'I wanted to catch the desperation': Dries Verhoeven on turning the Dutch pavilion into a bunker for the Venice Biennale

Artist Dries Verhoeven has transformed the Dutch pavilion at the Venice Biennale into a bunker-like space by covering its iconic glass-and-steel structure with metal shutters. Inside, visitors experience a gradually darkening environment and a raw vocal performance by 13 rotating performers, intended to evoke desperation and confusion about contemporary global crises. The work critiques the modernist ideals of openness and optimism embodied by the pavilion, designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1953.

Pedro Reyes’s new Lacma commission sparks criticism in Mexico

Pedro Reyes's new sculpture 'Tlali' (2026), a four-meter-tall Olmec-inspired volcanic-stone female face installed at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma), has sparked criticism in Mexico. An open letter signed by nearly 80 cultural figures, published on the art criticism site Cubo Blanco, alleges the work is a new version of a 2021 project that was canceled after backlash. That earlier project, 'Tlalli', was meant to replace a Christopher Columbus statue on Mexico City's Paseo de la Reforma but faced opposition from over 300 cultural figures who argued a male, non-Indigenous artist should not represent Indigenous women. The site later became the 'Glorieta de las Mujeres que Luchan', an anti-monument against gender violence.

The Bahamas returns to the Venice Biennale with a joy-filled posthumous collaboration

The Bahamas will return to the Venice Biennale in 2026 after a 13-year absence with a posthumous exhibition for artist John Beadle, who died in 2024 at age 60. Beadle was originally selected to represent the country in 2015 but the government withdrew funding. The exhibition, titled "In Another Man’s Yard," will feature Beadle’s work alongside that of his mentee, Lavar Munroe, using materials from Beadle’s studio including sails from Haitian migrant sloops. The pavilion is organized by commissioner Amanda Coulson and curator Krista Thompson, who raised private funds after the government declined to support the project.

In Venice to Install Work for the Biennale, Artist Guadalupe Maravilla Alleges Racial Profiling by Police

New York–based artist Guadalupe Maravilla, in Venice to install his work for the 2026 Venice Biennale, alleges he was racially profiled by police after leaving the Arsenale venue. Two officers demanded his documents, called backup, and attempted to handcuff him before he de-escalated the situation and left. Maravilla, known for his 'Disease Thrower' sculptures that address migration and healing, shared the incident on Instagram and provided a statement to ARTnews.

An Art Historian’s Riotous Novel Melds Medieval Art with Monica Lewinsky

Julia Langbein's new novel *Dear Monica Lewinsky*, published by Doubleday, follows translator Jean Dornan as she revisits a traumatic relationship with a professor from her youth, set against the backdrop of the 1998 Monica Lewinsky scandal. The story interweaves medieval art, particularly the 13th-century *Golden Legend*, with Lewinsky's public shaming, as Jean prays to Lewinsky for guidance and is visited by a haloed version of her. Langbein, an art historian with a PhD from the University of Chicago, draws on her expertise to explore themes of humiliation, self-estrangement, and collective experience.

A Culture Lover’s Guide to Northwest Arkansas, a Land of Contradictions

This travel guide explores the cultural landscape of Northwest Arkansas, focusing on the upcoming 114,000-square-foot expansion of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, set to open June 6, 2026. The author recounts a road trip from Little Rock to the Ozarks, visiting the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (with its new Studio Gang-designed building), dining at Coursey's Smoked Meats, and encountering a white supremacist billboard in Harrison, while also highlighting Thorncrown Chapel by E. Fay Jones as a transcendent architectural stop.

Statement of Withdrawal from Visitor Lion Awards

Yu Ji’s Democratic Play

Yu Ji's solo exhibition at PPOW, New York, titled "Origin of the Tiger," presents sculptures and collages created after a residency she organized in Phnom Penh that offered art education to children. The show features works like reed mats with snail shells, a Sony Trinitron looping video, collaged drawings incorporating Cambodian children's art, and composite sculptures such as chairs with concrete knee casts and a figure inspired by a misattributed sixth-century Krishna statue. The exhibition draws on a Khmer folktale about transformation and includes audio of children reciting the story, though the children appear more as muses than collaborators.

Sara Shamma on Representing Syria at the 61st Venice Biennale

Sara Shamma will represent Syria at the 61st Venice Biennale (2026) with a large-scale immersive installation titled *The Tower Tomb of Palmyra*. The 15-meter-high multisensory work combines painting, architecture, light, sound, and scent, inspired by the ancient funerary towers of Palmyra that were destroyed during the Syrian War. Shamma describes the piece as a reflection on loss, resilience, and cultural memory, and notes its resonance with the Biennale's theme, *In Minor Keys*, curated by Koyo Kouoh.

59th Carnegie International tests the limits of connection and inclusion

The 59th Carnegie International, titled "If the word we," opens at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, curated by Ryan Inouye, Danielle A. Jackson, and Liz Park. The exhibition emphasizes community and collaboration, featuring immersive installations by artists such as Shala Miller, Jasleen Kaur, and Georges Adéagbo, whose work incorporates local thrift-store finds like Pittsburgh Steelers merchandise. Offsite programming extends to venues including the Mattress Factory and Children's Museum of Pittsburgh.

Local Collections Shine at Sarasota Art Museum's Latest Exhibition

Sarasota Art Museum (SAM) has opened a new exhibition titled "Something Borrowed, Something New," featuring works from private collectors across Southwest Florida. The show includes pieces by renowned artists such as Chuck Close, KAWS, Richard Serra, Yoko Ono, Ai Weiwei, and Louise Bourgeois, spanning paintings, prints, sculptures, and mixed media from the 20th and 21st centuries. The exhibition was inspired by a museum trip program, during which executive director Virginia Shearer noticed that local collectors owned significant works by artists featured in major institutions like the Renwick Gallery and Glenstone.

Artists Spar Over Credit For A Dress Displayed In The Met’s ‘Costume Art’ Exhibition

London-based artist Anouska Samms has accused the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute of exhibiting a dress that she claims is a counterfeit of her work in the ongoing "Costume Art" exhibition. The dress, titled Corpus Nervina 0.0, is credited solely to New York-based Israeli designer Yoav Hadari, but Samms alleges it closely resembles an earlier Nervina hair dress she co-developed with Hadari during their 2023 residency at the Lee Alexander McQueen Sarabande Foundation. Samms discovered the display via a social media post and has since spoken out, noting that a contract from their collaboration designated her as the sole owner of the intellectual property of the fabric. The Met has requested that the two parties resolve their dispute before the museum takes further action.

Selfie-Friendly Pedro Reyes Sculpture Sparks Controversy at LACMA

Nearly eighty Mexican cultural figures have signed an open letter condemning the installation of Pedro Reyes's sculpture 'Tlali' (2026) in the plaza of LACMA's new David Geffen Galleries. The work, described as a selfie-friendly monolithic face inspired by Olmec art, closely resembles a 2021 proposal for a Mexico City sculpture titled 'Tlalli' that was abandoned after protests from hundreds of cultural workers. Critics argue that Reyes, a male artist who does not identify as Indigenous, should not represent Indigenous womanhood, and that the new work perpetuates colonial stereotypes and nationalistic aesthetics. LACMA has defended the piece, claiming it is entirely different in purpose and meaning, while Reyes has not commented.

In Performance Series, Artists Tackle the Nature of Images, and Reality, in the Face of AI

At Giorno Poetry Systems (GPS) in New York, a three-day program titled “Exert: The Physics of Metaphysics” featured performances and readings by artists including Mark Leckey, Hari Kunzru, and Gideon Jacobs. The works explored how emerging technologies like AI, VR, and AR are reshaping perceptions of reality and simulation, with Kunzru reading from a novel-in-progress about a man navigating a world where simulation encroaches on everyday life, and Jacobs presenting a performance lecture blending theater, essay, and AI-generated video.

Mummy, is this a video game? The dangers of showing kids art on a screen

A parent takes their toddler to Frameless, an immersive digital art experience in London, where works by Hieronymus Bosch, Claude Monet, and Georges Seurat are projected onto walls, ceilings, and floors. The child reacts with mixed engagement—enjoying some moments but feeling overwhelmed by the frenetic, screen-based environment—while the author reflects on the tension between traditional static art and animated digital reproductions.

Star-Studded Doc on Auction Icon Simon de Pury Heads to Cannes

A new feature-length documentary titled "The Hammer" will premiere at this spring's Cannes Film Market, chronicling the five-decade career of Swiss auctioneer and art advisor Simon de Pury. Produced by Simon Wallon, who previously made a documentary on casting director Bonnie Timmermann, the film features cameos from artists Marina Abramović, Jeff Koons, Ai Weiwei, and Chloe Wise, and includes executive producer Catherine Quantschnigg. Filming took place in New York, Tokyo, London, Cannes, Miami, and Monaco between July 2023 and February 2025.

98,000 People Rush to Defense of Arts Trustee Misan Harriman in Wake of Antisemitism Accusations

More than 98,000 people have filed complaints with the UK Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) in defense of British-Nigerian arts trustee Misan Harriman, following accusations of antisemitism leveled against him by right-wing outlets including the Daily Mail and the Telegraph. The complaints mark the highest number ever submitted to IPSO over a single issue. Separately, an open letter signed by activist Greta Thunberg and artists Tracey Emin and Peter Doig condemns what they call a "dishonest smear campaign" targeting Harriman, who is an Oscar-nominated photographer, chair of the Southbank Centre, and a nominee for Amnesty UK’s People’s Human Rights Champion.

Want to See a Variety Show With Barbara Kruger, Anne Imhof, Julio Torres, and More?

Performa, the New York City-based nonprofit dedicated to performance art, is hosting a one-night-only variety show fundraiser on June 10 at Midtown's Town Hall theater. The cabaret-style event will feature 12 acts blending comedy, dance, music, and acrobatics, with participants including visual artists Barbara Kruger, Laurie Simmons, and Marcel Dzama, performance artist Anne Imhof, dancer Yvonne Rainer, actor Julio Torres, and musicians Slauson Malone, Precious Renee Tucker, and Lonnie Holley. The fundraiser supports Performa's biennial, which takes place every other November.

Robert Filliou, artistes océaniens… Que nous réserve la prochaine édition de la Biennale de Lyon ?

The 18th edition of the Lyon Biennale, titled "Passer d’un rêve à l’autre" (Moving from One Dream to Another), will run from September 19 to December 13, 2026. Curated by Catherine Nichols, an Australian-born art historian and editor based in Berlin, the biennial will take place across ten venues in Lyon, including the Grandes Locos, macLyon, and for the first time the Musée des Tissus et des Arts décoratifs. More than half of the works will be new productions, and over half of the artists are women, with a substantial focus on Oceanian artists such as Timo Hogan, Jazz Money, and Kaylene Whiskey. The exhibition draws inspiration from Lyon's traboules (hidden passageways) and the writings of artist Robert Filliou, exploring themes of dreams, critical analysis, and a "poetic economy."

SFMOMA reimagines our connection to 250 works of art across four floors.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) has unveiled "Reimagined: The Fisher Collection at 10," a major reinstallation of approximately 250 works from 35 artists across four floors. The project was led by project assistant curator Ted Mann and chief education and public engagement officer Gamynne Guillotte, who collaborated to transform how the collection is presented. Changes include rotating galleries, such as the Agnes Martin room, to improve sightlines, and incorporating artists' voices, archival video, and interpretive tools to make abstract works more accessible. The reinstallation marks the tenth anniversary of the Fisher Collection's long-term loan to SFMOMA, originally arranged in 2009 and later extended to 100 years.

Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy closing for summer, but 37 other exhibitions on view at museums in May

The article provides a roundup of museum exhibitions on view in Southwest Florida during May, highlighting five new openings, eight closings, and 25 continuing shows across museums from Sarasota to Naples. Featured exhibitions include Molly Hatch's site-specific ceramic installation "Amalgam" at Sarasota Art Museum, Jillian Mayer's interactive "Slumpies" sculptures, a group show "Something Borrowed, Something New" with works by Louise Bourgeois, Chuck Close, David Hockney, Yoko Ono, Kara Walker, and Ai Weiwei, and Maria A. Guzman Capron's solo textile exhibition "Penumbra." The Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy is noted as closing for the summer.

Rene Matić wins 2026 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize

Rene Matić has won the 2026 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize, becoming the first British winner in over a decade. The announcement was made at The Photographers’ Gallery in London on May 14, 2025, where Matić received £30,000 for their exhibition *AS OPPOSED TO THE TRUTH*, which uses photography, installation, and sound to explore identity and belonging. Matić was nominated for the show at the Center for Contemporary Arts Berlin (CCA Berlin) and is also a recent Turner Prize nominee. The prize exhibition runs at The Photographers’ Gallery until June 7, alongside works by fellow shortlisted artists Jane Evelyn Atwood, Weronika Gęsicka, and Amak Mahmoodian.

Ansel Adams Trust Slams Gallery for AI-Generated Work at AIPAD Photography Show

The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust publicly condemned Danziger Gallery for exhibiting and offering for sale an AI-generated artwork at the 2026 AIPAD Photography Show in New York. The untitled piece, described as a color version of Adams' iconic photograph "Moonrise Over Hernandez," was printed by master printer Esteban Mauchi and displayed alongside works by Seydou Keïta, Hoda Afshar, and Matthew Porter. The trust stated it did not authorize or endorse the work, accused the gallery of exploiting Adams' name and reputation, and noted that Danziger did not remove the piece after being contacted. The gallery has not commented publicly.

Mounting Rene Matić’s snapshots in Perspex isn’t really enough to make them interesting | Charlotte Jansen

Rene Matić, at 29, became the youngest winner of the £30,000 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation prize, nominated for their solo exhibition "As Opposed to the Truth" at CCA Berlin. A smaller version of that show is now at the Photographers’ Gallery in London. Matić was also the youngest Turner Prize nominee last year. The article critiques Matić's work, praising their 2022 piece "Upon This Rock" for exploring masculinity, fatherhood, and British identity, but dismissing much of their other output—like the snapshot installation "Feelings Wheel"—as immature, mediocre, and reliant on display gimmicks rather than photographic substance.

Across Venice, Artists Defy Censorship to Mourn and Memorialize Gaza

The 2026 Venice Biennale, titled “In Minor Keys,” features numerous artworks that mourn and memorialize the destruction of Gaza, despite censorship pressures. The main exhibition opens with a poem by slain Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer, and includes works by artists such as Theo Eshetu, Mohammed Joha, Manuel Mathieu, and Avi Mograbi that directly or indirectly address the conflict. Outside the official Biennale, South African artist Gabrielle Goliath’s performance series “Elegy” was censored by her country’s culture minister after she proposed a version honoring murdered Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada, leading her to present the work independently at a church in Venice.

Was Jeffrey Epstein’s Copy of a Modernist Painting Available for Sale on eBay?

An eBay seller listed a giclée print of Kees van Dongen's painting "Femme Fatale" (ca. 1905), claiming it once hung above Jeffrey Epstein's desk in his Upper East Side townhouse. The listing, titled "Documented by Federal Prosecutors," sought $50,000 and reached $25,000 in bidding before eBay removed it for violating its policies. The print had previously sold at Millea Bros. Auctioneers for $275. The New York Post first reported the listing, which referenced federal documentation of Epstein's art collection.

Banksy’s Venice mural has been restored and will now tour city

A Banksy mural titled "Migrant Child," originally sprayed onto a 17th-century palazzo in Venice in 2019, has been restored and will tour the city's canals this weekend. The work, which depicts a child holding a flare and wearing a life vest, was removed from the Palazzo San Pantalon after six years of neglect and environmental damage had caused about a third of it to deteriorate. The restoration was funded by Banca Ifis, which purchased the palazzo in 2024 and commissioned Zaha Hadid Architects for the building's renovation. The conservation was supervised by Federico Borgogni, who previously oversaw the removal of another Banksy work in Bristol.

‘We put our heads above the parapet’: Lubaina Himid on winning her 40-year battle to storm the Venice Biennale

Lubaina Himid, the 71-year-old British artist, is representing Britain at the Venice Biennale with a solo exhibition in the British Pavilion. Known for her decades-long career addressing Black identity and colonial history through paintings, textiles, and cut-out figures, Himid installed her work early and even got married in the lead-up to the biennale. She follows fellow Black British artists John Akomfrah and Sonia Boyce in recent years, completing a trio of artists from the same generation to take over the pavilion.

Raghu Rai’s masterful images of Indian life – in pictures

Raghu Rai, the celebrated Indian photographer who was recruited to Magnum Photos by Henri Cartier-Bresson in 1977, has died at the age of 83. Over five decades, he produced defining images of Indian life, ranging from intimate portraits of Mother Teresa to stark documentation of the Bhopal disaster. His work captured both the grand and the everyday, from crowds at Mumbai's Churchgate railway station to slums in Dharavi, and he published more than 18 books, receiving multiple awards for his unflinching human gaze.

Poppy Jones “Frozen Sun” at Towner Eastbourne

Poppy Jones presents "Frozen Sun," a solo exhibition at Towner Eastbourne featuring her signature still lifes on repurposed textiles. The show includes a concise selection of her aluminum-framed works that blur the line between painting and object, alongside several new, larger pieces she has been developing in her studio.