Fit for a king: the drapery bedchamber at Germany's ‘Versailles of Swabia’ presents conservators with a special challenge

Friedrich I of Baden-Württemberg upgraded his summer residence, Ludwigsburg Palace in Germany, after allying with Napoleon and becoming king. Four prized rooms, including the unusually complete drapery bedchamber, are set to reopen in 2026 after substantial restoration. The bedchamber features original turquoise silks, now faded blue-green, and over 6,000 tassels, presenting a major conservation challenge. Textile conservator Anu-Susanna Ventelä notes it is likely the only palace in Europe with such an intact drapery room. The project is part of a larger revamp of 35 rooms funded by the State of Baden-Württemberg, with conservators consulting historical inventories to restore furnishings to their original layout.

How the National Gallery of Art is Using AI to Unlock New Insights into Art and Pain Managment

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., is leveraging its extensive digitization program to apply artificial intelligence to new fields, including pain management. Through partnerships like the PHAROS consortium and a collaboration with McGill University researcher Hannah Derue, the museum's open-access collection of over 61,000 high-resolution images is being used to train AI models for PAin+, a software platform that helps chronic pain patients articulate and track their experiences using art-based mindfulness and machine learning.

British Museum faces internal criticism over private Israel independence day event

The British Museum (BM) in London hosted a private event on 16 May marking the anniversary of the founding of Israel, organized by the Israeli embassy. Speakers included Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely and UK minister Maria Eagle, with attendees such as comedian Jimmy Carr and politicians Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage. The event has sparked anger among museum staff and external critics, who argue it is insensitive given the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has led to widespread famine and civilian deaths. Staff have organized a petition demanding the museum cease relations with Israeli cultural institutions, gathering 250 signatures.

Hyderabad’s restored Sardar Mahal to open with cafe, art gallery and heritage stay

Sardar Mahal, a historic palace near Charminar in Hyderabad, has undergone restoration and will soon open to the public with a café, art gallery, cultural centre, and heritage accommodation. The ₹30-crore project, overseen by the Quli Qutb Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA), is nearing completion and expected to be operational within two months. Built in 1900 by Nizam VI Mir Mahboob Ali Khan for his consort Sardar Begum, the building was declared a heritage structure by INTACH and later taken over by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in 1965.

Tonight’s JT Art Walk features new “Walker’s Wipeout” store and gallery

The Joshua Tree Art Walk returns this Saturday in downtown Joshua Tree, featuring the grand opening of a new store and gallery called Walker’s Wipeout by local artist Walker Mettling. Mettling, a comic, woodcut, and risograph artist originally from Providence, RI, will exhibit his own absurdist neon comic dread multimedia works and plans to host other artists in the future. Other participating galleries include Hey There Projects with “Sous les etoiles” featuring Sofia Badaoui and Laura Cooper; La Matadora with “Fairytales & Fanciful Creatures”; Coyote Little with “Don’t Get It Twisted” showcasing fifteen desert-based textile artists; and The Beatnik Lounge with “Like A Dog: A Look at Selective Compassion” curated by Janice Taitel. Live music will be provided by Lee Scott and Joe Garcia on the Art Queen stage.

‘Beaming smiles’: Karachi art exhibit puts artists with Down syndrome on path to empowerment

The Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi recently hosted the fourth edition of 'Rangon Ki Lehr,' an exhibition showcasing over 90 paintings by 80 artists with Down syndrome. Organized by the Karachi Down Syndrome Program (KDSP), the event featured works created by students in the 'Education for Life' program, drawing participants from Karachi, Islamabad, and Faisalabad. The exhibition serves as a professional platform where artists take full creative control of their canvases, choosing their own techniques, colors, and subjects.

Today: Brooklyn Gallery Presents Sefirot Art Exhibition

On May 17, 2026, Hadas Gallery at Chabad of Clinton Hill & Pratt Institute in Brooklyn opens a new exhibition of paintings by local artist Samuel Abelow. The show explores the Kabbalistic concept of the Sefirot and the Omer period leading to Shavuot, featuring seven contemporary paintings alongside a live collaboration and lecture with Rabbi Aaron L. Raskin, author of a book on the subject. The event combines art, spirituality, music, and live teaching in an interactive community setting.

Saint Lucia Joins Dominica, Barbados and More Countries at Jazz ‘n Arts Festival 2026, Bringing Together Global Jazz Artists, Traditional Creole Music, Live Art Exhibitions, Caribbean Fashion and a Flavorful Culinary Experience for a Truly Unforgettable Cele

Saint Lucia will participate in the Jazz ‘n Arts Festival 2026, joining Dominica, Barbados, and other Caribbean nations. The festival will feature global jazz artists, traditional Creole music, live art exhibitions, Caribbean fashion, and a culinary experience, aiming to create a vibrant cultural celebration.

'A space that feels like us, that looks like us'

The Center for Black Excellence and Culture will open on West Badger Road in Madison on May 6, after years of planning and raising over $32 million from roughly 1,300 donors. The facility includes a central gallery, display spaces, a 280-seat fine arts theater, a black box theater, a library, a Black studies reading room, a recording studio, and a women's empowerment center. The grand opening will feature performances by The House Urban Arts Initiative Inc., Dana Pellebon, Theola Carter, Anthony Brown, and others. The inaugural visual arts exhibition, "Neo Black Renaissance: A Vision in One's Mind," will run through August, showcasing works by artists including Comfort Wasikhongo, Odalo Wasikhongo, Marlon Banks, Brooklyn Doby, Jessica Patterson, Fatima Laster, and Shalicia Johnson.

Marie Antoinette Fashion at Museum Exhibitions [PHOTOS]

A photo essay showcases fashion and decorative arts associated with Marie Antoinette, drawn from multiple museum exhibitions in France. Images include an English-style dress and skirt (circa 1780-1790) from the Palais Galliera-Paris Musées, a shoe from 1895 at the Musée des Beaux Arts de Caen, a pug on a cushion from the Berlin Manufactory (circa 1760) courtesy of Les Arts Décoratifs, and a painting titled "The Bad News" by Jean-Baptiste-Marie Pierre. The collection also features a French-style dress (circa 1755-1765), a formal corset attributed to Queen Marie Antoinette (circa 1770-1780), and a view of the exhibition "Fashion in the 18th Century: A Fantasized Legacy" at the Palais Galliera fashion museum in Paris.

New exhibit at Museum of Contemporary Art explores reggaetón and dancehall as forms of protest

The Museum of Contemporary Art has opened a new exhibition titled 'Dancing the Revolution: From Dancehall to Reggaetón.' The show features works by 42 contemporary artists, including paintings, sound sculptures, and interactive installations like a karaoke machine, examining the social, political, and spiritual histories of these musical genres. It was inspired by the 2019 protests in Puerto Rico, where reggaetón music and dance became a central form of protest and celebration.

GCWUF to host solo art exhibition “Chain of Memories” on April 21

Government College Women University Faisalabad's Department of Art & Design is organizing a solo exhibition titled "Chain of Memories" featuring works by artist Dr. Tooba Najam. The exhibition will be held at the Punjab Council of Arts Faisalabad Division and inaugurated by Divisional Commissioner Musarrat Jabeen, with university Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Kanwal Ameen attending as a special guest.

Room Art Fair 2026 transforms 25hours Hotel Jakarta into a living gallery

The 25hours Hotel Jakarta The Oddbird has launched the inaugural Room Art Fair 2026 to coincide with World Art Day. In collaboration with the Indonesian Art Galleries Association (AGSI), the event transforms the hotel’s 10th-floor guest rooms into immersive gallery spaces featuring 13 different galleries. By removing the formal barriers of traditional white-cube settings, the fair allows visitors to engage with contemporary Indonesian art in a domestic, intimate environment.

‘Like a Rising River’ explores Nepali women through art

The art exhibition ‘Like a Rising River: Stories of Women and Change’ recently opened in Nepal, showcasing the results of a collaborative project between Srijanalaya, UN Women Nepal, and the Government of Finland. The initiative sent 15 Nepali artists to four provinces—Sudurpaschim, Bagmati, Sarlahi, and Madhesh—to document the lived experiences, social struggles, and resilience of local women through various artistic mediums, including textiles, mixed-media animation, and storytelling.

How do you break bad news to someone you love? With this artist’s help, it’s a piece of cake

Artist Keely O'Brien has transformed the Richmond-Brighouse SkyTrain station in Vancouver into a public gallery with her exhibition "Secret Ingredients." Part of the Capture Photography Festival, the installation features large-scale photographs of decadent, homemade cakes iced with unconventional messages like "You Snore" or "I'm So Proud of You." These images originated from a social experiment where O'Brien solicited anonymous confessions from the public and delivered them as custom-baked confections to recipients across the city.

UW’s Art Lofts open “Ghost Writer: someone who writes something for someone else”

The University of Wisconsin's Art Lofts Main Gallery opened the MFA qualifier exhibition "Ghost Writer: Someone Who Writes Something for Someone Else" by artist Daniella Thach on February 4, 2026. The exhibition explores Thach's Cambodian American identity and the merging of timelines across familial memory, aiming to shed light on the 50th anniversary of the Cambodian genocide.

Open Call: Submit artwork to Sinvergüenza group show

Acción Latina's Juan R. Fuentes Gallery in San Francisco has issued an open call for Bay Area artists to submit artwork for "Sinvergüenza," a group exhibition honoring women and nonbinary people who defy societal expectations. The show reclaims the term "sinvergüenza" (shameless) as a badge of courage, inviting works in all formats including painting, ceramics, photography, and mixed media. The submission deadline has been extended to January 18, 2026, with the exhibition running from February 14 to March 29, 2026.

Andi Crist’s Five-Star Exhibition on Artistic Labor at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art

Andi Crist presents her first solo museum exhibition, “Live, Laugh, Labor: Thoughts on Usefulness and Other Myths,” at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art, on view until January 11, 2026. The show explores the hidden labor behind art production through works like “How to Hang a Painting,” a cast-aluminum instructional piece, and includes preparatory sketches, a recreated “The Door,” and ceramic works such as “Good Idea/Bad Idea (trash can)” and “Target Practice.” Crist, who identifies as a creative, designer, fabricator, art handler, and comic, uses humor and self-deprecation to expose the messy realities of making art.

Museum of Art Fort Collins brings visibility to Indigenous contemporary art

The Museum of Art Fort Collins has opened “Indigenous Voices: A Contemporary Art Exhibition,” curated by artist Gregg Deal of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. The show features diverse Indigenous artists using distinct visual techniques—from acrylic painting to beadwork and animal hide—to address political, cultural, and social topics. Among the participants is Gregg Deal’s child, Sage Deal, an art history student at the University of Colorado, Denver, and Skye Little Cloud, a Pratt Institute student who founded Little Cloud Studio in 2024. The exhibition runs until January 4, 2026.

Martin Superville's Twilight Zone opens at Studio Joli on September 6

Trinidadian artist Martin Superville presents his latest exhibition, "Twilight Zone: Tovaco et Iere II," at Studio Joli in St. James, Trinidad, opening September 6 and running through September 18. The show draws on the indigenous names for Trinidad and Tobago, reflecting Superville's decades-long practice of documenting local culture, history, and landscapes through oil paint, charcoal, ink, and watercolor. Superville, who launched his fine-art career in 1988 and owns The Art Gallery in Tobago, has exhibited internationally in Barbados, Anguilla, Antigua, Washington, and New York.

‘An act of solidarity’: exhibitions raising funds and awareness for Palestinians open in London

Two exhibitions raising funds and awareness for Palestinians open in London this week. The main show, titled 'GAZAGAZAGAZA', features over 400 donated works by more than 200 artists from 35 countries, organized by Studio 1.1 and the artist-led activist community Artists Supporting Palestine (ASP). Proceeds from sales, including postcard-sized works priced at £20, will benefit Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). Additional fundraising initiatives include prints by Gaza-based artists and a badges project supporting children in Gaza.

New exhibition Here We Are to open at three Scarborough art galleries - how to collect special badge

Three Scarborough art galleries—the Old Parcels Office, Gallery 33, and Mandy Apple—will jointly host a multi-venue exhibition titled "Here We Are" from June 28 to July 13, 2025. Featuring over 20 local artists, the show presents works in textile, ceramics, sculpture, and fine art that explore identity, belonging, and artists' experiences of living in and around Scarborough. Visitors can collect stamps on a special flyer at each venue to receive a free badge, and free participatory workshops will be held every Saturday.

Joy Sarkar inaugurates solo art show by Anupama Arora Mallik

Music composer Joy Sarkar inaugurated 'Echoes in Colours', a solo art exhibition by emerging artist Anupama Arora Mallik, at a prominent art gallery in Kolkata. The event was attended by notable figures including Ayon Ghosh, Badal Pal, and Prosanta Kumar Basu, who praised the artist's evocative work. Anupama, a self-taught artist and former consultant pathologist of two decades, transitioned from medicine to pursue painting, blending representational and abstract styles inspired by nature and Impressionism. Her signature palette knife technique creates richly textured layers on canvas, tile, wood, and glass. The exhibition was curated by Madhuchanda Sen.

Chassidus in Color Invites Community to Art Gallery Opening

The Chassidus in Color art contest has selected sixty finalist paintings from 180 submissions to be exhibited in a community gallery opening. The opening night event will take place on April 29, 2025, at the Maor Art Gallery in Brooklyn, featuring remarks from artist Yitzchok Moully. The exhibition will run for three weeks across two venues—Maor Art Gallery and Betzalel Art Gallery—before a finale at the Jewish Children’s Museum on May 18. Renowned Chabad artist Michoel Muchnik and a panel of fellow artists will review the finalists to determine the contest winners.

In Wiesbaden, Wolfgang Hollegha Understands Abstraction Physically

In Wiesbaden begreift Wolfgang Hollegha Abstraktion körperlich

The Museum Reinhard Ernst in Wiesbaden is hosting a major retrospective dedicated to the late Austrian painter Wolfgang Hollegha. The exhibition showcases Hollegha’s signature monumental canvases, characterized by a unique technique of pouring paint to create eruptive yet precise compositions that bridge the gap between physical movement, memory, and spatial abstraction.

Students Showcase Their Artwork At New Gallery

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School students recently debuted a diverse exhibition at the newly opened Patricia B. O’Neill Student Art Gallery. The showcase features over 20 student works, including sculptures, photographs, and paintings that explore complex themes ranging from grief and eternal love to African mythology and ancient Japanese pottery techniques.

“ Where Arts Flourish, Culture Blossoms”: Renowned Film Director and Artist B. Narsing Rao at ‘Charcoal...

A charcoal art exhibition titled "Charcoal Stories" by young prodigy Ricky Tej from Nagarkurnool district was inaugurated at Lamakaan in Hyderabad. Renowned film director and artist B. Narsing Rao attended as Chief Guest, praising Tej's realistic charcoal drawings and mythological themes. Other speakers included journalist Sri Venkateshwar Rao, editorial cartoonist Sri Narsim, and Group-1 Officer Ms. Sahithi, who emphasized the importance of encouraging artistic talents alongside academics. The exhibition was organized by BALACHELIMI children's magazine and remains open to the public until 6pm on April 26, 2025.

Art Exhibition Explores Identity and Belonging in Scarborough

Three Scarborough art galleries—the Old Parcels Office, Gallery 33, and Mandy Apple—are collaborating on a multi-venue exhibition titled "Here We Are" from June 28 to July 13, 2025. Featuring over 20 local artists, the show presents works in textile, ceramics, sculpture, and fine art that explore themes of identity, belonging, and the artists' experiences of living in and around Scarborough. Visitors can collect stamps on a special flyer to receive a free badge and participate in free workshops held on Saturdays.

Art exhibition titled A Moment in Time celebrates works of three pioneering artists

Three pioneering Pakistani artists—Jimmy Engineer, Rahat Naveed Masud, and Amna Pataudi—have come together for a group exhibition titled "A Moment in Time" at the National Art Gallery in Islamabad. Organized by For Art Sake and the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), the show runs until May 12 and features a blend of historical, spiritual, and self-reflective works. Engineer presents emotionally charged historical and religious canvases, Masud displays a series of self-portraits exploring personal and societal identity, and Pataudi contributes still-life and thematic paintings rooted in meticulous technique.