• Annie Leibovitz has sold her Upper West Side duplex apartment
• The famous photographer purchased the home for $11.24million in 2014
• She sold the Manhattan home for $10.62million after listing it for $8.6 million

By Martha Williams For Dailymail.Com

Published: 11:51 EST, 21 February 2024 | Updated: 12:32 EST, 21 February 2024

Annie Leibovitz has sold her swanky Upper West Side home for $10.62 million at a loss after purchasing the duplex in 2014.

Leibovitz bought her stunning home at 88 Central Park West for $11.24 million 10 years ago.

The 74-year-old portrait photographer put the duplex on the market for just $8.6 million four months ago. 

The new owners are Kindle creator Gregg E. Zehr and lead Apple lawyer Kim M. Cooper. The married couple snagged the luxury Manhattan apartment for $10.62 million – $2 million over the asking price. 

The unit is located in the Upper West Side’s Brentmore building, known to also house stars such as Robert De Niro, Lorne Michaels, Sting and Paul Simon. 

Leibovitz’s former duplex is 3,500 square feet and includes four bedrooms and three bathrooms. 

The American photographer, best known for her engaging portraits of celebrities, decided to ditch her dreamy apartment now that her three daughters are all grown up.

Leibovitz explained that she chose the property partly because of its proximity to her daughters’ school. 

‘The apartment is now too big for me,’ Annie told The New York Times.

‘I live and work downtown and our house upstate is now our family home,’ referring to the West Village apartment that she bought last year and her property in Rhinebeck, New York.

The Upper West Side apartment stretched over the fifth and sixth floors of the iconic building and the stories were connected with a winding staircase featuring a wooden banister.

During her time in the home, Leibovitz added an office and redid the kitchen.

The photographer also added a library wall to the 672-square-foot living room, complete with a sliding ladder.

‘When I first walked into the apartment over 10 years ago, beautiful light was pouring into the living room windows from the park,’ Leibovitz said.

The property features French doors at the back of the space which open up to a formal dining room with breathtaking park views. 

Leibovitz’s three daughters are ‘building their own lives’ now, according to the photographer.

She gave birth to her first daughter in October 2001 at the age of 52 and later had twins girls, born to a surrogate mother, in 2005.

Leibovitz had a close relationship with writer and essayist Susan Sontag from 1989 until Sontag’s death in 2004. 

During Sontag’s lifetime, neither woman publicly disclosed whether the relationship was a platonic friendship or romantic. 

As a new exhibition of Valie Export’s work goes on show in London, AnOther offers a brief guide to her boundary-pushing oeuvre

February 21, 2024

I’ve owned an iPhone since 2011, and its iconic onboard camera has become a staple of everyday life. These days, without thinking, I pull out my iPhone camera at every opportunity to take snaps of food, memories, scenery, and anything else you can imagine. A few years ago, however, I got my hands on a DSLR camera, and since then my iPhone camera experience has left a bit to be desired. 

In my two years using various iPhones and my $500-ish Canon EOS 1300D DSLR (aka the REBEL T6), I’ve always preferred the images I could take on my actual camera compared to my iPhone shots. Most notably, I’ve stopped using an iPhone altogether to take pictures of products and hardware for work. For pleasure, the DSLR is a staple for trips that might involve the chance to take some good photos.

The problem is, I know so little about photography  (or rather the jargon behind it all) that I can’t explain why I prefer one to the other. It’s a bit like faces, art, or music. It’s quite obvious which ones you enjoy more, but explaining the difference between the two is often difficult, if not impossible. So, for iPhone Photography Week on iMore, I brought in an expert. I took some comparative shots on my iPhone 15 Pro Max and my Canon DSLR to see what exactly is the difference between an iPhone and a DSLR camera. Are there obvious differences? Is one noticeably better than the other? I’ve assembled seven comparison shots and hired N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine’s Deputy Editor, Mike Harris, to give me his blind thoughts on each set of images. Mike knows his exposure from his contrast, and his POV from his FOV, so what can we glean from these images? If anything at all?

A caveat: It’s impossible to do a like-for-like shoot with an iPhone and a DSLR for a number of reasons. Naturally, any bonkers professional camera that costs $1,000+ is going to obliterate the iPhone in most scenarios. Our much more modest DSLR certainly (in my view) gave the iPhone a run for its money during this test, and in the studio, I’d still prefer it. But this has still turned out to be an extremely interesting test with some very intriguing results, including some you might not expect. 

All of the DSLR shots were taken with a 50mm f/1.8 lens, which is one of the most popular lenses in the Canon arsenal and also one of the cheapest. It’s perfect for portraits and lowlight, but probably not the lens you’d want for landscapes or wide shots. Our iPhone shots were all taken on an iPhone 15 Pro Max in either 12MP or 24MP format. Using the 48MP ProRAW format seemed like it would put the 18MP DSLR at too much of a disadvantage to make the test worthwhile. However, take it from Mike, megapixels aren’t everything when it comes to photography.

Mike Harris

I’m Deputy Editor of N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, but moonlight as iMore’s go-to photography know-it-all. I’ve worked in the photo industry for over six years and have been an avid iPhone photographer since the iPhone 4. I firmly believe that iPhone photography is a great starting point for burgeoning photographers, so I’ve created a series of iPhone photography basics tutorials so you can either firm up your existing iPhone camera skills or embark on a whole new passion.

So, to business. We presented Mike with seven pairs of images taken on iPhone and DSLR. As noted, it’s very hard to do a like for like test between iPhone and a dedicated camera, but we’ve done enough that Mike has drawn out a wealth of information for us to peruse. Who knows, this might even convince you to upgrade to Apple’s best iPhone, or grab a DSLR camera for yourself. 

Circus lane

iPhone – 24mm f.178 (x2, 12MP)

DSLR 18MP RAW

Mike’s opinion

Get past the obvious difference in focal length, and our first pairing looks very similar. The iPhone’s computational photography has been hard at work. Instantly, you’re hit by more contrast and saturation. It also displays a much warmer color temperature, but to my eye, this is too warm. The iPhone image is sharper across the frame, too. This is likely a combination of the inherently large depth of field and AI sharpening. 

However, when you zoom into the center of the image, where the DSLR is focused, it’s noticeably sharper. The DSLR image also holds up to scrutiny better when zoomed right in, but it’s worth pointing out that the iPhone image is only 12MP here. The DSLR does exhibit chromatic aberration (a simple fix in editing software). This is notably absent in the iPhone photo, which exhibits a very thin white line in its stead, suggesting it’s been removed via AI. Overall, the DSLR is the clear winner when it comes to quality, but you can’t argue with the iPhone’s instant results.

Clock Tower

iPhone – 24mm f.178 (x2, 12MP)

DSLR 18MP RAW

Mike’s opinion

The gulf in saturation and contrast in these images isn’t nearly as prominent as the last pairing, and I’m pleased to see that the iPhone has produced a more balanced-looking color temperature this time. What really stands out is the difference between skies. The iPhone has captured much more detail in the sky, while still exposing the clock tower correctly. 

I opened the DSLR image in a Raw image editor and tried to reduce the highlights to bring back detail in the sky, but couldn’t. The only way the detail could have been retained would have been to photograph an HDR image, which is what the iPhone has done automatically. Based on these results, I’ve got to give it to the iPhone. 

Stockbridge market arch

iPhone – 24mm f.178 (x1, 24MP)

DSLR 18MP RAW

Mike’s opinion

The tables have turned in regards to megapixels here, with a 24-MP iPhone image and an 18-MP DSLR image. It’s difficult to judge image quality when the field of view of each image is so different, but zooming right in, I still think I’d give it to the DSLR. Once again, the iPhone has retained more detail in the sky, but that overly warm color temperature is back again. As expected, the iPhone image displays more saturation and contrast, but the DSLR’s Raw file is supposed to look flat. All in all, I consider this one to be a draw.

Flowers

iPhone – 24mm f.178 (x1, 24MP)

DSLR 18MP RAW

Mike’s opinion

The framing of these two images is nearly identical, so this is a great chance to analyze image quality. Having zoomed into each image at 800%, my opinion is that the Canon DSLR has captured the better-quality photo. This is a great example of why megapixels aren’t everything and sensor size matters. But it’s worth noting that the iPhone image has been edited (by AI)  and the DSLR image hasn’t. Editing can reduce image fidelity, which is why I’d be interested to compare an Apple ProRAW image in the future. 

Aside from the unusual boost in contrast and overall sharpness, I’m pleased with the iPhone’s color saturation here. It’s more vivid than the DSLR Raw file, but it isn’t over the top. Many have called out Apple for its overzealous AI editing, but I think the colors look punchy, yet pleasantly natural. Finally, you can see the iPhone’s larger depth of field at work, with the step in the background and the texture of the concrete in the bottom-left corner much more in focus than the DSLR image. The DSLR wins thanks to its superior image quality, but I’m still impressed with the iPhone here.

Geese

iPhone – 24mm f.178 (Portrait Mode, 12MP)

DSLR 18MP RAW

Mike’s opinion

Portrait Mode was used for the iPhone image and although both photos look similar, I do think the shallow depth of field in the DSLR photo is more realistic. The drop-off between in-focus and out-of-focus areas is more subtle and natural, whereas the transition from sharp to soft is more sudden in the iPhone photo. That said, I’m impressed with Portrait Mode’s AI-generated blur in this instance. It doesn’t look obviously fabricated. 

You may have noticed that the goose in the foreground of the iPhone photo looks sharper than the goose in the DSLR photo. In the latter’s case, this is because the point of focus is mistakenly on the bird’s rear, with the inherently shallower depth of field blurring the bird’s head slightly. The iPhone naturally has a larger depth of field so focusing on subjects is easier, while computational photography sharpens images, making it easier to capture sharper subjects. 

What I do find very interesting about this image is that the contrast and saturation is comparable in both images, with the iPhone eking out just a bit more contrast. A DSLR will beat Portrait Mode every time, and because of that the iPhone’s competence has really impressed me here. The DSLR wins, but only just… 

Trees

iPhone – 24mm f.178 (x1, 24MP)

DSLR 18MP RAW

Mike’s opinion

These images are another example of how Apple’s computational photography is a huge boon if you’re not interested in image editing and just want decent-looking photos straight from the camera. You’ve got more detail in the sky, more contrast, and punchier colors. Sure, the DSLR image is better quality and with a little TLC in an editing suite, you’ll end up with a comparable or better image. But in a situation like this, when you’re capturing a snapshot, the iPhone will save you a lot of hassle. Another draw.

Characters

iPhone – 24mm f.178 (Portrait Mode, 12MP)

DSLR 18MP RAW

Mike’s opinion

The iPhone’s Portrait Mode was used to capture this 12-MP close-up of two figures. Unlike the geese image, earlier, this exposes Portrait Mode’s limitations. At first glance, the images compare well enough, but on closer inspection, things begin to unravel. Notice how in both images the robot’s front is sharp, but on the iPhone photo the left and top edges are noticeably blurry. Blurry edges are a common problem in Portrait Mode, where the sharp subject ends and the artificial blur begins. 

Another problem is drop-off. Notice how the figure on the left is sharper in the DSLR photo. This is because it’s positioned only just behind the robot. It’s not close enough to be totally sharp, but it’s not far enough away to be very blurry. In the iPhone photo, it’s considerably more blurry. This is even more apparent at the bottom of the iPhone image. The tabletop is initially sharp – you can see the wood grain – but as it recedes into the background it very suddenly becomes blurry. 

The change from being in focus to out of focus should be much more gradual. This iPhone image is the best example of the gulf between Apple’s flagship iPhone and even an aging entry-level DSLR. But this isn’t Apple’s fault. No smartphone has managed to match DSLR cameras when it comes to shallow depths of field. As it stands, the technology simply doesn’t exist.

Expert’s verdict

This test has offered up no great surprises. The iPhone 15 Pro Max beat the Canon EOS 1300D (REBEL T6) when it came to visual appeal straight from the camera, and the DSLR beat the iPhone when it came to overall image quality and its ability to capture shallow depths of field. Next, I’d like to compare some big 48-MP Apple ProRAW files to this same DSLR to see how it fares, but to put things into perspective, stack Apple’s flagship iPhone against a pro full-frame (which has an even bigger sensor) 48-MP DSLR or mirrorless camera and it’s goodnight. Or is it? 

You see, this comparison has highlighted three things: DSLR and mirrorless cameras aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s downright incredible just how much performance iPhones can squeeze out of their tiny sensors and optics. And for the casual photographer, computational photography makes the hobby more accessible than ever. While the DSLR’s Raw files looked intentionally flat – because they are designed to be edited – almost all of the iPhone images looked Instagram-ready. Yes, DSLR JPEGs would look better than the unedited Raws, but I’m certain they still wouldn’t look as attractive as the AI-edited iPhone images.

It is worth pointing out that this test didn’t really tax the cameras’ low-light capabilities or dynamic range. Again, the DSLR’s physically larger sensor should perform better in both instances, but since iPhones use – you guessed it – computational photography to overcome low-light and high-contrast conditions, I’d be very interested to see how they compare. Autofocus is another factor to consider. I’m pretty certain the iPhone’s ability to automatically focus on faces will trump the REBEL T6’s (although it will pale in comparison to modern mirrorless cameras), but I’d still opt for this old DSLR when photographing fast-moving subjects.

Overall, the iPhone 15 Pro Max hasn’t disappointed, and neither has the Canon EOS 1300D (REBEL T6). If you’re looking to delve deep into the hobby of photography then a DSLR or mirrorless camera is a great step up. But if you’re interested in taking excellent snapshots while engaging in as little image editing as possible, then the iPhone 15 Pro Max might just be the best camera on the market for you. 

iPhone vs DSLR: Jargon buster

Sensor size

The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s Main camera system boasts more megapixels than the aging Canon EOS 1300D (REBEL T6), but that doesn’t necessarily mean it produces better-quality images. You see, the DSLR has an APS-C sensor, which is much bigger than the iPhone’s image sensor. To put this into perspective, the Canon DSLR’s sensor measures 22.2 x 14.8mm, while the iPhone’s main sensor is just 9.8 x 7.3mm. 

While megapixels affect the resolution and indeed size of an image, larger sensors can allow for increased light gathering, higher resolutions, higher dynamic range, and better low-light capabilities. So, I never expected the iPhone to beat the DSLR outright on image quality.

Depth of field

Depth of field is a way of describing the sharpness of an image beyond the point of focus. We typically explain this by referring to a depth of field as shallow or large. A very shallow depth of field is when a sharp subject is surrounded by lots of blur (think close-up portrait with a blurred background). A very large depth of field is when the entire image looks in focus (think landscape that’s sharp from foreground to background). 

Exactly how shallow or large the depth of field is relies on a variety of factors. How far away the background is in relation to the subject, how wide the aperture is set, how long the focal length is and how large the camera’s sensor is. iPhone Camera Modules have fixed apertures and although they are very wide, iPhone sensors are very small, much smaller than DSLR sensors, and the smaller the sensor, the harder it is to create a shallow depth of field. This is why Portrait Mode exists, to get around this technological shortcoming. 

RAW files 

RAW files are designed to hold as much image data as possible. Unlike HEIC and JPEG files they are virtually unprocessed, making them extremely pliable when edited. Stack an unedited RAW file up against a HEIC or JPEG file and it will look flat, less sharp and it may exhibit optical distortions that haven’t been corrected. 

Computational photography

At its most basic, computational photography is a form of automatic image edit. Capture JPEG images on a DSLR and they will look sharper and punchier than RAW files, due to some automatic processing. However, iPhones take this a step further (and then some). Quite how Apple’s magic AI-infused computational magic sauce transforms your photos is anyone’s guess, but it removes optical distortions, improves the quality of low-light images, adds contrast, boosts colors, makes images sharper and much, much more. 

Color temperature

The color temperature scale is used to describe the color of light within an image and is measured in kelvins. Roughly around 6,000K is daylight, which is more or less white. Below this the light gets warmer and above this the light gets cooler, that’s to say it takes on an increasingly yellow or blue hue, respectively.

Saturation

This refers to the intensity of the colors within a photograph. Desaturate an image and the colors will become increasingly muted and eventually monochrome. Increase the saturation and colors will become more intense, pushed too far this will eventually result in garish, fabricated-looking results. 

Contrast

Contrast is the relationship between light and dark areas within an image. An image with more contrast will display brighter whites and richer blacks. Reduce the contrast and blacks and whites will become increasingly muted.  

Dynamic range

This refers to a camera’s ability to capture detail between extremes of very dark shadows and very bright highlights. Typically, a larger image sensor will result in a higher dynamic range. But the latest iPhones cleverly work around their small-sensor shortcomings via computational photography. In short, they can create what’s called a high-dynamic-range (HDR) image by blending together multiple shots of the same image at different exposures, so the very bright and very dark portions of the image can be exposed for separately. 

The concept isn’t new. Many DSLRs can create HDR images in-camera, too, and depending on what DSLR you’re using and how proficient you are at imaging editing, you will end up with better results. But where the iPhone wins – as always – is its ease of use. The results are virtually instant and require no specialist knowledge. 

Chromatic aberration 

When you zoom into an image you may find that the edges of some objects are outlined in vibrant purple, green, red and yellow colors called chromatic aberration or color fringing. Some lenses are more prone to exhibiting this optical anomaly than others, but thankfully, it’s very easy to remove with software.

This feature is part of iPhone Photography Week 2024. Expect new posts to appear daily, focused on making your photos shot with iPhone better than ever before.

Share your photos with iMore on X (Twitter) using #iMorePhotographyWeek

Scientists have captured the first-ever photograph of a tropical bird species long thought to be lost.

For nearly two decades, the yellow-crested helmetstrike, or Prionops alberti had not been seen — leaving the American Bird Conservancy to list the species as a “lost bird.”

There were even fears that the yellow-crested helmetstrike had gone extinct.

However, this all changed when scientists from the University of Texas at El Paso embarked on a six-week expedition to the Itombwe Massif, a mountain range in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The scientists discovered the yellow-crested helmetstrike and even managed to take the first-ever photograph of the bird species.

In the image taken by scientists, the dramatic-looking yellow-topped bird appears to boldly pose for the camera.

‘This Inspires Hope’

In an expedition, that ran from December 2023 to January 2024, the scientists trekked by foot for over 75 miles through the depths of the Itombwe Massif — studying birds, amphibians, and reptiles along the way.

While exploring the cloud forests on the slopes of a mountain, scientists saw the helmetstrike — spotting the striking black bird with its unmistakable bright yellow “helmet.”

According to a statement, the scientists found not one, but 18 of these birds across different areas of the mountain range. The birds appeared as “noisy and active groups” in the forest.

The photos of the helmetstrike have since been reviewed and confirmed by Cameron Rutt who leads the Lost Birds project at the American Bird Conservancy.

“It was a mind-blowing experience to come across these birds. We knew they might be possible here, but I was not prepared for how spectacular and unique they would appear in life,” Michael Harvey, Ph.D, an ornithologist and UTEP assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences says in a statement.

The discovery of the Yellow-crested Helmetshrike is remarkable considering nearly 70% of the planet’s wildlife populations have declined since the 1970s.

“This inspires hope that perhaps the species still has a reasonably healthy population in the remote forests of the region,” Harvey says.

“But mining and logging, as well as the clearing of forests for agriculture, are making inroads deep into the forests of the Itombwe range.

“We are in discussions with other researchers and conservation organizations to further efforts to protect the region’s forests and the Helmetshrike.”

Image credits: Header photo by Matt Brady / The University of Texas at El Paso

The significance of diversifying one’s photography practice cannot be overstated, offering valuable lessons and skill enhancements across various genres. This helpful video tutorial focuses on practical advice that transcends the conventional wisdom of merely capturing sunsets or the oft-repeated general tips scattered across the internet.

Coming to you from Park Cameras, this informative video offers three transformative tips to significantly improve your photography. The first tip emphasizes the importance of venturing into new photography genres, pushing beyond comfort zones to explore unfamiliar territories. This approach not only broadens a photographer’s skill set but also facilitates the application of techniques learned in one genre to others, enhancing overall acumen. For example, the video highlights how skills acquired in astrophotography can be adeptly applied to low-light and nighttime photography, demonstrating the cross-genre applicability of techniques. This interconnected learning process underscores the value of experimentation and adaptability in the continuous journey of improvement.

Furthermore, the video suggests emulating the work of admired photographers as a method of skill acquisition, akin to practicing a musical instrument by learning to play existing songs. This process of recreation allows for a deeper understanding of the techniques, compositions, and creative decisions behind the admired work. Additionally, revisiting and critically assessing past work offers insights into personal growth and areas for improvement, encouraging a reflective practice that contributes to a photographer’s development. These tips offer a roadmap for photographers at any stage of their journey to refine their craft and expand their creative horizons. Check out the video above for the full rundown.

Wildlife photographers are a talented bunch, but capturing a dazzling moment under the water or among the waves comes with a whole load of challenges. That’s why the winners of the Underwater Photographer of the Year Awards are extra impressive. 

This year, Portuguese photographer Nuno Sá has been awarded the Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year prize for his stunning aerial shot of a whale washed up on a Portuguese beach.

Back in 2022, he captured the moment that an injured, 12-metre-long sperm whale washed up on Fonte da Telha beach on the west coast of Portugal. The photo, called ‘Saving Goliath’, was taken using a drone and captures about 30 bathers trying to push the sperm whale back into the sea. Sadly, the whale died a few hours later. 

Thanks to this remarkable and moving photo, Sá was triumphant in the Marine Conservation Photographer category, which is in partnership with the Save Our Seas Foundation. The competition has 13 categories in total, and a whopping 6,500 photographs were submitted by over 500 participants.

‘It was a mix of emotions to see an animal that I am so used to filming, in different parts of our planet on the high seas, injured and dying fighting to stay on the surface. But it was also inspiring to see so many people risking their lives to try to save him. We are talking about an animal that in this case weighed more than 30 tons and was injured’, says Nuno Sá, in a statement. After approaching the whale himself, Sá realised that one of the people trying to save it was his ten-year-old daughter.

The competition’s jury president, Alex Mustard, says that ‘the photo gives us hope that people care and want to help the oceans, but it also warns us that bigger changes are needed.’ 

Sá also won big back in the 2015 competition, claiming not only the Underwater Photographer of the Year title but the International Macro winner, too. 

Alex Dawson, a Swedish photographer, claimed the coveted Underwater Photographer of the Year title this year. You can have a look at the gallery of winning pics on the UPY website right here. 

Did you see that Amsterdam is getting a brand-new waterfront museum?

Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news. 

Felipe Romero Beltrán’s Dialect series portrays three years in the lives of a group of Moroccan men in the custody of the Spanish state

Understanding the economics of camera upgrades and their impact on a photographer’s business model is critical, especially in the professional realm. This helpful video essay addresses this topic head-on, shedding light on a common misconception among photographers about the relationship between new equipment and client charges.

Coming to you from Scott Choucino with Tin House Studio, this insightful video explores a scenario many photographers will find familiar: investing in high-end equipment with the expectation that it will automatically justify higher rates to clients. Choucino narrates a personal experience where upgrading to a camera with better specifications did not translate to an increase in client charges. The core message is that clients value the quality and satisfaction with the previous work; they are often indifferent to the photographer’s investment in new technology unless it offers something uniquely beneficial to them. This distinction is crucial, as it highlights the fallacy of expecting equipment upgrades to directly increase a photographer’s value in the eyes of their clients.

Moreover, Choucino emphasizes that while acquiring better equipment can sometimes enhance a photographer’s skills or offer new capabilities, it doesn’t guarantee a proportional increase in income from existing clients. The advice offered is strategic: maintain current clients at their existing rates while introducing higher rates for new clients as your skills and offerings improve. This approach allows photographers to gradually transition to a higher earning bracket without alienating their established client base. The distinction between being a better photographer and owning better equipment is underlined, reinforcing the idea that personal development, not just new gear, is what can truly elevate a photographer’s career. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Choucino.

Latest News in Black Art features updates and developments in the world of art and related culture

Fourth Plinth Shortlist 2026, 2028: Clockwise, from top left, “Ancient Feelings,” by Thomas J Price; “Sweet Potatoes and Yams are Not the Same” by Veronica Ryan, “Hornero” by Gabriel Chaile, and “Lady in Blue” by Tschabalala Self. | Photos by James O. Jenkins

Public Art

The Fourth Plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square provides a prominent platform for public art. New proposals by seven artists made the shortlist for Fourth Plinth commissions in 2026 and 2028. The artists are Chila Kumari Singh Burman, Gabriel Chaile, Ruth Ewan, Thomas J Price, Veronica Ryan, Tschabalala Self and Andra Ursuţa. Sculptural models of all of their proposals are on display at the National Gallery through March 17. The public is encouraged to vote for their favorite. Ultimately two projects will be selected by the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, partly based on public feedback. Funding for the competition comes from the mayor of London with support from Arts Council England and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Currently, “Antelope” by Samson Kambalu is installed on the Fourth Plinth. Inspired by 1914 photograph of John Chilembwe (1871-1915), a pan-Africanist and Baptist preacher, and his friend John Chorley, a white European missionary, the sculpture will be on display until September. (2/19) | The Guardian

Lives

On Saturday, Feb. 24 (2-6 p.m.), Jack Shainman Gallery in New York is honoring the life and memory of Radcliffe Bailey (1968-2023). Working across painting, sculpture, and mixed-media, the Atlanta artist explored themes of ancestry, race, migration, and collective memory. The gallery worked with Bailey from 1998 until his death in November. | More

IMAGE: Above right, Radcliffe Bailey. | Photo by LaMont Hamilton

Awards & Honors

The Judith Alexander Foundation announced its inaugural Nellie Mae Rowe awards at the African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta’s (ADAMA) annual Flowers x Seeds fundraising and awards gala on Feb. 16. Artist Arturo Lindsay received the Flowers award ($30,000), recognizing an established, yet under-recognized figure. The Seeds award ($20,000), which “spotlights early-to mid-career artists whose innovative work promises to reshape contemporary understandings of Black art and culture in the 21st century,” went to Kelly Taylor Mitchell. Both artists are connected to Spelman College. Mitchell is an assistant professor of art and visual culture at the Atlanta HBCU for women and Lindsay is a professor emeritus and former chair of the Department of Art and Art History. Judith Alexander (1932-2004) was a Georgia gallerist dedicated to bringing attention to artist Nellie Mae Rowe’s life and work. ADAMA was established by Atlanta artist Fahamu Pecou in 2018. (2/17) | More

Oluremi Onabanjo. | Photo by Austin Donohue. © 2024 The Museum of Modern Art, New York

Appointments

Oluremi C. Onabanjo is now the Peter Schub Curator in the Department of Photography at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. In 2021, Onabanjo joined MoMA as associate curator of photography. She was officially promoted in January. During her tenure, she organized the exhibitions “Projects: Ming Smith” (2023) and “New Photography 2023: Kelani Abass, Akinbode Akinbiyi, Yagazie Emezi, Amanda Iheme, Abraham Oghobase, Karl Ohiri, Logo Oluwamuyiwa.” Previously, Onabanjo was director of exhibitions and collections at The Walther Collection. More recently, she served on the curatorial team of the 8th Triennial of Photography Hamburg in (2022), authored “Ming Smith: Invisible Man, Somewhere Everywhere,” and edited “Marilyn Nance: Last Day in Lagos,” which appeared on Culture Type’s list of the Best Black Art Books of 2022. (2/8) | More

The 2025 edition of the Hammer Museum’s Made in L.A. biennial will be co-curated by Essence Harden and Paulina Pobocha, a senior curator at the Hammer Museum. Harden is a curator at the California African American Museum (CAAM) in Los Angeles. For Frieze Los Angeles (Feb. 29-March 3), Harden is curating the Focus section of the art fair and will be in conversation with artist Deborah Roberts at Vielmetter Los Angeles on March 2. In fall 2025, Made in L.A. will be presented in collaboration with CAAM. (2/13) | More

The Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum announced a committee of scholars that will help guide content, programming, and research for the forthcoming museum. The 15 members include Keisha N. Blain, professor of Africana studies and history at Brown University; Paula J. Giddings, Elizabeth A. Woodson Professor Emerita of Africana Studies at Smith College; and Kimberly A. Scott, professor of women and gender studies in the School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University. Melanie Adams, who heads the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum, is also interim director the women’s history museum, which is expected to debut in about a decade. In March, the museum is launching new initiatives and a digital exhibition in celebration of Women’s History Month. (2/13) | More

IMAGE: Above left, Made in L.A. 2025 Co-Curators Essence Harden (left) and Paulina Pobocha. | Photo by Lauren Randolph

JARED MCGRIFF, “Measure My Diameter in Lightyears,” 2023 (oil on canvas, 58 ¹⁄₄ x 60 inches). | © Jared McGriff, Courtesy the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles

Representation

Vielmetter Los Angeles announced its representation of Jared McGriff, a self-taught artist who describes his paintings as “fiction about reality.” Vielmetter opened “Jared McGriff: On Being a Wild Dream,” the artist’s first solo exhibition with the gallery in March 2023. Vielmetter said McGriff “has developed a luminous and vibrating visual language that is foregrounded in a space of memory. His expressionistic paintings conjure mundane moments and render them in ethereal brush strokes, transforming scenes of the everyday into ephemeral philosophical ruminations.” McGriff lives and works in Miami, Fla., where he is creating new work for a solo exhibition at Vielmetter in spring 2025. He is also represented by Spinello Projects in Miami. (2/5) | More
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