LA’s The Box Gallery to Close After 19 Years

The Box, a prominent Los Angeles gallery, announced it will close after 19 years, with its final exhibition—a two-venue collaboration with Parker Gallery for late California artist Wally Hedrick—ending April 4. The closure will be marked by a fashion show for Johanna Went on June 6. Founder Mara McCarthy cited a combination of factors, including changing economics around support for her father Paul McCarthy's work and the loss of her family's homes in the January 2025 Eaton fire, as making continued operation impossible.

Art Basel Curbs Pre-Fair Sales—and More Art Industry News

Art Basel has launched a "Basel Exclusive" initiative to curb pre-fair PDF sales, encouraging galleries to withhold works from previews to drive in-person discovery at its flagship Swiss event (June 16–21). Around 170 of 232 exhibitors have opted in. Meanwhile, Volta returns to Basel with a new "5,000 Edit" section for works under CHF 5,000 to attract younger collectors, and the alternative fair Esther will hold its third edition in New York during Frieze Week. In other news, Sotheby's set a U.S. record for design auctions with the Jean and Terry de Gunzburg collection totaling $96 million, and billionaire collector Mitchell P. Rales pledged $116 million to the National Gallery of Art to fund loans to smaller museums. The Smithsonian American Art Museum named Lynda Roscoe Hartigan as its new director, and Gladstone Gallery plans a new Seoul space for 2026.

Saudis Renege on Met Opera Financial Aid, Berlin’s Culture Senator Resigns, and More: Morning Links for April 24, 2026

The Metropolitan Opera has announced that Saudi Arabia reneged on a noncommittal memorandum of understanding that would have provided up to $200 million over eight years to the cash-strapped New York institution. Met general manager Peter Gelb said the Saudis blamed the war in Iran and the blocked Strait of Hormuz, but funding had already failed to materialize before the conflict, prompting preemptive layoffs in January. Separately, Berlin culture senator Sarah Wedl-Wilson resigned after a state audit found she illegally authorized €2.6 million for 13 projects meant to combat antisemitism, violating budget regulations. Other news includes President Trump's plan to renovate the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, Ontario increasing support for the Art Gallery of Ontario and Royal Ontario Museum, Rome's new photography museum, and the appointment of Thiago de Paula Souza as curator of the eighth Athens Biennale.

Sonic investigations non-profit to be artist-in-residence at London's Gasworks

The non-profit organization Earshot, founded by artist Lawrence Abu Hamdan, has been awarded a three-year studio bursary at London's Gasworks. The bursary, backed by Spanish patron Mercedes Vilardell, provides an annual stipend and covers monthly rent for a studio space at the south London exhibition and residency space. Earshot uses sound in the defense of human and environmental rights, and the residency gives it a platform to operate independently after an incubation period with Forensic Architecture. Abu Hamdan and Earshot will also take over the Barbican Centre this autumn for an event titled Repercussions, featuring installations, performances, screenings, and live music.

How Much Is That Chagall in the Window: Metropolitan Opera Faces Funding Crisis After Saudi Deal Collapse

The Metropolitan Opera in New York faces a $30 million deficit after a $200 million funding deal with Saudi Arabia collapsed. The Saudi government withdrew from the agreement, which would have sent Met performers to the Royal Diriyah Opera House for three weeks each February, citing economic pressures from the Iran War and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. To address the shortfall, the Met is considering selling two monumental Marc Chagall paintings—The Sources of Music and The Triumph of Music (1966)—valued at $55 million, along with other options like selling naming rights or seeking a similar deal with another country.

Art Basel’s ‘Basel Exclusive’ Initiative Asks Galleries to Withhold at Least One Work from PDF Previews, and Other News.

Art Basel is launching a new initiative called "Basel Exclusive" for its June 2026 Switzerland fair, asking exhibitors to withhold at least one key work from pre-fair digital PDF previews to encourage in-person viewing. Around 170 of 232 exhibitors, including major galleries like Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Pace, and David Zwirner, have already adopted the program. Separately, Tate Britain announced the 2026 Turner Prize shortlist featuring artists Simeon Barclay, Tanoa Sasraku, Kira Freije, and Marguerite Humeau, with the exhibition opening at Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) in September. The Museum of Sonoma County will also commemorate the 50th anniversary of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's land art installation "Running Fence" with a major exhibition opening June 27.

Julia Stoschek Foundation to Close in Berlin

The Julia Stoschek Foundation will close its Berlin outpost at the end of October 2025, after a decade of operation. The Düsseldorf-based nonprofit, which holds one of the world's largest collections of time-based art, opened the Berlin space in 2016 and welcomed over 450,000 visitors across 22 exhibitions, including solo shows by Meriem Bennani, Stan Douglas, Arthur Jafa, and Mark Leckey. The foundation cited a "strategic realignment" that will shift focus to projects elsewhere in Germany and abroad. Its Düsseldorf space is currently closed for renovations and expected to reopen next year.

Dartmouth Students Turn to Moldy Beef Jerky Installation in Renewed Bid to Remove Leon Black’s Name from Arts Center

Art students at Dartmouth College installed a provocative piece titled "Something Rotten" in the Black Family Visual Arts Center, consisting of 20 moldy beef sticks arranged into a smiley face over the dedication wall honoring billionaire financier Leon Black and his family. The work, created by students Erik Siegel, Angeles Juarez-Ruiz, and Roan Wade, was removed one week after the exhibition "Storage Room" opened on April 14. The piece references Black's documented friendship and business dealings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with the wall label quoting an Epstein email mentioning "jerky." The installation is part of a broader student and alumni campaign to remove Black's name from the arts center, which was funded by a $48 million gift from Black and his wife Debra.

Venice, Here We Come

Hyperallergic's newsletter previews the upcoming 61st Venice Biennale, noting the charged political climate that may overshadow the art. It highlights the main exhibition "In Minor Keys" conceived by the late Koyo Kouoh, and includes a guide to national pavilions, collateral events, and notable exhibitions in Venice. The edition also features a studio visit with 93-year-old artist Joan Semmel, an interview with Lebanese artist Tania El Khoury about her "revenge art," and news about Barbara Chase-Riboud declining to represent the US at the Biennale, a $116M gift to the National Gallery of Art, and the death of Argentine painter Ides Kihlen at 108.

Gearing Up for Venice

The 2026 Venice Biennale's awards jury has announced it will not consider artists from countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, specifically naming Israel and Russia. In other news, satellite imagery confirms Azerbaijan demolished an Armenian church in Artsakh, the World Press Photo of the Year was awarded to Carol Guzy for an image of ICE detaining a father, and Argentine abstract painter Ides Kihlen died at age 108. Hyperallergic also published a guide to the Biennale by Hrag Vartanian and reported on Lynda Roscoe Hartigan's appointment as director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Taiwan revokes Sakuliu Pavavaljung’s National Award for Arts

Taiwan’s National Culture and Arts Foundation has revoked the National Award for Arts granted to artist Sakuliu Pavavaljung in 2018, ordering him to return the NTD 1 million prize. The revocation follows a Supreme Court ruling on 1 April that upheld a January 2025 conviction by the Pingtung District Court, which found the artist guilty of rape and sentenced him to four years and six months in prison.

Leaky Berlin Modern Museum’s Opening Delayed Until 2030

The opening of the Berlin Modern Museum, a planned extension of the Neue Nationalgalerie, has been delayed until 2030 due to significant moisture damage and microbial contamination in its foundation, floors, roof coverings, and exterior walls. Originally laid in February 2024 with a projected 2027 opening, the museum's construction costs have surged from 200 million to 507 million euros, according to Monopol. A spokesperson for the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation stated that repairs are underway but will push completion back by approximately eight months.

Venice Biennale’s Prize Ban on Israel and Russia Falls Short for Critics

The jury of the 2026 Venice Biennale has ruled that Israel and Russia will be ineligible for the Golden and Silver Lion prizes, citing International Criminal Court charges of crimes against humanity against their leaders. The decision follows years of activism and political pressure, with the European Union withdrawing €2 million in funding from the event in protest of Russia's participation. While groups like Art Not Genocide Alliance praised the move as an unprecedented step, critics argue it falls short of a full ban on participation. Israel's artist representative, Belu-Simion Fainaru, condemned the policy as discriminatory, and an open letter signed by 70 artists and curators called for excluding all regimes committing war crimes, including the United States.

The Tabloids Are Fouling Mayor Mamdani Over His Knicks Art. Here’s the Story

Artist Tom Sanford loaned his hand-painted wooden "Knicks Cutout" portraits of legendary New York Knicks players to New York City Hall at the invitation of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, intended to celebrate the team's playoff run. Tabloid media, including the New York Post and New York Times, framed the gesture as a "curse" on the team, suggesting fans blamed the mayor for the Knicks' losses. Sanford defends the artwork as a sincere, community-driven tribute rooted in New York street-corner cutout traditions, not a cheap stunt.

Venice Biennale Jury Bars Israel and Russia from Official Prizes

The international jury of the 61st Venice Biennale announced on April 23 that it will not consider the Israeli and Russian pavilions for official prizes, including the Golden Lion for national participation. The five-member, all-women panel—comprising Solange Farkas, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi—said it would exclude countries whose leaders are currently charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, a criterion that applies to Israel and Russia due to ICC arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin. The decision comes amid mounting controversy over the Biennale's decision to host both pavilions, with Russia returning after its artists withdrew in 2022 over the Ukraine invasion and Israel reopening after its 2024 pavilion remained closed pending a Gaza ceasefire. The European Commission had also threatened to suspend a €2 million grant over the Russian pavilion's reopening.

The soap opera continues. Minister Giuli will boycott the inauguration of the Venice Biennale

La telenovela continua. Il Ministro Giuli diserterà l’inaugurazione della Biennale di Venezia

Alessandro Giuli, Italy's Minister of Culture, has announced he will boycott the pre-opening and inauguration ceremony of the 61st Venice Biennale on May 9, 2026, escalating a political and cultural crisis. The dispute began when Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco allowed the Russian pavilion to reopen, absent since 2022 due to the Ukraine invasion, citing artistic freedom. Giuli demanded the removal of ministry representative Tamara Gregoretti from the Biennale board for failing to oppose the decision. Tensions flared during the Italy Pavilion press conference, where journalists were confined to a separate streaming room and questions were restricted. The European Commission condemned the Russian pavilion's reopening, cutting €2 million in funding and issuing a 30-day ultimatum, while 22 European countries signed a letter pressuring the institution. The Biennale's international jury, led by Solange Oliveira Farkas, then excluded Russia and Israel from award consideration, citing ethical guidelines against countries whose leaders face International Criminal Court charges for crimes against humanity.

Venice Biennale Awards Jury Won’t Consider Russia and Israel

The international awards jury for the 61st Venice Biennale has announced it will not consider countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for prizes. The all-women jury, chaired by Solange Farkas, published a statement on e-flux declaring this policy, which implicitly targets Russia and Israel, whose leaders Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu face ICC warrants. The jury is responsible for awarding Golden Lions for the best national pavilion and best artist in the central exhibition. A majority of artists in the main show issued an open letter supporting the decision, while the Biennale Foundation faces criticism for allowing both nations to participate in 2026.

Exhibition catalogs printed in China

Les catalogues d’expositions imprimés en Chine

Le Journal des Arts reports on several developments in the art world: the return of American Rousseau works to Paris, the growing trend of outsourcing museum reception services, the New Museum's expansion, challenges facing the Musée des tissus, and Art Brussels adapting to contemporary trends. These stories cover a range of topics from exhibition logistics to institutional change.

A Dismembered Album by Gerard van Honthorst (1592-1656): Unpublished Drawings and Reconstruction of a Corpus

Un album démembré de Gerard van Honthorst (1592-1656) : dessins inédits et reconstitution d'un corpus

An article in La Tribune de l'Art presents a significant expansion of the known corpus of drawings by Dutch Golden Age painter Gerard van Honthorst (1592-1656). Following the 2014 exhibition of twenty-seven drawings identified by the author, this study adds thirty-two more sheets—twenty-two of which are previously unpublished—as a preliminary step toward reconstructing a dismembered album. The research, conducted with direct observation and advanced imaging techniques (digital microscopy, ultraviolet, raking light), aims to restore the album's original order and shed light on the role of drawing in Honthorst's workshop and creative process.

"Etwas zaghaft, etwas ängstlich, etwas sicher"

The article surveys recent art-world commentary, focusing on a critical review of the Turner Prize shortlist in The Guardian, where Eddy Frankel calls the selection "timid, anxious, safe" and laments a self-perpetuating, elitist system. It also covers a Hyperallergic essay by Lisa Siraganian questioning whether artworks can possess personhood, sparked by Pierre Huyghe's Venice exhibition. Additionally, it reports on controversy at the Venice Biennale, where the jury preemptively excluded countries whose leaders are sought by the International Criminal Court—namely Russia and Israel—drawing sharp criticism from Die Welt's Marcus Woeller. A podcast interview with US sculptor Alma Allen, selected for the US Pavilion, rounds out the coverage.

Julia Stoschek Foundation Closes Berlin Location

Julia Stoschek Foundation schließt Berliner Standort

The Julia Stoschek Foundation is closing its Berlin exhibition space at the end of October. The foundation, which specializes in video art, opened the venue in 2016 in a former Czech cultural center on Leipziger Straße, quickly becoming a key destination for time-based art in the city. Over its run, it presented 22 solo and group shows featuring artists such as Arthur Jafa, Ian Cheng, and Mark Leckey, attracting more than 450,000 visitors. The closure is part of a strategic reorientation: the foundation will now focus on its headquarters in Düsseldorf and temporary international projects, building on recent presentations abroad like a show in Los Angeles that drew over 30,000 visitors in early 2026.

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.

Venice Biennale jury ‘will not award artists from countries facing war crimes charges’

The jury of the Venice Biennale has announced it will not award prizes to artists from countries whose leaders face charges of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, a decision widely seen as targeting Russia and Israel. The five-member jury, appointed by the late curator Koyo Kouoh, stated its commitment to human rights and will exclude artists from nations whose governments are under ICC investigation when selecting winners of the Golden and Silver Lion awards for the 2026 edition, which opens on 9 May. The move follows controversy over Russia’s participation in the biennale, with the European Commission threatening to suspend a €2m grant due to Russia’s involvement, and Italy’s far-right government opposing the decision.

Nations Charged With Crimes Against Humanity Will Not Be Considered for Venice Biennale Awards

The jury for the 2026 Venice Biennale announced it will not consider contributions from countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity for the Golden and Silver Lion awards, effectively excluding Israel and Russia. The decision, framed as a commitment to human rights and aligned with curator Koyo Kouoh's vision, comes amid broader controversy over participating pavilions, including American artists declining to represent the US and the EU withdrawing a $2.3 million grant over Russia's involvement.

Korea’s art market grows, but working conditions for entry-level workers do not

A 20-something intern at a small Seoul gallery, identified as Park, accepted a job paying 1.35 million won ($910) per month after taxes—below South Korea's minimum wage—because she believed early experience was essential for career advancement in the art world. The article, based on interviews with the Korea JoongAng Daily, reveals that many entry-level workers face low pay and precarious conditions, exacerbated by a severe oversupply of arts graduates (48,000 annually) versus only about 3,523 job postings per year on the industry site Art More, leading to reliance on personal connections and informal hiring.

Tourist Damages Florence’s Neptune Fountain in Pre-Wedding Stunt

A 28-year-old tourist in Florence climbed the Neptune Fountain in Piazza della Signoria and caused €5,000 ($5,800) in damage while attempting to touch the statue's genitals as part of a pre-wedding challenge. Police intervened, and specialists from the Fabbrica di Palazzo Vecchio later found damage to a horse's legs and a frieze. The woman has been reported to judicial authorities but is presumed innocent until a verdict.

Una delle opere più importante esposte alla Galleria Nazionale di Roma sta ammuffendo

An article by Laura Carlotta Cortoni on Artribune reports that Pino Pascali's iconic 1967 work "32 mq di mare circa" ("32 square meters of sea approximately"), on display at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (GNAMC) in Rome, is covered in mold, dust, and insects due to a total lack of maintenance. The author describes the installation as resembling a neglected warehouse and notes that visitors unfamiliar with the piece mistake the decay for an intentional environmental statement, creating a critical paradox given Pascali's own series of works titled "Muffe" (Molds).

Taiwanese Indigenous artist stripped of national prize after sexual assault conviction

Taiwan has revoked the National Award for Arts from Indigenous artist Sakuliu Pavavaljung after his sexual assault conviction was upheld by the Supreme Court. The Ministry of Culture and the National Culture and Arts Foundation announced the withdrawal on 17 April 2025, and Pavavaljung must return the NT$1 million prize. The conviction stems from a February 2021 incident involving a woman under his artistic mentorship; he was sentenced to four years and six months in prison. Allegations first surfaced in December 2021 via social media, prompting further accusations. Pavavaljung had previously been dropped from representing Taiwan at the Venice Biennale and suspended from Documenta 15.

Image of Family Torn by ICE Wins World Press Photo of the Year

American photojournalist Carol Guzy won the 2026 World Press Photo of the Year for her image "Separated by ICE," which captures a tearful family torn apart by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after an immigration court hearing in New York amid President Trump's broader crackdown. The contest, established in 1955, selected 42 global winners from over 57,000 photographs submitted by nearly 3,800 photographers across 141 countries. Finalists included Saber Nuraldin's "Aid Emergency in Gaza" and Victor J. Blue's "The Trials of the Achi Women," while other winners addressed displacement, war, and environmental crises.

Russia and Israel cannot win any prizes at the next Venice Art Biennale 2026. The jury takes a stand

Russia e Israele non potranno vincere nessun premio alla prossima Biennale Arte di Venezia 2026. La giuria prende posizione

The international jury for the 61st Venice Biennale, led by Solange Farkas, has unanimously declared it will not consider countries whose leaders are currently accused of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. This means Russia and Israel are excluded from competing for the Golden Lion awards, including Best National Participation and Best Artist. The jury's statement, published on e-Flux Notes, emphasizes the Biennale's historical role as a platform connecting art with contemporary urgencies and acknowledges the complex relationship between artistic practice and state representation.