2022 in art

The year 2022 in art involved various significant events.

The year 2022 was eventful in the art world, filled with both record-breaking achievements and notable social statements.

One major highlight was the sale of the late Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen's art collection, which fetched an unprecedented $1.5 billion at Christie's, breaking multiple artist records and becoming the largest single-owner sale in auction history. Key pieces included works by Georges Seurat, Gustav Klimt, and Paul Cézanne, each selling for over $100 million. The proceeds were directed to charity per Allen's wishes.The Art Year in Review 2022 Edition

Climate change activism also made waves as protesters targeted renowned artworks worldwide. Protesters aimed to draw attention to environmental issues by targeting highly publicized works, all of which were fortunately protected under glass. In May, the Mona Lisa at the Louvre was smeared with cake. Mashed potatoes were thrown at a Claude Monet the Museum Barberini in Potsdam, Germany. Furthermore, tomato soup was splashed on a van Gogh painting at the National Gallery in London.^[1]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) also became a more prominent tool in the art scene. The release of DALL·E 2 and other AI tools brought new possibilities for digital art creation, transforming the landscape and offering artists innovative ways to express ideas through machine-aided design.

Artists notably continued exploring the impacts of racism, colonialism and misogyny on society.^[1]

Art history also saw changes as women artists and artists of color were seen anew. Experts upended the previous conceptions of famous works.^[1]

These highlights, alongside the ongoing NFT market turbulence and art market resilience amidst global financial uncertainty, made 2022 a dynamic year for art.