Venice Biennale in crisis: The controversies explained

The Venice Art Biennale's official awards ceremony, scheduled for May 9, has been canceled after the entire five-member jury resigned days before the event. The jury had previously announced they would not consider countries whose leaders face International Criminal Court charges, directly impacting Russia and Israel. Instead of jury-selected prizes, visitors will vote throughout the Biennale's run, with "Visitor Lions" awarded on November 22. The event, running from May 9 to November 22, features 100 national participations, including seven first-time countries, and a posthumous main exhibition titled "In Minor Keys" curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, the first African woman to lead the show. Iran withdrew on May 4 amid Middle East tensions, while Russia's return to the Biennale in 2026 has sparked EU threats to cut funding.

Meet the Canadian artists heading to Venice Biennale

Five Canadian artists have been selected for the main exhibition of the Venice Biennale, titled *In Minor Keys*, which opens to the public next Saturday. The participants are Abbas Akhavan (featured in the Canada Pavilion), Manuel Mathieu, Rajni Perera, Marigold Santos, and one additional artist. The exhibition is the first Biennale curated by a Black woman, Cameroonian-Swiss curator Koyo Kouoh, who died suddenly in May last year after a cancer diagnosis, just six months after her appointment. Despite her death, the Biennale proceeded with her plans, with her team completing the work.

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Announces First Exhibitions Curated by George Lucas

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open on September 22, 2026, in Los Angeles's Exposition Park, has announced its inaugural exhibition schedule curated by George Lucas. The museum will showcase a wide range of narrative art, from Americana works by Thomas Hart Benton and Norman Rockwell to documentary photography by Gordon Parks, Dorothea Lange, and Robert Capa, as well as public murals by Diego Rivera and Judith F. Baca. The collection also includes production designs, props, and costumes from the Lucas Archives, alongside illustrations by Frank Frazetta, Maxfield Parrish, and N.C. Wyeth, children's literature art by Beatrix Potter and Jacob Lawrence, and comics and manga by Jack Kirby, Alison Bechdel, and Mœbius.

The Vatican brings Hildegard of Bingen to the Biennale. "The ear is the eye of the soul", by Brian Eno and Patti Smith

The Holy See Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, titled "The Ear is the Eye of the Soul," centers on the 12th-century Benedictine abbess and visionary Hildegard of Bingen. Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Ben Vickers in collaboration with Soundwalk Collective, the pavilion spans two Venetian venues—the Mystical Garden of the Discalced Carmelites and the Complesso di Santa Maria Ausiliatrice—and features new sound works by 24 artists, musicians, and poets including Brian Eno, Patti Smith, FKA Twigs, Meredith Monk, and Jim Jarmusch. The title is borrowed from the final work of German director Alexander Kluge, who died in March 2026, and his monumental film installation forms a core part of the exhibition.

In "Dancing the Revolution," Puerto Rico Pushes Back

The article reviews "Dancing the Revolution," a multi-genre collective exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago that explores the music of dancehall and reggaetón, their roots, history, and evolution, and their inextricable link to colonial oppression. The show is inspired by the massive 2019 protests in Puerto Rico against then-Governor Ricardo Rosselló, where music and dance were used as forms of resistance, drawing on centuries of Black Atlantic protest in the Caribbean.

Art Exhibits: What's on display in the Fort Wayne area

The article provides a roundup of current art exhibitions on display in the Fort Wayne area, as published by The Journal Gazette. It lists various shows at local venues, highlighting the artists and types of work featured, such as paintings, sculptures, and mixed media installations.

Pinakotheke Cultural Opens Spacious New Gallery in São Paulo

Pinakotheke Cultural, founded by Max Perlingeiro in Rio de Janeiro in 1979, will open a new, significantly larger gallery space in São Paulo on May 16. Located on Rua Minas Gerais in the Higienópolis neighborhood, the venue nearly doubles the size of the gallery's previous São Paulo outpost. The inaugural exhibition, "Surrealisms: Art Beyond Reason," curated by Max Perlingeiro and Tadeu Chiarelli, will feature approximately one hundred works by sixty artists from Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Caribbean, offering a comprehensive overview of the surrealist movement.

Genuflecting Before “Don Colossus”

A 15-foot-tall gold-leafed bronze statue of Donald Trump, titled "Don Colossus," was unveiled at his National Doral golf club in Miami, Florida, ahead of the G20 summit. The statue, funded by $450,000 raised by cryptocurrency moguls and sculpted by Alan Cottrill (founder of Four Star Pizza), depicts Trump raising a triumphant fist with a plaque reading "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!" The unveiling was organized by televangelist Mark Burns of "Pastors for Trump," who posted that the statue was "not a golden calf," and was attended by evangelical Christian leaders and reportedly some Hassidic rabbis.

Curiosities at the 2026 Venice Biennale: the Tanzania Pavilion is full of Italian artists

Curiosità alla Biennale di Venezia 2026: il Padiglione della Tanzania è pieno di artisti italiani

The Tanzania Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, titled "Minor Frequencies: The Inner Life of a Nation," features a significant number of Italian artists alongside Tanzanian voices. Curated by Lorna Benedict Mashiba and Martina Cavallarin, the exhibition is housed across the Gervasuti Foundation, Palazzo Canova, and Supernova in Cannaregio. It includes works by 14 Italian artists such as Alice Andreoli, Christian Balzano, and Silvia Canton, as well as artists from Europe and Asia, while centering the practices of Tanzanian artists like Turakella Editha Gyindo, Lazaro Samuel, Valerie Asiimwe Amani, and Amani Abeid.

Alphabet of bread and love for animals. Uri Aran's exhibition at the Museo Madre in Naples

Alfabeto di pane e amore per gli animali. La mostra di Uri Aran al Museo Madre di Napoli

Uri Aran's solo exhibition at the Museo Madre in Naples, curated by director Eva Fabbris, explores language, communication, and connection through a range of works including video, sculpture, and an edible alphabet made of bread. The show, titled "Untitled (I love love)" after a video work, invites viewers into a space where meaning is fluid and inclusive, challenging rigid linguistic structures. Key pieces include the video "Untitled (I love you)" (2012), where Aran addresses plastic animals, and "Untitled (Bread Library)" (2025), a bread alphabet that visitors can rearrange to create new messages.

Annalee Davis at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale. Landscape as mourning, archive and resistance in the Barbados Pavilion

Annalee Davis alla Biennale Arte di Venezia 2026. Il paesaggio come lutto, archivio e resistenza nel Padiglione Barbados

Annalee Davis, an artist from Barbados, will represent her country at the 2026 Venice Biennale with an installation titled "Let this be my Cathedral" within the exhibition "In Minor Keys." The work addresses ecological grief, colonial memory, and the possibility of care without erasing conflict, using suspended plants and organic materials to create a threshold where loss, vulnerability, and wonder remain in tension. Davis discusses the influence of curator Koyo Kouoh, whose vision shaped the Biennale, and the importance of research as an integral part of her artistic process.

The 15th-century Ca' Giustinian Faccanon reopens in Venice. It will be a space for exhibitions and events

A Venezia riapre il quattrocentesco Ca’ Giustinian Faccanon. Sarà uno spazio per mostre ed eventi

The historic Ca' Giustinian Faccanon, a rare example of Venetian Gothic architecture in the San Marco district, has reopened in Venice after over a year of restoration work. The 15th-century palace, acquired by entrepreneur Andrea Parisotto, will now serve as a space for exhibitions and events managed by Art Events and Cultural Real Estate Studio. During the 61st Venice Biennale, it will host the Vietnam Pavilion with the exhibition "Arte nel flusso globale" curated by Do Tuong Linh, marking Vietnam's first official participation, as well as a solo show by Korean sculptor Shim Moon-Seup titled "Harnessed From Nature."

In Venice, an unprecedented space in the Arsenale opens to the public for the first time. It will host performances.

A Venezia apre al pubblico per la prima volta uno spazio inedito dell’Arsenale. Ospiterà performance

For the first time, the Galeazze—historically used for constructing the Serenissima fleet—will open to the public during the 2026 Venice Art Biennale on May 5 and 6. Artist and choreographer Faustin Linyekula has conceived a site-specific performance titled The Galeazze Project, activating the monumental, water-adjacent spaces of the Arsenale Nord. Collaborating with musician Heru Shabaka-Ra, Linyekula integrates the architecture into the performance, involving local performers and musicians. The project, conceived by Cosimo Ferrigolo and Dirk Bell and curated by Edoardo Lazzari, features scaffolding, platforms, and an irregular lighting system, inviting the audience to move freely and redefine the relationship between bodies and space.

Working in the arts: opportunities from Arte Laguna Prize, Reggio Parma Festival, Italian Cultural Institute of London, Museo Mitoraj

Lavorare nell’arte: opportunità da Arte Laguna Prize, Reggio Parma Festival, Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Londra, Museo Mitoraj

Artribune has compiled a list of five open calls and job opportunities in Italy for visual artists, theater professionals, curators, and digital media specialists. The opportunities include the Arte Laguna Prize 2026 offering exhibitions at Venice's Arsenale Nord and international residencies at venues like The Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai and BigCi in Australia; the Gradus theater residency program by Reggio Parma Festival; an artist residency for Italians under 40 at Camberwell College of Arts in London organized by the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Londra; the Terre Alte residency for visual artists and curators under 36 by CasermArcheologica; and a digital media specialist position at the Fondazione Museo Igor Mitoraj.

Carleton Gallery hosting Spring Group Exhibition on May 30

Carleton Gallery is hosting a Spring Group Exhibition on May 30, as reported by the Watauga Democrat. The event will feature a curated selection of works by multiple artists, though specific participants and pieces have not been detailed in the brief announcement.

Nigerian art, culture returns to Atlanta in historic international exhibition

Fulton County Arts & Culture in Atlanta has announced "Threads of Heritage: A Cultural Confluence Connecting Africa to Atlanta," a major Nigerian-American cultural exchange initiative running from May to June 2026. The program, led by Nigerian textile icon Nike Monica Okundaye and involving Nike Art & Culture Foundation, Nike Art USA, and UniSpectrum Inc., will feature Nigerian artists, cultural practitioners, bata dancers, and tradition bearers in visual arts, textile traditions, muralism, sculpture, storytelling, workshops, and youth education at the Fulton County Arts & Culture Downtown Exhibition Space.

New exhibit at Art Museum of Eastern Idaho celebrates region's agricultural identity

A new exhibition titled "Sacred Spaces: Visions of the West from the Prosaic to the Sublime" has opened at The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho in Idaho Falls, featuring works by six contemporary artists—David Dibble, Bryan Mark Taylor, Josh Clare, Allie Zeyer, Louisa Lorenz, and Carson Thompson. The show, curated by museum Executive Director Alexa Stanger, focuses on the agricultural landscapes of the American West, portraying farms, ranches, and working spaces not as scenic backdrops but as living environments shaped by labor, memory, and generational stewardship. It runs through July 3.

How a Loveland wilderness photographer is turning his art into a career, and finding gratitude in the process

Dean Allen, a wilderness photographer from Loveland, Colorado, is hosting a free outdoor photography showcase at the Wilderness Art Quarry on Sunday, displaying his images of Colorado's northern lights, mountains, and aspen trees. Allen, who grew up in Loveland and learned photography at Thompson Valley High School, began pursuing photography full-time after selling the electronics company he co-owned in 2023, using the financial cushion to fund his passion. His work reflects a deep gratitude for natural beauty and aims to inspire viewers to appreciate the world around them.

Fashion Loves Art: All of the Exhibitions to See at the 2026 Venice Biennale

The article, published by L'Officiel Art, provides a guide to fashion-brand-sponsored exhibitions at the 2026 Venice Biennale. It highlights projects by luxury houses including Bottega Veneta, Louis Vuitton, Zegna, and Bvlgari, framing them as unmissable cultural events within the broader Biennale program.

A-LISTERS | New art gallery goes the whole Nine Yards

A new contemporary art gallery, kumalo | turpin, has opened in Johannesburg's Parktown North neighborhood, housed within the Nine Yards precinct. The gallery launched with an exhibition titled "gender/genre," featuring works by women artists across sculpture, painting, and photography. Co-founders Zanele Kumalo and MJ Turpin, the latter formerly co-director of the Kalashnikovv Gallery, aim to showcase emerging artists from the global majority. The opening attracted a crowd of local art-world figures, collectors, and creatives, including Marc Lubner, Niki Judelman, and photographer Trevor Stuurman.

The Earth, the Fire, the Water, and the Winds: For a Museum of Errantry with Édouard Glissant

The Center for Art, Research and Alliances in New York presents "The Earth, the Fire, the Water, and the Winds: For a Museum of Errantry with Édouard Glissant," running from February 28 to May 10, 2026. The exhibition focuses on the Martinican poet and philosopher Édouard Glissant's personal art collection, tracing how his key concepts—opacity, relation, and creolization—emerged through his engagement with artworks and artists. It features works by artists such as Agustín Cárdenas, Victor Anicet, Eduardo Zamora, Gerardo Chávez, José Gamarra, and M. Emile, and travels from Instituto Tomie Ohtake in São Paulo.

The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho opens up new art exhibition this Friday

The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho in Rexburg will open a new exhibition titled "Sacred Spaces: Visions of the West from the Prosaic to the Sublime" this Friday. The show features works by six contemporary artists from Idaho and Utah—David Dibble, Bryan Mark Taylor, Josh Clare, Allie Zeyer, Louisa Lorenz, and Carson Thompson—primarily in oil paintings, alongside historic farm photographs from the Museum of Idaho and private collection photos from executive director Alexa Stanger. Free public events include an Art Walk on Thursday, an opening reception on Friday with an audio tour featuring artists' voices, and art demos with a Q&A on Saturday.

Can we practice for crises in art?

"Können wir in der Kunst für die Krisen üben?"

Belgian theater director Miet Warlop is presenting her work "It never SSST" at the Belgian Pavilion during the Venice Biennale. The installation combines performance, sculpture, a radio show, and objects, featuring six performers, musicians, dancers, and a sculptor who periodically calls "Freeze" to capture movements in plaster reliefs. Warlop, known for her physically exhausting ritualistic performances like "One Song," discusses the piece's themes of ceaseless activity and the body as a resource, as well as the challenge of engaging visitors who often rush through the pavilion.

Venice Biennale chief under pressure

Venedig-Biennale-Chef unter Druck

Just before the opening of the Venice Art Biennale, its president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco is facing mounting criticism after the entire jury resigned. Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli accused Buttafuoco of pursuing a form of "parallel foreign policy" by readmitting Russia to the six-month exhibition, calling him a "victim of a pacifist fantasy." The opening ceremony and the traditional Golden Lion awards have been canceled; prizes will now be decided by visitor vote at the end of the Biennale in November.

Jury of the Venice Biennale Resigns

Jury der Venedig-Biennale tritt zurück

The entire jury of the Venice Biennale, appointed by artistic director Koyo Kouoh, has resigned with immediate effect. In a statement released on Thursday, the jury members—including chair Solange Oliveira Farkas, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi—cited a prior declaration from April 22 in which they announced they would not award Golden or Silver Lions to artists from countries whose political leadership is currently indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity. Although no specific countries were named, the move implicitly targets Russia (President Vladimir Putin) and Israel (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu), both subject to ICC arrest warrants. The resignation comes amid escalating tensions over Russia's participation in the Biennale despite EU sanctions, which had already led to a freeze of EU funding and widespread protests.

Under pressure, the Venice Biennale jury resigns and is replaced by a public vote

Sous pression, le jury de la Biennale de Venise démissionne et est remplacé par un vote du public

On April 30, just days before the Venice Biennale's public opening on May 9, the entire international jury responsible for awarding the Golden and Silver Lions resigned. The jury—comprising Solange Farkas, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi—had been caught in a escalating controversy after Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco reinstated Russia, which had been excluded since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The European Union threatened to suspend or cancel its €2 million subsidy if Russia remained included. The jury attempted to exclude countries whose leaders face International Criminal Court arrest warrants, effectively targeting Russia and Israel, but ultimately resigned under pressure from both external diplomatic turmoil and internal institutional opposition to any discrimination between pavilions.

Inside a gallery spotlighting experimental art in Fort Worth’s Near Southside

Giant Runt Gallery, an artist-run space in Fort Worth's Near Southside, was founded in September 2024 by Cosmo Jones and Max Marshall. The gallery showcases experimental, eclectic art that challenges the local norm of Western-themed work. Its latest exhibition, “Everyone is Someone’s Baby,” opens May 1 featuring artists Megan Solis and Glory West. The gallery recently held its first Juried Show, drawing over 400 applicants and awarding first prize to Jori Jori for her sculpture “The East Wind.” The space occupies a former gallery suite in the Dickson-Jenkins Lofts & Plaza, previously home to Bale Creek Allen’s gallery and Cufflink Art.

Gallery openings and exhibits in Central Oregon this week

This article lists numerous gallery openings and ongoing exhibits in Central Oregon for the current week. Venues include Amejko Artistry, Art Adventure Gallery, Artists’ Gallery Sunriver, ArtHouse LTA, Belknap Exhibit Center, Canyon Creek Pottery, Deschutes Historical Museum, Dry Canyon Community Arts Center, High Desert Museum, Hood Avenue Art, Jeffrey Murray Fine Art Photography, John Paul Designs, Kreitzer Art Gallery and Studio, Lubbesmeyer Fiber Studio, Makin’ It Local, Nancy McGrath Green Gallery, and Nashwood Gallery, featuring works by artists such as Anna Amejko Peterson, Jana Charl, Kenneth Merrill, Jesica Carleton, Jeffrey Murray, Lori and Lisa Lubbesmeyer, Kara Frampton, and Will Nash.

At Brooklyn Creative Reuse, Art Supplies Get a Second Life

Brooklyn Creative Reuse (BCR), a nonprofit founded by jeweler Stephanie O'Brien, has opened a permanent brick-and-mortar store in Industry City, Brooklyn, after launching as a pop-up in February 2025. The store sells donated, pre-loved and unused art supplies at a price-per-pound rate, making materials affordable for low-income artists, educators, and hobbyists. Its opening party on April 18 drew large crowds, and BCR has already diverted over 1,000 pounds of art supplies from landfills in its first year.

Harris County Juried Exhibition