Hrag Vartanian on a play about art, fame, and infatuation; Aruna D’Souza on Taryn Simon at the Guggenheim; the latest in the Leon Black saga; and more.
The Wreck of the Unbelievable, a play by Sleth at the Brick Theater, tells the story of Damien Hirst’s imagined secret gay lover, a younger artist who paints holes, as a curator presses him for details of the affair in the wake of Hirst’s death. This parodic premise (or just another day at the studio) catalyzes a deep reckoning with fame, infatuation, and the pitfalls of artistic life. Reviewing the show today, Editor-at-Large Hrag Vartanian writes that it offers a “more shadowy version” of the usual MM romance, one that is “true to the sadness of longing for something that never quite arrives but feeds our desire at the same time.”
There’s more from our critics today. Aruna D’Souza reviews Taryn Simon’s ambitious exhibition at the Guggenheim, which follows the real life of an unnamed federal agent, coming away with “a sense of helplessness”; and Noah Fischer delves into The Book of Genocides, Dana Mashoian Walrath’s latest graphic novel.
Meanwhile, as Congress votes to hold billionaire and MoMA board member Leon Black in contempt in its Epstein investigation, a new book about the disgraced financier reveals his plans for a museum for his collection in an iconic Manhattan property.
Got plans on September 30? Hyperallergic members in NYC, please join us for a fun evening of studio visits at the International Studio & Curatorial Program, featuring Alicia Grullón, Zoë Pulley, Erick Hernandez, Kara Springer, and others. Not a member yet? Join here.
—Valentina Di Liscia, senior editor
The Titillating Tale of Damien Hirst’s Gay Hole
The Wreck of the Unbelievable is a strangely infectious, if uneven, little play about obsession that takes on the fantastical premise in which renowned artist Damien Hirst is dead and is survived by a gay lover named Shape (smartly played by playwright Sleth), who greets theatergoers sprawled, ass up, on a disheveled mattress reminiscent of Tracey Emin’s “My Bed” (1998). The production makes it clear that Hirst is very much alive and straight, to the best of our knowledge, but the idea makes for a weird wormhole into the nature of infatuation and the costs of being an artist who craves the good stuff — fame and fortune. | Hrag Vartanian
Lisa Sanditz: Missing Mountain on view September 18 – November 7
An exhibition of new paintings and works on paper. Opening reception September 18th from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Conversation with the artist September 24th from 4:00 to 5:00pm. Catalogue with essay by Barry Schwabsky.
News
From Our Critics
Borusan Contemporary Presents Two New Exhibitions
From “the act of looking” to intelligent technologies, “Olivo Barbieri: Time Space Geometry” and “Haunted” explore how images shape our perception of reality. Opening September 19, 2026.
Feature
Hyper Links
- Cartoonist Edith Pritchett’s “Bayeux tapestry for the modern age” captures the battles of our era with a generous side of dark humor for the Guardian.
- A newly acquired portrait at the Art Gallery of Ontario illuminates the fascinating life and legacy of Black 19th-century life model Pierre Louis Alexandre.
- In yet more proof that NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is the shit, 17 free and accessible public bathrooms will be built across the five boroughs in a newly approved project.
—Stephanie Fallon on “Artists and Illustrators Throw Ed Sheeran for a Loop“
From the Archive
Harry Ransom Center – 2027–2028 Fellowships
The center will award up to 50 funded fellowships to support on-site archival projects across various disciplines at the University of Texas at Austin’s humanities research library and museum. Read more on Hyperallergic.
Deadline: November 6, 2026 | ransom.center
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