TikTok Shop adds ‘fine art’ category—will it disrupt the art market?

TikTok Shop has launched a new "fine art" category within its collectibles section, allowing artists to sell original artworks directly through shoppable videos, photographs, and livestreams. The category debuted with a three-hour live sale by artist Sophie Tea, who created a series of 20 oil paintings titled *Bric-a-Brac* and sold them for £2,800 each. The sale faced technical glitches—items added to baskets were prematurely marked as sold, causing confusion—and required workarounds for TikTok's pricing caps, automatic discounts, and shipping policies.

A festival of young European photography

The 16th edition of the Circulation(s) festival has launched at the Centquatre-Paris, showcasing the work of 26 emerging European photographers. Running from March 21 to May 17, 2026, the exhibition highlights contemporary projects that reflect the current intuitions, social commitments, and creative challenges facing the next generation of lens-based artists.

Exhibition explores connection between textiles and spirituality in Asia

The Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (Chat) in Hong Kong has opened the exhibition 'Threading Inwards,' which explores the deep connection between textiles and spirituality across Asia. The show features 14 artists from the region, working in media from painting to video, who use fabric and fiber to create portals, shrines, and installations that bridge the material and spiritual realms.

maria lai magazzino

Maria Lai (1919–2013), a Sardinian artist who blended abstraction, Arte Povera, and craft, is receiving her first North American museum retrospective at Magazzino Italian Art in Cold Spring, N.Y. The exhibition, curated by Paola Mura, features nearly 100 works drawn from the personal collection of founders Nancy Olnick and Giorgio Spanu, the artist's foundation, and Italian museums. It includes a permanent installation of Lai's 1992 cement sculpture *Colombe di Cemento* on the museum grounds.

Making Art Between Light and Darkness. It Happens in a Show in Veneto at Arzignano

Fare arte tra luce e buio. Succede in una mostra in Veneto ad Arzignano

The group exhibition "L’ombra delle lucciole" (The Shadow of the Fireflies) is on view at the Atipografia gallery in Arzignano, Veneto. Curated by Alfonso Cariolato and Luigi de Marzi, it features works by Mats Bergquist, Marco Tirelli, Silvia Inselvini, and Loes van Roozendaal, all exploring the tension and coexistence between light and darkness through diverse painting techniques.

Adrian Ghenie: Roman Campagna | Exhibition review

Adrian Ghenie's exhibition "Roman Campagna" at a Paris gallery presents a series of paintings and charcoal drawings that subvert the romantic cliché of an artist's transformative encounter with Rome. Ghenie populates landscapes inspired by the Appian Way with grotesque, alien-headed figures hunched over smartphones, urinating on monuments, or weeping at sunsets, using brown and grey tones punctuated by bright colors. The works reference Francis Bacon and William S. Burroughs, and include direct allusions to Bacon's reinterpretation of van Gogh's self-portrait, as well as a copy of a Pompeii mosaic. The show also features large charcoal drawings on paper that reveal Ghenie's process of constructing his contemporary, alienated figures.

Pinta Lima Offered Curated Content–and Context–for the Curious

Pinta Lima, the 13th edition of the art fair, opened with a vibrant VIP preview and strong attendance of 16,000 visitors. The fair features around 50 booths and special presentations, with a curation-driven approach that includes sections like NEXT (curated by Juan Canela) and RADAR (curated by Ilaria Conti), as well as FORO panel discussions. The fair emphasizes Latin American art, particularly Peruvian contemporary art, and is part of the broader Pinta network that stages fairs and Art Weeks across Latin America and the U.S. Textile, fiber, and ceramic works are notably prominent, recontextualizing indigenous craft traditions.

‘Studio Iron’ to Launch at Saatchi Yates, Blurring the Boundaries Between Art and Design

Saatchi Yates is partnering with creative director and makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench to launch Studio Iron, a new design gallery whose inaugural exhibition opens April 30 and runs through June 7, 2026. The show presents a dense, post-industrial landscape dominated by steel and iron, featuring works by artists including Jannis Kounellis, Paul McCarthy, Jordan Wolfson, Anne Imhof, Marina Abramovic, Nico Vascellari, and others. Furniture, sculpture, installation, and painting collide in a space that resists categorization, hovering between function and non-function, utility and image.

A Guide To May 2026 Photography Festivals & Exhibitions

A diverse array of international photography festivals and exhibitions are scheduled for May 2026. Key events include Bieler Fototage in Switzerland, focusing on vulnerability as a social condition; Photo London, which is relocating to the Olympia and introducing new curated sections; Hard Copy New York at the ICP, exploring photocopied imagery; Fotofestival Lenzburg, an open-air exhibition in Switzerland; and several other events across Europe and the US.

Anna Schwartz Gallery, beacon of Australia’s contemporary art world, to close and rebrand

Anna Schwartz Gallery, a cornerstone of Australia’s contemporary art scene, will close in December after 40 years in Melbourne. It will be replaced by a new venture, Anna Schwartz Projects, which will focus on occasional, project-based exhibitions, conversations, and events across installation, performance, publishing, and music. The gallery’s stable has included artists such as Shaun Gladwell, Angelica Mesiti, and Marco Fusinato, each of whom represented Australia at the Venice Biennale.

100 anni tra arte e poesia per annullare i confini. Intervista a Lamberto Pignotti

Lamberto Pignotti, the 100-year-old Florentine artist and poet and a leading figure in visual poetry, is celebrated with two concurrent exhibitions: "Pignotti 100. Pop-esie visive" at the Mart in Rovereto (in collaboration with the Collegio Cairoli of Pavia) and the dual solo show "Identikit di Pignotti e Hogre" curated by Marco Giovenale at Galleria Bianco Contemporaneo in Rome. The latter exhibition, born from a dialogue between Pignotti and the anonymous artist Hogre, centers on a collection of envelopes Pignotti has saved for over fifty years—each addressed to him with varying titles (architect, artist, poet, professor) or altered names (Alberto, Lorenzo, Mario, Giuseppe)—revealing his fragmented identity. Pignotti co-founded the Gruppo '70 in Florence in 1963 with Eugenio Miccini, a movement that brought together multidisciplinary artists including Lucia Marcucci, Ketty La Rocca, and musicians Giuseppe Chiari and Sylvano Bussotti.

In this Milan exhibition, the viewer can modify the spaces. The great artist-architect Gianni Pettena explains why

In questa mostra a Milano lo spettatore può modificare gli spazi. Il grande artista-architetto Gianni Pettena ci spiega perché

Gianni Pettena, a pioneer of the Italian Radical Architecture movement, has unveiled his immersive installation "Paper/Northern Lights" at the BiM urban regeneration project in Milan's Bicocca district. Originally conceived in 1971 as a pedagogical exercise at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, the work consists of 49 kilometers of white paper strips hanging from the ceiling. Visitors are invited to physically interact with the installation by cutting through the paper, effectively reshaping the architectural environment and challenging traditional notions of fixed space and authorship.

belgian authorities return gilded sacrophagus to egypt

Egypt has recovered two ancient artifacts from Belgium after a decade-long effort, announced on December 2 by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The objects—a painted and gilded Ptolemaic sarcophagus (305–30 B.C.E.) and a wooden beard from a Middle Kingdom statue—were seized by Belgian authorities in 2015 following an Interpol alert, as they were displayed in a Brussels antiques gallery without legal documentation. After a drawn-out diplomatic and legal process, the artifacts were returned in a ceremony at the Royal Museums of Art and History in July, attended by senior Egyptian culture ministers.

homeland security puerto rican museum chicago

Officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) arrived at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (NMPRAC) in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood on Tuesday, with between 15 and 20 DHS vehicles appearing without notice or a warrant. Museum staff reported that officers claimed to be assessing entry and exit points for undocumented immigrants at upcoming events. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin denied the account, stating the visit was a briefing for a narcotics investigation, but security camera footage shows officers inside the museum, contradicting her statement. Local aldermen and museum leadership condemned the action as intimidation, with the museum vowing to resist and continue its community programming.

Stories the Soil Remembers Exhibition by Jyoti Tyagi to Open at Shridharani Gallery in New Delhi

A solo exhibition titled "Stories the Soil Remembers" by Delhi-based artist Jyoti Tyagi will open from 8 May to 14 May 2026 at Shridharani Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi. Curated by poet and art critic Prayag Shukla, the show features works in charcoal, acrylic, and mixed media on paper and canvas, exploring themes of nature, memory, and ecological sensitivity. Recurring motifs such as trees, birds, and landscapes reflect on the interdependence between humans and nature, while Tyagi's technique of scratching into painted surfaces evokes a sense of time and transformation.

Gallery showcases artists in their element

Qualia Contemporary Art in Palo Alto is currently hosting two concurrent exhibitions, "Emergence" and "Tidal Traces," featuring the work of Yulia Pinkusevich, Cathy Lu, and Stella Zhang. The shows explore the four classical elements—fire, earth, air, and water—through a diverse range of media including large-scale ceramic incense sculptures, paintings incorporating charcoal and ash, and mixed-media works inspired by oceanic tides.

One Day in SA: Is Every Month Contemporary Art Month?

San Antonio’s art scene is characterized by a rapid-fire schedule of artist-run exhibitions and pop-up events that often center around the Blue Star Arts Complex. A recent survey of the city's offerings highlighted diverse installations, including Scott Martin’s immersive automotive video work at Slab Cinema Arthouse and Lauren Raye Snow’s mystical portraiture at FL!GHT gallery. The local landscape is defined by a DIY spirit where openings are frequent, fleeting, and deeply communal.

Museum of Art Donors Celebrate at Impressionist Exhibit

On November 17, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) hosted a donor appreciation reception for its high-level supporters and special guests to celebrate two concurrent exhibitions: "The Impressionist Revolution: Monet to Matisse from the Dallas Museum of Art" and "Encore: 19th-Century French Art" from SBMA's own collection. Over 100 guests enjoyed cocktails and toured the galleries, welcomed by Eichholz Foundation Director Amada Cruz, who highlighted the revolutionary nature of Impressionism and its role in birthing modernism. Chief Curator James Glisson led a guided tour, noting the exhibition coincides with the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibit in 1874. Major donors recognized include The Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Charitable Foundation, Manitou Fund, SBMA Ambassadors, and several individual benefactors.

Manhattan’s New Museum to collaborate with Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo on artist commissions

The New Museum in Manhattan is partnering with Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, founded by Italian patron Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, to launch the New Futures Production Fund. This initiative will support the production and exhibition of new works by international artists, with Italian-born Diego Marcon as the first commissioned artist. Marcon's new work will debut in a solo exhibition at the New Museum next year before traveling to the foundation in Turin. The collaboration coincides with the New Museum's expansion, a seven-story addition designed by Rem Koolhaas and OMA's Shohei Shigematsu, which will double its exhibition space.

In Florence, an exhibition that tells the story of Beato Angelico

From September 26, 2025 to January 25, 2026, the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi and Museo di San Marco in Florence are jointly presenting a major exhibition dedicated to the 15th-century painter Beato Angelico. The show brings together over 140 works—including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and miniatures—from prestigious institutions such as the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery in Washington, the Vatican Museums, and the Rijksmuseum. It explores Angelico’s artistic development, his collaborations with contemporaries like Masaccio, Filippo Lippi, and Lorenzo Ghiberti, and his influence on Renaissance art, with a special focus on his frescoes at the Museo di San Marco, including the iconic Annunciation.

Simon Fraser University to open The Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum

Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, will open The Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum (The Gibson) on September 20, 2025. The 12,100-square-foot facility, designed by Siamak Hariri of Hariri Pontarini Architects with Iredale Architecture, is the university's first purpose-built gallery. It will consolidate SFU Galleries and house the SFU Art Collection of over 5,800 works. The inaugural exhibition, "Edge Effects," features 12 new or rarely seen works by Canadian artists, including 10 commissions, with artists such as Liz Magor, Lorna Brown, and Jin-me Yoon, alongside Cindy Mochizuki's "Arboreal Time."

New Canadian art museum seeks to connect disparate disciplines and a university campus

Simon Fraser University (SFU) near Vancouver will open the Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum on September 20, its first purpose-built art museum. The inaugural exhibition, "Edge Effects," features 15 artists including Sameer Farooq, Liz Magor, Cindy Mochizuki, and Debra Sparrow, and reflects the interdisciplinary ethos of the original SFU campus designed by Arthur Erickson and Geoffrey Massey. The 12,000-square-foot building by Hariri Pontarini Architects and Iredale Architecture includes a research laboratory, art studio, courtyard, and salon, and will be admission-free.

NSIDER: Frist Art Museum Debuts ‘Venice and the Ottoman Empire’

The Frist Art Museum has debuted 'Venice and the Ottoman Empire,' an interactive exhibition exploring the cultural, artistic, and commercial exchanges between Venetians and Ottomans from 1400 to 1800. Featuring over 150 works from seven Venetian museums, the show includes ceramics, glass, metalwork, paintings, prints, and textiles by artists such as Gentile Bellini and Vittore Carpaccio, alongside anonymous craftspeople. Immersive elements like soundscapes, scent stations, and a video installation with Nashville chefs Paulette Licitra and Ilyas Bakla enhance the experience, with rooms dedicated to doges, sultans, shipwreck artifacts, and the spice trade.

Marco Island Center for the Arts and Miami museum exchange exhibitions that feature Latinx art and artists

The Marco Island Center for the Arts and the Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the Americas (MoCAA) are exchanging exhibitions focused on Latinx art and artists. The Marco Island Center is currently hosting works by 15 contemporary artists from Latin America and the Caribbean, including Ivonne Ferrer, Ruben Torres Llorca, and Luis Cruz Azaceta, on view through July 1. In exchange, MoCAA will present "Marco to Miami" from June 20 to July 20, featuring 14 artists from Collier County.

Fire-damaged room at Castle Howard brought back to life by meticulous restoration

The Tapestry Drawing Room at Castle Howard, a historic stately home in Yorkshire, England, has been meticulously restored after being gutted by a fire in 1940. The room, originally adorned with early 18th-century tapestries woven by John Vanderbank and based on scenes by David Teniers, was reduced to a scorched shell. Nick Howard, whose family has lived in the house for three centuries, oversaw the restoration, which involved reinstalling the original tapestries—found rolled up in the attic—after conservation by Alison Stanton. The centerpiece, a painting by Marco Ricci titled *Judgment of Paris*, and a newly built fireplace based on archival photographs complete the revival.

List of small Italian museums dedicated to writing. Among diaries, typewriters and memories

Lista dei piccoli musei d’Italia dedicati alla scrittura. Tra diari, macchine da scrivere e memorie

The article highlights the phenomenon of cultural overbooking, where major museums like the Louvre, Vatican Museums, and British Museum attract millions of visitors, turning art appreciation into a physical endurance test. It then pivots to a series of small, specialized museums across Italy dedicated to writing, diaries, and memory, offering a quieter, more intimate alternative. Featured institutions include the Piccolo Museo del Diario in Pieve Santo Stefano, which houses over 10,000 personal diaries and letters, and the Museo della Lettera d’Amore in Torrevecchia Teatina, with 25,000 love letters. Other stops include the Parco Poesia Pascoli in San Mauro Pascoli, dedicated to the poet Giovanni Pascoli.

An exhibition in Milan brings visionary contemporary landscapes into dialogue with a great Turner watercolor. Review and interview

Una mostra a Milano fa dialogare visionari paesaggi contemporanei con un acquerello del grande Turner. Recensione e intervista

The exhibition "Continuum" at Robilant+Voena in Milan marks the first solo show in the city for American artist Maria Kreyn. It presents a selection of her contemporary landscapes—charged with pathos, abstract geometries, and references to art history—alongside a rare watercolor by J.M.W. Turner, *The Splügen Pass* (1842–43). Kreyn’s seascapes, influenced by her background in mathematics and philosophy, feature turbulent waves, ovoid and parabolic forms, and a sense of latent tension, creating a visual dialogue with Turner’s Romantic vision of nature.

Directors Chosen by Internal Call Rather Than Competition: The Great Restoration of State Museums

Direttori scelti per interpello e non per concorso. La grande restaurazione dei musei statali

The Italian state museum system is undergoing a significant reversal of the landmark 2015 Franceschini reforms, which originally opened director positions to international competition and private-sector expertise. Recent appointments at major institutions like the Reggia di Caserta and the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice indicate a shift away from global searches toward internal ministerial assignments, effectively turning museum leadership back into a closed bureaucratic career path.

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.

The Slow Tomorrow at Air de Paris

Le lent demain at Air de Paris

The group exhibition "Le lent demain" (The Slow Tomorrow) was held at the Air de Paris gallery in Romainville from February 14 to March 21, 2026. Curated by Sebastián Quevedo Ramírez, it featured works by 17 artists, including Nicolas Aguirre, Devendra Banhart, and Hudinilson Jr., among others.