Lonnie G. Bunch Has Had Enough

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The Smithsonian Secretary resigns amid political pressure from the White House, artist Lucien Smith passes away at 37, and another museum heist occurs in Europe.

Lonnie G. Bunch III has reached his limit. After enduring continuous harassment and political pressure from the Trump White House, the Smithsonian Secretary has decided to resign, expressing “very mixed emotions.” It’s a regrettable start to the fall season.

In another unfortunate event, New York artist Lucien Smith has died at the young age of 37. Once a star in the art market, he had left the commercial scene to focus on community-oriented projects. Associate Editor Phillip Pyle reflects on his life and contributions.

In other news, Europe sees yet another museum heist. This time, two paintings vanish from the Renoir Museum in southern France. Police report the thieves dropped two additional paintings in the museum’s garden during a chase.

There’s more to explore below, including John Yau’s piece on Law & Order writer and producer René Balcer, who is also a photographer. Perhaps Balcer could tackle Europe’s museum heist problem … DUN DUN.

—Hakim Bishara, editor-in-chief

The Law & Order Writer Who Moonlights as an Artist

Is René Balcer a street photographer, a documentary photographer, or a landscape photographer? He embodies all these roles and more.

Despite his success as a producer and writer for Law & Order, earning a Primetime Emmy and multiple Edgar Awards, direct photography has been the consistent thread in Balcer’s life.

After studying poetry and photography at Concordia University in Montreal, and attending a six-month seminar with French New Wave filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, Balcer pursued careers as a cameraman, war reporter, editor, scriptwriter, documentary filmmaker, and film critic. Like Godard and other New Wave filmmakers, Balcer wrote reviews and produced films, blending critique with creativity. | John Yau

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America in the Making

A new exhibition at the Addison Gallery of American Art examines how art throughout U.S. history reflects a growing national identity.

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This is well reasoned and well argued. Thanks for this. I appreciate that you bring up Kanye West too, because it seems to me that like Kusama, he has gotten a tacit pass for his racist behavior. This is the kind of criticism we need more of.

—Seph Rodney on What the Art World Doesn’t Want You to Know About Yayoi Kusama

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Gulf Coast Journal — Toni Beauchamp Prize in Critical Art Writing
Gulf Coast invites entries for the 2026 Toni Beauchamp Prize in Critical Art Writing. Win $3,000 for first place or $1,000 as a runner-up. This year’s judge is critic Andrew Berardini.

Deadline: September 14, 2026 | gulfcoastmag.org

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