Artist Pooja Bhansali unveils Grid & Garden exhibition in Mumbai

Mumbai-based contemporary artist Pooja Bhansali is making her debut solo exhibition, "Grid & Garden," at Jehangir Art Gallery in Kala Ghoda. The show features works that blend painting, textile, and sculpture, using materials like herringbone tweed, silk brocade, and wool felt on custom wooden structures. Series include "Wave Grid," "The Golden Realm," "The Beehive Series," and "Water Garden Triptych," exploring themes of structure, fluidity, nature, and luxury.

Memorial Art Gallery raises $9 million to make admission free in 2027

The Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) at the University of Rochester has raised over $9 million through its "Free for All, Forever" fundraising initiative, surpassing its original goal and timeline. The museum will now open its doors free of charge to all visitors sometime in 2027, much sooner than anticipated. Key donors include Alexander and Lucy Levitan, who contributed a $1 million capstone gift; Doug and Abby Bennett and the Sands Family Foundation, who gave a $3 million leadership gift; and Mary Ellen Burris, who donated $2 million. The announcement was celebrated at MAG's Flourish For All, Forever gala on May 9, 2026.

Who Are the Custom Mannequins in “Costume Art” Based On? We’re So Glad You Asked

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's 2025 Costume Institute exhibition, "Costume Art," features 25 mannequins modeled after nine real people with diverse body types and mobilities. Curator Andrew Bolton collaborated with artist Samar Hejazi, who created mirrored faceless heads for the mannequins, and artist Tanda Francis, who modeled features after historical figures like André Grenard Matswa. The mannequins are distributed across two thematic sections: "Disabled Body," featuring individuals such as writer Sinéad Burke, athlete Aimee Mullins, and models Aariana Rose Philip, Antwan Tolliver, and Sonia Vera, along with imagery of the late drag performer Goddess Bunny; and "Corpulent Body," featuring models Jade O'Belle, Charlie Reynolds, artist Michaela Stark, and singer Yseult. The living subjects underwent 3D photogrammetry scanning to recreate their likenesses.

This illustrator is the best Nova Scotian folk artist you’ve never heard of

The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (AGNS) has opened "On the Matter of Memory: The Drawings of Harold Cromwell," the first solo exhibition dedicated to the late African Nova Scotian folk artist. Cromwell (1919–2008) created intricate ballpoint-pen drawings on everyday surfaces like cupboard doors and paper plates, chronicling working-class rural life. His works were sold for a few dollars at the Annapolis Farmer’s Market and were largely overlooked during his lifetime, despite his regional popularity. The exhibition runs until September 13, 2026, and aims to elevate his legacy alongside better-known Nova Scotian folk artists like Maud Lewis.

'Epic in scale': APY Lands exhibition opens at NGA after three-year delay

The National Gallery of Australia has officially opened 'Ngura Puḻka — Epic Country,' a landmark exhibition featuring 30 large-scale paintings by 49 First Nations artists from the APY Lands. The show, which features works predominantly measuring three-by-three meters, highlights the Tjukurpa (lore and ceremony) of the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara regions. The opening follows a significant three-year delay caused by an independent investigation into allegations of improper interference by non-Indigenous staff.

Exhibition | Nyakallo Maleke, 'A Soft Language of Distance' at Bode, Berlin, Germany

Johannesburg-based artist Nyakallo Maleke presents her solo exhibition, 'A Soft Language of Distance,' at Bode in Berlin. The show features an expanded practice of drawing that incorporates textiles, wax paper, and intricate stitching to explore themes of movement, memory, and spatial experience. Maleke, who was recently named the recipient of the 2025 Standard Bank Young Artist Award, utilizes these unconventional materials to create a tactile vocabulary that bridges the gap between intimate gesture and architectural form.

‘It doesn’t put walls around everything’: behind the plans for Manila’s new contemporary art centre

The Ayala Foundation has announced the development of the Kontempo Center for Contemporary Art in Manila, appointing Reuben Keehan as its inaugural artistic director. Designed by architect Kulapat Yantrasast of WHY Architecture in collaboration with Lor Calma & Partners, the center will be located on the site of a former racetrack in Circuit Makati. The facility will prioritize exhibitions, commissions, and public programming over a permanent collection, featuring three large galleries and extensive green space for public art installations.

Yoonshin Park Opens up the Books for Participation at Hyde Park Art Center

Yoonshin Park's solo exhibition "Prompt and Prompted" is on view at the Hyde Park Art Center in Chicago, featuring artists' books, video, and paper-based works that explore reading, memory, and materiality. The show includes pieces from Park's "How (Not) to Read" series, such as the unfurled scroll "I can no longer see. Whose story remains?" (2022), alongside works like "Partial Reading," "Night," and "Neither Flat Nor Fixed," accompanied by a video of the artist manipulating materials that generates a white-noise soundtrack.

New contemporary art gallery coming to Oxford Street, focus on local creatives

A new contemporary art gallery called Oxford Street Gallery is opening in Mount Hawthorn, Perth, in February. Founded by arts professional Abbey Telfer and her mother Lynette, the gallery's mission is to provide a permanent exhibition platform for emerging and mid-career Western Australian artists, who often lack such dedicated spaces. Its debut exhibition, 'DEBUT,' will feature works from 20 local artists.

Albany Center Gallery Celebrates Grand Opening at New Pearl Street Location

Albany Center Gallery (ACG) celebrated the grand opening of its new location at 48 N Pearl Street on January 16, 2026, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by local officials, artists, and community members. The event featured the 21st Annual Members’ Show, juried by Kayla Carlsen of the Albany Institute of History & Art, showcasing work from 276 artists, with $2,000 in cash prizes awarded. The move from its previous Arcade Building location marks ACG's sixth relocation since 1977, expanding to a 6,600-square-foot space that includes flexible exhibition areas and a doubled youth education space.

Alfa Art Gallery presents "Reflections of the Living World"

Alfa Art Gallery in New Brunswick, New Jersey, presents "Reflections of the Living World," its Winter 2026 Photography Exhibition running from January 20 to March 21, 2026. The free exhibition features thirteen artists—including Alan Chimacoff, Arik Gorban, Barry Rosenthal, and Jeremy Dennis—whose works explore perception, memory, and storytelling through contemporary photography. The show is available both in-person and virtually, with opening receptions on January 30 and February 6.

LOOK: Winning artists crowned at Rugby Open exhibition

The Rugby Open 25 exhibition has opened at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, showcasing works from contemporary artists across the Midlands. A panel of judges, including Arts Council Collection director Alona Pardo and Art Riot Collective creative director Kyla Craig, selected the pieces. Paul Anthony Goalby won the overall prize of £1,000 for his painting 'The Placeholder,' plus £500 for a solo exhibition, while Dexter Rudkin won the Youth Open for 'Boo!' Other award winners include Ella Black, Victoria Wyton-Mills, Jo McChesney, Carmen Tilley, Jane Tilley, James Tallon, Katherine Taylor, Sandra Jenkins, and Hannah Venkatasamy. The exhibition also features a supporting show, '25 for 25,' celebrating the venue's 25th anniversary.

Shobhaa De Inaugurates Viveek Sharma's New Solo Exhibition 'Sacred Gestures' at Jehangir Art Gallery

Zen Crafart has opened 'Sacred Gestures', a solo exhibition by contemporary Indian artist Viveek Sharma, at Mumbai's Jehangir Art Gallery. The show was inaugurated by novelist and columnist Shobhaa De and runs from December 2 to 8, 2025. The exhibition features works that blend Lavani-inspired movement, divine feminine symbolism, and pop culture motifs, exploring femininity through dramatic lighting and saturated hues. It follows Sharma's earlier Delhi exhibition 'Silence Please', which received strong acclaim from collectors and cultural figures.

Penda Diakité talks prior to her solo art exhibition: Bokolo Roots

Portland-born artist Penda Diakité discusses her upcoming solo exhibition "Bokolo Roots" at Nine Gallery in Portland, opening December 4, 2025. The installation-based show explores bicultural identity through her lived experience between Mali and America, featuring ceramic clay sculptures created through a hands-on process involving plaster molds. Diakité previously exhibited at the Portland Art Museum in the group show "Black Artists of Oregon."

Submissions open for OMAH's Tradition Transformed exhibition

The Orillia Museum of Art & History (OMAH) has opened submissions for the 24th annual Tradition Transformed juried exhibition, inviting Canadian artists to reinterpret the Canadian landscape through the theme of travel or daydreaming. The exhibition runs concurrently with John Gould: Travels of the Body and Mind and honors Group of Seven member Franklin Carmichael. Artists may submit works in all mediums, with entry fees and deadlines through August 22, 2025. Prizes include the Jurors’ Prize ($1,500), Kevin J. Batchelor Emerging Artist Award ($1,000), new Philip Jackman Photography Prize ($500), and Norma Duggan Award ($250). Jurors are Carol-Ann Ryan and Erin Vincent.

Chicago And Tokyo Artists Elevate Mosaics From Decorative Craft To Fine Art In New Exhibit

The Gallery of Contemporary Mosaics in Chicago has opened a new group exhibition titled "Perspectives from Japan," featuring works by eight Japanese artists, including master mosaicist Toyoharu Kii. Kii, known for his monochromatic white marble pieces, has taught at the Chicago Mosaic School for over a decade and traveled from Tokyo for the show, which runs through July 12. The exhibition aims to highlight the artistic sophistication of mosaic as a contemporary fine-art medium.

Immersive experience featuring ‘costumed folk’ shortlisted for world's biggest museum prize

Five British museums have been shortlisted for the 2025 Art Fund Museum of the Year, the world's largest museum prize. The finalists are Beamish, The Living Museum of the North in County Durham; Chapter arts centre in Cardiff; Compton Verney gallery in Warwickshire; Golden Thread Gallery in Belfast; and Perth Museum in Scotland. Beamish, a 55-year-old open-air museum, recently completed its "Remaking Beamish" project recreating a 1950s town with 32,000 community members. Perth Museum opened in March 2024 after a £27m renovation and houses the Stone of Destiny. The winner will be announced on 26 June at the Museum of Liverpool, receiving £120,000, while each of the other finalists gets £15,000.

Lagos curator establishes private art society with focus on cross-disciplinary exchange

Ugoma Chinelo Ebilah, an economist-turned-curator who founded Bloom Art Lagos in 2010 and the Mbari Kola Arts and Culture Foundation in 2019, is opening Mbari Kola, a private art society and members club in Lagos. Located in the affluent Ikoyi district, the 800 sq. m space will include a public gallery, shop, and garden, along with a private lounge, terrace, library, and multifunctional rooms for members. The venue will host exhibitions, residencies, film screenings, concerts, performances, and readings, focusing on pan-African art and culture. A soft launch for founding members is set for Africa Day (25 May), with further phases after summer and during Lagos Art Week in November. The club is part-funded by Ebilah and crowdfunded through around 50 founding patrons and members.

The Ukrainian Pavilion’s Deer Seen Around the World

Zhanna Kadyrova's concrete sculpture "The Origami Deer" (2019) is prominently displayed at the entrance to the Giardini during the 61st Venice Biennale, part of her project "Security Guarantees" in the Ukrainian Pavilion. Originally installed in Pokrovsk, eastern Ukraine, the work was removed in 2024 as Russian forces advanced, then traveled through Vienna, Warsaw, Prague, Berlin, and Paris before reaching Venice—a journey mirroring the displacement of millions of Ukrainians. The sculpture, shaped like a deer and evoking folded paper, references the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in which Russia, the UK, and US guaranteed Ukraine's security in exchange for its nuclear disarmament—guarantees that proved worthless after Russia's invasions.

Israeli Artist’s Show in Mexico City Closes After Antisemitic Harassment

An exhibition by Israeli artist Amir Fattal at König gallery in Mexico City was forced to close a week early after a campaign of antisemitic harassment escalated from online abuse to physical protests and vandalism. Vandals spray-painted swastikas, Stars of David, and the phrase "here there are terrorists" on the gallery's facade, and protesters gathered outside calling the artist a murderer and Mossad agent.

the winter show returns to the park avenue armory heres what to expect

The Winter Show returns to New York's Park Avenue Armory for its 72nd edition, running from January 23 to February 1, 2026. The fair brings together over 70 international dealers offering a wide range of collecting categories including jewels, antiques, design, and fine art. Highlights include returning exhibitors such as A La Vieille Russie, Ralph M. Chait Galleries, and Joan B Mirviss, alongside newcomers like Galerie Cahn, Greg Pepin Silver, and Rose Uniacke. The fair also features a Design Council co-chaired by Noz Nozawa, Ben Pentreath, Jane Keltner de Valle, and Giancarlo Valle, and includes benefit events like Opening Night Preview and Young Collectors Night.

avram finkelstein changed the world smack mellon act up gran fury

Artist, writer, and activist Avram Finkelstein, a founding member of ACT UP, Silence=Death, and Gran Fury, presents his first solo exhibition in New York City, titled “Something Terrible Has Happened (Corpus Fluxus)” at Smack Mellon. The show features large-scale drawings and digital prints on walls, ceilings, and wheeled metal structures that also serve as mobility aids for Finkelstein, who has thyroid cancer. Works such as "Golem (BRAF V600E mutation)" and "Black Golem (after Bergman)" explore themes of disability, pain, and the body in flux, using the Jewish folklore figure of the golem as a central metaphor. The exhibition transforms the gallery into an "experiential dancehall," emphasizing accessibility through movement and sensory engagement.

art kye christensen knowles young artist

Kye Christensen-Knowles, a 32-year-old figurative painter based in New York, is featured in Cultured's 2025 Young Artists list. A recent solo exhibition at Lomex in New York showcased his range, from unnerving contemporary society portraits to epic science-fiction scenes. His work is also on view in a group show at the Warehouse, a private museum in Dallas. In an interview, he discusses his readymade work "Painting" (2019–23), a studio rug covered in accumulated paint, and cites influences such as Vito Acconci and Louise Bourgeois.

art coumba samba young artist

Coumba Samba, a 25-year-old artist based in New York, is featured in Cultured's 2025 Young Artists list. Her recent installation at Kunsthalle Basel uses 176 steel poles spaced four inches apart to evoke the U.S.-Mexico border wall, referencing policies from the George W. Bush and Trump administrations. Born in New York and partly raised in Senegal, Samba creates work about the permeability and absurdity of international borders. Her show “Red Gas” at Arcadia Missa incorporates found home radiators painted with colors from a photo of former Senegalese President Macky Sall shaking hands with Vladimir Putin at the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit, blending abstraction with global politics.

beauty perfume fragrance critics perfumetok

Cultured magazine has enlisted three top fragrance critics—April Long, Arabelle Sicardi, and Maxwell Williams—to discuss the state of fine fragrance in an era of oversaturation, where over 3,000 new perfumes launch annually and #perfumetok has amassed over 7 billion views. The conversation covers niche perfumery, dupe culture, AI noses, and the central question of when a perfume qualifies as a work of art versus a mere commodity. Each critic brings a distinct background: Long is a New York-based journalist with 15 Fragrance Foundation awards; Sicardi is a beauty philosopher and author of the upcoming book 'House of Beauty'; Williams is both a journalist and a working perfumer trained at the Institute for Art and Olfaction.

art joel quayson dior photography award

Joel Quayson, a student at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, has won the 2025 Dior Photography and Visual Arts Award for Young Talents at the Rencontres d’Arles photo festival. His short film "How Do You Feel?" explores the tension between his expressive queer identity and the expectations of his family and culture, showing him dressing and undressing while a narrator repeatedly asks the title question. The jury, including Dior Makeup creative director Peter Philips, Luma Arles founder Maja Hoffmann, and photographer Yuriko Takagi, praised the work for its raw vulnerability and emotional depth.

art david salle east hamptons

CULTURED magazine interviews David Salle at his East Hampton home, discussing his new "Windows" series of paintings debuting at Seoul's Storage by Hyundai Card space as part of the exhibition "David Salle: Under One Roof." The Neo-Expressionist artist explains how the series evolved from an idea for a digital game, placing characters from his "Tree of Life" paintings into apartment windows against backgrounds drawn from details of his own past works spanning 40 years. Salle also reflects on his long history with the Hamptons, first visiting in 1976 through his connection to CalArts dean Paul Brach, and the area's deep ties to Abstract Expressionist history.

dalmore artist on artist panel san francisco

The Dalmore whisky distillery hosted a private panel discussion in San Francisco, featuring architect Ben Dobbin of Foster + Partners and artist Sarah Meyohas, moderated by CULTURED Executive Editor Mara Veitch. The event, held at Studio at Mission Rock, brought together local gallerists, designers, and art enthusiasts to explore the intersection of fine art, architecture, and commercial practice. Dobbin was recently selected for the third iteration of The Dalmore's Luminary series, collaborating with master distillers to create limited edition whiskies housed in his custom bronze sculpture and bespoke case.

daniel english jeans dinner party

CULTURED editor-in-chief Sarah Harrelson and Legacy Investing co-founder Daniel English hosted an intimate dinner at Jean's in New York, bringing together leaders from art, finance, and real estate. Guests included Frieze's Julie Kim, Wells Group founder George Wells, Art Intelligence global director Rick Cappellazzo, and others. The evening featured Oscar Wilde's quote about artists and money printed on bookmarks, and guests received copies of Michael Craig-Martin's On Being an Artist and Michael Findlay's The Value of Art, along with CULT100 totes filled with magazines and products.

JOSÉ WOLFF: DÍAS HONDOS

JOSÉ WOLFF: DÍAS HONDOS

José Wolff, a Guatemalan artist who grew up in the 1980s watching television with his family, has developed a unique visual language that oscillates between digital and traditional media. After studying at SCAD in Georgia and working in Miami and Los Angeles for channels like MTV Latino, NBC, and Locomotion, he created 3D animations, music videos, and TV interstitials. Now based back in Guatemala, Wolff continues to paint in oil while also producing digital installations, such as his 2026 multi-channel piece "Sin Novedad." His practice reflects a lifelong dialogue between the tangible and the intangible, influenced by artists like Laurie Anderson and Nam June Paik.