Art Movements: Knights, Presidents, and Crooks
Christie’s auctions off a painting by Jimmy Carter, Trump sells a painting of Jesus, King Charles hands out honors, and more.
III Art Movements, published every Thursday afternoon, is a roundup of must-know news, appointments, awards, and other happenings in today’s chaotic art world.
Christie's Gets Presidential
As 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the auction house Christie's is hosting multiple auctions later this month as part of "Americana Week." Was I the only one who didn't know that Jimmy Carter was also a painter? The lots include a painting by that president, Gilbert Stuart's portrait of George Washington for James Madison, and Grant Wood's original study for "American Gothic" (1930) — a title that feels like it suits this anniversary the best.
Trump Celebrates the New Year By Auctioning Off Jesus
Nothing says "Happy New Year" like a blue-eyed, live-painted likeness of Jesus Christ. Speaking of presidents, that's exactly how Trump ushered in 2026 at Mar-a-Lago: with Christian worship painter Vanessa Horabuena's 10-minute performance featuring religious music, capped off with an auction of the finished work, which sold for $2.75 million.
Wild Moves at Wildenstein & Co.
Guy Wildenstein resigned as president of Wildenstein & Co. after 35 years, following a 2024 conviction for what prosecutors called one of the longest-running and most sophisticated tax frauds in modern France. He told reporters that the two events are unrelated. Kind of like how the Titanic and icebergs are unrelated.
Transitions
- Julie Jones was appointed director of the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris.
- Amy Sillman is now represented by David Zwirner Gallery, departing from Gladstone Gallery.
- Kevin Umaña is now represented by The Pit gallery in Los Angeles.
Awards
- Tristram Hunt, director of London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, has been knighted by King Charles III of Great Britain. Former museum director Ekow Eshun, art historian Marcia Pointon, and museum directors Janet Blake and Jo Quinton-Tulloch were named Officers of the Order of the British Empire. Nonprofit director Susan Bowers was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire, and charity director Hilary McGrady received a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
- Evelyn Patricia Terry and Della Wells won Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowships for Individual Artists in the Established Artist category. Nomka Enkhee, Laura Farahzad Mayer, and Yinan Wang received awards in the Emerging Artist category.
