Michel Bassompierre (1948-2026)

French sculptor Michel Bassompierre has died at age 78. Known for his monumental bronze and marble animal sculptures—polar bears, gorillas, elephants, pandas, and horses—he depicted them in moments of rest and balance, simplifying forms in the tradition of François Pompon. Bassompierre studied at the École des beaux arts de Rouen under René Leleu, taught applied arts, and later worked with foundries including Venturi Arte in Italy. His major exhibitions include "Fragiles colosses" at the Jardin des plantes in Paris (2019) and a show at the Musée Despiau Wlérick (2021). In February 2025, the municipality of Vertou announced plans for a Michel Bassompierre museum, slated to open in 2028. He was named a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2010, received the Légion d'honneur in January 2025, and was promoted to Officier des Arts et des Lettres on April 1, 2025.

Emerging artist Charlie Gosling is being compared to Frank Auerbach. Discover his haunting portraits in London

Emerging artist Charlie Gosling, a 2023 graduate of Camberwell College of Arts, is gaining attention for his evocative portraits that draw comparisons to Frank Auerbach and Willem de Kooning. His second solo exhibition at London's Incubator gallery, titled "Good Luck with Me Here," features intimate portraits of friends and family, created through a process of layering and scraping paint to achieve an almost abstract quality. The show runs until 24 May.

Masure Gallery Brings a Focused Lens to Local Fine Art Photography in Fort Worth

Masure Gallery of Photography has opened in Fort Worth, Texas, as the city's only gallery dedicated exclusively to fine art photography. Founded through a partnership between gallery manager Simone Fischer and the co-owners of Fort Worth Camera, Jeff and CJ Masure, the space transforms a former event room into a white-walled exhibition venue with gallery-quality lighting. The gallery launched with "RED – A Bold Photography Exhibition," selected from nearly 200 open-call submissions requiring the color red, and now represents six local photographers: Walt Burns, Brooks Burris, Caroline Hanson, Chris Ireland, Felix Schilling, and K.P. Wilska. The first solo show, "Modern Exposure" by Walt Burns, opens June 4.

Art House Productions Unveils "In The Wind" Public Art Installation

Art House Productions has unveiled "In The Wind," a large-scale public art installation in Lincoln Park, Jersey City, featuring artist-designed flags with original works by Hudson County artists. Curated by Tina Maneca, the exhibition celebrates the organization's 25th anniversary and includes over 80 artists who live, work, or maintain studios in Hudson County. The flags are installed around Edgewood Lake, moving with the wind to create a dynamic, ever-changing exhibition. All flags are priced at $500 and available for purchase. The installation runs from June through November 2026, with an opening reception on June 5, 2026, during ACCESS JC Fridays.

elizabeth king louise bonnet swiss institute show interview

The Swiss Institute in New York has opened a new exhibition titled “De Anima,” pairing sculptor Elizabeth King and painter Louise Bonnet. Curated by director Stefanie Hessler, the show explores the boundaries between the living and the lifelike, featuring King's intricate automata and stop-motion films alongside Bonnet's large-scale oil paintings of fleshy, gestural figures. The artists, introduced by Hessler at an opening last year, discovered a shared fascination with involuntary bodily movements—twitching eyes, clenched jaws—and the invisible labor of artistic craftsmanship.

In Milan there is an exhibition where color fascinates because it is mystical and changeable

A Milano c’è una mostra dove il colore affascina perché è mistico e mutevole

The article reports on Jason Martin's second solo exhibition at Christian Stein gallery in Milan, titled "Vertex," curated by Sergio Risaliti. Eight new large-scale works fill the Palazzo Cicogna space, showcasing Martin's signature thick oil paint surfaces that shift in color and texture, evoking the changing appearance of a wheat field. The exhibition runs until May 23, 2025.

Art and Design seniors exhibit their work at Krannert Art Museum

More than 100 seniors from the School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will showcase their final projects at Krannert Art Museum from May 9 to May 16. The Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition features work across all disciplines, including art education, art history, graphic design, industrial design, and studio art. Graphic design students Rinnell Borges and Natalie Mora created the exhibition's branding and catalog under the theme "Myth of Originality," drawing inspiration from fellow students' work and university archives. Individual projects include Borges's syrup packaging concept, Mora's communication guide for Latino communities, Caroline Dorion's charcoal drawings of draped female figures, and Sylvie Leyerle's children's book about her adoption from China.

Art Formes Presents A multi-disciplinary group exhibition curated by Jean Dreyer

Art Formes presents a multi-disciplinary group exhibition curated by Jean Dreyer at The Old Biscuit Mill in Cape Town, running from 16 April to 11 June 2026. The show features 21 artists including Maja Marx, Katherine Glenday, Gerhard Marx, and others, with works that explore themes of soil, text, and interconnection through painting, ceramics, and sculpture. The exhibition emphasizes dialogue between works and the gallery's architecture, with a press release highlighting the gallery's focus on contemporary African sculpture.

RED BANK: NEW GALLERIA GALLERY OPENS DOORS

Amelchenko Gallery has officially opened its doors in Red Bank, New Jersey, relocating from Sea Bright to the Galleria complex on Bridge Avenue. The gallery celebrated its arrival with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a reception for its inaugural exhibition, "Reel Icons," featuring the work of New York-based artist Ginette Laboz. Laboz utilizes a unique pointillist technique, applying paint with pastry tools to create large-scale reinterpretations of iconic cinematic moments from films like "Pulp Fiction" and "When Harry Met Sally."

Biennale, rules announced for Visitor's Lion. But dozens of artists withdraw

The Venice Biennale has announced the voting rules for the new Visitors' Lion awards, which replace the traditional Golden Lions after the original jury resigned before the opening. On the same day the popular voting opened, dozens of artists from the central exhibition 'In Minor Keys' and several National Pavilions announced their withdrawal from the competition in solidarity with the resigned jury, releasing a statement via e-flux on May 9, 2026. The voting system requires visitors to have attended both the Giardini and Arsenale venues, with anonymous voting open until November 22, 2026.

Kimball Art Center’s new exhibit features artist with ties to the Sundance Film Festival

The Kimball Art Center in Park City, Utah, has opened two new exhibitions, “Returning To Wonder” and “All Sketches Wish To Be Real,” featuring international and local artists. Among the featured artists is Alexandra Fuller, a multidisciplinary artist whose work includes cyanotypes of wildlife and who has ties to the Sundance Film Festival—her short film “Sister Wife” was accepted at the 2009 festival. The exhibitions also include works by Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist, American artist Lia Halloran, and Utah-based artist Antra Sinha. The center will host a series of public programs, including artist talks, workshops, and a book discussion, to engage the local community.

St. Peterburg Museum of Art showcases Caravaggio masterpieces

The St. Petersburg Museum of Art in Florida is hosting "In Caravaggio's Light: Baroque Masterpieces from the Fondazione Roberto Longhi," the first U.S. exhibition of 40 Baroque paintings from the private collection of art historian Roberto Longhi. The centerpiece is Caravaggio's "Boy Bitten by a Lizard," one of two Caravaggio works in the show, which runs until March 22. Curator Dr. Stanton Thomas notes the exhibition is designed to evoke a cinematic, dramatic experience of light and emotion.

Kazuhito Kawai & Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka "Tsuitayo: Becoming by Making" @ KOTARO NUKAGA (Roppongi)

川井雄仁&アレクサ・クミコ・ハタナカ「ついたよ：Becoming by Making」@ KOTARO NUKAGA（六本木）

Artists Kazuhito Kawai and Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka are presenting a joint exhibition titled "Tsuitayo: Becoming by Making" at KOTARO NUKAGA in Roppongi, Tokyo. Running from March 14 to April 10, 2026, the show features Kawai’s expressive ceramic sculptures alongside Hatanaka’s textile-based works, including her signature "Noren" and "Tabi" pieces. The exhibition highlights a dialogue between Kawai’s tactile, often grotesque ceramic forms and Hatanaka’s exploration of heritage and craft through traditional Japanese materials.

À Florence, une touriste poursuivie pour avoir endommagé la fontaine de Neptune

In Florence, Italy, a 28-year-old tourist is being prosecuted for damaging the historic Neptune Fountain during a bachelorette party on the night of April 18-19. She allegedly climbed the monument on Piazza della Signoria after a dare from friends to touch the statue's intimate parts, causing an estimated €5,000 in damages to the horses' legs and a decorative frieze. This follows a similar incident in September 2023, when a 22-year-old German tourist caused €5,000 in damage to the same fountain while posing for photos.

Lié au musée Guimet, l’hôtel d’Heidelbach rouvre pour la Nuit des musées, sublimé par Constance Guisset

The Hôtel d'Heidelbach, now renamed 'Maison Guimet,' has reopened after months of renovation led by designer Constance Guisset. Located at 19 Avenue d'Iéna, just steps from the Musée Guimet in Paris, the early 20th-century mansion will welcome visitors for the Nuit des musées on May 23. The guided tour includes reception rooms, an impressive collection of Chinese ceremonial furniture, and a Japanese garden with a tea pavilion, ending with a tea tasting. The renovation was intentionally sober, reversible, and modular, aiming to enhance rather than overhaul the space.

Ella Maillart, intrepid photographer of the 1930s, highlighted in an exhibition in Lausanne

Ella Maillart, photographe baroudeuse des années 30 mise en lumière dans une exposition à Lausanne

Ella Maillart, a Swiss photographer and adventurer from the 1930s, is the subject of a new exhibition in Lausanne. Born in Geneva in 1903, Maillart was an Olympic sailor and champion skier before turning to travel and photography. She journeyed across the Soviet Union, Central Asia, and China, often by train, ski, or camel, documenting remote cultures and political landscapes. Her travels included a 6,000-kilometer trek from Beijing to Kashmir with British writer Peter Fleming, and a road trip from Geneva to Kabul with friend Annemarie Schwarzenbach. The exhibition highlights her photographs and writings, which blend geographical exploration, political chronicle, and personal meditation.

parties cultured china magazine launch

Cultured magazine hosted a launch party for its new Chinese edition, CULTURED China, at The Blond in SoHo, New York. The event brought together fashion, art, and design insiders including designers Prabal Gurung and Bach Mai, gallery directors Lucy Liu and Rachel Uffner, artists Wes Aderhold and Jonathan Gardenhire, and cultural commentator Wesley Breed. A musical performance by Zhang Xiaoqing entertained guests, who received complimentary copies of the September issue.

Art on the Hill

A new gallery called the Capitol Crossing Gallery of Art has opened in Washington, D.C., within the Capitol Crossing development on Capitol Hill. The gallery features over 20 artists with local connections to the DMV area, including a large lobby commission by Katherine Tzu-Lann Mann. The space is curated by Alexandra Foxworth-Hill, senior property manager for Capitol Crossing Advisors, who selects abstract works that complement the building's modern, sustainable design.

AN INSIDE JOB: Clymer Museum of Art reopens after renovations with show by CWU student

The Clymer Museum of Art in Ellensburg reopened on Friday after renovations, featuring a new exhibition titled "Plastic Souls" by Margot Massey, a junior at Central Washington University pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts. The show explores themes of artificiality and performance in social media, with paintings depicting actors, cowboys, showgirls, and rodeo clowns, and will later include two life-size figurative sculptures. The museum closed in January for renovations, which expanded wall space by roughly 30% and created a new gallery near the entrance for rotating student exhibitions.

McRae Art Studios kicks off 40th anniversary with open house this weekend

McRae Art Studios, Orlando's oldest and largest professional artist collective, is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a spring open house on April 25 at its 10,000-square-foot converted garage space in urban Orlando. Founded in 1986 by George and Marty Whipple, the studio has hosted over 100 award-winning artists across five locations. The event features studio visits, original artwork sales, live music, and a cash bar, along with a new exhibition of self-portraits titled "The Faces of McRae" created by the current 22 member artists. The collective is also reorganizing as a nonprofit to strengthen the local arts community.

A festival bringing local and international productions and concerts to Liverpool is coming in April

The Angel Field Festival, an annual multi-arts event hosted by Liverpool Hope University, will take place from April 17th to 25th, 2026, at the university's Creative Campus in Liverpool. The festival's program includes theatre, music spanning classical to electronic, free art exhibitions, and storytelling, featuring both local Liverpool talents and international influences.

Art space Styria

The Neue Galerie Graz is presenting 'Art space Styria,' an exhibition running parallel to the Promotion Prize of the Province of Styria for Contemporary Arts. The show features Styrian participants from the 2023/24 studio programs and foreign scholarships offered by the Department of Culture, showcasing work by over 30 artists including Ace, Joerg Auzinger, Veronika Eberhart, and others. The exhibition highlights contemporary art from artists who either come from Styria or have close ties to the region.

Graduating art students explore change within and around through the senior studio

Six senior art students at the University of Idaho presented their Bachelor of Fine Arts capstone works at the Ridenbaugh Gallery in an exhibition titled "Senior Studio," running from November 18 to December 12. The students—Kieran Heywood, Adelia Hopper, Sofia Nuss, Tyler Ready, and Austin Eike—each explored personal and societal themes through various media, including watercolor, felt, ceramics, and 3D printing. Heywood's work addressed grief and loss of a parent, Hopper's felt creatures examined gender non-conformity, Nuss painted nostalgic childhood memories, Ready critiqued militarism and fascism, and Eike focused on pharmaceutical addiction. Associate professor Aaron Johnson mentored the students to ensure their portfolios met professional gallery standards.

UNC Asheville hosts post-Helene symposium, storytelling event with local NC media

UNC Asheville will host the Post-Helene Symposium from September 24-26, 2025, to commemorate the anniversary of Tropical Storm Helene, which caused historic flooding in Western North Carolina in September 2024. The free, three-day event includes panels, concerts, art exhibitions, and a storytelling collaboration with NC Local titled "The Heart of the Mountains," featuring 12 news organizations including the Asheville Citizen Times. Highlights include the art exhibition "Looking Back to Move Forward" in the S. Tucker Cooke Gallery and a music faculty showcase concert "Hard Times, No More."

Philadelphia museum sues Trump administration over lost federal funding

The Woodmere, a museum in Philadelphia, sued the Trump administration after an executive order revoked a $750,000 federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The museum had already received roughly $195,000 of the funds, but the order targeting "unnecessary" federal bureaucracy cut the remainder. On September 4, the IMLS reinstated the full grant, leading to the dismissal of the lawsuit, which had been scheduled for a first hearing on September 12. The grant, part of the Save America's Treasures program, was intended for conservation, catalog updates, and digitization projects.

Mystic Seaport Museum exhibition chronicles whale oil industry's far-reaching impact

The Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut has opened a new exhibition titled "Monstrous: Whaling and Its Colossal Impact," which explores the deep connection between the US whaling industry and capitalism. Featuring objects from the museum's permanent collection—including 19th-century photographs, blubber hooks, ship models, captain's logbooks, a sperm whale jawbone, a jar of blue whale fetuses, and whale oil products—the show illustrates how whale oil lit lamps and greased machines for over a century. A giant scratchboard mural by contemporary artist Jos Sances, titled "Or, The Whale" (2019-20), dominates the space, while references to Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" permeate the exhibition, which also includes a copy of a 1930 illustrated three-volume edition.

Bachelor of Fine Arts students explore their identity through The Western Gallery

The Western Gallery at Western Washington University presents its annual BFA art showcase titled “In Good Company,” featuring works by graduating students that explore themes of identity, belonging, and vulnerability. Student artists like Alesandra Caroline, Antonio Mejia Wolf, and Matt Berry use diverse media—including sculpture, film, and interactive installations—to address personal and cultural experiences, such as Mexican American identity and queer sanctuary.

BFA graduates exhibit creative excellence at downtown Turlock art space

Stan State’s Art Space in downtown Turlock is hosting its annual Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) graduate exhibition, on display through May 23. The exhibition opened May 8 with a reception and artist talk, where attendees received catalogs featuring the artists and their works. Dean de Cocker, Director of the Art Space Main Gallery, welcomed guests, and faculty honored each of the 14 graduating BFA students, including Alex Cobain, Amora Ilene Cruz, Zehl Day, and others. The show features diverse media—painting, sculpture, multimedia, and conceptual art—with standout pieces like Riddick McCoy's "Lived Life Experience (Metal Up Your Ass)" and a solo exhibition by Fatima Gutierrez titled "Homenaje a la Memoria."

Posh Somerset town's new art gallery kicks off with global exhibition of artists

A new art gallery, The Fred Levine Gallery, is opening in Bruton, Somerset, with an inaugural group exhibition titled "Landscapes of Time and Memory." The gallery, founded in 2019 by Frederick McDonald and Zsanett Der Levine, has operated nomadically in recent years, including in London, and has now chosen Bruton as a permanent location, describing it as "a special destination for contemporary art." The exhibition features eight international and UK-based artists: Rebecca Partridge, Fernando Casasempere, Silke Weißbach, Raffael Bader, Fred Sorrell, Elena Njoabuzia Onwochei Garcia, Abigail Booth, and Peter Matthews, whose works explore the relationship between landscape, history, memory, and time.

Wohin im Westen?

The article guides readers through the Gallery Weekend Berlin in the western part of the city, specifically along Fasanenstraße and Savignyplatz. It highlights classic modern works, major contemporary names, and paintings that oscillate between pathos, poetry, and doubt. The route includes a stop at the gallery of Wolfgang Werner, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary in Berlin, and references the area's long tradition of art dealing, with institutions like the Literaturhaus and auction house Grisebach.