This summer’s art landscape stirs a deep dialogue: from visceral flesh and digital fractures, to the weight of historical documents in private hands. Three recent stories—from Jenny Saville’s London survey to debates over AI art, and Ken Griffin’s multimillion-dollar Lincoln purchases—highlight new tensions between authenticity, technology, and cultural legacy.
1. Jenny Saville’s Bold Return at the National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery has opened “Jenny Saville: The Anatomy of Painting”, the first major solo museum exhibition by the British artist. Spanning over 50 works across three decades, it traces her evolution from monumental female nudes (like Propped) to her new digitally-infused portrait heads (Wall Street Journal, Artnet News).
Saville’s work challenges conventional representations of the female body—pregnant, trans, aged or raw—in painterly detail. Her record-breaking auction results testify to this: Juncture sold for $7.3 M and her drawing Mirror reached $2.11 M (Artnet News). The show opens a fresh discussion on embodiment, identity, and painting’s relevance in an age dominated by screens.
2. AI Artists at a Crossroads: Builders, Breakers… or Both?
A recent feature in The Art Newspaper dives into how AI-generated art polarises critics: is it inventive “building,” destructive “breaking,” or somewhere in between? Some view it as a tool to expand creative practice, others as eroding authorship and originality (The Guardian).
As algorithms create autonomous visuals, art institutions and collectors face a key question: should AI art be a partner or a threat? The debate intensifies the enduring value of deeply human work—like Saville’s.
3. Ken Griffin Buys Lincoln-Era Documents for $18M
Billionaire collector Ken Griffin broke records at Sotheby’s by buying Abraham Lincoln–signed copies of both the Emancipation Proclamation ($4.4 M) and the handwritten Thirteenth Amendment ($13.7 M) (The Times, Artnet News). These are among the most prized historical items ever sold.
Griffin plans to lend them to public institutions, citing their power to “strengthen and renew the promise of our nation” as the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary (Artnet News). His move spotlights the private collector’s growing influence over national memory and who determines access to foundational archives.
Final Takeaways
| Theme | Insight |
| Embodiment & Authenticity | Saville’s painted flesh counters the digital dilution of identity. |
| Tech vs Tradition | AI art is shaking authorship—Saville’s work reminds us of human depth. |
| Ownership of Memory | Griffin’s Lincoln documents raise questions about public vs. private legacy. |
From Saville’s visceral canvases to AI debates and prestigious acquisitions, 2025 underscores a central tension: Who tells our stories, and through what means?