climate activists deface christopher columbus painting on day marking his arrival to americas

Two activists from the climate group Futuro Vegetal were arrested on October 12 after throwing biodegradable red paint on José Garnelo's 1892 painting *First Tribute to Christopher Columbus* at the Naval Museum in Madrid. The protest occurred on Spain's National Day, which commemorates Columbus's arrival in the Americas. The activists unfurled a banner reading “October 12, nothing to celebrate. Ecosocial justice” and were charged with crimes against cultural heritage. Separately, about 20 activists from Marea Palestina staged a sit-in around Picasso's *Guernica* at the Reina Sofía Museum, demanding an end to “the genocide against the Palestinian people,” temporarily closing the gallery.

In Venice to Install Work for the Biennale, Artist Guadalupe Maravilla Alleges Racial Profiling by Police

New York–based artist Guadalupe Maravilla, in Venice to install his work for the 2026 Venice Biennale, alleges he was racially profiled by police after leaving the Arsenale venue. Two officers demanded his documents, called backup, and attempted to handcuff him before he de-escalated the situation and left. Maravilla, known for his 'Disease Thrower' sculptures that address migration and healing, shared the incident on Instagram and provided a statement to ARTnews.

The story of the Met’s ‘missing’ Banksy

John Barelli, head of security at the Metropolitan Museum of Art from 2001 to 2016, revealed that Banksy illicitly installed a painting at the museum in 2005 with the help of three accomplices who distracted guards. The work, titled 'Last Breath' and depicting a woman in a gas mask, was affixed to a wall with a placard claiming it was a donation. Banksy later requested its return, but Barelli told The New Yorker that the museum had thrown it out—though he admitted to taking it himself upon retirement, saying he might sell it if he needs money.

Pejac Transforms Basic Graph Paper into Detailed, Trompe-L’œil Tableaux

Artist Pejac has created a new series of detailed, trompe-l'œil tableaux on basic graph paper. He transforms the two-dimensional grid into scenes of depth and movement, such as children throwing snowballs that are actually cubes from the grid itself, and a construction worker carving the iconic Sistine Chapel hand motif from the paper's lines.

The Craziest Venice Biennale Ever: One Week Before Opening, the Jury Resigns (The Public Will Decide the Lions!)

La Biennale di Venezia più pazza di sempre: a una settimana dall’apertura si dimette la giuria (I Leoni li deciderà il pubblico!)

The entire international jury of the 61st Venice Biennale has resigned en masse just one week before the opening. The jury, chaired by Solange Oliveira Farkas and including Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi, had publicly announced they would not consider countries whose leaders are accused of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court—effectively excluding Russia and Israel from the Golden Lion competition. This decision came amid ongoing tensions between Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli and Biennale President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco over Russia's participation, as well as controversy surrounding Israel's presence. After a meeting with Buttafuoco, the jury resigned, leaving the Biennale without a key body to award its top prizes.

Calls for Artists: April 2026

Multiple open calls for artists and grants have been announced for April 2026 deadlines. The 2027 Creative Capital Open Call offers unrestricted project grants up to $50,000 for artists across all 50 states, while also selecting recipients for the new State of the Art Prize, which grants $10,000 to one artist from each state and territory. Delfina Foundation, in partnership with the Jorge M. Pérez Collection, is offering four fully funded residencies for Latin American and Caribbean artists, with two spots available in this round. The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is accepting submissions for its Louisiana Contemporary 2026 statewide juried exhibition, and the Handweaver’s Guild of America has issued calls for entries for its Convergence 2026 fiber art exhibitions.

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.

How the Venice Biennale imploded over Israel

The 61st Venice Biennale, scheduled to open on May 9, has been thrown into turmoil after its International Jury announced that national pavilions and artists representing countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court will not be eligible for prizes. This excludes Israel, represented by sculptor Belu-Simion Fainaru, and Russia from competing for the Golden Lion. The decision follows an open letter signed by hundreds of artists and curators demanding Israel's exclusion over the war in Gaza, and comes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, including Russia's absence from previous editions after its invasion of Ukraine. The Biennale's theme, 'In Minor Keys,' curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, aimed to focus on dignity and listening to marginalized voices, but the prize ban has sparked accusations that identity politics are overshadowing artistic merit.

Venice Biennale thrown into fresh turmoil as art jury resigns

The Venice Biennale has been thrown into fresh turmoil after its art jury resigned. The jury's departure adds to ongoing instability surrounding the prestigious international art exhibition, though specific reasons for the resignation were not detailed in the article.