moments of spiritual awakening, liberation, and the search for belonging, often engaging with themes of identity and transformation. Bekyan remains critical yet curious about emerging technologies like AI in art, valuing the irreplaceable human touch and soul in creative expression. Embracing meditation, nature, and community, her creative process is fluid and intuitive, resulting in evocative series like “Window to Eternity” and “Star Sketches” that invite viewers to find beauty, peace, and inspiration in the mysterious journey of life.

The Vitamin C+ featured artist explains how he wants to create a new world within our existing one

The Vitamin C+ featured legend on why collage is like a card game, early inspirations, and discovering his first collage among his mother's personal effects

The Vitamin C+ featured artist talks immediacy, accessibility and the Black American experience

Brooklyn and Oakland-based artist Rashaad Newsome explores collage as a powerful, multifaceted medium deeply connected to the Black American experience, using it to build new cultural frameworks that celebrate Black contributions and resist oppression. Blending performance, sculpture, film, and technology with traditional collage, Newsome’s ‘cyborgian figures’ challenge conventional boundaries and reflect on identity, improvisation, and interconnectedness. Influenced by artists like Romare Bearden and the Dadaists, he views collage not only as art but as a form of resistance and storytelling that mirrors the recombinant nature of Black culture. Featured among 108 artists in the new Phaidon book *Vitamin C+ Collage in Contemporary Art*, Newsome envisions the future of collage extending into feature-length films—“the ultimate collage”—inviting endless conversations and cultural reinvention.

Felipe Baeza’s powerful work, originally presented as the fragmented figure in "A shadow that won't materialize," has been reimagined in a new print edition titled "Desviación," created with layered silkscreen and collage techniques. This evocative piece challenges fixed notions of identity, gender, and societal boundaries, embodying themes that resonate deeply with the mission of Visual AIDS, the nonprofit benefiting from this edition’s proceeds. Drawing on his Mexican heritage and experiences of migration, Baeza’s half-human, half-rooted figures explore resilience and transformation, portraying the body as a mutable landscape. Known for his textured, emerging forms, Baeza’s art invites viewers to engage in a fluid dialogue about identity, survival, and thriving beyond imposed limits, all while supporting vital conversations around HIV and the queer experience.

Californian artist Christina McPhee weaves an intricate ecology of sensations through her abstract paintings, photomontages, and videos, where drawing serves as the vital thread connecting layers of fractured surfaces and vibrant colors. Inspired by a media-free childhood filled with books and nature, her work channels the inner life of abstraction to create landscapes that pulse with emotion, memory, and sensory experience. McPhee’s process blends traditional materials with digital manipulation, embodying a performative dialogue between mark-making, sound, and time. Amidst concerns about AI, she champions the unpredictable, deeply human elements of artistic creation that resist replication. From immersive studio rituals to visionary global themes, her art invites viewers into collapsing and regenerating spaces that resonate with place, community, and the wild forces of nature.

'Collage allows us to quickly place things together and communicate a hidden message from the unconscious,' says the London-based artist featured in Vitamin C+

Issy Wood, a bold and multifaceted London-based artist, captivates the contemporary art scene with her near-photorealistic paintings that teeter between realism and surrealism, described by critics as ‘perverted realism.’ Beyond painting, Wood channels her creativity into music and writing, fiercely independent in her career choices, rejecting major labels and galleries to pursue her own path. Her work is marked by a disciplined, almost relentless studio practice, fueled by a complex relationship with inspiration, mental health, and her upbringing by medical professionals. Wood’s art explores themes of the human body, identity, and societal expectations, balancing innovation with a deep respect for her established motifs. Despite navigating the pressures of the art and music industries, she remains steadfast, embracing the marathon of her career with grit and authenticity.

Dr. Omar Kholeif, aka the avatar of Dr. O, debates the impact of the internet on music, and the artists who’ve pushed boundaries online

LA-based artist Jennifer Guidi creates mesmerizing abstract paintings by blending sand with paint, drawing inspiration from California’s light, Moroccan textiles, and Tibetan mandalas. Her layered works evoke a meditative, spiritual energy that invites viewers into a calming, introspective experience. Guided by her meditation practice, Guidi explores color, texture, and form to capture vibrations of energy that resonate deeply. Her process is intuitive and immersive, often accompanied by hip-hop beats that fuel her creativity. With works acquired by major institutions like the Hammer Museum and the Guggenheim, Guidi’s art reflects a timeless connection to nature and inner psychological landscapes, offering both joy and tranquility to all who engage with it.

Marianne Hendriks, a Netherlands-based artist with a background in architecture and design, creates botanical paintings that blend geometric abstraction with a deeply emotional connection to nature. Her work captures plants as soulful portraits, reflecting fragility and dreamlike otherworldliness through oil paintings executed in impasto technique. Inspired by masters like Georgia O’Keeffe, Hieronymus Bosh, Frida Kahlo, and Van Gogh, Hendriks’ art explores nature’s beauty, vulnerability, and resilience while engaging with themes of heritage, identity, and environmental responsibility. Her process is meticulous and layered, balancing rigorous research, historical techniques, and spontaneous creative dialogue. Through exhibitions worldwide and a commitment to sustainability, Hendriks offers viewers a reflective journey into the natural world, inviting them to see nature’s intricate rhythms and timeless stories anew.

British photographer Roger Davies shares the story of his serendipitous start in New York and chronicles a remarkable career capturing the stunning interiors and architecture of California’s most iconic homes in his new book, *Beyond the Canyon: Inside Epic California Homes*. From Malibu to Marin County, Davies photographs the residences of artists, architects, musicians, and collectors, offering a rare glimpse into spaces where art, design, and light fuse into something extraordinary. Through his lens, he celebrates not just the grand architecture but the passion and personality seen in how owners curate their art collections, whether bold or subtle. Reflecting on his craft, Davies reveals the meticulous balance of intuition and technical skill required to showcase these environments, and shares admiration for photographers who, like him, continuously find beauty in the everyday. His insights into art, his favorite photographers, and the evocative works he surrounds himself with reveal a profound respect for creative expression in all its forms.

In the final part of our interview with the Dutch garden designer he talks about his first commission in the UK and the gardens he's planting in Chicago and Philadelphia at this moment

Danish artist Lisa Rosenmeier masterfully challenges the idea of a single truth through her multifaceted photographic works that compress time and expand space. Influenced by French literary culture and driven by a fluid, ever-changing reality, her compositions merge multiple perspectives to invite viewers on a dynamic journey of perception. Drawing inspiration from her own complex family background and artists like Sophie Calle and Olafur Eliasson, Rosenmeier creates evocative images where light, movement, and intuition play central roles. Her work extends beyond photography into immersive installations that explore psychological and existential themes, urging audiences to experience art as a living, shifting dialogue rather than a fixed narrative.

In the second part of our interview with the Dutch garden artist he talks about working with Peter Zumthor, how climate change does and doesn’t affect his planting, and the most important part of his job (it’s not what you think it is)

Garrett Chingery is a New York-based painter whose four-decade career blends dream-like figurative imagery with explorations of the natural world and the human psyche. From his early artistic visions—like a detailed childhood drawing of Noah’s Ark—to his current focus on animals as symbols of purity amid global turmoil, Chingery’s work reflects a deeply personal journey marked by identity, spirituality, and emotional nuance. Despite the challenges of financial instability and gallery politics, he continues to create richly layered paintings that balance realism with subtle abstraction, inviting viewers to find their own meaning. With a process fueled by music and spontaneity, his art offers a fresh perspective on the world’s complex emotional and ecological landscapes, making him a compelling and under-the-radar figure in contemporary art.

In the first part of our interview with the Dutch garden design legend he describes his incredible journey from selling Christmas trees to receiving international gallery commissions, all of which bloom brightly in his new Phaidon book

Interior designer Michael Cox of foley&cox emphasizes how art transcends mere decoration to become a profound expression of personality and passion within a home. With two decades of experience in global luxury residences, Cox shares insights on transforming spaces through art, from turning hallways into gallery-like experiences to creating intimate, surprising moments with carefully curated pieces. Highlighting selections from his new book *Language of Home*, he reveals favorites like April Gornik’s meditative landscapes, Agnes Martin’s optimistic prints, Tracey Emin’s raw neon poetry, and Caio Fonseca’s musical etchings—all chosen to enrich interiors and spark meaningful conversations. Cox’s thoughtful approach illustrates how art not only complements but defines the soul of a home, making it a living, expressive sanctuary.

American artist Sarah Sze, renowned for her intricate sculptural assemblages, reveals a deeply layered dimension of her practice in her new monograph, *Sarah Sze: Paintings*. This collection spotlights her nuanced paintings that blend collage, digital manipulation, and delicate paint layers to explore profound themes of time and space. Marking this release is *Acrobat* (2023), a limited edition print that fuses silkscreen, collage, gold leaf, and embossing to create a tactile, sculptural experience that invites viewers to engage physically and conceptually. Developed in collaboration with Columbia University's LeRoy Neiman Center for Print Studies, the edition emphasizes Sze’s dedication to experimental printmaking as an intimate, gift-like practice that democratizes art. Committed to arts education, proceeds from this edition support Free Arts NYC and Breakthrough Collaborative, organizations that empower youth through accessible, motivation-driven creative programs. In her reflections, Sze shares how her art challenges passive viewing by revealing construction and deconstruction, inviting audiences to form their own narratives within the work’s multidimensional space.

The author of our new book INTERNET_ART takes readers on a journey through networked culture

How a standing desk, a Rachmaninoff concerto, and the motivation of a film producer friend helped Omar Kholeif create the defining book on visual networked culture

In the first part of our interview with the author of INTERNET_ART we learn how the curator has defined networked culture over the last 30 years in their own, highly personal, way

The artist tells us all about his new Phaidon & Artspace limited edition, Hz So Good, 2022

In 1982, Harland Miller was working as an apprentice at a T-shirt printing shop in York, where bootleg band T-shirts sparked his early creative impulses. Now, forty years later, he channels that youthful spirit into his new limited edition print, *Hz So Good*, which playfully riffs on John Cougar Mellencamp’s hit "Hurts so Good" and nods to the scientific term hertz, linking music, language, and frequency in a uniquely Miller way. Combining his love for lyricism, printmaking, and pop art, Miller embraces imperfection and repetition with a touch of subconscious playfulness, creating works that resonate deeply with collectors who often find personal stories and coded meanings within them. As he continues evolving artistically, *Hz So Good* stands as a breakthrough piece that perfectly fuses high and low culture, inviting viewers to explore its layered significance while celebrating the power of music, science, and visual art intertwined.

Artist Harland Miller, known for his distinctive Letter Paintings that explore language through bold, saturated colors and layered typography, has teamed up with London’s ICA to create a limited edition print celebrating the gallery’s 75th anniversary. The edition, inspired by a piece from his 2019 solo show in Hong Kong, features complex graphic layers and paint drips that reveal the creative process behind the work, which reflects Miller's fascination with the economy of language, influenced by haiku poetry. With only 75 signed and numbered prints available, proceeds will support the ICA’s future exhibitions and educational programs. This collaboration continues Miller’s long-standing relationship with the ICA and highlights the artist’s unique approach to deconstructing language and form in his vibrant, emblematic works.

Kenyan-born artist Wangechi Mutu challenges traditional definitions of art, rejecting colonial narratives that confine creativity to European canons and museums. Her diverse work spans video, sculpture, collage, and performance, addressing themes like race, gender, environment, and geopolitics, while incorporating unique materials from Kenyan soil to synthetic hair. Celebrated internationally, Mutu’s powerful visual language channels folklore and personal memory, as seen in her evocative piece *WaterSpirit washed Pelican*, which blends lithograph, collage, and mica to reimagine East African legends and the elusive dugong. With studios in Nairobi and Brooklyn, she draws on global influences to expand the possibilities of art, emphasizing that it exists not as a place but as a realm of the mind—complex, textured, and endlessly vibrant.

In her 2014 exhibition ‘Nguva na Nyoka’ at London’s Victoria Miro Gallery, Wangechi Mutu delved into the mythical and aquatic figure of Nguva—a siren-like water spirit embodying both human and animal forms, symbolizing rebellion, seduction, and transformation beyond patriarchal boundaries. Through evocative collage paintings, sculpture, and video, Mutu explored African and African Diasporic water deities that blend beauty, danger, and deep histories tied to colonialism and slavery. Works like *Beneath Lies the Power* and *Water Woman* reveal Nguva’s multifaceted nature, portraying her as both a powerful avenger and a symbol of resilience and identity. Mutu’s art challenges norms while conjuring empathy, inviting us to reimagine the intersections of gender, race, and mythology in a global context.

'Working with prints is a kind of archaeography. It's my way to conjure something from the past that can tell me something', she says of the new edition

Californian printmaker Cheryl Humphreys creates soothing, meditative abstract prints that explore the healing power of color through her series *Color: Spectral Meditations for Healing*. Featuring all seven colors of the visible spectrum, her work blends natural dyes, handmade papers, and innovative printmaking to evoke calm and introspection. Inspired by motherhood and a desire for sustainability, Humphreys hopes her vibrant, tactile pieces will someday comfort children in hospital settings. Influenced by notable abstract artists and guided by a deep fascination with color as vibration, her creations invite viewers into a serene visual meditation, embodying nurturing warmth both in process and intent.

Seol Kwon’s vibrant abstract paintings emerge from a deeply personal quest to explore identity, especially as a woman of Asian descent navigating multicultural spaces. Her work combines lush, colorful abstractions with intricate patterns inspired by biology, science, and the golden ratio, blending neon elements that evoke the tension between the human and digital worlds. Drawing inspiration from artists like Louise Bourgeois and Marilyn Minter, Kwon’s art confronts themes of gender, race, consumerism, and political shifts, while maintaining a meditative and experimental process that invites viewers to discover layers of meaning over time. Through her evolving series, she captures a dynamic dialogue between inner psyche and external reality, crafting pieces that linger in memory and inspire reflection on contemporary identity and universal connection.

South African artist William Kentridge, renowned for his multidisciplinary practice spanning drawing, filmmaking, sculpture, and theater, has long explored the intimate and symbolic through his large-scale flower drawings created with Chinese brushes and Indian ink. His current exhibitions, including one at The Broad in Los Angeles and the Royal Academy in London, showcase works that interweave personal memories, historical texts, and philosophical reflections, often drawing on themes from his Johannesburg upbringing during apartheid. Notably, his limited edition print "Listen for the Echo," inspired by Chinese Cultural Revolution slogans, Tang Dynasty poetry, and his video installations, embodies Kentridge’s fascination with echoes—traces of lost histories, cultural upheavals, and the complexities of memory—while his hands-on approach to printmaking invites spontaneity and transformation, resulting in uniquely hand-embellished works that resonate deeply with political and poetic narratives.

Hilary Pecis, a rising Californian painter, draws inspiration from everyday life and vibrant Los Angeles interiors to create richly colored, representational works that celebrate the beauty in the mundane. Known for her distinctive style that blends domestic scenes, landscapes, and still life—often devoid of human figures but imbued with personality—Pecis captures carefully curated moments brimming with warmth and joy. Influenced by her surroundings, running, and mid-century artists like Gabriele Münter, she approaches painting as an endurance practice, layering flat acrylic hues with a joyful precision akin to paint-by-numbers. Her work, praised as embodying the “dream of L.A.”, commands international acclaim with sold-out shows and inclusion in major collections worldwide. With a new limited edition print benefiting charity, Pecis continues to illuminate the quiet power and warmth found in everyday spaces.

The IFPDA Print Fair at New York’s Javits Center showcases an extraordinary range of fine art prints, including works by world-renowned artists and galleries such as the iconic Gemini G.E.L. Founded in the 1960s in Los Angeles and represented on the East Coast by Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl in Chelsea, this historic print workshop has collaborated with luminaries like Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, and Richard Serra. Known for its innovative and experimental approach to printmaking, Gemini blends traditional techniques with groundbreaking projects, pushing the boundaries of the medium. The fair highlights recent editions including monumental etchings, lithographs, and mixed-media prints by artists such as Tacita Dean, Annalia Saban, and Frank Gehry, while celebrating the legacy of Pop icon Claes Oldenburg. Emphasizing printmaking as a democratic and versatile art form, Gemini offers collectors access to exceptional works in an accessible price range, fueling a renewed appreciation for prints as original artworks.

The IFPDA Print Fair, held annually in New York City, offers a rich panorama of fine art prints spanning every era and style, from early mechanical reproductions to fresh contemporary works. This year's fair highlights the legacy of printmaking pioneers like Stanley William Hayter, whose mid-20th-century New York studio sparked a post-war American print renaissance. Among the notable participants is BORCH Editions, a Copenhagen-based studio founded in 1979 by Niels Borch Jensen, renowned for its innovative large-scale prints and collaborations with acclaimed artists such as Wardell Milan, Bruce Nauman, and Keith Haring. BORCH Editions embraces experimentation and traditional craftsmanship, championing the tactile, process-driven artistry that has led to a renewed appreciation of printmaking as a unique and vital art form. The fair not only celebrates historical significance but also showcases the medium’s evolving role in contemporary art, inviting collectors and enthusiasts to engage deeply with this dynamic and richly textured discipline.

The IFPDA Print Fair is a vibrant global gathering that brings together an extraordinary range of galleries, dealers, and presses showcasing fine art prints from around the world and across eras. Highlighted at this year’s fair in New York is the LeRoy Neiman Center for Print Studies, a not-for-profit printshop at Columbia University’s School of the Arts, known for fostering creative exploration through diverse printmaking techniques. With nearly 600 editions created in collaboration with renowned and emerging artists like Cecily Brown, Lee Quiñones, Sanford Biggers, and Mark Dion, the Center exemplifies how prints continue to evolve as dynamic, integral artworks. The fair celebrates this rich tradition while embracing innovation and the next generation of artists redefining the medium.

The FPDA Print Fair at Manhattan’s Javits Center this October showcases an extraordinary global array of fine art prints spanning diverse styles and eras, with Tandem Press standing out as a pioneering force in contemporary printmaking. Founded in 1987 alongside the International Fine Print Dealers Association, Tandem is renowned for its innovative blend of traditional and cutting-edge techniques, collaborating with acclaimed artists such as Derrick Adams, Lesley Dill, Cameron Martin, and Jeffrey Gibson. Their unique approach fosters experimentation and pushes printmaking boundaries, while also serving as an important educational hub linked to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Highlighted prints explore profound themes from identity and history to cosmic origins, underlining print editions’ resurgence as vital, accessible works of art in today’s market.

Rashid Johnson, a celebrated contemporary artist known for his work across sculpture, film, and installation, is the honored artist at the 2022 TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art Gala in Dallas. To mark the occasion, he has created "Little Boat," a limited edition of 40 hand-carved bronze sculptures embedded with oyster shells and designed to function as incense burners. Inspired by his meditative walks during the pandemic, these multisensory pieces explore themes of autonomy, reflection, and the tension between individual thought and collective experience. Johnson sees this edition as a way to activate art in new, participatory forms—inviting owners to engage with the work beyond mere observation. Rooted in traditional materials yet infused with contemporary significance, "Little Boat" reflects Johnson’s deepening exploration of his artistic origins and his commitment to accessibility and community engagement through art institutions like the Dallas Museum of Art and amfAR.

In 1996, a devastating fire destroyed Marcel Dzama’s parents’ house in Winnipeg, along with his early large paintings and cherished belongings. Rather than succumbing to despair, Dzama found liberation in this loss, channeling his creativity into small, surreal drawings on hotel stationery that would spark his distinctive artistic style. Rooted in his working-class upbringing, the harsh Winnipeg winters, and the city’s rich history and cultural influences, Dzama’s work blends early modernist mysticism, punk rock’s DIY ethos, and North American folk traditions into haunting, intricately detailed images. Over the years, he has expanded his practice across multiple media, collaborating with notable musicians, filmmakers, and artists, while his captivating, enigmatic work has earned a place in prestigious institutions worldwide. Even amidst lockdowns and challenges, Dzama continues to create prolifically, driven by an abundance of ideas and an unyielding artistic spirit.

Rashid Johnson’s art deeply explores the intersection of utility, beauty, and poetry, evolving from his early shelf sculptures to his current show, Sodade, at Hauser & Wirth Menorca, which features oil seascapes and bronze boat fire pits inspired by pandemic beach walks. Grounded in a rich personal and cultural history, Johnson’s work challenges conventional narratives around race, identity, and materiality, drawing from a range of influences from Abstract Expressionism to gestural abstraction. His acclaimed Anxious Men series channels vulnerability through unique mixtures of shea butter and black soap, while his public commissions, like the mosaic at LaGuardia Airport, engage with themes of travel and human complexity. Ever curious, Johnson views artistic growth as a continuous journey, embracing change and expanding the boundaries of his practice.

After graduating from Chouinard Art Institute in 1960, Ed Ruscha playfully printed business cards announcing himself as a “Young Artist,” marking the start of a prolific career that would make him one of America’s most influential contemporary artists. Known for his iconic word paintings and striking imagery of Americana—from gas stations to Hollywood signs—Ruscha blends humor, design, and cultural commentary, capturing the vibrant spirit of the American West. Influenced by Pop Art pioneers like Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg, and inspired by his travels in Europe, Ruscha developed a unique style that fuses text with landscapes and urban scenes. His works have been exhibited worldwide, collected by major museums, and famously explored through innovative projects like photographic artist books and printmaking. Even in his eighties, Ruscha continues to push creative boundaries with experimental materials and provocative messages, embodying the complex intersection of language, image, and American identity.

Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone’s series *I Don’t Live Here Anymore* ingeniously transforms mid-1990s fashion magazine photos of glamorous women by superimposing his own masculine features onto their faces, creating a compelling fusion of masculinity and femininity. This work challenges perceptions of identity and reality, blurring gender boundaries in a fluid and thought-provoking way long before such themes became widely discussed. Originally exhibited alongside Rondinone’s abstract sun paintings, these images invite viewers to explore the complexities of human experience, where appearances deceive and meaning resists simple interpretation. A limited edition print from this series is now available, offering collectors a tangible piece of Rondinone’s enigmatic and expansive artistic vision.

All the elements that make up the practice of this Swiss-born artist come under the microscope in his new Contemporary Artist Series monograph

William Kentridge’s unconventional and restless artistic journey defies traditional advice to specialize, embracing instead a fluid blend of drawing, animation, theater, and film that has garnered international acclaim. Born into a family of prominent anti-apartheid lawyers in Johannesburg, Kentridge studied politics and African studies before pursuing art and theater, initially struggling to find his footing. His unique style—marked by gestural charcoal drawings and stop-motion animation—reflects deep engagement with South Africa’s political history and broader human themes, culminating in innovative work across operas, dance, and visual art. With groundbreaking productions like Mozart’s Magic Flute and Shostakovich’s The Nose, and founding The Centre for the Less Good Idea to foster experimental creativity, Kentridge’s trajectory reveals how embracing failure and hybridity can lead to profound artistic success and global recognition.

American painter Tessa Perutz, who divides her time between New York and Brussels, channels her creative spirit through Massif Central, a New York-based brand producing exquisite silk scarves featuring contemporary artists. Named after the historic silk-producing region in southern France, Massif Central marries artistic heritage with modern expression, showcasing limited edition scarves crafted from high-quality materials. Perutz’s latest collaboration highlights Californian artist Henry Gunderson’s vivid painting "Up So Long It Looks Like Down," a bold piece blending hyperrealism and pop culture elements, now transformed into a striking silk scarf. Through thoughtful artist partnerships and meticulous fabric selection, Perutz brings an innovative fusion of art and textile, celebrating transformation, color, and design in wearable form.

Sarah Sze, acclaimed sculptor and painter known for representing the U.S. at the 2013 Venice Biennale, explores the complexities of time, space, and perception through her innovative installations and paintings. Her work, often crafted from everyday materials like packaged food, fans, and pharmaceuticals, transforms familiar objects into immersive environments that challenge how we locate ourselves in reality. From her dynamic sculptures on New York’s High Line to intricate assemblies for the American Pavilion, Sze engages viewers in a continual search for meaning, blending scientific inquiry with philosophical reflection. Since 2018, her paintings have evolved into layered, collage-like landscapes that capture the fluidity of memory and experience, inviting us to rethink the value and role of art in contemporary culture.

Marilyn Minter, a pioneering American artist since the late 1960s, melds pornography, glamor, and feminism into her provocative paintings and photographs, challenging viewers with her explicit, close-up depictions of the female body. Growing up in a tumultuous environment in Louisiana and Florida, Minter’s journey led her to New York City, where she developed a bold artistic voice that defies conventional norms and embraces the erotic impulse as a form of empowerment. Despite criticism, her work—ranging from her “Porn Grid” series to the sensuous “100 Food Porn”—has garnered critical acclaim, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and exhibitions at major museums. Today, Minter continues to inspire both audiences and students alike, urging young artists to follow their inner vision rather than conform to trends, proving that authentic creativity truly transcends time.

English artist Harland Miller, known for his witty reinterpretations of classic book covers, has lately embraced minimalism in his work, focusing on single, evocative words like UP, GOOD, or YES layered on canvas. Inspired by a serendipitous discovery of Penguin paperbacks in Paris and driven by a desire to communicate deeply and directly, Miller’s art blends textual play with vivid imagery to evoke personal narratives and emotional connections. His diverse series explore contrasts—ranging from abstract color fields and bleak northern landscapes to pop-psychological illusions—challenging viewers to navigate the interplay between word and image. Through his “International Lonely Guy” alter ego, Miller captures a spectrum of human experience, from cynicism to romance, crafting paintings that invite reflection without the need for explanation, proving that sometimes less truly is more.

Swiss-born artist Ugo Rondinone’s work is deeply rooted in the themes of time, space, and the human condition, inspired by personal loss and his connection to nature. After purchasing an olive orchard near his parents’ hometown of Matera, Italy, Rondinone began casting ancient olive trees as sculptures that embody the passage of time. His early landscape sketches reflect a spiritual turn following the death of his partner during the AIDS crisis, while his signature sun paintings explore futuristic notions of time through vibrant, machine-like perfection. Rondinone’s art often plays with contrasts—masculine and feminine, personal and impersonal—expressed through diverse media including photography, sculpture, and land art. His iconic Seven Magic Mountains in the Nevada desert fuses natural forms with vivid pop colors, inviting viewers to experience a contemplative space where nature and art converge. Throughout his career, Rondinone channels both melancholy and hope, offering a poetic meditation on existence and the ephemeral beauty of life.

Wangechi Mutu challenges conventional definitions of art by highlighting the colonial roots that confine it to European aesthetics and museum walls. Born in Nairobi and educated internationally, Mutu’s multidisciplinary work blends sculpture, collage, and installation to explore themes of race, gender, ecology, and the body, creating figures that are both ancient and futuristic. Her striking pieces, such as the bronze sculptures displayed on the Metropolitan Museum’s facade, confront and invite viewers to reconsider cultural narratives and power structures. Through her art, Mutu bridges past and future, sacred and profane, urging a broader, more inclusive understanding of what art can be and embody.

Catherine Mead, a seasoned travel photographer and photojournalist, has spent over two decades capturing the unexpected beauty of the world through her medium-format film cameras. From the bustling streets of Cuba to the serene landscapes of Iceland and Morocco, her images reframe the ordinary, inspiring wanderlust and inviting viewers to explore beyond typical tourist paths. Mead’s journey began with a childhood fascination for photography, nurtured by dedicated mentors, and blossomed into a career marked by adventurous assignments in challenging conditions—from stormy Maldives openings to typhoon-hit Kyoto. Passionate about authentic local experiences, she seeks out hidden gems and vibrant moments that bring her frames to life, such as children playing or a diving pigeon. Her deep connection to Morocco, a place she calls home, and her reverence for influential photographers like Dorothea Lange, shine through her evocative work. Amidst raising a new family, Mead embraces a fresh chapter of travel and storytelling, sharing her art directly with collectors and inspiring conversations and dreams of adventure worldwide.

French luxury swimwear brand Vilebrequin, led by CEO Roland Herlory, has partnered with JRP Editions and MAMCO Geneva to create an innovative collection that brings contemporary art to life on swimwear and accessories. Collaborating with renowned artists like Kenny Scharf, John M Armleder, Mickalene Thomas, and Racquel Chevremont, the project emphasizes respect for each artist’s unique vision while pushing creative and technical boundaries. The process involves close, evolving dialogue to ensure artworks translate impeccably onto fabric, highlighting Vilebrequin’s exceptional printing expertise. From Scharf’s vibrant, joyous streetwear-inspired designs to Armleder’s conceptual abstractions, the collection celebrates a dynamic fusion of art and fashion, promising a fresh, visually striking summer lineup that continues to evolve with future releases.

Sanya Kantarovsky’s enigmatic paintings, marked by dramatic shifts in scale and style, explore the tensions of impermanence and the human condition with a mix of humor, cultural allusions, and raw emotion. His latest limited edition silkscreen print, *Little Vera* (2022), not only showcases his signature blend of high and low cultural references—from Viennese Secession influences to Soviet-era cartoons—but also supports the healing mission of RxART, a nonprofit transforming children's hospitals through art. Kantarovsky’s work is deeply relatable and humane, balancing sharp wit and melancholy to reflect on the complexities of life, death, and memory, inviting viewers into narrative fragments that are as thought-provoking as they are visually compelling.

Nicole Gelinas, a Bremerton-based artist, captivates with her series-based mixed media works that explore emotions, nature, and the passage of time through abstraction and experimentation. Working with diverse materials—from oil and charcoal to alternative photographic processes—she creates evocative pieces that embody concepts like seasonal depression or the emergence of spring from winter. Embracing unconventional tools and layering techniques unique to each series, Gelinas treats her art as a personal journal, releasing emotions and reflections onto the canvas with minimal overthinking. Her work invites viewers to pause amid today’s visual chaos, offering a contemplative space that resonates with moods, memories, and the subtle beauty of change.

In the ever-evolving world of contemporary art, personal taste remains a vital and powerful guide, reflecting who you are as much as the people you surround yourself with or the choices you make daily. Esteemed art advisor Thea Westreich Wagner champions taste not as a superficial preference but as an authentic expression of individuality, encouraging collectors to embrace what truly resonates with them. Building a meaningful collection isn’t just about market trends or expert opinions—it starts with trusting your instincts and developing a deep connection to the pieces that move you. Whether drawn to the striking vibrancy of Loie Hollowell, the serene works on paper by Despa Hondros, or the challenging perspectives of Edward Burtynsky, engaging with art is about fostering conversations with your soul and surroundings. As tastes evolve like fashion or music, so too can your collection, creating a dynamic, personal journey shaped by ongoing curiosity and reflection. Ultimately, it’s this passionate pursuit that makes art collecting not only rewarding but uniquely yours.

Italian artist Naomi Vona transforms found vintage photographs into vibrant, imaginative collages that serve as portals connecting past and present. Using pens, paper, colored tape, and stickers, she overlays abstract forms and contemporary patterns onto old portraits, creating “visual proof” of her creative time travel. Fascinated by archives and memories, Naomi’s work blends photography, illustration, and design, inviting viewers to explore alternative stories behind anonymous subjects. Her evolving practice, influenced by analog photography and a love for experimentation, includes expanding vintage images onto larger canvases to craft surreal worlds. With exhibitions worldwide and features in major art magazines, Naomi continues to push boundaries, making each piece a colorful celebration of history, imagination, and subconscious inspiration.

David Ondaatje, a Canadian-born photographer and filmmaker with a lifelong passion for water and fly fishing, captures the beauty and dynamism of rivers and coastlines through his striking aerial photography. His work, including the limited edition print "Gaviota Swimmer," showcases the mesmerizing interplay of light, water, and landscape from unique perspectives gained through evolving drone technology. Ondaatje’s fascination with waves and the ever-changing nature of water drives his creative journey, taking him to remote locations around the world where he balances the thrill of discovery with the challenges of shooting in the wild. Deeply connected to his subjects and motivated by moments of natural beauty and personal resonance, his photography invites viewers to see familiar scenes in profoundly new ways, while also supporting causes close to his heart, such as Human Rights Watch.

Houston-based multimedia artist Steven Evans intertwines music, memory, and identity in his poignant sculptural installation, *Songs for a Memorial*, currently featured at the New York City AIDS Memorial. Through evocative neon works like *Don’t Leave Me This Way/Never Can Say Goodbye, 2022*, Evans pays homage to disco anthems forever linked to the AIDS crisis, creating a vibrant space for reflection and remembrance. Drawing on decades of personal and collective histories, he explores how song titles evoke intimate and shared memories, blending art, activism, and emotional resonance. His neon sculptures glow with a club-like energy, inviting viewers to connect with the joy, loss, and resilience that define a pivotal era in LGBTQ+ history, while continuing to inspire conversations on identity and community today.

Loie Hollowell’s luminous paintings explore the intimate and transformative experiences of the female body through a unique blend of three-dimensional sculptural forms and richly layered color gradients. Drawing inspiration from her personal journey—including abortion, pregnancy, and motherhood—her work merges geometric abstraction with deeply personal symbolism, creating pieces that pulse with life and invite close, meditative engagement. Her new limited edition print, *Yellow Brain* (2022), channels this practice with embossed textures and a vibrant violet gradient, serving as a homage to her father’s recovery from traumatic brain injury. Beyond aesthetic innovation, Hollowell’s edition supports the Malaria Consortium, highlighting her commitment to impactful global causes. Her art, deeply rooted in bodily experience and spiritual resonance, offers a vivid, emotional landscape where light, color, and form converge to communicate narratives of healing, identity, and resilience.

At this year’s Frieze New York, held for the first time inside Manhattan’s sprawling Shed, the art fair embraced a broader temporal perspective, blending contemporary pieces with significant works from previous decades. Highlights included Carol Bove’s immersive installation at David Zwirner, where coral-red steel sculptures play with spatial perception, and Albert Oehlen’s Gagosian booth, which showcased his provocative, computer-aided prints alongside a playful fusion beverage. New York’s Franklin Parrasch presented expressive pieces by Joan Snyder, whose layered, gestural works from the 1980s retain vibrant energy, while Sadie Coles Gallery spotlighted mid-career artist Wilhelm Sasnal’s striking linocuts and Alex Da Corte’s playful neon and fabric works. Simon Fujiwara’s Esther Schipper installation offered witty social commentary with garments turned into revolutionary symbols, and Victoria Miro’s booth featured Yayoi Kusama’s iconic dot-covered canvases and personal lithographs, evoking her profound legacy bridging abstraction and pop art. Together, these presentations crafted a dynamic narrative celebrating both the fresh and the time-honored in contemporary art.

Artspace, Phaidon, and MATCHESFASHION came together to celebrate the release of the new Phaidon book, *Prime – Art’s Next Generation*, with a vibrant cocktail party at MATCHESFASHION’s New York Frieze week Residency. The event, held in a stylish Upper East Side townhouse, featured a curated high summer edit, delicious gourmet tacos, cocktails by Agua Mágica Mezcal, and warm churros, creating the perfect atmosphere to honor the innovative artists showcased in the book. Attended by influential figures including Phaidon and Artspace executives, alongside many of the featured artists from 41 countries, the gathering highlighted a dynamic group who are redefining art through diverse mediums ranging from traditional materials to experimental digital and sensory practices. A special charitable limited edition silkscreen print by artist Loie Hollowell was announced in partnership with Artspace, adding an exclusive highlight to the week-long residency, which also displayed works by other remarkable Prime artists like Christina Quarles and Samara Scott.

Artspace, Phaidon, and MATCHESFASHION recently celebrated the launch of the new Phaidon book *Prime – Art’s Next Generation* with a vibrant cocktail party during MATCHESFASHION’s New York Frieze week Residency. Held in a stylish Upper East Side townhouse, the event featured a curated summer collection, live art, and a delicious menu of gourmet tacos and mezcal cocktails. Attendees included prominent figures from the art world and many of the featured Prime artists, whose innovative work spans traditional and experimental mediums across 41 countries. Highlights included personalized calligraphed bookmarks for book purchasers and an exclusive preview of a limited edition silkscreen print by Loie Hollowell, with artworks by Christina Quarles and Samara Scott also on display. This gathering celebrated the cutting edge of contemporary art, showcasing a dynamic new generation pushing the boundaries of creative expression.

French artist Jean Jullien’s creative journey began with a simple daily drawing exercise encouraged during his school years in Brittany, fostering his keen eye for everyday life and a distinctive, playful style. Known for his wit and relatable scenes, Jullien’s work spans exhibitions, public installations, fashion, and editorial projects, culminating in his limited edition print *Public (2022)*—a vibrant celebration of human togetherness featuring his signature whimsical crowd. Influenced by family, comics, and early art experiences, Jullien embraces collaboration and finds joy in capturing the simple, meaningful moments of life, now deepened by fatherhood. His art invites us to appreciate happiness in the small details, making us smile and reflect through his universal visual language.

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Minimalism, once a radical rejection of ornamentation and artistic heroism, continues to shape contemporary aesthetics across design and art. Pioneers like Frank Stella, Donald Judd, Carl Andre, Josef Albers, and Richard Serra have left enduring legacies, from Andre’s innovative brick arrangements to Albers’ meticulous “Homage to the Square” series. These minimalist icons challenge traditional forms, with Judd critiquing the limitations of rectangular canvases and Serra exploring monochrome movement in collaboration with Philip Glass. Today, minimalism remains accessible and relevant, from high-profile gallery works to DIY needlepoint kits inspired by Stella’s designs, inviting everyone to engage with the timeless beauty of simplicity.

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Visual art has long been intertwined with the environmental movement, inspired from the inception of Earth Day in 1970 following the iconic Earthrise photo. Over the decades, artists from Banksy’s provocative Greenpeace commission to Rob Pruitt’s playful yet poignant pandas have used their work to spotlight ecological concerns. Deidre Murphy’s scientific collaborations reveal hidden pollutants like light pollution, while Yoko Ono’s reflective piece challenges us to consider our personal relationship with Earth. Shepard Fairey’s urgent call to action and Olafur Eliasson’s innovative solar-powered Little Sun lamps demonstrate how art can both inspire awareness and drive tangible change, proving that creativity remains a vital force in fostering environmental stewardship beyond just a single day on the calendar.

Queer love, with all its light, warmth, and intimacy, finds a powerful and tender voice in the work of Israel-born painter Doron Langberg. Now based in New York, Langberg’s art captures intimate moments between loved ones with a sensuality and emotional depth that reflects both personal connection and broader queer experience. Grounded in art history yet vibrantly contemporary, his paintings emerge from close relationships, bringing his subjects to life through a process of observation and layering that balances spontaneity with meticulousness. Celebrated for his unique portrayal of queer intimacy, Langberg’s recent edition, “Oren and Bennet,” exemplifies his signature blend of love and artistry, while his career continues to flourish with major exhibitions, awards, and record-breaking sales. Committed to freedom in expression and supporting community causes like Visual AIDS, Langberg crafts art that invites us all to witness and celebrate the rich, diverse expressions of queer love.

Doron Langberg, an Israel-born painter now based in New York, has emerged as a powerful voice in depicting queer love with warmth, tenderness, and intimacy. Drawing on a deep art historical background and close relationships with his subjects — often friends and loved ones — Langberg’s work captures the nuanced emotions and everyday moments of queer life. His process blends traditional observational painting with vibrant colors and loose brushwork, allowing each piece to radiate sensuality and connection. Langberg’s latest project, the hand-painted Artspace edition "Oren and Bennet," reflects this intimate scale, with each print uniquely finished by the artist. Celebrated for his ability to blend personal connection and universal human experience, Langberg’s paintings have garnered major exhibitions, critical acclaim, and auction success, all while he remains committed to artistic freedom and supporting causes like Visual AIDS, which use art to combat the ongoing impact of HIV/AIDS.

Collage, though a relatively young fine art medium, draws on centuries-old traditions from diverse cultures, evolving from early manuscript embellishments and textile pairings to a celebrated modern art form embraced by icons like Picasso and Matisse. Today, artists continue to reinvent collage with fresh perspectives—New York’s Charles Wilkin layers color and texture to mirror our complex, sometimes harsh reality, while Spain’s Marisu Solís blends paint and silk paper in vibrant abstraction. London-based Naomi Vona transforms vintage vinyl covers with playful interventions, and environmental artist Matthew López-Jensen repurposes antique postcards into evocative landscape collages. Brooklyn’s John Andrew poses thought-provoking questions on culture through text-rich works, and Anna Grun channels punk’s rebellious spirit with gritty, politically charged compositions. This eclectic array highlights collage’s enduring power to captivate and challenge, revealing hidden depths beneath the surface of our world.

Danda Jaroljmek, a UK-born, Gambian-raised art enthusiast now based in Kenya, co-founded Circle Art Gallery and Agency in Nairobi to champion East African artists and broaden their global reach. With over 25 years in Kenya’s intimate art community, she blends her background as a sculptor with a deep commitment to showcasing meaningful, sometimes risky contemporary art beyond commercial trends. Jaroljmek’s passion for photography, her love of birds, and her rich cultural upbringing infuse her unique curatorial vision. She views her collection as a thoughtful, minimalist reflection of loyalty and process, favoring small, precious works and abstract art amidst Kenya’s colorful environment. Through Circle, she has fostered vital networks and education, helping redefine African art’s place on the world stage while sharing poignant stories behind cherished pieces—from local icons like Gor Soudan to the emotionally resonant works of Shabu Mwangi and the late Sidney Mang’ong’o. Her life and art collection illuminate a powerful dialogue between personal history, community, and the evolving narratives of contemporary African creativity.

Barbara Kruger’s art deftly merges bold text and striking imagery to challenge consumer culture and societal norms, transforming familiar advertising language into powerful statements that provoke thought and dialogue. Emerging from her background in design, Kruger became a defining American artist of the 1980s, known for her large-scale, red-white-and-black works that blur the boundaries between art, advertising, and activism. Her iconic piece, Untitled (I Shop Therefore I Am), cleverly critiques consumerism by riffing on Descartes’ famous philosophical assertion, illustrating how identity is often shaped by materialism. Nearly four decades later, Kruger’s work continues to evolve and resonate, as seen in her recent LACMA exhibition where her signature phrases are reimagined in animated form, highlighting the fluidity and enduring relevance of her vision in a fragmented, media-saturated world.

The Magnum Gallery’s new Paris location launched with a compelling exhibition titled "Bruce Davidson and Khalik Allah: NEW YORK," juxtaposing Davidson’s 1960s Harlem photographs with Allah’s contemporary images of the same neighborhood, illustrating Magnum’s vision of bridging past and present. Under the direction of Samantha McCoy, scion of an artistic dynasty, Magnum continues to spotlight iconic photographers like Robert Capa, Susan Meiselas, and Henri Cartier-Bresson, while elevating emerging talents such as Alec Soth and Sim Chi Yin. McCoy shares her personal favorites from the Magnum archive, highlighting the timelessness and emotional depth captured by legends such as Bruce Davidson, Eve Arnold, Herbert List, Khalik Allah, and Matt Black. Their works resonate with vibrant humanity, history, and the complex social fabric of America, capturing intimate moments and powerful narratives through striking, evocative imagery.

Doron Langberg’s artistic journey, sparked by a childhood encounter with a Lucian Freud exhibition, has blossomed into a dynamic force in contemporary figurative painting. Born in Israel and now based in New York, Langberg blends influences from masters like Van Gogh, Bonnard, and Vuillard with a bold commitment to humanizing queer experience. His work challenges traditional gallery norms by depicting queer life with intimate, everyday honesty, seeking to make queerness feel casual rather than sensational. Celebrated by top art institutions and critics and recently achieving a record auction price, Langberg stands at the forefront of a new wave of artists redefining both representation and emotional connection in art.

Ross Craig, a Californian artist and artisan with a rich family heritage in photography, creates meticulously composed still life photographs that blend influences from the Spanish Baroque, Northern Renaissance, Bay Area figurative art, and contemporary culture. Inspired by an article on Leica cameras and fueled by his background as a furniture and cabinet maker, Ross builds elaborate sets from found objects, thrift store finds, and recycled materials to craft images that echo the Old Masters while engaging with modern themes. His work references artists like Juan Sánchez Cotán and Paul Wonner, incorporating elements such as books, skulls, and symbolic objects to evoke deeper meanings with a touch of humor. Selling his art directly through platforms like Artspace, Ross values the connection formed when collectors embrace his pieces, appreciating that shared sensibility and detailed craftsmanship bring his still lifes vividly to life.

The Slovenian-born designer, featured in Woman Made, describes her studio Soft Baroque’s work as ‘future practical’, using elements that hint at how objects might serve a new purpose in the future

To Mark International Women's Day we put the spotlight on a New York based design group featured in our book, Woman Made

Christopher LaGuardia, founder of LaGuardia Design Group, has spent over thirty years transforming the delicate landscapes of New York’s Hamptons into stunning natural havens, blending art, architecture, and environmental sensitivity. His new monograph, *Contemporary Gardens of the Hamptons: LaGuardia Design Group 1990-2020*, showcases his thoughtful designs that harmonize with the region's woods, meadows, and storm-battered shorelines. Beyond landscape architecture, LaGuardia expresses a deep connection to contemporary art, highlighting works by artists like April Gornik, Joel Shapiro, Sophie Bocher, and Ezra Stoller that inspire him with their vivid portrayals of nature, abstraction, and architectural elegance. These pieces reflect his passion for craftsmanship, light, and space, mirroring the poetic qualities he brings to his outdoor creations and imagined interiors alike.

Born in pre-revolutionary Cuba, this Great Woman Artist painted in Paris and New York before finding recognition at the age of 89. Here we pay tribute and republish a Phaidon.com interview with her

Greek and Roman myths have long shaped Western art and culture, their ancient tales continuing to resonate in surprising contemporary ways. This article explores five contemporary artworks that draw upon classical mythology to engage with urgent modern themes like religious fundamentalism, masculinity, colonial legacies, and the tension between romantic ideals and harsh realities. From Andres Serrano’s provocative reimagining of pagan gods in a challenging medium, to Vik Muniz’s playful yet unsettling Medusa pasta dish, Sean Landers’ Americanized Minotaur reflecting on indigenous history, Raymond Pettibon’s homoerotic take on Achilles as a 1950s pin-up, and Lydia Blakely’s satirical portrayal of everyday confrontations as mock-heroic Hercules battles, these pieces reveal that myth remains a vibrant, living force—both deeply human and strikingly relevant to our times.

Samara Scott’s work, featured in the New Museum's 2021 Triennial *Soft Water Hard Stone*, is a mesmerizing exploration of consumer waste and organic materials transformed into vibrant, viscous abstractions. Blending everyday substances like fabric softener, nail polish, and cigarette butts, Scott creates dynamic assemblages that pulse with life and tension, challenging notions of beauty and consumption. Her process is as fluid and unpredictable as the materials she employs, working across multiple surfaces and scales to produce images that feel both painterly and photographic—stained memories suspended in space. Drawing inspiration from the chaos of global production, her work captures a haunting yet seductive alchemy, evoking a world of both decay and possibility. The limited edition print *Gargoyle, 2021* offers a tangible piece of this immersive practice, embodying the artist’s spirited approach to transformation, loss, and renewal.

Art collections are dynamic reflections of personal taste and the times, as revealed through intimate conversations with artists, designers, and collectors. From architect John Pawson’s early acquisitions shaped by family influence, to interior designer Shawn Henderson’s thoughtful integration of art into living spaces, each collector shares unique insights. Photographer Cig Harvey encourages mixing styles freely, while patron Valeria Napoleone highlights art’s playful provocations. Musician Adam Clayton emphasizes the importance of respecting precious works, and critic Barry Schwabsky celebrates the value of children’s art alongside masters. Gallerist Pilar Corrias points to contemporary art’s role in grappling with identity and the uncertain future. Collectively, these voices inspire a richer, more personal approach to building and living with art.

Ferren Gipson, a passionate advocate for art-history degrees, has created *The Ultimate Art Museum*, a captivating book designed to bring the world’s greatest artworks to children aged eight to 14. With 18 galleries and 129 rooms, this imaginative museum journey spans from ancient cave paintings to contemporary installations, featuring interactive elements like puzzles and color-coded maps to engage young visitors. Drawing inspiration from her own childhood museum experiences and famous institutions like The Met and The Louvre, Gipson crafts an inclusive space showcasing diverse artists—including many women—across cultures and time. Through her work, she encourages children and parents alike to explore art openly, sharing thoughts and emotions without fear of “wrong” opinions. This unique museum experience offers an inspiring, accessible way to discover art’s rich and varied history from the comfort of home.

Barry Schwabsky, renowned critic, editor, and poet, embodies a rare blend of intellectual rigor and passionate engagement with contemporary art. His influential teaching career spans prestigious institutions like Yale and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, while his writings have enriched major art publications and Phaidon titles. Schwabsky’s deep appreciation for art began with childhood encounters like Van Gogh’s sunflowers and matured during formative museum visits where Rothko became a favorite. His personal collection reflects this journey, featuring works by friends and influential artists such as Cora Cohen, Suzanne McClelland, and Rafael Vega, alongside treasured pieces like a self-portrait by his daughter. Notably, Schwabsky has actively challenged institutional decisions in the art world, exemplified by his 2020 open letter defending Philip Guston’s controversial exhibition. Beyond the walls of galleries, he even finds artistry in everyday objects—like a Karim Rashid-designed wastebasket—highlighting his embracing view that art need not be perfect, just compelling.

Australian-born, Sweden-based artist Tillie Burden transforms glass into enigmatic, surreal sculptures that challenge perceptions of this traditionally transparent material. Drawing inspiration from surrealists like René Magritte and symbolists such as Meret Oppenheim, Burden infuses everyday objects with layered psychological meaning and playful twists, crafting pieces that are both bold and contemplative. Her meticulous process combines hot glassblowing techniques with thoughtful planning, resulting in works that invite viewers to reconsider the familiar through unexpected forms, from cake topped with a cigarette to a banana in a slinky condom. With a background spanning Australia and Europe, Burden’s dynamic and tactile approach to glassmaking showcases both technical mastery and imaginative storytelling, bringing a fresh perspective to the craft.

Monica Nelson, a celebrated book designer and art director with a passion for both art and nature, brings these worlds together in her new book, *Edible Flowers*. This captivating work explores the cultural history, uses, and beauty of edible flowers through stunning original photography, simple recipes, and insightful essays by chefs, artists, and writers. Alongside her creative endeavors—including collaborations with renowned photographers and artists—Nelson shares a curated selection of artworks that inspire her, from poetic still lifes and evocative assemblages to intimate, deeply personal images, revealing how her love for the natural world profoundly shapes her artistic vision and personal tastes.

Sarah Sze’s work intricately explores our relationships with everyday objects, creating installations that blur the line between present-day art and remnants of civilization. Known for her nuanced and introspective creations, Sze contributed her 2021 painting *Fast Forward* to the *Unquestioning Love* auction benefiting the New York City AIDS Memorial. Reflecting on the devastating impact of the AIDS crisis and its ongoing global significance, she emphasizes art’s power to preserve memory and inspire justice. Having visited the memorial, located near the historic St. Vincent’s Hospital, she speaks to the importance of remembering both past and present struggles through public space. Influenced by poets like Paul Monette and Emily Dickinson, and inspired by artists such as Félix González-Torres, Sze’s work and words honor the deep resonance of loss, activism, and resilience within the artistic community and beyond.

Elmgreen & Dragset powerfully confront the legacy of the AIDS crisis through their evocative artwork, notably their 2015 piece Side Effects, No. 14, which features delicate glass jars filled with pastel pigments used in modern HIV medications. These seemingly innocent colors belie the serious and toxic nature of the pills, symbolizing the complex realities of living with the disease. Their work is part of a broader commitment to remembering the impact of AIDS, from art installations to memorials, highlighting the ongoing need for awareness and compassion. Donating to the Unquestioning Love sale at Christie’s, Elmgreen & Dragset emphasize the importance of honoring those lost to this epidemic and the continuing fight for access to life-saving treatments, reflecting a poignant blend of personal experience and social activism.

Cosimo Cavallaro is a visionary artist and filmmaker known for his provocative and tactile works created from perishable materials like cheese, ham, and chocolate. Drawing on his Italian heritage and childhood memories tied to food, he transforms everyday edible items into immersive art experiences that explore themes of identity, time, and the ephemeral nature of life. From covering hotel rooms in melted cheese to constructing a cheese wall near the US-Mexico border as social commentary, Cavallaro challenges perceptions and invites audiences to engage with art beyond the visual, evoking both playfulness and reflection. His work has sparked conversation internationally and is now accessible to art lovers through bronze-cast sculptures inspired by his cheese creations, blending the transient with the eternal.

Lewis Miller, a renowned floral designer known for his vibrant outdoor installations, gained widespread acclaim with his spontaneous "Flower Flash" at the John Lennon Memorial in Central Park during the 2016 presidential election. Since then, Miller has created over ninety of these bold, imaginative floral surprises, blending unexpected flowers in playful, larger-than-life displays that bring joy to New Yorkers and flower enthusiasts alike. While celebrated for his public art, Miller remains deeply connected to interior floral design, treating art and environment design as intertwined disciplines. Influenced by Flemish painters, Rothko, and Picasso, his work embodies a vibrant, dynamic energy, mixing color, texture, and space with a keen eye for harmony and statement pieces. In this reflective interview accompanying the release of his new book, *Flower Flash*, and his debut limited-edition print, Miller shares his artistic inspirations and his distinctive approach to living with and choosing art that enlivens and transforms everyday spaces.

Lewis Miller, a celebrated floral designer rooted in California’s agricultural landscapes, has made a remarkable impact with his vibrant, large-scale public floral installations known as Flower Flashes. Since 2016, Miller and his team have transformed everyday urban spaces—trash cans, bus stops, construction sites—into bursts of joyful, colorful blooms, delighting passersby and offering moments of unexpected beauty amidst the city’s hustle. His latest book, *Flower Flash*, chronicles this inspiring journey with stunning photos, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and fan contributions, capturing the essence of Miller’s spontaneous creative acts. To celebrate this work, Miller has partnered with Artspace to release his first-ever edition print, featuring a striking installation outside Casa Magazines in Manhattan that fuses lush tropical foliage and bright flowers within an iconic New York City waste bin. This bold, contrasting piece embodies both urban grit and floral softness, making it a captivating addition to any art collection.

Laura Currie, co-founder of Prospect, champions art that breaks boundaries by collaborating with renowned artists like Enoc Perez and Judy Chicago to create unique, tactile design objects that elevate everyday items into extraordinary art pieces. From vibrant cocktail straws by Misha Kahn to the evocative Marble Goddess sculpture by Chicago, Prospect’s mission is to make contemporary art accessible, engaging, and infused with storytelling. Currie also highlights her admiration for influential artists such as Allan McCollum, Nan Goldin, and Virgil Abloh, connecting their work to moments of personal and cultural reflection. Whether celebrating playful whimsy with the Haas Brothers’ Animal Alphabet or the transformative power of nuanced, handcrafted objects, Prospect blends creativity with craftsmanship, making art a shared experience beyond the traditional gallery space.

In a heartfelt conversation with Donna McNeil, fine-art photographer Cig Harvey reveals her profound belief in art’s power to deepen our compassion and awaken our senses. Drawing from her upbringing on the Devon Moors and her rich two-decade career, Harvey’s luminous, nature-inspired images invite viewers to truly look and feel. Celebrated internationally and featured in top publications, Harvey also shares her eclectic approach to displaying art at home—maximalist, intuitive, and always evolving to create meaningful dialogues between works. She highlights artists like Ori Gersht, Katherine Bradford, Laura Letinsky, Matt Eich, and Jenny Holzer, whose pieces resonate through their exploration of time, beauty, humanity, and everyday life. Her latest book, *Blue Violet*, beautifully intertwines poetry, botany, and sensory experience, encouraging readers to celebrate the magic in the ordinary and reconnect with the natural world.

Shawn Henderson, a celebrated Manhattan-based interior designer and Rochester Institute of Technology graduate, has built a career transforming interiors into deeply personal, art-infused spaces for clients like Glenn Close and Will Ferrell. His new book, *Shawn Henderson: Interiors in Context*, showcases a range of his projects—from urban townhouses to serene country retreats—highlighting how he integrates custom and vintage furniture with carefully selected contemporary art to create warm, harmonious environments. Henderson emphasizes the importance of art that resonates emotionally rather than simply matching decor, often collaborating closely with clients to curate pieces that add personality and depth. In celebration of his book, he shares some favorite contemporary artworks that reflect his affinity for texture, mood, and storytelling, revealing how art becomes an essential layer in his design philosophy and the unique atmosphere of each home.

On October 23, Texan philanthropists Cindy and Howard Rachofsky will host the 22nd annual TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art Gala and Auction at their stunning Richard Meier-designed home in Dallas. This celebrated event supports both the Dallas Museum of Art and amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, blending philanthropy with the vibrant contemporary art world. Honoring Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara this year, the gala features a special fundraising print of his evocative work, *Miss Spring* (2012/2021), alongside a night of art viewing, live auction, and entertainment by Rita Ora. Cindy reflects on the event’s enduring impact over two decades, the close-knit community it has fostered, and the meaningful role art and philanthropy play in driving cultural and healthcare initiatives forward.

Durk Dehner’s journey began in 1976 when he discovered a captivating poster by Tom of Finland in a Manhattan motorcycle bar, sparking a lifelong dedication to preserving and promoting queer artistry. From founding the Tom of Finland Foundation to curating a diverse selection of works by influential queer artists like Jack Pierson, Catherine Opie, Mark Beard, Bruce LaBruce, and Keith Haring, Dehner celebrates the powerful intersection of sexuality, identity, and art. His selections showcase striking portraits, bold colors, and intimate narratives, honoring both historical influences and contemporary expressions, while also including timeless design pieces like Josef Hoffmann’s Art Deco coffee table. This collection is an evocative tribute to the vibrancy and resilience of queer culture through the lens of groundbreaking artistic visionaries.

Bill Claps is a New Jersey-born, New York-based artist whose work uniquely blends painting, photography, and printmaking, deeply influenced by his travels in East Asia and childhood fascination with martial arts. With a Harvard background and a global outlook, Claps explores universal cultural themes through innovative techniques like metallic foil application, which adds dynamic texture and light to his landscapes. His “Natural Abstractions” series reflects a spiritual connection to nature, inspired by Asian art traditions and the philosophy that humans are part of, not central to, the natural world. Claps draws on art history, language, and Morse code to create layered, intriguing visuals that evoke mystery and invite viewers into a deeper engagement. Throughout his career, he has evolved from figurative work to minimalistic monochromatic pieces, emphasizing texture and symbolism, all while maintaining a disciplined studio practice that fuels his ongoing creative breakthroughs.

As Artspace celebrates its first decade, it reflects on invaluable wisdom from key artworld insiders who share insights on thriving as an artist, collector, and enthusiast. From Lydia Fenet’s advice to immerse yourself fully in the art scene, to Bill Arning’s surprising revelation about the enduring market for pet portraits, the perspectives highlight the importance of knowledge, presence, and boldness. Curator Naomi Beckwith emphasizes the power of art that balances history with originality, while artist Sanford Biggers encourages artists to become articulate advocates for their work. Wangechi Mutu champions self-worth and confidence in navigating the market, and gallerists like Darius Himes and Jeffrey Deitch stress the significance of personal connection and the growing inclusivity of the art audience. Interior designer Kishani Perera adds that thoughtful curation at home can transform spaces and conversations. Together, these voices create a vibrant mosaic of advice for anyone passionate about art’s evolving landscape.

Over the past decade, Artspace has proudly partnered with a diverse array of nonprofits and charitable causes, using art to drive positive social impact. From supporting Red Hot’s fight against AIDS through iconic works by David Wojnarowicz, to empowering gender equality with Promundo’s collaboration highlighting female artists, Artspace has championed meaningful causes across the spectrum. Their alliances extend to nurturing young creatives via Free Arts NYC, fostering artistic growth at Skowhegan’s renowned residency, and providing critical COVID-19 relief through initiatives like N95forNYC. They’ve also backed vital community organizations such as The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center and Public Art Fund, while addressing social justice with Paper Monuments’ work on monuments and history. Meanwhile, RxART transforms healthcare environments through contemporary art, easing patient experiences. Each collaboration reflects Artspace’s commitment to blending art with advocacy, creativity with compassion, and culture with lasting change.

As Artspace celebrates its first decade, it reflects on a decade of exclusive print editions from some of today’s most compelling fine artists. From Adam Pendleton’s haunting black-and-white mask imagery to Marcel Dzama’s escape into drawing through harsh winters and personal loss, each artist shares intimate insights into their work. Christina Quarles explores identity and perception, Jonas Wood recounts the pivotal role of his Los Angeles studio, while Cecily Brown draws inspiration from 19th-century erotica for her provocative Black Paintings. Eric Fischl captures a nuanced middle-class American reality, and Awol Erizku channels Bauhaus influences in his vibrant color play. Sarah Morris delves into the dreamlike allure of luxury, Genesis Tramaine communes with spiritual visions, and Tomi Ungerer reflects on using shock in protest art shaped by his wartime experiences. Renowned sculptor Sarah Sze celebrates drawing as a primal, potent form. Together, these stories offer a rich tapestry of artistic vision and creative process, inviting art lovers to discover more exclusive editions from many other remarkable artists on Artspace.

Universal Design Studio has spent two decades transforming how we experience spaces, blending architecture with art to create environments that resonate deeply with people. With offices across New York, London, and Shanghai, the studio collaborates with top-tier clients like Google and Stella McCartney, emphasizing a human-centered design approach that prioritizes interaction and emotional connection. Their projects, such as the art-infused At Six Hotel in Stockholm and the ceramic-adorned 100 Liverpool Street in London, exemplify a seamless dialogue between architecture and artwork. Co-director Paul Gulati also highlights influential artists like Carlos Cruz-Diez and Daido Moriyama, whose participatory and immersive pieces inspire their design philosophy. The studio’s debut monograph, *Universal Design Studio: Inside Out*, showcases this visionary ethos, inviting readers to explore the intricate relationship between people, space, and art.

Jim Hodges' artistic journey is a captivating exploration beyond traditional painting, driven by his quest to access new forms of image and experience through diverse materials. From his early days in a dimly lit basement studio, manipulating everyday objects like tape, fabric, and found items, Hodges has developed a rich practice that embraces memory, loss, and love. His latest work, *rearranged for Bill* (2021), is a sculptural book edition inspired by his earlier *Arranged* (1996), where floral still lifes and photography blend into an interactive piece inviting viewers to bend and fold pages to complete the artwork. Hodges’ deep engagement with materials—especially paper—reveals an intimacy with the creative process, reflecting his belief that art unfolds naturally from its medium. This new edition also supports Art Resources Transfer, a nonprofit reflecting his late friend Bill Bartman’s vision. Hodges encourages a thoughtful, patient encounter with art, reminding us that its true success lies in the shared connection between the work and its audience, and above all, in finding love in the creative act.

Author Helen Thompson and photographer Casey Dunn’s latest collaboration, *Santa Fe Modern*, completes their “Modern” trilogy, showcasing homes that blend authentic lived-in warmth with the bold, abstract forms of modernist design shaped by the New Mexican landscape. Rejecting overly styled interiors, their images reveal spaces that reflect homeowners’ true personalities and the unique spirit of Santa Fe, deeply influenced by iconic artists like Georgia O’Keeffe and Agnes Martin. Through a curated selection of artworks and architecture, the book celebrates a dynamic fusion of traditional materials such as adobe with sleek steel and glass, illustrating how modernism harmonizes with the high desert’s natural beauty. This compelling exploration captures the intimate dialogue between art, architecture, and environment in a way that is both accessible and inspiring.

French-Algerian photographer Serge Hamad blends powerful human rights activism with a keen artistic vision, capturing both the harsh realities of the world and the sublime beauty found in nature. From his early heartbreak over a butterfly's death, he embraced photography as a means to observe and express. His acclaimed series like "Temporal Perception" explore fleeting illusions through vibrant colors and geometric forms, while his “Relax” series offers serene beachscapes born from moments of escape and reflection. Whether documenting resilience in New York before Hurricane Sandy or seeking organic lines in chaotic nature, Hamad’s work reveals a profound dialogue between light, time, and human experience. His journey from visual storytelling to fine art is marked by a dedication to sharing vision with authenticity, making his photos both a political statement and a celebration of fleeting beauty.

James Crump, a distinguished writer, curator, and filmmaker with a deep scholarly and personal engagement in postwar art, shares his refined aesthetic sensibility through a selection of five works by artists he closely follows. Drawing on his extensive experience and relationships within the art world, Crump highlights pieces by Tom Burr, Maurizio Cattelan, Oliver Mosset, Hiroshi Sugimoto, and Wade Guyton, each chosen for their dialogue with midcentury modern architecture and minimalist environments. His new book, *Breuer’s Bohemia: The Architect, His Circle, and Midcentury Houses in New England*, explores the lesser-known residential projects of iconic architect Marcel Breuer, revealing a vibrant cultural network of architects, artists, and writers who shaped American design and culture in the mid-20th century. Richly illustrated and accompanied by a documentary, Crump’s work offers a unique insight into this dynamic intersection of art, architecture, and intellectual life.

Spanish fine art photographer Sandra Platas Hernández transforms the fleeting beauty of flowers into timeless, dreamlike images that capture the delicate cycle of life. Rooted in her early passions for ceramics and painting, Sandra’s work combines meticulous still life composition with a spontaneous creative process, often inspired by the natural world she cherishes, especially during the pandemic when her garden blossomed anew. Her floral studies, like those in her ongoing “Flores de mi jardín” series, evoke deep emotions and invite viewers to find meaning beyond mere aesthetics—celebrating nature’s transience and our profound connection to it. Through vivid colors, painterly textures, and thoughtful lighting, Sandra’s photographs freeze moments of sublime uniqueness, turning ordinary blooms into powerful symbols of mood, memory, and the passage of time.

Indian artist S.K. Sahni’s artistic journey spans over seven decades, marked by a steadfast dedication to abstract, non-figurative exploration through straight lines and geometric shapes. Beginning in the 1950s and evolving through various stylistic phases and mediums—from paper to canvas and innovative collage techniques—Sahni’s works, often titled with the word "space," invite viewers to experience movement, depth, and a unique visual language without preconceived notions. His creative process embraces freedom and change, encouraging an intuitive engagement that awakens one’s aesthetic sensibility. Emerging from humble beginnings in a signboard painter’s workshop, Sahni has exhibited widely, held curatorial roles, and continues to inspire collectors and art lovers worldwide by sharing his vision directly through modern platforms.

Drew Doggett is a celebrated American photographer and filmmaker whose journey from the high-fashion studios to the wild, remote corners of the world has shaped a powerful storytelling style through his camera. With a career that started alongside legends like Annie Leibovitz and Mark Seliger, Doggett has since devoted himself to capturing the extraordinary beauty of people, wildlife, and landscapes—from the super tusk elephants of East Africa to the wild horses of Sable Island. His work is a blend of meticulous planning and embracing nature's unpredictability, with a focus on conservation and humanity’s shared connection across species. Whether it’s the intimate portraits of chimpanzee alpha males or the haunting stillness of white horses in mythic settings, Doggett’s images invite us to slow down, reflect, and appreciate the wonder of our world. His photographs and films have garnered over 100 awards, permanent collections, and collaborations with major brands, and are now available to collectors through Artspace, offering a rare glimpse into the lives and landscapes that inspire him.

Argentinian artist Alberto González Vivo crafts mesmerizing optical art that draws inspiration from pioneers like Victor Vasarely as well as everyday observations of light, movement, and nature. His creative process begins with meticulous sketches and digital compositions, carefully balancing geometry, color, and light to evoke visual sensations that captivate and sometimes challenge viewers. Having transitioned from a career in technology to fully embrace his childhood passion for painting, González Vivo’s work explores evolving series that play with shape, shadow, and movement to create illusions of depth and motion. His pieces, celebrated across the Americas and available on Artspace, invite viewers to experience joy and subtle visual surprise, reflecting his belief that art should stir genuine, shared emotional responses.

Celeste Dupuy-Spencer’s dynamic paintings navigate the complexities of the American experience through vivid, layered imagery that blends history, society, and personal narrative. In her latest Artspace edition, she unpacks a rich tableau featuring a tense Manhattan loft scene charged with themes of power, violence, and legacy. Her work is deeply informed by art history, with references ranging from Lady Butler’s war scenes to Rubens and Géricault, creating a poignant dialogue on humanity’s cycles of brutality and survival. Dupuy-Spencer reflects on the inherited nature of privilege, empathy for her conflicted characters, and the subtle symbols woven throughout her compositions—from a child’s ghost embodying lost innocence to a haunting peace sign and coded wine bottles. Highlighting collaborative artistry and rejecting capitalist conventions, she invites viewers into a multifaceted meditation on societal collapse, legacy, and the fraught nature of freedom.

Lindsay August-Salazar’s vibrant and dynamic art is deeply rooted in her background as a dancer and her Los Angeles upbringing, where she developed a keen awareness of cultural production and consciousness. Blending movement, language, and modernist influences, her work creates an alternative visual lexicon—the Abstract Character Copy (ACC) Lexicon—that challenges hegemonic power structures and invites viewers into a space for reflection and empowerment. Her creative process draws from philosophy, neuroscience, and choreographic practice, resulting in multi-dimensional paintings and performances that explore identity, systems of power, and the intersections of language and movement. Through her art, August-Salazar not only critiques societal norms but also envisions new paradigms of thought, embodying a deeply cerebral yet visceral approach to human expression and political imagination.

Colleen Blackard transforms the humble ballpoint pen into a cosmic tool, creating mesmerizing artworks that explore natural and celestial themes through light, memory, and transformation. Dividing her time between Texas and New York, Blackard’s signature circular mark-making technique brings stars, storms, and abandoned barns to life, inviting viewers into immersive worlds that balance vast universes with intimate personal stories. Her work, recognized by the Pollock-Krasner Foundation and featured internationally, captures the ethereal beauty of the infinite and the emotional depths of human experience, encouraging a profound sense of wonder and connection.

Italian artist Bepi Ghiotti, whose work spans photography, video, painting, and installation, explores the fluid and elusive nature of time as his chosen medium. Inspired early on by watching his father splice home movies, Ghiotti views art as a continual practice of presence and interaction with the environment rather than a fixed form. His acclaimed projects, including the poignant series "Sources," document not just locations like river sources but the journeys and moments of grace leading to their capture, embodying a deep phenomenological approach that distills essence by stripping away superfluity. Ghiotti’s methodology emphasizes purity, exactness, and the ongoing movement within still images—suggesting that artworks never truly rest but evolve through their exchange with viewers and contexts. His reflective process and long engagements, such as his intimate documentation of artist Carol Rama, resonate with a sensitivity to time’s dilation and the dynamic tensions between nature, human intervention, and perception.

Catherine Opie’s photography offers a compelling and intimate exploration of America’s diverse communities, capturing moments that blend personal experience with political statement. Her evocative work includes portraits of marginalized individuals and vibrant public protests, such as her striking 2017 photograph of the Women’s March in Los Angeles. In this candid interview, Opie reflects on the powerful energy of that day, the challenges of documenting emotionally charged events, and her evolving approach to photographing demonstrations—from capturing the marchers to witnessing the complexities of police presence and protest dynamics. Through her lens, Opie not only records pivotal social movements but also invites viewers to engage deeply with the ongoing dialogue about democracy, identity, and resistance.

Rey Zorro, the Brazilian-born multimedia artist and co-founder of Manhattan’s iconic Liquid Sky boutique, artfully blends ‘90s rave culture with her lifelong fascination with extraterrestrials. From her early inspirations reading Erich von Däniken's theories to her boundary-pushing work across painting, collage, fashion, and digital media, Zorro continuously challenges artistic norms while celebrating the surreal and the otherworldly. Her provocative installations and series—from haunting food paintings born of personal hunger and studio searches to UFO-inspired works reflecting London’s mysterious Royal Docks—invite viewers into a universe where art, language, and pop culture collide. Balancing her legacy in New York’s legendary club scene with fresh explorations in film, NFTs, and collaborations like the upcoming art book with acid house pioneer Adamski, Zorro remains an fearless creator who thrives on stepping beyond comfort zones while honoring her roots.

Launched during the pandemic by Ashlyn Davis Burns and Shane Lavalette, Assembly is a dynamic gallery, agency, and creative studio that redefines artist representation by fostering deep, collaborative relationships. With roots in photography and a commitment to multidisciplinary practices, Assembly champions artists whose work engages with personal, social, and cultural narratives, offering support that goes far beyond traditional galleries. Drawing on their extensive nonprofit experience, the founders prioritize meaningful conversations and tailored guidance, empowering artists through exhibitions, publications, and commissions. Celebrated for connecting collectors with conceptually rich, research-driven art, Assembly is already making waves by placing works in significant collections and nurturing innovative projects, including limited-edition books and upcoming exhibitions that highlight the evolving power of photographic and image-based art.

As a founding member of U2, Adam Clayton’s passion for contemporary art goes beyond mere collecting; he sees himself as an enthusiast driven by curiosity and connection rather than acquisition. His eclectic taste, influenced by his global upbringing and life in New York, embraces everything from Brazilian ceramics to innovative photography and sculpture. Clayton cherishes the relationships he forms with artists and the stories their work tells, favoring pieces that resonate emotionally and culturally, such as those by Louise Bourgeois, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Wilhelm Sasnal. His collection reflects a deep engagement with figurative art and the human condition, serving as both a personal dialogue and a nurturing presence in his home. For Clayton, art is a vital cultural exchange that fuels his creativity and offers profound insights into vulnerability, identity, and humanity.

This June, Artspace proudly presents The Center Benefit Auction in support of The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City, featuring works by artists including Garrett Chingery. Known for his deeply layered representational paintings that explore the psyche and the self, Chingery contributes an enchanting new piece titled Night Faeries, depicting mysterious, winged silhouettes radiating ethereal energy. Reflecting on his artistic journey from adolescence, Chingery shares how painting serves as his lens on the world and highlights the vital role The Center plays as a safe, affirming space for the LGBTQ community. Alongside this auction contribution, he eagerly anticipates launching THE ARK, a captivating series of animal portraits available affordably to collectors. This event supports a historic institution that continues to empower and nurture the LGBTQ community through vital services and cultural programs.

This June, Artspace celebrates The Center Benefit Auction in support of New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, featuring works by a diverse group of artists including Jerry Torre, known as Jerry The Marble Faun. Famous for his connection to the iconic Grey Gardens documentary, Torre has transformed his early life struggles—including battling addiction and living with HIV—into powerful stone and ceramic sculptures that speak from the soul. In this intimate interview, he reflects on the inspiration drawn from compassion, kindness, and the enduring support of The Center, which helped him find sobriety and a new path of light. His featured piece, "Blu," a glazed ceramic horse head inspired by a steadfast desert companion, embodies strength and survival, mirroring Torre’s own resilience and ongoing journey as an artist and community advocate.

This June, Artspace proudly presents The Center Benefit Auction in support of New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, featuring works by acclaimed multimedia artist Anthony Goicolea. Known for his evocative explorations of identity, personal history, and adolescence—often using himself as the model—Goicolea offers two unique “blue-print” diptychs, merging photography and hand-drawn elements on translucent Mylar. Reflecting on his deep connections with NYC’s LGBTQ community and his admiration for the Center’s vital support services, he highlights his passion for artistic metamorphosis and the power of transitional moments. From his formative years near the Christopher Street Piers to his celebrated public monuments, Goicolea’s art remains a dynamic, intimate dialogue. This Pride Month, support this essential institution by bidding on extraordinary works that embody resilience, community, and transformation.

This June, Artspace proudly presents The Center Benefit Auction in support of New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, featuring a diverse array of artists including acclaimed painter TM Davy. Known for his dreamy pastel and gouache works that capture intimate moments on Fire Island, Davy’s piece "West" perfectly exemplifies his vibrant, fluid style praised by The New Yorker. With a distinguished career highlighted by exhibitions at the Whitney Biennial and MoMA, Davy’s contribution celebrates love and nature, embodying a tender yet dynamic artistic vision. Established in 1983, The Center continues to empower the LGBTQ community with vital virtual services, making this event an inspiring opportunity to support an essential institution while enjoying exceptional contemporary art.

In celebration of Pride Month, Artspace presents The Center Benefit Auction supporting New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, featuring works from a diverse group of artists including Buenos Aires-born, New York-based William Eric Brown. Known for his layered photographic works that blend images of airports, pathways, and derelict buildings, Brown’s art captures a life in motion and a depth of experience reminiscent of iconic photographers and painters. In an illuminating interview, Brown shares his unique creative process of layering, obscuring, and revealing images to evoke mood and narrative, describing his auction piece *In The Middle* (2020) as a shifting self-portrait—sometimes hopeful, sometimes ominous. Through this auction, Brown expresses his commitment to contributing to community and culture, inviting viewers to engage with art that resonates with memory, dream, and identity.

American artist Celeste Dupuy-Spencer creates powerful, visionary paintings that delve into personal fears, social and political tensions, and the complexities of the human condition. Her work, celebrated in major institutions like the Whitney and Hammer Museum, blends real and imagined iconography to confront themes of wealth, addiction, and existential struggle. Drawing on a Marxist upbringing and her own queer and autistic identity, Dupuy-Spencer’s paintings challenge viewers to reflect on their complicity and emotional engagement with the world. Her new limited edition, "When you’ve eaten everything below you, you’ll devour yourself/except in dreams you’re never really free," embodies this tension between material possession and spiritual unraveling, offering a haunting meditation on the fall of civilization and the search for meaning amidst chaos.

Catherine Opie’s latest work, showcased in Phaidon's new collector’s edition, explores the profound interplay between friendship, identity, and landscape through two striking prints. Celebrated for her ability to capture both intimate human stories and expansive, almost abstract environments, Opie reflects on her decades-long friendship with her subject Pigpen, revealing how the body tells stories of change, activism, and enduring love. Contrasting this is her near-baroque interpretation of America’s natural landmarks, inviting viewers to pause and deeply engage beyond the surface snapshots so common in the age of smartphones. Through these works, Opie challenges us to reconsider how we experience and preserve both personal connections and the natural world in a rapidly changing society.

During the lockdown, Klaus Biesenbach, Director of MOCA LA, transformed challenges into opportunities by pioneering a vibrant online art experience through Zoom studio visits with prominent artists like Huma Bhabha and Camille Henrot. These intimate virtual sessions, which captured artists’ processes, motivations, and visions, inspired a unique collaboration resulting in limited edition prints that extend the accessibility of these creative dialogues beyond the screen. Biesenbach’s innovative approach, coupled with MOCA’s expanded programs including free admissions and major upcoming exhibitions, reflects his belief in art as a force for hope, community, and the creation of a better future. Through his curatorial vision and deep commitment to artists, he continues to shape MOCA into a dynamic space where art not only survives but thrives amid adversity.

Liz Hopfan, Founder and Executive Director of Free Arts NYC, shares her passion for empowering underserved youth through art and mentorship. Drawing from her childhood experiences exploring New York City's vibrant cultural scene and her background as a second-grade teacher, Hopfan highlights how creativity can build confidence, bridge disparities, and open doors to educational and professional opportunities. Amid the challenges of the pandemic, Free Arts NYC has adapted with resilient programs supporting thousands of young people, especially those in shelters, while addressing digital divides and budget cuts. Collaborations with artists like Devin Troy Strother—whose vibrant Grateful Dead Afro Cat Show print release supports the cause—demonstrate the powerful community spirit behind their work. Hopfan invites supporters to join the mission, emphasizing art’s transformative role in inspiring the next generation.

Devin Troy Strother, a California-born painter and sculptor, infuses his work with a bold blend of humor, social critique, and vibrant materiality, tackling themes of racial prejudice and black stereotypes with a playful, cartoon-like approach that softens complex and often painful subject matter. Celebrated globally and held in major museums, Strother’s practice embraces African American cultural icons and stereotypes, transforming them into dynamic visual narratives that celebrate black identity with wit and nuance. His latest edition, *Grateful Dead Afro Cat Show* (2021), features hand-embellished prints spotlighting his signature style and supports Free Arts NYC, a nonprofit empowering underserved youth through creative mentorship. Strother’s artistry reflects his unique vantage point as a black artist navigating humor, cultural codes, and social realities, all while maintaining an approachable, irreverent spirit that challenges and invites viewers alike.

Pakistani-American artist Huma Bhabha masterfully bridges the ancient and the futuristic, crafting haunting sculptures and prints that evoke both classical antiquity and sci-fi monstrosities. With a background enriched by early influences from Greek statuary and contemporary horror cinema, Bhabha’s work explores the grotesque as something sophisticated and beautiful. Her new 2021 Artspace print, created to support MOCA, reflects her ongoing fascination with layering and collage, offering a complex, intense portrait that blurs boundaries between abstraction and figuration. Rooted in a diverse array of inspirations—from early Modernist experimenters to practical skills gained as a taxidermist—Bhabha continues to push artistic limits, creating characters with strong, evocative personalities that resonate deeply within contemporary art.

Jade Montserrat uses drawing as a powerful tool to explore personal and historical narratives, intertwining art with activism to confront deep-rooted racism and social inequalities. Inspired by Josephine Baker's vision of a post-racial ‘Rainbow Tribe,’ Montserrat critically examines these ideals through her own ongoing project, blending academic research with visual expression to reevaluate the representation of Black and women’s bodies in society. Drawing, for Montserrat, is both a meditative practice and a form of ethical engagement that connects her to her heritage and fuels her commitment to anti-racist praxis. Despite challenges like limited resources and societal undervaluing of the arts, she remains dedicated to making drawing accessible and reflective of care, observation, and resistance, emphasizing its immediacy, inclusivity, and transformative potential.

Parisian artist Camille Henrot’s new edition, *Mother Tongue*, challenges conventional notions of motherhood through a rich and unsettling image that intertwines tenderness, exhaustion, and ambiguity. Drawing from her own experiences as a parent and her fascination with childhood development, gender, and language, Henrot explores the complex, often messy realities of parenting and the deep imprint of early life on identity. Her work resists unidirectional interpretation, inviting viewers to navigate the fluidity of attachment, exploration, and the cultural constructions surrounding motherhood. Bridging mediums from sculpture to drawing to film, Henrot reflects on care, societal norms, and the evolving nature of relationships, especially in a post-pandemic world, while likening her artistic process to a disciplined, almost athletic practice. Her *Mother Tongue* series is a provocative meditation on family, gender, and the unspoken experiences that shape us all.

For 75 years, the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture has been a sanctuary for emerging artists, offering an immersive nine-week summer residency on a sprawling Maine farm where creativity thrives free from commercial pressures. Founded in 1946 and still artist-governed, Skowhegan has evolved to meet the needs of its diverse community, from post-WWII veterans to contemporary creators seeking a supportive space to develop authentic voices. This anniversary year celebrates its rich legacy with community workshops, international artist engagement through Zoom, alumni residencies, and special editions like Christina Quarles’ “Magic Hour.” Skowhegan remains a vibrant hub where artists from around the world connect deeply, learn from difference, and find the courage to redefine their practices, sustaining an artistic ecosystem that enriches the broader art world with courage, diversity, and innovation.

Christina Quarles’s new edition, *Magic Hour* (2016/2021), captures the vibrant essence of a golden summer dusk while illuminating her rising star in contemporary art. Created during her transformative residency at Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, this edition reimagines a now-lost fresco that marked a turning point in Quarles’s use of color and technique. Known for her dynamic, contorted figures that explore themes of identity, fluidity, and self-perception, Quarles delves into the tension between legibility and ambiguity, portraying bodies in flux to challenge conventional notions of coherence and self-understanding. The pandemic further influenced her work, as shifting light and digital landscapes inspired new explorations of pattern, gradient, and space. Through a process that balances spontaneity and control, Quarles’s paintings invite viewers into intimate, disorganized bodily experiences that reflect both vulnerability and agency. This exclusive print, launched in partnership with Skowhegan’s 75th anniversary, offers a compelling glimpse into an artist who continues to chase that elusive “golden hour” of creativity and expression.

Cecily Brown’s Black Paintings, a striking series begun in 2002, blend abstraction and figuration to explore themes of the female form, sexuality, and art history through a moody palette dominated by black. Drawing inspiration from 19th-century erotica and masters like Bosch, Goya, and Dutch still life painters, Brown creates canvases that are both intimate and enigmatic, where figures lie recumbent beneath dark, dreamlike skies. Reflecting on these works, Brown reveals how they embody a paradox of clarity and mystery, expressing a personal yet archetypal female experience. Now collaborating with Phaidon and Artspace to produce limited edition prints, she offers collectors not just a piece of art but a continuation of her creative dialogue—inviting us to place these evocative “bedroom paintings” into our own lives with a sense of intimacy and ease.

John Pawson, renowned for his minimalist architectural spaces that evoke spiritual simplicity, shares his nuanced relationship with art—both as an influence and as a challenge within his serene homes. Despite finding art disruptive to his minimal designs, he has carefully acquired pieces with deep personal and familial connections, favoring multiples by artists like Dan Flavin and Donald Judd that complement his ascetic surroundings. Pawson reflects on his artistic upbringing, memorable encounters with iconic works, and the stories behind his varied collection, which he approaches not as a traditional collector but as a custodian. Balancing seriousness with subtle playfulness, his selections reveal layers of craftsmanship and meaning, while his evolving perspective suggests a preference for spaces free of adornment, leaving his cherished pieces to be treasured by future generations.

Emily Bills, an expert in urban image-making and author of the monograph *Wayne Thom: Photographing the Late Modern*, explores the intersection of photography, architecture, and interior design through her personal admiration of influential artists like Carrie Mae Weems, Agnes Martin, Catherine Opie, Candida Höfer, and James Welling. She reflects on how Weems’ empathetic storytelling and thoughtful staging in the *Kitchen Table Series* shaped her own artistic path, while Agnes Martin’s minimalist work reveals new depths when thoughtfully curated in architectural space. Bills praises Opie’s vivid portrayal of everyday urban life and Welling’s imaginative reinterpretation of Philip Johnson’s Glass House, highlighting their unique abilities to blend person, place, and perception. She also celebrates Höfer’s mastery of one-point perspective and the quiet histories embedded in grand, empty spaces. Through her insights, Bills invites readers to reconsider the dialogue between art, space, and social narratives in the urban environment.

Emma Talbot’s art emerges from deeply personal experiences of love and loss, transforming intimate reflections into a unique visual language marked by stylized figures, rhythmic patterns, and expressive calligraphy. Her work, rooted in drawing as a spontaneous, exploratory act, has evolved from small, emotionally charged pieces into large-scale installations and multimedia projects that tackle universal themes like humanity’s future, nature, and digital addiction. Embracing immediacy and honesty, Talbot’s drawings reveal subconscious thoughts and invite viewers to connect with her narratives on identity and survival in a complex world. Featured in the new survey Vitamin D3: Today's Best in Contemporary Drawing, Talbot shares her process and insights, illustrating how drawing remains a vital, inventive tool for articulating inner and outer realities.