Zoe Leonard Departs Hauser & Wirth for New York’s Maxwell Graham Gallery

Zoe Leonard, a celebrated conceptual artist whose work will appear at the Venice Biennale next week, has left Hauser & Wirth—a global gallery with 14 locations—to join Maxwell Graham, a smaller New York-based gallery known for spare conceptual presentations. Leonard will continue to be represented by her longtime galleries, Cologne’s Galeria Gisela Capitain and Milan’s Raffaella Cortese. Maxwell Graham staged its first Leonard exhibition last year with “Display,” featuring photographs of historical objects in museums. Leonard is the second artist to depart Hauser & Wirth in the past year, following George Condo’s exit in November.

Montclair Art Museum Hires Esteemed Curator Kate Kraczon After Layoffs at Brown University

The Montclair Art Museum in New Jersey has appointed Kate Kraczon as its new chief curator, effective June 15. Kraczon previously served as director of exhibitions and chief curator at the David Winton Bell Gallery at Brown University, where she was laid off in late 2024 amid a wave of cuts. She succeeds Gail Stavitsky, who held the post since 1994. The museum also recently hired Todd Caissie, an enrolled member of the Osage Nation and former director of Canada’s New Brunswick Internment Camp Museum, as its director.

British billionaire's £200m art collection most expensive ever offered in UK

British billionaire Joe Lewis will sell a tranche of his art collection in a standalone sale at Sotheby’s in London this June, estimated at £150m–£200m. This makes it the most valuable single-owner collection ever offered in the UK, surpassing the Pauline Karpidas collection which totalled £101m. Highlights include Gustav Klimt’s *Bildnis Gertrud Loew* (est £20m–£30m), Amedeo Modigliani’s *Homme à la pipe* (est £12m–£18m), and Francis Bacon’s *Two Studies for Self-Portrait* (est £8m–£12m). The sale follows a smaller March auction of four works from the Lewis collection that focused on School of London artists.

$102 Million Verdict Over Robert Indiana Artwork May End Years-Long Legal Battle

A Manhattan federal jury awarded $102 million in damages to the Morgan Art Foundation in its lawsuit against art publisher Michael McKenzie, finding him guilty of making and selling unauthorized Robert Indiana artworks. The verdict, delivered on April 23, follows a complex legal battle that began just before Indiana's death in 2018, involving accusations of exploitation, fraud, and copyright infringement. McKenzie and caretaker Jamie Thomas were also accused of taking advantage of the elderly artist. The case has cast doubt on the authenticity of some late Indiana works and affected his market, with his auction record remaining at just over $4 million since 2011.

Art Publisher Owes $102.2 Million in Damages for Late Robert Indiana Works

A Manhattan jury has ordered art publisher Michael McKenzie to pay $102.2 million in damages for creating unauthorized or adulterated versions of works by the late Pop artist Robert Indiana. The lawsuit, brought by Indiana’s former business partner the Morgan Art Foundation, alleged that McKenzie produced Indiana-related junk products that infringed trademark and copyright, including reproductions of Indiana’s iconic “LOVE” design and the artworks *The Ninth American Dream* (2001) and *USA FUN* (1965). The jury found McKenzie liable for exploiting Indiana in the final years of his life, after the artist granted power of attorney to his caretaker, Jamie Thomas.

Botticelli under UK export ban purchased by Klesch Collection

A Botticelli painting, *The Virgin and Child Enthroned* (1470s), valued at £10.2 million, has been purchased by the Klesch Collection, a British private collection, after the UK government placed an export bar on the work in May 2025. The painting, which sold at Sotheby’s London in late 2024 for £9.7 million, will be loaned to the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford for three years, ensuring it remains in the UK.

German artist Georg Baselitz dies aged 88

German artist Georg Baselitz has died at age 88, as confirmed by the Thaddaeus Ropac gallery. Known for his expressive paintings and sculptures, Baselitz rose to prominence in the 1960s after a scandal over sexually symbolic works led to a high-profile court case. He pioneered painting canvases upside down from 1969 onward, a technique he used to grapple with German history and collective guilt. His work spanned six decades and included notable sculptures, such as a wooden figure at the 1980 Venice Biennale that appeared to perform a Nazi salute, which he later clarified was inspired by an African artifact. Baselitz achieved international acclaim in the 1980s and became one of Germany's highest-priced living artists, alongside Gerhard Richter.

Spice up your life: Tate channels 90s glam at The Groucho Club

Tate Britain held a press preview for its upcoming exhibition "The 90s: Art and Fashion" (8 October 2026 – 14 February 2027) at The Groucho Club in London. The show, curated by former British Vogue editor Edward Enninful alongside Tate curators, explores the creative energy of the 1990s, featuring works by artists such as Damien Hirst, Corinne Day, Helen Chadwick, and Jenny Saville. Enninful emphasized that the exhibition is not solely focused on the Young British Artists (YBA) moment but presents a broader cultural narrative.

Two Brazilian curators selected to organise 2027 Bienal de São Paulo

The Fundação Bienal de São Paulo has appointed Brazilian curators Amanda Carneiro and Raphael Fonseca as chief curators for the 2027 Bienal de São Paulo, Latin America's largest and longest-running visual arts event. Carneiro, a curator at the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) since 2018, also organized the main exhibition at the 2024 Venice Biennale. Fonseca, based in Lisbon, works at Culturgest, serves as curator-at-large for Latin American art at the Denver Art Museum, and is curating the Taiwan Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale. The event will take place at the Pavilhão Ciccillo Matarazzo in Ibirapuera Park, with further details expected in coming months.

Zurich’s Galerie Philipp Zollinger Closes After 7 years

Galerie Philipp Zollinger in Zurich is closing after seven years, as announced by founder Philipp Zollinger on Instagram. Citing continued global instability and a lack of conditions necessary to sustain the gallery, Zollinger explained that despite his willingness to invest further, the market no longer supports growth. The gallery focused on Swiss and Scandinavian artists working in three-dimensional media, along with artists from Southeast Asia and the United States. Its final exhibition, a dual presentation of Renée Levi and Theo Eble, closed on April 18 at Galerie Mueller in Basel. The closure follows a previous move from a nomadic operation to a physical space on Rämistrasse, which shut in fall 2025 due to an unstable art market and shifting collecting trends.

Buffalo AKG Art Museum Director Janne Sirén to Depart After 13 Years

Janne Sirén, director of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum in Upstate New York, will step down in October after 13 years. His tenure included a major $230 million expansion in 2023 that doubled the museum's square footage and drew a record 340,000 visitors in the following year. However, his departure follows local media reports that he used a museum loan to help finance his $710,000 home, with the Erie County Comptroller’s Office alleging he failed to repay it and that the loan may violate state nonprofit laws. The museum defended the loan as common in executive recruitment and stated it operates in full compliance with the law.

Leonora Carrington’s Enigmatic Sculptures Get a Rare Outing in New York

L’Space Gallery in New York is presenting “Shape of Dreams: Sculptures by Leonora Carrington,” a rare exhibition focused on the British Mexican Surrealist’s bronze sculptures and jewelry, on view through June 27, 2026. Produced with Consigna Gallery of Mexico City and the Leonora Carrington Council, the show includes works such as *The Palmist* and *La Inventora del Atole*, alongside a selection by her son Pablo Weisz Carrington. An interactive Tarot Reading Booth, featuring a deck designed by Carrington and an A.I. reconstruction of her voice, anchors the exhibition.

Ursula Launch: Celebrating Firelei Báez and Issue 16 with Casa Dragones

Hauser & Wirth is hosting a launch event during the opening weekend of Firelei Báez's solo exhibition 'Feet squelching on wet grass, nourished by uncertainty' at its 22nd Street gallery in Chelsea, celebrating the release of Ursula issue No. 16. The issue features a portfolio by Báez titled 'The Earth That Remains,' a cover story on collector Eileen Harris Norton, and contributions on Elsa Schiaparelli, Christopher Harris, Alice B. Toklas, and LACMA director Michael Govan. The free event includes Casa Dragones tequila and access to Báez's exhibition alongside 'Carol Rama. I See You You See Me.'

3 Matisse Exhibitions at the Baltimore Museum of Art Highlight Different Sides of the Artist

The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) is presenting three simultaneous exhibitions focused on Henri Matisse, drawing from its world-leading collection of the artist's works. The shows include "Fratino and Matisse: To See This Light Again," pairing Matisse with contemporary artist Louis Fratino; "Matisse and Martinique: Portraits and Poetry," exploring a little-known book illustration series inspired by the artist's 1930 visit to Martinique; and "Matisse in Vence: The Stations of the Cross," featuring 85 rarely or never-before-seen works on paper from Matisse's only architectural project—a chapel in Vence, France. The exhibitions run through 2026, with the Vence show curated by scholar Yve-Alain Bois.

Museum Moves 24 – 30 April 2026

This article is a weekly roundup of museum news from 24–30 April 2026, covering openings, closures, and exhibitions across the UK. Highlights include the permanent closure of Blackpool's Tramtown museum due to structural unsafety, the reopening of Sibsey Trader Windmill after a five-year restoration, and several new exhibitions: 'Vennels: Perth’s Little Streets' at Perth Museum, 'The 90s: Art and Fashion' at Tate Britain, 'Regeneration' at Hull's Streetlife Museum, 'Inspiration' at Stockport Station, 'Our Story with David Attenborough' at Outernet London, and 'Lynn Chadwick at Houghton Hall' in Norfolk.

Texas Man Who Orchestrated $20 M. Crypto Scam Based on Fictitious Van Gogh and Picasso Masterpieces Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison

A Houston man, Robert Dunlap, was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison for orchestrating a $20 million cryptocurrency scam. Between 2018 and 2023, Dunlap defrauded nearly 1,000 investors by promoting a digital asset called “Meta-1 Coin,” falsely claiming it was backed by a $1 billion art collection featuring works by Salvador Dalí, Vincent van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso, as well as $44 billion in gold. He used forged legal and insurance documents to conceal that he owned neither the art nor the gold. A federal jury in the Northern District of Illinois convicted him on mail fraud charges in 2025, and US District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt imposed the sentence, also ordering restitution.

Why London’s Whitechapel Gallery Hired an Economist

London's Whitechapel Gallery has appointed economist Mariana Mazzucato as its first economist-in-residence, a three-year role aimed at rethinking how museums generate revenue and demonstrate social value. The gallery faces a £880,458 deficit, a 325% increase from the previous year, due to declining exhibition income, reduced trust and foundation funding, and cuts in Arts Council England grants. Mazzucato, a professor at University College London and director of the Institute for Innovation & Public Purpose, will advocate for treating culture as a strategic public investment.

How Art Firms Are—or Should Be—Using A.I. Right Now

Art firms are increasingly experimenting with artificial intelligence, but concrete use cases remain limited and industry-specific tools are still in their infancy. A new partnership between Bonhams and tech company ARTDAI aims to apply AI to market analytics, valuation, and specialist research, while companies like Artsy and Artnet are integrating AI capabilities into their platforms. Industry experts, including former Art Basel chief Marc Spiegler, note that the art market's small size has historically discouraged tech development, but AI now makes high-performance tools accessible to smaller businesses.

Monopol gives away 5 × 2 tickets for Peter Hujar and Liz Deschenes at the Gropius Bau

Monopol verlost 5 × 2 Tickets für Peter Hujar und Liz Deschenes im Gropius Bau

Monopol magazine is giving away 5 × 2 tickets to the exhibition "Peter Hujar / Liz Deschenes: Persistence of Vision" at the Gropius Bau in Berlin. The show pairs Hujar's iconic black-and-white photographs of New York's downtown scene—featuring figures like Susan Sontag, Divine, and David Wojnarowicz—with Liz Deschenes' abstract, material-focused works on glass and photosensitive paper. To enter, readers must email their name with the subject line "Hujar" by May 30.

Montclair Art Museum Hires New Chief Curator Kate Kraczon

The Montclair Art Museum in New Jersey has hired Kate Kraczon as its new chief curator, replacing Gail Stavitsky. Kraczon previously served as director of exhibitions and chief curator at the David Winton Bell Gallery at Brown University, where she was terminated last December amid university layoffs. At the Bell, she organized the only US screening of "Prisoners of Love, 2025" by Palestinian artists Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme, and an exhibition of Julien Creuzet's work originally shown at the French Pavilion in the 2024 Venice Biennale. Before Brown, she worked as a curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) in Philadelphia, where she organized the 2018 show "Ree Morton: The Plant That Heals May Also Poison."

National Museum of Asian Art Opens New Exhibition in June About Its Origin Story

The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art will open a new exhibition titled "A Museum in the Making" on June 27, 2026, running through August 8, 2027. The show explores the origin story of the Freer Gallery of Art, America's first national art museum, by examining how collector Charles Lang Freer used his Detroit home as a living laboratory for museum design. It highlights collaborations with artists and architects, including James McNeill Whistler, Stanford White, and Mary Chase Perry Stratton, and features a video walkthrough of the Freer House. The exhibition is part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations and the Smithsonian's broader "Our Shared Future" initiative.

Cole evolution featured in inaugural exhibition

The Thomas Cole National Historic Site in Catskill, New York, has opened a new exhibition titled “Thomas Cole: An American Visionary,” which marks the debut of the Richard Sharp Gallery in the historic 1815 Main House. The exhibition features 16 original paintings by Thomas Cole, along with drawings, sketches, and studio objects that trace the artist’s development and influence. It explores Cole’s evolution into an internationally recognized artist, his connection to the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley, and his role in shaping a visual identity for the young United States, while also highlighting his mentorship of Frederic Church. The gallery was funded and inspired by collector Richard “Rick” Sharp, who donated the centerpiece work “Diagram of Contrasts” to the site’s permanent collection.

Francis Alÿs at MAMU: A Global Portrait of Childhood Through Play

The Banco de la República has opened a new exhibition at the Museo de Arte Miguel Urrutia (MAMU) in Bogotá titled "Francis Alÿs, juegxs de niñxs 1999–2025." Featuring 27 video works from the Belgian-born, Mexico-based artist's long-running series documenting children's games worldwide, the show opened on April 23 at El Parqueadero and the second floor of MAMU. Curated by Cuauhtémoc Medina and Virginia Roy, the exhibition includes footage from Afghanistan, India, Mexico, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Colombia, where a new work filmed in the Amazon with the Arara community is featured.

How Detroit’s Art Scene Is Ushering in a New Chapter for the City

Detroit's art scene is experiencing a resurgence, marked by the reopening of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) after an eight-month renovation. The museum, now renamed the Julia Reyes Taubman Building, unveiled four new exhibitions, including a career survey of local artist Olayami Dabls titled "Olayami Dabls: Detroit Cosmologies," his first solo museum show in over 40 years. The reopening follows a 2020 reckoning over toxic workplace allegations, leading to the appointment of co-directors Jova Lynne and Marie Madison-Patton, who have refocused the institution on accessibility, civic engagement, and local contemporary art.

Music & Maker's Night with “Get Surreal (A Surreal Lens)” Tour, May 14

The Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa, is hosting a Music & Maker's Night on May 14, featuring a guided tour of the exhibition "Get Surreal (A Surreal Lens)" led by Co-Senior Curator Joshua Johnson. The event includes an art-making activity and live music in the museum's Quad City Bank & Trust Grand Lobby. The exhibition explores how photographers from the earliest days of the medium have used techniques like montage, double exposure, and digital manipulation to distort reality and create dreamlike imagery, featuring works by artists such as Alan Cohen, György Kepes, Olivia Parker, and Emmet Gowin.

Primitivism to Reinvent Art

Le primitivisme pour réinventer l’art

Philippe Dagen has published the third and final volume of his series on primitivism, covering the period from World War II to the late 1970s. The book traces how Western artists, from Barnett Newman and Jackson Pollock to members of the CoBrA movement and figures like Jean Dubuffet, Lucio Fontana, and Yayoi Kusama, engaged with so-called "primitive" art from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, often as a means of rejecting or redefining modern civilization. Dagen also examines the intellectual debates surrounding primitivism, including the critiques of colonized peoples who refused the label "primitive," and the shifting attitudes of thinkers like Claude Lévi-Strauss, Michel Leiris, and Aimé Césaire.

Boulder County art exhibits on display this week

This article lists dozens of current and upcoming art exhibitions across Boulder County, Colorado, featuring a wide range of venues from commercial galleries like 15th Street Gallery and Ana’s Art Gallery to nonprofit spaces such as Art Parts and the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA). Highlights include lithographs by Santa Fe artist Rodney Carswell, Jorge Vinent's recycled-material works in "We Choose Earth," and student showcases at Canyon Theater and Gallery. The roundup also covers community-focused shows like "Racism & Discrimination at the Lafayette Swimming Pool 1934" and group exhibitions at Liminal Light Gallery and The New Local Gallery.

Grand Van Gogh Exhibition | Ueno Royal Museum | Art in Tokyo

From May to August 2026, the Ueno Royal Museum in Tokyo will host a major exhibition of Vincent van Gogh's early works, drawn entirely from the collection of the Kröller-Müller Museum in the Netherlands. The show traces van Gogh's development from his early Dutch period through his time in Paris and culminates in his Arles period, featuring the celebrated painting *Night Café Terrace (Place du Forum)*. This is the first chapter of a two-part exhibition series, with the second scheduled for 2027–2028.

Must-see Milwaukee exhibits on view in May 2026 | The Shortlist

The article highlights several art exhibitions on view in Milwaukee in May 2026, curated around themes of graduation and motherhood. Featured shows include Ahmari Benton's solo exhibition 'No Place for Self-Pity, No Room for Fear' at Mitchell Street Arts, Cameron Clayborn's solo show 'That's When Love Swallows You Whole, Right. Now' at Experimental Sculpture Room, the group exhibition 'Mom & Art' at Milwaukee Makers Market, and a youth art exhibition at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Many of the shows honor resilience, identity, memory, and the complexities of motherhood, with some featuring works by artists who have passed away.

Israel’s foreign ministry accuses Venice Biennale's jury of ‘politicising’ exhibition

Israel’s foreign ministry has accused the Venice Biennale's jury of politicizing the exhibition after jurors announced they would not consider for prizes countries whose leaders face International Criminal Court charges for crimes against humanity. The jury’s statement, which did not name specific nations, is broadly understood to apply to Israel and Russia, both returning to the Biennale for the first time since the Gaza war and the Ukraine invasion, respectively. The Israeli ministry posted on X that the jury had decided to 'boycott' Israeli sculptor Belu-Simion Fainaru, calling it 'a contamination of the art world.' The Biennale distanced itself from the jury’s announcement, stating the jury acts autonomously, while the Russian pavilion is reportedly set to open only for a limited pre-opening period due to budget constraints amid sanctions.