Kulapat Yantrasast Named Artistic Director of Next Bukhara Biennial

Kulapat Yantrasast, the architect behind major museum projects for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Louvre, has been named artistic director of the 2027 Bukhara Biennial in Uzbekistan. The appointment comes less than a year after the debut edition, which drew an estimated 1.8 million visitors and became a major international art event. Conceived by Gayane Umerova and the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, the next edition will run from September 3 through November 21, 2027. Yantrasast succeeds Diana Campbell, who curated the inaugural edition titled "Recipes for Broken Hearts."

Montclair Art Museum Names Kate Kraczon Chief Curator

The Montclair Art Museum (MAM) has appointed Kate Kraczon as its new Chief Curator, effective June 15, 2026. Kraczon, a nationally respected curator with over two decades of experience, joins MAM from Brown University, where she served as Director of Exhibitions and Chief Curator of the David Winton Bell Gallery. At Brown, she oversaw a program of more than 7,000 works and developed partnerships with major institutions including the Andy Warhol Foundation and the Terra Foundation for American Art. Her previous roles include Laporte Associate Curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania, where she organized over 30 exhibitions.

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.

Artist Anne Imhof brings her avant-garde storytelling to London, with added ballet

German visual artist Anne Imhof discusses her multidisciplinary, avant-garde practice ahead of a new London performance incorporating ballet. Known for relinquishing control and allowing audiences to shape their own experience, Imhof works across performance, sculpture, music, painting, and installation. Her career highlights include winning the Golden Lion for Best National Participation at the 2017 Venice Biennale for 'Faust', the immersive 'Sex' at Tate Modern in 2019, and 'Natures Mortes' at Palais de Tokyo in 2021. She describes her collaborative process, early experiments in Frankfurt, and the importance of instinct and the audience's energy in her work.

Keith Jacobshagen, famed prairie painter, finds essential and eternal in endless Nebraska sky

Keith Jacobshagen, an 84-year-old Nebraska painter renowned for his depictions of Great Plains landscapes, is facing the end of his painting career due to early-stage Alzheimer's disease. For over 50 years, he has produced more than 2,000 paintings, drawings, and prints focusing on the vast skies, cornfields, and grain elevators of flyover country. A solo exhibition, "The Shape of the Prairie," will be held at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art from May 15 through Aug. 16, and the Museum of Nebraska Art is planning a retrospective for 2027.

Story of Francis Valentine Dudensing, the gallerist who brought European Avant-Garde to the United States in the early 1900s

Storia di Francis Valentine Dudensing, il gallerista che nel primo ‘900 portò l’Avanguardia Europea negli Stati Uniti

Francis Valentine Dudensing (1892-1967) was a New York gallerist who, between 1926 and 1947, played a pivotal role in introducing European modernism to the United States through his Valentine Gallery on 57th Street. He organized the first U.S. solo exhibitions of Giorgio de Chirico, Joan Miró, and Raoul Dufy, the first American retrospective of Henri Matisse in 1927, and the only solo show of Piet Mondrian during his lifetime in 1942. In May 1939, he presented Picasso's Guernica to the New York public for the first time. His gallery became a direct bridge between Paris and New York, supported by a network including Pierre Matisse, Paul Rosenberg, and Paul Guillaume.

ALFREDO JAAR INDUCTED INTO THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS

Galerie Lelong, New York has announced that artist Alfredo Jaar has been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, formally joining the Department of Art at a ceremony on May 20, 2026. Jaar, born in Santiago, Chile in 1956, is recognized for his innovative work across photography, film, installation, and new media, examining socio-political issues and the ethics of representation over more than four decades.

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.

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.

The Interview: Amar Kanwar

ArtReview interviews Amar Kanwar, a New Delhi-based artist known for films and multimedia installations that blend poetry, activism, and documentary to explore power, conflict, and social justice. Kanwar discusses his career trajectory from documentary filmmaking to occupational health research in a coal mining region, and back to filmmaking on his own terms. His best-known work, *The Sovereign Forest* (2012), addresses government-corporate collusion in Odisha, while his latest, *The Peacock's Graveyard* (2023), is a seven-channel film installation currently paired with *The Torn First Pages* (2004–08) at Palazzo Grassi in Venice under the heading "Co-Travellers." Kanwar has participated in four consecutive editions of Documenta (2002–2017) and was a curator of the 2022 Istanbul Biennial.

Skarlet Smatana | HENI News Profile

Skarlet Smatana, the director of the George Economou Collection, is highlighted for her pivotal role in steering the private collection's public-facing initiatives and curatorial direction. Her leadership is exemplified by the launch of 'The Way We Live Now' in May 2026, the collection's first contemporary group exhibition sourced entirely from its own holdings. This landmark show explores the intersection of finance, politics, and intimacy, marking a significant moment in the collection's history of engaging with modern artistic consciousness.

BLANCA DE LA TORRE Y EL “MUSEO ANFIBIO”: “A MÍ ME INTERESA EL PÚBLICO, NO NECESARIAMENTE LAS MASAS”

Blanca de la Torre, director of the Institut Valencià d’Art Modern (IVAM), discusses her concept of the "Museo Anfibio" (Amphibious Museum) in an interview for Artishock Revista's series on Ibero-American museum leaders. She proposes reimagining the museum as a relational institution that mediates between physical and symbolic territories, communities, and ecosystems, structured around two axes: Territories-Earth and Aquatic Environments. The interview is part of a series leading up to International Museum Day, with previous entries including Nicolás Gómez Echeverri of the Banco de la República de Colombia.

Kevin Troyano Cuturi On Building A Singapore Art Gallery With Global Reach

Kevin Troyano Cuturi, raised on museum visits across Europe and trained in physics and finance, founded Cuturi Gallery in Singapore after co-founding Mazel Gallery in 2017. The gallery now operates a Paris outpost in the former Didier Ludot boutique and runs a discoveries platform for emerging artists, a residency program hosting over 20 artists, and has nurtured Singaporean talents like Aisha Rosli and Faris Heizer.

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.

Serralves museum director steps down

Philippe Vergne, the French curator who has served as director of the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art in Porto since 2019, will step down at the end of July 2026 at his own request. The Serralves Foundation announced that Vergne will continue contributing to exhibition curation until his departure, and the search for a new director will begin immediately. During his tenure, the museum presented major exhibitions of artists including Alexander Calder, Joan Miró, Cindy Sherman, Mark Bradford, and Maurizio Cattelan, and expanded its space with the Álvaro Siza Wing.

Francesco Stocchi is no longer the artistic director of the MAXXI Museum in Rome. After 3 years, his mandate was not renewed

Francesco Stocchi non è più il direttore artistico del Museo MAXXI di Roma. Dopo 3 anni non rinnovato il mandato

Francesco Stocchi's mandate as artistic director of the MAXXI museum in Rome will end in June 2026, after a three-year term that began on June 28, 2023. The decision was reached by mutual agreement between Stocchi and the Fondazione MAXXI, marking the conclusion of a tenure that followed Hou Hanru's leadership. During his time at MAXXI, Stocchi focused on the museum's social role, strengthening its identity and opening new research perspectives. He will continue to oversee some ongoing projects, including a Gordon Matta-Clark retrospective scheduled for November 13. Stocchi, born in Rome in 1975, is a prominent figure in Italian contemporary art, having previously held curatorial roles at the Fondazione Carriero in Milan and the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, where he served as curator of modern and contemporary art from 2012 to 2023. He also curated the Swiss Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale with Latifa Echakhch and Alexander Babel.

È Vincenzo Trione il nuovo presidente della Triennale Milano: le prime dichiarazioni

Vincenzo Trione has been appointed as the new president of Triennale Milano, succeeding Stefano Boeri after eight years. The appointment, finalized after months of speculation, reflects a political balance between Italy's Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli and Milan's mayor Giuseppe Sala. Trione, a professor at IULM University and former curator of the Italy Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, will lead the foundation for a new term, with architect and designer Michele De Lucchi potentially taking on an artistic director role, though this remains unconfirmed.

La Biennale di Taipei nel 2027 avrà una curatrice italiana: nominata Cecilia Alemani

The Taipei Biennial has appointed Italian curator Cecilia Alemani to direct its 15th edition in 2027, as announced by the Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM). Alemani, currently director and chief curator of High Line Art in New York, will bring her expertise in intertwining historical research, social issues, and alternative imaginaries to her first curatorial project in Asia. She previously achieved international acclaim as artistic director of the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022, where her exhibition "The Milk of Dreams" featured 213 artists from 58 countries.

The Museums of Verona have a new director. "This city can become a cultural laboratory," says Lorenzo Balbi

I Musei di Verona hanno un nuovo direttore. “Questa città può diventare un laboratorio culturale”, dice Lorenzo Balbi

Lorenzo Balbi, currently director of MAMbo in Bologna, has been appointed as the new director of the Musei di Verona, a civic museum network that includes the Arena di Verona, Casa di Giulietta, Museo Archeologico al Teatro Romano, Museo Civico di Storia naturale, Museo degli Affreschi di G. B. Cavalcaselle, Museo di Castelvecchio, Museo Lapidario Maffeiano, and Galleria d’Arte Moderna Achille Forti. He will take office in September 2026, selected for his strategic vision to revitalize the system as a hub for cultural production, civic participation, and international dialogue.

The End-of-Term Grand Interview with Stefano Boeri After 8 Years as President of Triennale di Milano

La grande intervista di fine mandato a Stefano Boeri dopo 8 anni da presidente della Triennale di Milano

Stefano Boeri reflects on his eight-year tenure as president of Triennale Milano in a wide-ranging exit interview. He discusses the institution's transformation into a more international and accessible cultural hub, highlighting key achievements such as the three major International Exhibitions—"Broken Nature" (2019), "Unknown Unknowns" (2022), and "Inequalities" (2025)—and the physical reclamation of spaces like the "Cuore" hall and the garden-level floor, which were opened free to the public. Boeri also touches on financial management, governance challenges, and his hopes for the future leadership.

LACMA Director Michael Govan ’85 talks museum architecture, public art, mounds of dirt

Michael Govan, director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and a 1985 graduate of Williams College, discussed his career and philosophy in an interview with the Williams Record. Govan reflected on his early work at the Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA), where he helped install pieces in Lawrence Hall after an expansion by architect Charles Moore, and his subsequent collaborations with Frank Gehry on the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and Zaha Hadid at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. He also highlighted his recent oversight of LACMA's new David Geffen Galleries, a $720 million project that has drawn significant attention.

FAD News: Gozo Yoshimasu awarded inaugural Serpentine x FLAG Art Foundation Prize

Gozo Yoshimasu has been awarded the inaugural Serpentine x FLAG Art Foundation Prize, a new biennial award providing £200,000 per recipient over ten years, totaling £1 million in artist support. The jury included Michelle Kuo, Venus Lau, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Jonathan Rider, and Rirkrit Tiravanija. Yoshimasu, born in Tokyo in 1939, is known for his interdisciplinary practice spanning poetry, performance, photography, and experimental moving image. As part of the prize, he will stage a solo exhibition at Serpentine North in autumn 2027, traveling to The FLAG Art Foundation in New York in spring 2028—his first major solo institutional presentations in Europe and the United States.

Maddy Inez’s Mystic Ceramics Tell the Hidden Stories of Ancestral Plants

Ceramist Maddy Inez, daughter of artist Alison Saar and granddaughter of assemblage pioneer Betye Saar, creates hand-built biomorphic ceramic sculptures inspired by mysticism and ancestral knowledge. Her works have recently grown in scale, reflecting a deepening exploration of hidden stories tied to ancestral plants.

Maddy Inez talks to Phillip Edward Spradley

Maddy Inez, a Los Angeles-based ceramic artist, discusses her practice in an interview with Phillip Edward Spradley. Her work draws on California's natural environment and histories of displacement, using ceramics to explore maternal lineage, oral history, and plant-based knowledge. A key inspiration is a midwifery certificate belonging to her great-great-great grandmother from the era of enslavement. Inez's upcoming solo exhibition at Megan Mulrooney opens May 16, 2026.

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.

VARINIA BRODSKY ZIMMERMANN: “ENTIENDO AL MUSEO COMO UN CAMPO DE REVERBERACIÓN”

Varinia Brodsky Zimmermann, director of the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de Chile, is interviewed as part of a series on contemporary museums in Latin America. She describes the museum as a "field of reverberation" that amplifies social, cultural, and political questions without reacting mechanically to demands. The conversation covers structural challenges facing public museums in Chile, including budget precarity and suspended exhibition projects, and Brodsky advocates for more permeable, horizontal, and sustainable institutions that maintain critical depth while engaging diverse communities.

MANUEL SEGADE: “PRESERVAR LA COMPLEJIDAD DEL MUNDO ES UNA DE LAS TAREAS FUNDAMENTALES DEL MUSEO”

Manuel Segade, director of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, is interviewed as part of a series for International Museum Day. He discusses the museum's role as a space historically tied to critique, conflict, and negotiation with tradition, emphasizing the need to preserve the world's complexity. Segade advocates for institutions that can speak on multiple levels, from introductory lectures to para-academic research, and stresses transforming internal structures toward more horizontal and interdependent models.

Announcing the 2026 McKnight Visual Artist Fellows

The Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), on behalf of the McKnight Foundation, has announced the six recipients of the 2026 McKnight Fellowships for Visual Artists: Torey Erin, Isa Gagarin, Jay Heikes, Prima Jalichandra-Sakuntabhai, Jovan C. Speller, and Erinn Springer. Each mid-career Minnesota artist will receive a $25,000 stipend, professional development, public recognition, and a residency facilitated by the Artist Communities Alliance. The fellows were selected from 164 applicants by a national panel of jurors including Laura Mott, Michael Rooks, and Edra Soto.

Emmanuel Kasarhérou, président du musée du quai Branly : « Nous tentons d’être des observateurs attentifs et respectueux des évolutions du monde »

Emmanuel Kasarhérou, president of the Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, reflects on the museum's 20th anniversary in June 2026. He discusses the institution's founding vision to move beyond traditional ethnographic museums, its iconic architecture by Jean Nouvel, and the evolution of its relationship with the Louvre's Pavillon des Sessions, which became the Galerie des Cinq Continents. Kasarhérou also addresses geopolitical changes, the destruction of cultural heritage, and the museum's efforts to build international partnerships, particularly with countries of origin for its collections, such as Mali.