The Photography Show fair in New York sets new attendance record

The Photography Show, presented by the Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD), returned to New York’s Park Avenue Armory for its second consecutive year from 23-27 April, featuring 64 exhibitors. The fair set a new attendance record with nearly 15,000 visitors, driven by strong foot traffic and a buzz around the iconic venue. Executive director Lydia Melamed Johnson noted the optimism surrounding the fair, which also highlighted Indigenous women photographers such as Jessica Eaton, Cara Romero, and Shelley Niro.

The Long-Awaited Reopening of the Musée Bonnat

La réouverture attendue du Musée Bonnat

After fifteen years of closure, the Musée Bonnat (now renamed Bonnat-Helleu) in Bayonne, France, has finally reopened. The closure was initially due to structural problems, including collapsing skylights and leaks, and even before that, much of the collection had been inaccessible. The renovated museum now features a new extension built from a former school, housing the public reception area, an exhibition space, a courtyard with a café terrace, and storage. The galleries display the museum's full holdings, including Rubens sketches, terracottas from the Paul Cailleux collection, and works by Léon Bonnat himself.

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.

Finland Pulls Back Venice Biennale Presence Over Return of Russian Pavilion

Finland’s political leadership has announced it will boycott the Venice Biennale if the Russian Pavilion proceeds with its planned exhibition. While Finnish public officials will still attend to support their own national artists, the Ministry of Education and Culture stated that Russia should be excluded as long as the war in Ukraine continues. This move follows an open letter from 22 European nations and a warning from the European Commission regarding potential sanctions violations.

Not just dollars, euros and pounds: Tefaf speaker sets out art’s deep value for wellbeing

Professor Daisy Fancourt presented research at the Tefaf Summit in Maastricht, detailing the measurable health benefits of arts engagement. Her findings, drawn from longitudinal data and biological markers, show arts therapies can double symptom improvement for depression and regular cultural attendance can nearly halve depression risk over a decade.

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.

miriam simun octopus teacher

Artist Miriam Simun is currently presenting an exhibition about her Institute for Transhumanist Cephalopod Evolution at the art space Recess in Brooklyn. The centerpiece is a series of workshops titled “How to Become an Octopus (and sometime squid),” where she guides participants through psycho-physical exercises developed with marine biologists, engineers, dancers, and synchronized swimmers. Artnet News co-host Ben Davis attended the workshop and discusses the experience on this week's Art Angle podcast.

Step Aboard the Superyacht Circling This Year’s Cannes Film Festival

Over the weekend of the Cannes Film Festival, director Ron Howard premiered his documentary *Avedon*, which traces photographer Richard Avedon's rise from a working-class Jewish immigrant background to a defining chronicler of American culture. The film received a second life aboard the Renaissance superyacht with a party hosted by editor Graydon Carter, Ancient chairman and CEO Alexander Klabin, and Burgess chief executive John Beckett. Guests included actors Natasha Lyonne and Rosemarie Dewitt, photographer Jean Pigozzi, model Eddie Mitsou, Avedon's grandchildren Michael, Matthew, and Caroline Avedon, and producers Courtney Kivowitz, Sara Bernstein, Darcie Reisler, Dallas Rexer, Chris St. John, and Justin Wilkes. The after-hours cocktail allowed attendees to relive the film's most impactful scenes while mingling with the producers and the photographer's family.

parties art production fund 2026 gala ski chalet

The Art Production Fund held its 15th annual gala at the Seagram Building in New York, transforming the venue into a ski chalet fantasy. The event featured performances by Amanda Ross-Ho, including ice skating choreography, and raised over $1 million for public art. Attendees included artists Derrick Adams, Mickalene Thomas, Sanford Biggers, and Marilyn Minter, along with patrons, designers, and cultural figures.

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The Film-Makers’ Cooperative celebrated its 65th anniversary with a gala at Judson Memorial Church in New York City on a recent Friday. The event featured performances by Isaiah Barr, a recreation of Yvonne Rainer's Trio A by Brittany Bailey, and a closing set by musician Kinlaw. Notable attendees included photographer Nan Goldin, video artist Joan Jonas, and filmmaker John Waters, who was honored in absentia. The evening included speeches, a shoppable collection of film ephemera, and a crowd of artists, actors, and filmmakers.

fashion hermes boutique artist lisha bai

Korean-American painter and sculptor Lisha Bai unveiled a new window installation at Hermès Maison Madison in New York, created to coincide with New York Fashion Week. The installation features polychrome fabrics molded into geometric forms, drawing inspiration from the Korean patchwork tradition of bojagi and the quilts of Gee’s Bend, reflecting Bai’s experience growing up as a Korean-American in Alabama. A conversation between Bai and Cooper Hewitt curator Alexandra Cunningham Cameron explored how Bai translates textile techniques and light into immersive art. The event was attended by Hermès Americas President and CEO Diane Mahady and VP Diane Kruger, among other guests.

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The Contemporary Austin hosted its annual Art Dinner 2025 at the historic Driscoll Villa along the Colorado River, transforming the museum grounds into a festive gala reminiscent of Studio 54. The event featured an auction with works by RF. Alvarez, Sarah Crowner, Lubaina Himid, and Ed Ruscha, where participating artists could receive up to 50 percent of the winning bid. Attendees included film producer Bettina Barrow, Nike CEO Elliot Hill, athletes Chris Bosh and Zach Martin, collector Suzanne Deal Booth, and actors Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Elizabeth Reaser, with live performances by TheBrosFresh and Mama Duke.

parties art swiss institute 2025 gala

The Swiss Institute held its 2025 Benefit Gala at the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center, honoring artists Theaster Gates and Andro Wekua, patron Yan Du, Printed Matter (under Executive Director Lesley A. Martin), and the late curator Koyo Kouoh. The evening featured an a cappella performance by Tonewall, a paddle raise, a seated dinner, and an art auction led by Simon de Pury, with works by Chloe Wise and Michèle Sandoz. Attendees included collectors Maja Hoffmann, Eva Dichand, and Carola Jain; artists Chloe Wise, Tschabalala Self, and Sarah Morris; and other cultural figures.

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Clara Wu Tsai, owner of the New York Liberty, and CULTURED Arts Editor-at-Large Sophia Cohen hosted an evening at Barclays Center in Brooklyn to honor artist LaToya Ruby Frazier. The event celebrated the debut of Frazier's first outdoor public art commission, "The Liberty Portraits: A Monument to the 2024 Champions," which reimagines the plaza as a tribute to the women's basketball team. Attendees included WNBA players Natasha Cloud and Isabelle Harrison, Brooklyn Nets CEO Sam Zussman, artists Sarah Sze, Joan Jonas, Shaun Leonardo, and Dustin Yellin, gallerist Gavin Brown, public art advocate Susan Freedman, and curators Eric Shiner, Tina Kukielski, Drew Sawyer, and Jennifer Blessing. Wu Tsai also announced upcoming public art commissions from Sarah Sze and Rashid Johnson for Barclays Center.

gaetano pesce glass house summer party

The Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut, hosted its annual Summer Party on a recent Saturday, honoring the late designer Gaetano Pesce. The event featured the debut of Big Surprise 2, a limited-edition resin vase created with Italian furniture firm Meritalia and inspired by two Feltri chairs from the host's collection. Guests enjoyed a site-responsive performance by dance company Pilobolus, the exhibition “Barbara Kasten: Structure, Light, Land,” a DJ set by Pete Brockman, and activations by Max Mara. Notable attendees included artists Deborah Brown and Naudline Pierre, architect Paul Goldberger, and museum director Cybele Maylone.

And who are you?

Und wer seid ihr?

The article is a brief interview conducted at the Venice Biennale, where a visitor named Franzi explains her presence at the event and discusses her favorite pavilion. She cites the Austrian Pavilion by Florentina Holzinger as her absolute favorite after five days of art, and clarifies that her bare chest is not a political protest against Putin but a homage to Holzinger's work. She also mentions missing the Vatican Pavilion due to long queues.

Endre Koronczi on Representing Hungary at the 61st Venice Biennale

Endre Koronczi, the artist representing Hungary at the 61st Venice Biennale (2026), discusses his upcoming exhibition in the Giardini pavilion. His project, titled "Pneuma Cosmic," explores the movement of air as both a physical and metaphysical phenomenon, drawing on decades of research into invisible forces like wind and breath. The exhibition also references his long-term experimental zone, Ploubuter Park, inspired by drifting plastic bags. Koronczi notes a strong resonance with the Biennale's curatorial theme, "In Minor Keys" by Koyo Kouoh, describing it as a "cosmic zeitgeist."

57th CIMAM Annual Conference: Together Forever

The 57th CIMAM Annual Conference brought together 300 museum professionals in Turin for discussions on pressing institutional issues. The event featured keynote speeches from figures like political scientist Francoise Vergès and economist Mariana Mazzucato, who addressed themes of power structures and public arts funding. Performances by artists such as Alessandro Sciarroni and Abdullah Miniawy served as central, unifying experiences for the attendees.

Finland’s political leadership to retract from Venice Biennale over Russian Pavilion

Finland's Minister of Science and Culture, Mari-Leena Talvitie, announced that the country's political leadership will not participate in the upcoming Venice Biennale if Russia's national pavilion is allowed to take part. This decision follows a joint letter signed by Talvitie and 21 other European ministers in March, which deemed Russia's return to the Biennale since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine as 'unacceptable'. Finnish public officials and cultural representatives, however, will still attend to support Finnish artists.

From simple blue to haute couture suit: workwear studied at the Musée Postal

Du simple bleu au tailleur haute couture, le vêtement de travail étudié au musée Postal

The Musée Postal in Paris has reopened with a new name and identity, launching its first exhibition titled "Sous toutes les coutures" ("Under All Seams"). Curated by Elodie Goëssant and Didier Filoche, the show brings together 420 pieces, artworks, and archival objects to explore the history of workwear in France, from uniforms and protective clothing to high-fashion collaborations. It traces the evolution of work attire from the 18th century to the present, highlighting how women lacked dedicated work clothing until the 1970s and how airlines like Air France pioneered partnerships with luxury houses such as Christian Dior to dress flight attendants as national ambassadors.

Study Shows Engaging with Art as Effective as Exercise in Slowing Aging

A new study by University College London, published in the journal Innovation in Aging, reveals that engaging with arts and culture can slow biological aging at a rate comparable to exercise. Researchers found that attending performances or visiting galleries once a month led to a 3 percent reduction in aging speed, while weekly engagement produced a 4 percent slowdown. Those who participated in the arts at least weekly were biologically at least a year younger than non-participants, outperforming weekly exercisers, who were only six months younger biologically. The study tracked 3,356 adults from 2010 to 2012 using survey data and blood tests, measuring aging via epigenetic clocks that analyze DNA changes.

We Spent a Week Quarantined on an Uninhabited Island with 80 Artists

A journalist from Colossal spent a week on an uninhabited island in the Balearic Islands with nearly 80 artists for a residency program called Quarantine, conceived by artist Carles Gomila. Participants follow a rigorous, opaque schedule of talks, workshops, and mentorship sessions, with phones and internet banned, and must stay on the island from early morning until late evening. The April 2026 edition, themed "Tears in Rain" after a Blade Runner monologue, began with a theatrical tour by an actor playing Captain Horacio Hollynwood, who introduced the historic Lazaretto of Mahón, an 18th-century fortress and infirmary.

At the 2026 Met Gala, 'Fashion is Art.' Here's what to expect

The 2026 Met Gala will take place on the first Monday in May at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, supporting the Costume Institute. The spring exhibition is titled "Costume Art" and will be the first to occupy the new Condé M. Nast Galleries. The dress code is "Fashion is Art," inviting guests to explore fashion as an embodied art form. Co-chairs include Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos as honorary chairs. The event will be livestreamed by Vogue, hosted by Ashley Graham, La La Anthony, Cara Delevingne, and Emma Chamberlain.

Philadelphia Museum of Art to experiment with pay-what-you-wish tickets on Friday nights

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is reinstating a pay-what-you-wish admission policy for Friday nights from April 2026 through Labor Day. This initiative, funded by the William Penn Foundation and board chair Ellen Caplan, coincides with the museum's 150th anniversary and the launch of "Nation of Artists," a massive collaborative exhibition with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts featuring over 1,000 works.

Austin's HOPE Outdoor Gallery returns near the airport, offering walls for the public to paint

Austin's HOPE Outdoor Gallery, a landmark graffiti park, reopened on a 17-acre site near the airport after years of delay. The space features work from over 30 artists in a 6,000-square-foot gallery and on mural walls, along with a cafe and shop where visitors can buy spray paint to tag the outer walls. On opening day, attendees of all ages painted robots, band names, and colorful designs, with founder Andi Scull noting people were waiting to enter an hour before opening. The original gallery, which operated from 2010 to 2019 in the Clarksville neighborhood, was a temporary exhibit that became a long-term community hub.

Karachi celebrates global creativity

The fourth edition of the international art exhibition 'Peace & Pieces' opened in Karachi on Thursday, inaugurated by Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab as part of the 39-day World Culture Festival 2025. Held at the Ahmed Pervez Art Gallery, the exhibition features works by global artists including Kelechi Nwaneri (Nigeria), Adjaratou Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), Sofia Maria Xenaki and Aglaia Perraki (Greece), alongside Pakistani artists such as Amin Gulgee, Akram Spaul, Basil Habib, Hamza Qazi, and Haider Ali Naqvi. The event was attended by Marc Piton, Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs at the French Embassy, and drew a diverse crowd of art enthusiasts.

Exhibit celebrates Roary through historic art

An art exhibit at Florida International University's Graham Center piano lounge features 22 paintings that insert FIU's mascot Roary and campus landmarks into iconic works of art, such as Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" and van Gogh's "Starry Night." Created by alumni and staff members Wendy X. Ordóñez and Oscar D. Hernandez using the Procreate software, the exhibit aims to blend campus pride with historic art while promoting student health and wellness services. The show, now in its second year, attracted 560 attendees at its opening and includes free merchandise featuring the designs.

Rika Nakajima: A New Book of the Dead, Part 3

連載 中島りか 新しい死者の書 第三回

Japanese artist Rika Nakajima reflects on the trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, who assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, weaving together her own experience running the project space "Datsuisho – (a) place to be naked" in Tokyo's Yanaka district. As the space faced demolition in late 2025, Nakajima draws parallels between the trial's timing and the closure of her venue, recalling earlier events at the space that discussed the state funeral controversy and the cult issues exposed by the assassination. She describes attending the trial in Nara, observing Yamagami's demeanor, and connecting the case to broader themes of political aesthetics, fascism, and the theatricality of the judicial system.

Peruvian artist's solo exhibition opens at Heydar Aliyev Center [PHOTOS]

On May 21, a solo exhibition of Peruvian artist Ronald Companoca titled "The Theater of Dreams" opened at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan. The ceremony was attended by Leyla Aliyeva, Alena Aliyeva, Minister of Culture Adil Karimli, and other dignitaries. The exhibition features many works shown for the first time, including pieces inspired by Azerbaijani culture, such as carpet elements and national motifs. Companoca described his style as a synthesis of realistic and mystical elements, rooted in magical surrealism. An artistic performance with live characters mirroring the artwork accompanied the opening. The exhibition runs until March 1, 2027.

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Compass Box, the independent Scotch whisky maker, partnered with auction house Bonhams and the Wolfsonian-FIU museum to launch "Imaginarium: The Fantastical World of Compass Box and Stranger & Stranger," an exhibition blending whisky and art. The event also unveiled Confluence, a one-of-one blend, as part of a benefit auction supporting the Wolfsonian-FIU museum and research center. Key attendees included dealer Avalon Ashley Bellos, Compass Box Creative Director Angela D’Orazio, Stranger & Stranger Design Director Guy Pratt, and artist Ivan Roque.