At the inaugural Art Basel Awards, Cecilia Vicuña was named the organization’s Icon artist.
At Art Basel Miami Beach, the fair introduced its first-ever awards ceremony, a new addition to the week’s usual orbit of events. The program asked its initial group of honorees to select a slate of “gold” winners, culminating in Cecilia Vicuña receiving the top distinction as Art Basel’s Icon artist. The evening unfolded at the Gehry-designed New World Center, where artists, curators, and collectors gathered for a spirited program led by Swizz Beatz, with awards spanning artists at different career stages, cross-disciplinary practice, patronage, and institutional leadership. The night doubled as a snapshot of the art world’s current priorities—broader recognition, cultural stewardship, and a push for more inclusive visibility across the field.
The Row has joined Hermès and Goyard as one of the most “investment-worthy” luxury brands.
The Row has entered the top tier of luxury resale, joining Hermès and Goyard in Rebag’s “unicorn” category for brands that hold or exceed their original retail value. The platform’s 2025 Clair Report shows The Row’s bags now retain an average of 97 percent of their price, with some styles—like the N/S Park Tote—trading far above retail. Analysts attribute the surge to the label’s disciplined approach to craft and its resistance to trend cycles, qualities that continue to draw buyers amid broader pricing volatility. The ranking positions The Row alongside long-dominant heritage houses and underscores how its restrained design language has turned into measurable market power.
Audemars Piguet has acquired one of the most complicated timepieces ever made.
Audemars Piguet has secured the S. Smith & Son “Grosse Pièce,” a 1914–21 astronomical pocket watch long regarded as one of the most demanding projects in the company’s history. The 18k gold timepiece brings together 19 complications—including a tourbillon, a sky chart calibrated to London, multiple calendar systems, and a grande and petite sonnerie—making it the firm’s most elaborate creation of the 20th century. After decades out of public view and years in the Olmsted collection, it returned to the market at Sotheby’s in New York, where AP acquired it during its 150th anniversary year. The watch will now travel to AP Houses worldwide before entering the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet in Le Brassus.
Google has selected Warby Parker as its wearables partner for its A.I.-powered smart glasses.
Google tapped Warby Parker as its wearables partner for a new line of A.I.-driven smart glasses, setting a 2026 launch timeline. The project folds the eyewear brand’s design and fit expertise into Google’s broader push to regain ground in augmented reality after Meta’s and Apple’s early moves. The glasses will run on Google’s Android XR platform and Gemini, enabling voice-forward, screen-free assistance and, in some models, discreet in-lens displays for tasks like navigation or translation. Google also noted parallel work with Samsung and Gentle Monster as it tries to make smart eyewear viable for everyday use.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani declares New York City’s subway system his favorite museum.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani used a New York Times interview to name the subway as his favorite museum, pointing to the MTA’s extensive public art program and its ability to offer culture to anyone with a fare swipe. He highlighted how pieces by artists such as Faith Ringgold, Yoko Ono, Nick Cave, and Jeffrey Gibson turn stations into de facto galleries and make art feel woven into daily life. Mamdani also noted that his wife, illustrator Rama Duwaji, has shaped how he looks at art beyond formal institutions. Though he plans to visit the Museum of the Moving Image before leaving Astoria, he framed the subway as the city’s most democratic exhibition space.
Today’s attractive distractions:
Sabato De Sarno has a new gig: chronicling 2,500 years of Neapolitan arts.
At home, 2025 seemed to be the year of romanticism and Austen-esque interiors.
Williamsburg’s erstwhile Wythe diner was reinstalled at Steiner Studios.
Nan Goldin’s “The Ballad of Sexual Dependency” is making its U.K. debut at Gagosian.
