REINTERPRETATIONS BY DEMIAN FLORES OF VIOLENCE MYTH AND REPRESENTATION

Mexican artist Demián Flores presents "America. New Visions from the Old World," a graphic arts exhibition at the Instituto Cultural de México in Madrid. The show features forty works that reinterpret 16th-century engravings by Theodor de Bry, whose images of Indigenous peoples—ranging from idealized noble savages to violent cannibals—shaped European perceptions of the Americas. Flores draws on his earlier series "Collateral Disasters" (2012), inspired by Goya's "The Disasters of War," to critique how colonial visual narratives constructed otherness and justified violence.

The Women of Grigory Gluckmann on Display at the Archaeological Museum of Aosta

Le donne di Grigory Gluckmann in mostra al Museo Archeologico di Aosta

The Museo Archeologico Regionale di Aosta is hosting the first Italian exhibition dedicated to Grigory Gluckmann (1898–1973), a Belarusian-born American painter. Curated by Daria Jorioz and Valeria Gorbova, the show, titled "Grigory Gluckmann. Tra luce e grazia," runs until June 2, 2026, and features works centered on the female figure. Gluckmann's career spanned Russia, Berlin, Florence, Paris, and the United States, and his style blends Renaissance techniques with modern sensibility.

A Roma il popolare quartiere Quadraro ospita un festival d’arte diffuso. Il programma

The IPER Festival delle periferie returns to Rome's Quadraro neighborhood for its fifth edition, titled "Super Lieux (Super luoghi) Periferie. Storie e geografie." Running until May 31, the festival features conferences, roundtables, study days, talks, exhibitions, and performances. A highlight is "Überlagerungen," a diffuse art review curated by Spazio Y that animates the Quadraro Vecchio district on May 16 with actions, installations, and shows from 4 PM to 11 PM. Participating venues include Spazio Kina, vineria Moggio, and osteria Grandma, with works by artists such as Lucia Bricco, Giulio Cassanelli, Felice Levini, and many others.

Transforming (and Transforming) to Survive. Interview with sculptor and designer Tadeáš Podracký

Trasformarsi (e trasformare) per sopravvivere. Intervista allo scultore e designer Tadeáš Podracký

Czech sculptor and designer Tadeáš Podracký (b. 1989) presents new works during Milan Design Week 2026, including three carved wooden lamps and sculptures exploring hybridity. The pieces are inspired by the rare Sorbus sudetica tree, a hybrid species that has survived for nearly 20,000 years through asexual reproduction. The exhibition, titled "Before the Shape Appears," is produced by 5 Vie and hosted at Cavallerizze in Via Olona. Podracký's practice bridges fine art and collectible design, using techniques such as carving, waxing, patination, and pigment infusion to create objects that appear to have grown organically.

‘Layers of Us’ show examines culture through art

Mothership Studios is hosting the opening reception and a brunch for the "Layers of Us" exhibition, featuring nine artists from Texas State University. The show explores the concept of culture through individual representation and community, using diverse media like video, painting, photography, and sculpture.

In the Studio with Jevon Brown

Artist Jevon Brown, a Miamian of Bahamian, Jamaican, and Black Southern descent, discusses his multidisciplinary practice in an interview conducted in his Miami Beach apartment and studio. Brown works across textiles, silkscreen printing, fashion, and photography to explore cultural identity, belonging, queerness, and history. He describes how memories of Miami sunsets, family members like his uncle (a sneakerhead and hat collector), and ancestral references inform his creative process. Key works discussed include the "HAIREtage" series (2025), which uses materials like burlap and raffia to connect contemporary streetwear culture with African and Caribbean spirituality, and his inclusion in the exhibition "Material, Material World" at David Castillo Gallery.

Off-campus galleries in Dallas and Denton step in as UNT art students boycott school spaces

University of North Texas (UNT) art students are boycotting on-campus exhibition spaces, prompting off-campus galleries in Dallas and Denton to step in and provide alternative venues for their work. The boycott stems from student grievances over institutional policies and conditions within the university's art program, leading to a grassroots shift in where student art is displayed.

Grohmann Museum Exhibit Focuses on Veterans and Service

The Grohmann Museum in Milwaukee has opened a new exhibition pairing two shows by contemporary American artists focusing on military service. Ohio-born Mary Whyte's "We the People: Portraits of Veterans in America" features 50 large-scale watercolor portraits of veterans from various wars and backgrounds. Milwaukee photographer Dennis Darmek's "Boots and Sand: The Marines of 29 Palms" presents two dozen color photographs taken at the Marine Corps base in California's Mojave Desert, where Darmek himself trained in 1969. The photos capture both posed and candid moments, highlighting diversity within the modern Marine Corps, including women in combat roles.

Museum of Islamic Art Hosts Empire of Light Exhibit Through May 2026

The Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar, is hosting the 'Empire of Light: Visions and Voices of Afghanistan' exhibition, running through May 30, 2026. The show features rare Afghan artifacts, illuminated manuscripts, and contemporary works, curated by Nicoletta Fazio, and is partnered with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. The museum, designed by I.M. Pei and opened in 2008, also offers weekend bazaars at MIA Park, enhancing the visitor experience with local crafts and jewelry.

Art in Bloom returns to Mia, transforming galleries with floral interpretations

Art in Bloom, the Minneapolis Institute of Art's annual floral showcase, returned from April 23 to 26, 2026, featuring over 160 flower arrangements inspired by artworks from the museum's permanent collection. The free, four-day event, presented by the Friends of the Institute, drew thousands of visitors and included guided tours, family activities, and expanded programming. Floral designers, florists, and garden clubs placed their interpretations alongside original pieces, with this year's centerpiece inspired by a Japanese Presentation vase from the early 20th century, once owned by railroad magnate James J. Hill.

You told us want you want to see in our arts coverage. We heard you

During the Milwaukee Art Museum’s annual Art in Bloom event, the Journal Sentinel gathered feedback from hundreds of attendees and digital survey respondents about what they want from arts coverage. The new arts and culture reporter, who wrote the article, outlines the key requests: more advance event coverage (especially free, family-friendly, and hands-on activities), support for smaller and underground art scenes, profiles of local artists including youth, coverage of overlooked art forms like graffiti and fabric arts, and diverse representation of Latino, women, LGBTQ+, and immigrant artists.

Madras’ Art Adventure Gallery is celebrating 40 years of business

Art Adventure Gallery in Madras, Oregon, celebrated its 40th anniversary with a gathering of over 30 people. The event featured ice cream in handpainted ceramic bowls by Jozil Ceramics and showcased a new multi-medium exhibit highlighting artists from Jefferson County. Board members Mia Kelsay and John Scheideman, along with artist Diana Krugel and gallery director Coralee Popp, spoke about the gallery's role in supporting local talent and the challenges of sustaining a nonprofit art space.

Rachel Hardouin Gallery: three exhibitions exploring absence, nostalgia, and melancholy in Paris

The Rachel Hardouin Gallery in Paris is hosting three concurrent exhibitions from April 27 to May 2, 2026, featuring artists Éléonore Guiraud, Chloé Bertschy, and Alessandro Ferraro Manzotti. The shows explore themes of absence, nostalgia, and melancholy through mixed-media drawing, photography, and installation. Guiraud and Bertschy collaborate on "US 13-26," which uses art as a possible therapy for trauma tied to absence, while Manzotti presents "casa mia ha un sapore di mandorle," incorporating photography, installation, and a book signing. A lecture on solastalgia—climate-related trauma—will be held on April 29 with psychiatrist Joana Matos and filmmaker Camille Guichard.

La MansA Launches Its Magazine

La MansA lance son magazine

La MansA – Maison des mondes africains has launched MansA Magazine, a bilingual (French/English) semiannual cultural publication. The magazine, available at newsstands, bookstores, and online, features essays, interviews, and portfolios focused on African and Afro-diasporic art scenes, adopting a critical and documentary approach. The cover of the inaugural issue features Guillaume Diop, the first Black male principal dancer at the Paris Opera.

Greater New York at MoMA PS1 is a capacious celebration of the city’s artistic life

MoMA PS1's exhibition "Greater New York" presents a sprawling, humorous, and messy celebration of New York City's artistic life, reflecting the city's complexity and instability. The show features a wide range of local artists and works, embracing an amiable chaos that mirrors the metropolis itself.

‘Portraits of Nations’ in Glendale

Armenian Arts Gallery in Glendale presented Seta Injeyan's exhibition 'Portraits of Nations: Songs in Color and Struggle' from May 7 to 10, with an opening reception on May 8. The show featured abstract paintings inspired by countries around the world, using flag colors and emotional resonance rather than literal political imagery. Gallery owner Stepan Partamian welcomed attendees, and Injeyan described her process as reaching for each nation's beauty, wounds, history, and spirit.

‘Layers of Us’ show examines culture through art

Mothership Studios is hosting 'Layers of Us,' an art exhibition featuring nine artists from Texas State University: Mia Acosta, Maleah Bradford, Adrianna Garcia, Danny Ibarra Jr., Karli Jackson, Lucas Kraft, Elizabeth Olivera, Lori Rodriguez, and Hannah South. The show opens with a reception on April 30 from 7-10 p.m., followed by a brunch reception on May 1 from 9-11 a.m. The artists explore the theme of 'culture' through video, painting, photography, sculpture, and multimedia, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own perceptions and the communities around them.

The Children's Gallery exhibitions ­feature schoolchildren's park designs and art by babies [City of Tampere]

The Children's Gallery in Tampere, Finland, is presenting two exhibitions this spring. At the Culture House Laikku, schoolchildren from Wivi Lönn School (grades 1, 2, 5, and 7) display imaginative park designs through June 14. Simultaneously, the Lielahti Manor Cultural Centre features babies' art created during Rulla's Colour Immersion course, on view from May 7 to June 2, 2026. Both exhibitions are free and open to the public.

Pennswood Art Gallery exhibit features plants and animals of the Poconos

Pennswood Art Gallery in Newtown announces the May 10 opening of its new exhibit, “Contemplative Observation,” featuring the work of artist Albina P. Herron. Herron paints plants and animals native to the Pocono Mountains, using gouache on cotton paper to emphasize texture and presence. The exhibit includes works such as “Bleeding Heart” (Dicentra eximia) and runs until July 1, with an artist talk and reception on opening day.

Popular art exhibition at Ellesmere College makes long-awaited return

The National Art Exhibition is returning to Ellesmere College in Shropshire after a four-year hiatus, running from May 28 to May 30 in the college's Big School Hall. The event will feature over 300 works by more than 70 nationally recognized artists and sculptors, including featured artist Stephanie Eufemia, who recently appeared on Sky TV's Landscape Artist of the Year. Proceeds from this year's exhibition will support Nightingale House Hospice in Wrexham, providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care.

“Queer Art, For and By Queer Artists” student exhibit seeks to build community

Freshman anthropology student Mia Wallen is hosting a student art exhibition titled “Queer Art, For and By Queer Artists” on May 1 at the St. Louis Virtuoso Collective. The show features works in all mediums by queer artists, with proceeds benefiting Trans Housing Initiative St. Louis, a trans-led organization addressing housing injustices. Wallen, who grew up in a small town with little queer community, conceived the exhibit as her final project to combine her passion for art and LGBTQ rights.

Youth Art Exhibition award winners announced

The 33rd Annual Creative Youth Art League exhibition opened at the LaGrange Art Museum on April 26, 2026, with award winners announced for student-created artworks. Jackson Rakestraw, a 9th grader from Heard County High, won the Morrill Hutchinson Award for Best of Show, while Taylor Norred, an 11th grader from Troup High, received the Wates Keller Award for Best of Show in Troup County. The exhibition features over 384 students from 30 schools and homeschool groups across four Georgia counties, with categories spanning drawing, painting, mixed media, sculpture, ceramics, and photography.

How One Cooperative Champions the Quechua Weavers of Peru’s Sacred Valley

The nonprofit organization Awamaki was founded in 2009 to support Quechua communities in Peru's Sacred Valley, particularly women weavers, as they navigate economic shifts and climate change. It now assists nine cooperatives comprising 174 artisans, providing structural support for selling traditional textiles and coordinating tourism to generate income while preserving cultural practices.

Here's what the much-talked-about Russian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale looks like. Photos and video

Ecco com’è il chiacchieratissimo Padiglione Russia della Biennale di Venezia. Foto e video

The Russian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale has opened amid intense controversy over its unauthorized participation. The pavilion, housed in a 1914 building recently restored by Italian architects 2050+, features a program of musical improvisations, ensemble performances, techno concerts, and interactive actions, including free used clothing. The space is designed as a fragrant flower shop with a chill-out room featuring a conifer grove and video installations. The exhibition, titled "L’Albero Radicato nel Cielo" (The Tree Rooted in the Sky), is organized by young poets, musicians, and philosophers who prefer to remain anonymous as a collective, coordinated by the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music. However, due to sanctions, the pavilion is only open from May 5 to 8, as organizers cannot obtain the necessary permit to operate beyond the private opening.

Jury or Public? The Biennale Is Not an Algorithm, But Neither Is It a Liturgy

Giuria o pubblico? La Biennale non è un algoritmo, ma neppure una liturgia

The article critically examines the proposal for "Visitor Lions" (Leoni dei Visitatori) at the Venice Biennale, arguing that the idea is a fragile, quick-fix response to a deeper crisis. It questions whether replacing expert juries with public voting would truly improve the selection process, noting that both systems have significant flaws: juries are not necessarily neutral, often rushed and filtered, while public voting risks favoring accessible, easily consumable works and reinforcing existing hierarchies.

Svolta per il Museo del Fumetto che chiuse a Milano: nuova sede in un’ex biblioteca di Monza

The Franco Fossati Foundation's Museo del Fumetto (Comics Museum), which was evicted from Milan due to a €180,000 debt to the city, has found a new permanent home in Monza. The Monza city council approved the foundation's proposal on April 30, paving the way for the renovation of a former library in the Cederna district, which has been abandoned for years. The archive of 500,000 pieces will be temporarily stored in Desio while the Monza building is refurbished with €850,000 from the municipality and additional funds from the foundation.

No, the closed Museum of Comics in Milan has not found a new home in Brianza

No, il Museo del Fumetto chiuso a Milano non ha trovato la nuova sede in Brianza

The Museum of Comics (Museo del Fumetto) in Milan, which suspended operations in June 2025 due to a €180,000 debt to the city, has not found a permanent new home despite online rumors. Instead, the Fondazione Franco Fossati, which runs the museum, has secured temporary storage for its archive in Desio (Monza-Brianza) for up to two years, using spaces granted free of charge by the local municipality. The archive—containing over 500,000 items including publications, original boards, and memorabilia—will be cataloged and preserved there, but the museum itself remains closed to the public.