Art News. Vasari Codex

article news schedule May 18, 2026 visibility 8 link 8 artists, 1 gallery

Thousands Decry Right-Wing “Smear Campaign” Against Misan Harriman

Over 97,000 people have filed complaints with the UK's Independent Press Standards Organisation against right-wing news outlets, including the Telegraph, for articles characterizing Misan Harriman's social media posts as antisemitic. Harriman, a photographer, human rights activist, and chair of London's Southbank Centre, has rejected the accusations, stating he has long championed marginalized communities and that the backlash stems from his criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza. An open letter supporting Harriman has been signed by 245 figures, including Tracey Emin, Greta Thunberg, and Mark Ruffalo, while the Telegraph published two articles scrutinizing his Instagram activity, prompting calls from Labour MP David Taylor for his removal from the board.

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Controversial art show canceled at NY archdiocese venue finds home at Jesuit parish

Jesuit artist Nicholas Leeper's solo exhibition "Twilight of the Idols," which blends Byzantine iconography with pop art and advertising imagery, was abruptly canceled by the Sheen Center for Thought and Culture in New York about two weeks before its scheduled opening in May 2026. The center, founded by the New York Archdiocese, cited phone calls and emails expressing concern about the work, which includes pieces like "Madonna and Child (Tomatokos)" depicting Mary as a Campbell's soup housewife and "The Visitation" reimagining Mary and Elizabeth in a cigarette ad. Within a day, the exhibition found a new venue at the Mary Chapel of St. Francis Xavier Church, organized in partnership with Xavier High School, where Leeper teaches.