Venice Biennale artists to pursue legal actions over their inclusion in the Lions competitions against their wishes

Venice Biennale Faces Legal Action After Including 100+ Artists in Prize Competition Against Their Wishes

Over one hundred artists participating in the 2026 Venice Biennale are threatening legal action unless their names are removed from the ballot for the newly created Visitors’ Lions awards. The awards were established after the entire Golden and Silver Lions jury resigned en masse earlier this spring, citing a refusal to consider artists and pavilions from countries whose leaders have been accused of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. Despite a formal request from 52 artists, collectives, and estates on May 9 to be excluded, Biennale organizers included their names in an email to ticketed visitors inviting them to vote, prompting a broader protest now involving 67 main exhibition participants and 39 national representatives.

Opening of JR's La Caverne du Pont-Neuf, Damaged by Bad Weather, Postponed

L’ouverture de La Caverne du Pont-Neuf de JR, victime des intempéries, est reportée

The opening of JR's monumental installation 'La Caverne du Pont-Neuf' on Paris's oldest bridge, scheduled for June 6, has been postponed after severe weather damaged the inflatable structure on June 2. Strong winds tore sections of the printed polyester canvas covering the 120-meter-long, 20-meter-wide, and 18-meter-high grotto-like artwork, exposing the air bladders that give it volume. No injuries were reported. The project, a tribute to Christo and Jeanne-Claude's 1985 'The Pont Neuf Wrapped,' was to be free and accessible 24/7 until June 28. Technical experts are assessing the damage, and a new opening date will be announced after repairs.

Magritte masterpiece at Israel Museum being repaired after pinecone puncture

A visitor accidentally punctured René Magritte's 1948 painting "The Son of Man" at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem when a pinecone fell from a tree and struck the canvas, causing a small tear. The museum's conservation team is currently repairing the damage, and the painting has been temporarily removed from display while restoration work is underway.

Finally cut those damned two minutes out of your film!

"Schneide endlich diese verdammten zwei Minuten raus aus deinem Film!"

Wim Wenders is temporarily withdrawing his 1975 film "Falsche Bewegung" ("Wrong Move") from all current distribution formats following a dispute over a nude scene featuring actress Nastassja Kinski, who was 13 at the time of filming. The decision was announced by the Wim Wenders Foundation after critic Daniel Kothenschulte proposed the solution in Monopol and feminist activist Alice Schwarzer publicly urged Wenders to cut the scene. Separately, JR's "Caverne du Pont-Neuf" installation in Paris was partially damaged by wind and rain just before its planned June 6 opening, and artist Robert Wyland has filed a $25 million lawsuit against FIFA for painting over his whale mural in Dallas during World Cup 2026 preparations.

Blessing of the Tower, Light Show... The Nearly Completed Sagrada Família Will Receive the Pope During a Grand Special Evening This Wednesday

Bénédiction de la tour, spectacle lumineux… La Sagrada Família presque achevée recevra le pape lors d’une grande soirée spéciale ce mercredi

On Wednesday, June 10, exactly one hundred years after the death of Antoni Gaudí, Pope Leo XIV will inaugurate the Christ Tower of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona. At 172.5 meters, it becomes the tallest church in the world, completing the silhouette of Gaudí's visionary design. The pope will preside over a solemn mass, bless the tower, and a light show will mark the occasion. The event is the highlight of a two-day papal visit to Catalonia, which also includes a youth vigil with a drone display.

The Pope Will Inaugurate Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família After 144 Years of Construction

Pope Leo XIV will visit Barcelona on June 10 to inaugurate and bless the Tower of Jesus Christ, the final tower of Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família, completing 144 years of construction. The tower was finished in February, and the ceremony falls exactly one hundred years after Gaudí’s death in 1926. The event will be attended by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and coincides with Barcelona’s UNESCO designation as a World Capital of Architecture.

Gaudí’s Sagrada Família finally shakes off its ‘incompletable’ tag, as Pope prepares to inaugurate its tallest and final tower

Antoni Gaudí's Sagrada Família in Barcelona has completed its 18th and final tower, the Tower of Jesus Christ, topped with a glass and ceramic cross. On June 10, the centennial of Gaudí's death, Pope Leo XIV will bless the tower at a mass attended by Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, marking the symbolic completion of the basilica after 144 years of construction. The project, which began in 1882 under architect Francisco de Paula del Villar and was taken over by Gaudí a year later, has survived the Spanish Civil War and the destruction of original plans, with craftsmen reconstructing his vision from photographs and models.

Christo-Inspired Public Artwork in Paris By French Artist JR Delayed Because of Storm

A public artwork by French artist JR, inspired by Christo and Jeanne-Claude's 1985 wrapped Pont Neuf, has been delayed after a storm damaged the installation over the River Seine in Paris. The piece, titled La Caverne du Pont Neuf, was scheduled to open on June 6 but has been postponed to a date after June 6 pending a full damage assessment. The trompe l'oeil wrapping transforms the 419-year-old bridge into a rocky outcropping and includes a sound element by Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk.

JR's wrapped Pont Neuf installation in Paris damaged in storm

French artist JR's monumental public installation, La Caverne du Pont Neuf, which wrapped the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris in a trompe l'oeil canvas, was damaged by a storm just days before its scheduled opening on 6 June 2026. The project's technical experts are investigating the incident, and a new opening date will be announced after the assessment is complete. The work pays homage to Christo and Jeanne-Claude's 1985 wrapped Pont Neuf and is privately funded through sales of JR's works and support from Snap Inc., Bloomberg Philanthropies, Paris Aéroport, and Salesforce.

Italian Arts Collectives Call For ‘General Cultural Strike’ On June 12

Italian culture workers and arts collectives, including the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA), S.a.L.E. Docks, Biennalocene, and Galassia, have announced they will join trade unions in a 'general cultural strike' on June 12. The strike aims to support Palestine and champion workers' rights, building on momentum from a massive pro-Palestine and pro-workers strike on May 8 that protested the Venice Biennale's inclusion of Israel and Russia, during which at least twenty-seven national pavilions partially or fully closed.

French Street Artist JR’s Paris Installation Postponed Due to Wind Damage

French street artist JR's monumental public art project "La Caverne du Pont Neuf" has been postponed after high winds in Paris damaged the inflatable printed canvas installation, which was set to drape over the Pont Neuf bridge. The artwork, scheduled to open June 6th and run through June 28th, would have allowed visitors to walk through its interior. Organizers are assessing the damage and will announce a new opening date once the investigation is complete.

100+ Artists Threaten Legal Action Over Inclusion in Biennale Awards

Over 100 artists participating in the Venice Biennale have threatened legal action against the Venice Biennale Foundation, alleging that their official withdrawal from the newly instituted "Visitor Lion" awards has been ignored. The awards were created after the original jury resigned en masse in late April over a dispute involving Israel and Russia's presence in the exhibition. Despite sending a letter on May 20 requesting removal from voting ballots, the artists claim the Biennale continued to list them as eligible candidates when digital ballots were distributed on May 14. The Biennale Foundation disputes this, stating it acknowledged receipt of the letter and that votes for withdrawn artists will not count toward the awards.

Takashi Murakami × Doraemon

The article announces a collaboration between Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami and the iconic manga and anime character Doraemon, as reported by Artsy. Details of the collaboration, such as specific artworks or products, are not provided in the brief text.

Artists' protest against the 'Visitor Lions' for the 2026 Venice Biennale intensifies

Si intensifica la protesta degli artisti contro i “Leoni dei Visitatori” per la Biennale di Venezia 2026

Over one hundred artists, collectives, curators, and national pavilion representatives have signed an open letter protesting the newly introduced "Leoni dei Visitatori" (Visitor Lions) at the 61st Venice Biennale. The protest follows the collective resignation of the International Jury on April 30, after the jury excluded Russia and Israel from competition due to International Criminal Court investigations. In response, the Biennale Foundation announced a popular voting system using ticket tracking to award the Visitor Lions, rather than appointing a new jury. The signatories argue this mechanism was rushed, lacks transparency, and politically sidesteps the reasons for the jury's resignation. They demand their names be removed from all voting materials and have threatened legal action if their concerns are not addressed.

Solange Knowles Just Curated a One-of-a-Kind Soundtrack to the Art World

Dutch Court Sentences Thieves in Explosive Museum Heist

A Dutch court has sentenced three men to 47 months in prison each for stealing Iron Age artifacts from the Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands. The heist occurred on January 25, 2025, when the thieves used explosives to break into the museum during the exhibition "Dacia—Empire of Gold and Silver." They stole three golden spiral bracelets and the Coțofenești helmet, a historic Geto-Dacian battle helmet made of electrum, all of which had been loaned by the National History Museum of Romania in Bucharest. Two of the artifacts were recovered after a plea deal, but the third suspect rejected the deal, leading to a shorter sentence due to procedural issues.

Listening to Our Queer & Trans Elders

Hyperallergic kicks off its Pride Month series with an interview between Senior Editor Valentina Di Liscia and British painter Jamie Nares. Nares, who came out as transgender in 2019 and changed her name in 2024, discusses embracing her identity as a trans woman, finding belonging in New York City, and her evolving artistic practice. The article also reports that Kalshi, a US government-regulated sports betting company, has launched an art market offshoot aimed at democratizing art investment, and that The New School in Manhattan has laid off 19 full-time faculty and 68 staff members due to a $160 million budget deficit.

‘A soccer ball can bring great joy to two little kids’: Kuanglong Zhang’s best phone picture

Kuanglong Zhang, a resident of Shenzhen, China, captured a photograph of two brothers playing football in the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar. Using the telephoto lens on his phone, he composed the image to emphasize the contrast between the children and the yellow painted buildings, creating a balanced and clean composition. Zhang has been named the 2025 Mobile Photography awards’ photographer of the year for this work.

An undeniable, majestic presence

"Eine unbestreitbare, majestätische Präsenz"

This article reports on several art-world news items. The Italian Culture Ministry mistakenly dated a Madonna and Child painting from 1350 as 1850 due to a misinterpreted inscription, allowing its export to Switzerland; its true value is now estimated at up to €580,000. In another story, a painting bought for under $100 at a New York charity shop in 1966 was identified as a work by Scottish painter Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell and sold at auction for £189,200. Additionally, a nationwide strike call for the Italian cultural sector is planned for Friday, involving unions and groups like the Art Not Genocide Alliance, protesting precarious employment and showing solidarity with Palestine.

Damaged by wind, JR's 'La Caverne du Pont-Neuf' sees its opening postponed indefinitely

Endommagée par le vent, « La Caverne du Pont-Neuf » de JR voit son ouverture reportée sine die

JR's ambitious installation "La Caverne du Pont-Neuf," which was set to transform Paris's oldest bridge into a giant mineral cave, has been damaged by a strong wind gust on June 2, 2026, just days before its scheduled public opening on June 6. The textile envelope lifted in several places, exposing the white inflatable structure beneath, prompting the Atelier JR and the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation to postpone the opening indefinitely while engineering experts investigate the cause.

TravelMole

On June 4, 2026, the Hanwha Foundation of Culture and Paris Centre Pompidou opened Centre Pompidou Hanwha in Seoul's Yeouido district, marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Korea. The 11,000 m² exhibition space, designed by Wilmotte & Associés, is housed in the iconic 63 Building and will present eight monographic and thematic exhibitions over five years drawn from Centre Pompidou's Musée national d'art moderne, alongside contemporary shows highlighting Korean artists.

UNESCO and Lebanon Condemn Israeli Attacks on Heritage Sites

UNESCO and Lebanese authorities have condemned Israeli military attacks on three UNESCO-protected heritage sites in southern Lebanon: the Chama' Citadel, Beaufort Castle, and the ancient city of Tyre. The strikes occurred amid Israel's ongoing campaign against Hezbollah since early March, with Israeli forces seizing Beaufort Castle on May 31 and raising flags there, while the Chama' Citadel suffered severe damage including the demolition of its shrine and minaret on April 13. All three sites are among 73 Lebanese landmarks granted UNESCO's highest level of protection under the 1954 Hague Convention.

Israel boycott battle intensifies at Venice Art Biennale, testing tradition of inclusion

Anti-Israel protests at the 61st Venice Art Biennale have intensified, with over 100 artists and curators threatening legal action to have their names removed from consideration for the newly introduced Visitor Lions Awards. The controversy began when the Biennale's international jury announced it would not consider countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the ICC—namely Russia and Israel—for the prestigious Golden Lion awards. After the Israeli pavilion representative threatened to sue for discrimination, all five jurors resigned, and the Biennale replaced the juried awards with a popular vote. Demonstrations organized by the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) have disrupted the opening, calling for Israel's exclusion from the event.

Two Canadian artists add names to Venice Biennale letter protesting inclusion in awards ballot

Two Canadian artists, Bonnie Devine and Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka, have joined over 100 artists in signing an open letter demanding their names be removed from a new people's choice award ballot at the Venice Biennale. The award was introduced after the Biennale's official jury resigned in protest over the participation of Russia and Israel, both of which have been charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court. The Biennale has refused to remove the artists' names, citing visitors' freedom of expression, prompting the group to publish the letter online and threaten legal action.

Professor at School of the Art Institute of Chicago Under Investigation for Referencing Palestine

Savneet Talwar, a tenured art therapy professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), has been suspended and is under investigation after assigning a graduate-level case study that mentioned Palestine. The assignment, for a course titled “Cultural Dimensions of Therapy,” asked students to develop a treatment plan for a hypothetical queer Muslim woman whose background included sympathy for the Palestinian cause. Following a student complaint, Talwar was placed on paid leave and warned that the assignment could constitute discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. Talwar has rejected the claims, and her attorney has filed a formal grievance arguing the suspension itself is discriminatory.

TANIA CANDIANI INSCRIBES AN ECOLOGY OF THE INVISIBLE AT IVAM

Tania Candiani presents her immersive installation 'Radix' at IVAM in Valencia, transforming the museum space into a speculative exploration of the subsoil as a living, memory-holding organism. The hybrid ecosystem combines living plants, blown-glass sculptures, suspended organisms, audiovisual projections, and an enveloping sound composition to blur boundaries between life and death, nature and artifice. The installation draws inspiration from the radial forms of vegetal structures documented in the Botanical Garden of Valencia, creating an environment that turns the gallery into an organic body suspended between botanical memory and scientific fiction. The exhibition runs until 20 September 2026.

Italian Arts Workers Announce Nationwide Strike

Italian labor unions, cultural workers' associations, and grassroots collectives have called for a nationwide strike across the arts and culture sector on Friday, June 12, 2026. The action follows a historic strike at the 61st Venice Biennale on May 8, led by the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA), which shut down nearly 30 national pavilions and drew hundreds of marchers. The June 12 strike expands to include all cultural labor—from editorial workers and museum educators to maintenance staff—demanding better wages, stable employment, social welfare protections, and an end to public investment in the arms industry. Organizers link labor rights to solidarity with Palestine, arguing that Israel's participation in the Biennale amid war crimes investigations reflects a broader model of economic recovery based on militarization and devaluation of labor.

New School Lays Off Nearly 90 People, Dealing Blow to Humanities

The New School in Manhattan has laid off 19 full-time faculty and 68 staff members, totaling nearly 90 positions, as it confronts a $160 million structural budget deficit driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and a 20% drop in enrollment since 2021. President Joel Towers described the cuts as part of a "redesign" to achieve a balanced budget by 2028, but the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) President Todd Wolfson condemned them as "catastrophic," accusing the administration of poor decision-making and bloated executive salaries. All affected faculty were in the Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts and the New School for Social Research, while the Parsons School of Design, Mannes School of Music, and jazz and drama departments were spared.

ZPS serviert der AfD Hakenkreuz aus veganem Hack

Activists from the Center for Political Beauty (Zentrum für Politische Schönheit) disrupted a breakfast buffet ahead of the AfD state party conference in Heidenheim, Germany, by placing a swastika made from 1.2 kilograms of vegan minced meat, garnished with pickles and a message reading "Beware of the NSAFD"—a blend of the Nazi party NSDAP and the far-right AfD. The activists secretly checked into the hotel where AfD delegates were staying to gain access to the breakfast room. Police confirmed the incident and are investigating a 40-year-old man for using symbols of unconstitutional organizations, while the activists argue the critical political context exempts the act from being a crime.