New contemporary art gallery connects Austin to unexpected ski town

A new contemporary art gallery called Connelly Martin is opening with two locations: one in Austin, Texas, and another in Ketchum, Idaho, near the Sun Valley ski resort. Founded by Bailey Connelly and Lily Martin, the gallery will feature emerging and mid-career artists, with each location hosting five exhibitions annually. The Austin space opens February 13, followed by the Sun Valley location on July 11, and the gallery plans two pop-ups each year in different towns. The inaugural show in both spaces will be a group exhibition, including work by Austin textile artist Elizabeth Hohimer.

Is It Simple to Be a Communist in Philosophy? Review of Alberto Toscano, Communism in Philosophy

Is It Simple to Be a Communist in Philosophy? Review of Alberto Toscano, Communism in Philosophy

The article reviews Alberto Toscano's book 'Communism in Philosophy', which examines the intellectual convergence of philosophers Alain Badiou and Antonio Negri. Both thinkers, whose major works gained prominence in the early 2000s, are analyzed for their shared commitment to rethinking communism as a philosophical concept beyond its historical political failures.

This Garden of Weeds Review: V. Sanjay Kumar Maps the Art World

V. Sanjay Kumar's novel *This Garden of Weeds* explores the Indian art world through a murder mystery centered on the death of a mythic artist, Maya. The story follows her daughter Tara as she uncovers Maya's past through flashbacks involving former art-school classmates—an art critic, a reporter, and a performance artist—while also weaving in subplots about a wealthy family's entry into art collecting, a gallerist's shady dealings, and a reality show for artists. The novel satirizes the fusion of gossip, celebrity, and commerce that defines contemporary art culture.

‘We need to rethink’: new exhibition revisits an Israeli conceptual art project, 53 years on

A new exhibition at the Givat Haviva Art Gallery in northern Israel revisits a landmark 1972 conceptual art project called Metzer-Meiser, which took place along the seamline between Kibbutz Metzer and the Arab village Meiser. The original project involved four Israeli artists—Dov Or-Ner, Moshe Gershuni, Avital Geva, and Micha Ullman—who created actions exploring Jewish-Arab coexistence, including burying personal items, parcelling land, scattering books, and exchanging soil between the two communities. The contemporary exhibition, "Metzer-Meiser: Take 2," co-curated by Anat Lidror and Tali Tamir, includes two of the original artists (Geva and Ullman) alongside ten contemporary Jewish and Palestinian artists, responding to the original project's themes of connection, fear, and trust.

Hyderabad galleries host long-duration exhibitions this summer

Two Hyderabad galleries are hosting long-duration summer exhibitions this year, breaking from the city's traditional lean season. Kalakriti Art Gallery in Banjara Hills opened "Prakriti: A Quiet Continuum," a group show of contemporary artists including Lal Bahadur Singh and Sumanto Chowdhury, alongside "Living Lineages," featuring folk and indigenous artists such as Bhuri Bai and Venkat Raman Shyam. Meanwhile, Srishti Art Gallery in Jubilee Hills is presenting the fifth edition of its annual exhibition "Triloka," with works by Moumita Basak, Nayanjyoti Barman, and Nirmal Mondal that explore everyday materials and social change.

Step into Hyderabad’s art scene through two group exhibitions—Prakriti: A Quiet Continuum and Living Lineages

Two group exhibitions, *Prakriti: A Quiet Continuum* and *Living Lineages*, have opened in Hyderabad, showcasing a mix of contemporary and folk artists. *Prakriti* features artists like Lal Bahadur Singh, Sumanto Chowdhury, Roy K John, and K. Sudheesh, each exploring nature as both external landscape and inner state through personal lenses. *Living Lineages* brings together indigenous and folk artists including Bhuri Bai, Balu Jivya Mashe, Saroj Venkat Shyam, and Venkat Raman Shyam, highlighting traditions such as Warli, Bhil, Gond art, and Cheriyal scrolls from Telangana. Gallerist Rekha Lahoti notes the exhibitions are designed to create a dialogue between contemporary and living traditions, addressing collector curiosity about their differences.

No One Understood the 2026 Met Gala Theme Quite Like Bad Bunny

At the 2026 Met Gala, Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny arrived in a transformative look that made him nearly unrecognizable. He wore a black pussy-bow blouse, wrap blazer, and trousers, with prosthetics and makeup by Mike Marin turning him into an old man, accessorized with a cane. The gala's theme, inspired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art's 'Costume as Art' exhibition, had a dress code of 'Fashion is Art,' and Bad Bunny's choice specifically highlighted the aging body, aligning with the exhibition's focus on the body at all stages.

New Schwarzman Center art exhibits highlight student experiences

Five new exhibitions opened at the Yale Schwarzman Center on April 7, featuring work from 53 young artists including New Haven high school students, Yale undergraduates, and graduate students. The shows explore themes of identity, unity, memory, nature, and emotion through visual art, photography, installation, digital work, and multimedia. Highlights include "Call-to-Connect," an interactive payphone installation by Soleil Piverger; "The View From Here: Accessing Art Through Photography," a smartphone photography exhibition in collaboration with the Yale Center for British Art; and "Rooted in Heritage: Art Across Yale’s Cultural Centers," curated by Carlynne Robinson, featuring works reflecting multicultural communities at Yale.

Europe: China’s censorship of cultural institutions must be challenged - ARTICLE 19

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London has reportedly removed maps and images from exhibition catalogues on multiple occasions following pressure from its Chinese publisher, C&C Offset Printing. The publisher cited directives from China's General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP), which enforces the Chinese Communist Party's official narratives on sensitive topics like territorial borders.

Bristol Arts & Culture Commission approves public art, museum exhibit funding

The Bristol Arts & Culture Commission has approved funding for several local initiatives, including a historic amusement exhibit titled "Laff in the Dark" by artist Charlie Burnham at the Carousel Museum. Other key developments include the announcement of a new worker-centric exhibition at the American Clock & Watch Museum and the commissioning of a public heart sculpture by artist Eva Mendoza to commemorate the upcoming America 250 celebrations.

Unesco sites in Iranian city of Isfahan damaged by US-Israel strikes

Recent US-Israeli strikes in the Iranian city of Isfahan have caused significant damage to several UNESCO World Heritage sites and historic landmarks. Reports indicate that the 17th-century Chehel Sotoun Palace suffered shattered windows, broken doors, and a large crack in a major fresco depicting Shah Tahmasp and the Mughal Emperor Humayun. Nearby, in the historic Naqsh-e-Jahan Square, the Ali Qapu Palace and the Jame Abbasi Mosque also sustained damage, including the destruction of iconic turquoise tiles and intricate fretwork.

Hyderabad to Host Landmark Printmaking Exhibition ‘Edition 2’ at State Gallery of Art

Hyderabad will host 'Edition 2', a landmark printmaking exhibition at the Chitramayee State Gallery of Art from September 19 to 28. Curated by Annapurna M. and Attri Chetan, the show features 30 artists from 14 states, tracing printmaking's history from the Indus Valley and 16th-century India to contemporary reinventions. Chief Guest Shilpa Reddy and Dr. Sanjeev Kishor Goutam, Director General of the National Gallery of Modern Art, will inaugurate the event, which also launches a public printmaking studio and offers artist-led workshops and a mini print portfolio initiative.

Artist Flees Thailand After China Exerts Influence on Museum Exhibition

A Myanmar artist, Sai, has fled to the U.K. and is seeking asylum after Chinese officials pressured the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre to censor an exhibition on authoritarianism. The show, titled "Constellation of Complicity: Visualizing the Global Machine of Authoritarian Solidarity," included works by Tibetan, Uyghur, and Hong Kong artists. Following demands from the Chinese embassy, transmitted through Thai authorities, the center removed sensitive artworks, obscured artists' names, and covered flags and references to Tibet, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang. Sai and his wife, who co-curated the exhibition, were allegedly told Thai police were looking for them, though police denied this.

Bad Bunny’s residency gives local artists the chance to tell Puerto Rico’s real history

Bad Bunny's months-long concert residency in Puerto Rico, titled "No me quiero ir de aquí," has inspired a free art exhibition called "De Aquí Nadie Nos Saca" in the Santurce barrio of San Juan. Organized by the Latinx advocacy group Mijente and the art collective AgitArte, the exhibition features local Puerto Rican artists and organizations and serves as a spiritual companion to Bad Bunny's album "Debí Tirar Más Fotos." It highlights the island's everyday societal struggles, resistance movements, and cultural preservation amid colonialism and gentrification, with contributions from the theater collective Papel Machete, which created a giant puppet featured in Bad Bunny's music video for "La Mudanza."

Ferris State alumni, faculty, and students recognized among leading regional artists in 2025 West Michigan Area Show

Ferris State University's Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD) alumni, faculty, and students have been recognized in the 2025 West Michigan Area Show, a juried exhibition hosted by the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. The 64th annual competition drew nearly 500 entries from 14 Michigan counties, with 64 selected for inclusion. Eleven pieces by artists with KCAD connections were featured, and three received distinguished awards from juror Hubert Massey, a Detroit-based artist and educator. Notable winners include Lee Ann Frame, who won the Ward H. and Cora E. Nay Director’s Purchase Prize and the Southwest Michigan Printmakers Excellence in Printmaking Award, and Tatsuki Hakoyama, who received The Martin Maddox Prize for Imaginative Realism. Other participants include professor emeritus Jay Constantine, alumni Beth Purdy and Jackson Wrede, and students Sydney Donath and Kaylee Dirkmaat.

Man Can’t Tell if Friend’s Art Show Surrealist or Bad

Local man Brian Jacobs attends a friend's high-profile surrealist art show in New York but cannot determine whether the works are genuinely surrealist or simply poorly executed. He describes a painting of a five-eyed fisherman holding a melting bowling ball as looking like it was painted by a first grader. The artist, Gavin McCloud, interprets Jacobs's bewildered reactions as impressed awe and plans to gift him the melting bowling ball painting. Gallery owner Christine Morgan admits she sometimes hosts derivative work from donors' children in exchange for large checks, and advises artists to claim ambiguity as the real art if questioned.

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.

‘In Minor Keys’: discover the themes that define the 61st Venice Biennale exhibition

The 61st Venice Biennale's main exhibition, 'In Minor Keys', curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, has opened after her sudden passing in 2025. Kouoh had fully planned the exhibition before her death, and a team of seven realized her vision. The show features 110 artists, including Wangechi Mutu, Nick Cave, Alfredo Jaar, and emerging talents like Ranti Bam. It opens with a poem by Refaat Alareer and an installation by Khaled Sabsabi, setting a contemplative tone amid themes of mourning, grief, and healing. The exhibition also highlights minority perspectives, including Caribbean and Central American artists, and confronts colonial histories through works like Florence Lazar's film on a hurricane-exposed necropolis.

Corazón Cafe’s Chingonas gallery honors ‘badass women’ through art

Corazón Cafe in downtown San Luis Obispo hosts an annual art gallery called "Chingonas" during March and April, celebrating Women's History Month. The gallery, curated by co-owner Sara McGrath, features around 20 participants ranging from ages 5 to 85, displaying works that honor "badass women"—from famous figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Gloria Steinem to everyday family members. The term "Chingonas" is a reclaimed Mexican-Spanish slang for strong, independent women.

In Dancehall and Reggaetón’s Evolution, MCA Chicago Charts a Global Awakening

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago has opened "Dancing the Revolution: From Dancehall to Reggaetón," an ambitious exhibition exploring the historical evolution of dancehall and reggaetón as cultural movements and their influence on contemporary art. Curated by Carla Acevedo-Yates, the show features over 40 international artists including Isaac Julien, Edra Soto, Alberta Whittle, Carolina Caycedo, supakid, and Lee "Scratch" Perry, tracing the genres' roots from Afro-Caribbean traditions through their emergence in Jamaica, Panama, and Puerto Rico to global mainstream dominance by figures like Daddy Yankee and Bad Bunny.

MCA Chicago show explores the power of Dancehall and Reggaeton

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago has launched "Dancing the Revolution: From Dancehall to Reggaetón," an interdisciplinary exhibition exploring the political and cultural impact of Caribbean music genres. Curated by Carla Acevedo-Yates, the show was inspired by the 2019 "perreo combativo" protests in Puerto Rico that led to the governor's resignation. The exhibition features a diverse array of media, including paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Denzil Forrester, sculptures by Michael Richards, and archival materials like Dancehall posters and sound system equipment.

Monumental commissions and pioneering women artists take centre stage at Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2026

The third edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale has opened in Riyadh’s JAX District under the title 'In Interludes and Transitions.' Curated by Nora Razian and Sabih Ahmed, the exhibition features over 65 artists from 35 countries, focusing on themes of migration, oral storytelling, and the movement of ideas across borders. The show is housed in repurposed 1970s industrial warehouses with a scenography designed by Formafantasma that emphasizes intimacy despite the monumental scale of the venues.

Afghanistan’s heritage comes to the fore in acclaimed Doha show

A new exhibition at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) in Doha, titled *Empire of Light: Visions and Voices from Afghanistan*, highlights Afghanistan’s art and history from pre-Islamic times to the present day. Running until 30 May and timed to Art Basel Qatar week, the show draws primarily from MIA’s collection, with loans from Qatari institutions and international lenders such as the National Museum of Asian Art at the Smithsonian. It includes historical objects like a 13th-century ewer and a 9th-century Qur’an folio, as well as contemporary works such as Khadim Ali’s *Un-Safe Heaven* (2025), a textile piece embroidered by Afghan men and women. No objects come from Afghan museums, but large-scale wooden models and glass vessels were produced in Afghanistan with help from the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

Ecuador's Bienal de Cuenca marks 40th anniversary with a playful theme but a serious tone

The 17th Bienal de Cuenca, titled "The Game," opened on 24 October in Cuenca, Ecuador, marking its 40th anniversary. The biennial features 51 artists selected by 17 international curators, with works displayed across multiple venues including museums, gardens, and the airport. The event highlights artists and curators from the Global South, focusing on social and political concerns rather than market priorities. It opened just two days after political protests ended, with a ceremony featuring an Andean ritual led by artist Carmen Vicente, whose installation "Infinite Steps" won the acquisition prize.

‘From Gaza to the World’: A Devastating Art Show Arrives in Brooklyn

A devastating exhibition titled 'From Gaza to the World' has opened at Recess, a nonprofit art venue in Brooklyn, as the first North American pavilion of the Gaza Biennale. Organized by the Forbidden Museum of Jabal Al Risan and launched in 2024, the show features 25 Palestinian artists, many still in Gaza or displaced. Due to the ongoing Israel-Gaza War, most works are documentation—printouts, facsimiles, and video—rather than original objects. Highlights include Malaka Abu Owda's 'When the Body Became a Message' (2024), Firas Thabet's tapestry 'Gaznica' (2025) adapting Picasso's Guernica, and Emad Badwan's docudrama 'Live Broadcast' (2024). The exhibition bears witness to life under bombardment, famine, and displacement, with wall labels including heartbreaking artist quotes.

Forged Picasso prints sold at Stuttgart auction recovered as part of international police operation

Two forged Pablo Picasso prints from his Suite Vollard series, sold at a Stuttgart auction house, have been recovered as part of an international police operation led by Italian authorities. The Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police Office (LKA) announced that an Italian national, believed to be a professional art restorer, is suspected of consigning four forged works to the auction house over several years. Two prints were recovered—one in Germany's Rhineland region and one in Austria—while two others were seized before delivery. The operation, code-named "Minotauro bis," began in 2022 and has led to the seizure of 104 fake contemporary artworks, the dismantling of a forgery laboratory in Rome, and the freezing of bank accounts and vehicles. Forgers used complex methods including fake watermarks, scanned images, and aging paper with coffee or tea.

Art & Language ‘The Mirror Effect’ at Château de Montsoreau – Museum of Contemporary Art, Loire Valley, France

The Château de Montsoreau – Museum of Contemporary Art in the Loire Valley, France, is presenting ‘The Mirror Effect’, a new exhibition running from 17 July to 3 November 2025. Curated by Lara Pan, the show celebrates 60 years of the pioneering conceptual art collective Art & Language and brings together over 50 international artists to reflect on the group’s legacy. The museum holds the world’s largest collection of Art & Language works, assembled by collector Philippe Méaille.

How Private Art Collectors In Singapore Are Helping To Shape Our Artistic Future

Singapore entrepreneur Chong Huai Seng and his daughter Ning Chong are presenting "Artist's Proof: Singapore at 60," a landmark exhibition at Artspace @ Helutrans running until 17 August 2025. Featuring over 90 artworks from Chong's private collection, the show spans 1940 to 2025 and includes more than 50 artists, mostly Singaporeans, such as Cultural Medallion recipients Cheong Soo Pieng, Chua Mia Tee, and Lee Wen, alongside emerging talents. For the first time, Chong commissioned 11 new artworks and an original musical composition for the exhibition, which he describes as his "love letter to Singapore."

parties kidsuper dinner cultured nyfw

Colm Dillane, designer and artist behind KidSuper, co-hosted an intimate dinner with CULTURED magazine at his 10,000-square-foot Williamsburg studio during New York Fashion Week. Guests toured the brand's headquarters—featuring a recording studio and rooftop soccer field—before enjoying an Italian dinner prepared by Eric Madonna of Bar Madonna. Attendees included fashion tastemakers, gallerist Hannah Traore, curator Zoe Lukov, and musician Gashi, and each received a tote bag with the inaugural CULTURED at Home interiors issue and KidSuper's new book with Rizzoli, *The Misadventures of KidSuper*.

First solo U.S. exhibition for Columbia-based artist to open at Gallery Blue Door

Temi Wynston Edun, a Columbia-based artist originally from Ibadan, Nigeria, will open his first solo U.S. exhibition, “Within Reach of Silence,” at Gallery Blue Door in Baltimore on January 17, 2026. The show features 18 oil-stick-on-canvas works that explore themes of stillness, restraint, and layered meaning through figurative painting, with the exhibition running through April 18, 2026.