Arthur Jafa’s Radical Theory of Readymade Art

Arthur Jafa, the acclaimed artist known for his video work and found-object art, is the subject of a new Art Angle podcast episode. The article details his rise from cinema to the art world, highlighted by his 2016 video 'Love Is the Message, the Message Is Death' and his 2019 Golden Lion win at the Venice Biennale. Currently, Jafa is featured in a two-person show with Richard Prince at the Prada Foundation in Venice, curated by Nancy Spector, and has curated 'Less Is Morbid' at the Museum of Modern Art. He is also a recipient of this year's Art Basel Award.

Finalists for the Sobey Art Award, Canada’s top contemporary art prize, revealed

Six artists from across Canada have been shortlisted for the 2026 Sobey Art Award, the nation's top contemporary art prize. The finalists are Melaw Nakehk'o (Circumpolar), Samuel Roy-Bois (Pacific), Audie Murray (Prairies), Lotus L. Kang (Ontario), Caroline Monnet (Québec), and Shane Perley-Dutcher (Atlantic). Each finalist receives C$25,000 ($18,000), with a grand prize of C$100,000 ($72,000) to be announced at a ceremony in Ottawa on 14 November. An exhibition of their works will be held at the National Gallery of Canada later this year, and the 24 longlisted artists not among the finalists will each receive C$10,000 ($7,200).

Christie’s Names Billionaire François-Henri Pinault Chairman, Signaling End of Tenure for Guillaume Cerutti

Christie’s has appointed François-Henri Pinault, son of billionaire François Pinault and president of Groupe Artémis, as board chairman and non-executive director. The move signals the end of Guillaume Cerutti’s tenure as chairman, a role he held since 2023 after serving as CEO from 2017 to 2025. Cerutti also recently left his position as president of the Pinault Collection, which is now led by François Pinault. The announcement came without mention of Cerutti’s departure, and his LinkedIn profile indicates his chairmanship ended last month.

$50,000 Driskell Prize Goes to Cheryl Finley of Spelman College

Cheryl Finley, the director of visual arts and culture at Spelman College and head of the Atlanta University Center Art History + Curatorial Studies Collective, has been awarded the 2025 David C. Driskell Prize by Atlanta’s High Museum of Art. The prize, established in 2005, includes $50,000 and honors figures who have made significant contributions to African American art and art history. Past recipients include Alison Saar, Naomi Beckwith, Amy Sherald, Mark Bradford, and Rashid Johnson. Finley has led the AUC Art Collective since 2019, co-organized the “Black Portraiture[s]” academic convening since 2013, and authored books such as Committed to Memory: The Art of the Slave Ship Icon.

Cheryl Finley Wins 2026 David C. Driskell Prize

Atlanta's High Museum of Art has named Spelman College professor Cheryl Finley the winner of its 2026 David C. Driskell Prize. Finley will receive an unrestricted $50,000 cash award and be honored at a gala on September 19 at the High Museum. The prize, named after the renowned African American artist and scholar David C. Driskell, has been awarded annually since 2005 to recognize outstanding contributions to African American art. Finley is the Walton Endowed professor in the department of art and visual culture at Spelman and has directed the Atlanta University Center Art History + Curatorial Studies Collective since 2019, building a pipeline for emerging Black arts professionals.

Harmony Hammond Wrote the Book on Lesbian Art 20 Years Ago. Here’s What Comes Next.

Harmony Hammond, the 82-year-old artist and writer, is preparing for her seventh solo exhibition with Alexander Gray Associates, titled "Rust Never Sleeps," opening June 5 in the gallery's new Tribeca space. A new volume dedicated to her writings, *Still Dangerous! The Harmony Hammond Reader*, will be published this fall by Duke University Press. In an interview, Hammond discusses her ongoing textile-based abstraction practice, her frustration with being pigeonholed to the 1970s, and the recent surge of interest in textile art as seen in exhibitions like "Woven Histories" and "Unravel."

Ho Tzu Nyen Wins 2026 Fukuoka Grand Prize

Ho Tzu Nyen has been named the 2026 Grand Prize laureate of the Fukuoka Prize, becoming the first Singaporean artist to receive the JPY five million (USD 31,500) award. The prize, announced on May 22 by the Fukuoka Prize Committee, honors individuals who have made significant contributions to Asian studies and arts and culture. Ho, born in 1976 in Singapore, creates films, performances, and video installations that explore Southeast Asian history and the legacy of Japanese imperialism, often blending folklore with reality. He has represented Singapore at the 54th Venice Biennale and participated in major exhibitions including the Shanghai Biennale, Aichi Triennale, and Sharjah Biennial. He co-curated the Asian Art Biennial in Taiwan and is currently artistic director of the 16th Gwangju Biennale.

A brush with... Elyse Gonzales, director of San Antonio's Ruby City art centre

Elyse Gonzales, director of San Antonio's Ruby City art centre, is featured in The Art Newspaper's 'A brush with...' interview series. She discusses her formative experience working at Devin Borden Hiram Butler Gallery in Houston as a high school senior, which led to an internship at the Menil Collection and a master's degree at Williams College. Gonzales also shares her curatorial interests, including a forthcoming show of Tracey Rose's drawing and video works, and reveals that Ruby City was born from founder Linda Pace's dream of the building, which she sketched and commissioned David Adjaye to realize in 2007.

2026 Sobey Art Award shortlist revealed

The National Gallery of Canada and the Sobey Art Foundation have announced the six finalists for the 2026 Sobey Art Award, Canada's most prestigious contemporary visual arts prize. The shortlisted artists are Melaw Nakehk'o (Circumpolar region), Samuel Roy-Bois (Pacific), Audie Murray (Prairies), Lotus L. Kang (Ontario), Caroline Monnet (Quebec), and Shane Perley-Dutcher (Atlantic). Their practices range from land-based pedagogy and architectural sculpture to ancestral materiality and metal basketry.

For the Vancouver Art Gallery’s Eva Respini, it’s all about the art. Period.

Eva Respini, interim co-director of the Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG), advocates for art museums to focus exclusively on art and artists, rather than engaging in activism or political stances. In a recent interview, she emphasized that her expertise lies in artistic direction, not other issues, even as institutions face pressure to address topics like the war in Gaza. Respini has been working to stabilize the VAG after it postponed plans for a new building in 2024, parted with executive director Anthony Kiendl, and laid off nearly a third of its staff. She has launched a new permanent collection installation on the third floor of the gallery's current home, highlighting 20th-century and contemporary Canadian and international art with a focus on B.C. artists.

Artist Lee Ufan, Who Turns 90 Next Month, Will Change How You Feel About Time

Artist Lee Ufan, who turns 90 next month, is the subject of a profile following a visit to his home in Kamakura, Japan. The article describes his spare, contemplative paintings and sculptures, including his rhythmic line-and-dot works from the 1970s and '80s and his industrial-material sculptures that explore the relationship between manmade and natural worlds. Three major exhibitions of his work are highlighted: a long-term presentation at the Dia Art Foundation in Beacon, New York; a retrospective at the San Marco Art Center in Venice coinciding with the Venice Biennale; and a new collection at the Serralves Foundation in Porto, Portugal.

Butler Museum Names New Executive Director

The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio, has appointed Anastasia James as its new executive director following a national search. James, currently director of galleries and public art at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, brings nearly two decades of leadership experience at major museums including the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and the Andy Warhol Museum. She will officially assume the role on July 13, succeeding Lou Zona, who led the institution for over four decades.

Rangsook Yoon, the Frye Art Museum's new curatorial director, envisions a museum where people can gather and be moved together

Dr. Rangsook Yoon has been appointed Senior Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, though she is still in Sarasota, Florida, completing the installation of a major exhibition featuring 95 works from 10 regional collectors. Yoon holds a doctorate in German early modern art, with expertise in Munich Secessionist works central to the Frye's founding collection, and has created over 50 exhibitions including immersive, site-specific installations. She is also Asian in a city with a large Asian diasporic community, a fact she sees as meaningful for the museum's future.

PAM CUT Announces 2026 Sustainability Labs Fellows

PAM CUT // Center for an Untold Tomorrow, the film and new media arm of the Portland Art Museum, has announced the 2026 Sustainability Labs Fellows. The program, now in its fifth year, supports five mid-career media artists—Kamari Bright, Peter Burr, and others—with bespoke mentorship in business planning, financial strategy, creative brand expansion, and mental health. The Labs culminate in a pitch session at Wieden + Kennedy and attendance at PAM CUT’s Cinema Unbound Awards on May 29, honoring polymath artists including Titus Kaphar, Emma McIlroy, and Maria Bamford.

Kiran Nadar’s Ambition to Put Indian Art On the World Stage

Kiran Nadar, one of India's most influential arts patrons, is spearheading the development of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) in Delhi, set to become the largest integrated cultural center in India at over one million square feet. The museum, supported by the Shiv Nadar Foundation, will feature multiple exhibition spaces, a performing arts center, a library, an education center, and restaurants. Nadar recently appointed Manuel Rabaté, former director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, as KNMA's director. She also made headlines by purchasing M.F. Husain's record-breaking painting *Untitled (Gram Yatra)* for $13.8 million at Christie's New York. On the occasion of Nalini Malani's collateral exhibition "Of Woman Born" at the 2026 Venice Biennale, supported by KNMA, Nadar discussed her vision for putting Indian art on the world stage.

Here is who Florentina Holzinger is, the artist protagonist of the Austrian Pavilion at Venice 2026

Ecco chi è Florentina Holzinger, l’artista protagonista del Padiglione Austria a Venezia 2026

Florentina Holzinger, an Austrian artist, performer, and choreographer born in Vienna in 1986, has been selected to represent Austria at the Venice Biennale 2026. The article traces her career from her early work *Silk* (2012), which won the Prix Jardin d’Europe at ImPulsTanz Festival, through boundary-pushing pieces like *Recovery* (2015), *Schönheitsabend* (2015), *Apollon* (2018), and *Tanz* (2019), which earned a Nestroy Prize. Her practice blends dance, circus, horror, body art, stunt techniques, and sideshow, often featuring all-female casts and full nudity, and has provoked censorship in Italy while being hailed as avant-garde elsewhere. She became an associate artist at Berlin’s Volksbühne in 2021 and will join its ensemble from the 2026/27 season.

Alexandra Catiere distinguée par le prix Niépce

Belarusian photographer Alexandra Catiere (48) has won the 2026 Prix Niépce Gens d'images, France's leading mid-career photography award. Born in Minsk in 1978, she trained at the International Center of Photography in New York and in Irving Penn's studio, and has lived in Paris since 2008. Her black-and-white work, often shot with a large-format camera, blends portraiture, landscape, and reportage. She succeeds British photographer Ed Alcock. The prize, created in 1955 by the association Gens d'images, is awarded annually to a professional photographer under 50 residing in France.

Miami artist wins Orlando Museum of Art’s $20,000 Florida Prize

Miami artist [Name not provided in article] has won the Orlando Museum of Art’s $20,000 Florida Prize. The award recognizes outstanding contemporary artists working in the state of Florida, with the winning artist receiving a cash prize and likely exhibition opportunities at the museum.

Here are the six finalists shortlisted for the Sobey Art Award

The Sobey Art Award has announced its six finalists for 2024: Melaw Nakehk'o, Samuel Roy-Bois, Audie Murray, Lotus L. Kang, Caroline Monnet, and Shane Perley-Dutcher. Nakehk'o, a Yellowknife-based textile artist and co-founder of the collective Dene Nahjo, is noted for reviving traditional moosehide tanning. The winner receives $100,000, while each remaining finalist gets $25,000. The award is presented by the Sobey Art Foundation and the National Gallery of Canada, with the winner announced on November 14.

Heritage Auctions Taps Samantha Anderson for New Position Combining Legal and Business Development Roles

Samantha Anderson has joined Heritage Auctions as Chief Legal Officer and EVP of Business Development and Special Projects, a newly created role that formalizes the overlap between legal expertise and business development. She previously worked at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP in the Art and Museum Law group and has experience at Sotheby’s Fiduciary Client Group and Art Intelligence Global. Heritage Auctions, based in Dallas, has seen significant growth, with sales rising from $1.4 billion five years ago to $2.2 billion last year, and its market share among the top five global auction houses increasing from 7.9% to 12.6%, driven largely by coins and collectibles.

Xu Ziyang's practice returns us to what cross-cultural curating so rarely is: a long, slow, trust-based conversation

Xu Ziyang's curatorial practice is examined through a profile that emphasizes her studio-based, trust-building approach to cross-cultural exhibitions. The article highlights her work as a curator and gallerist across China, the UK, and Europe, focusing on her insistence on visiting artists' studios multiple times, learning their backgrounds, and building long-term conversations before making curatorial decisions. It describes her exhibition "Blooming Dartmoor" at Lian Art Museum in Hangzhou, which features over 100 works by 18 international artists and uses the Buddhist concept of paramita to explore diasporic cultural memory and identity reconstruction.

Danny Simmons on why Philly is primed for an arts renaissance

Danny Simmons, an abstract-expressionist painter, author, poet, and philanthropist, relocated from New York City to Philadelphia to launch Rush Arts Philly in the Logan neighborhood in 2016. In an interview with Billy Penn, he discusses his early artistic development, his transition from social work to full-time art in the 1990s, and his move to Philly, where he believes the city is primed for a cultural renaissance. Simmons, co-founder of the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation and older brother of Russell Simmons and Rev. Run, has spent a decade using art to empower his adopted city.

Bruno Bozzetto is not only the history but also the future of Italian animation

Bruno Bozzetto non è solo la storia ma anche il futuro dell’animazione italiana

Bruno Bozzetto, the 86-year-old Italian animator and cartoonist, has been awarded the David Speciale, a lifetime achievement prize at Italy's David di Donatello Awards (the Italian Oscars). Known for his ironic style and simple yet sharp drawings, Bozzetto has created iconic works including the feature film "Allegro non Troppo" (1976), the short "Cavallette" (1990), which was Oscar-nominated, and recent cartoons like "Beelen" and "Doggy." He continues to work from Bergamo, embracing both traditional and digital tools, and is celebrated for proving that animation is not just for children but a sophisticated cinematic language.

Christie’s London Taps Kering Scion François-Henri Pinault as New Chairman

François-Henri Pinault, chairman of Kering and president of Christie's parent company Groupe Artémis, has been appointed Chairman and Non-Executive Director of Christie's London, effective May 22. Bryan Lourd, CEO and co-chairman of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), also joins the board as Non-Executive Director. Pinault succeeds Guillaume Cerutti, who left the role after a brief tenure as president of the Pinault Collection.

Bowdoin College Museum of Art Announces Interim Director

Bowdoin College Museum of Art (BCMA) has appointed Stephen G. Perkinson, Professor of Art History, as interim director for a two-year term. Perkinson, a scholar of Medieval and Renaissance art of Northern Europe, has a long history with the museum, having curated several exhibitions including 'Medieval Art from the Wyvern Collection' and 'The Ivory Mirror'. He succeeds Anne Collins Goodyear and Frank Goodyear, who will assist during the transition until June 30, 2026.

Saran Diakité Kaba prend les rênes de Camondo

Saran Diakité Kaba, 46, has been appointed director of École Camondo, a Parisian school of decorative arts specializing in interior architecture and design. A graduate of ENSCI-Les Ateliers, she previously worked at Groupe PSA and served as director of Strate École de design before spending the last five years as administrative and development director at Camondo. She succeeds Michèle Dard, who held the position from 2022 to 2026.

Martin Bostal prend l’intérim à Bayeux

Martin Bostal, a 36-year-old doctor in medieval history and archaeology, has been appointed interim director of the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux. He joined Bayeux Museum in 2021 as head of museographic development for the future museum, expected to open in 2027. He succeeds Antoine Verney, the chief curator of Bayeux museums, who died suddenly three months ago. Meanwhile, the famous Bayeux Tapestry will be loaned to London.

Il direttore del sito archeologico più famoso del mondo ha scritto un libro. Lo abbiamo intervistato

Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park since 2021, has published a book titled "Quando gli dei lasciarono il mondo. L’ultima estate di Pompei" (Feltrinelli). In an interview with Artribune, he discusses his career path from Germany to Italy, his previous role directing the Paestum archaeological park and museum, and his vision for managing one of the world's most complex and symbolic archaeological sites. He reflects on the challenges of overseeing 13,000 excavated rooms, the responsibility of leadership, and the satisfaction of community projects like the classical theater initiative "Sogno di Volare" for local teenagers.

Emmanuel Etienne nommé à la tête de Compiègne et Blérancourt

Emmanuel Etienne, an architect and urban planner for the French state who has led the heritage department of the Directorate General of Heritage and Architecture for nearly five years, has been appointed director of the museums and estates of Compiègne and Blérancourt. He took up the post at the end of March 2026, succeeding Rodolphe Rapetti, who retired after eight years in the role.

José Tolentino de Mendonça, the poet cardinal reconciling the Church and contemporary art

Le Monde profiles Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, a Portuguese poet and theologian who serves as the Vatican's Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education. The article explores his unique role as a bridge between the Catholic Church and the contemporary art world, highlighting his efforts to foster dialogue through exhibitions, commissions, and cultural initiatives that engage living artists and address modern themes.