Enter the unsettled space of Asian American abstraction

The Milton Resnick and Pat Passlof Foundation in New York is hosting the exhibition "How Asian Is It?", featuring 12 pioneering East Asian American abstractionists born between 1928 and 1955. Curated by Lilly Wei, the show includes works by Barbara Takenaga, Emily Cheng, Charles Yuen, and David Diao, among others. These artists navigated an art world where downplaying their Asian identities often felt necessary for survival, especially after the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act reshaped US immigration policy. The exhibition explores how their abstraction—marked by attention to interval, pause, and what remains unsaid—reflects a disciplined negotiation with space rather than a shared style or manifesto.

First Impressions of a Venice Biennale Torn Apart by the Present

The 61st Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys," opens amid turmoil: its curator Koyo Kouoh died of cancer during planning, and the festival jury resigned after a controversial statement about excluding Israel and Russia from prizes, replaced by a Eurovision-style people's choice award. The main exhibition, completed by a team of five collaborators using Kouoh's plans, features over 110 artists and collectives, with highlights including works by Big Chief Demond Melanchon, Tammy Nguyen, Guadalupe Maravilla, Ayrson Heráclito, and a section focused on Michael Armitage's Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute.

BBC ‘Buried’ Footage of Banksy at NYC Mural Site, Former Reporter Claims

Former BBC New York correspondent Nick Bryant claims the BBC suppressed footage he captured of Banksy at a mural site in New York City in March 2018. In a Substack post, Bryant recounts being tipped off by Banksy's PR team about a new artwork at the Houston Bowery Wall, where he and his cameraman filmed the artist—described as a middle-aged man in a black beanie and grey coat—fleeing the scene with fresh paint on his fingers. Despite believing he had a world exclusive, Bryant says BBC editors in London decided not to air the footage, citing concerns about unmasking the artist and preserving the mystery for audiences, including a senior colleague's daughter who compared revealing Banksy's identity to telling children there is no Santa Claus.

The Tabloids Are Fouling Mayor Mamdani Over His Knicks Art. Here’s the Story

Artist Tom Sanford loaned his hand-painted wooden "Knicks Cutout" portraits of legendary New York Knicks players to New York City Hall at the invitation of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, intended to celebrate the team's playoff run. Tabloid media, including the New York Post and New York Times, framed the gesture as a "curse" on the team, suggesting fans blamed the mayor for the Knicks' losses. Sanford defends the artwork as a sincere, community-driven tribute rooted in New York street-corner cutout traditions, not a cheap stunt.

Collector Jennifer Gilbert Is Selling Modernist Masterpieces to Fund Her New Arts Space

Jennifer Gilbert, the Detroit-based entrepreneur and philanthropist, is auctioning a selection of Modernist masterpieces from her private collection to fund Lumana, a new nonprofit arts organization. The sales, scheduled for May and June at Sotheby’s New York, include high-profile works by Joan Mitchell and Kenneth Noland, with an overall fundraising goal exceeding $10 million.

the venice biennale list

The 61st Venice Biennale has announced the 111 participating artists for its main exhibition, titled “In Minor Keys.” Curated by a team of collaborators following the vision of the late Koyo Kouoh, the exhibition includes 105 individual artists and collectives, alongside six artist-led organizations. The show is structured around conceptual motifs such as "shrines," "rest," "procession," and "schools," featuring major installations by artists like Alvaro Barrington, Nick Cave, and Wangechi Mutu, with special tributes to Issa Samb and Beverly Buchanan.

michaels lawsuit pose jordan nickel

Chicago street artist Jordan Nickel, known as Pose, is embroiled in a legal dispute with the arts and crafts retail giant Michaels. The artist, through his attorney Jeff Gluck, alleges that Michaels used his artwork in advertisements for Ironlak spray paint without his permission. Michaels has responded by filing a preemptive lawsuit in Texas, seeking a court declaration that it did not infringe on any rights and asking for attorneys' fees, while also arguing that it believed it had permission through its supplier, AVT Paints.

dorothy waugh national park posters

Dorothy Waugh, a pioneering Modernist designer who created the U.S. government's first in-house National Parks poster campaign during the Great Depression, is the subject of her first-ever solo exhibition at New York's Poster House. Titled "Blazing a Trail: Dorothy Waugh's National Parks Posters," the show reunites all 17 posters Waugh designed for the National Park Service between 1934 and 1936, bold experimental works that helped define a new visual language for federal design. Guest curator Mark Resnick spent three decades tracking down Waugh's story, locating documents across the National Archives, the Library of Congress, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Jones Library in Amherst, Massachusetts.

theaster gates tapped for obama presidential center installation celebrating ebony and jet image archives

The Obama Foundation has commissioned artist Theaster Gates to create an expansive frieze for the Pendleton Atrium of the Obama Presidential Center (OPC), set to open on Chicago’s South Side in 2026. The installation will draw from the Johnson Publishing Company image archive and the Howard Simmons photographic collections, celebrating the visual archives of Ebony and Jet magazines. Gates, who founded the Rebuild Foundation in 2009, will join nine other artists—including Kiki Smith, Nick Cave, Marie Watt, Jenny Holzer, and Idris Khan—whose works were announced in September for the OPC campus.

beast jesus artist cecilia gimenez obituary

Cecilia Giménez Zueco, the amateur painter behind the infamous "Beast Jesus" fresco restoration, has died at age 94. In 2012, at 81, Giménez attempted to restore Elías García Martínez's 1930 fresco *Ecce Homo* at the Santuario de Misericordia church in Borja, Spain. Her unskilled repainting transformed Christ's face into a distorted, ape-like image that went viral under nicknames like "Potato Jesus" and "Monkey Christ," spawning thousands of memes across Reddit, 4chan, and Twitter before mainstream media coverage. Initially devastated by the global ridicule, Giménez later found her work celebrated as a cultural phenomenon and tourist attraction.

school of art institute of chicagos video data bank

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) laid off three of five staff members of its Video Data Bank (VDB), including director Tom Colley, as part of 20 total layoffs across the institution. The cuts, announced on November 12, eliminated leadership and key distribution and digital management roles, sparking outcry from the new-media art community. VDB, founded in 1976, is a leading archive of video art with over 6,000 works by artists including Nam June Paik, Bruce Nauman, and Pipilotti Rist, distributed worldwide via subscription streaming.

obama presidential center artist commissions jenny holzer nick cave

The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago has announced nine new commissions by ten artists for its 19.3-acre campus, set to open next spring. The commissioned works include a text-based sculpture spelling 'HOPE' by Jack Pierson, a bronze sculpture by Kiki Smith, a digital mural by Jules Julien, a textile-and-sound installation by Nick Cave and Marie Watt, paintings by Jenny Holzer and Idris Khan, a sculpture by Nekisha Durrett, a mural by Aliza Nisenbaum, and an outdoor bronze by Alison Saar. These join five previously announced commissions, with plans for over 25 site-specific works total.

anish kapoor lists 56 leonard street apartment new york

Artist Anish Kapoor is selling his New York apartment at 56 Leonard Street in Tribeca for $17.75 million. The 3,576-square-foot unit on the 47th floor features four bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms, private outdoor spaces, and a travertine marble bath. The building, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, houses a smaller version of Kapoor's famous sculpture Cloud Gate at its base. Kapoor purchased the apartment for roughly $14 million in 2016 and previously listed it for about $18 million last year. The listing is held by Serhant's Krista Nickols and Martin Garcia.

rago wright post war contemporary art auction may 2025

Rago/Wright's Postwar and Contemporary Art sale in New York will take place on May 21, 2025, featuring over 200 lots of 20th- and 21st-century works including painting, drawing, photography, and sculpture. Highlights include Nick Cave's *Soundsuit* (2010), Deborah Butterfield's *Red* (1992), Cindy Sherman's *Untitled #416* (2004), Tom Wesselmann's *From Nude Painting Print* (1988/1989), and Bernard Buffet's *Bouquet jaune fond orange* (1966), with estimates ranging from $70,000 to $150,000. Previews will be held in New York and Lambertville, New Jersey from May 13 to May 21.

munch the scream bird droppings

Edvard Munch, the Norwegian Expressionist and Symbolist painter, often worked and stored his paintings outdoors on the grounds of his 45-acre estate, Ekely. This unconventional approach led to many works suffering damage from the elements, including water damage, dog paw prints, and an enduring urban legend that white smears on his iconic painting *The Scream* (1893) were bird droppings. In 2016, researchers at the University of Antwerp used X-ray radiation to debunk this myth, proving the marks were actually candle wax.

Collaged Denim Sculptures by Nick Doyle Unravel American Mythology

Brooklyn-based artist Nick Doyle creates large-scale wall sculptures using layered and bleached denim, exploring American mythology and its contradictions. His solo exhibition "Collective Hallucinations" at Perrotin features works such as stylized cacti, landscapes, tarot cards, and a fortune teller's shop, all rendered in denim. Doyle's practice began after finding a discarded roll of denim in 2018, which he saw as a metaphor for the complexities of American history, including slavery, masculinity, and Manifest Destiny.

‘Knoxville Girl’ Gets Her Revenge in Wayne White’s New KMA Exhibition

The Knoxville Museum of Art has debuted a major new exhibition by Chattanooga-born artist and puppeteer Wayne White titled "Revenge of the Knoxville Girl." The centerpiece of the show is a ten-foot-tall marionette of the titular character from the famous Appalachian murder ballad, depicted as having crawled out of the river to claim the severed head of her killer, Willy. The installation blends local folklore with references to Cormac McCarthy’s novel *Suttree* and Tennessee Volunteers football culture.

Where to see art in Houston now: 9 fun new exhibits opening in July

Nine new art exhibitions are opening in Houston in July, spanning traditional paintings, sculptures, high-tech immersive shows, and textile works. Highlights include Nick Vaughan and Jake Margolin's "Town Meeting 1978-2028" at Art League Houston, which uses wind-drawing techniques to explore pre-Stonewall queer histories; Jeffly Gabriela Molina's "Fragmentos de un sueño que yo también soñé," focusing on immigrant experiences of home and memory; and Lin Qiqing's "Every Fiber of Their Bodies," weaving narratives of gender, immigration, and human relationships. The Menil Collection also re-installs René Magritte paintings after their return from a major retrospective in Sydney.

LOOK25 Gala supports Contemporary Calgary and Butterfly Ball raises funds for Boost Child & Youth Advocacy Centre

The LOOK25 Gala in Calgary, held on May 31 and presented by MAWER, raised over $1.2 million for Contemporary Calgary. Themed “Noir Nouveau” after textile artist Simone Elizabeth Saunders, the event featured a VIP dinner by Holt Renfrew, performances by Justine Tyrell and Timothonius, and a live auction led by Heather Edwards that included works by Saunders, June Clark, Evan Penny, and a circa-1960 Jean-Paul Riopelle. An after party sponsored by Masters Gallery drew 600 guests. Separately, the Butterfly Ball in Toronto, now in its 26th year, raised $1.27 million for Boost Child & Youth Advocacy Centre, with co-chairs Claire MacNamara and Trish Del Sorbo, and an auction handled by Christie’s consultant Brett Sherlock.

The first edition of the Paris Internationale fair in Milan is a success: The report

La prima edizione della fiera Paris Internationale a Milano convince. Il report

The Parisian satellite fair Paris Internationale successfully launched its first international edition in Milan during the city's 2026 Art Week. Hosted in the modernist Palazzo Galbani, the fair distinguished itself from traditional models like miart through a non-hierarchical layout designed by Christ & Gantenbein and NM3. The event featured 34 carefully selected galleries, emphasizing solo and duo presentations from artists such as Leonora Carrington, Benni Bosetto, and Ibuki Inoue.

Nick Goss: Interview of the Month, March 2026 – Paul Carey-Kent

Anglo-Dutch painter Nick Goss has opened a new exhibition at Josh Lilley Gallery, featuring eleven paintings inspired by Eel Pie Island, a private marshy area on the Thames in Twickenham with a bohemian past—including 1960s rock concerts by The Rolling Stones, The Who, and Pink Floyd, a hippie commune, and a 1972 fire. In an interview with Paul Carey-Kent, Goss discusses how he blends fact and fiction, combining sources from hotel corridors, Pompeii, and the Sergeant Pepper album cover to create ambiguous, layered works that evoke half-remembered histories.

Musée d’Orsay opens gallery dedicated to still-unclaimed works stolen by Nazis in WWII

The Musée d'Orsay in Paris has opened a permanent gallery dedicated to artworks believed to have been looted by the Nazis from Jewish owners during World War II, but whose rightful owners have not been identified. The exhibition, titled "Who owns these works?", features a rotating selection of 225 such pieces held by the museum, with twelve paintings and one sculpture currently on display. Works by Renoir, Degas, Rodin, and Alfred Stevens are included, alongside provenance research detailing their murky histories—such as a Degas ballroom scene acquired by a Jewish collector later murdered at Auschwitz.

This Years Met Gala Felt More Like an Art Exhibition Than a Red Carpet

The 2026 Met Gala, held on May 4 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, was widely described as feeling more like an art exhibition than a traditional red carpet. The theme, "Costume Art," with the dress code "Fashion Is Art," encouraged celebrities to treat their bodies as canvases. Beyoncé made a highly anticipated return after a decade, serving as a co-chair alongside Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour. Beyoncé wore a sculptural skeleton-inspired design by Olivier Rousteing, while Kiddon wore a shimmering red Chanel gown and Williams donned a Swarovski crystal gown inspired by her Smithsonian portrait. Other notable looks included Sabrina Carpenter in a Dior dress made from vintage film strips, Kendall Jenner referencing classical sculpture, Madonna channeling surrealist painter Leonora Carrington, and Heidi Klum arriving as a marble statue. Inside, live performances by Sabrina Carpenter and Stevie Nicks added to the spectacle.

new york art guide jenni crain gordon hall 2

Gordon Hall's exhibition "Hands and Knees" at the Kitchen in New York features sculptures made from chrome cantilevered chairs with seats and backs removed, arranged in configurations that evoke bodies on all fours. The show includes unannounced performances where performers are carried in on stretcher-like sculptures and placed on the chair forms, exploring themes of submission, rest, and bodily interaction. Separately, the article reviews Martha Diamond's posthumous exhibition "After Image" at David Kordansky Gallery, highlighting her 1986 painting "White Light" and her abstract depictions of New York City.

New Kickernick Gallery Exhibition Celebrates 50 Years of a Women’s Art Collective

The article reports on a new exhibition at the Kickernick Gallery in Minneapolis celebrating the 50th anniversary of WARM (Women's Art Registry of Minnesota), a pioneering women's art collective founded in 1976. The show features works by founding members including Harriet Bart, whose textile piece "Concrete Poem" (1985) is made from discarded garment labels she collected from her studio floor. The exhibition is curated by Christy Frank and runs until mid-June, highlighting the collective's history of mentorship, activism, and advocacy for gender equity in the arts.

An Early Winter Gallery Guide

A guide lists galleries in Wellfleet and Provincetown, Massachusetts, that plan to remain open during December, some through New Year's, with winter hours and by-appointment visits. Featured galleries include AMZehnder Gallery, Farm Projects, Jeff Soderbergh Gallery, Left Bank Gallery, Wellfleet Preservation Hall, Alden Gallery, Bakker Gallery, Berta Walker Gallery, Four Eleven Gallery, and Gary Marotta Fine Art, each offering exhibitions of contemporary paintings, ceramics, photography, and works on paper. The Provincetown Art Gallery Association and Provincetown Business Guild are hosting gallery strolls every Saturday in December from 1 to 4 p.m.

San Diego Museum of Art is Celebrating 100 Years With its Most Ambitious Exhibition Yet

The San Diego Museum of Art is marking its 100th anniversary with what it describes as its most ambitious exhibition to date. The show brings together a wide range of works from the museum's collection and loans, aiming to celebrate a century of artistic achievement and institutional history.

Bright future for the next generation of artistic talent

Hong Kong Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui visited Venice to support the Hong Kong Collateral Event at the 61st Venice Biennale, themed “Fermata: Hong Kong in Venice.” The exhibition features artists Kingsley Ng and Angel Hui, with five installations exploring poetic rhythms in everyday life, curated by the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA). Law also viewed American artist Nick Cave’s sculpture *Amalga (Plot)* and announced the Venice Biennale Internship Programme 2026, which will send six arts-background interns to Venice for a six-week residency.

Memorial Art Gallery admission will become free starting in 2027

The Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) in Rochester, New York, announced on May 13 that admission will become free for all visitors starting in 2027, eliminating its current $20 entry fee permanently. The museum, part of the University of Rochester, raised over $9 million through its "Free for All, Forever" campaign, surpassing its original target faster than expected. Key donations included a $1 million gift from Dr. Alexander A. Levitan and his wife Lucy K. Levitan, a $3 million donation from UR trustee Doug Bennett, his wife Abby, and the Sands Family Foundation, and $2 million from Mary Ellen Burris. Additional support came from anonymous donors, Kitty and Nick Jospé, and Sandy Hawks Lloyd and Justin Hawks Lloyd.

An Expert’s Guide To Navigating The Art World

An art consultant with experience directing galleries in New York and Seattle, working with Nick Knight at SHOWstudio, and presenting The Art Show on Sky Arts shares insights on navigating the art world. The consultant discusses how to discover emerging artists through galleries, Instagram, graduate shows, and word of mouth, and emphasizes the importance of building relationships with galleries versus working with a consultant. Key galleries mentioned include Lisson Gallery, Josh Lilley, Seventeen Gallery, Esther Shipper, Hauser & Wirth, Cooke Latham, and Robertson Ares Gallery.