ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Sotheby's $50M Pollock Auction Fails; Pace Downsizes; British Art Fair Returns

market-auction · 2026-06-08

On June 2, Sotheby's held a private auction for Jackson Pollock's Number 19, 1951, which is owned by Arne Glimcher, the founder of Pace Gallery, with a starting price of $50 million. However, the auction failed due to a lack of bidders, leading CEO Marc Glimcher to declare that the gallery model is 'broken.' The British Art Fair is set to return to Saatchi Gallery in London from September 24–27, featuring 74 exhibitors. On June 24, Sotheby's London will conduct the Lewis Collection sale, showcasing Amedeo Modigliani's Nu assis au collier (1917), with an estimated value exceeding £45 million. Additionally, Freeman's has appointed Muys Snijders as CEO, while the Kennedy Center staff removed Trump references following a court decision. Crystal Bridges Museum has unveiled a 114,000-square-foot expansion. Hilde Lynn Helphenstein, known as Jerry Gogosian, passed away at 40.

Key facts

  • Sotheby's private auction of Jackson Pollock's Number 19, 1951, owned by Arne Glimcher, failed on June 2 due to lack of bidders.
  • Pace Gallery downsized, cutting 50 artists and laying off 50 staff; CEO Marc Glimcher called the gallery model 'unfixable.'
  • British Art Fair runs September 24–27 at Saatchi Gallery with 74 exhibitors.
  • Sotheby's London Lewis Collection sale includes Modigliani's Nu assis au collier estimated at £45 million, June 24.
  • Freeman's appointed Muys Snijders as CEO.
  • Rana Begum joined Lehmann Maupin; Keita Morimoto joined Almine Rech; Mimi Lauter joined Matthew Brown; Andrehn-Schiptjenko now reps Dev Dhunsi.
  • Kennedy Center removed Trump references after court ruling; Trump threatened congressional action.
  • France's Louvre heist investigation extended to Belgium.
  • Crystal Bridges Museum opened 114,000-square-foot expansion by Safdie Architects.
  • Philippe Vergne appointed director of Bass Museum; Makeda Best joins MoMA as photography curator.
  • Nearly 100 Venice Biennale artists threatened legal action over Visitors' Lion Awards.
  • Monet heirs' complaint against Wildenstein & Co. allowed to proceed in French court.
  • Triennale Milano named Vincenzo Trione president, Maria Porro vice president.
  • Kulapat Yantrasast appointed artistic director of 2027 Bukhara Biennial.
  • Hilde Lynn Helphenstein (Jerry Gogosian) died at 40.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

Locations

  • Manhattan
  • New York
  • United States
  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • Paris
  • France
  • Stockholm
  • Sweden
  • Los Angeles
  • Washington D.C.
  • Belgium
  • Miami Beach
  • Florida
  • Normandy
  • Milan
  • Italy
  • Bukhara
  • Uzbekistan

Sources