1997 in art

List of years in art (Table)
… 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 …
Related time period or subjects
… 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 … … 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s … … 19th century 20th century 21st century …
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Events

27 January – It is revealed that French museums had nearly 2,000 pieces of art that had been stolen by Nazis.
6 March – Pablo Picasso's Tête de Femme is stolen from a London gallery (recovered a week later).
27 April – Andrew Cunanan murders Jeffrey Trail, beginning a murder spree that will last until July and end with the murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace.

Puppy by Jeff Koons is moved from Sydney Harbour to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.
Robert Colescott becomes the first African-American to represent the United States in a solo exhibition at the Venice Biennial.

The Lion d'or (Golden Lion) for Lifetime Achievement: Emilio Vedova (Italy) , Agnes Martin (USA)
The Lion d'or for Best Pavilion: France exhibiting the work of Fabrice Hyber

2 February – Theodoros Stamos, Greek American abstract expressionist painter (b.1922).
7 March – Martin Kippenberger, German artist (b.1953).
11 March – Sam Golden, paint maker (b.1915).
19 March – Willem de Kooning, Dutch born American abstract expressionist painter (b.1904).
16 April – Roland Topor, French illustrator, painter, writer and filmmaker (b.1938).
20 April – Jean Louis, French costume designer (b.1907).
23 May – James Lee Byars, American artist (b.1932).

15 July – Gianni Versace, Italian fashion designer, murdered (b.1946).
16 July – Dora Maar, French photographer, poet and painter, lover of Pablo Picasso (b.1907).
29 September – Roy Lichtenstein, American pop artist (b.1923).
22 October – Leonid Amalrik, Russian animator and animation director (b.1905).
23 October – Claire Falkenstein, American sculptor and painter (b.1908).
16 December – Lillian Disney, American artist and wife of Walt Disney (b.1899).