Metropolitan Museum Receives 6,500-Photo Bequest, Art Basel Awards Asian Artists, Bahrain Wins Venice Golden Lion
Artur Walther's foundation has made a significant contribution to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, donating approximately 6,500 photographs featuring renowned artists like Ai Weiwei, Zhang Huan, and Yang Fudong. Max Hollein, the museum's director, highlighted the global significance of this collection. Some selected African photographs will be displayed in the newly updated Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, while others will be part of the Oscar L. Tang and H.M. Agnes Hsu-Tang Wing, which is expected to debut in 2030. Meanwhile, Art Basel announced 36 winners for its inaugural Art Basel Awards on May 15, with the ceremony happening on June 19. Bahrain's pavilion, Heatwave, received the 2025 Golden Lion at the Venice Architecture Biennale. The second Tehran Biennale is scheduled for May 29–31, and winners of the 2025 Bayside Painting Prize were revealed by Bayside Gallery in Melbourne.
Key facts
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art received a donation of 6,500 photographs from Artur Walther and the Walther Family Foundation.
- The collection includes works by Chinese artists Ai Weiwei, Zhang Huan, and Yang Fudong.
- Met director Max Hollein emphasized the bequest's global scope and quality.
- Art Basel announced 36 winners for its inaugural Art Basel Awards on May 15.
- Asian awardees include Saodat Ismailova, Pan Daijing, Cao Fei, and Ho Tzu Nyen.
- Bahrain's pavilion Heatwave won the Golden Lion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.
- The Tehran Biennale returns for its second edition from May 29–31, curated by Erfan Ghiasi.
- Steven Rendall and Ella Dunn won the 2025 Bayside Painting Prize's Major Prize.
Entities
Artists
- Ai Weiwei
- Zhang Huan
- Yang Fudong
- Saodat Ismailova
- Pan Daijing
- Cao Fei
- Ho Tzu Nyen
- Andrea Faraguna
- Wafa Al Ghatam
- Eman Ali
- Alexander Puzrin
- Mario Monottoi
- Hans Ulrich Obrist
- Paola Antonelli
- Mpho Matsipa
- Erfan Ghiasi
- Zahra Bagheri
- Mahsa Karimizadeh
- Mona Moghaddam
- Ana María Montenegro
- Zahra Mosaddeq
- Bolun Shen
- Francia Villabona Triana
- Steven Rendall
- Ella Dunn
- Michelle Ussher
Institutions
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Walther Family Foundation
- Art Basel
- Kunstmuseum Basel
- Venice Architecture Biennale
- Tehran Biennale
- BO—The Association of Visual Artists Oslo
- New Centre for Research and Practice
- Bayside Gallery
Locations
- New York
- United States
- China
- Japan
- Africa
- Germany
- Americas
- Uzbekistan
- Berlin
- Singapore
- Bahrain
- Venice
- Italy
- Switzerland
- South Africa
- Tehran
- Iran
- Colombia
- Oslo
- Norway
- Melbourne
- Australia