Hublot and Jeff Koons Launch Balloon Dog Watch, Uzbekistan Opens First Contemporary Art Museum, and More
The Classic Fusion Balloon Dog watch, created by Hublot in collaboration with Jeff Koons, draws inspiration from the artist's balloon sculptures and is available in three editions of 200 pieces each. The 42mm case showcases inflated geometries, and Koons noted that the colors symbolize optimism and a connection through time. Uzbekistan's first permanent contemporary art museum, the Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent, has opened in a refurbished tram depot from 1912, featuring exhibition galleries and artist residency areas. The inaugural exhibition, titled "Hikmah," was curated by Sara Raza. At the Vatican Apostolic Library, Pope Leo XIV launched "AQVA. Catastrophe and Wonder," highlighting JR's installation Diluvium. The 2027 fair of the International Fine Prints & Drawings Association will host 76 exhibitors, marking a notable increase since 2024. Unionized workers at the Whitney Museum, Brooklyn Museum, and American Folk Art Museum have voted to authorize strike action amid ongoing contract negotiations.
Key facts
- Hublot and Jeff Koons unveiled the Classic Fusion Balloon Dog watch in three editions, each limited to 200 pieces.
- The Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent opened in a restored 1912 tram depot designed by Wilhelm Heinzelmann and reimagined by Studio KO.
- Sara Raza is the artistic director and chief curator of the Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent and organized its inaugural exhibition "Hikmah."
- JR's installation Diluvium at the Vatican Apostolic Library is the first site-specific artwork commissioned for the library's 16th-century exterior.
- The exhibition "AQVA. Catastrophe and Wonder" at the Vatican Apostolic Library is on view through May 14, 2027.
- The IFPDA's 2027 fair will feature 76 exhibitors, a more than 20 percent increase from 2024, with drawings making up about a quarter of the fair.
- Unionized staff at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and the American Folk Art Museum voted to authorize strikes.
- The three museum unions are organized with United Auto Workers Local 2110 and noted major exhibition openings in early October.
Entities
Artists
- Jeff Koons
- Wilhelm Heinzelmann
- Sara Raza
- JR
- Gustave Doré
- Bill Moran
- Ippolito Salviani
- Louis Fratino
- Vivian Maier
- Brad Walls
- Clive Davis
- David Hockney
- Pope Leo XIV
Institutions
- Hublot
- Surface
- Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent
- Studio KO
- State Museum of Arts of Karakalpakstan
- Vatican Apostolic Library
- International Fine Prints & Drawings Association
- White Cube
- Gladstone
- Sikkema Malloy Jenkins
- Nancy Hoffman Gallery
- Jill Newhouse Gallery
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- Brooklyn Museum
- American Folk Art Museum
- United Auto Workers Local 2110
- Guggenheim Museum
- Fotografiska Tallinn
- AmaMelodia
- Eurostar
- Chanel
- Maison Michel
- The Met
- Salone del Mobile
- Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
- Studio MUKA
- DRIFT
- Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
- Tiffany & Co.
- Apple
Locations
- Tashkent
- Uzbekistan
- Paris
- France
- Vatican City
- New York City
- United States
- Tallinn
- Estonia
- Colombia
- Magdalena River
- Riyadh
- Saudi Arabia
- Santa Monica
- California