Column | I road-tripped the Midwest’s best art museums. It was anything but an escape.

Art critic Sebastian Smee embarked on a summer road trip to visit seven major art museums across five Midwestern cities over five days. The column reflects on how the rapid succession of artworks and ideas from these institutions—ranging from the Art Institute of Chicago to the Cleveland Museum of Art—creates oblique connections and correspondences, both among the works themselves and between art and the outside world. Smee describes the experience as anything but an escape, as the art continually mirrors real-world events and emotions.

Holbein drawings go back on show at Kunstmuseum Basel after almost 20 years

The Kunstmuseum Basel has reinstalled a collection of extremely fragile Hans Holbein drawings in a dedicated gallery as part of a major rehang of its 14th- to 19th-century galleries. The works, mostly preparatory studies by the Northern Renaissance painter, have not been publicly displayed for nearly 20 years and are so light-sensitive that the gallery's lighting system activates only when visitors enter. The museum's director, Elena Filipovic, notes that the drawings entered the collection in 1661 and have been kept undercover since the 1980s, last appearing in a major Holbein exhibition in 2006.

New ‘Of the Earth’ art exhibition opens at Detroit Lakes’ Ortenstone Gardens

A new public art exhibition titled 'Of the Earth' has opened at Ortenstone Gardens and Sculpture Park in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. The exhibition features three sculptures by Polish-American artist Olga Ziemska, who is also the park's first artist-in-residence, supported by local nonprofit Project 412. The works incorporate natural materials like river rocks, sticks, and grass, and join Thomas Dambo's troll sculpture 'Barefoot Frida' as permanent attractions at the 50-acre park, which was donated to the city by the Mark and Cindy Fritz Foundation.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art to Host “P.S. Art” Exhibition

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will host "P.S. Art 2025: Celebrating the Creative Spirit of NYC Kids" from June 10 through October 19, 2025, a juried exhibition featuring 138 artworks by prekindergarten through grade 12 students from New York City public schools. The works were selected from over 950 submissions by a panel including the late artist Tony Bechara and Met staff, spanning painting, mixed-media, and sculpture. A ceremony at The Met Fifth Avenue on June 10 will coincide with the Museum Mile Festival, and the Times Square Advertising Coalition will display 43 of the works on OUTFRONT's screen, The Cube, starting June 17.

Seeing God in nature: US National Gallery exhibition celebrates art from the dawn of European natural history

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, is presenting "Little Beasts: Art, Wonder and the Natural World," an exhibition of 16th- and 17th-century European paintings and prints by artists including Jan van Kessel, Joris Hoefnagel, and Teodoro Filippo di Liagno. The works, drawn from the dawn of European natural history, depict insects, animals, and natural specimens with extraordinary detail, reflecting the era's expanding trade routes and fascination with the natural world.

Women’s Work: The art of Nancy Erickson (museum exhibition)

In 1973, three pioneering women artists—Lela Autio, Dana Boussard, and Nancy Erickson—proposed an exhibition of their soft sculpture at the University of Montana in Missoula, but were denied because their work was dismissed as "women's work." Undeterred, they staged their own exhibition in the empty Carnegie Library building in 1974, a year before the Missoula Art Museum (MAM) was founded. Now, MAM's special exhibition "Women's Work" celebrates the museum's 50th anniversary by showcasing the works of these three artists, including several pieces by Nancy Erickson (1935-2022) such as "Rainbow Flight" (1974), "Montana Selective Cut: Official Visit" (1974), and "Pattee Canyon Fire" (1977).

Guillaume Dénervaud at PAGE (NYC) and Dracula's Revenge, New York

Guillaume Dénervaud presents a two-venue exhibition titled "Demeter" at PAGE (NYC) and Dracula's Revenge in New York, running from April 24 to May 30, 2026. The show includes a press release, checklist, poster, and 17 images documenting the works on view, with images courtesy of Page (NYC).

Blood-Red Landscapes by Andrew McIntosh Conjure the Terrifying Unknown

Scottish artist Andrew McIntosh presents a new series of crimson-hued landscape paintings in his solo exhibition "I Hope This Transmission Finds You Soon" at School Gallery in Folkestone, U.K. The works, including pieces titled "Whitney," "K2," "Gasherbrum," and "Matterhorn" (all 2026), transform familiar mountain forms into eerie, otherworldly scenes with glowing orbs and uncanny light, drawing inspiration from Cormac McCarthy's novel "Blood Meridian." The exhibition runs through May 30.

Peter Blake’s studio brought to life at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery

Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery in West London has announced a major retrospective of Sir Peter Blake, scheduled to open in November 2026. The exhibition, titled 'Peter Blake: In the Studio,' features a full-scale reconstruction of the artist's Hammersmith workspace, providing an immersive look at the environment where his seven-decade career unfolded. The show will display a wide range of media, including his iconic Pop Art paintings, sculptures, and recent collages that respond to the works of William Hogarth.

Alice Peach “Still Curly” at Iowa, New York

Alice Peach’s solo exhibition "Still Curly" at Iowa, New York, features a series of new sculptures constructed from popsicle sticks. These humble, mass-produced materials are transformed into modular, skeletal forms that mimic biological structures such as spines and torsos. The works are displayed in various states of tension, either splayed against the gallery walls or suspended from the ceiling to create a sense of precarious movement.

Intervista all’artista italiano che ha riempito la città di Stoccolma di sculture-animali

Italian artist Davide Rivalta has installed thirteen monumental bronze sculptures of lions, buffalo, and rhinoceroses across Stockholm, Sweden, in a project titled "Blowing Figures into Space." Organized by the Italian Cultural Institute of Stockholm, the works are placed in strategic locations including Mynttorget, Gamla Stan, Ladugårdsgärdet, and Hagaparken, with installations rolling out from April 2025 through summer 2027. The first sculpture was unveiled near the Swedish Parliament during Stockholm Art Week, and additional animals will appear in public parks on August 29.

Saving the Street Art of the Bombs: A True Story from Ukraine

Salvare la street art delle bombe: una storia vera dall’Ucraina

A documentary titled "Arte vs Guerra – Banksy e C215 a Borodyanka, Ucraina" will air on Sky Arte on April 26, recounting how street artists Banksy and C215 created murals in Borodyanka, Ukraine, shortly after the Russian invasion began in February 2022. The works include Banksy's "La Ginnasta" and "Davide e Golia," as well as C215's portraits of war victims like Dmytro Kotsiubaylo. The film also follows three Italian restorers—Paola Ciaccia, Alessandro Cini, and Maria Colonna—who risked their safety to preserve these murals from war damage and landmines.

New art exhibition to open this summer as part of Glasgow International 2026

A new two-person exhibition titled "Painting, our mutual friend" will open at Glasgow Print Studio on June 4, 2026, as part of Glasgow International 2026. Featuring artists Lorna Robertson and Andrew Cranston, who are life partners, the show runs through August 1 and includes etchings, monoprints, watercolours, and oil paintings that explore their individual and shared experiences. The works were developed through experimental residencies at the studio between 2025 and 2026.

75 Years of Making Art in Ardsley

The Ardsley Art Commission is presenting a unique exhibition featuring the works of mother-and-son artists Valda Hancock Wagner and Rich Wagner, spanning 75 years of artistic creation. The show includes oil and acrylic paintings, watercolors, drawings, etchings, and wood block prints, ranging from traditional realism to abstraction. Valda studied with notable artists such as Reginald Marsh, Robert Rauschenberg, and Robert Beverly Hale, and later taught art in inner-city New York. Rich studied at the Art Students League, the Royal Academy of Arts, and the Royal Drawing School, and has participated in over 80 exhibitions. The exhibition is on view at Ardsley Village Hall through October 1.

Aria Dean, Sandra Mujinga and Tschabalala Self

Galerie Eva Presenhuber is hosting a group exhibition featuring the works of Aria Dean, Sandra Mujinga, and Tschabalala Self. The show explores the construction and erasure of the human body through diverse mediums, including Aria Dean’s 3D-animated film of an empty slaughterhouse and Sandra Mujinga’s spectral, fabric-based sculptures. By focusing on the architectures of violence and the labor of repair, the artists move away from traditional representation toward conceptual and structural critiques of subjecthood.

Henry Art Gallery fall opening celebration hums with color and conversation

The Henry Art Gallery hosted its fall opening celebration on October 3, transforming the museum into a lively social event with a DJ set by KEXP's Diana Ratsamee and an open bar. The evening featured four exhibitions: "Spirit House," exploring life and death through works by 34 Asian diasporic artists; Charlene Liu's single painting "Scallion"; Rodney McMillian's "Neighbors," a multimedia reflection on social and civic violence; and Kameelah Janan Rasheed's "we leak, we exceed," an immersive text-based installation. The event drew crowds who engaged with the art and each other, creating a vibrant atmosphere that contrasted with the museum's usual quietude.

Deux sculptures de la Roldana préemptées par l'Espagne

Spain has preempted two polychrome terracotta sculptures by Luisa Roldán, known as La Roldana, at an Abalarte auction on December 5, 2025. The works, *La Fuite en Égypte* and *L’Éducation de la Vierge*, each sold for €335,500 including fees. *La Fuite en Égypte* has been acquired by the Museo del Prado in Madrid, while *L’Éducation de la Vierge* has gone to the Museo Nacional de Escultura in Valladolid.

An Important Urbino Maiolica Basin for the Clark

Un important bassin en majolique d'Urbino pour le Clark

The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown has acquired a significant 16th-century Urbino maiolica basin from the gallery Camille Leprince following its display at TEFAF. Attributed to the workshop of Orazio or Flaminio Fontana, the trilobed basin features intricate historiated scenes from the life of Joseph and elaborate grotesque decorations. The piece was a highlight of the fair and is accompanied by extensive research regarding its complex provenance.

An important Italian relief for Nuremberg

Un important relief italien pour Nüremberg

The Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg has acquired and publicly unveiled a previously unknown masterpiece: a large silver relief depicting the Lamentation of Christ, created in the workshop of Luigi Valadier in 1786. The work, purchased from a private collector in 2024 with support from several foundations, is now on temporary display and will later join the museum's permanent collection.

Artist Murari Jha sculpts memory and home in his New Delhi exhibition

Artist Murari Jha presents *The Future of Nostalgia*, a solo exhibition at Nature Morte in New Delhi, running through May 17, 2026. The show features abstract sculptures in stone, bronze, wood, brass, aluminum, and synthetic putty that explore themes of home, migration, memory, and belonging. A live durational performance is scheduled for May 16, with Jha describing the gallery as a stage and his sculptures as performative objects. The works are deliberately untitled to invite viewers to become co-creators of meaning.

Cinematic Painting Series

Cary Kwok's exhibition at Sessions Arts Club in London presents four new paintings created with support from Herald St, Cabin Studio, Jonny Gent, and David Southard. The works, rendered in acrylic and ink on paper, explore still lifes, silhouettes, and staged interiors inspired by 1980s visual culture, including interior design, cinematography, fashion editorials, and advertising. Featured pieces include *Eclipse* (2026) and *Anticipation* (2026), with the artist's signature subtly embedded in objects like jewelry and glassware. The show opens May 18 and is viewable by appointment or during dining hours, alongside a related wine label collaboration for the Sessions Arts Club Lost Wines Project.

Exhibition | Celeste Rapone, 'Hyperarousal' at Esther Schipper, Esther Schipper Berlin, Germany

Esther Schipper Berlin presents 'Hyperarousal', Celeste Rapone's first exhibition with the gallery, featuring three new paintings that explore the intersection of sensuous stimulation and nervous tension. The works depict female protagonists in narratively dense, ambiguous scenes that allegorize millennial angst, using techniques like alla prima painting and color-based formal constraints. Key pieces include 'While Waiting' (2025), showing a figure with pepper spray and a digital camera, and 'Den' (2026), where intertwined figures follow a self-defense tutorial on an iPad.

Exhibition | Jens FÄNGE, 'Antechamber' at Perrotin, New York, United States

Perrotin New York presents 'Antechamber,' an exhibition of over twenty new paintings by Swedish artist Jens Fänge. The works feature distorted, labyrinthine interiors populated by people, animals, and mannequins, using layered materials like oil, vinyl, linen, and burlap to create compositions that blur the line between figuration and abstraction. Recurring motifs such as doors, windows, halos, and locusts shift meaning across the show, which draws inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen's fairytales and Nathanael West's surrealist novels.

Collaborative Brazilian Exhibitions

The rhinoceros gallery in Rome, in partnership with the Brazilian gallery A Gentil Carioca, has unveiled a solo exhibition by artist Miguel Afa titled 'O tempo que mora em mim' (The Time that Lives in Me). The collection features a series of paintings created by Afa during a residency in Rome, where he blended his Brazilian heritage with the profound influence of Italian art history and the local landscape. The works frequently utilize the motif of the courtyard to explore themes of memory, intimacy, and the intersection of different geographical identities.

Vian Sora: Tepe Gawra

Vian Sora’s solo exhibition "Tepe Gawra" at Bortolami Gallery marks her debut with the gallery, featuring a series of large-scale paintings that bridge ancient Mesopotamian history with contemporary Iraqi experience. The works, such as 'Celestial capsule' and 'Scarlet', utilize a complex layering process of poured acrylics and precise oil applications to explore themes of mortality, survival, and the aftermath of conflict.

Painting our neighborhoods: Storefront art at Tribeca gallery

Brooklyn-based artist Charis Ammon presents "Pedestrian," an exhibition of oil paintings depicting storefronts from her Bushwick neighborhood and other parts of New York City, at Sargent's Daughters Gallery in Tribeca. The works, inspired by photographs taken during her daily walks, feature scenes of Chinese takeout places, bodegas, dry cleaners, and laundromats, often incorporating reflections of buildings across the street. The exhibition runs through January 24 and is Ammon's second with the gallery, which is owned by Allegra LaViola.

Catalonia Sues Aragón for €791,000 for Repayment Over Restitution of 56 Artworks

The Catalan government has formally demanded €791,000 (approximately $920,000) from the Aragonese government to recoup costs related to the value and upkeep of 56 artworks from the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Sigena. The works were removed from the monastery in 1936 for safekeeping during the Spanish Civil War, and Spain's Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that they must be returned to Aragón. Of the 56 pieces, 12 were held at the National Art Museum of Catalonia and 44 at the Diocesan Museum of Lleida. The Catalan government has given Aragón 30 days to negotiate a settlement before returning to court.

san francisco asian art museum returns sculptures thailand

Four ancient bronze sculptures illegally removed from Thailand in the 1960s have been repatriated from San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum to their original home in Thailand, following an investigation led by the US Department of Homeland Security. The works, which were featured in the museum’s 2024 exhibition “Moving Objects: Learning from Local and Global Communities,” were linked to convicted antiquities trafficker Douglas Latchford and had been acquired by the museum’s founding collector Avery Brundage. The Asian Art Commission unanimously approved the return after a two-stage voting process that began in September 2024 and concluded in April 2025.

miriam simun octopus teacher

Artist Miriam Simun is currently presenting an exhibition about her Institute for Transhumanist Cephalopod Evolution at the art space Recess in Brooklyn. The centerpiece is a series of workshops titled “How to Become an Octopus (and sometime squid),” where she guides participants through psycho-physical exercises developed with marine biologists, engineers, dancers, and synchronized swimmers. Artnet News co-host Ben Davis attended the workshop and discusses the experience on this week's Art Angle podcast.

kaleidoscope a digital exhibition

Teravarna Art Gallery has launched a digital group exhibition titled "Kaleidoscope," featuring works by seven artists: Caitlin Accurso, Stephanie Bing, Diane Burchette-Gomez, Carina Imbrogno, Daniel Juric, Valeri Larko, and Debra Shapiro. The show, on view through May 16, 2025, spans figurative and abstract painting, collage, and mixed media, with highlights including Valeri Larko's photorealist "Secor Avenue Train Bridge" (2022) and Debra Shapiro's mixed-media piece "Las Tres Gracias" (2024). The exhibition is hosted entirely online, allowing global access.