The Week in Art Art Basel Miami Beach, Louvre crisis deepens, Helene Schjerfbeck
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Dec 5, 2025 
Ben Sutton, Editor-in-chief at The Art Newspaper, and Kabir Jhala, art market editor, report live from Art Basel Miami Beach, discussing the fair's upbeat mood and standout sales, including a surprising $15 million Frida Kahlo. Vincent Noce highlights a deepening crisis at the Louvre due to staff strikes and operational issues, revealing the museum's financial missteps. Curator Dita Amory dives into Helene Schjerfbeck's evocative painting, The Tapestry, exploring its modernist style and personal narrative, shedding light on the artist's unique approach.
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Fair Layout Shift Puts Emerging Galleries Forward
- Art Basel repositioned sectors to highlight emerging galleries, trying to replicate Frieze's model.
- Ben Sutton notes the change aims to give younger galleries more visibility but its effect on footfall seemed limited.
Top-End Sales Don't Mean Broad Recovery
- Top-tier galleries reported strong sales at Miami, but reports are uneven across dealers and shouldn't be generalized.
- Ben Sutton and Kabir Jhala caution winners' loudness masks many underwhelming booths and ongoing market caution.
Tiny Frida Draws Huge Price Tag
- A tiny Frida Kahlo miniature was shown with a $15m asking price, reflecting Kahlo's surging market.
- Kabir Jhala found the high price surprising given the work's pocket-sized scale and remarkable provenance.
