David Bowie’s “Aladdin Sane” has broken auction records for album cover art.
The original dye transfer print for David Bowie’s 1973 album Aladdin Sane sold for $497,088 at Bonhams London, setting a new auction record for album cover art and for its photographer, Brian Duffy. The image—featuring Bowie with a red-and-blue lightning bolt painted by makeup artist Pierre La Roche—has long been regarded as one of music’s most recognizable portraits. The print was the centerpiece of Bonhams’s “The Mona Lisa of Pop: The Duffy Archive” sale, which also included original contact sheets and the stool used during the shoot. The result surpasses the previous record of $325,000 set in 2020 for Led Zeppelin’s debut album cover.
LACMA leadership has declined to voluntarily recognize museum staffers’ union, LACMA United.
Leadership at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art has declined to voluntarily recognize LACMA United, the newly formed union representing hundreds of staff members, opting instead for a National Labor Relations Board election. The move delays the union’s certification, as NLRB elections are on hold during the federal government shutdown. Organized with AFSCME Cultural Workers United District Council 36, the union is seeking fairer pay, expanded benefits, and greater transparency amid rising living costs and increased workloads. In response, LACMA United filed with the California Public Employment Relations Board, arguing that the museum’s county-funded status classifies its employees as part of the public sector.
San Francisco’s Art Commission has voted to dismantle the Brutalist Vaillancourt Fountain.
San Francisco’s Arts Commission has voted 8–5 to dismantle and store the Vaillancourt Fountain, citing safety concerns tied to its deteriorating condition. Designed in 1971 by Armand Vaillancourt, the massive Brutalist structure has sat dry since 2024, when the city began assessing its aging systems. The decision clears the way for a $32.5 million overhaul of Embarcadero Plaza, which will be redeveloped into a five-acre park. Vaillancourt, now 96, has 90 days to remove the fountain himself under the California Art Preservation Act.
The U.S. cannot seem to confirm who, exactly, will represent the country at the Venice Biennale.
The State Department has yet to confirm who will represent the U.S. at the 2026 Venice Biennale, leaving the country’s participation uncertain. Sculptor Alma Allen is rumored to have been selected, but an official announcement cannot be made during the government shutdown. Earlier negotiations with artist Robert Lazzarini collapsed after funding disputes between his team, the University of South Florida, and federal officials. The delay follows a controversial shift in oversight from the National Endowment for the Arts to the State Department, whose new rules bar proposals tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
A French national audit has revealed that the Louvre’s security issues will take years to fix.
A national audit has found that the Louvre’s outdated security systems will take nearly a decade to modernize, with upgrades not expected to be complete until 2032. The report revealed that fewer than half of the museum’s galleries are equipped with cameras and criticized leadership for prioritizing acquisitions and public-facing projects over maintenance and safety. Auditors urged the museum to redirect spending toward security and infrastructure, calling the recent jewel theft a wake-up call for French authorities. Louvre director Laurence des Cars acknowledged that existing systems are inadequate but said new security measures and facility upgrades are underway.
Today’s attractive distractions:
In the Marais, Reformation’s first Parisian flagship exudes elegance with a wink.
See inside the studio of one of New York’s favorite florists, a rising star in Paris.
At the Japan Mobility show, Honda’s futuristic EV motorbike evoked Akira.
And, with her new holiday album, Chloe Flower fêtes women composers.
