Who was Hilma? Af Klint exhibition to highlight exclusion of women from abstract art

The Swedish artist Hilma af Klint is receiving her first major solo exhibition in France, organized by the Grand Palais and the Pompidou Centre. The show focuses on her "Paintings for the Temple," a series of groundbreaking abstract works created years before male peers like Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian claimed to have invented the movement. Af Klint, a mystic who believed she was guided by higher spirits, famously ordered her work to be hidden for 20 years after her death, convinced the world was not yet ready for her vision.

How Josh Kline Wrote the Essay That the Art World Can’t Stop Talking About

Artist Josh Kline has sparked intense debate across the New York art world with his viral essay, "New York Real Estate and the Ruin of American Art," published in the journal October. The text serves as a scathing critique of the current state of the American art industry, diagnosing it as "sick" due to skyrocketing real estate costs, systemic power imbalances, and a market that has become an unsustainable "conveyor belt" of commercial painting. Kline argues that the economic pressures of post-pandemic New York have made the city a hostile environment for experimental and conceptual practices.

As Cuban crisis deepens, diaspora artists have a message of compassion

Artists Antonia Wright and Ruben Millares are showcasing a salvaged, bullet-ridden Cuban migrant vessel at Miami’s Piero Atchugarry Gallery. The exhibition, titled 'Exile', serves as a visceral focal point for the escalating humanitarian crisis in Cuba, where citizens face systemic collapse, starvation, and political imprisonment. Through the concept of 'embodiment' rather than mere empathy, the artists confront the harrowing 93-mile journey across the Straits of Florida undertaken by those desperate to escape the island's dictatorship.

Dartmouth Students Renew Efforts to Rename Leon Black–Funded Arts Center

Dartmouth College students have reignited a campaign to rename the Black Family Visual Arts Center, a campus facility funded by billionaire investor Leon Black. The movement, led by freshman Oscar Rempe-Hiam and supported by student government, criticizes the administration's lack of urgency in distancing the institution from Black, whose long-standing ties to Jeffrey Epstein and personal allegations of sexual misconduct have sparked years of controversy.

The Artist Whose Shimmering Obelisks Are Cropping Up All Over the World

Artist Gisela Colón is currently the subject of a major retrospective at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico (MAC), showcasing her signature "monoliths" and iridescent obelisks. These monumental sculptures, which have appeared in global locations ranging from the Great Pyramids of Giza to the Saudi Arabian desert, utilize advanced aerospace carbon fiber and site-specific minerals to create shifting, phenomenological experiences. The exhibition tracks her evolution from 1996 to the present, highlighting her unique ability to blend high-tech materials with ancient totemic forms.

Artemisia Gentileschi Masterpiece Goes to Auction—Without Its Face

The Dorotheum auction house in Vienna is set to auction a rare, autograph replica of Artemisia Gentileschi’s 'St. Mary Magdalen' (c. 1620) that is missing its central focus: the saint's face. Discovered in a private German cellar in 2011 and likely mutilated during the looting of postwar Berlin, the fragment has been authenticated by experts Roberto Contini and Riccardo Lattuada. Despite the missing section, infrared analysis confirms Gentileschi’s hand, and the work is estimated to fetch between $120,000 and $170,000.

They Painted the American West. History Painted Them Out

The exhibition "Women Artists of the American West: Colorado and Utah: 1885–1935" at History Jackson Hole spotlights seven forgotten female artists, including the adventurous mountaineer and painter Helen Henderson Chain. Curated by the founders of the Paris-based nonprofit AWARE, the show uncovers the lives of women who documented the Rocky Mountains and local communities while navigating the restrictive social norms of the late 19th century. Through paintings and photographs, the exhibition challenges the traditional, male-dominated "heroic" narrative of Western expansion.

Art and Springtime in Upstate NY

This regional update highlights a diverse array of developments, ranging from the seasonal art circuit in Upstate New York to significant human rights actions. Lebanese artist Ali Cherri, a former Venice Biennale Silver Lion winner, has filed a formal war crimes complaint against Israel following a strike in Beirut that killed his parents. Simultaneously, a new report reveals systemic staffing crises within POC-led arts organizations in the Northeast, where over a third of institutions operate without a single full-time employee.

A book exploring the evolution of J.M.W. Turner’s positions on slavery

Art historian Sam Smiles has released a comprehensive new book examining J.M.W. Turner’s complex relationship with the slave trade, expanding on his 2007 discovery of the artist's personal investment in a Jamaican cattle farm that utilized enslaved labor. The research traces Turner’s financial ties from his early patronage by wealthy plantation owners to his own speculative ventures, challenging the long-held perception of the artist as a straightforward abolitionist.

After three years, investigations and now a $4.4m lawsuit, Australia’s most controversial art exhibition finally opens

The National Gallery of Australia has finally opened 'Ngura Puḻka – Epic Country,' a landmark exhibition of 30 large-scale paintings by Indigenous artists from the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. The show’s debut comes after a three-year delay caused by explosive allegations in the media suggesting that white studio assistants had improperly intervened in the creation of the artworks. These claims sparked multiple independent investigations, a $4.4 million defamation lawsuit, and a previous last-minute cancellation of the exhibition in 2023.

Michaelina Wautier review – an astounding lost artist steps out of her male contemporaries’ shadows

A major exhibition at the Royal Academy is presenting the work of 17th-century Flemish painter Michaelina Wautier, an artist whose significant oeuvre was long misattributed to her male contemporaries, including her brother Charles. The show acts as a real-time art historical investigation, using scientific analysis, scholarship, and connoisseurship to reconstruct her career and assert her authorship of ambitious works like the monumental 'The Triumph of Bacchus'.

It’s Gabriele Münter’s World, We’re Just Living in It

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is hosting "Contours of a World," a retrospective dedicated to Gabriele Münter, a co-founder of the Blue Rider group. The exhibition moves beyond the shadow of her long-time partner Wassily Kandinsky, showcasing her distinct approach to German Expressionism through photography, intimate domestic scenes, and vibrant landscapes. Unlike her contemporaries who leaned toward total abstraction, Münter utilized bold outlines and layered compositions to create a dynamic, phenomenological experience of seeing.

Josh Kline Misses the Mark

Critic Aruna D’Souza responds to a viral essay by artist Josh Kline regarding the extreme financial pressures of living and working in New York City. While Kline suggests that artists should abandon the city due to the affordability crisis, D’Souza argues that leaving is not a viable long-term solution and calls for a more proactive approach to systemic change within the urban art ecosystem.

50 Women Artists You Absolutely Should Know

50 artistes femmes que vous devriez absolument connaître

Beaux Arts Magazine is publishing a multi-part series throughout March highlighting 50 historically significant but often overlooked women artists. The series profiles figures like Impressionist painter Marie Bracquemond, whose career was curtailed by her husband, pioneering Spanish photographer Mey Rahola, and Brazilian modernist Tarsila do Amaral, who will be the subject of a major exhibition at the Musée du Luxembourg in 2024.

Norton Museum showcases women artists like few others

The Norton Museum of Art is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its "Recognition of Art by Women" (RAW) series with a solo exhibition by painter Danielle Mckinney titled "Shelter" and a retrospective of past participants. Since its inception in 2011, the RAW initiative has provided a significant platform for mid-career women artists, featuring notable figures such as Jenny Saville and Rose B. Simpson. Mckinney’s exhibition, curated by J. Rachel Gustafson, explores themes of domestic and mental interiority through intimate, spotlighted paintings that often reference art historical canon.

Our Critics Disagree on MoMA PS1’s Greater New York, a Wide-Ranging Survey Defined by a Fascination with Fragility

MoMA PS1 has launched the sixth edition of Greater New York, its signature quinquennial survey featuring 53 artists living and working across the city's five boroughs. Marking the institution’s 50th anniversary, this iteration was organized entirely by the museum’s internal curatorial staff rather than outside contributors. The exhibition moves away from the introspective, surrealist themes of the pandemic-era 2021 edition, focusing instead on the social fabric of the city and the systemic challenges facing its residents.

First Details of the German Pavilion

Erste Details zum deutschen Pavillon

The German Pavilion at the upcoming Venice Biennale will present an exhibition titled "Ruin," featuring works by the late Henrike Naumann and artist Sung Tieu. Curated by Kathleen Reinhardt, the exhibition explores historical ruptures and the lingering effects of political and social voids following German reunification. Tragically, Naumann passed away shortly after completing her contributions, and her studio team is now working to realize her final artistic vision for the prestigious international stage.

Post-Mortemism: An Autopsy of “Nigerian Modernism: Art and Independence” at Tate Modern.

A critical essay by Ayọ̀ Akínwándé performs a forensic 'autopsy' of the Tate Modern exhibition 'Nigerian Modernism: Art and Independence.' The review dissects the show's structure, arguing it fails in its curatorial framework by isolating Nigerian artists within a regional category, using ethnographic display methods, relying on incomplete research, and excluding key artists and historical context.

Patron Gallery Adds Miao Wang to Its Roster, and More: Industry Moves for April 1, 2026

Several galleries announced new artist representations and expansions. Patron Gallery added painter Miao Wang, who will appear at Expo Chicago; Jessica Silverman added Neo-Pop painter Koak; Anat Ebgi added painter Veronica Fernandez; and Sundaram Tagore Gallery opened a new London space. Additionally, Open Restitution Africa launched an AI-powered database to assist with restitution processes.

Morad Montazami appointed artistic director of 2026 Dakar Biennale

Morad Montazami has been named the artistic director for the 16th edition of the Dakar Biennale, scheduled to run from November 19 to December 19, 2026. Titled "(Anti)Fragility: Arts of Repair and Counter-Shock Strategies," the exhibition will explore themes of community-led restoration and the transformation of vulnerability into collective strength. Montazami, a former Tate Modern curator and founder of the platform Zamân Books & Curating, brings an extensive background in postcolonial art histories and global modernisms to the prestigious African forum.

Why this Minneapolis feminist art collective still matters 50 years later

The Women’s Art Registry of Minnesota (WARM), one of the oldest feminist art collectives in the United States, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Founded in 1973 in Minneapolis, the collective emerged as a grassroots response to the systemic exclusion of women from mainstream galleries and museums, eventually establishing its own gallery space and a robust mentorship program that continues to support female-identifying artists today.

Compton’s New Canvas: Mr. Wash and the Art of the Possible, Los Angeles

Fulton Leroy Washington, the Compton-based artist known as Mr. Wash, is spearheading a $15 million campaign to build a 14,000-square-foot community arts center and studio in his hometown. The project is being supported by his latest exhibition, "The City of Compton: Then & Now," and a showcase at Jeffrey Deitch’s Compton space titled "Don’t Turn Your Back On Us." Washington, who served 21 years of a life sentence before receiving clemency from President Barack Obama in 2016, gained international acclaim for his photorealistic "teardrop" portraits created while incarcerated.

The Story of Art + Water

Author Dave Eggers and artist JD Beltran have launched Art + Water, a new initiative located at Pier 29 in San Francisco designed to bypass the traditional art school model. The program seeks to resurrect the historical artist-apprentice and atelier systems, providing students with practical skills and studio space without the prohibitive costs of modern higher education. By partnering with the Port of San Francisco and the Community Arts Stabilization Trust, the founders aim to revitalize the city's waterfront while offering a sustainable alternative to the current debt-heavy academic landscape.

Edmonia Lewis Was the Earliest Known Black Artist to Depict Emancipation. This Is Her First Retrospective.

The Peabody Essex Museum is hosting "Said in Stone," the first-ever comprehensive retrospective dedicated to Edmonia Lewis, a pioneering 19th-century sculptor of Black and Ojibwe heritage. The exhibition assembles a significant body of her marble works, including the landmark sculpture "Forever Free" (1867), which is recognized as the first formal visual representation of emancipation by a Black American artist. The show traces her journey from her upbringing with her Ojibwe family and her traumatic years at Oberlin College to her eventual success as an expatriate artist in Rome.

Edward Weston Unveiled: The American Photographer on Display in Turin

Edward Weston senza veli. Il fotografo americano in mostra a Torino

CAMERA – Centro Italiano per la Fotografia in Turin is hosting a major retrospective of the American photographer Edward Weston. The exhibition explores Weston’s mastery of 'straight photography,' showcasing his iconic nudes, still lifes of organic forms like peppers and shells, and sweeping Californian landscapes. Through absolute precision and tonal control, the show highlights how Weston transformed physical matter into timeless, sculptural images that defined a new visual language of the 20th century.

Tanka Fonta wins 2026 Wi Di Mimba Wi Prize

Cameroon-born artist and polymath Tanka Fonta has been named the recipient of the 2026 Wi Di Mimba Wi Prize. Awarded by SAVVY Contemporary and the AKB Stiftung, the prize includes a €30,000 grant, production funds for a new commission, and dedicated curatorial support. Fonta, whose multidisciplinary practice spans visual art, composition, and philosophy, was selected from a shortlist of five Germany-based artists by a jury of prominent curators and academics.

Uncertainty in the Art Market is Currently Extreme

"Im Moment ist die Verunsicherung auf dem Kunstmarkt extrem"

Prominent Cologne gallerist Gisela Capitain is celebrating her 40th anniversary amid a period of significant market volatility. In recent interviews, she reflects on her career—defined by long-term artist relationships like that with Martin Kippenberger—while critiquing the current state of the art world. She notes that buyers have become increasingly hesitant and deliberate, describing the current level of uncertainty in the art market as extreme and calling for reforms to institutions like Art Cologne.

‘The art gallery became a form of protest’: Students in Curatorial Practices prepare for the art world beyond Emerson

Students at Emerson College recently completed a comprehensive curatorial project titled "Gather," an exhibition that served as the capstone for their Curatorial Practices course. Tasked with managing every facet of the show—from registrarial duties and marketing to the physical installation of artworks—the students juried a regional open call that resulted in a final selection of 14 artists. The project was designed to provide a holistic understanding of the industry, moving beyond the siloed experience of traditional museum internships to prepare students for a volatile professional landscape.

Michaelina Wautier Finally Known by Her Name

The Royal Academy of Arts in London has launched a monographic exhibition dedicated to Michaelina Wautier, a 17th-century Brussels-based painter whose work was misattributed to male contemporaries for centuries. Despite her mastery across diverse genres—including portraiture, floral still lifes, and large-scale history paintings typically reserved for men—her identity was obscured by patriarchal societal norms and a lack of biographical documentation. The show highlights her technical brilliance, notably in works like "The Triumph of Bacchus," which was long credited to male artists due to the era's restrictions on women studying nude models.

NASA’s Artemis II Returns to the Moon—and Captures a Powerful New Image of Earth

NASA has released the first images from the Artemis II mission, marking humanity's first return to the moon since 1972. During a lunar flyby on April 6, Commander Reid Wiseman captured a series of high-resolution photographs using a Nikon D5, including a striking image titled 'Earthset' that shows the planet sinking below the lunar horizon. The mission's four-person crew produced approximately 10,000 images, documenting the far side of the moon and a total solar eclipse from a unique celestial perspective.