![](\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419319/xvusvakjr73p59eky58c.png\")
Via PR
Today, the pioneering, full-service auction house Hindman announces that it will continue to expand its national footprint by merging with venerable, 200-year-old Philadelphia-based Freeman’s. With a combined six salerooms and 18 regional offices across the country, Freeman’s and Hindman stand to have the largest, coast-to-coast presence of any auction house in the United States, with plans to expand into international markets. The union of these two preeminent businesses represents the foundation of a dynamic and comprehensive company well-positioned to lead the upper-middle auction market. Under the name Freeman’s | Hindman, the company is combining their robust digital infrastructures into a singular website and highly targeted online initiatives.
As one of the first actions, Freeman’s | Hindman will be opening its new permanent New York saleroom in January 2024. Located at 32 East 67th Street in the heart of the Upper East Side’s art district with up to 5,000 square feet of space available to the company, it is truly setting its sights on New York as a major center of growth. For Freeman’s, it is a return to the city with a physical presence, although both companies have had senior specialists working with clients in New York for many years. This move is in response to the strong demand they have established in this vibrant and key area of the art market.
“I’m truly excited to bring together these two esteemed auction houses under one roof,” asserts Executive Chairman, Jay Frederick Krehbiel. “The merger strengthens our advantage in an increasingly competitive auction market and sets us up for continued growth across the United States and globally, especially with Freeman’s existing international relationship with Lyon & Turnbull.”
Driven by a client-first approach, dedication to excellence, and innovative strategy, the two houses are natural partners. As America’s oldest auction house, Freeman’s adds more than two centuries of achieving market-setting results to Hindman’s 40-year record of realizing stellar prices while providing outstanding service, particularly to trusts and estates professionals nationwide. A strength also lies in both firms’ specialist teams, whose profound knowledge and unrivaled expertise span all fine art and luxury collecting categories.
Alyssa D. Quinlan will serve as the merged company’s Chief Executive Officer after being appointed CEO at Hindman in January 2023. “On the heels of Hindman’s most successful year in 2022 and continued strength in 2023, I’m thrilled to build upon our momentum and oversee a merged Freeman’s | Hindman,” says Quinlan. “Our clients are always our top priority, and I am confident that a combined company will only benefit our buyers and sellers as we further expand both our national and global reach. I look forward to working with and learning from the Freeman’s team, as our shared vision will ensure a unique company culture, underpinned by integrity and professionalism, and overlaid with enthusiasm and empathy.”
The new company will boast an extensive network and continue to offer a full suite of services including auctions, appraisals, private sales, and art advisory. By combining strengths, knowledge, and resources, the joint team will be better able to meet the evolving needs of their global client base without sacrificing accessibility. Freeman’s | Hindman will integrate technology including a combined online presence and a personal touch to offer adaptable solutions, provide dedicated attention, and deliver impactful, tailored experiences that belie the impressive scale of their operations.
“This merger heralds an exciting new chapter, continuing Freeman’s long-standing tradition of embracing change and adapting in response to the times,” remarks Alasdair Nichol, Deputy Chairman. “Great things are bound to happen when passionate people with aligned goals collaborate, and I can’t wait to see what our two creative and client-centric companies achieve together.”
Molly Morse Limmer, Deputy Chairman, says, “Hindman’s merger with Freeman’s is an incredible opportunity to pool knowledge and expand our expertise. I am eager to see even more international competition in the saleroom as we further elevate and diversify the material we bring to market.”
In addition to the exciting plans for an expanded auction calendar, Freeman’s | Hindman is also considering other opportunities at a time of consolidation in the auction art market. Fraser Niven, President of the company said, “I will be focusing on ways to expand across the United States as well as overseas in line with our aim to provide our valued clients access to the international markets they desire. Both businesses have a formidable reputation for service in their local markets, which in Hindman’s case is extensive given its footprint. Freeman’s also has considerable experience in promoting locally consigned property to an international marketplace. This will only increase and develop in the future as our growth plans are achieved.”
In 2024, marquee auctions will continue to be held in salerooms across the country, with plans to present a coordinated sale schedule in the coming months.
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![](\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1792084737/qrikvx76nvvt5agq24rq.jpg\")
By CGN STAFF
Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center will reopen its Skokie location on November 11, 2026, following a renovation that expands visitor spaces, updates its core Holocaust exhibition and adds a new reflection gallery. The reopening is timed to coincide with Veterans Day. Active military personnel, veterans and their families will receive free admission that day.
The project includes a redesigned Lillian & Larry Goodman Auditorium and Gallery, an enlarged lobby in the Shapiro Family Foundation Welcome Center, and a refreshed Resilience Hall with an expanded stage for presentations and public programs.
Updates to the Zev & Shifra Karkomi Holocaust Exhibition include additional material on the roots of antisemitism, the story of Chicago resident Leo Edelman, and the experiences of other groups targeted by the Nazis. A new reflection gallery, accessible from the exhibition, offers visitors a quiet space during and after their visit.
“Every visitor’s experience now begins differently and runs deeper,” said Kelley Szany, the Museum’s senior vice president of education and exhibitions. “The new welcome center sets the tone from the moment people arrive, the enhanced core Holocaust exhibition brings the history and the voices of survivors into sharper focus, and our new auditorium gives us a place to gather, listen, and talk about what it means for our communities today.”
Existing attractions, including the virtual reality theater, the interactive Survivor Stories Experience holographic theater, the Take A Stand Center and the Voices of Genocide Exhibition, will remain part of the Museum’s offerings.
Following the reopening, Blacklist: The Hollywood Red Scare will open November 15 in the special exhibition gallery. Created by and on loan from Jewish Museum Milwaukee, the exhibition examines the intersections of politics, antisemitism, freedom of speech and national security during the Red Scare of the 1940s and 1950s. It will remain on view through March 2027.
The Museum’s satellite location in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, Experience360, will remain open through December 31, 2026. The downtown space opened during the Skokie renovation to provide continued access to the Museum’s immersive exhibitions.
For information and ticket reservations, visit ilholocaustmuseum.org.
Image: Museum exterior. Photo by David Seide/Definedspace.com
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By GINNY VAN ALYEA
SOFA Chicago, the longtime fair devoted to sculpture, objects, functional art and collectible design, will return to the city October 28–31, 2027, as part of Chicago Art Fair at THE MART, which opened its inaugural edition last night.
Founded in Chicago in 1994, SOFA became a popular fixture on the city’s fall arts calendar. For much of its history, collectors and visitors gathered at Navy Pier to discover works in glass, ceramics, wood, metal and fiber, alongside sculpture and design. Its focus on materials and craftsmanship gave the fair a distinct identity and cultivated a devoted audience.
The announcement comes as the inaugural Chicago Art Fair gets underway at THE MART. The new fair opened with a preview on October 7 and continues through October 10, presenting modern and contemporary art. Tim von Gal, CEO and producer of SOFA Chicago and CEO of Intersect Art and Design, was in Chicago this week for the occasion.
Organizers describe the 2027 collaboration as two distinct but complementary presentations under one roof, with SOFA’s focus on three-dimensional art and design alongside Chicago Art Fair’s broader offerings.
“Chicago has always been an extraordinary home for SOFA and a city with a deep appreciation for art, craft, architecture and design,” said von Gal in the announcement. “Joining the Chicago Art Fair at THE MART gives us the opportunity to build upon that legacy while creating an exciting new experience for collectors and exhibitors alike.”
Eric Smith, owner of Chicago Art Fair and CEO of Redwood Art Group, said the addition would broaden the fair’s scope while preserving SOFA’s identity.
“SOFA has a remarkable legacy and a distinct identity, and its return adds an important new dimension to the fair while reinforcing Chicago’s position as a destination for collectors, galleries and art lovers from around the world,” Smith said.
For those who remember SOFA as an annual opportunity to encounter ambitious work in craft and design, the return will be welcome news. The participating galleries and programming, still to be announced, will provide a fuller picture of how that legacy will take shape in its new setting.
SOFA Chicago is produced by Intersect Art and Design, which also organizes annual art and design fairs in Aspen and Palm Springs.
Additional details about exhibitors, partnerships and tickets are expected in the coming months.
Visit chicagoartfair.com for updates.
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The artist Richard Hunt
By CGN Staff
Pigment International has dedicated Black Fine Art Month 2026 to Chicago sculptor Richard Hunt (1935–2023), recognizing his contributions to American art and his lifelong connection to the city.
As part of the month’s programming, the organization will host Pigmented: Chicago to the World — A Black Fine Art Convening on October 23 at the University of Chicago’s Logan Center for the Arts. Partners include the Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation, Adler University, CAI Designs, Chicago Public Art Group, Chicago Sculpture Exhibit and Diasporal Rhythms.
Born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, Hunt developed an internationally recognized practice while continuing to live and work in his hometown. His welded metal sculptures brought together abstract forms, references to the natural world and an enduring interest in freedom and social justice.
Hunt identified attending Emmett Till’s funeral in 1955 as a turning point in his artistic life. Till had lived just two blocks from Hunt’s home. Decades later, Hunt’s public commissions would honor figures including Martin Luther King Jr., Mary McLeod Bethune, Jesse Owens and Ida B. Wells, while also addressing the Middle Passage and the Great Migration.
In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson appointed Hunt to the National Council on the Arts, where he became its first African American member. In 1971, at age 35, he became the first African American sculptor to receive a retrospective at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. His career encompassed more than 150 solo exhibitions and more than 160 public art installations.
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Richard Hunt with artist Chris Devins, who recently completed a mural honoring the sculptor in Hyde Park. Photo courtesy of Chris Devins.
Recent projects in Chicago offer new ways to encounter Hunt’s work and history. This fall, the Logan Center opened the Hunt, a café honoring the artist. Created and designed by Little Black Pearl founder and executive director Monica Haslip, the space incorporates two Hunt sculptures, African art, archival materials and photographs by Sandro Miller.
In Hyde Park, artist Chris Devins and historian Michelle Duster have brought a mural of Hunt to 1515–19 E. 54th Street. The portrait is based on photographs Devins took in Hunt’s studio before the sculptor’s death.
“Richard Hunt was a giant in the arts world and people need to see what he looked like and be inspired by his legacy,” Devins said.
Pigment International’s dedication also reflects its own relationship with Hunt. The organization featured him in its magazine in 2020, and he welcomed its Black Fine Art Month programming into his studio in October 2021.
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Two events take place this month:
Pigment International at SPECTRUM Chicago Art Fair
October 7–10, 2026.
Chicago Merchandise Mart, seventh floor, booth #3091.
Wednesday, October 7, 5–8 pm, with a champagne toast in the booth and an artist meet-and-greet.
Thursday, October 8, 6-8pm with Diasporal Rhythms
Featured artists: Jesse Howard, Howard Simmons, Edo, Candace Hunter, Sura DuPart and Max Sansing.
Additional events are taking place during the fair
Chicago to the World: A Black Fine Art Month Convening
Presented by Pigment International as part of Black Fine Art Month, which the organization has dedicated this year to Richard Hunt.
Friday, October 23, 2026, 11:30 am–5 pm.
Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th Street, Chicago.
Details at pigmentintl.com