In the past year, the art world has watched trends rise and fall, many of them shaped by the political and social forces that define 2025. Between taxes, a sluggish economy, climate change and the endless agendas of the Trump administration, the sector has taken a clear hit. Debates over freedom of expression and research intensified, galleries closed, art dealers sued each other and auction records were broken, as some artists moved on while others struggled to simply move on. In that chaos, Baba was there to trace the unforgettable moments of 2025—and the ones we’d rather forget. The year left me with a lot to unpack, and what follows are the defining art world moments of 2025, in no particular order.
Jason Farago’s open admission of well-deserved exhaustion
This year, critics finally said what many of us have been thinking for the past few cycles: art shows are boring. What once felt important now often feels like another obligation, and the spectacle is multiplying. That impotence was most vividly expressed in Jason Farago’s analysis of the Art Basel trifecta in the silent removal of the show’s predictability. By analyzing what Basel, Paris, Miami and Hong Kong each reliably deliver, Farago revealed how common the experience has become, with branding and scale growing through risk, discovery or intellectual wonder.
That criticism carried over to this month’s Miami Basel fairs, many of which lingered on the subtlest and most extreme, from theatrics to overproduced booths to the glittering glamor of cultural engagement. Reading them, I kept coming back to a question that once felt awkward but now seems inevitable: Is Art Basel Miami Beach smart, and are we finally allowed to admit it? What was once defended as playful maximalism is now in danger of looking empty, and the fact that critics are willing to name such a change suggests something deeper than fatigue and points to a growing discomfort with the ideal model itself.
The Guggenheim-Asher Implosion
This was one of the most unsolved cases in the art world over the years. Former business partners Barbara Guggenheim and Abigail Asher sued each other after nearly 40 years in business, and the details were not clear. Guggenheim filed a complaint in August 2024 that became public in 2025, accusing Asher of misappropriating more than $20.5 million in company profits for his own personal use. The case is alleged that the company’s money is used for rent, dinner bills, house repairs, including the roof and living quarters of the European Health club. Guggenheim also claimed that Asher secretly founded a competing business, the Asher Art Group, in 2023 to divert customers and revenue, and that spyware was installed on Asher’s computer to monitor these activities.
Asher filed a lawsuit in July 2025 denying the claims and accusing Guggenheim of decades of unethical behavior. She alleges that Guggenheim pressured her to wear leather and be sensual and sleep with clients to secure business. The lawsuit also alleges that Guggenheim encouraged him to form a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in order to gain access to wealthy contacts. Asher also alleged that Guggenheim treated the hard cash as a personal fund, listing expenses for luxury cars, including two Bentleys, $36,000 for Guggenheim’s late husband’s funeral, and expenses related to African safaris, spa trips and dance lessons. The counterclaim also referenced a 1989 lawsuit in which Sylvester Stallone sued Guggenheim for overcharging him for a damaged painting, the alleged conflict of interest was not disclosed. Together, the files reveal a disturbing picture of power, exploitation and unchecked behavior at the highest levels of art consultancy.
The end of the Lowry era at MoMA
In September, Glenn D. Lowry stepped down as director of the Museum of Modern Art after a 30-year tenure, making him the longest-serving director in the museum’s history. His departure marked the end of an era and soon began a long search for his successor. What followed was nearly a full year of speculation, leaks and rumors in the wild art world, as MoMA struggled to show what kind of future it wanted.
At one point, speculation that Thelma Golden might be involved caused consternation in the arena. His appointment would represent a major shift in the institution’s priorities at a time when MoMA has faced ongoing criticism about equality and compatibility. That possibility ended up fading, and the museum came to the decision of the institution predicted by Christophe Cherix. The decision reassured trustees and emphasized continuity, while raising questions about whether major institutions are willing to take real risks at a time when the arts sector is clearly seeking change.
Trump’s attack on the arts
From Sally Mann’s photos being removed from a Texas museum in January to Amy Sherald’s controversy surrounding Trans forming Liberty paintings and the Smithsonian, artists and institutions across the United States find themselves in unprecedented situations created by sweeping changes under the Trump administration aimed at dismantling DEI’s efforts and silencing marginalized communities.
Things came to a head when the administration issued an executive order titled Restoring Truth and Innocence in American History, which was widely interpreted as an attempt to reshape the cultural narrative at the institutional level. In response, more than 800 artists, cultural workers and institutions signed the Collective Courage petition in August, marking one of the most visible moments of collective resistance in the cultural sector in recent years.
Daddy Deathpocalypse
One of the biggest shake-ups in the art world this year has been high-profile gallery closings. What I called the ‘Daddy Deathpocalypse’ saw the closure of at least five major galleries, with some of the blue-chip and mid-tier galleries closing strategic outlets. In March, Mitchell-Innes and Nash closed to become a consultancy on the project, and we’re still trying to figure out what that actually means.
That same month, Blum announced the closure of its locations in Los Angeles and Tokyo. At first glance, it sounded like a great exit, but further investigation revealed that the gallery was closed in a way that left staff and artists scrambling to figure out what to do next. Venus Over Manhattan closed after 14 years, followed in August by another major change with the closing of CLEARING and Tanya Bonakdar closing her Los Angeles facility. Other galleries followed suit, making this mass exodus not so much a trend but a systematic explosion that shook the gallery ecosystem to its core and forced many to rethink sustainability and scale.
Extreme November Sale
In November, the auction world was graced with several major sales that often only happen once in a lifetime. Gustav Klimt’s portrait of Elizabeth Lederer sold for more than $230 million. This painting used to belong to Barbra Streisand, which adds to the spectacle. That same week, Frida Kahlo’s El sueño (La cama) grossed $54 million, the highest ever for a female artist.
Cecily Brown also set a new record there High Society sold for $9.81 million at Sotheby’s Now and Contemporary auction, surpassing its previous record of $6.78 million set in 2018. This sale was historic, but it was not the whole picture of the art market. While the highs are rising, most of the market has continued to struggle.
The soft power of the Gulf shines through
The region experienced the fastest expansion the art world has seen in decades by 2025. From major auction houses such as the opening of Sotheby’s luxury properties in Abu Dhabi to high-profile art world players such as former MoMA director Glenn Lowry who is reportedly consulting with major museums slated to open in the region to the upcoming Art Basel edition in Qatar-
There have been several museum openings alongside major announcements, including the Zayed National Museum showcasing Emirati history, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and the ongoing expansion of the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Will the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi ever open? Who knows, but with this rapid construction, the Gulf has become one of the fastest growing cultural areas in the world. What this expansion of global cultural power means is still an open question.
The unexpected passing of Koyo Kouoh
In a year marked by decline, instability and institutional backsliding, Koyo Kouoh’s vision of care was different. His work has consistently pushed for the global visibility of contemporary African and diasporic art, not as a geographic category but as a way to rethink how the art world understands power, history, and collective knowledge. In December 2024, she made history as the first African woman appointed to head the international exhibition of the Venice Biennale, a role she achieved with the clear goal of going beyond national frameworks towards art that reflects a shared human imagination.
After his sudden death in May 2025, the board of the Biennale announced that it will realize his vision for the 61st edition, entitled. In Minor Keysfocusing on the silent registers of relational resistance. Kouoh’s work included major exhibitions including EVA International in 2016 and documenta 12 and 13, as well as the creation of an institution with RAW Material Company in Dakar and his leadership at Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town. In a year when much of the arts industry feels active and in decline, his legacy serves as a reminder that stewardship, purpose, and care still shape the future.
Ultimately, the art world no longer operates on autopilot. Power structures were exposed, institutions were challenged and survival was no longer seen as a given. My father was there to witness it all, and I predict that whatever follows will require sharp vision, real accountability and a very little tolerance for business as usual.
