Phoenix Art Museum’s Asian galleries grows to 10,000 square feet after a $5 million donation.
The Phoenix Art Museum has received a $5 million gift from Arizona philanthropist Dr. Sukumar Nagendran to support acquisitions, research, and public programs, with a focus on South Asian and Sri Lankan art. As part of the gift, the museum’s Art of Asia galleries will expand from 6,000 to 10,000 square feet, and the space will be renamed the Dr. Sukumar Nagendran Wing for the Art of Asia. A new gallery within the wing, also named for Nagendran, will be dedicated to South Asian and Sri Lankan art. The museum’s Asian collection currently includes more than 4,000 historic and contemporary works. Nagendran is a physician and biotechnology executive who serves as president and head of research and development at Taysha Gene Therapies and has been connected to the museum for a decade. The Nagendran Gallery will open in November with an exhibition of work by Colombo-based artist Pala Pothupitiye, curated by Tushara Bindu Gude, pairing his work with historical Sri Lankan pieces from the collection.
Independent Art Fair sold to London-based conglomerate Informa.
Independent, the New York company behind the Independent Art Fair and Independent 20th Century, has been acquired by London-based events and publishing group Informa. Co-founder and creative director Elizabeth Dee will continue overseeing both fairs. With Informa as a partner, Independent is redefining the art fair by combining the feel of a museum exhibition with the energy of a marketplace. From the start, the fair positioned itself as an alternative to traditional contemporary art fairs, describing itself as a hybrid model and temporary exhibition forum. Informa runs trade shows and events around the world, including the Monaco Yacht Show and the Cannes Lions advertising festival, and employs more than 14,000 people in over 40 countries. The deal follows a year of change for both fairs. Independent moved to Pier 36 on the Lower East Side, while Independent 20th Century, founded in 2022 to showcase art from 1900 to 2000, relocated to the Sotheby’s-owned Breuer building.
The New Museum unveils themes and artists for its sixth triennial.
The New Museum has announced the 36 artists and collectives taking part in its sixth Triennial, “The Outside Expands,” which will run from February 4 to May 16, 2027, in the museum’s recently expanded building in New York. The exhibition is curated by Vivian Crockett of the New Museum and Isabella Rjeille of MASP in São Paulo, with Thalia Stefaniuk and Taeyi Kim, making it the first Triennial organized by an international curatorial team. The show will focus on artists who challenge fixed ideas of territory, identity, gender, and sexuality, and who explore alternative forms of kinship and collaboration. It is the most international edition yet, with only four participants from the U.S.
Former Burberry creative chief Christopher Bailey relaunches Burleigh online.
Christopher Bailey has unveiled a new website for Burleigh, the Staffordshire ceramics company he acquired with a small group of investors in June. It is the first visible step in his vision for England’s oldest continuously working Victorian pottery. The fully rebuilt site reads like an interiors magazine, bringing together Burleigh’s design direction, photography, and voice for the first time. It features new images by fashion photographer Chris Rhodes and interiors specialist Edward Rollitt, along with contributions from guest artists, designers, cooks, and collectors, including a look inside the home of creative adviser Elliott Smedley. There is also a spotlight on the makers at Middleport Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, where every piece is produced. Bailey said the goal was to express Burleigh’s character, English roots, and handmade skill more fully, calling the site a first step toward giving the house a clearer voice.
Philip Tinari named director of Tai Kwun Arts in Hong Kong.
Philip Tinari has been named director of Tai Kwun Arts in Hong Kong, less than a year after joining the arts and heritage center in a senior curatorial role. He succeeds longtime director Timothy Calnin, who will now oversee special projects, while Chin Chin Teoh becomes managing director of Tai Kwun. Tinari arrives with deep experience in China’s museum sector. He joined Beijing’s UCCA Center for Contemporary Art as director in 2011 and later became its CEO, leading more than 150 exhibitions, including shows of Yang Fudong, Cao Fei, William Kentridge, Anicka Yi, Picasso, Matisse, and Warhol. He also oversaw UCCA’s expansion to Shanghai, Beidaihe, and Yixing. Before that, he was a founding editor of the magazine Leap. Looking ahead to Tai Kwun’s 10th anniversary in 2028, Tinari said he hopes to bring heritage, contemporary art, and performing arts into closer dialogue and engage audiences in new ways.
Attractive Distractions:
Max Lehman fuses Maya and Aztec imagery with robotics in his new ceramic show.
Kustem’s Trolley Display turns the television into mobile furniture.
Zendaya restyles her Odyssey press tour look with jeans at Louis Vuitton SS27.
From India to Qatar, the world’s most beautiful flower-inspired buildings.
