5 Art Novels to Read This Summer

ARTnews has published a list of five art novels to read this summer, all released within the past year. The featured books include Ben Lerner's 'Transcription,' Larissa Pham's 'Discipline,' Deborah Levy's 'My Year in Paris with Gertrude Stein: A Fiction,' Stephanie Wambugu's 'Lonely Crowds,' and Luke Goebel's 'Kill Dick.' Each novel explores how art emerges through relationships—with friends, mentors, parents, lovers, and historical artists—offering a range of perspectives from anxious inner monologues to satirical critiques of the art world.

Steven Soderbergh, the Colors of Money

Steven Soderbergh, les couleurs de l’argent

Steven Soderbergh's new film "The Christophers" (2025) is a sharp, chamber-piece drama about art, inheritance, and money. The story follows Julian Skar, a former art superstar from the 1970s now living in seclusion and earning a living by caricaturing himself on social media. His children, Barnaby and Sally, eager to maximize their future inheritance, hire a repentant forger named Lori Butler to secretly complete Julian's unfinished masterpiece, an eight-portrait series titled "The Christophers." The film explores the complex relationships that develop between the four characters in a labyrinthine London house, written in the style of a lively theatrical play.

Anyone who never feels uncomfortable as a tourist is not a good tourist

"Wer sich als Tourist nie unbehaglich fühlt, ist kein guter Tourist"

American painter Hernan Bas has created a new series of paintings inspired by Venice and its tourists, drawing from his long-standing relationship with the city. His first encounter with Venice came through an invitation to exhibit at Bruna Aickelin's renowned gallery Il Capricorno, and he has since shown there multiple times, considering Aickelin his Italian connection.

Belfast’s murals are an open-air gallery of history and art

Belfast's murals, long used as tools of political expression and territorial marking during the Troubles, are gradually changing. Research shows that three-quarters of the most intimidatory murals in the loyalist Shankill area have disappeared since 1998. Newer murals commemorate figures like Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III, while non-sectarian artistic murals—including tributes to murdered journalist Lyra McKee—are appearing across the city. However, some paramilitary-linked murals persist, and a 2024 incident saw a wall in north Belfast rebuilt and its threatening imagery repainted, reflecting ongoing tensions and the complex politics of 'conflict transformation' funding.

Co-Curated Biennials Are Rarely Harmonious. Why Not Embrace This?

The article explores the inherent tensions and conflicts that arise in biennials curated by multiple individuals, arguing that such friction is often seen as a flaw but could instead be embraced as a creative strength. It examines how co-curation can lead to disjointed or contradictory exhibitions, yet suggests that these very qualities reflect the complexity of contemporary art and society.