Why Contemporary Artists Are Raiding the Renaissance Toolkit

Three contemporary artists—Alison Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Bühler-Rose, and Nick Doyle—are reviving the Renaissance woodworking techniques of intarsia and marquetry in their current exhibitions. Taylor is showing marquetry hybrid paintings at Jessica Silverman Gallery in San Francisco, Bühler-Rose is presenting a solo booth with Stems Gallery at Independent, and Doyle is also participating in the trend. Their work draws inspiration from the Gubbio Studiolo at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a 15th-century trompe-l'œil room that exemplifies the decorative inlay tradition.

Peter Doig, Tracey Emin, and More Sign Letter Defending Southbank Centre Chair

A letter signed by environmental activist Greta Thunberg and artists Tracey Emin and Peter Doig is circulating in support of Misan Harriman, chair of London's Southbank Centre. The letter defends Harriman against what it calls a "dishonest smear campaign" by the Telegraph and other right-wing outlets, which accused him of promoting conspiracies and comparing Reform Party voters to Nazis. The controversy stems from Harriman's social media comments about a knife attack on Jewish men and a video referencing Susan Sontag and Kurt Vonnegut on the Holocaust, which critics say minimized antisemitism or drew inappropriate parallels. Harriman denies making such analogies, and 70,000 people have complained to media watchdog Ipso, while 15,000 signed the letter.

Seoul’s new Centre Pompidou Hanwha museum opens next month—can it live up to expectations?

Seoul's new Centre Pompidou Hanwha museum will open to the public on June 4, 2025, marking the Pompidou's second Asian branch after its collaboration with Shanghai's West Bund Museum. The four-year partnership between the Hanwha Foundation of Culture and the Centre Pompidou will feature two exhibitions per year from the Pompidou collection, starting with "The Cubists: Inventing Modern Vision." The museum occupies 11,000 square meters over four floors of Hanwha Group's 63 Building, with one gallery dedicated to early 20th-century European art and another to global contemporary art with a Korean focus, curated in-house. The inaugural Korea Focus section includes local artists such as Kim Whanki and Yoo Youngkuk.

Digital Art Pioneer Nancy Burson Collapses the Border Between Mysticism and Quantum Physics

Nancy Burson, a pioneering digital artist, presents her latest solo exhibition "Light Matter" at Heft Gallery in New York, featuring "Quantum Entanglement" paintings that appear as white dots on black canvases but reveal jittering forms and depth when viewed through a phone camera. The 78-year-old artist, known for her 1980s composite portraits blending faces of businessmen and movie stars, continues her exploration of perception and technology, claiming a special gift to perceive the universe's emergent energy grid. The exhibition runs through May 2.

At the Centre Pompidou-Metz, 100 Works to Understand the Double Face of François Morellet

Au Centre Pompidou-Metz, 100 œuvres pour comprendre le double visage de François Morellet

The Centre Pompidou-Metz presents a centenary retrospective of French artist François Morellet (1926–2016), featuring 100 works that explore the dual nature of his practice. Curator Michel Gauthier has divided the exhibition into two mirrored halves—one dedicated to reason and geometric rigor ("the Mondrian side"), the other to disorder and irrationality ("the Picabia side")—reflecting Morellet's own description of himself as the "monstrous son of Mondrian and Picabia." The show traces his evolution from early figurative works and self-taught experiments to his embrace of concrete art, Islamic decorative systems, and systematic absurdity.

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.

Accumulations: A Conversation

On March 16, 2026, e-flux Screening Room presented “Viscosities,” a program of moving-image works by artist Lucy Beech, followed by a conversation between Beech, Lukas Brasiskis, and the audience. The discussion, edited for publication, explores Beech's concepts of accumulation and viscosity, drawing from Trisha Brown's 1971 performance *Accumulation* to describe how her work builds complex sequences through additive materials. Beech discusses her film *Flush*, which examines freemartin cows studied by eugenics-linked scientists, and its connection to endocrinology and IVF. She also addresses her reuse of materials, collaboration with James Richards on *A Map of the Pit*, and her film *Out of Body*, which uses imaging technologies to trace hidden industrial and biological flows, including urine-derived hormones from the Dutch program Moeders voor Moeders.

Art in America’s Summer Issue Features 20 “New Talent” Artists, Juicy Art Heist Stories, and More

Art in America's Summer issue features 20 emerging artists in its annual "New Talent" portfolio, selected by the magazine's editors. The issue also includes a feature on art heist stories by Jackson Arn, an essay on systems art by Emily Watlington, and a piece on tragicomic times by Eugenie Brinkema. Additional content includes a tribute to Henrike Naumann, a spotlight on Olga Fröbe-Kapteyn, a book review of Trevor Paglen's latest work, and departments covering museum and gallery worker perspectives, a Frick Collection vs. Morgan Library comparison, and a summer reading list of art-themed novels.

parties printed matter 50th anniversary

Printed Matter, the nonprofit artists' bookstore and publisher, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a gala at the High Line Hotel in New York. The event featured speeches honoring co-founder Pat Steir and artist Ed Ruscha, performances from the opera *Einstein on the Beach*, and a crowd of notable artists, museum directors, and gallerists including Joan Jonas, Glenn Ligon, MoMA Director Christophe Cherix, and Larry Gagosian. Founded in 1976 by Sol LeWitt, Pat Steir, and Lucy Lippard, Printed Matter has become a vital platform for artist books, operating a bookstore, exhibition space, and one of the world's largest book fairs.

Trevor Paglen’s New Book Says AI Is Rewriting What Images Do

Artist Trevor Paglen has published a new book, *How to See Like a Machine: Images After AI*, which argues that generative AI and computer vision are fundamentally changing how images function in culture. Drawing on his decade-long practice, Paglen contends that images are no longer merely representations for human interpretation but have become operational tools—'activations' that trigger automated responses and shape reality. He cites examples such as surveillance cameras at grocery stores, the Samsara navigation system in trucks, and the ImageNet database to illustrate how machine vision systems normalize surveillance in service of capital, a phenomenon he terms 'machine realism.'

What is a botanical curator? Rahel Kesselring takes on inaugural role at Fondation Beyeler

Fondation Beyeler in Switzerland has appointed Rahel Kesselring as its inaugural botanical curator, a newly created position supported by the Chanel Culture Fund. Kesselring, a former research associate at Humboldt University, will develop a hybrid curatorial programme focused on the museum's park and surrounding ecosystems, aiming to integrate botanical knowledge with artistic practice on a practical, material level.

Concrete sun tunnels and shimmering pools of water: the monumental land art of Nancy Holt

Nancy Holt (1938-2014), a pioneering land artist known for her monumental work *Sun Tunnels* (1976) in the Utah desert, is the subject of a new exhibition at the Goodwood Art Foundation in Sussex. Titled *MOONSUNSTAR EARTHSKYWATER*, the show is the first UK retrospective to bring together Holt's photographic works, films, poetry, indoor installations, and outdoor pieces, including *Hydra's Head*, a constellation-inspired installation of six circular pools in a chalk quarry. The exhibition highlights Holt's recurring motifs of circles and systems, tracing them from her early concrete poem to her large-scale cosmological works.

Alma Allen Offers a Quiet Vision in Venice—Even as Questions Swirl the U.S. Pavilion

Alma Allen's exhibition "Call Me the Breeze" has opened at the U.S. Pavilion for the 61st Venice Biennale. The Utah-born sculptor presents a pared-down, whimsical show that contrasts with the bombastic work of his predecessors, grouping new and old pieces to explore themes of conflict, mourning, and transcendence inspired by Hieronymus Bosch's *Visions of the Afterlife*. The exhibition was produced hurriedly over a few months, and Allen, who typically leaves his works untitled, felt compelled to explain his art for the first time in 30 years amid controversy surrounding his commission.

FAD News: Trevor Paglen to co-curate Zero 10 at Art Basel Basel 2026.

Art Basel 2026 has announced that artist Trevor Paglen will co-curate the latest edition of Zero 10, the fair's global initiative dedicated to digital art, alongside digital art strategist Eli Scheinman. Making its debut at Art Basel's flagship Swiss edition, Zero 10 will take over the Event Hall on Messeplatz from June 17–21, 2026, with a Preview Day on June 16. The expanded presentation will feature 19 exhibitors showcasing artists working at the forefront of digital, generative, and media-based practices, and is themed "The Condition," examining life within algorithmic systems and AI. Highlights include works by Hito Steyerl, Avery Singer, Andreas Gursky, Vera Molnar, Ryoji Ikeda, John Gerrard, and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, presented by galleries such as Hauser & Wirth, Marian Goodman Gallery, Sprüth Magers, Esther Schipper, Almine Rech, bitforms gallery, Art Blocks, and HEK (Haus der Elektronischen Künste).

Art Basel announces Trevor Paglen as co-curator of Zero10’s Swiss edition

Art Basel has announced that artist Trevor Paglen and digital art strategist Eli Scheinman will co-curate the third edition of Zero10, the fair's initiative dedicated to digital art, at its flagship Swiss edition in Basel from June 17–21, 2026 (with a preview on June 16). The presentation will feature 20 exhibitors, including major galleries such as Hauser & Wirth, Marian Goodman, and Sprüth Magers, and will be freely accessible to the public in the Event Hall on Messeplatz. The curatorial theme, "The Condition," explores life in a world saturated by digital imagery, computational systems, and artificial intelligence, bringing together historical and contemporary voices across digital, generative, and media art.

Exhibition | Janet Laurence, 'Once Were Forests' at Cassandra Bird, Paris, France

Cassandra Bird Paris, supported by Zimmermann, presents 'Once Were Forests,' an immersive solo exhibition by Australian artist Janet Laurence. The show features a major installation alongside new sculptures, paintings, and photographs that explore ice, forest, and water as carriers of time, memory, and life. Soundscapes from Australian forests and birdsong deepen the sensory experience, inviting visitors into a contemplative space where ancient ecologies, present nature, and possible futures converge.

the buzz in bucharest sammy loren on rad and the refreshing romanian art scene

The article reports on the fourth edition of Romanian Art Dealers (RAD), an art fair in Bucharest that exclusively features Romanian galleries and artists. The author, Sammy Loren, travels from Los Angeles to experience the fair, which is co-founded by dealer Catinca Tabacaru and artist-dealer Daniela Pălimariu. The fair includes 31 booths, a Curatorial Summit with 35 international curators, and a central installation titled "Donate a Word" (2025) by Romanian artist Victoria Zidaru. The author attends events like the 10-year anniversary party for Sandwich Gallery and notes the intimate, family-like atmosphere of the local art scene.

Discover 5 Standout Talents at New York’s Satellite Art Fairs

Galerie magazine highlights five standout satellite art fairs running concurrently with Frieze New York and TEFAF New York: Independent, NADA New York, Esther III, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, and Future Fair. The article profiles emerging and rediscovered artists such as Julia Maiuri (presented by 12.26 at Independent), Shangfeng Zhang (LATITUDE Gallery at NADA New York), and others, noting that more than a third of Independent's booths feature artists making their New York solo debuts.

May Arts Calendar 2026

The May Arts Calendar 2026 highlights a wide range of visual art exhibitions and events in the Seattle area, including group and solo shows at galleries such as Gallery B612, Visual Arts Gallery No. 85, JG Art Gallery, Piano Nobile, ArtXContemporary Gallery, and Common Objects. Notable exhibitions include "Layered Being: A Celebration of AAPINH Heritage" at Gallery B612, "Moving As One" by Tetsuo Aoki, "Material Meditations" featuring woodworker Andy McConell, blacksmith Maria Cristalli, and mixed media artist Jill Kyong, and "TADAIMA: 'I'm Home'" at MOHAI, which explores Japanese American history through dolls. The calendar also features a solo show by Yaminee Patel and a group show titled "Moga" at Fresh Mochi, celebrating Japanese and Japanese American artists.

What’s on for spring? Spiritualism and symbolic systems

This article surveys several spring exhibitions in Chicago that explore themes of spiritualism, symbolic systems, and interconnected consciousness. Featured shows include Mindy Rose Schwartz's "Countersealed" at M. LeBlanc, which uses deconstructed fur coats, wands, and twisted fiber sculptures to evoke rituals addressing ecological disaster and historical subjugation. Daniel G. Baird's "Margin" at Patron examines thresholds between material and spiritual realms through a gilded canoe, wax arm cast, and birchwood oar. Leah Ke Yi Zheng's "Change, I Ching (64 Paintings)" at the Renaissance Society presents 64 hexagram paintings on silk, connecting abstract minimalism with Eastern silk painting traditions.

Can an Artwork Have Personhood?

The article explores a growing trend in contemporary art where artists like Pierre Huyghe, Nina Katchadourian, and Marge Monko create works that blur the line between art objects and sentient beings. These works incorporate human performers, animals, AI, and smart devices, prompting viewers to question whether these entities possess or simulate personhood, and forcing an examination of our instinct to anthropomorphize.

“Marina Abramović: Balkan Erotic Epic. The Exhibition” at Gropius Bau, Berlin

Marina Abramović presents her first major exhibition in Berlin since the 1990s at Gropius Bau, titled "Balkan Erotic Epic. The Exhibition." The show juxtaposes historic works from the 1970s with new video installations, exploring how the artist uses the body as a vital force to confront political systems, histories, and mythologies of the Balkan countries.

Beware the technology rat trap: Cooper Jacoby’s standout contribution to New York’s Whitney Biennial

Cooper Jacoby's sculptures at the Whitney Biennial explore how AI corporations and other companies turn personal data into financial assets. His five works, displayed in a green-carpeted space he describes as "almost like a rat trap," include the 2026 piece *Estate (July 10, 2022)*—a folding screen with an intercom that uses AI trained on social media posts from deceased creatives to generate vocal outputs. Another series, *Mutual Life*, features eye-like sculptures with clock hands that spin based on the biological age of anonymous individuals in the artist's network. Jacoby's work highlights the lack of regulation around digital life and death, and the opaque nature of AI systems.

Muscle memory: Natasha Tontey’s wild Venice installation explodes perceptions of Indonesian history

Natasha Tontey's new installation "The Phantom Combatants" at the Ateneo Veneto in Venice reimagines the story of Len Karamoy, a woman who was part of the CIA-funded Permesta resistance movement in North Sulawesi, Indonesia (1957-1961). The 22-minute film, commissioned by the LAS foundation and Amos Rex, features absurdly muscular mutant warriors and draws on Indigenous belief systems, video games, Indonesian soap operas, and B-movie aesthetics to explore themes of autonomy, resistance, and historical perspective.

Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani, a New Sort of Street Artist, Rises from Art History’s Margins

Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani, a late Japanese American collagist who lived and worked as a street artist in New York City, is the subject of a new solo exhibition at the Spencer Museum of Art in Kansas City, on view through June. Co-curators Maki Kaneko and Kris Imants Ercums organized the show thematically rather than chronologically, reflecting Mirikitani's fragmented life—from surviving the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and incarceration at Tule Lake to arriving in New York in the 1950s. The exhibition draws on years of research, including visits to the parks where he lived and to Hiroshima, and builds on Linda Hattendorf's 2006 documentary *The Cats of Mirikitani*.

‘We can all coexist’: artist Es Devlin uses selfies to unite UK in portrait of a nation

Artist Es Devlin has created a new installation at the National Portrait Gallery in London titled 'A National Portrait for the National Portrait Gallery,' made in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture Lab. The work invites people across the UK to upload selfies, which are transformed into charcoal-and-chalk-style portraits using an AI model trained on Devlin's own hand-drawn works. These portraits then appear on a constantly evolving projected carousel, blending and dissolving into one another. Devlin, known for designing visual worlds for Beyoncé, Adele, and the London Olympics closing ceremony, describes the piece as a non-verbal space for coexistence amid national division.

In Performance Series, Artists Tackle the Nature of Images, and Reality, in the Face of AI

At Giorno Poetry Systems (GPS) in New York, a three-day program titled “Exert: The Physics of Metaphysics” featured performances and readings by artists including Mark Leckey, Hari Kunzru, and Gideon Jacobs. The works explored how emerging technologies like AI, VR, and AR are reshaping perceptions of reality and simulation, with Kunzru reading from a novel-in-progress about a man navigating a world where simulation encroaches on everyday life, and Jacobs presenting a performance lecture blending theater, essay, and AI-generated video.

98,000 People Rush to Defense of Arts Trustee Misan Harriman in Wake of Antisemitism Accusations

More than 98,000 people have filed complaints with the UK Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) in defense of British-Nigerian arts trustee Misan Harriman, following accusations of antisemitism leveled against him by right-wing outlets including the Daily Mail and the Telegraph. The complaints mark the highest number ever submitted to IPSO over a single issue. Separately, an open letter signed by activist Greta Thunberg and artists Tracey Emin and Peter Doig condemns what they call a "dishonest smear campaign" targeting Harriman, who is an Oscar-nominated photographer, chair of the Southbank Centre, and a nominee for Amnesty UK’s People’s Human Rights Champion.

Art Lender Accuses Maddox Gallery of Inflating Value of Art Used as Collateral—’Bizarre and Irrational’ Claim, Says Gallery

Luxury Asset Capital (LAC) has filed a civil complaint in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York accusing Maddox Gallery of inflating the value of artworks used as collateral for loans. The dispute stems from a 2023 deal in which Maddox provided substitute collateral—works by Duncan McCormick and Albert Willem—in exchange for a George Condo painting previously held by LAC. LAC alleges that Maddox engaged in a "pump and dump" scheme, artificially bidding up auction prices for McCormick and Willem works to 10–15 times pre-sale estimates, then using those inflated values to justify trades. After the alleged bid-rigging stopped, auction prices fell, and LAC claims it is left with works worth only a fraction of what Maddox represented. Maddox Gallery co-founder Nick Sharp denies the claims as "bizarre and irrational," calling the lawsuit a baseless attempt to unwind a voluntary agreement.

Hito Steyerl “Mechanical Kurds” at Villa Arson, Nice

From February 20 to May 31, 2026, Villa Arson art center in Nice presents "Mechanical Kurds," a video installation by German artist Hito Steyerl. The work blends fiction, documentary, and critical speculation to examine invisible micro-labor chains, the geopolitics of images, and the delegation mechanisms behind so-called autonomous technologies.