Five Whirlwind Days in Venice, at (and Beyond) the Biennale

The article recounts a whirlwind three-day visit to the 61st Venice Biennale, focusing on the main exhibition at the Giardini della Biennale curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, titled "In Minor Keys." The author highlights textile works by artists such as Thania Petersen, Billie Zangewa, and Annalee Davis, as well as Beverly Buchanan's "Spirit Jars" and Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons's portrait of Kouoh and Toni Morrison. The trip also includes visits to collateral events, a performance at Jordan Roth's palazzo, and a side trip to Gabriele D'Annunzio's estate on Lake Garda.

One Fine Show: “Paula Rego, Dance Among Thorns” at MUNCH in Oslo

MUNCH in Oslo presents "Paula Rego: Dance Among Thorns," the first comprehensive museum survey of the Portuguese-British artist in the Nordic region and her largest since the 2021 Tate Britain retrospective. The exhibition brings together over 140 works spanning seven decades, from early abstract political collages to the grotesque papier-mâché tableaux of her final years. A central section traces previously undocumented links between Rego and Edvard Munch, including the discovery of a never-before-exhibited work by Rego's son, Nick Willing. Highlights include Rego's monumental "Oratorio" (2008-09) and "The Dance" (1988), which curator Kari J. Brandtzæg connects to Munch's "Dance of Life" (1898-1899).

Brand X Editions workshop celebrated at Dallas Museum of Art

The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) will present "X Marks the Spot: Contemporary Screenprinting at Brand X Editions," an exhibition exploring the expressive possibilities of screenprinting through the work of the legendary New York City-based workshop Brand X Editions. Featuring over 70 works created over four decades, the show highlights collaborations between Brand X's master screenprinters and artists including KAWS, Rashid Johnson, Deborah Kass, Robert Indiana, Glenn Ligon, and Tschabalala Self. The exhibition opens on May 24, 2026, and runs through November 8, 2026, following its debut at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It includes proofs, video, and interpretive materials to demystify the printmaking process, as well as new works created since the Philadelphia presentation.

Jack Leigh and Parker Stewart exhibit opens in Savannah

An exhibition titled "Jack Leigh & Parker Stewart: In Place" has opened at Laney Contemporary in Savannah, featuring black-and-white photographs by Jack Leigh (1948–2004) and Parker Stewart (b. 1992). Both artists document the landscape and communities of the coastal South, with Leigh known for his work on oystermen, shrimp boat crews, and Gullah Geechee communities, and Stewart focusing on tidal landscapes of coastal Georgia and the Savannah River Basin. The show includes serendipitous parallels, such as nearly identical photographs of a water tower taken by each artist decades apart. Co-curated by Stewart and gallerist Susan Laney, it marks the first time Leigh's work has been exhibited alongside a living photographer in nearly a decade.

The Holy Spirit in a Rapture of Pain

Der Heilige Geist im Schmerzrausch

Florentina Holzinger's "Pfingstspiel" (Pentecost Play) is a multi-hour performance staged across two locations in Austria—the Wiener Eislauf-Verein in Vienna and Schloss Prinzendorf—as a satellite event to her contribution to the Venice Biennale. The work features extreme physical stunts, including a performer rappelling down a hotel facade, a car drifting with Holzinger on its roof, and a crucifixion scene, all drenched in blood, pain, and religious imagery. The performance, presented only once before 700 guests as part of the Wiener Festwochen, is described as a brutal, uncompromising marathon that pushes the boundaries of live art.

New Orleans artist Andrew Lamar Hopkins channels folk art legend Clementine Hunter in new exhibit

The article profiles New Orleans artist Andrew Lamar Hopkins and his new exhibition "Her Way, His Way" at the Orleans Gallery on Julia Street. The show pairs Hopkins' contemporary folk-inspired works with paintings by the late, legendary Louisiana folk artist Clementine Hunter, who died in 1988. Hopkins, now 48, draws directly from Hunter's subjects—such as wildflower bouquets and pecan harvesting scenes—creating a dialogue between two artists who never met. The piece also traces Hopkins' career trajectory from a self-taught history nerd in Mobile, Alabama, to a rising star with works displayed in Venice during the Venice Biennale.

Tra carte, fotografie e concettualismo. Tutto il programma di mostre da vedere alla GAM di Torino nella seconda metà del 2026

The Galleria d'Arte Moderna (GAM) in Turin has launched "Quarta Risonanza," an exhibition program running from May 21 through November 1, 2026. The program comprises four distinct projects: a major survey of works on paper from the museum's collections titled "Un altro Novecento," curated by Fabio Cafagna and Elena Volpato; an intervention by artist Pesce Khete as the program's "Intruso"; a photographic series by Lisetta Carmi exploring eroticism and authority at the Staglieno cemetery, presented in dialogue with sculptures; and a centenary exhibition for conceptual artist Vincenzo Agnetti, "Oggi è un secolo," curated by Chiara Bertola and Virginia Lupo, focusing on his Photo-graffi works from 1979–1981.

Omaggio a Luigi Ghirri ad Artbox su Sky Arte

The new episode of Artbox on Sky Arte, airing May 26, focuses on the exhibition "Luigi Ghirri. A series of dreams. Paesaggi visivi e paesaggi sonori" at the Musei Civici and Teatro Valli in Reggio Emilia, which explores the unique relationship between Luigi Ghirri's photography and music. The episode features curator Ilaria Campioli and Adele Ghirri, president of the Fondazione Luigi Ghirri and the artist's daughter. Additionally, Maria Vittoria Baravelli's segment "Invito al viaggio" examines female royalty through art, cinema, and fashion, and the program visits the Galleria d’Arte Moderna Ricci Oddi in Piacenza to discuss recent renovations by architect Piero Lissoni. The episode also includes a book review of "Histoire des galeries d’art en France" by Alice Ensabella.

Theodoros Papagiannis: Reusing Materials For Art’s Slow Arrow, As An Antidote To Barbarism

Theodoros Papagiannis, a Greek sculptor and professor, is the subject of a tribute exhibition titled "In Praise of Sculpture" at the Sianti Gallery in Athens. The show features works by eighteen artists, all graduates of the 1st Sculpture Workshop of the Athens School of Fine Arts, honoring Papagiannis as their teacher. In an interview, Papagiannis discusses his philosophy of reusing materials, the importance of memory in art, and his belief that art must remain rooted in tradition while engaging with the present. He also reflects on Greece's sculptural heritage, the influence of ancient works like the Elgin Marbles, and his ongoing project of drawing from Greece's archaeological museums.

Final Ivan Wheale art exhibition and sale at Perivale Gallery attracts large crowd

The Perivale Gallery in Spring Bay, Ontario, hosted the final exhibition of renowned Manitoulin artist Ivan Wheale, titled 'THROUGH IVAN’S EYES - A NORTHERN VISION LIVES ON.' Wheale, who passed away in September, had been a fixture at the gallery for over four decades. The opening featured his last works, including 'Tranquility,' his final completed painting, which he finished from his hospice bed. An unfinished piece sat on his custom easel, marking the end of a long tradition of annual shows.

Inside the free exhibition bringing the art of the Expo '86 World's Fair back to life

Surrey Art Gallery in Bear Creek Park, Vancouver, has opened a free temporary exhibition titled "In The Shadow of the Pavilions: Expo 86 and Contemporary Art." The show revisits the cultural legacy of Expo '86, the 1986 World's Fair that transformed Vancouver's urban and economic identity, through contemporary artworks in photography, video, installation, and archival materials. It highlights the many public artworks commissioned for the fair, the architecture of pavilions, and features an anonymous documentary slideshow of over 1,700 photographs by Michael de Courcy capturing visitors and everyday scenes.

Mango Tango Art Gallery Presents: Fresh Paint and Seasoned Strokes

Mango Tango Art Gallery in St. Thomas is opening a group exhibition titled 'Fresh Paint and Seasoned Strokes' on May 30, featuring works by three artists: newcomer Vickie Lawrence, regional icon Eric Winter, and master teacher David Millard. The show includes watercolors, acrylics, and oil paintings, with live music by Sammy Watts and Ras Abu, and will run for one month.

In the Presence of the Spirits: Art and Culture in New Guinea

The Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg is hosting a talk titled "In the Presence of the Spirits: Art and Culture in New Guinea" on February 27, 2025. MFA Research Associate Noah Cox will lead the discussion, focusing on the exhibition "Explore the Vaults: The Art of New Guinea" and placing the works displayed in the Miriam Acheson Gallery within the broader history of art from New Guinea, an island known for its rich artistic traditions rooted in ritual, myth, and communal history.