Pompidou to launch outpost near Unesco heritage site of Iguaçu falls in Brazil

The Centre Pompidou has signed a five-year partnership with Brazil to open its first South American outpost near the Iguaçu falls, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in the city of Foz do Iguaçu. Scheduled to launch in November 2027, the 10,000 sq. m. museum will be designed by Paraguayan architect Solano Benitez, with a construction budget of R$200 million ($36 million). The venue will host exhibitions, live performances, festivals, film screenings, lectures, and artist residencies focused on the cultures of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay.

Arts of Africa

This article explores the deep history and cultural significance of Africa's artistic traditions, focusing on the continent as the cradle of human creativity. It traces the development of diverse cultures south of the Sahara over 160,000 years, highlighting how artists and workshops translated worldviews into enduring creations. The text also examines Africa's Atlantic Coast engagement from 1445 onward, detailing early European contact, trade agreements along the Gold Coast, and the forced exodus of captives during the transatlantic slave trade, which deprived the region of its productive youth.

After the Heists: Securing Museums Without Closing Them Off

Museums worldwide are grappling with the escalating need for heightened security measures following a series of high-profile thefts, including a recent bold robbery at the Louvre. Institutions are forced to re-evaluate their surveillance protocols and physical barriers to protect priceless cultural heritage from increasingly sophisticated criminal tactics.

85% of All US Museums Need Repairs, Study Finds

A March survey by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 85% of all US museums need repairs, with 77% having at least one structural issue endangering their collections. Federal funding does not cover construction-related expenses, and 73% of the roughly 11,900 museums surveyed reported building system or facility problems posing health or safety risks. The American Alliance of Museums noted the data aligns with years of reports from museums struggling with aging infrastructure and unpredictable funding.

Institutions Across the US to Benefit from Transformative $116 Million Gift to National Gallery

Billionaire collector and National Gallery of Art trustee Mitchell P. Rales has donated $116 million to the museum. The gift, the largest programming endowment in the institution's history, will fund the 'Across the Nation' initiative, which loans works from the National Gallery's permanent collection to small and midsize museums across the United States for two-year periods at no cost to the borrowing institutions.

‘Year One after Damien Dies’: Hirst announces plans for posthumous works

Damien Hirst has revealed plans for a series of "posthumous drawings" that would allow new works to be created and sold in his name for up to 200 years after his death. In a recent interview with The Times, Hirst described a system where certificates would grant the right to produce a specific sculpture in a given year after his death, with one work released annually. He cited an unrealized 1991 idea for a pig in formaldehyde as an example of a piece that could be made posthumously and dated to its original conception year. The artist also commented on the current art market, noting a "big turn" due to global uncertainty and emphasizing the need to avoid producing unsold work.

Max Giermann is not looking for recognition with his painting

Max Giermann sucht mit seiner Malerei nicht nach Anerkennung

German comedian and actor Max Giermann has launched his first Berlin art exhibition, titled "Figuring Out," at the Janinebeangallery. The showcase features large-scale acrylic paintings on canvas depicting figures, heads, and body fragments, including a final tribute to Klaus Kinski, whom Giermann famously parodied throughout his comedy career. Although he grew up in a household of art educators and began drawing as a child, this exhibition marks a significant return to painting after a 20-year hiatus.

The miart 2026 fair is over and no longer has a director. Who will direct the 2027 edition? The name game

La fiera miart 2026 è finita e non ha più un direttore. Chi dirigerà l’edizione 2027? Il totonomi

The 2026 edition of the Milanese art fair miart has concluded, but its director Nicola Ricciardi is not expected to continue. The fair's owner, Fiera Milano, issued a closing statement with results and future dates, but failed to announce a successor, leaving the leadership for the 2027 edition in question.

Greece Introduces New Law to Combat Art Forgery and Vandalism

Greece has enacted a landmark legislative framework specifically designed to combat art forgery, vandalism, and the trade of counterfeit cultural property. The new law introduces stringent criminal penalties, including prison sentences of up to ten years and fines reaching €300,000, while mandating the destruction of works confirmed as fakes. Key provisions include the creation of an independent registry of forgery experts under the culture ministry and the expansion of legal protections to include historically significant cinemas.

art meriem bennani hugo boss award

Meriem Bennani, a Moroccan-born, New York–based multimedia artist, has been awarded the inaugural Boss Award for Outstanding Achievement at Art Basel Miami Beach. The award, presented by Hugo Boss and its Creative Director Marco Falcioni, includes a $50,000 grant. Bennani is known for her fantasy-driven installations and films, such as the 'Life on the CAPS' series and the public sculpture 'Windy' on the High Line. In an interview, she discusses her plans to donate the grant to Bilna’es, an organization founded by Palestinian artists that funds cultural projects in Gaza and the West Bank.

In Romagna, debate over the artistic legacy of the Fascist era

In Romagna c’è discussione attorno all’eredità artistica del Ventennio fascista

Recent developments in Romagna, Italy, have sparked debate over the artistic legacy of the Fascist era. The 102-meter-long Flight Mosaics at the former Aeronautical College in Forlì are now open to the public, and the Conad-Città di Forlì Auditorium, converted from a former GIL cinema, will inaugurate on May 13, 2026. Regional President De Pascale has announced initial funding to secure the Colonia Varese in Cervia, a Rationalist masterpiece, while long-awaited consolidation work has begun on the Casa del Fascio in Predappio, Benito Mussolini's birthplace. A 2010 plan to turn the Casa del Fascio into a cultural center documenting Fascism has stalled due to political changes and bureaucratic hurdles.

La Seconda guerra mondiale con gli occhi dei grandi fotografi in una mostra a Gorizia

Palazzo Attems-Petzenstein in Gorizia hosts the exhibition "Back to Peace? La guerra vista dai grandi fotografi Magnum," which presents the Second World War and its aftermath through two hundred photographs, video installations, and soundscapes by legendary Magnum photographers. The show features iconic works by Robert Capa, Eve Arnold, Henri Cartier-Bresson, David Seymour, Eric Hartmann, René Burri, Thomas Hoepker, George Rodger, Wayne Miller, and Werner Bischof, covering the Normandy landings, the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, the atomic devastation of Hiroshima, and the return of French prisoners. Curated by Andrea Holzherr and Marco Minuz, the exhibition is divided into two sections: one focusing on wartime imagery and the other on the immediate consequences of the conflict, including the suffering of civilians and the fragile hope of reconstruction.

A majestic former mill in Milan is about to become a new cultural hub: studios, residences, and a creative boutique hotel

In un maestoso ex mulino di Milano sta per nascere un nuovo polo culturale: studi, residenze, alberghetto creativo

A historic 1929 flour mill in Milan, originally designed by Cesare Chiodi and Gio Ponti, is being transformed into 'Mulino Factory,' a multidisciplinary creative hub. Spearheaded by Ludovica Virga, the granddaughter of the building's mid-century owner, the site eschews traditional real estate development in favor of a community-focused ecosystem. The complex already houses artist studios, including that of Lola Montes Schnabel, an art gallery, and a gym, with a boutique hotel designed by Tom Dixon set to open following the 2026 Milan Design Week.

Why Does Italy No Longer Qualify for the World Cup or the Biennials?

Perché l’Italia non si qualifica più né ai Mondiali né alle Biennali?

Artist Oscar Giaconia draws a provocative parallel between the decline of Italian football and the diminishing presence of Italian contemporary artists in major international forums like the Venice Biennale and Manifesta. He argues that both sectors suffer from a systemic failure to nurture young talent, characterized by a lack of strategic scouting, a preference for foreign trends, and a bureaucratic deafness that stifles growth.

WUF13: Director of National Art Museum explains how art shapes cities and urban change [INTERVIEW]

At the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Shirin Malikova, director of the Azerbaijan National Art Museum, gave an interview discussing how art reflects and shapes urban development. She cited historical examples such as Bernardo Bellotto's 18th-century vedute paintings, which were used to reconstruct Warsaw's historic center after WWII, and the Eiffel Tower, originally a temporary installation that became a permanent symbol of Paris. The museum also presented an exhibition at the forum focusing on Baku's transformation across different eras, highlighting how art captures the multilayered history and cultural identity of cities.

Exhibition | Daniel Crews-Chubb, 'Pareidolia' at MASSIMODECARLO Pièce Unique, Pièce Unique, Paris, France

MASSIMODECARLO Pièce Unique in Paris presents 'Pareidolia,' an exhibition of new paintings by London-based artist Daniel Crews-Chubb. The show explores the psychological phenomenon of pareidolia—the brain's tendency to see faces in random patterns—through heavily layered works created with hands, ink, oil, sand, and collage. Three paintings are featured: 'Immortal XXXVIII' and 'Immortal XXXIX' (2026), large-scale works drawing on cultural memory of ancient sculpture, and 'Mask XXIV' (2026), which tests the minimal cues needed for facial recognition. Crews-Chubb's process involves building up and tearing back surfaces over weeks, with charcoal lines added last to define emergent figures.

Exhibition review: the New Art Exchange Open Exhibition

The New Art Exchange (NAE) in Nottingham, UK, is hosting its fifth Open Exhibition, a competitive open-call showcase for contemporary artists from the Global Ethnic Majority and all artists based in Nottinghamshire. The exhibition features a wide range of mixed-media works—including painting, video, live art, photography, textiles, and sculpture—selected by a diverse panel of neighbors, artists, and curators. Standout pieces include Broken Glass's 'Deforestation (Desmatamento),' a critique of environmental destruction in Brazil; Mamu Umu's 'Capitalist Champion,' exploring the tension between artistic passion and economic survival; Emily Catherine's photorealistic charcoal portrait 'Phuong'; and Aida Wilde's 'BUTCHERED.'

2026 Future Fair: Everything You Need To Know About the Art Fair Before It Opens Next Month

Future Fair, a contemporary art fair focused on community and emerging talent, will hold its sixth edition at Chelsea Industrial in New York from May 14 to 16, 2026. The fair brings together nearly 70 exhibitors, including brick-and-mortar galleries, artist-run initiatives, and collaborative platforms from nine countries, with nearly half hailing from the New York tri-state area. Highlights include the return of the Pay-It-Forward Fund, which allocates 15% of annual profits as grants to participating galleries and dealers, and a VIP preview day on May 13.

Asking New and Better Questions with Cheryl Pope

Artist Cheryl Pope has opened a solo exhibition titled "All There Is" at Monique Meloche Gallery in Chicago. The show features new, large-scale works made from needle-punched wool roving on cashmere that depict landscapes, marking a shift from her previous focus on the human form, memory, and identity. The exhibition runs through May 16.

‘Is it possible to come back from this?’: Tehran’s art community on recovering from the 12-day war

Tehran's art community is grappling with the aftermath of the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June 2025, which has battered the economy, driven up inflation, and slowed art sales as collectors tighten spending. Despite these challenges, galleries like 8Cube and O Gallery are showing resilience: 8Cube's group show "Expectant," curated by sculptor Bita Fayyazi and featuring 28 emerging artists, drew 1,500 visitors on its opening night in August, signaling a tentative return to cultural life. Gallery founders report that sales have plummeted, with collectors shifting to gold or foreign currency, and that rising costs, electricity outages, and water shortages add pressure.

1,200-Year-Old Limestone Lintel was Inadvertently Repatriated to Mexico Instead of to Guatemala

A 1,200-year-old limestone lintel, carved by the ancient Maya artist Mayuy and depicting a ruler of Yaxchilán, was repatriated from the United States to Mexico in mid-April after an American businessman turned it over to the Mexican consulate in New York. However, Guatemala's cultural minister has begun proceedings to reclaim the artifact, arguing that it was originally removed from the Guatemalan side of the Usumacinta River, not Mexico. The lintel was first documented by American explorers Dana and Ginger Lamb in the 1950s in an area called Laxtunich, and its exact provenance has been disputed by scholars.

Art and Cultural Engagement Can Slow the Pace of Aging: Report

A new study published in the journal *Innovation in Aging* finds that engaging with arts and cultural activities can slow biological aging at a molecular level. Led by Daisy Fancourt of University College London, the research measured participation in four types of activities—participatory arts, receptive arts, visiting heritage sites, and other cultural activities—and used epigenetic clocks to assess aging. Those who engaged at least once a week showed a four-percent slowdown in aging, while monthly engagement yielded a three-percent slowdown.

19th-century European weapons found in cenote in Mexico

Archaeologists from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have discovered 153 Spanish and British muskets and rifles, along with an iron cannon, in the Síis Já cenote beneath the 16th-century former convent San Bernardino de Siena in Valladolid, Mexico. The weapons were likely discarded by the Yucatecan government during the early years of the Caste War of Yucatán (1847-1901) to prevent them from falling into Maya rebels' hands. The site also yielded Maya ceramic pieces and 18th-century Chinese porcelain, and INAH reported debris and pollution affecting the cenote.

How sweet it is: chocolate Russell Crowe at the Malta Pavilion

Artist Charlie Cauchi presents a 150-kg chocolate sculpture of Russell Crowe as Maximus from *Gladiator* in her installation *Dolce* at the Malta Pavilion's group exhibition *No Need To Sparkle: Experiments in Love and Revolution* in the Arsenale during the Venice Biennale. The chocolate effigy, originally made by Tiziano Cassar for the Hamrun Chocolate Festival in 2023, was previously admired by Crowe himself, who joked about being made of chocolate.

the art marketplace private sales

A new digital platform called the Art Marketplace, founded in mid-2025 by Elliot Safra and a group of partners, aims to streamline private art sales by addressing common frustrations in the secondary market. Unlike traditional auction houses or gallery sales, the platform lists artworks without images, revealing only key details like artist name, description, price, and last update. Requests for images or condition reports are vetted to ensure qualified interest, prioritizing confidentiality and avoiding public exposure that could harm a work's market value. Sellers can list works in minutes, bypassing intermediaries like advisors or dealers, while buyers gain access to previously obscure off-market inventory.

how sothebys institute of art is training the next generation of leaders in luxury

Sotheby's Institute of Art, the academic arm of the Sotheby's auction house, is expanding its focus on luxury business education with three M.A. programs in Luxury Business. These programs, offered in New York and London as well as online, train students in sectors such as fashion, jewelry, watches, and wines and spirits, leveraging the institute's connections to the art market and luxury brands like Chanel, Cartier, LVMH, and Tiffany & Co. Program director Natasha Degen and Dr. Federica Carlotto emphasize the blurring boundaries between art and luxury, and the need for cross-disciplinary expertise.

rome charges fee for trevi fountain

Rome has introduced a €2.35 entry fee for the Trevi Fountain, one of the world's most famous monuments, effective February 1 during daylight hours (9am to 9pm). The measure, announced by Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, aims to curb overtourism by limiting viewership to 400 people at a time. The fountain currently welcomes up to 70,000 visitors per day, and the fee could raise an estimated $7.6 million annually for maintenance. Similar fees will apply to four other city sites, while Roman citizens retain free access.

victims of communism memorial canada

A memorial to 'Victims of Communism' in Ottawa, Canada, will no longer be inscribed with the names of individuals after a government report found that more than half of the proposed 550 names were linked to Nazism or fascist groups. The decision, announced by the Department of Canadian Heritage, follows concerns raised by Jewish groups and Canadian media outlets like Ricochet and The Maple. Instead, the Wall of Remembrance will feature only thematic content reflecting the memorial's broader commemorative and educational purpose. The memorial, first approved in 2009, has a budget of about $5.4 million, with $4.36 million from public funds, and faced earlier criticism over its design.

career coach survey artists careers paddy johnson

New York artist mentor Paddy Johnson released the inaugural New Visions Report on Wednesday, surveying 1,000 mid-career artists to assess their careers with the same data-driven approach used for other businesses. The report, produced with arts journalist Julia Halperin and Gray Market columnist Tim Schneider, reveals that 75 percent of surveyed artists earn $15,000 or less from their practice, 45 percent earned less in 2025 than in 2024, and 56 percent say debt influences their decisions. Despite these struggles, 73 percent remain optimistic about their careers. The report also found that even the most successful artists—those with gallery representation and museum shows—face debt and lack basic systems like estate plans, while 82 percent want more gallery and museum opportunities but are unsure how to achieve them.

ai generators artists tools creative process

Shanti Escalante-De Mattei's column 'Link Rot' examines the debate over generative AI in creative fields, focusing on the argument that AI is just another tool like a paintbrush. The article critiques this view by highlighting how AI is being used by clients and studios to pressure animators, cut pay, and impose unrealistic deadlines, while the technology was built on ethically questionable datasets scraped from public websites without permission.