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Last Judgment, Sistine Chapel, 1536-1541
Michelangelo Buonarroti

Art History 101

The Sistine Chapel has been closed as Vatican City prepares for the gathering of cardinals who will vote to elect a new pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21st. The closure is part of a wider shutdown of the Vatican Museums, which have not announced when they will reopen. The papal election, known as the conclave, is set to begin on May 7th, following informal meetings among cardinals that began shortly after Francis’s funeral on April 26th.

The conclave invites some 135 members of the College of Cardinals—those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote—to the Vatican City. The election has no fixed duration. The last conclave, which elected Pope Francis in 2013, concluded in under 27 hours. The Sistine Chapel has served as the site of the conclave since 1492.

The Sistine Chapel is one of the Vatican’s most visited landmarks, featuring some of Michelangelo’s most renowned frescoes. The ceiling, completed between 1508 and 1512 during the reign of Pope Julius II, depicts scenes from the Old Testament, including The Creation of Adam and The Separation of Light from Darkness. The chapel itself was commissioned by Julius’s uncle, Pope Sixtus IV, who the chapel is named after.

Concurrently, 25 drawings by Michelangelo for the Sistine Chapel are on display in the United States at the Muscarelle Museum of Art at the College of William & Mary. These works are on view until May 28th as part of an exhibition titled “Michelangelo: The Genesis of the Sistine.”

The Vatican Museums, which house a vast collection of classical and Renaissance works, are among the most visited museums in the world. Highlights include works by Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, and ancient Roman sculptures, among others. The museums are also home to several works by modern artists, such as Paul Gauguin and Pablo Picasso. Their closure coincides with the traditional nine-day mourning period following the death of a pope.

The pope serves as the proprietor of the museums and has ultimate authority over their administration. The closure of the Sistine Chapel and the broader museum complex allows the Vatican to secure the site for the secretive voting process.

Interest in the current conclave process has been amplified by Conclave (2024), a fictional drama starring Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci. The film, which portrays the inner workings of an election of a new pope, has led to widespread interest in the process behind the conclave.

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Marina Abramović built her career by testing the limits of the body. Now, she’s testing what digital art can do. On this episode of The Artsy Podcast, the groundbreaking performance artist joins us for a conversation about launching her new NFT project, bringing mindfulness to the digital realm, and using her work to reach across generational divides.

Plus, Artsy editors Casey Lesser and Arun Kakar break down everything you need to know about Frieze Week in New York—a period packed with art fairs, gallery openings, and can’t-miss museum shows. Listen now, and read an edited excerpt of the conversation with Abramović below.

This episode was recorded by Alex Kenning, produced by Olivia Horn and Grant Irving, and edited by Grant Irving.

Arun Kakar: You’ve described your NFT project as a way of connecting with the public. How did you first arrive at this idea?

Marina Abramović: First of all, I started as a painter. And the painter is very lonely, because you’re inside the studio, you paint, then the painting leaves the studio, goes to the gallery. You hang the painting in the gallery and then there is not anything to do with the public. The public, for you, doesn’t exist, because people come to see the work hang on the wall.

But the first time I found the medium of performance, that was such a strong moment in my life that I felt electricity through my entire being. I knew that it was so much more intense and interesting. I could not ever go back to the studio and make normal paintings, which I never actually did. And I stopped painting when I was in my early twenties.

The nature of performance is immaterial, you know, you have to be there to experience it. And what you can do with this immateriality is actually reach people’s emotions. One thing that I connect with, from the very early time of my performance, is the young public. My public is 14 years old, 15, 16, 17—extremely young. And when you see this young public, they all have an addiction to technology and to the digital world. But there’s something immaterial, something emotional in my work to attract them.

But I was thinking, how can I even get closer to this audience? How can I create something in their own digital world, to give them a kind of meditative state of mind? I wanted to show them there’s also other ways. I wanted them to know what it means to be silent; what it means to do absolutely nothing; what it means to be present. So that was one really attractive reason for me to get into this world.

A.K.: It’s fascinating, the convergence between your life, the digital realm, and also the spiritual aspect of it. How do you kind of see those forces working together in this project?

M.A.: Absolutely in harmony. I’m so interested in the idea of an avatar. Avatars have kind of supernatural powers, which normal people don’t. And my work really was dealing, all my life, with the limits of the human body—how far it can go without being killed, or how far consciousness can go. Endurance, long durational work, and so on.

But still, me, as a human being—I still can’t fly. I can’t walk on the fire. I can’t levitate. All of this stuff my avatar can do. I have now this kind of super avatar of myself that can do all of this and just also play. Something with the digital world that’s incredibly important is the act of playing.

About our guest

Marina Abramović is perhaps the most famous performance artist working today. Employing duration, pain, danger, exhaustion, and viewer participation, she works at extremes and complicates the relationship between art and audience. Abramović exhibited at Documenta in 1977, 1982, and 1992, and at the Venice Biennale in 1976 and 1997, when she was awarded the Golden Lion. In her famous 2010 Museum of Modern Art retrospective, “The Artist Is Present,” visitors sat across from Abramović in silent communion. More recently, she became the first woman artist to stage a solo exhibition in the Royal Academy’s main galleries in the institution’s 255-year history. Abramović is the founder of the Marina Abramović Institute, which promotes performance art globally.

About The Artsy Podcast

As editors at the world’s largest online art marketplace, we discover and decode art every day. Now, we’re inviting you to join our conversation. Alongside the leading voices in fashion, music, design, and beyond, we’re untangling the art world and its role in our cultural landscape—one episode at a time.

The post Jackie Anderson: Where Fluid Memory Meets Bold Abstraction appeared first on AATONAU.

A major survey of Do Ho Suh’s work is open now at Tate Modern in London.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article To ‘Walk the House,’ Do Ho Suh Traverses Memory and Perceptions of Home appeared first on Colossal.

Galleries are a crucial gateway to discovering and purchasing art. They platform new artists and nurture their careers, helping to build their audience and sell their works to buyers.

But to the uninitiated, galleries can appear inaccessible. Galleries are often quiet, sterile spaces. Some art enthusiasts might not realize that galleries have public hours and are free to enter.

These barriers to entry can help perpetuate an air of exclusivity, but speaking with a gallery is important to understand how to make the best choices when it comes to collecting at any level. This information is particularly important for new buyers: The best way to know how and what to buy is to ask questions.

“There are no stupid questions,” said Joseph Clarke, gallery director of Anima Mundi. “Ignorance isn’t about not knowing the answer; it is about not asking the question.”

Ultimately, the more knowledge a buyer gains, the better equipped they are to build a collection that suits their interests and budget.

Here are six questions every new collector should ask a gallery, whether visiting in person or interacting online.

1. How much does this cost?

Gallery Panorama 5, 2017
Rose Blake

Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery

It might sound simple, but asking the price of an artist’s work can be necessary, as it’s well known that many galleries don’t advertise this information.

“The ‘smokescreens’ of the art world can create an intimidating environment, the result of which is indignation or a clamming up of the viewer,” said Clarke. Omitting prices is often viewed as a tactic to lend an air of mystery and purported importance to a work.

Still, having to ask for an artwork’s price can present an opportunity to connect with galleries.

“When I first started collecting, all I would see were the lists with no prices and I thought it was some kind of secret, or that it was impolite to inquire about pricing,” said Ellen-Blair Chube, a collector and trustee of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. “But you have to understand the market for any artist if you are going to consider it for your collection, and if it fits in your budget, so just ask!”

Even if the particular work isn’t a fit, knowing how it is priced can provide a point of reference when looking at other works by an artist. Understanding pricing is particularly important for buyers considering artworks as investments, as galleries can offer confidence in the long-term value.

It is also useful to ask how a gallery determined the price, and a reputable dealer should be able to provide context and comparables.

2. Where is this artwork from?

Question ?, 1989
Ed Ruscha

Dallas Collectors Club

For secondary market artworks, meaning those with prior ownership, it’s important to ask a gallery about provenance. “For buyers considering works on the secondary market, asking about provenance is crucial,” said Madelyn Jordon, founder of Madelyn Jordon Fine Art.

Provenance refers to an artwork’s record of ownership and can be a guide to its authenticity and quality. When asked, a gallery should be able to provide the names and locations of previous owners, as well as when and where they purchased the work, tracing how the piece changed hands over time. “Provenance provides insight into the artwork’s history, which can influence its significance and value,” said Jordon. “Inquire whether the piece has been part of prominent collections, as this can enhance its desirability.”

The amount of information on particular artworks can vary, but a good gallery will ensure as much as possible is available. “A reputable gallery often has a direct relationship with the artist or their estate, which ensures transparency and traceability—aspects that are not always guaranteed when buying at auction, for example,” said Mark Hachem, founder of Mark Hachem Gallery. Knowing the provenance is key to ensuring a piece is being lawfully sold now and has been throughout its history.

3. What condition is the artwork in?

Reporte de condición (Condition Report), 2022
Marco Treviño

Proyecto Paralelo

Art buyers should ask about the condition of a work, another factor that is increasingly important when buying on the secondary market. Dealers can provide condition reports, which include details of any damage or wear documented in writing and sometimes with accompanying photographs. These reports can also include details on how to live with the work itself.

“We recently worked with a first-time collector who was considering acquiring a kinetic sculpture,” said Hachem, referring to sculptures that have moving components, such as a windmill. “They initially fell in love with the aesthetic, but had concerns about the technical upkeep. Our team explained the condition and mechanical elements of the work, and offered long-term support, including future maintenance and potential restoration.”

4. Where has this artwork been shown?

Similar to provenance, the exhibition history of an artwork can enrich its legacy if, for example, an artist or piece has been on view in a major museum.

“I’d ask: What group exhibitions has this artist been in?,” said Peter Bentley Brandt, a collector and arts patron who serves on several boards and committees, including the Education Committee at the Guggenheim Museum. “These shows illustrate who is really paying attention to the artist, which includes other galleries, museums, curators, and collectors.”

Knowing who is exhibiting an artist can also shed light on the longevity of their career. “I’ve seen plenty of artists whose markets took off quickly, only to stall out just as fast,” Brandt explained. “On the other hand, I’ve followed artists who were quietly included in meaningful programs and exhibitions–maybe not in the spotlight right away, but gradually building a foundation. Years later, their work has held up and matured, often with strong backing from collectors and institutions.”

5. Why did the artist make this work?

Study for Colour Mixing, 2022
Anna Freeman Bentley

Frestonian Gallery

While an artwork’s market value is important to understand—and might be the leading factor for some buyers—it’s also beneficial to know the intentions of an artist. Asking questions like why an artist made a work and what message they hope to convey can help buyers learn more about potential acquisitions.

“It is important to us that the collector has a relationship with the work of art that resonates beyond the surface level to reach that deeper human level,” said Clarke. “As a gallery, we are a conduit to establish that relationship. The ability to add clarity, honesty, and an unguarded openness, so that the collector can understand the ‘whys’ that lay beneath the ‘whats’ is a huge part of our role.”

Clarke suggested asking questions that “contemplate the symbolic, psychological, spiritual, or emotional depths” of an artwork.

6. What is the gallery’s mission?

Buyers should form relationships with galleries to ensure that they are reputable and have the best interests of both the artist and the buyer in mind. “It’s important to consider a gallery in the broader ecosystem of the art world,” said Brandt. “Is the gallery engaging with curators, institutions, or international clients and advisors? Active participation and purposeful relationship building beyond a local collector base often point to a program of merit and long-term relevance.”

Asking questions of a gallery also ensures that a dealer is invested in an artist’s career. Chube suggested asking: “How long have you been working with this artist? What about their work spoke to you, and how do they fit into your overall program? What do you see or hope for the trajectory of this artist over the next year, three years, five years, beyond? Understanding the gallery’s approach, motivation, and how they treat or speak about their artists is important.”

Moreover, galleries should want to sell to reputable clients, which can protect artists from unscrupulous resale practices. “Many galleries ‘place’ certain pieces with collectors who they think are serious about the artist and will give the work a good home,” Chube said. “You don’t know the answers to these questions just by dropping by a [gallery or] booth once. Spend the time to develop relationships, enjoy the learning process!”

This article is part of Artsy’s Collecting 101 hub, which features resources on everything you need to know about buying art. Explore more of Collecting 101.