10 Exhibitions to See in Venice Which Aren’t Part of the Biennale

Ocula's editors have curated a list of 10 must-see collateral exhibitions in Venice that are not part of the main Biennale. Highlights include Shirin Neshat's film trilogy "Do U Dare!" about YouTuber Nasim Aghdam, Hernan Bas's ironic paintings of tourists at Ca' Pesaro, and the group show "Outta Love" featuring Francesca Woodman, Jenny Saville, and Wolfgang Tillmans. Another notable exhibition is "Turāndokht" from Parasol unit, which brings together 11 female artists from Central Asia to challenge Orientalist stereotypes.

Art Basel unveils Basel Exclusive and further program highlights for its flagship show in June

Art Basel has announced new program highlights for its flagship fair in Basel this June, including a new initiative called Basel Exclusive. Developed in dialogue with galleries, Basel Exclusive requires participating exhibitors from the main Galleries sector to reserve at least one major work—or an entire presentation—from all pre-fair previews, online viewing rooms, and pre-sales, unveiling them publicly for the first time during the VIP opening on June 16. The fair also revealed the lineup for Unlimited, its platform for large-scale works, which will feature 59 projects by 66 international galleries, curated for the first time by Ruba Katrib of MoMA PS1. Unlimited Night returns on June 18 with extended hours and special performances.

Exhibition | Bùi Thanh Tâm, 'Here on and after' at Eli Klein Gallery, New York, United States

Eli Klein Gallery in New York is presenting "Bùi Thanh Tâm: Here on and after," the Hanoi-based artist's first solo exhibition in the United States. The show features 13 new and recent paintings that explore Vietnam's colonial history, the aftermath of war, and the persistence of memory. Tâm, a leading Vietnamese painter of the postwar generation, incorporates traditional folk woodblock prints—Đông Hồ, Hàng Trống, and Kim Hoàng—into layered, collaged works. The sunflower emerges as a central symbol of resilience and rebirth, influenced by Anselm Kiefer and Francis Bacon, while addressing trauma from French colonialism to Agent Orange. The exhibition includes series such as "Searching for the Sunflower," "Hello. God is here," "Utopia," and "Mutant," each examining themes of healing, endurance, and cultural transformation.

PATRICK HERON: Early works, 1950-54

Hazlitt Holland-Hibbert presents a focused exhibition of Patrick Heron's early works from 1950 to 1954, tracing the British modernist's decisive shift from figuration to abstraction. The show brings together pieces from the artist's estate, including several never before exhibited, alongside loans from museums and private collections, highlighting a formative moment in post-war British art. Key works such as 'Christmas Eve: 1951' and 'Black Fish on Blue Table' demonstrate Heron's evolving visual language, influenced by the School of Paris and encounters with Braque, Matisse, and Bonnard.

Can the V&A’s New Museum Fulfill Its Democratic Promise?

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has opened its new V&A East museum and V&A East Storehouse in Stratford, East London. This expansion, part of a £660 million redevelopment, presents the museum's collection with a focus on community co-design, social justice themes, and local artists, aiming to be more accessible and democratic than its imposing South Kensington flagship.

Venice Art Biennale: The Time of Nuances

Biennale d’art de Venise : le temps des nuances

The 61st Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys," opened under the artistic direction of the late Swiss-Cameroonian curator Koyo Kouoh. The exhibition features 111 artists and collectives, presenting a more subdued, poetic, and experiential approach compared to the previous edition's explicit decolonial program. It navigates contemporary political tensions, including the participation of Israel and the reopening of the Russian pavilion, while aiming for a radical return to art's own environment and its place in society.

“Marina Abramović: Balkan Erotic Epic. The Exhibition” at Gropius Bau, Berlin

Marina Abramović presents her first major exhibition in Berlin since the 1990s at Gropius Bau, titled "Balkan Erotic Epic. The Exhibition." The show juxtaposes historic works from the 1970s with new video installations, exploring how the artist uses the body as a vital force to confront political systems, histories, and mythologies of the Balkan countries.

What Is the Venice Biennale? Everything You Need to Know

The Venice Biennale returns for its 61st edition, running from May 9 to November 22, 2026. The event, often called the Olympics of the art world, comprises a central exhibition curated by an artistic director, national pavilions from dozens of countries, and officially approved Collateral Events. This year's edition was to be curated by Koyo Kouoh, a celebrated Cameroonian-born curator, but she died at 57 in May 2025 before announcing the title and theme, “In Minor Keys.” The Biennale organization has moved forward with a team of five curatorial advisers executing her vision. The event is overseen by president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco and is expected to draw over 800,000 visitors.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art's new central building is a 'machine of discovery'

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has opened its new central building, the David Geffen Galleries, to the public. Designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor at a cost of $724 million, the 347,600-square-foot structure reorients the museum with a single, flowing second-story floor plan, eschewing a traditional main entrance or atrium to encourage wandering and serendipitous encounters with art. The galleries are named for major oceans and are designed to blend cultures and artworks from different eras.

Stockholm's Market Art Fair wants to prove the 'periphery is now essential'

The 20th edition of Stockholm's Market Art Fair for Modern and contemporary art opens in a new waterfront venue at Magasin 9 in the Frihamnen docks area, running until 26 April. This year, 54 dealers—mostly from the Nordics—are joined by international galleries from the US and UK, including Anthony Wilkinson gallery (London) and albertz benda (New York). The fair expanded its reach last year by opening applications to galleries without existing Nordic ties. Notable presentations include new works by Ólafur Elíasson (i8 gallery, Iceland), dystopian paintings by Munan Øvrelid (Galleri Haaken, Oslo), and textile works by Petra Lindholm (Magnus Karlsson gallery). Prices range from SEK 28,000 to €195,000, with strong early sales reported.

Barber and Osgerby: The Best of London Design Arrives in Exhibition in Milan

Barber e Osgerby: il meglio del design londinese arriva in mostra a Milano

Designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby have opened a major exhibition, 'Edward Barber | Jay Osgerby. Alphabet,' at the Triennale di Milano. The show presents a chronological survey of their work from the mid-1990s to 2022, featuring furniture, objects, and prototypes displayed on large plinths, alongside an archival section revealing their creative process.

Lubaina Himid has been busy ‘Predicting History: Testing Translation’

Lubaina Himid has been selected to represent the United Kingdom at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2026 with a major solo installation titled 'Predicting History: Testing Translation' at the British Pavilion. The exhibition, running from May 9 to November 2026, features a new series of large, multipaneled paintings in dazzling colors, surreal settings, and a soundscape created in collaboration with artist Magda Stawarska. Himid, a Turner Prize-winning pioneer of the Black British Art Movement and Emeritus Professor at the University of Central Lancashire, explores themes of belonging, migration, and making a home in a new place.

How an Art Event in the California Desert Became a Community

High Desert Test Sites (HDTS), a long-running, itinerant art event in the California desert, is approaching its 25th anniversary. Founded by artist Andrea Zittel, it has evolved from a series of experimental artist projects into a vital, decentralized community network that fosters collaboration and dialogue between artists and local residents.

LACMA's David Geffen Galleries invites visitors to get lost and move through art without a set path.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has opened its new David Geffen Galleries building to the public. Designed by architect Peter Zumthor, the 900-foot-long structure features a non-linear, single-level layout with abundant natural light, intentionally encouraging visitors to wander without a set path. The inaugural exhibition, organized by 45 curators, abandons traditional art historical categories in favor of a thematic presentation centered on major bodies of water and global trade routes.

D Lan Galleries and Pace Gallery to present Emily Kam Kngwarray in New York

D Lan Galleries and Pace Gallery are collaborating to present "Emily Kam Kngwarray: The Turning Season," a major survey of the renowned Australian First Nations artist, on view in New York from May 15 to August 14. The exhibition spans Pace's Chelsea spaces and includes key works from Kngwarray's career, such as her celebrated painting series and early batik textiles, following her landmark 2025 retrospective at Tate Modern in London.

Only 11 days left until Berlin’s most important contemporary art event: Over 50 galleries are opening new exhibitions—free admission!

Gallery Weekend Berlin, one of Europe's most significant contemporary art events, is set to take place from May 1-3, 2026. Over 50 selected galleries across the city will simultaneously open new exhibitions, featuring works by established and emerging international artists, with free admission to most venues. The event transforms Berlin into a decentralized, walkable open-air gallery.

Andreas Angelidakis on Representing Greece at the 61st Venice Biennale

Artist Andreas Angelidakis will represent Greece at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026 with a project titled 'Escape Room'. He plans to split the Greek Pavilion in two, referencing the National Schism in Greek history, and will create an immersive experience that explores the building's dual identities as a national symbol and an exhibition space, set to the soundtrack of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's 'Relax'.

Károly Ferenczy, Elusive Inventor of Hungarian Modernity at the Petit Palais

Károly Ferenczy, insaisissable inventeur de la modernité hongroise au Petit Palais

The Petit Palais in Paris is presenting a major exhibition dedicated to Károly Ferenczy, a pivotal figure in Hungarian modernism. The show features works like his 1896 painting 'Le Sermon sur la montagne,' exploring his role within the Nagybánya artists' colony and his synthesis of plein air painting with a European artistic education.

“Human Being Human” at The Private Museum

The Private Museum in Singapore presents "Human Being Human: Selections from the Collection of John and Cheryl Chia," an exhibition running from January 19 to April 26, 2026. Organized into four chapters—"Stateless," "State," "Statehood," and "Rebirth"—the show features works by artists including Joseph Beuys, Lee Wen, Eadweard Muybridge, Sherman Ong, John Clang, Sun Xun, and Green Zeng, exploring the body as a central site of inquiry into identity, vulnerability, and societal conditioning. The collection, amassed over 25 years by doctors John and Cheryl Chia, uses the body to examine themes of statelessness, state control, collective ideology, and rebirth, with works that challenge linear narratives and embrace conceptual loops.

The Clay Studio organizes "Radical Americana" exhibitions across Philadelphia

The Clay Studio has organized "Radical Americana," a sprawling exhibition series featuring 45 artists across 22 sites in the Philadelphia area. Curated by Jennifer Zwilling, the project includes a central "welcome hub" at The Clay Studio and 25 satellite exhibitions at venues such as the Museum for Art in Wood, Cliveden, and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Artists were prompted to reflect on the Declaration of Independence and envision a better future, resulting in works that explore feminism, social justice, and LGBTQ rights through media including ceramics, wood, fiber, metal, glass, paper, and bookmaking. Notable participant Roberto Lugo presents "American Crib: What's Happening?" at The Clay Studio, blending Puerto Rican heritage with historical references.

Paul’s Gallery of the Month: Arcadia Missa

Paul Carey-Kent selects Arcadia Missa as his 'Gallery of the Month'. The gallery, founded by Rózsa Farkas in 2011, has evolved from a non-profit project space in Peckham to a commercial gallery in central London, now representing 18 artists including recent Turner Prize winners and finalists. Its current exhibitions feature work by Morag Keil and Nnena Kalu.

Major world -class exhibition launches in Skipton this weekend

The Aesthetica Art Prize is launching a major touring exhibition across four venues in North Yorkshire, starting in Skipton Town Hall this weekend. The exhibition, celebrating the prize's 20th anniversary, features works by 50 contemporary artists, including environmental artist Steve Messam, and is split into four thematic parts across different galleries until September.

DRIFT celebrates LACMA's gallery opening with a glowing swarm of dancing drones

The artist duo DRIFT launched their 'Franchise Freedom' performance, a swarm of over 1,000 illuminated drones, above the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The event celebrated the public opening of the museum's new Peter Zumthor-designed David Geffen Galleries, creating a dialogue between the dynamic, airborne artwork and the building's horizontal, sand-toned concrete architecture.

Major exhibition creates world class art trail across the county

The Aesthetica Art Prize is launching a major 20th-anniversary exhibition across four venues in North Yorkshire, creating a county-wide contemporary art trail. The exhibition, featuring works by 50 leading artists including environmental artist Steve Messam, will be staged at Skipton Town Hall, the Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate, Scarborough Art Gallery, and Scarborough's Woodend Gallery from April to September.

The great antique fair of Assisi has half a century of history. The interview

La grande fiera dell’antiquariato di Assisi ha mezzo secolo di storia. L’intervista

AMAB – Assisi Mostra Arte Antiquariato Bastia Umbra, the antique fair founded in Assisi in 1973 and moved to the Umbria Fiere exhibition center in 1989, celebrated its 50th edition in 2025 and will reopen from April 24 to May 3, 2026. The 10-day event features 90 exhibitors and includes special exhibitions marking the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi (at Palazzo Collicola in Spoleto and the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria in Perugia) and the centenary of the birth of artist Giorgio Ascani, known as Nuvolo, curated by Bruno Corà, as well as a project on costume designer Tita Tegano with costumes from the Renato Bruson collection. Director Emo Antinori Petrini, son of founder Mario, discusses the fair's evolution, its commitment to quality, and its new focus on contemporary art installations and performances.

57th CIMAM Annual Conference: Together Forever

The 57th CIMAM Annual Conference brought together 300 museum professionals in Turin for discussions on pressing institutional issues. The event featured keynote speeches from figures like political scientist Francoise Vergès and economist Mariana Mazzucato, who addressed themes of power structures and public arts funding. Performances by artists such as Alessandro Sciarroni and Abdullah Miniawy served as central, unifying experiences for the attendees.

Ngununggula unveils major women artists exhibition 2026

Ngununggula, the Southern Highlands regional art gallery, has opened a major all-women exhibition titled *Old Days, New Days | Arlta-imankinya, Arlta-errama*, featuring artists from Tangentyere and Yarrenyty Arltere alongside Arrernte and Kalkadoon artist Thea Anamara Perkins. The show includes painting, sculpture, textiles, video, and works on paper, with a focus on women's roles in sustaining family and community life through care, gathering, and storytelling. Key works include Perkins' portrait series from The Slattery Collection and an immersive installation by Marjorie 'Nunga' Williams. The exhibition runs until 14 June 2026.

HOW TO READ A POROUS WORK AT PINTA LIMA 2026

Casa Miraflores presents the RADAR section titled "Porous Systems" at Pinta Lima 2026, curated by Ilaria Conti. The section features Guatemalan center La Galería Rebelde and artist Angélica Serech, whose textile works draw from Maya Kaqchikel knowledge, alongside artists Diana Eusebio, Luciano Giménez, Alberto Casari, and Carlos Luis "Pajita" García Bes. The exhibition explores permeability, process, and the meeting of inherited knowledge with contemporary languages.

Nobody Can Defeat Me: The Brazilian Pavilion in Venice Between Spirituality, History and Nature

NOBODY CAN DEFEAT ME THE BRAZILIAN PAVILION IN VENICE BETWEEN SPIRITUALITY HISTORY AND NATURE

The Fundação Bienal de São Paulo has revealed the curatorial project for the Brazilian Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026. Titled 'Comigo ninguém pode' (Nobody Can Defeat Me), the exhibition is curated by Diane Lima and features a major two-person presentation of artists Rosana Paulino and Adriana Varejão, who will occupy the entire pavilion with an installation-based project designed by Daniela Thomas.

Loved by the public, but not by art critics. Jack Vettriano on show in Rome (interview with the curator)

Amato dal pubblico, ma non dai critici d’arte. Jack Vettriano in mostra a Roma (intervista alla curatrice)

A major retrospective exhibition of Scottish painter Jack Vettriano has opened at Palazzo Velli in Rome. The show, which originated in Bologna at Palazzo Pallavicini, was transformed into a posthumous retrospective following the artist's death in March 2025. It features both original oil paintings and high-quality, limited-edition reproductions on museum paper, a curatorial choice made by Vettriano himself to make his work more accessible.