So Much Went Down in 24 Hours, The Art Daddy Had to Drop Another Dispatch
The Pre-Basel Drama is Already Popping I am Here for it All
Buckle up, because the last 24 hours have been a full-on art world rollercoaster, and your Art Daddy simply had to deliver an extended weekend wrap-up with all the juicy extras. In just the past 20 hours, the head of the National Portrait Gallery threw in the towel (plot twist!), Chloe Wise and Jeff Koons were spotted doing karaoke together — yes, really — turning the scene into some kind of Eurovision acid trip gone gloriously off-script. Oh, and barefoot Bernie LaGrange made an appearance too, because of course he did. This isn’t just a dispatch; it’s a mood, a vibe, a whole chaotic pre-Basel appetizer platter.
Jeff Koons does karaoke apparently… in France.
And speaking of celebrations, tomorrow is Father’s Day — happy Father’s Day to all who show up for it, bless your awkward hearts. But let’s be honest: you can’t choose your dad (sorry, Mom), but you can 10,000% choose your daddy — and trust me, that’s where the real fun starts. While everyone else is fumbling through sappy brunches and cringe-worthy gifts, the art world is gearing up for its annual pre-Basel freak show. Champagne glasses will clink, tempers will flare, and egos will puff up bigger than a Gagosian sales pitch. Honestly, who knows what drama, deals, and diva moments will explode during those VIP openings next week? Whatever happens, your Art Daddy will be here, sipping something strong and spilling every scandalous detail with just the right amount of shade. So buckle up, buttercup — Basel is coming, and it’s about to get deliciously messy.
Here’s what went down since yesterday—and don’t worry, I’ve got you covered for Basel too, even if it’s only remotely.
Barefoot Bernie Strikes Again: Socks, Shoeless Tributes, and Tone-Deaf Vibes at Chloe Wise’s French Karaoke Fête
Barefoot Bernie LaGrange struck again—this time with a twist. Spotted at Chloe Wise’s now-mythic karaoke night in France (bless), Bernie appeared sporting socks and casually holding his shoes by Catalan’s infamous banana.
Barefoot Bernie at it again by the banana.
He’s got a history of going shoeless to “honor the art”—remember when he told me last summer that was the whole point? Girl, think again. It still reads as privileged AF and about as tone deaf as Chloe’s unforgettable singing debut.
Art Daddy Says Hands Off: Kim Sajet's Resignation Is a National Embarrassment
Kim Sajet stepping down from the National Portrait Gallery isn’t just a loss. It’s a full-blown cultural crisis dressed in khakis and bad politics. Sajet was the first woman to lead the NPG, and under her reign, the place finally started to look like the country it represents. She championed a version of American portraiture that wasn’t just white wigs and war heroes. She made space for women, queer icons, and Black and brown figures whose stories had long been kept out of the frame. The fact that her exit was basically strong-armed by a Trump-era tantrum over her DEI work is not just gross. It’s dangerous.
Former National Portrait Gallery Head Daddy.
Let’s be clear. This isn’t just about one director. It’s about a cultural institution getting pushed around like a pawn in a sad little political power grab. Sajet didn’t step down because she was wrong. She stepped down because the Smithsonian folded under pressure. And if the National Portrait Gallery can’t protect its own leadership from that kind of nonsense, what’s next? Portraits of power need to tell the truth, not just flatter the fragile egos of those trying to rewrite history. Daddy’s pissed, and you should be too.
GoFundMe Launched to Support Artist Jacolby Satterwhite’s Recovery
On a more serious note. Jacolby Satterwhite is currently recovering from a serious health issue. and a recent GoFundMe has been launched to help. Known for his innovative and deeply personal art, he now needs support from the community to help him through this challenging time. If you appreciate his work, consider contributing to his recovery—every bit helps.
Jacolby Satterwhite’s recent health crisis has hit the art community hard — it’s a serious and heartbreaking moment for one of the most visionary artists working today. Known for blending digital realms with intimate personal narratives, Jacolby’s work pushes boundaries in ways that feel both futuristic and deeply human. Now, as he focuses on recovery, there’s a powerful call for support from friends, fans, and fellow art lovers alike. If you’ve ever been moved by his immersive, boundary-breaking creations, this is the time to show up and help him come back stronger. Because when one of our brightest creative lights falters, the whole art world feels a little dimmer.
Chloe Wise Sings Through the Apocalypse in a Slip and a Prayer
Chloe Wise was recently spotted somewhere in France, channeling divine feminine chaos in a vintage recession-era slip while performing Madonna’s Like a Prayer at karaoke — and yes, it was exactly as unhinged and iconic as it sounds. She was in town for the unveiling of her new commissioned work at the Centre Pompidou-Metz: Autoportrait de l’assistante vacant son soulier, 2025, a glam-revisionist flex after an 1802 piece of the same title. Chloe quite literally painted herself into the original, and the afterparty felt like a tone-deaf fever dream for the post-irony age — part Eurotrash gala, part end-stage empire collapse.
It’s a mystery why this even happened Chloe. Please make it stop.
Think: art world Eurovision on acid, a vision of pop spiritualism colliding with economic dread in the best possible way. Add to that the fact that Jeff Koons followed her act with this own equal cringe is next level.
It’s clear we’ve entered a new era of hyper-camp art stardom where sincerity, satire, and survival all blur into one glittery mess. This wasn’t just a karaoke moment. It was so bad, honestly—a full-on art world hangover waiting to happen. Like watching a chaotic, booze-fueled meltdown at a stuffy convention center or a cruise where everyone forgot the script. Chloe’s performance felt like a fever dream nobody asked for, and honestly, we didn’t need it right now. You could almost tell she had to be fueled by more than just talent and nerve to get through it. If this is the pre-Basel chaos, then darling, what on earth are we in for when Basel actually hits?
Alexis Bittar’s Frieze-Era Spot Was Serving Until Nate Freeman Showed Up
When word broke out that Alexis Bittar was filming his latest infamous reel for his viral marketing campaign during Frieze last month and I had missed the icons Julie J aka Hazel and Patricia Black aka Margaux by mere hours I was screaming. Shot in real time during one of the art world’s most delirious weeks, I was expecting what the reels had been giving all along… it was campy, smart, and steeped in the kind of queer-coded glamour that makes you believe again in New York mythologies. So when the final cut dropped yesterday, the anticipation was immaculate — until, wait for it… Nate Freeman materialized like a khaki-clad jump scare, sending the whole thing spiraling from fantasy into a full-blown k-hole at a Sotheby’s brand summit. Dressed like a small-town mortician on casual Friday, he brought all the charm of a Nota Bene episode no one asked for—rambling on about gallery dinner courses and PR wine pairings like he’s narrating a menu no one’s eating. Honestly, I was embarrassed—for legend Patricia Black, and especially for Vanity Fair. P.S. Vanity Fair, call me. I’m available.
Nate Freeman with Patricia Black at Frieze in the new Alexis Bittar reel.
Nate, the Vanity Fair gossip columnist and eternal second mic on the Nota Bene fratcast about, rolled in with his signature energy: old-school art world sexism wrapped in the ill-fitting suit of self-importance. Casual art world misogyny meets men like Nate—guys who don’t get feminism but, because they know women, suddenly crown themselves experts on gender and DEI. Spoiler alert: they’re not.
Dressed like the assistant director of a small-town funeral parlor, he felt wildly out of sync with the moment — especially when flanked by Julie J’s downtown heat, Patricia’s perfectly weaponized UES chaos, and Bittar’s vision of radical, queer inclusivity. During Pride Month, no less, this casting choice lands flat at best, cringe at worst. Given the brilliance of the main cast, did we really need a cameo from the ghost of Artnet’s past?
Frame x Sotheby’s: $228 Boxers, $130 Hats, and One Giant Identity Crisis
The new Frame x Sotheby’s collab is giving less "art world cool" and more "please help us pay off our $300 million cash injection with overpriced merch." In what feels like a corporate fever dream, they’ve dropped a $130 baseball cap and $228 monogrammed boxer shorts — as if branding your crotch with Sotheby’s makes late capitalism any cuter. The vibe is art bro chic meets country club intern — all crisp collars and khaki delusion — an aesthetic that says, “I peak during Basel and cry during bonus season.” But let’s be serious: nobody wants to look like they’re working concierge at an auction-sponsored resort in the Hamptons. Or worse, staffing a corporate activation at Frieze LA.
This isn’t just merch, it’s an identity crisis wrapped in overpriced cotton. Sotheby’s wants to sell us the fantasy of institutional power rebranded as lifestyle, but the only thing they’re really moving is the goalpost on taste. And yes, I get that branding is the medium now — but if your idea of aspiration is underwear from the world’s most buttoned-up auction house, maybe it’s time to log off and touch some actual linen.
That’s a wrap for now, loves. But don’t get too comfortable—next week we’re diving headfirst into Basel madness with a survival guide packed with insider tips, sizzling gossip, and all the chaos you can handle. Expect scandals, unexpected no-shows, and the kind of art world drama that keeps us coming back for more. Until then, stay sharp, sip wisely, and keep your eyes peeled—because in this game, the tea never stops flowing. Yours forever in drama and discourse, the Art Daddy.
“new era of hyper-camp art stardom where sincerity, satire, and survival all blur into one glittery mess. “ - that’s exactly what it feels like