UP’s Art News Recent Round-Ups
September 19th, 2025
Welcome to your regular dive into the dynamic world of street art and culture. From striking new murals turning heads to global street movements shaping the scene and everything in between! We’re tuned into what’s happening now and why it matters.
We keep an eye on what other leading voices and publications are saying, learning from across the culture to bring you a broader, deeper perspective.
____________________________________________________________________________
The Latest in Banksy News
Image Courtesy of BBC
For those of you who’ve been following along, Banksy has been a recurring theme in recent weeks—and here we are again for the third time. A limited-edition Banksy print worth £270,000 ($365,000 USD) became the center of a gallery heist when Larry Fraser allegedly walked into the gallery and took Girl with Balloon off the wall. CCTV footage confirmed that “the break-in and getaway took less time than microwaving a bag of popcorn,” according to Vice. After smashing through the glass window of Grove Gallery in Fitzrovia, the piece was snatched in just 36 seconds (anyone know if that’s a record?).
The artwork has since been recovered and returned to the gallery.
–Reported by James W Kelly and Nick Johnson, BBC News, 13 September 2024
______________________________________________________________________
Basquiat Biopic
Back in January 2022, it was announced that filming would begin in the fall. Turns out, they meant the fall of 2025—as East Village blog EV Grieve noted when signs popped up around Tompkins Square Park, warning neighbors that production was finally underway.
The film, titled Samo Lives, will be directed by Julius Onah and stars Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Basquiat. No other cast members have been officially announced, though Daniel Efram captured a photo of someone on set dressed strikingly similar to Warhol.
There’s no word yet on a release date, but it’s already shaping up to be one that art fans will be eagerly anticipating.
– Reported by Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews, 17 September 2025
____________________________________________________________________________
The Greek goddess of victory, Niké
The Greek goddess of victory, Niké, emerges from a wall in Treviso, Italy. Brought to life by artist duo PichiAvo—renowned for their seamless blending of classical mythology with contemporary street art—this mural reimagines an ancient symbol through a modern lens.
Rendered in vivid sprays of violet, blue, and gold, Niké rises from the surface with renewed energy. She embodies resilience and civic renewal, a reminder that victory is not only monumental but also lived in the everyday triumphs of those who stand before her. Here, the goddess is more than a figure of the past—she becomes a living emblem of perseverance, strength, and the quiet victories that shape our collective future.
– Reported by Donna Haden, Graffiti Street, 15 September 2025
____________________________________________________________________________
Inside the Inflatable Concert Hall
Image courtesy Matthew Horwood / AFP/Getty Images
British sculptor Anish Kapoor and the late architect Arata Isozaki’s inflatable concert hall, Ark Nova, recently took center stage at the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland, transforming the traditional concert experience. The structure—first conceived after the 2011 Fukushima earthquake as a symbol of hope and resilience—fit up to 500 people, hosted 35 diverse concerts (from classical and jazz to folk and pop), and incorporated workshops and participatory musical events. Visually striking, the hall’s exterior rises to about 18 meters, its opaque purple shell giving a hint of mystery, while inside its translucent red interior and intersecting internal tubes not only create dramatic space but help with acoustic modulation.
Alongside the performances, the Lucerne Festival presented an exhibition at the Hans Erni Museum exploring Ark Nova’s development—underscoring how architecture, art, and performance can seamlessly converge to reshape our expectations of venue, stage, and audience alike.
– Reported by Eva Baron, My Modern Met, 15 September 2025
Helene is a writer and artist based in New York City. Having earned her MFA in photography from Rochester Institute of Technology, Helene brings a visual perspective to storytelling. With both her artwork and writing, Helene seeks to provoke thought and inspire dialogue. She currently writes for UP Magazine.