Wet Paint Does Frieze Week: The Dinosaur Dealer Downtown, David Zwirner Tribeca, and More Juicy Art-World Gossip

Artnet News' gossip column 'Wet Paint' covers the opening week of Frieze New York, beginning with the group show 'Statics of an Egg' at David Zwirner's newly renamed Tribeca gallery (formerly 52 Walker). Curated by Martin Germann, the exhibition features Japanese artists gathered by Yu Nishimura and Kenji Ide, with Nishimura's painting 'in waiting' highlighted. The column also reports on a private party at the River art-world hangout and a visit to Amanita gallery for 'A Land Before Time: Three Dinosaurs and a Gondola,' which includes a John Chamberlain sculpture. Notable attendees include artists Sasha Gordon, Olivia van Kuiken, Calvin Marcus, and Josh Smith, as well as dealers Marlene Zwirner and Matthew Brown.

Who Went to Venice Last Week? Jenny Saville, Glenn Lowry, Jewel, and Many Other Power Players

Artnet News reporter Katya Kazakina recounts her experience at the opening week of the 61st Venice Biennale, describing a whirlwind of art, parties, and chance encounters. Notable figures spotted include former MoMA director Glenn Lowry, singer-songwriter Jewel (who debuted her visual art show "Matriclysm: An Archaeology of Connections Lost"), and Japanese Nintendo heir and collector Banjo Yamauchi. High-profile events included Thaddaeus Ropac gallery's reception for Georg Baselitz's final paintings (priced up to $1.5 million) and François Pinault's annual party at Fondazione Giorgio Cini, attended by Selma Hayek, Lorna Simpson, and JR. The article also highlights the social dynamics of the biennale, where dealers, curators, and collectors network across historic palazzos and hotels.

There Has Never Been an Apolitical Venice Biennale

"Es hat niemals eine unpolitische Venedig-Biennale gegeben"

The Venice Biennale is embroiled in political controversy, with the US Pavilion's selection process criticized for bypassing traditional curatorial expertise in favor of a politically connected outsider. Simultaneously, a collective of artists and academics is protesting Russia's return to the Biennale, arguing it uses art as a political instrument to normalize its actions amid the war in Ukraine. An analysis in ArtReview contends the Biennale has never been apolitical, serving as a stage for geopolitical power plays since its inception.

Frieze New York, the Cranach in Hitler’s Munich apartment, Ajamu X—podcast

This episode of The Art Newspaper's podcast covers several art-world stories. Ben Sutton and Kabir Jhala discuss the current edition of Frieze New York, alongside other concurrent fairs like Esther and Tefaf, and preview the upcoming New York auctions. Ben Luke interviews Martin Bailey about a Lucas Cranach the Elder painting, 'Cupid Complaining to Venus' (1526-27), which once hung in Adolf Hitler's Munich apartment, with a newly published photograph from the 1940s. The episode also features a segment on Ajamu X's 'Glamour Posse' series from the early 1990s, part of the touring exhibition 'Gender Stories' opening at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, with comments from gallery head Charlotte Keenan.

Major Greek contemporary art non-profit Neon to close after 14 years

Neon, a major Greek contemporary art non-profit founded by businessman and patron Dimitris Daskalopoulos, is closing after 14 years, stating it has fulfilled its cultural and social mission. Between 2012 and 2026, the organization presented 44 exhibitions across museums, historical sites, and public spaces, commissioning 105 works by Greek and international artists. Notable projects include donating Antony Gormley's sculpture 'RULE II' (2019) to the island of Delos—the first contemporary work permanently installed at an ancient site—and funding the €1.4m renovation of the Lenorman Street Tobacco Factory in Athens into a cultural center. Neon will present its final exhibition, the third installment of 'Michael Rakowitz & Ancient Cultures,' later this year at the Old Acropolis Museum.

Restored Victorian greenhouse links Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery to its living neighbours

Brooklyn’s historic Green-Wood Cemetery has unveiled the 'Green-House,' a $34m welcome and education center centered around a meticulously restored 1895 Victorian cast-iron greenhouse. Designed by Architecture Research Office (ARO), the facility includes classrooms, research archives, and dedicated gallery spaces. The project transforms a formerly dilapidated commercial florist shop into a modern gateway that connects the 478-acre National Historic Landmark to its surrounding urban neighborhood.

Wyeth-Centric Brandywine Museum Will Be Transformed by Kengo Kuma & Associates

The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, has selected Tokyo-based architecture firm Kengo Kuma & Associates to lead a $100 million transformation of its campus. The project will expand the current 15-acre site into a 325-acre public preserve and garden with ten miles of trails, including a new 40,000-square-foot freestanding museum and a renovation of the existing 19th-century grist mill building. Kengo Kuma will add 14,000 square feet of gallery space, and the new trails will connect the two museums to the original studios of N. C. Wyeth and Andrew Wyeth.

Is the US about to be humiliated on the world’s most prestigious cultural stage?

More than 70 prominent international artists have signed an open letter demanding the exclusion of the United States, Israel, and Russia from the 2026 Venice Biennale, accusing those governments of committing war crimes and atrocities. The controversy centers on the US pavilion, which will feature Mexico-based American artist Alma Allen, whose abstract, anodyne sculptures were chosen by a last-minute commissioner with no art-world experience—a luxury pet food store owner from Florida who reportedly gained the role through connections at Mar-a-Lago. The Biennale's five-person jury has already resigned amid the furor, and Russia is returning to the event for the first time since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

What Works of Art Sank Aboard the Titanic?

Quelles sont les œuvres d’art englouties à bord du Titanic ?

The RMS Titanic, which sank in 1912, was carrying over 300 paintings, drawings, prints, and art objects according to its cargo manifest. The most famous artwork lost was the 1814 neoclassical painting 'La Circassienne au bain' by French artist Merry-Joseph Blondel, owned by Swedish businessman Mauritz Håkan Björnström-Steffansson, which was insured for $100,000. Also lost was the legendary 'Grand Omar,' a jewel-encrusted luxury edition of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, created by the London bindery Sangorski & Sutcliffe.

Frick Inks Three-Year Partnership with Louis Vuitton, with Support for Exhibitions and Free Fridays

The Frick Collection in New York has announced a three-year partnership with Louis Vuitton, under which the fashion house will sponsor three upcoming exhibitions, a curatorial research associate position, and a year of the museum's free First Fridays program. The partnership launches with Louis Vuitton's Cruise 2027 collection show, designed by Nicolas Ghesquière, held in the Frick's first-floor galleries on May 20. The sponsored exhibitions include “Siena: The Art of Bronze, 1450–1500” (fall 2025), “Painting with Fire: Susanne de Court and the Art of Enamel” (spring 2027), and a third exhibition on 19th-century paintings (late 2027). The Louis Vuitton Curatorial Research Associate will be Yifu Liu, currently a curatorial fellow at the Frick, who will research Asian porcelain and cross-cultural exchange between Europe and China.

Chanel and Guggenheim Launch Transatlantic Curatorial Fellowship

Chanel and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation have announced a new transatlantic curatorial fellowship, set to launch in 2027. The Chanel Culture Fund Fellowship is a one-year program for MA- and PhD-level scholars, who will begin at the Guggenheim Museum in New York before moving to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. The announcement coincides with the start of the Venice Biennale, and the open call for fellows will begin this fall. The fellowship includes a stipend and travel support, and is designed to complement the Peggy Guggenheim Collection's existing International Fellowship.

Diego Rivera’s grandson donates more than 150,000 objects to Mexico City’s Museo Anahuacalli

Juan Rafael Coronel Rivera, grandson of Diego Rivera, has donated his private collection of 157,300 objects to Mexico City's Museo Anahuacalli. The vast donation spans ceramics, textiles, prints, photographs, archives, and a research library, with works dating from the 16th century to the present. It will be transferred in stages and is expected to be fully integrated by the end of the year.

The Newest Docent at This Historic Italian Palace Is a Robot

Palazzo Madama in Turin, Italy, has introduced a four-foot-tall robot named R1 as a docent for its Baroque collection. The robot, developed by the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) under Project Convince with €4 million in EU funding, guides visitors through the former royal apartments, narrating the history of the House of Savoy and detailing paintings, tapestries, and furniture. R1 can interact with visitors via LED eyes, answer questions, and autonomously navigate the museum's first floor, though it cannot climb stairs. It has been learning on the job since 2025, completing 30 tours in December 2025, and uses corrective software to relocalize itself if lost.

Former Korean Prosecutor Convicted in Alleged Lee Ufan Painting Bribery Scheme

A former senior South Korean prosecutor, Kim Sang-min, has been convicted on appeal for allegedly gifting a painting by renowned artist Lee Ufan to former first lady Kim Keon Hee in exchange for political support ahead of the 2024 parliamentary elections. The Seoul High Court overturned an earlier acquittal, sentencing Kim to two years in prison (suspended for three years) for bribery, plus a separate suspended sentence for illegal political donations. The case took a strange turn when Kim's defense argued the artwork, titled *From Dots (No. 800298)* and valued at 140 million won ($95,500), was a forgery worth less than $700—a claim the court rejected after physically examining the piece and consulting experts.

‘She had a fresh, informed eye’: mural depicting late Venice Biennale curator Koyo Kouoh displayed in lagoon city

A mural honoring Koyo Kouoh, the late curator of the 2025 Venice Biennale, has been unveiled in Venice. Created by US artist Derrick Adams, the collage titled "Heavy is the head that wears the crown" adorns the facade of the Palazzetto dello sport Giobatta Gianquinto near the Arsenale. Kouoh died on 10 May 2025 at age 57 after a cancer diagnosis. The tribute was organized by curator Francesco Bonami, who had invited Kouoh to join the jury for the 50th Venice Biennale in 2003.

Has A.I. Solved the Mystery of This El Greco Painting?

New research using artificial intelligence has challenged the long-held belief that El Greco's altarpiece *The Baptism of Christ* was largely painted by his son and workshop assistants. A machine-learning model called Patch, developed by researchers at Western Reserve University, analyzed the painting's microscopic surface texture and found underlying connections suggesting El Greco himself painted the majority of the work, with only a small region at the bottom attributed to other hands.

The FLAG Art Foundation Named Founding Sponsor of Alchemy with Anthony Mason, Launching May 6

The FLAG Art Foundation has been named the founding sponsor of "Alchemy with Anthony Mason," a new long-form interview series launching May 6, 2026. Hosted by CBS News special correspondent Anthony Mason, the series features intimate 45-minute conversations with artists such as Hozier, Paul Simon, Nile Rodgers, Violet Grohl, and Taj Mahal, focusing on the transformative creative process rather than the finished work. The partnership is integrated into the series' identity, with each episode presented under FLAG's support and connecting viewers to contemporary art exhibitions, including Ellsworth Kelly: Eight Decades at the Parrish Art Museum and the reopening of the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA.

The Center for Creative Photography acquires nine significant archives

The Center for Creative Photography (CCP) at the University of Arizona has announced the acquisition of nine significant photography archives, including the legacies of Laura Aguilar, Jack Dykinga, Jody Forster, Frank Gohlke, Mark Klett, Nathan Lyons, Stephen Marc, Patrick Nagatani, and Susan Wood. This marks one of the largest expansions of CCP's holdings in recent years, adding to its renowned collection that already includes archives of Ansel Adams, W. Eugene Smith, and others. The archives contain not only prints but also correspondence, notebooks, and teaching materials, and will be processed over the next several years for researcher access.

Louise Trotter Introduces ‘Bottega Veneta for the Arts’ With Peter Fraser

Bottega Veneta's creative director Louise Trotter has launched 'Bottega Veneta for the Arts,' a new collaborative series aimed at connecting the fashion house with the art world. The inaugural project features British photographer Peter Fraser, who documented Trotter's debut collection in Italy's Veneto region, the brand's birthplace. This follows previous art collaborations with photographer Duane Michals and painter Poppy Jones.

Why global gallery studies matters now

University College Cork (UCC) has launched an MA in Global Gallery Studies (Online), a two-year part-time programme designed to prepare students for careers in the international gallery sector. Directed by Dr Mary Kelly, the programme combines core modules in global gallery studies, global art histories, and digital arts with practice-based learning, including online fieldwork connecting students with galleries across multiple countries, guest lectures by international gallery practitioners, and a project-led onsite internship in the second year.

In Shanghai, a spectacular spiral opera house designed by Snøhetta is revealed

À Shanghai, un spectaculaire opéra en spirale conçu par l’agence Snøhetta se dévoile

The Shanghai Grand Opera House, a massive 147,000-square-meter cultural landmark designed by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta, has reached structural completion in the Houtan district. Inspired by the form of a traditional Chinese fan, the building features a dramatic white helical roof that doubles as a public walkway, connecting the urban landscape to the waterfront. The interior, which includes a 2,000-seat main hall and various modular spaces, is currently being finalized ahead of a scheduled opening in the second half of 2026.

Berlin Museum of Prints and Drawings Wins Award in New York

Berliner Kupferstichkabinett gewinnt Auszeichnung in New York

The Kupferstichkabinett (Museum of Prints and Drawings) in Berlin has acquired two new works from the IFPDA Fine Art Print Fair in New York. The purchases were funded by the museum winning the Richard Hamilton Acquisition Prize, which provided a $10,000 grant specifically for acquisitions at the fair. The new additions are a 2005 paper work titled "Europa" by German-American artist Kiki Smith and a 2001 lithograph titled "Pregnant Caryatid" by Louise Bourgeois.

An Era Ends When the Illusions Underlying It Are Exhausted

"Eine Ära endet, wenn die ihr zugrunde liegenden Illusionen erschöpft sind"

A media roundup covers several art world stories. The Art Newspaper reports that the ongoing Middle East conflict is unsettling the Gulf art market, causing fair postponements and shaking Dubai's image as a stable luxury hub, though galleries emphasize they continue to work. Meanwhile, the search for a new director for Germany's Kulturstiftung Dessau-Wörlitz continues after a protracted legal battle, with applications open until May 31. The New Yorker presents a reading of Johannes Vermeer's quiet scenes as fragile refuges from a violent historical context, while the Berliner Zeitung critiques the global commercialization of Frida Kahlo into a licensed brand.

Venice Biennale Jury Says It Won’t Consider Countries Charged with Crimes Against Humanity, Including Israel and Russia

The Venice Biennale's jury announced it will not consider nations whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, effectively excluding Israel and Russia from competing for top honors. The jury, led by Videobrasil founder Solange Farkas, stated this decision aligns with curator Koyo Kouoh's vision and the Biennale's historical role as a platform connecting art to urgent issues. The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, while other indicted leaders like Sudan's Omar al-Bashir and Afghan officials lack Biennale pavilions.

Suspect Is Taken into Custody in Decade-Long Louvre Ticketing Scam

A Louvre employee has been indicted and detained on charges including organized gang fraud in connection with a decade-long ticketing scam that defrauded the Paris museum of an estimated €10 million ($11.7 million). The scheme involved counterfeit tickets and overbooking of guided tours, primarily targeting Chinese tour groups. Nine people were arrested, including two museum employees, several tour guides, and the alleged mastermind. Authorities seized over €957,000 in cash, €67,000 in foreign currency, €486,000 in bank accounts, three vehicles, and multiple safe deposit boxes, with some proceeds invested in real estate in France and Dubai.

Healing From the Burns: How The Getty Recovered From the LA Fires

On January 7, 2025, a wildfire driven by extreme winds reached the Getty Villa in Los Angeles. Thanks to years of preparation, staff efforts, and firefighter support, the museum buildings and art collection survived undamaged, though the landscape suffered severe damage. The Villa closed for about six months, during which staff removed 1,400 burned trees, cleaned soot and ash, restored water service, and installed a new exhibition. It reopened in late June 2025, welcoming visitors back to the galleries and gardens.

Kazakhstan's creative industry accelerates. A new foundation supporting the art scene emerges

L’industria creativa del Kazakhstan accelera. Spunta una nuova fondazione che sostiene la scena artistica

A new private foundation called TOVA Foundation, based in Geneva, has been established to promote contemporary art from Central Asia, specifically focusing on Kazakhstan's art scene. The foundation debuted at the Venice Biennale with an exhibition titled "Trading Treasures" featuring Kazakh artists Saule Suleimenova and Sayan Baigaliyev at Casa dei Tre Oci. The initiative is backed by Togzhan Wertheimer, a Kazakh-born entrepreneur and philanthropist connected to the fashion industry through her husband David Wertheimer, and includes a board with figures like Tatiana de Pahlen and art consultant Jean-Olivier Despres. The foundation's curator is Vladislav Sludskiy, who previously worked at Ethan Cohen Gallery and co-founded the ARTBAT FEST and Eurasian Cultural Alliance.

Jiaqi Wang gives a new face and a new style to Miss Chiquita for this Milan Art Week 2026

Jiaqi Wang dà un nuovo volto e un nuovo tratto a Miss Chiquita per questa Milano Art Week 2026

Chiquita has selected Chinese-born, New York-based illustrator and animator Jiaqi Wang as the third artist for its 'Pop by Nature' campaign, which connects the brand with contemporary art. Wang has reinterpreted the brand's iconic Miss Chiquita mascot with her signature vibrant colors, clean lines, and scenes of daily life. The campaign includes out-of-home installations, urban interventions like a mural in Milan, limited-edition banana stickers, and culminates with an immersive 'Miss Chiquita House' experience during Milan Art Week 2026.

1,000-year-old archaeological site bulldozed during construction of Mexico-US border wall

On 24 April, a Department of Homeland Security contractor bulldozed a 1,000-year-old intaglio—a 280ft by 50ft etching in the desert sand—during construction of the US-Mexico border wall in Arizona's Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. The site, sacred to local Indigenous communities including the Hia-Ced O’odham, was part of a UNESCO biosphere and contained over 3,000 petroglyphs. Despite warnings from tribal members and refuge staff, the contractor destroyed a 70ft stretch of the fish-shaped intaglio, which elders and archaeologists describe as an irreplaceable cultural and archaeological treasure.

Metal Detectorists Unearth Norway’s Largest-Known Viking Coin Hoard

Two hobbyist metal detectorists, Rune Sætre and Vegard Sørlie, discovered Norway's largest-known Viking Age coin hoard in a field in Østerdalen, east-central Norway. Starting with 19 silver coins on April 10, the find grew to over 3,250 coins dating from the 980s to the 1040s, surpassing the previous record of 1,800 coins found in the 1800s. The hoard includes coins minted under Æthelred the Unready, King Cnut, and Holy Roman Emperor Otto III, as well as early Norwegian coins from after Harald Hardråde's return from Byzantium. The coins have been transferred to the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo for expert analysis.