burmese artist sai exhibition bangkok arts cultural center

An art exhibition at the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre titled “Constellation of Complicity: Visualising the Global Machine of Authoritarian Solidarity” was censored after repeated visits by Chinese embassy representatives. The show, featuring exiled artists from China, Russia, Iran, and Burma, had black paint applied over artists' names and descriptions of homelands such as Tibet, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang. Works by Tibetan artist Tenzin Mingyur Paldron were particularly affected, with television screens showing her films switched off and Tibetan and Uyghur flags removed. Burmese artist Sai told BBC News that since the censorship, he and his wife fled to the UK to seek asylum.

peru halves protected area near nazca lines

Peru's Culture Ministry has reduced the protected area surrounding the Nazca Lines by nearly half, from approximately 2,162 square miles to 1,235 square miles. The move shrinks the Nazca Archaeological Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and archaeologists warn it could expose the ancient geoglyphs to exploitation by informal miners seeking to legitimize their operations amid a global surge in precious metal prices.

mrbeast mexico ancient mayan sites outrage

Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) has filed an administrative lawsuit against the production company of YouTuber MrBeast (James Donaldson) over a video titled “I Explored 2000 Year Old Ancient Temples,” uploaded on May 10, 2025. The video shows MrBeast and his companions exploring Mayan sites in Yucatán, including Chichén Itzá, Calakmul, and Balamcanché, and features a scene where he promotes his snack brand Feastables as “the only Mayan-approved snack on the planet.” INAH alleges that the permit granted to Full Circle Media did not authorize commercial advertising or false information, and it demands compensation and a public retraction. The controversy escalated after Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum called for further investigation into whether the permit was violated.

The Many Sheddings of Valie Export

Die vielen Häutungen der Valie Export

Valie Export, the Austrian media and performance artist known for using her body as a site of social critique, has died at age 85 in Vienna. Her final works include a black-and-white photo series of her forearm resting on a stone snake sculpture at the University of Vienna, exploring themes of skin, transformation, and mimesis. From the 1970s onward, she created iconic "Body Configurations" in which she placed her body on streets and against buildings along Vienna's Ringstrasse, tracing architectural forms to expose institutional power and patriarchal authority.

À la Biennale de Venise, le pavillon de l’Ouzbékistan fait revivre la mer d’Aral

The Uzbekistan Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, curated around the figure of author Allayar Darmenov, brings together artists including Vyacheslav Akhunov, Zi Kakhramonova, A. A. Murakami, Zulfiya Spowart, and Nguyen Phuong Linh to explore the ecological disaster of the Aral Sea. Once the world's fourth-largest lake, it was drained by Soviet irrigation projects for cotton farming; the pavilion's installations—such as Kakhramonova's participatory salt-fish molding piece and Spowart's cradle-like sculpture—imaginatively revive the vanished sea and its endemic species.

Group Show at Fanta-MLN

A group exhibition featuring works by Alessandro Agudio, Edie Duffy, Gina Folly, Jason Hirata, and Josephine Pryde opened at the Milan gallery Fanta-MLN. The show ran from February 19 to March 28, 2026, and was documented with 20 installation photographs by Roberto Marossi.

January Exhibitions

The article lists January 2026 art exhibitions across multiple venues in Charlottesville, Virginia, including Ruffin Gallery at the University of Virginia, Crozet Artisan Depot, The Fralin Museum of Art, The Gallery at Studio IX, IX Art Park, Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, and Jefferson School African American Heritage Center. Highlights include the Ruffin Distinguished Artist-in-Residence exhibition “We Dream of Life” by Paula Wilson and iris yirei hu, featuring a monumental 56-foot textile; “Haiti’s Time” at The Fralin Museum; and “In the Beginning” at Kluge-Ruhe showcasing Spinifex Arts Project artists. Other shows include “INSTRUMENTAL” by Rich Tarbell, “The Looking Glass” immersive space, and “Finally Remembered: The Black Patriots of Central Virginia” at the Heritage Center.

Mongolia Pavilion Announces Artistic Team for 2026 Venice Biennale

Mongolia has selected artists Nomin Bold, Dorjderem Davaa, Gerelkhuu Ganbold, and Tuguldur Yondonjamts to represent the country at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026. The pavilion, titled 'Entanglements: Connectivities Across Borders,' will be curated by Uranchimeg Tsultem and Thomas Eller and will explore interspecies relations, spirituality, and historical trade links, specifically the Mongol Empire's 13th-century connections to Venice.

AT THE ART GALLERIES

Jag Gallery in Key West has announced an open call for its 7th annual "Poolside" juried exhibition, seeking 2D and 3D original artwork with swimming pools as the subject. The show opens with a reception on August 5, and selected artists will be notified by July 12, with an entry fee of $35 per artwork and a 50/50 commission split. The article also highlights current shows at other local Key West venues: Harrison Gallery is featuring vibrant paintings by Santa Fe artist Melinda K. Hall, Shade Ceramics and Shutter Photography is displaying pottery by Mark Klammer and landscape photography by Sarah Carleton, and it notes the legacy of the late textile artist Suzie dePoo.

Salvador Dalí | Don Quixote

A Salvador Dalí metal bas-relief titled "Don Quixote" is being offered for bidding through Palm Beach Modern Auctions. The work is a limited edition sculpture in metal with platinum patina, signed and numbered 111/175, published by Martin Lawrence Ltd. Editions. The listing appears on Artsy's platform and includes details on dimensions, condition, and auction terms.

'Our Living Heritage' opens at Old Gaol Museum

Stanley Grootboom, a renowned local author and artist from Knysna, South Africa, recently unveiled his latest exhibition, 'Our Living Heritage,' at the Old Gaol Museum. The opening drew an enthusiastic crowd of art lovers, cultural ambassadors, and community members. The exhibition highlights Grootboom's commitment to preserving South Africa's indigenous history, particularly the cultural heritage of the Khoi and San peoples, and features his acclaimed interactive book installation 'South African Gelieblik Stories and Songs,' which has earned national and international recognition. It also includes his powerful artwork 'The Battle,' currently housed at the Koena Art Institute at the Castle of Good Hope, and works by fellow artists Anthony Roach, Marlene Liebenberg, Gatsby Mpoyi, Zoe Fick, and Donald Hartzenberg as part of his ongoing art outreach programme.

Minor Keys, Major Shifts: Sierra Leone’s Resonant Debut in Venice.

Sierra Leone has made its inaugural appearance at the 61st Venice Biennale with a pavilion titled 'Worlds of Today' located at the Liceo Guggenheim. Curated with a focus on "minor keys" rather than grand spectacles, the exhibition features Sierra Leonean artists Hawa-Jane Bangura, Ayesha Feisal, Hickmatu Bintu Leigh, and Abu Bakarr Mansaray alongside practitioners from other ECOWAS nations. The pavilion functions as a sensorial, porous space that prioritizes communal resilience and spiritual epistemologies over the commodification of identity.

the art angle art basel roundup

Artnet News editor Kate Brown hosts a podcast roundtable with three gallerists ahead of the 2025 edition of Art Basel in Basel, Switzerland. The fair features over 200 galleries and is set against a backdrop of a softening art market, with declining sales and cautious demand. The guests are Robbie Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Gallery (who also founded the Art Basel Social Club), Lisa Offermann of LC Queisser (with spaces in Tbilisi and Cologne), and Freddie Powell of Ginny on Frederick (making its Art Basel debut). The discussion focuses on the challenges and strategies for emerging and mid-tier galleries selling works under $250,000.

Groundwork: Watershed Staff Exhibition Opening Reception

Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, Maine, is hosting the opening reception of "Groundwork," a multi-medium gallery exhibition featuring work by the center's year-round and seasonal staff. The event takes place on June 5, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, with drinks and light snacks. Artists include Jen Barrows, Torie Crouse, Matthew Dercole, David S. East, Jeremy Felton, Aidan Fraser, Callie Jacks, Helena Jefferson, Emmett Jorgensen, Every Leclair, Milly McClellan, Layla Trunzo, and Eloise Warren.

Ahead of the Met Gala, “Costume Art” Connects Fashion and the Body

On May 4, 2026, the Metropolitan Museum of Art previewed the Costume Institute's new permanent galleries and its inaugural exhibition, "Costume Art," ahead of the Met Gala. The exhibition features over 400 objects from the Met's collections, organized around themes of the body such as "The Classical Body" and "The Disabled Body," with mannequins featuring mirrored faces to reflect viewers. Speakers at the press event included Anna Wintour, Venus Williams, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, with the Met Gala raising over $42 million for the museum.

Bikaner House to host Japanese artist Mari Ito’s first solo exhibition in India, Origin of Desire

Japanese artist Mari Ito will hold her first solo exhibition in India, titled 'Origin of Desire,' at Bikaner House in New Delhi. The week-long show, presented by the gallery GEEK/ART, opens on April 25 and features new paintings and a special installation, introducing Ito's botanical, surreal, and Nihonga-influenced work to a new audience.

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.

Government gives East of England culture and arts venues £6.6m

The UK government has announced a £6.6 million investment in arts and culture venues across the East of England to support essential infrastructure upgrades and renovations. Key beneficiaries include Firstsite in Colchester and Snape Maltings in Suffolk, which are receiving significant grants for building repairs and environmental control systems. Other recipients range from the Natural History Museum in Colchester to the Wysing Arts Centre, with funds earmarked for everything from HVAC improvements to restoring Grade II listed structures.

Persistent low attendance and funding cuts are forcing US museums to think local

A federal judge ruled on December 3 that all grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) must be reinstated, offering relief to museum directors like Scott Stulen of the Seattle Art Museum, which lost $300,000–$400,000 in annual federal funding in 2025. The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) survey of 511 directors found that over half reported fewer visitors than in 2019, with 29% citing declines tied to weakened travel and economic uncertainty. However, some museums like the Toledo Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago have seen local attendance rise, offsetting losses in international tourism.

Best of the Year: Check Out the Most Voted Exhibitions of 2025

A public poll with over 8,500 votes has determined the top ten exhibitions of 2025 in Brazil. The number one spot went to conceptual artist Ana Amorim's show at MAC USP, followed by Goya Lopes' exhibition at MAM Bahia in second place. Other notable entries include a group show "Floresta de Espíritos" in Salvador, Thiago Martins de Melo's first solo exhibition in his hometown São Luís, and the Monet exhibition at Masp, which broke visitation records with 502,642 visitors. A special highlight is "Memórias do Inconsciente" by Jhonyson Nobre at Sesc Arapiraca, the only exhibition outside the initial shortlist to make the top ten. Maria Bonomi at Paço Imperial received the most votes according to public comments as a bonus.

In a new exhibition, Turkey displays the success of its heavyweight heritage drive

Turkey has opened a new exhibition titled "The Golden Age of Archaeology" at a national library in Ankara, showcasing 570 ancient artifacts—most unearthed in the past two years and displayed for the first time. Highlights include 11,500-year-old Neolithic vessels, a Bronze Age tablet revealing a previously unknown language (Kalasma), and a repatriated bronze statue of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, which was smuggled out of Turkey in the 1960s and recently returned from the Cleveland Museum of Art after a legal battle. The exhibition is part of the government's Heritage for the Future project, which spends around $150 million annually on excavations, visitor centers, and museums, with active digs rising to about 800.

Art Vibe: June 2025

The article surveys notable art exhibitions in Kenya for June 2025, highlighting a range of venues and artists. Key shows include 'The Print Press' at Alliance Française de Nairobi (June 13–29), featuring printmakers such as Michael Soi, Mari Endo, Dennis Muraguri, and James Mbuthia, and 'The Promise' by Moses Nyawanda at Talisman Restaurant in Karen (May 27–June 27). The piece also covers exhibitions by Jonathan Sölanke Gathaara Fraser at Circle Art Gallery, Michelle Nyambura at Tafaria Castle, Annick Mitchell in Rosslyn, and Khalid Shatta and Onesmus Okamar, emphasizing both established and emerging voices across media.

This is BC: Renowned artists open Enderby gallery

Renowned artists have opened a new gallery in Enderby, British Columbia, as reported in a segment titled 'This is BC' by Global News. The video feature, published on June 10, 2025, highlights the establishment of this gallery by well-known visual artists in the small community of Enderby, located in the North Okanagan region. The artists are bringing their expertise and creative works to a local venue, aiming to enrich the area's cultural landscape.

Portraits of the student artists in the 2025 Senior Thesis Exhibition

Bates College's 2025 Senior Thesis Exhibition, titled "Under the Parachute," opened on April 11 at the Bates College Museum of Art, showcasing works by seven studio art majors. The exhibition features a range of media including mixed-media pieces, cyanotype quilts, ceramics, watercolors, and sculptural installations. Student artists such as Avery Lehman, Miryam Keller, Danny Zuniga Zarat, Alex Provasnik, Lila Schaefer, and Lizi Barrow presented year-long projects that explore themes of memory, empathy, family, and modern life. The exhibition is open through May 24, with faculty advisers Carolina González Valencia and Susan A. Dewsnap supporting the seniors.

Un agent du Louvre devant le juge

A Louvre agent appeared before a judge. The article, published in Le Journal des Arts on May 2, 2026, covers multiple art world stories including the Whitney Biennial's perceived neutrality, the increasing complexity of art taxation in 2025, a resized project for Bourges 2028 by Yann Galut, a new contemporary gallery at Angers Cathedral, the abandonment of the Frigos artist site in Paris, and auctioneer Hubert L'Huillier's emergency sales.

The New Entrance of the Louvre

La nouvelle entrée du Louvre

The article, titled "La nouvelle entrée du Louvre," reports on the upcoming redesign of the main entrance to the Louvre Museum in Paris. It also covers several other art-world stories: the return of American Rousseau works to Paris, the growing trend of outsourcing museum reception services, the New Museum's expansion, the troubled Musée des Tissus project, and Art Brussels adapting to contemporary trends.

“The Endless Garment: Atlantic Basin” at Pioneer Works, New York

Pioneer Works in New York presents "The Endless Garment: Atlantic Basin," a transnational exhibition curated by Jeppe Ugelvig. The show features work by artists and collectives including Serena Chang, Chang Yuchen, CFGNY, Huang Po-Chih, and Shanzhai Lyric, examining representations of Asian fashion production. It builds upon a prior 2021 exhibition at Beijing's X Museum and a related publication.

The Pont Neuf Cave: work on JR's giant installation begins in Paris

Starting May 11, 2026, French artist JR has begun assembling "La Caverne du Pont Neuf" (The Cave at Pont Neuf), a monumental temporary installation that will transform Paris's oldest bridge into an immersive open-air cave. The project, open to the public from June 6 to 28, 2026, features inflatable structures, optical illusions, light shows, and augmented reality technology developed by Snap's AR Studio Paris. It includes a mineral soundscape by Thomas Bangalter (formerly of Daft Punk) and is funded entirely through private means, including support from L'Amicale des Ponts de Paris and sales of JR's works.

MODERN MADE: Modern, Post-War & Contemporary Art, Design, Craft and Studio Ceramics

Lyon & Turnbull is presenting the 14th edition of its MODERN MADE sale, featuring a curated selection of modern and contemporary art, design, craft, and studio ceramics. Highlights include a private collection of early 2000s contemporary art, Modern British Art from Sickert to the post-war period, and works by European artists such as Klimt, Picasso, and Braque, alongside a rare wartime piece by Jankel Adler. The sale also emphasizes Kinetic and Light Art, design pieces led by an early Ettore Sottsass Carlton bookcase, and concludes with part two of the Y2K! collection featuring works by John Sonsini, Barnaby Furnas, and Elizabeth Peyton.

Japan’s favourite puffed corn snack was just sold at auction for ¥1.15 million

A limited-edition artwork by Japanese contemporary artist Tomokazu Matsuyama, titled 'Umaibo: Contemporary Art Flavour', sold at auction for ¥1.15 million (approximately $7,600 USD). The piece reimagines the iconic ¥15 Umaibo corn puff snack, a beloved cheap candy in Japan. Originally released in 2025 as a run of 50 sticks priced at ¥100,000 each, the work was first shown at Matsuyama's solo exhibition 'Tomokazu Matsuyama: First Last' at Azabudai Hills Gallery in Tokyo. The auction result represents over ten times the original retail price.