The Artists Who Ruled the Biennial Circuit Over the Last Four Years

Artnet News critic Ben Davis analyzed 130 recurring global art events—including biennials and triennials—that opened between the 2022 and 2026 Venice Biennales, tallying over 15,000 participating artists. He identified the most frequently featured artists, with Nolan Oswald Dennis topping the list at 14 biennial appearances. Dennis, a South Africa-based artist born in Lusaka, is known for works like "Black Liberation Zodiac" (2017-ongoing) and was included in the 2026 Venice Biennale curated by the late Koyo Kouoh.

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.

Shared Crafting, Touching, and Lying Down

"Gemeinsames Basteln, Anfassen und Hinlegen"

Christie's in New York achieved record auction results, with Jackson Pollock's "Number 7A, 1948" selling for $181.2 million and Constantin Brâncuși's bronze sculpture "Danaïde" reaching $107.6 million, both from the S. I. Newhouse collection. Meanwhile, critic Gesine Borcherdt published a scathing review of the Marina Abramović exhibition "Balkan Erotic Epic" at Gropius Bau Berlin, arguing that museums increasingly demand audience participation—crafting, touching, lying down—under the guise of democracy, which she likens to group therapy and warns carries authoritarian tendencies. In London, makeup artist and designer Isamaya Ffrench opened a hybrid gallery and concept store called Studio Iron, featuring works by Abramović, Paul McCarthy, Kelly Wearstler, and Anne Imhof, aiming to blur boundaries between art, design, and function.

What am I bid for a blown-up van? The bizarre art auction aiming to build an eco power station in Reform-held Clacton

Artists Hilary Powell and Dan Edelstyn are auctioning off their work from the past 15 years this Saturday to raise at least £250,000 for a community-led renewable power station in Clacton, the constituency of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. The auction, which will be conducted by former YBA Gavin Turk, includes a gold Ford Transit van wreckage containing fake banknotes that the pair blew up in 2019 as part of their film *Bank Job*, now reconstituted as a mobile sculpture. An online auction runs until 31 May, but currently only £750 has been raised.

New York auctions, James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain, Edvard Munch—podcast

This episode of The Art Newspaper's podcast 'The Week in Art' covers three major stories: the spring auction results in New York, which saw record prices for works by Jackson Pollock, Constantin Brancusi, and Mark Rothko; the opening of the largest James McNeill Whistler exhibition in Europe in over 30 years at Tate Britain in London, which will later travel to the Van Gogh Museum and The Mesdag Collection in the Netherlands; and a feature on Edvard Munch's 1922 frieze from the Freia Chocolate Factory, currently on loan to the Munch museum in Oslo for the exhibition 'Edvard Munch and the Chocolate Factory.'

Everyone Keeps Getting Yoko Ono Wrong

Paul Morley's new biography of Yoko Ono, *Love Magic Power Danger Bliss*, attempts to reframe the artist beyond her reputation as a 'Beatles wife' but ultimately fails, according to this critical review. The book covers Ono's first three decades, from her birth in Japan in 1933 to meeting John Lennon in 1969, but is dominated by lengthy asides on male avant-garde figures like George Maciunas and Pete Townshend, leaving Ono a passive presence in her own story. Morley promises not to mention Lennon but breaks that promise, and the review argues the book is aimed more at 'rock dads' still upset about the Beatles breakup than at understanding Ono's artistic contributions.

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.

Billie Holiday Comes to Queens

A shortlist of artists including Thomas J Price and Tavares Strachan is competing to design a new public monument honoring jazz legend Billie Holiday in Queens, New York. The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs has revealed six commission proposals for the project, which aims to celebrate Holiday's groundbreaking legacy as a vocalist and cultural icon. Separately, the Museum of the City of New York is opening the Puffin Foundation Center for Social Activism, dedicated to civic engagement and social justice.

A $1B Evening With Nicole Kidman

Hyperallergic's newsletter reports on a record-setting $1 billion evening sale at Christie's on May 18, which included works by Jackson Pollock and Constantin Brancusi alongside Hollywood star Nicole Kidman. Other stories cover an exhibition at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center celebrating Black American artists in Paris, a painted book cover trend analyzed by Tara Anne Dalbow, a Gaza Square sculpture unveiling in Paterson, New Jersey, and a performance event by Bahar Behbahani on Governors Island.

Pussy Riot and FEMEN Join Forces in Punk Protest in Venice: ‘Russia Kills! Biennale Exhibits!’

On Wednesday morning, Pussy Riot and FEMEN led a protest outside the Russian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, chanting slogans like “Russia kills! Biennale exhibits!” and “Blood is Russia’s art!” Dozens of protesters, some in pink balaclavas and others bare-chested with floral crowns, gathered in the Giardini under light rain, carrying guitars and blasting punk rock and hip-hop. The action was organized by Nadya Tolokonnikova and other Pussy Riot members alongside FEMEN, a Ukrainian-founded women’s movement. They released pink, yellow, and blue smoke, and Tolokonnikova criticized the Biennale for allowing Russian participation while artists who oppose the war in Ukraine are imprisoned. She proposed an alternative exhibition, “Resistance Imprisoned,” currently on view in Strasbourg, featuring incarcerated artists.

1,1 milliard de dollars

The Journal des Arts' issue No. 677, dated May 15, 2026, leads with the opening of the Venice Biennale amid a tense climate. Other top stories include the final adoption of a French law on the restitution of cultural property looted during colonization, the V&A East museum's strategy to attract younger audiences, a report on how Monet's legacy in Giverny does not benefit everyone locally, and an analysis of the structuring market for the Nabis artists.

Record pour Pollock

The Journal des Arts' May 15, 2026 issue (No. 677) covers a range of art-world developments: the Venice Biennale opens amid controversy, a French law on the restitution of cultural property looted during colonization is definitively adopted, the V&A East museum targets younger audiences, the town of Giverny struggles to benefit from Monet's legacy, and the market for Nabis artists is becoming more structured.

Le coup d’envoi des ventes de New York

Le Journal des Arts' issue n°677 (May 15, 2026) leads with the opening of the Venice Biennale amid a tense climate. Other top stories include the final adoption of a French law on the restitution of cultural property looted during colonization, the V&A East museum's strategy to attract younger audiences, a report on how Monet's legacy in Giverny does not benefit everyone locally, and an analysis of the structuring market for works by the Nabis artists.

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.

The art of politics: how global conflicts are playing out in this year's Venice Biennale

Israel is making a controversial return to the 2025 Venice Art Biennale after its pavilion was locked in 2024 with a note demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. The artist representing Israel, Belu-Simion Fainaru, will present his project "Rose of Nothingness" in the Arsenale, while Russia also returns to the Biennale after its Giardini pavilion was reassigned to Bolivia in 2024. The Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) has renewed calls for a boycott and is organizing strike action to disrupt the event, accusing Israel of genocide.

Working in the Arts: Opportunities from Cascina Lagoscuro, Ministry of Tourism, PhEST, Fundació Joan Miró, C2C Festival

Lavorare nell’arte: opportunità da Cascina Lagoscuro, Ministero del Turismo, PhEST, Fundació Joan Miró, C2C Festival

This article from Artribune compiles five current job and opportunity listings in Italy and Europe for creative professionals. The openings include a creative residency at Cascina Lagoscuro (a regenerative farm in northern Italy) for dancers, artists, writers, chefs, designers, educators, artisans, and activists; a national exam for tourist guide certification by Italy's Ministry of Tourism; a pop-up open call for artists and photographers from the PhEST international photography and art festival; a director search at the Fundació Joan Miró in Barcelona; and a curator training program for music curators by C2C Festival.

Museum diplomacy in action at ICOM UK 2026: museums in a changing world

ICOM UK hosted its 2026 annual conference in Oxford, bringing together delegates from over 20 countries to explore the theme of 'Museum Diplomacy.' Keynote speaker Dr. Sascha Priewe of the Aga Khan Museum and ICOM Canada framed the current geopolitical moment as a 'GZERO World,' where no country is willing or able to lead globally, and discussed how sanctions, export controls, and shifting alliances are straining international museum collaborations. Sessions featured case studies from the Science Museum Group and International Arts & Artists, emphasizing that trust and networks, not grand gestures, are essential for enduring partnerships.

Finnish museum creates a new and radical support model for artists

Finland's largest art museum, the Espoo Museum of Modern Art (Emma), has launched a radical new artist support model under director Krist Gruijthuijsen. The program commits to four artists—P. Staff, Tarik Kiswanson, Jenna Sutela, and Eglė Budvytytė—over several years, providing financial backing through acquisitions, production support, a part-time stipend, and health insurance. It will culminate in mid-career survey exhibitions in 2029 and 2030, which the museum plans to tour with partner institutions. Three of the artists are currently showing at the Venice Biennale with Emma's support.

Ça bouchonne à Venise

The latest issue of Le Journal des Arts (No. 677, May 15, 2026) leads with the opening of the Venice Biennale amid a tense climate. Other top stories include the final adoption of a French law on the restitution of cultural property looted during colonization, the V&A East museum's strategy to attract younger audiences, tensions in Giverny over the uneven economic benefits of Monet's legacy, and a market analysis showing the structuring of the Nabis art market.

In Protest of Israeli Pavilion, Activists and Unions Plan Strike on Venice Biennale’s Opening Day

The Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) has announced a 24-hour strike and rally on May 8, the day before the 2026 Venice Biennale opens to the public, in protest of the Israeli Pavilion. ANGA, formed in opposition to Israel's inclusion in the 2024 Biennale, refers to the current Israeli presentation—featuring Haifa-based artist Belu-Simion Fainaru—as the "Genocide Pavilion." Over 200 artists, curators, and culture workers have signed an open letter demanding Israel's exclusion, and a separate action called Solidarity Drone Chorus involved 60 artists. ANGA is collaborating with local labor and culture organizations including Biennalocene, Vogliamo Tutt'altro, S.a.L.E. Docks, and Mi Riconosci.

Monk football and sperm whales: All About Photo awards winners 2026

The 11th edition of the All About Photo awards – The Mind's Eye has announced its 2026 winners, with first place awarded to Matt McClain for his image of an intern working in a historic millinery shop at Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. The competition features a diverse range of winning photographs, including conceptual self-portraiture by Brooke Shaden, a street scene at the Benin-Togo border by France Leclerc, a train sleeping in Tunisia by Javier Arcenillas, freedivers with sperm whales by Khaichuin Sim, and young monks playing football in the Himalayas by Andrew Newey. Winners receive $5,000 in cash prizes.

Yves Klein Research Grant 2026: A Funded Residency for Emerging Scholars

The Yves Klein Foundation has launched its first Research Grant for 2026, offering a CHF 6,000 stipend and a one-week funded residency in Paris to emerging scholars under 35 who hold a PhD or postdoctoral degree. The program invites original research projects that deepen understanding of Yves Klein’s work, ideas, and legacy, with access to archives and scholarly guidance provided. Applications are due by 15 June 2026, with selection based on originality, scientific quality, and feasibility.

Un agent du Louvre devant le juge

A Louvre agent appeared before a judge. The article, published in Le Journal des Arts on May 2, 2026, covers multiple art world stories including the Whitney Biennial's perceived neutrality, the increasing complexity of art taxation in 2025, a resized project for Bourges 2028 by Yann Galut, a new contemporary gallery at Angers Cathedral, the abandonment of the Frigos artist site in Paris, and auctioneer Hubert L'Huillier's emergency sales.

Working in Art: Opportunities from Museo Novecento, Giudicesse 2030, Premio Combat and Fondazione Club Silencio

Lavorare nell’arte: opportunità da Museo Novecento, Giudicesse 2030, Premio Combat e Fondazione Club Silencio

This article from Artribune compiles five current job and grant opportunities in the Italian art world. It highlights a crowdfunding campaign by Museo Novecento for Agnese Galiotto's artwork "Sogni" in Empoli, an open call for the fourth edition of the Giudicesse 2030 residency for filmmakers and video artists in Sant'Antioco, a call for artists using AI from Associazione culturale 360° Creativity Events for PARMA 360 Festival, a paid internship at Blob Art ETS for Premio Combat in Livorno, and a search for a project manager by Fondazione Club Silencio ETS.

Jury of the Venice Biennale Resigns

Jury der Venedig-Biennale tritt zurück

The entire jury of the Venice Biennale, appointed by artistic director Koyo Kouoh, has resigned with immediate effect. In a statement released on Thursday, the jury members—including chair Solange Oliveira Farkas, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi—cited a prior declaration from April 22 in which they announced they would not award Golden or Silver Lions to artists from countries whose political leadership is currently indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity. Although no specific countries were named, the move implicitly targets Russia (President Vladimir Putin) and Israel (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu), both subject to ICC arrest warrants. The resignation comes amid escalating tensions over Russia's participation in the Biennale despite EU sanctions, which had already led to a freeze of EU funding and widespread protests.

“Villa Borghese è perfetta e non si tocca”. Siamo andati a vedere se è proprio così perfetta

A private company donated a design competition to the Galleria Borghese in Rome, aiming to expand the museum's exhibition spaces and services. Before any winning project was selected, associations like Italia Nostra protested, claiming the initiative would desecrate Villa Borghese. The article's author visited the park to document its current state, finding decay: a wrecked Globe Theatre, neglected ponds, graffiti, trash, dilapidated buildings, and a degraded horse-riding track. The author argues that while the park is defended as "perfect and untouchable," it is actually suffering from real neglect that goes unaddressed by the same groups opposing development.

Egypt Unveils a Hidden Tomb of 3,500-Year-Old Coffins at Luxor’s Abu el-Naga

An Egyptian archaeological mission excavating at the Abu El-Naga necropolis near Luxor has uncovered a cache of ten well-preserved painted wooden coffins hidden in the courtyard shaft of the tomb of Baki. The coffins span multiple periods, including the 18th Dynasty, the Ramesside period, and the Late Period, with inscriptions naming individuals such as Merit, a chantress of the god Amun, and Padi-Amun, a priest in the Temple of Amun. The team also discovered the tomb of a purification priest named A-Shafi-Nakhtu, decorated with funerary scenes, and a burial site containing over 30 mummified cats from the Ptolemaic Period. The discoveries were announced by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, with the excavation season beginning in November 2025.

The Venice Biennale and Its Many Flashpoints: An Explainer

The Venice Biennale, often described as the Olympics of the art world, is set to begin previews on Tuesday amid several controversies. Key flashpoints include the sudden death of a curator, Russia's surprise participation despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, and an unconventional entry from the United States. These developments have intensified scrutiny and debate around the prestigious international exhibition.

Iran’s Participation in the Venice Biennale Still Uncertain

Iran’s participation in the 61st Venice Biennale remains uncertain after a public contradiction emerged between the Biennale Foundation and Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance (MCIG). The Biennale Foundation had announced that Iran would not participate in the 2026 edition, curated by Koyo Kouoh, but Aydin Mahdizadeh Tehrani, director general of visual arts at the MCIG and commissioner of the Iranian Pavilion, stated in an interview with the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) that Iran never submitted a withdrawal letter. Instead, Iran requested more time and sent a letter on May 10 asking for the pavilion to open even if ineligible for prizes. Mahdizadeh Tehrani cited the US-Israel war with Iran as causing currency fluctuations that nearly tripled projected costs, complicating prior agreements, and noted that Iran had proposed a shorter exhibition period, which the Biennale rejected.

Res Publica Verlag Seeks Project Manager or Print Production Editor

Res Publica Verlag sucht Projektmanager:in oder Chef vom Dienst Print

Res Publica Verlag, an independent publisher based in Berlin, is hiring a project manager or print production editor for its magazines Cicero and Monopol, as well as special publications. The role involves managing editorial workflows, asset management systems, ad coordination, and serving as a liaison between the publishing house and editorial teams. The position is for 30 hours per week, starting August 1, 2026, with an optional onboarding from July 1, 2026.