To much fanfare, the Lucas Museum has finally announced an opening date of Sept. 2026.
After years of delays, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art has set an official opening date of September 22, 2026. Founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, the Los Angeles museum will house more than 40,000 works spanning fine art, illustration, film, and popular culture, including pieces by Frida Kahlo, Jacob Lawrence, and Norman Rockwell. Designed by Ma Yansong of MAD Architects, the project has faced repeated construction setbacks and leadership changes, including the departure of its founding director earlier this year. Lucas describes the institution as a “temple to the people’s art,” dedicated to storytelling as a universal form of cultural connection.
Antonin Tron has been named the new creative director of Balmain.
Balmain has appointed Antonin Tron as its new creative director, succeeding Olivier Rousteing after his unexpected departure. A graduate of Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Tron previously worked at Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Balenciaga, and Saint Laurent before founding his label Atlein in 2016. Known for his sculptural approach to draping and movement, he will now focus solely on Balmain, where his first collection will debut during Paris Fashion Week in March 2026. Balmain’s leadership described his appointment as a return to the house’s roots in craftsmanship and architectural elegance.
Art Basel Qatar is bringing the largest-yet fine art storage and logistics facility to the Gulf region.
QC+, a partner of Art Basel Qatar and Qatar Sports Investments, has announced plans to develop the Gulf’s largest fine art storage and logistics hub in collaboration with Gulf Warehousing Company. Located near Hamad International Airport in a free zone, the facility will offer secure art storage, conservation, and viewing services while allowing artworks to be traded outside Qatari customs territory. The project signals Qatar’s growing influence in the global art market and complements the forthcoming Art Basel Qatar fair. It also positions Doha alongside major art centers like Geneva and Singapore, which already host comparable freeports.
Brooke Wise has been named the chief curator of the Tom of Finland Foundation.
Brooke Wise has been appointed chief curator of the Tom of Finland Foundation, where she will oversee exhibitions, programs, and artist initiatives that expand the foundation’s mission of creative freedom and queer visibility. Known for her irreverent, interdisciplinary approach, Wise has worked across art, film, and philanthropy, including projects for Artsy and Planned Parenthood. Her curatorial vision emphasizes humor, accessibility, and resistance to censorship, positioning erotic art as a vital part of contemporary cultural dialogue.
Heritage is auctioning relics from the original ‘Wizard of Oz’ film.
Heritage Auctions will offer a trove of artifacts from The Wizard of Oz at its December sale in Dallas, including Margaret Hamilton’s screen-worn Wicked Witch hat and several Judy Garland wardrobe pieces. The Adrian-designed hat, one of few known to survive, still bears its original chinstrap used during the film’s flying sequences. Garland’s “rehearsal slipper,” her blue-trimmed organdy blouse, and a Wizard of Oz book inscribed by the actress and signed by the full cast—including Toto’s paw prints—also headline the sale. A 1918 letter from author L. Frank Baum and a commemorative pair of ruby slippers round out the offerings, which will be previewed in New York before the auction.
Today’s attractive distractions:
Come 2026, Audi will make its Formula 1 entrée.
Is fashion’s accessories boom a recession indicator, or something longer-lasting?
It took a year and a 153-book reading list to select this year’s Booker Prize-winner
In its Winter 2025 issue, Playboy revisits Jane Birkin’s 1970 feature.
