Art Beat feature: A gallerist rooted in craft

Leana Hoadley has opened Hoadley Gallery West in downtown Edmonds, Washington, a boutique gallery specializing in handmade ceramics, jewelry, glass, and sculptural objects. The gallery builds on the legacy of the original Hoadley Gallery in Lenox, Massachusetts, founded over 40 years ago by her aunt and uncle, Stephanie and Thomas Hoadley. After a winding career that included studying at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and working as a creative director for an AI company, a 2023 layoff prompted Hoadley to reassess her path and pursue opening her own gallery. The space features works including porcelain vessels by Thomas Hoadley made using the ancient Japanese Nerikomi technique, which are held in collections such as the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Renwick Gallery and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Contemporary Art Studio Castle Gallery Is Opening in Middleburg

Castle Gallery, a new contemporary and local art space, will open this weekend in Middleburg, Virginia, timed with the town's Christmas parade. Founded by art advisor Catherine Dolaher, the gallery is her first permanent location after a successful Georgetown pop-up. The opening features works by local artists Caroline Jean Gray, Lydia Marie Elizabeth, Megan Elizabeth, and Tara Andris, with prices ranging from under $200 to $10,000. Dolaher, who previously worked at the Hirshhorn Museum and other institutions, aims to blend contemporary art with a welcoming, home-like atmosphere, partnering with The Paradise Antiques for furnishings.

New Public Gallery to Open in Calgary

The Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) is opening a new public gallery called AFA's art house in the Edison gallery space in downtown Calgary. A grand opening is scheduled for September 10, 2025, featuring works by Alberta artists and pieces from the AFA Art Collection, which was established in 1972 to document the province's visual art history. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and AFA Chair Cynthia Moore are expected to attend. The Edison space previously hosted pop-up exhibitions from the Glenbow, which is currently closed for major renovations until 2026.

Cultural workers at Venice Biennale to strike over Israel’s participation

Cultural workers and participants at the Venice Biennale plan to strike on 8 May during the opening week of the 61st edition, protesting Israel’s participation in the event. The strike, organized by the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) and supported by Italian trade unions, includes a rally near the Arsenale site. ANGA previously sent a letter signed by over 230 artists and curators demanding the cancellation of the Israeli pavilion, citing opposition to "genocide normalisation in culture" and precarious labor conditions. Israel is represented this year by sculptor Belu-Simion Fainaru, who opposes cultural boycotts.

In Lombardia la Fondazione dello scultore Giancarlo Sangregorio inaugura un nuovo spazio dentro un parco

The Fondazione Giancarlo Sangregorio in Sesto Calende, near Varese, has inaugurated a new exhibition space called Spazio Luce, created from the renovation of an old rural building. The space opens with the show "Incontri. Da Fontana a Baj, da Rotella a Mondino. Una collezione svelata," curated by Lorella Giudici, featuring 34 works from Sangregorio's personal collection, including pieces by Lucio Fontana, Enrico Baj, Mimmo Rotella, Aldo Mondino, and Giancarlo Sangregorio himself. The exhibition runs from May 16 to September 27, 2026.

Italian culture minister will not attend opening of Venice Biennale

Italian culture minister Alessandro Giuli has announced he will not attend the opening of the Venice Biennale next week, protesting Russia's involvement in the exhibition. Russia, which has a permanent pavilion in the Giardini, has been absent from the Biennale since 2022 but is returning this year, sparking widespread criticism. The European Union recently cut its €2 million grant to the Biennale following Russia's return, and Golden and Silver Lion jurors have stated they will not consider pavilions from countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, effectively excluding Russia.

Los Angeles Metro’s Stunning D Line Art Turns Stations Into Galleries

Los Angeles Metro unveiled a major public art installation on May 8 with the opening of the 3.92-mile D Line extension, connecting downtown to Beverly Hills. Nine artists were selected from over 1,400 applicants to create works across three stations—Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, and Wilshire/La Cienega. Notable pieces include Karl Haendel's "Hands and Things" at the Wilshire/Fairfax station, featuring photorealist pencil drawings of hands holding objects sourced from nearby cultural institutions, and Susan Silton's "WE, OUR, US." The artworks are mounted using durable porcelain enameling that resists corrosion, scratching, fading, and graffiti.

Contemporary Gallery Debut Events

Hearts Gallery made its debut on May 2, 2026, in Los Angeles with an exclusive group exhibition at Modern Multiples, a historic print studio in Chinatown. The opening attracted artists, collectors, celebrities, and style leaders from fashion, film, and contemporary art, featuring works by Richard Duardo, Erika Galvez, Julian Prolman, Shepard Fairey, Ed Ruscha, Chaz Bojorquez, Estevan Oriol, and others, while celebrating Modern Multiples' legacy with icons like Diana Ross, Madonna, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and RuPaul.

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.

art mimi park young artist

Mimi Park, a 29-year-old South Korean artist based in New York, creates kinetic sculptures and installations that explore themes of responsibility, care, and value. Her recent work at SculptureCenter, titled “Dahlia,” consisted of recycled shredded paper arranged in a firework shape that viewers inadvertently destroyed within minutes of the opening—a process she embraced as part of the artwork's evolution. Park has also shown at Bard’s Hessel Museum and Sebastian Gladstone, and her practice includes handmade robots, dust, and seedlings.

parties culture metropolitan opera opening night

The Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a politically charged production of Mason Bates's *The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay*, based on Michael Chabon's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. General Manager Peter Gelb declared the company's commitment to freedom of artistic expression, drawing a lengthy standing ovation. The opera, running through Oct. 11, follows two Jewish cousins creating an anti-fascist superhero comic during WWII. The opening night featured speeches by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who warned that 'the arts are under attack,' and a red carpet attended by celebrities including Christine Baranski, Neil Patrick Harris, Laverne Cox, and Julianna Margulies.

ARTIndia and Vadehra Art Collaborate for ‘Next/Now’ Exhibition in Delhi

A group exhibition titled 'Next/Now' will open in New Delhi on 29 May 2026, organized by ARTIndia Magazine and Vadehra Art Gallery. The show features 30 emerging artists selected from ARTIndia's '30 Under 30' list, working across painting, sculpture, installation, photography, and mixed media. The opening coincides with Defence Colony Gallery Night, and partial proceeds will support the ARTIndia Care Fund, which provides medical care for young artists.

Enzo fair is fun and fee-free

The inaugural Enzo art fair has launched in Echo Park, Los Angeles, featuring nine galleries primarily from New York’s Chinatown and Lower East Side. Founded by collector R Parmar at Alabaster Projects, the fair operates on a unique fee-free model for exhibitors and visitors alike, removing the traditional financial barriers of booth fees and wall build-outs. The opening saw a vibrant atmosphere with works ranging from Peggy Chiang’s suspended sculptures to Radek Szlaga’s textile installations.

Things to do on Wednesday, February 18

A wide array of cultural events are scheduled across Cyprus for Wednesday, February 18. These include the opening of a curated showcase of publications from the late archaeologist Vassos Karageorghis in Nicosia, a contemporary art auction featuring 82 works, a presentation by underwater photographer Sakis Lazaridis, a sold-out theatre performance in Limassol, and numerous ongoing exhibitions in Nicosia, Limassol, and Larnaca featuring both historic and contemporary Cypriot artists.

Photographer "Drift" Arrested at His Exhibition Opening

Photographer Isaac “Drift” Wright was arrested at his own solo exhibition opening at Robert Mann Gallery in Chelsea, New York, on Thursday night. NYPD officers charged him with third-degree trespassing, with an undercover officer reportedly present at the event. Wright, a former Army paratrooper known for climbing skyscrapers and restricted sites to capture high-altitude photographs, had previously served jail time in 2020 for evading police. His first solo show, titled "Coming Home," was intended to mark a fresh start, but the arrest occurred just two hours into the opening.

Seoul appeal: Korean art captivates Indonesia’s affluent connoisseurs

South Korean artist Choi Sang Chul, in his late 70s, held the opening of his exhibition 'Mumool' at Baik Art gallery in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 20, 2025. The event drew a crowd of wealthy local art patrons, and several of his works were sold before the ceremony ended. Choi, who earned a BFA from Seoul National University and has rejected artistic trends since the 1970s, uses unconventional methods like stones instead of brushes to create his pieces. His work initially received a tepid response at Art Jakarta in 2023, but interest has since grown.

Russia's Venice Pavilion to Close to the Public in Compliance With Sanctions

Russia will return to the 61st Venice Biennale with its national pavilion, but the exhibition will only be physically open to the press and select guests during the vernissage dates of May 5–8. From May 9 onward, the pavilion will remain closed to the public, with multimedia documentation of performances displayed on screens at the windows. The arrangement follows leaked emails among Biennale Foundation President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, General Director Andrea Del Mercato, and Russian Pavilion Commissioner Anastasia Karneeva, revealing efforts to comply with EU sanctions while still allowing Russia's participation after two consecutive absences since its invasion of Ukraine.

EU Says It ‘Intends’ to Cut Funding to Venice Biennale Because of Russian Pavilion

The European Union has declared its intention to cut its €2 million funding contribution to the Venice Biennale in response to the exhibition's decision to host a Russian national pavilion for the first time since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that allowing Russia to exhibit while it "bombs museums, destroys churches and seeks to erase Ukrainian culture" is morally wrong, marking the union's strongest condemnation to date.

wang contemporary ying alexander wang

Designer Alexander Wang and his mother Ying Wang have acquired the historic 58 Bowery building in New York's Chinatown for $9.5 million, marking its first Chinese American ownership. They are transforming the former bank into a cultural venue named Wang Contemporary, which will host exhibitions, performances, and festivals focused on Asian and Asian American creatives, with its inaugural exhibition curated by the art collective MSCHF.

rome colosseum metro station archaeology

Rome's new Colosseo-Fori Imperiali metro station opened on Tuesday after 11 years of construction, featuring archaeological treasures uncovered during excavation, including ceramic fragments, statues, oil lamps, stone vessels, and 28 ancient wells. The station, part of Metro Line C, also revealed a nearly 260-foot early second-century military barracks and a home with frescoes and mosaics at the nearby Porta Metronia station. Mayor Roberto Gualtieri attended the opening ceremony, and the city plans to open a museum in the station.

fashion toteme swedish style interview

Elin Kling and Karl Lindman, the Swedish couple behind the womenswear brand Toteme, discuss their design philosophy and the opening of their first flagship store in mainland Europe, located on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. The article, accompanied by photography from Mikael Jansson, details how the brand has resisted trends like "quiet luxury" and minimalism labels, instead focusing on precision, restraint, and timeless essentials. The Paris store, designed by Stockholm-based Halleroed, features art-gallery-white walls, Italian limestone floors, and works by Marc Newson, Lucie Gottlieb, and Jansson, reflecting the brand's serene, uncluttered aesthetic.

Ubuntu hosts Fellowship for Black Artists exhibition for a third year

Mural Arts Philadelphia, in partnership with Ubuntu Art Gallery, has opened its sixth annual Fellowship for Black Artists exhibition, featuring 30 works by 11 emerging artists from the 2025 cohort. The opening reception drew a crowd of fellows, collaborators, and art lovers to the gallery, where speeches highlighted the program's impact and mission.

The 10 Best Venice Films

Die 10 besten Venedig-Filme

Monopol magazine has published a ranking of the ten best films set in Venice, timed to coincide with the opening of the Venice Art Biennale. The list includes titles such as Steven Spielberg's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989), Joseph L. Mankiewicz's "The Honey Pot" (1967), and Kenneth Branagh's "A Haunting in Venice" (2023), highlighting how the lagoon city serves as a central character in action films, comedies, and love dramas.

Brittany Invites Itself to the Venice Biennale: An Unusual Pavilion Dedicated to Breton Creation Moors in the Lagoon

La Bretagne s’invite à la Biennale de Venise : un insolite pavillon dédié à la création bretonne s’est amarré dans la lagune

For the 61st Venice Biennale, a group of artists and art figures from Brittany have created an unofficial "Breton pavilion" in the form of a spectacular sailboat moored on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. The boat, designed by artist Joachim Monvoisin, features contributions from Morgane Tschiember (who sewed a sail with a black cross, the 11th-century Breton flag) and master glassmaker Andrew Erdos (who made the navigation lights). Performances during the opening week included readings by Breton authors and traditional music concerts with binious and bombardes on the Via Garibaldi.

Gary Baseman fills iconic L.A. coffee shop with charming drawings on real restaurant menus

Artist Gary Baseman has opened his first hometown solo show in over a decade, titled “Off the Menu,” inside the long-shuttered Johnie’s Coffee Shop on Wilshire and Fairfax in Los Angeles. The exhibition features about 40 colored pencil drawings, mostly executed on real menus from iconic L.A. restaurants such as Musso & Frank, Canter’s Deli, and Genghis Cohen, as well as newer spots like Jon & Vinny’s. The whimsical show, which launched in conjunction with the opening of the Wilshire and Fairfax subway station, runs through June 14 and celebrates the dining culture and community of the Fairfax neighborhood.

Colnaghi, world's oldest gallery, to open Saudi Arabian outpost

Colnaghi, the world's oldest surviving art dealership founded in 1760, will open a new outpost in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, following a deal worth 10 million Saudi riyals (around £2 million) with the Saudi private equity firm Sarat Investment Holding. The gallery, which specializes in Old Masters, antiquities, and pre-20th century art, already has locations in London, New York, and Madrid. The opening date has not been announced, but the move marks the first time an Old Master gallery has entered the Saudi market, a surprising development given that most art sales in the kingdom focus on Modern and contemporary works.

Met Gala 2026 – Everything to know about fashion's biggest night

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's 2026 Met Gala will take place on May 4, themed "Costume Art" to highlight fashion as a central artistic discipline. Co-chairs include Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with a host committee featuring Anthony Vaccarello, Zoë Kravitz, and other celebrities. The event coincides with the opening of the new Condé M. Nast Galleries and the spring exhibition "Costume Art," which pairs historic garments with artworks spanning 5,000 years. The dress code is "fashion is art," and the red carpet will be livestreamed by Vogue.

Art Gallery Opens a Community and Medicine Garden

The Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB) has launched a new Community and Medicine Garden, a collaborative initiative designed to enhance waterfront biodiversity and serve as a living classroom. The opening event features traditional seed songs by Kaniehtenhawi Deer, tobacco planting workshops led by Michele Dent, and activities focused on sustainable gardening. Artists-in-residence Carly Franklin and Kamaldeep Kaur are also utilizing the space to grow indigo and other plants for their research into natural pigments and textiles.

Photos: Art Gallery "2.16 Contemporary" Grand Opening

On January 21, 2026, the 2.16 Contemporary art gallery opened at 325 Constitución Street in Puerto Vallarta's Zona Romántica with a gala event featuring the exhibition “Liberatio” by Guadalajara-based artist Victor Haro, celebrating his 40-year career. The ribbon-cutting ceremony included owners and gallerists Orlando Santamaría and Abrajam Romero, Culture Councilwoman Laurel Carrillo, and Haro himself, with the show presenting hyperrealistic works in acrylic paste and airbrushing that explore human liberation.

A new art exhibit is set to open at the Cooperative Gallery 213

Local artist Regina Losinger, a retired SUNY Broome administrator, opens her exhibition "Follow the Water" at Cooperative Gallery 213 in Binghamton, New York, on First Friday. The show features 50 works of painting and photography inspired by her kayaking and canoeing trips in the Adirondacks, Florida, and Canada, alongside her boat and paddling maps. Losinger, who returned to art after retiring a decade ago, will greet visitors during the opening reception from 6:30 to 8 p.m.