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- Who are the 10 top-selling living American artists?
- The Guardian takes its readers on a tour of Donald Judd’s Marfa creations.
- A federal judge has denied a motion to dismiss by Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean.
THE HEADLINES
TOP 10. The US art market led global sales in 2024, generating $4.3 billion, ahead of China and the UK, according to Artnet’s Auction Price Database. It comes as no surprise that many of the top-selling living artists at auction are American, ranging from influential figures like Jasper Johns and Ed Ruscha to crossover pop-culture names like KAWS. Artnet News has compiled a list of the 10 top-selling living American artists, with Jeff Koons topping the list. He’s the only artist of the 10 surpass $1 billion in auction sales, with his auction record at a staggering $91.1 million in 2019, the highest sum ever achieved for any living artist. At 95 years old, Johns, with 14 works selling for over $10 million, is the oldest on the list. The sole woman artist is to make the top 10 is Cindy Sherman. Rounding out the list are the likes of Christopher Wool, Richard Prince, and George Condo.
JUDD-ERNAUT. Tired of New York’s art world and drawn to architecture, Donald Judd relocated to Marfa, Texas, in 1971. What began as a desire for solitude turned into an obsessive pursuit: buying and transforming abandoned buildings into austere, minimalist installations, the Guardian reports. By the time of his death in 1994, Judd had acquired 22 sites (studios, warehouses, even banks) leaving behind both a visionary architectural legacy and substantial debt. Judd’s Marfa architecture office, housed in a former grocery store, has recently reopened after a $3.3 million restoration. Inside, it offers an intimate glimpse into his working process. Tables are covered with architectural models, tools, and sketches, while walls display technical drawings of his little-known but monumental Peter Merian Haus in Basel, Switzerland. Yet, the office also reveals Judd’s frustrations, critic Oliver Wainwright writes. A perfectionist in pursuit of formal purity, he struggled with the messy realities of construction—leaking roofs, cracking walls, and planning regulations.
THE DIGEST
A federal judge has ruled that music producer and top collector Kasseem Dean, aka “Swiss Beatz,” must remain a defendant in a bankruptcy case related to the high-profile 1MBD scandal. The suit will now head to the discovery portion of the proceedings. [ARTnews]
For years, Michaelina Wautier’s paintings were attributed to men. Then a chance discovery in a Vienna museum helped bring the truth to light. [The New York Times]
After abandoning a costly design by Swiss starchitects, the Vancouver Art Gallery has picked Vancouver-based Formline Architecture and Toronto-based KPMB Architects to take on the project. [The Art Newspaper]
For New York magazine, media columnist Charlotte Klein takes a look at the rise of Cultured magazine, which she describes as being “more of a high-end lifestyle brand with a publishing arm” that is known for its “well-curated events that manage to convene people of influence.” [Intelligencer]
THE KICKER
SUITE DREAMS. The publication Hotel Design has told the Louvre “to move over,” because this fall, two of Paris’ most iconic hotels are transforming into immersive art destinations. Under the direction of Philippe Leboeuf, the Dorchester Collection is turning hospitality into a platform for bold creative expression. At Hôtel Plaza Athénée, the multidisciplinary collective Uchronia has reimagined La Cour Jardin with a surreal installation titled Day Bed, an oversized striped bed, raised on a platform and flanked by jagged red and green pillars. Until November 11, guests can step into this dreamlike environment. Across town at Le Meurice, Suite 1835 offers an entirely different experience. Open from October 8 to December 31, the suite has been transformed by design label Things From into a sensory art experience. Featuring custom furniture by Isska , interactive lighting, and a central aluminum “carpet” with integrated sound and light elements, the suite invites deep exploration. A mirrored meditation room with AI-generated visuals and soundscapes completes this high-tech retreat. Despite their avant-garde flair, both installations apparently retain the luxury and refinement of their settings, showing the Dorchester Collection’s commitment to merging “art in all its forms,” Hotel Design writes.
