The Art World This Week, 3 October 2025

By Rachel Kubrick – 3 October 2025

Bonhams arrives in Saudi Arabia, new museums for Frida Kahlo and M. F. Husain, the British Museum gets the Met Gala treatment, and more. Here’s Ocula’s briefing on the art world news you might have missed.

Abdulrahman Al Soliman, Mountain Amongst the Palms (1981). Courtesy Bonhams.

Art Fairs and Market

Bonhams to Host House’s First Exhibition in Saudi Arabia

Bonhams has announced its inaugural initiative in Saudi Arabia, with Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Judhoor / Roots: The Origins of Saudi Modernism, an exhibition and events programme running from 8 to 10 October at LIFT Gallery in Riyadh’s JAX District. The announcement comes after its competitors’ recent moves in the Gulf nation, with Christie’s acquiring a commercial licence there in late 2024, and Sotheby’s enjoying its first Saudi auction this past February.

Art Basel Paris to Premiere Preview for Very, Very Important People

Art Basel’s Paris offshoot has announced a new initiative for selected VIPs from its participating galleries. Galleries will have the opportunity to invite chosen clients to an exclusive preview called ‘Avant Première’ on Tuesday 21 October, ahead of its usual VIP days on the Wednesday and Thursday.

Art Basel Paris. Courtesy Art Basel Paris.

Bana Kattan. Courtesy National Pavilion UAE – La Biennale di Venezia. Photo: Dahlia Dandashi.

Biennales and Institutions

UAE and Cyprus Make Pavilion Announcements for the Venice Biennale 2026

In this week’s Venice Biennale news, the United Arab Emirates has announced Bana Kattan as the curator for its pavilion. Kattan is curator and associate head of exhibitions at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. The Cyprus Pavilion also made headlines this week with the announcement of sculptor Marina Xenofontos as the Cypriot representative for the 61st International Art Exhibition.

Museo Casa Kahlo Opens in Mexico City

Located near the Frida Kahlo Museum at Casa Azul, this new museum at Casa Roja opened on Saturday. The house had been occupied by Frida Kahlo’s grandniece until 2023, when the family decided to transform it into Museo Casa Kahlo, focusing on the Mexican artist’s upbringing.

Vancouver Art Gallery Approves Architects for New Building

The Vancouver Art Gallery has announced that Canadian firms Formline Architecture + Urbanism and KPMB Architects will design its new home in downtown Vancouver. The museum had originally selected Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron in 2014, but ended the partnership in late 2024 due to soaring costs for the proposed construction.

Exterior view of the Lawh Wa Qalam: M. F. Husain Museum, Doha. Courtesy Lawh Wa Qalam: M. F. Husain Museum.

Indian Modernist M. F. Husain to Get Dedicated Qatari Museum

The Qatar Foundation has announced a new museum spotlighting Maqbool Fida Husain, an important figure in the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group and for contemporary Indian art. The Lawh Wa Qalam: M. F. Husain Museum will open to the public on 28 November in Doha’s purpose-built Education City.

The British Museum Ball to Launch this October

Echoing New York’s Met Gala, British Museum Director Nicholas Cullinan has revealed a new fundraiser event to coincide with Frieze week in London. The first edition, on 18 October, will be co-chaired by heiress and art patron Isha Ambani, with a ‘pink’ theme inspired by the current exhibition Ancient India: Living Traditions.

Alfredo Jaar, from the series ‘The End’ (2025). Courtesy the artist.

Petrit Halilaj, Yes but the sea is attached to the earth and it never floats around in space. The stars would turn off and what about my planet? (2014/2025). Chicken wire, clay, earth, sand, branches, leaves, stones, soap, embroidered wool. Dimensions variable. Courtesy the artist; Mennour, Paris; and Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart, Berlin. Photo: Jacopo La Forgia.

Awards and Residencies

Alfredo Jaar Wins Prix Pictet

Chilean artist Alfredo Jaar has been announced as the recipient of the eleventh Prix Pictet, which celebrates photography and sustainability. Jaar’s winning series ‘The End’ showcases the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and is on view alongside work by the other shortlisted photographers at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London until 19 October.

Petrit Halilaj Awarded the Nasher Prize for Sculpture

Kosovar artist Petrit Halilaj has been announced as the winner of the ninth Nasher Prize, a 100,000 USD award celebrating a contemporary sculptor. Born in 1986 in the former Yugoslavia, he is the youngest recipient thus far.

Qiu Xiaofei, 独木林 The One Tree Forest (2022–2024). Oil on linen. 200 x 200 cm. © Qiu Xiaofei. Courtesy Qiu Xiaofei Studio.

Gallery Representations

Hauser & Wirth Announces Representation of Qiu Xiaofei

Hauser & Wirth announced the representation of Chinese painter Qiu Xiaofei on Thursday. The international gallery calls Qiu, who will remain jointly represented by Brussels gallery Xavier Hufkens, ‘a leading figure of a new generation of Chinese artists’.

Barbara Walker Joins Victoria Miro

London and Venice-based gallery Victoria Miro has added Barbara Walker to its roster. The British artist, who was nominated for the Turner Prize in 2023, will show ‘significant’ new work with the gallery at Frieze London later this month. —[O]