Two Brazilian curators selected to organise 2027 Bienal de São Paulo

The Fundação Bienal de São Paulo has appointed Brazilian curators Amanda Carneiro and Raphael Fonseca as chief curators for the 2027 Bienal de São Paulo, Latin America's largest and longest-running visual arts event. Carneiro, a curator at the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) since 2018, also organized the main exhibition at the 2024 Venice Biennale. Fonseca, based in Lisbon, works at Culturgest, serves as curator-at-large for Latin American art at the Denver Art Museum, and is curating the Taiwan Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale. The event will take place at the Pavilhão Ciccillo Matarazzo in Ibirapuera Park, with further details expected in coming months.

Jarvis Cocker Is Bringing His Eclectic Eye to the Hepworth Wakefield

Musician Jarvis Cocker and his wife, creative consultant Kim Sion, will curate an exhibition titled “The Hodge Podge” at the Hepworth Wakefield in the U.K., opening in May 2027. The show will feature artworks selected by the couple that challenge conventional definitions of art, spanning diverse media and time periods, with artists including Peter Doig, Barbara Hepworth, Jeremy Deller, and Emma Kunz. The exhibition will be bookended by an immersive Dreamachine, a 1959 light-art device by Brion Gysin and Ian Sommerville. Cocker and Sion have outlined their curatorial philosophy in a Hodge Podge Manifesto, celebrating beauty in chaos and disorder.

São Paulo Biennial Names Two Rising Brazilian Curators for 2027 Show

The Bienal de São Paulo has appointed Amanda Carneiro and Raphael Fonseca as chief curators for its 37th edition, opening in fall 2027. Both are Brazilian curators: Carneiro is a curator at MASP and previously assisted Adriano Pedrosa on the Venice Biennale's main exhibition; Fonseca, based in Lisbon, also curates the Taiwan Pavilion in Venice and works at Culturgest and the Denver Art Museum. The selection follows the success of Cameroonian curator Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung's 2023 edition.

Carrie Mae Weems Shines in Miami's Semiquincentennial Show at Pérez Art Museum

Carrie Mae Weems is featured in the Pérez Art Museum Miami's upcoming exhibition 'This Is America,' which celebrates the United States' 250th anniversary. The show opens May 23 and runs through 2027, including works by Alfredo Jaar, Judy Chicago, and Rashid Johnson alongside local artists. Weems, known for series like 'Kitchen Table' and 'From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried,' uses photography and staged scenes to explore race, gender, and power.

Jarvis Cocker and Kim Sion to curate art exhibition at Hepworth Wakefield

Jarvis Cocker and his wife Kim Sion will curate a new exhibition titled "Hodge Podge" at the Hepworth Wakefield, opening in May 2027. The show brings together a personal selection of works by artists including Jeremy Deller, Peter Doig, Barbara Hepworth, and others, alongside unknown outsider and visionary artists never before exhibited in UK public museums. The exhibition aims to challenge conventional ideas of art and includes an immersive Dreamachine, a flickering light device co-invented by Brion Gysin and Ian Sommerville in 1959.

Lina Lapelytė Fills Hamburger Bahnhof with 400,000 Wood Blocks for Communal Building

Lithuanian artist Lina Lapelytė has filled Berlin's Hamburger Bahnhof with 400,000 wooden blocks made of pine and spruce, creating a participatory installation titled “We Make Years Out of Hours.” Commissioned by Chanel, the work invites the public to build and rebuild structures from the 10-centimeter cubes. A series of weekly performances featuring a libretto by writers including Ocean Vuong, Etel Adnan, Forugh Farrokhzad, and Mahmoud Darwish will accompany the installation, which opens on May 1 and runs through January 10, 2027.

Il mitico artista-ceramista italiano Nanni Valentini torna negli Stati Uniti con una mostra sulla sua storia. Le immagini

The Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York, is hosting "Interspaces," a retrospective exhibition dedicated to Italian artist Nanni Valentini (1932–1985), a pivotal figure in ceramic art. Curated by Garth Johnson of the Everson Museum and Luca Bochicchio of the Museo della Ceramica di Savona, with oversight by art historian Flaminio Gualdoni, the show runs until September 6, 2026. It traces Valentini's evolution from functional pottery to conceptual wall works, featuring pieces like "I segni della terra" (1981) and "Impronta-totem" (1979), on loan from ABC-ARTE gallery. The exhibition marks Valentini's return to the U.S., where he first gained international recognition at the museum's 1958 Ceramic International, introduced by Lucio Fontana.

Five Independent Souls: The Signers from New Jersey

Morven Museum & Garden in Princeton, New Jersey, is presenting "Five Independent Souls: The Signers from New Jersey," an exhibition opening May 3, 2026, through January 17, 2027. The show examines the lives of five lesser-known signers of the Declaration of Independence—Abraham Clark, John Hart, Francis Hopkinson, Richard Stockton, and John Witherspoon—through over 100 historic artifacts including manuscripts, paintings, furniture, and personal objects. It confronts the paradox that these men fought for liberty while enslaving people, and also addresses the impact of American independence on New Jersey's indigenous population. Highlights include the painting "Congress Voting Independence" (1796-1817), the first known American depiction of the vote for Independence.

National Museum of Asian Art Opens New Exhibition in June About Its Origin Story

The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art will open a new exhibition titled "A Museum in the Making" on June 27, 2026, running through August 8, 2027. The show explores the origin story of the Freer Gallery of Art, America's first national art museum, by examining how collector Charles Lang Freer used his Detroit home as a living laboratory for museum design. It highlights collaborations with artists and architects, including James McNeill Whistler, Stanford White, and Mary Chase Perry Stratton, and features a video walkthrough of the Freer House. The exhibition is part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations and the Smithsonian's broader "Our Shared Future" initiative.

Art Fund launches UK-wide touring programme

Art Fund has launched a UK-wide touring programme called Going Places, backed by £5.36 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Julia Rausing Trust. The first exhibition, *Making Her Mark: A Celebration of Women in Art*, opened at Penlee House Gallery & Museum in Penzance, featuring over 60 works from three museum collections alongside community responses. It will travel to Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum and Kirkcaldy Gallery through 2027. The programme plans 12 major touring shows over five years, with six already scheduled, including exhibitions on green spaces, journeys, radical living, art and nature, and community making.

Birmingham Museum of Art to unveil new Black American art exhibition

The Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) announced it will unveil a landmark exhibition titled "Roll Call: Two Hundred Years of Black American Art" in September 2026. The show features 99 works drawn entirely from the museum's permanent collection, tracing two centuries of Black artistic production. Organized in four thematic sections—The Ground We Stand On, Ujima: Collective Work and Responsibility, What Freedom Feels Like, and In the Heart of It All—the exhibition highlights the museum's history of collecting Black art, which began in 1971 and now includes over 1,000 works by 250 Black artists. The exhibition coincides with the museum's 75th anniversary and runs from September 26, 2026 to January 17, 2027.

In Warsaw, the Poster Museum reopens and it is the oldest in the world

A Varsavia riapre il Museo del Manifesto ed è il più antico del mondo

The Poster Museum in Wilanów, a suburb of Warsaw, has reopened after a major conservation restoration co-financed by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Founded in 1968 as an autonomous institution from the National Museum in Warsaw, it is the oldest museum of its kind in the world. Its collection now holds approximately 63,000 posters from Poland and abroad, dating from the late 19th century to the present, including works by Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Stasys Eidrigevičius. The reopening exhibition, "Polish Posters: The Collection," features 240 works spanning 130 years of Polish urban life, covering themes from politics and propaganda to cinema, theater, music, and fashion. The museum also hosts the International Poster Biennale, founded in 1966, with the next edition scheduled for 2027.

What Is the 2026 Met Gala Exhibit “Costume Art” All About?

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute will unveil its 2026 exhibition, “Costume Art,” on May 4, 2026, coinciding with the Met Gala. Curated by Andrew Bolton, the show explores the relationship between fashion and the human body, juxtaposing garments like Rei Kawakubo's bulbous Comme des Garçons ensemble with artworks such as Hans Bellmer's “La Poupée” and Albrecht Dürer's “Adam and Eve.” Mannequins cast from real bodies and mirrored heads by artist Samar Hejazi will enhance the immersive experience. The exhibition runs from May 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027, in the new Condé M. Nast Galleries.

Expansive Exhibition Highlights U.S. History Through ‘A Nation of Artists’

The United States is marking its 250th anniversary in 2026 with a major collaborative exhibition titled *A Nation of Artists*, presented simultaneously at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA). The show features over 1,000 works—paintings, photographs, sculptures, and decorative arts—spanning from the late 18th century to the present, including more than 120 rarely seen pieces from the Middleton Family Collection, one of the country's most significant private holdings of American art. PAFA organizes the works thematically around westward expansion, industrialization, and globalization, while PMA, celebrating its 150th anniversary, presents a chronological survey from 1700 to 1960, highlighting international exchange, technological innovation, and shifting cultural economics.

Still in Sound Exhibition Opens on May 16 at the Clyfford Still Museum

The Clyfford Still Museum in Denver will open a multisensory exhibition titled "Still in Sound" on May 16, exploring how visitors can experience abstract visual language through sound. Co-curated by Bailey Placzek, the museum's curator of collections, and British multidisciplinary artist Ben Coleman, the exhibition features original sonic interpretations by contemporary artists Maria Chávez, Maya Dunietz, Kalyn Heffernan, Matana Roberts, and Michael Schumacher, each responding to a specific Clyfford Still artwork. The museum will also open a special-feature exhibition, "Celebrating 15 Years: 15 New Paintings in 15 Months," unveiling one previously unseen painting each month for 15 months. The exhibition runs through February 14, 2027.

British ’90s art and fashion exhibition heading to Tate Britain in fall 2026.

Tate Britain will mount the first major exhibition exploring the transformative impact of fashion, art, and photography on 1990s Britain. Curated by former British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, the show titled “The 90s: Art and Fashion” will bring together over 100 works—including photographs, paintings, films, sculptures, objects, and garments—from nearly 70 artists. It runs from August 8, 2026 through February 14, 2027.

Chanel to open major Lina Lapelytė commission at Berlin’s Hamburger Bahnhof.

Lithuanian interdisciplinary artist Lina Lapelytė will present a large-scale sonic installation and performance titled "We Make Years Out of Hours (2026)" at Berlin's Hamburger Bahnhof — Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart, opening May 1st during Berlin Gallery Weekend 2026. The work is the second iteration of the Chanel Commission, with performances scheduled on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays through January 10, 2027, and a public preview on April 30th.

Anne Frank exhibit debuts Friday with rare artifacts in Chicago

A new exhibition titled "Anne Frank The Exhibition" opens Friday, May 1 at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. It features 130 collection items from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, including artifacts from the Secret Annex where Anne Frank and her family hid during the Nazi occupation. Some of these items have never been displayed in the United States before. The exhibition offers a personal look at the Frank family's life in hiding, including a board game that helped pass the time.

CMOA unveils the 59th Carnegie International

The Carnegie Museum of Art (CMOA) held a press tour on May 1, 2026, for the 59th Carnegie International, titled "If the word we." The exhibition features 61 artists from around the world, including 36 newly commissioned works, alongside pieces from CMOA's permanent collection. It opens to the public on May 2, 2026, and runs through January 3, 2027. Notable participants include artists Abraham González Pacheco, Elle Márjá Eira, Hans Ragnar Mathisen, Joar Nango, G. Peter Jemison, Sarah Ndele, and Georges Adeagbo, with tours led by professor Jongwoo Jeremy Kim.

First look at the 59th Carnegie International

The Carnegie Museum of Art held a press tour on May 1, 2026, for the 59th Carnegie International, titled "If the word we." The exhibition features 61 artists from around the world, including 36 newly commissioned works, alongside pieces from the museum's permanent collection. It opens to the public on May 2, 2026, and runs through January 3, 2027.

Museum of Arts and Design Presents First Solo Museum Exhibition for Artist Jessica Lichtenstein

The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York will present "Jessica Lichtenstein: Rewilding," the artist's first solo museum exhibition, from May 30, 2026, through April 18, 2027. The immersive installation transforms the third-floor gallery into a lush, overgrown terrain featuring thousands of digitally rendered female nudes that coalesce into forests, ruins, and flowering canopies, exploring themes of femininity, ecological imagination, and bodily autonomy.

Denver Art Museum Luncheon by Design, a fundraiser event for DIVA exhibition, opening fall 2026

The Denver Art Museum (DAM) held its annual Luncheon by Design fundraiser, celebrating the 60-year career of costume designer Bob Mackie as a prelude to the upcoming DIVA exhibition opening in fall 2026. The event featured a conversation between Joe McFate, Mackie's long-time design director, and Jill D'Alessandro, DAM's director and curator of the Avenir Institute of Textile Arts, sharing stories behind Mackie's iconic costumes worn by Cher, Tina Turner, and P!NK. Funds raised support the DIVA exhibition, which will run from October 4, 2026, to January 31, 2027, at the museum.

Two artists, two different generations, two views of everyday Anchorage

The Anchorage Museum is hosting "Everyday Anchorage: Duke Russell & Ward Wells," an exhibition pairing two artists from different generations who capture ordinary life in Anchorage, Alaska. Ward Wells, a commercial photographer, documented the city after World War II, while Duke Russell uses paint to record post-pipeline scenes. The show runs through August 2027.

Annonce de chercheurs : Exposition Maurice Utrillo, de Montmartre à Angoulême

The Musée d'Angoulême will host the exhibition "De Montmartre à Angoulême, Maurice Utrillo intime…" from April to September 2027, focusing on the artist's lesser-known years in the Charente region. Curators Pamela de Montleau and Philippe Cassereau are seeking archives, correspondence, photographs, testimonies, and paintings to illuminate Utrillo's two-year stay in Angoulême (1935–1937), where he married painter and writer Lucie Valore. The show will also feature works by his painter friends, including Maurice de Vlaminck, Alphonse Quizet, and others.

Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker and Kim Sion to curate 2027 Hepworth Wakefield show.

Musician Jarvis Cocker, best known as the frontman of the band Pulp, and his wife Kim Sion, a creative consultant, will curate a group exhibition titled “The Hodge Podge” at The Hepworth Wakefield in the UK in 2027. The show will feature a diverse range of artworks across different eras and media, focusing on artists who challenge conventional definitions of art. This marks Cocker’s first curatorial project at a major institution.

Met Gala theme is Costume Art, celebrating fashion as fine art

The 2026 Met Gala, held on May 4, 2026, is co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with honorary chairs Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez. The theme, "Costume Art," celebrates fashion as an embodied art form, with guests interpreting the dress code "Fashion is Art" through sculptural, architectural silhouettes. The accompanying exhibition, also titled "Costume Art," opens at The Met Fifth Avenue on May 10, 2026, and runs through January 10, 2027, pairing garments with artworks from the museum's collection to highlight the connection between fashion and fine art.

Look Inside the Met Gala 2026’s Exhibit & See What Celebs Will Be Viewing Tonight!

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has revealed photos from inside the Costume Institute's latest exhibition, 'Costume Art,' ahead of the 2026 Met Gala. Curated by Andrew Bolton, the show explores the relationship between clothing and the body, organized around thematic body types such as the Naked Body, Pregnant Body, and Aging Body. It features garments and artworks from The Met's collection, both historical and contemporary, and will be the first exhibition held in the new Condé M. Nast Galleries, a 12,000-square-foot space adjacent to the Great Hall. The exhibition opens to the public on May 10, 2026, and runs through January 10, 2027.

Coalition’ art exhibition draws massive turnout in Ibadan, eyes Guinness World Records

Over 900 art enthusiasts attended 'The Coalition' art exhibition in Ibadan, Nigeria, held from April 24 to 26, 2026, at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). The three-day event featured more than 600 artworks by 60 Nigerian artists, showcasing abstract works, portraits, and contemporary pieces exploring identity and culture. Organizers, including Constance and Sons Art Gallery founder Dunmade Ayegbayo, reported strong visitor engagement and sales, highlighting the commercial potential of Nigerian art.

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Announces 'Star Wars In Motion' As Part of Inaugural Cinema Exhibition

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art has announced details of its inaugural Cinema exhibition, titled 'Star Wars In Motion,' set to open on September 22. Curated by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, the exhibition will feature vehicle designs, props, costumes, and illustrations from the first six Star Wars films, including Luke's Landspeeder and General Grievous's Wheel Bike. The museum, located at Exposition Park in Los Angeles, will launch with over 30 installations tracing visual storytelling from ancient sculptures to modern cinema, drawing from a founding collection of more than 40,000 works.

Lucas Museum Announces "Star Wars in Motion" Inaugural Exhibition as Founding Members Can Now Sign Up

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open in Los Angeles on September 22, has announced its inaugural Cinema Exhibition will be "Star Wars in Motion," focusing on vehicle designs, props, costumes, and illustrations from the first six Star Wars films. The museum is now accepting founding member sign-ups at LucasMuseum.org, with four membership tiers ranging from $140 to $600, offering benefits such as priority access, preview events, limited-edition products, and lifetime recognition as a Founding Member. Founding memberships last one year from the museum's opening through September 2027.