film mohamad abdouni michael bailey gates cold cuts

Lebanese photographer, filmmaker, and Cold Cuts magazine creative director Mohamad Abdouni has released a new documentary titled "Treat Me Like Your Mother," which documents the lives of trans women in Lebanon. The film, drawn from an Arabic expression asking for mercy, reframes motherhood as an ethical position rooted in responsibility for the trans community. Rather than extracting trauma, Abdouni allows the women to tell their own histories in personal, nonlinear, and surprising forms. The documentary evolved from a book project featuring oral histories of ten women, and the film centers Abdouni's own reflections on what these women represented to him growing up. In a dialogue with photographer Michael Bailey-Gates for CULTURED, Abdouni discusses the importance of letting trans women define the terms of their own visibility.

film ronan day lewis anemone interview

Ronan Day-Lewis, son of legendary actor Daniel Day-Lewis, has directed his debut feature film *Anemone*, which premiered at the New York Film Festival. The film stars Daniel Day-Lewis as a traumatized veteran living in self-exile in Northern England after the Irish Troubles, whose estranged brother arrives to trigger a reckoning filled with magic realism. Ronan, who also works as a painter, describes the film as being about brotherhood and the silence within it, developed over five years of collaboration between father and son. A concurrent exhibition of his paintings is on view at Megan Mulrooney gallery in Los Angeles.

Enrique López Llamas: The Visible, The Invisible

ENRIQUE LÓPEZ LLAMAS: LO VISIBLE, LO INVISIBLE

Artist Enrique López Llamas presents a solo exhibition titled "Lo visible, lo invisible" at Fundación CALOSA in Mexico, exploring the intersection of childhood fears and contemporary adult masculinity. The installation utilizes fluorescent plastic polymers that glow in the dark and video works to create a sensory dialogue between light and shadow, symbolizing the repressed memories and systemic behaviors that persist into adulthood.

design davone tines julie dash film charleston

Opera singer Davóne Tines and filmmaker Julie Dash collaborated on the short film "HOMEGOING," commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the 2015 mass shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. The film was created as part of the exhibition "MONUMENTS" at The Brick and MOCA in Los Angeles, curated by Hamza Walker, which interrogates American identity through historical relics. Tines and Dash discuss their shared Southern roots, the role of ritual in healing, and the emotional process of filming inside the historic church.

Unsilenced exhibition explores mental health through art in Moose Jaw

The Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery in Saskatchewan is hosting 'Unsilenced,' an interactive art exhibition that explores mental health through the work of five artists. The show features Peter Tucker, Ruth Cuthand, Derek Poe, Amy Snyder, and Richard Boulet, using mediums such as sculpture, ceramics, beadwork, and fibre art to address topics like anxiety, OCD, climate anxiety, and intergenerational trauma. Visitors can engage with installations, including a clay pot piece about eco-stress and a reflection room for deeper contemplation.

How Do You Curate an Exhibition on Genocide? Faisal Saleh and the Palestinian Question That Crosses the Venice Biennale

“Come si cura una mostra sul genocidio?”: Faisal Saleh e la domanda palestinese che attraversa la Biennale di Venezia

At the 2026 Venice Biennale, a collateral exhibition titled “Gaza – No Words – See the Exhibit” presents 100 embroidered works using the traditional Palestinian technique of Tatreez. Curated by artist Faisal Saleh, founder of the Palestine Museum US, the show transforms embroidery from decoration into political testimony, reconstructing scenes from Gaza over the past two and a half years: shrouded bodies, killed children, mothers bidding farewell, bombed hospitals. The exhibition is housed at Palazzo Mora and has been called by many visitors “the real Palestinian Pavilion” of the Biennale, though it is not an official national pavilion.

Navajo Nation: the fight for cultural survival – photo essay

The Navajo Nation is currently navigating a complex struggle to preserve its cultural heritage against the lingering effects of colonial-era boarding schools and the modern pressures of social media and urbanization. While elders like Virginia Brown recount the trauma of forced assimilation and language suppression, a new generation is grappling with a decline in Navajo fluency, which UNESCO now classifies as a vulnerable language. Despite these hurdles, community members are utilizing local schools and traditional practices to reclaim their identity.

rope atlanta black history apex museum

The APEX Museum in Atlanta, a Black history institution founded in 1978, reported discovering a "noose-like rope" in a tree on its premises. The museum's president and CEO, Dan Moore Jr., shared the news in an Instagram post, noting that Homeland Security determined the object was not a noose but that it was removed for evidence. Atlanta police are investigating the incident, which occurred on Wednesday.

In “El Arte de la Resistencia,” migrant children share their experiences through art

An art exhibition titled "El Arte de la Resistencia" opened in Tucson, featuring artwork created by migrant children who have participated in La Ristra's art therapy program. The show includes life-size paintings, such as a boy's self-portrait with an excavator in his belly symbolizing his deported father's work, and a colorful cactus painted by another child. The exhibition, held in a small gallery near Fourth Avenue and Seventh Street, runs until May 17, 2026, with original pieces for sale to benefit the young artists and prints sold to raise funds for La Ristra, a nonprofit providing emotional support to migrant families.

‘Art is story, and stories save lives’: In St. Walburg, a travelling exhibit gives voice to stories often left untold

The Susan Velder Gallery and More in St. Walburg, Saskatchewan, is hosting 'Invisible Winds: Stories You Can Not See, Journeys toward Wholeness,' a traveling exhibition curated through the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC). Featuring 19 local artists, the show explores hidden emotional realities such as adoption, PTSD, trauma, and resilience through mixed-media works, including Holly Hildebrand's textured portraits 'Ghosts and Shadows: Heather' and 'Ghosts and Shadows: Teanna.' Visitors are encouraged to scan QR codes to hear artists' stories, and many return multiple times to absorb the heavy themes.

in venice, ukrainian artists reclaim joy with tender force

The article reports on 'Still Joy — From Ukraine Into the World,' a collateral exhibition at the 61st Venice Biennale presented by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation and PinchukArtCentre. The show features works by Ukrainian artists including Malashchuk & Khimei, Simone Post, and Zhanna Kadyrova, exploring themes of joy, survival, and resilience amid war. Highlights include a two-channel video juxtaposing a Kyiv rave before and after Russia's full-scale invasion, letters from Ukrainian soldiers printed on foam panels, and installations that transform everyday objects into meditations on sweetness and endurance.

AlUla Arts Showcases More than 20 Artists at 61st Venice Biennale

A contemporary art fair called "This is Normal" has been held in Kyiv, Ukraine, during wartime, organized by the Art Kyiv fair. The event features over 20 Ukrainian artists and galleries at the Lavra Gallery, deliberately avoiding any direct reference to the war in its booths or artworks. Organizers and participants describe the fair as a space for cultural continuity and psychological respite, where art helps people make sense of a reality shaped by missile strikes and loss.

Bowen artist behind 'Above the Flood, Watching for the Light'

Bowen Island artist Corey Bulpitt presents his new series "Above the Flood, Watching for the Light" at the Hearth Gallery Community Centre, on view until July 28. The six-painting series follows his earlier "Daalkaatlii Diaries" works, which depicted the great flood of Haida territories and are now held in collections including Paris’ Musée du Quai Branly–Jacques Chirac and Gallery Jones in Vancouver. This new body of work shifts from historical catastrophe to speculative imagination, drawing on Haida cosmology while embracing invention and exploring unseen energies, microscopic spaces, and ephemeral light.

Artist Jessica Smith Says Do What You Love, Even if it Takes You 35 Years

Artist Jessica Smith, originally from Texas, is opening her first solo exhibition in Salt Lake City titled "35 Years of Not Painting" at the Salt Lake City Public Library's Lower Urban Room Gallery from May 11 to June 21. After a high school art teacher censored her work, Smith abandoned painting for decades, turning to theater and later creating personalized picture books for her son with autism. She returned to art during the COVID-19 pandemic, painting portraits of admired figures like Mr. Rogers, Tupac Shakur, and Stevie Nicks. Smith is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation and has become TERO Certified, allowing her to be listed as a potential artist for tribal commissions. She credits the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake as a key support system.

Artworks by Palestinian artists killed in war displayed in Scottish exhibition

An exhibition at POD! community art gallery in Dundee, Scotland, features works by three Palestinian artists: Maysa Yousef, who is alive and exhibiting, and two others—Dorgham Qreaiqea and Heba Zaqout—who were killed in Israel's military campaign in Gaza. The display also includes artwork by children in Gaza who participated in art therapy workshops led by Yousef, who describes art as a means of survival and resistance amid ongoing violence and trauma.

Sound Minds: The Artists Decoding the Noise That Dominates Our Contemporary World

The exhibition "état bruit" at Konschthal Esch explores the concept of noise as a form of interference, cultural signal, and political tool. Featuring works by seven contemporary artists, including Nik Nowak’s Indonesian-inspired sound truck and Open Group’s haunting video installation of refugees mimicking artillery, the show investigates how sound reflects both community identity and the trauma of conflict.

Creativity in Culmination: Senior Art Exhibit & Reception

Wittenberg University’s Art Department recently debuted "Prologue to Somewhere," a senior thesis exhibition held in the Ann Miller and Thompson Galleries. The showcase features diverse works from nine graduating seniors, ranging from traditional oil painting and stoneware ceramics to digital media, photography, and interactive video game design. Notable projects include Francesca Heidinger’s Pink Floyd-inspired abstract paintings, Kris Such’s queer horror comic concept art, and Molly Kirkpatrick’s mental health-focused digital experience.

Art exhibit at Brooklyn Public Library asks visitors to imagine a world without prisons

Artist Vic Liu and abolitionist organizer Mariame Kaba have launched "The Warehouse," a large-scale exhibition at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Bedford branch. Featuring over two dozen paintings and a dedicated children’s wing, the installation explores the concept of prison abolition by visualizing a society supported by robust healthcare, housing, and community care. The project moves away from traumatic imagery, instead focusing on the humanity of incarcerated individuals and the tangible possibilities of a world without prisons.

Artists take us down the rabbit hole in this group exhibition

The group exhibition 'Down the Rabbit Hole' at The Crypt Gallery features over 30 artists reflecting on the psychological and social impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Presented by the social enterprise Katya’s Space, the show honors the legacy of the late artist Katya Kan, who passed away in 2023. The works explore themes of digital addiction, isolation, and the 'dystopian' shift in reality experienced during global lockdowns, using Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland as a metaphor for this profound transformation.

Brixton artist Courtenay Kusitor opens first solo show at Carnegie Library, Herne Hill, Sat 18th – Mon 20th April 2026

South London abstract artist Courtenay Kusitor is set to debut her first solo exhibition, "Unconscious / Conscious / Aligned," at the historic Carnegie Library in Herne Hill from April 18–20, 2026. The showcase features three years of expressive abstract paintings created during the artist's recovery from a near-fatal spinal injury sustained during a winter storm. By incorporating a curated selection of books alongside her canvases, Kusitor offers a window into the philosophical and psychological frameworks that informed her creative process.

58th Annual Juried Undergraduate Exhibition showcases WCU student artists

The WCU Fine Art Museum recently hosted its 58th Annual Juried Undergraduate Exhibition, featuring works by 25 student artists across various media including video, sculpture, and photography. Juried by artist Tracy Templeton, the showcase highlighted technical skill and personal expression, with top honors going to James Wood Boone for his time-based media piece "The Caretaker" and Valeria Enid Ramos for her portraiture.

Rania Matar’s new Eskenazi Museum exhibit highlights women’s resistance in Lebanon

Photographer Rania Matar has opened a new exhibition at the Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University. The show features her work focusing on the lives, resilience, and resistance of women and girls in Lebanon, particularly in the aftermath of the 2020 Beirut port explosion.

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.

‘A passion project’ – Local artist gives voice to Vietnam veterans with powerful exhibit

Somerset artist Brian Fox has created a powerful exhibit titled “In the Valley of the Shadow,” now on display at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Massachusetts, through December 27th. The paintings depict the harrowing experiences of Vietnam War veterans, with Fox spending hours consulting veterans like Wayne Smith, a former combat medic, and David Jennings of the 1st Marine Division to ensure historical and emotional accuracy. The project began with a single war-themed painting and has grown into a full exhibition that Fox plans to expand by one or two paintings each year.

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.

Kennedy Museum of Art showcases faculty talent and perspectives in “Art & Process” exhibition

The Kennedy Museum of Art at Ohio University has opened "Art & Process," a faculty exhibition featuring works from the School of Art + Design. The show includes diverse media such as video, photography, painting, fiber, and multimedia pieces, with contributions from faculty members including Basil Masri Zada, whose piece "Destroy Again! Syria" combines sound, video, and physical imagery to address the dictatorship and terrorism in Syria, and Duane McDiarmid, whose work "The Silence of Drums" reflects on the 1862 hanging of 38 Native Americans in Mankato, Minnesota. The exhibition was organized by director Sandra Harris and registrar Lisa Quinn.

Art exhibit honors Maine’s Deaf community, victims of Lewiston shootings - Portland Press Herald

An exhibition titled “Unspoken Resilience: Healing from the Lewiston Shooting Two Years In” is on view at the University of New England Art Gallery in Portland, Maine. Co-curated by Michelle Ames and Meryl Troop, the show features work by deaf artists and craftspeople alongside color photographs of Lewiston by Michael Kolster. It was created in response to the October 2023 mass shooting at Schemengees Bar & Grille in Lewiston, which killed 18 people, four of whom were deaf. Ames, co-director of deaf services at Disability Rights Maine, was frustrated by the lack of ASL interpreters in media coverage and helped organize community support. The exhibition includes pieces that explore Deaf culture, healing, and the concept of De’VIA (Deaf View/Image Art), a term defined in 1989 by deaf artists to express the Deaf experience through high contrast, intense colors, and symbolic imagery.

‘I want to haunt people’: Palestinian artist's London exhibition interrogates myth, history and the erasure of heritage

Palestinian artist Dima Srouji's exhibition *A Cosmogram of Holy Views* opens at London's Ab Anbar Gallery, presenting a decade of research into the built heritage of Palestinian Christians. The show juxtaposes European Renaissance depictions of the Holy Land with the reality of life under Israeli occupation, using media such as tinted glass collages, blown glass, carved stone, and mother-of-pearl objects. Works like *Return to Nazareth* overlay biblical scenes with personal childhood memories, while *Phantom Votives* offers wax votive forms as a response to the destruction in Gaza.

‘When you’re working with clay, you’re working with the earth’: Studio’s new exhibition offers ‘Clay as Care’

The Clay Studio in Philadelphia has opened a new exhibition titled "Clay as Care: Ceramic Art and Wellbeing," which explores the therapeutic and restorative benefits of working with ceramics. The show features four artists—Adebunmi Gbadebo, Jennifer Ling Datchuk, Ehren Tool, and Maia Chao—each using clay to address personal healing journeys, from fertility struggles to military trauma. The exhibition includes interactive elements like communal clay for visitors and is part of a research project in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania Center for Neuroaesthetics, Jefferson University Art Therapy Department, and Drexel University Art Psychotherapy team, collecting data on the show's impact on wellness.

UNE Art Gallery show honors Deaf community and victims of the Lewiston shootings

An art exhibition titled "Unspoken Resilience: Healing from the Lewiston Shootings Two Years In" will open at the University of New England Art Gallery in Portland on September 25, 2025, coinciding with Deaf Culture Week. Co-curated by Michelle Ames and Meryl Troop, the show features works by deaf artists and artisans, alongside photographs by Michael Kolster documenting Lewiston, Maine, where a mass shooting in 2023 killed 18 people and injured 13. Four of the victims were deaf, and two other deaf individuals were injured, making this the only mass shooting in U.S. history to disproportionately impact the Deaf community. The exhibition runs through February 7, 2026, and includes contributions from American Sign Language interpreters.