Who Are These People? A Conversation with Kai Althoff by Carlo Antonelli

In an intimate interview with Carlo Antonelli, German artist Kai Althoff discusses the psychological origins of the figures that populate his paintings and his collaborative history with Isa Genzken. Althoff describes his characters as a mix of imagined friends, despicable archetypes, and spirits that emerge subconsciously to outshine his own perceived mediocrity. He also reflects on his early influences, ranging from German-localized Marvel horror comics to the improvisational 'home video' skits he produced with Genzken, which he characterizes as a film about love.

An artist told the incredible story of a Calabrian village that no longer exists. The interview

Un artista ha raccontato l’incredibile storia di un borgo della Calabria che non c’è più. L’intervista

Italian artist Martin Errichiello has created [campanamuta], a six-part audio work broadcast on RAI Radio 3's Zazà program in late 2025 and now available on RaiPlay Sound. The piece tells the story of Eranova, a farming community founded in 1896 near Reggio Calabria that was destroyed by 1980 after the Christian Democratic party planned—but never built—a steel center on its land, now the site of the Port of Gioia Tauro. Errichiello weaves together interviews with former residents and his own original texts, using non-linear narration to explore the village's utopian origins and forced disappearance.

Art, Public Space, and Urban Regeneration: The New Issue of the Render Newsletter Arrives

Arte, spazio pubblico e rigenerazione urbana: arriva il nuovo numero della newsletter Render (iscrivetevi!)

Artribune has announced the release of the 55th edition of its bi-weekly newsletter, Render, which focuses on public art, urban regeneration, and contemporary architecture. This latest issue features a deep dive by researcher Fabio Ciaravella into the role of public monuments in shaping societal views on peace versus war, alongside an interview with Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak regarding the Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi. Additionally, the newsletter highlights Italian urban renewal projects, the trend of repurposing abandoned cinemas, and upcoming events like Milan Design Week.

Tania El Khoury’s Soothing “Revenge Art”

Lebanese artist and Bard College professor Tania El Khoury discusses her multidisciplinary practice and her recent experience living through the escalation of conflict in Beirut. The interview highlights her interactive performance piece, "The Search for Power," which uses her own 2018 wedding blackout as a jumping-off point to investigate the colonial roots of Lebanon's systemic infrastructure failures. Originally set for a Beirut run in March, the production was postponed due to the outbreak of war.

Brooklyn Museum Presents Hopi Kachina Dolls: Blessings for a Balanced World

The Brooklyn Museum has announced a landmark exhibition titled "Hopi Kachina Dolls: Blessings for a Balanced World," scheduled to open in October 2026. Featuring over 120 objects ranging from the 19th century to the present, the show draws from the museum's extensive Indigenous art collection alongside contemporary loans of ceramics, textiles, and jewelry. The presentation is uniquely structured around the life stages of Hopi women—from infancy to marriage—and includes newly commissioned video interviews with community members.

This unpublished comic tries to tell us what the Biennale of the future will be like

Questo fumetto inedito prova raccontarci come sarà la Biennale del futuro

Hurricane (Ivan Manuppelli), a leading figure in Italian underground comics, creates an original comic titled "Biennale 2126" for Artribune, imagining what the Venice Biennale might look like in the future. In an accompanying interview, he discusses his satirical approach, the enduring relevance of underground comics, and the importance of critiquing power through art.

What lies behind the choice of a dress? We asked one of the most famous stylists in the world

Cosa c’è dietro alla scelta di un vestito? Lo abbiamo chiesto a uno degli stylist più famosi del mondo

Tom Eerebout, a renowned stylist and fashion consultant known for his work with Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue, and Austin Butler, has curated an exhibition titled "Exposure – Il potere di essere visti" at ITS Arcademy in Trieste. The show, which runs alongside the ITS Contest where Eerebout serves as a judge for the third consecutive year, explores styling as a tool for constructing identity and shaping contemporary visual culture. In an interview, Eerebout discusses his creative process, his early childhood experiments with costumes, and his belief that styling is not about appearance but about how we exist.

The Poet of Light. Interview with Lighting Designer Davide Groppi

Il poeta della luce. Intervista al lighting designer Davide Groppi

Lighting designer Davide Groppi (born 1963 in Piacenza) is the subject of a rare retrospective exhibition titled "Un'ora di luce" (An Hour of Light), on view until May 26 at the Volumnia gallery in Piacenza, curated by Marco Sammicheli. The show, held in a deconsecrated late-16th-century church, traces Groppi's nearly 40-year career through products, prototypes, and personal artistic research, including his iconic lamp "Nulla" (2010), which won the first of his three Compasso d'Oro awards. In an interview, Groppi discusses the exhibition's themes of lightness, cosmic references, and his philosophy of subtraction in design.

“The State of the World? An Act of Madness.” Interview with Ai Weiwei, Arriving in Milan with a Surprise Installation

“Lo stato del mondo? Un atto di follia”. Intervista con Ai Weiwei che arriva a Milano con un’installazione a sorpresa

Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei has unveiled a surprise site-specific installation in Milan, created in collaboration with the historic Venetian textile house Rubelli. Located in the Rubelli showroom for Fuorisalone 2026, the immersive work features a large-scale lampas fabric woven with silk and gold threads, depicting symbols of surveillance, censorship, and political struggle such as handcuffs, the Twitter bird, and alpacas.

Urban Reflections, Daniel Melim on the City as Studio, Archive and Collective Space

Brazilian artist Daniel Melim discusses his exhibition "Urban Reflections" at São Bernardo do Campo in an interview with Brendon Bell-Roberts. Melim, who emerged from the graffiti and stencil cultures of ABC Paulista, describes how the city functions as an active collaborator in his practice, transforming the gallery into an expanded studio where boundaries between street, studio, and institution dissolve. The exhibition juxtaposes pivotal and previously unseen works, tracing his artistic evolution and layered urban memory.

Korea's longest-running art fair to open with largest exhibition to date in April

The Galleries Association of Korea has announced that the 2025 Galleries Art Fair will be its largest edition since its inception in 1979. Opening on April 8 at the Coex convention center in Seoul, the fair will feature 169 member galleries, including major names like Kukje Gallery and Gana Art. The event will include a "Zoom In" section highlighting 10 emerging artists and a special archival exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Galleries Association of Korea.

Comment | A spate of dealer anniversaries offers hope amid art market doomerism

A spate of New York galleries are celebrating significant anniversaries—Pace Gallery (65 years), Sperone Westwater (50), Hal Bromm (50), Albertz Benda (10), Jane Lombard (30), Yancey Richardson (30), and James Cohan (25)—mounting special exhibitions that mark their longevity. These milestones come amid widespread anxiety about the traditional dealer model, with headlines suggesting the sector is in crisis.

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University of Alaska Fairbanks student Graham Granger was arrested for tearing up and eating Polaroids from an AI-generated artwork by Nick Dwyer in an MFA exhibition, causing less than $250 in damage. Granger, charged with criminal mischief, described the act as a protest against the school's AI policy and a performance art piece, while Dwyer rejected the explanation and likened it to vandalism.

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Avinadav Begin, grandson of former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, is currently exhibiting his latest abstract metal and steel works at Sheetrit & Wolf Contemporary Art Gallery in Tel Aviv. The pieces, which he describes as “openings, apertures,” are neither paintings nor sculptures but heavy hybrid forms weighing up to 220 pounds, resembling rubble and broken window frames. In interviews, Begin has emphasized his identity as an artist rather than a politician, distancing himself from the current Likud party leadership under Benjamin Netanyahu, while acknowledging the influence of the ongoing war and hostage crisis on his work.

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Artist and editor Tod Lippy, stunned by Donald Trump's 2024 presidential election win, embarked on an obsessive two-day search for voters who had publicly supported Trump. Finding 50 individuals through op-eds and news interviews, Lippy—who had never painted before—created a series of portraits titled *My Fellow Americans*. The works debut as a site-specific installation at Independent New York. Over several months, Lippy painted nearly one portrait a day using acrylic gouache, immersing himself in the process and studying each subject's face in detail.

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Santina Semadar Panetta, a progenitor of Neo-Pointillism, recently exhibited her vibrant, brushstroke-driven works at Art Miami. In an interview with Artnet News, she discussed her debut at the fair, showing two key pieces—'Souls Connection' (2022) and 'Ciel et Terre' (2023)—chosen to reflect Miami's dual nature of boldness and introspection. She also described her practice as 'emotional architecture,' evolving to engage more deeply with classical art philosophy and contemporary themes like identity and the fluidity of time.

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Artnet is co-presenting Midnight Moment in partnership with Times Square Arts this June, featuring Yuge Zhou's video work *Trampoline Color Exercise*. The piece uses archival Olympic footage to show gymnasts tumbling on pink-gridded trampolines in a seamless collage, exploring themes of globalization, geopolitical tension, and humanity's pursuit of perfection. Zhou, a video artist with a background in computer science and a former child singer in China, discusses her creative journey and the inspiration behind the work in an accompanying interview.

It is Naive to Believe that Bombs Bring Freedom

"Es ist naiv zu glauben, dass Bomben Freiheit bringen"

Iranian-born artist Peyman Rahimi discusses the profound impact of his childhood experiences during the Iran-Iraq War and his subsequent mandatory military service on his creative practice. Breaking a long-held silence, Rahimi argues against the naivety of believing that military interventions or foreign bombings can bring true freedom to Iran, emphasizing that war only generates new trauma and suffering. He highlights the central role of Iranian women in the struggle for change, noting that their resilience remains the most potent threat to the current regime.

Margaret Whyte on Representing Uruguay at the 61st Venice Biennale

Margaret Whyte, an artist from Uruguay, is set to represent her country at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026, with her pavilion located in the Giardini. In an interview with ArtReview, Whyte discusses her exhibition, which builds on her earlier show "Tiempo de Escuchar" at the National Museum of Visual Arts in Uruguay, curated by Patricia Bentancur. Her work is inspired by Nassim N. Taleb's book "Antifragile" (2012), exploring themes of chaos, uncertainty, and resilience. She sees her antifragile approach as complementary to the Biennale's theme, "In Minor Keys," curated by Koyo Kouoh, emphasizing emotional depth, silence, and healing.

Manet Under the Magnifying Glass

Manet à la loupe

A new documentary film titled 'Le Monde dans un tableau : les lampes de Manet' offers a detailed investigation into Édouard Manet's final major painting, 'Un bar aux Folies Bergère'. The film features an eclectic mix of interviewees, from a Folies Bergère lighting technician to a Shintō monk and a Tokyo print editor, weaving together art history and broader historical context around the iconic work.

Kengo Kuma: "The first time architecture moved me, it was a church"

Kengo Kuma : « La première fois qu’une architecture m’a ému, c’était celle d’une église »

Renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma discusses his design philosophy and his recent intervention at the Angers Cathedral in France. He emphasizes a "dialogue with the place" over architectural ego, focusing on topography, local materials, and the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in the aging of materials over time. Kuma reflects on how his first emotional encounter with architecture occurred in a Christian chapel as a child, an experience that continues to inform his use of light and verticality.

The Irresistible Force of Thinking and Acting Together

Guest curator Greg de Cuir Jr. interviews five prominent artist duos—including Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, and OJOBOCA—to explore the mechanics of collaborative practice and shared life. The participants discuss the origins of their partnerships, ranging from the necessity of navigating new environments like Berlin’s analog film scene to the shared political and aesthetic urgency following the Lebanese Civil Wars.

Required Reading

This week's cultural roundup connects diverse stories from art conservation to literary analysis. Novelist Karma Brown draws parallels between restoring artworks and revising novels, inspired by visits to the Art Gallery of Ontario, while an interview with Namwali Serpell examines the complex "monumentalization" of Toni Morrison's legacy. The column also includes a poignant image from Tehran—a framed artwork hanging in a bomb-damaged apartment—and touches on topics ranging from celebrating Eid in Gaza to discussions about "girl games" and the Lindy West drama.

With ‘Doonesbury,’ Garry Trudeau Found a Way to Inform and Entertain a Generation of Newspaper Readers, One Panel at a Time

A new biography, "Trudeau & Doonesbury: The Cartoonist Who Turned the News Into Art," chronicles the life and career of reclusive cartoonist Garry Trudeau. Journalist Joshua Kendall's work, based on archives and interviews, traces Trudeau's evolution from a Yale student creating the strip's precursor to the creator of a politically potent daily comic that ran for over four decades.

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Adam Chinn, former chief operating officer at Sotheby's, has been quietly building International Art Finance (IAF), a boutique art lending firm backed by the billionaire Nahmad family. In a recent interview with ARTnews, Chinn revealed that IAF has disbursed nearly $400 million in loans and is on track to reach $500 million by the end of 2025. The firm offers short-term, non-recourse loans with an average size of $8 million, claiming an edge in speed and scale, with loans disbursed in as little as 10 days. The Nahmad family, prolific collectors and dealers, provides funding and conducts internal artwork valuations, a practice that has drawn scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest.

Sarah Alruwayti on Riyadh's Shift from Vision to Execution

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Sarah Alruwayti, director of the Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium, discusses the evolution of Riyadh Art’s public art initiatives under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. The symposium has grown from a local project into a global open-call forum, commissioning over 120 international sculptors to create permanent works using local materials like Saudi granite and reclaimed metal. The latest edition, themed "Traces of What Will Be," focuses on urban transformation and the historical context of Riyadh’s changing landscape.

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You Yang, the director of X Museum, discusses the recent surge in new art museums, particularly those backed by tech companies in China's Greater Bay Area, including Shenzhen and Hong Kong. He attributes this boom to a strategic shift in Shenzhen's cultural policy, the city's established cultural foundations, and the region's historical role in cross-cultural exchange, which has created a demand for contemporary institutions.

Natasha Tontey: ‘Dystopia Is Already Here’

Indonesian artist Natasha Tontey is the subject of an interview discussing her film series *Macho Mystic Meltdown*, which debuted at the Venice Biennale. The series includes chapters *Oikoumenē* (2025), *Monster, She Wrote* (2026), and *The Phantom Combatants* (2026), exploring Minahasan cosmology, the Permesta rebellion, and the mythologized figure of female combatant Len Karamoy. Tontey uses speculative fabulation, collage, and unstable bodily forms to challenge patriarchal norms and official histories.

Nelson-Aktins 1975 Chinese art exhibit still resonates in Kansas City today | Opinion

In spring 1975, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City hosted the second American stop of "The Exhibition of Archaeological Finds of the People's Republic of China," a landmark traveling show of ancient Chinese artifacts including jade, silk, and bronze sculptures. The author, then a University of Missouri-Kansas City economics student, worked behind the scenes at the museum, describing an unusual interview conducted while gardening and his task of touch-painting gallery walls with a dry brush to cover visitor smudges before opening.

MassMu to spotlight Akron artist's work

The Massillon Museum is currently hosting "Isabelle Crawford: Pure Potentiality," a solo exhibition in its Studio M space featuring paintings and drawings by the Akron-based artist. Crawford’s work explores the intersection of human connection and perception, reflecting her commitment to using art as a tool for community engagement and social change. The exhibition, which runs through April 26, will be supplemented by a featured interview with the artist on the museum’s "MassMusings" podcast.