Remnants of 3,400-Year-Old Loom in Spain Sheds Light on Bronze Age Textile Production

Archaeologists in Spain have published new research on a remarkably preserved 3,450-year-old wooden loom, discovered in 2008 at the Cabezo Redondo site. The loom survived because a fire destroyed the surrounding Bronze Age village and a roof collapsed on it, charring and protecting the wood from decay. This rare find includes over 200 lightweight loom weights, suggesting the community was engaged in intensive production of delicate wool textiles.

victims of communism memorial canada

A memorial to 'Victims of Communism' in Ottawa, Canada, will no longer be inscribed with the names of individuals after a government report found that more than half of the proposed 550 names were linked to Nazism or fascist groups. The decision, announced by the Department of Canadian Heritage, follows concerns raised by Jewish groups and Canadian media outlets like Ricochet and The Maple. Instead, the Wall of Remembrance will feature only thematic content reflecting the memorial's broader commemorative and educational purpose. The memorial, first approved in 2009, has a budget of about $5.4 million, with $4.36 million from public funds, and faced earlier criticism over its design.

florentine diamond habsburg canada

A 137-carat diamond known as the Florentine Diamond, once owned by the Medici and Habsburg families and long believed lost, has been revealed to have been hidden in a bank vault in Canada for decades. The Habsburg family secreted the gem during World War II and kept its location secret for 100 years, as requested by Empress Zita after her husband Charles I's death in 1922. Three Habsburg descendants recently invited The New York Times to view the diamond and expressed interest in exhibiting it in a Canadian museum, though they have no plans to sell it.

india venice biennale pavilion 2026 seven years

India has announced that emerging artists from its Indigenous tribes will represent the country at the 2026 Venice Biennale, marking the nation's first national pavilion since 2019. The news was delivered by Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at a conference on conservation and tribal arts, highlighting a renewed government focus on Indigenous artistic heritage.

New U of A gallery to host unseen work opening in 2027

The University of Alberta (U of A) is renovating the Telus Centre on its campus to create a new gallery space called The Kenneth and Sandra Wong Gallery, with an estimated opening in 2027. The gallery will display works from the university's 30 registered collections, which include art, scientific specimens, and historical artifacts, such as the Southern Inspection Scroll from the MacTaggart Art Collection—a 100-foot-long survey of the Grand Canal from 1770 that will be shown for the first time in Canada.

Helen McNicoll: An Impressionist Journey

The article titled "Helen McNicoll: An Impressionist Journey" appears to be about the Canadian Impressionist painter Helen McNicoll, likely focusing on her life, work, and artistic legacy. However, the actual content of the article is inaccessible due to a security verification page from the National Gallery of Canada's website, which blocks access to the full text. The page displays a security challenge requiring JavaScript and cookies to proceed, preventing any substantive information from being extracted.

Meet The Canadian Artist Behind The Mirrored Mannequins That Transformed The 2026 Met Gala

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's 2026 Costume Institute exhibition, titled "Costume Art," will feature special mannequins with mirrored steel heads created by Toronto-born, Dubai-based artist Samar Hejazi. The mannequins, designed in collaboration with Curator in Charge Andrew Bolton, represent differently sized and abled bodies and replace traditional faces with reflective surfaces to disrupt the conventional presentation of fashion. Hejazi attended the Met Gala wearing a gown by Palestinian designer Zaid Farouki and described the project as a meaningful collaboration aimed at fostering empathy and self-reflection.

Expo 86-themed events and ‘A Little Art Buzz’ at Surrey Art Gallery in May

Surrey Art Gallery in British Columbia is hosting a series of events throughout May 2026, centered on the exhibition "In the Shadow of the Pavilions: Expo 86 and Contemporary Art." Highlights include a Family Art Jam on May 3, an artist talk with Leah Murray on May 7, a symposium titled "Expo Lines: Expo 86 and Contemporary Art" on May 9, and a curator’s tour with Jordan Strom on May 28. The events explore the artistic legacy of Vancouver’s 1986 world’s fair, which drew 22 million visitors, and feature works by over 50 artists including Bill Reid, Robert Davidson, Debra Sparrow, and Paul Wong.

Winnipeg exhibition traces the revival of Red River Métis beadwork

The exhibition 'Beading Métis Resurgence' at the University of Winnipeg's Gallery 1C03 showcases the work of renowned Métis artist Jennine Krauchi alongside four emerging Red River Métis beadworkers she has mentored. Curated by gallery director Jennifer Gibson and history professor Cathy Mattes, the show features Krauchi's centerpiece work 'The Lady'—a beaded coat, muff, hat, and boots—and explores beadwork as contemporary art, cultural knowledge, and intergenerational practice. The exhibition runs until July 10 and includes a table and chairs evoking the kitchen-table lessons where Krauchi passed down her skills.

National Gallery of Canada’s 2026 radiant spring-summer season: from the global Arctic brilliance of Qillaniq to the impressionist world of Helen McNicoll, and more

The National Gallery of Canada has announced its 2026 radiant spring-summer season, featuring a diverse lineup of exhibitions. Highlights include "Qillaniq," a showcase of global Arctic brilliance, and an exploration of the impressionist world of Helen McNicoll, alongside other exhibitions and programming.

McMichael Canadian Art Collection picks architect for museum expansion

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, Ontario, has selected Toronto-based Hariri Pontarini Architects (HPA) to lead a transformative redevelopment of its campus, the first major investment in the museum in over 40 years. The announcement was made during the opening night of the Art Toronto fair, where the museum hosted a fundraiser. The project, which includes expanded exhibition, education, and public programming spaces, is backed by up to C$50 million from the Ontario government (contingent on matching funds) and a previous C$25 million federal investment, though additional funding is still being sought.

Participants withdraw from Chicago Architecture Biennial over sponsor’s investment in weapons manufacturer

Nine participants in the Chicago Architecture Biennial (CAB), which opened on September 19, have withdrawn in protest over exhibition sponsor Crown Family Philanthropies' investment in General Dynamics, a military contractor supplying weapons to the Israeli military. A letter signed by 22 individuals, collectives, and firms—nearly half of whom also withdrew—argues that the sponsorship contradicts the biennial's mission of addressing architecture's role in shaping a collective future. The biennial's sixth edition, titled SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change, is led by artistic director Florencia Rodriguez. Participants had raised concerns last month, and organizers clarified that Crown Family funds support education programming, not the exhibition itself, which the letter calls "even more painful" given the destruction of schools in Gaza.

Artists Enclave holds 'Tierra Verde' Juried Exhibition to combine art with activism

Artists Enclave, a Denton arts networking organization based at UNT CoLab, hosted the "Tierra Verde" Juried Exhibition throughout August 2025. The show featured over 60 artworks by Texas artists exploring the intersection of art and activism, with pieces addressing environmental issues, protests, political beliefs, and social stigmas such as menstruation. The exhibition opened on Aug. 1 with a reception attended by over 175 guests, featuring live music by Rachel Yeatts, and awarded prizes to artists including Aileen Khuu, Jose Angel Hernandez, Anadara Braun-Good, Lauren Doorish, and Genie Baranoff.

This is BC: Renowned artists open Enderby gallery

Renowned artists have opened a new gallery in Enderby, British Columbia, as reported in a segment titled 'This is BC' by Global News. The video feature, published on June 10, 2025, highlights the establishment of this gallery by well-known visual artists in the small community of Enderby, located in the North Okanagan region. The artists are bringing their expertise and creative works to a local venue, aiming to enrich the area's cultural landscape.

Artists accuse Whitney Museum of censorship for cancelling pro-Palestine performance

The Whitney Museum of American Art has been accused of censorship by artists Fadl Fakhouri, Noel Maghathe, and Fargo Tbakhi after canceling their performance titled *No Aesthetics Outside my Freedom: Mourning, Militancy and Performance*, scheduled for May 14 as part of the exhibition *A Grammar of Attention*. The museum cited the work's "exclusionary and inflammatory" content, referencing a prior iteration where Tbakhi called for those who believe in Israel or America to leave the audience and valorized specific acts of violence. The artists argue the cancellation is an act of anti-Palestinian censorship, while the museum claims the decision was necessary to uphold its policies. In response, Sara Nadal-Melsió, associate director of the Whitney Independent Study Program (ISP), canceled a related critical studies symposium, and the ISP cohort alleged the museum surveilled and intervened in their work.

A New Generation of Gallerists Is Redefining Artist Representation

A new generation of gallerists is rethinking traditional artist representation models, moving away from rigid exclusivity clauses and transactional relationships. Figures like Bryce Watanasoponwong of The Charoen AArt in Bangkok, Storm Ascher of Superposition, and Lorraine Han of Unveil Gallery are adopting flexible, collaborative approaches that reflect the realities of contemporary artists, who often juggle multiple roles and prefer non-exclusive arrangements. These gallerists emphasize open dialogue, shared responsibility, and long-term relationship-building over strict contracts, as seen in Ascher's seven-year support of artist Haleigh Nickerson, which culminated in a solo show at NADA New York 2025.

Gallery sharing event Constellations Warsaw brings international flavour to a quickly developing art scene

Eleven Warsaw galleries opened their doors to eleven international counterparts for the second edition of Constellations, a gallery-sharing event running until May 10. Organized by Piktogram, Dawid Radziszewski, Stereo, and Wschód, the initiative pairs galleries from Basel, Berlin, Bucharest, Frankfurt, London, Naples, Paris, Shanghai, Stockholm, and Vienna with Polish art spaces like Foksal, Raster, and experimental newcomer Turnus. Highlights included Iris Touliatou's installation "untitled (still not over you)" at Import Export, which won the Friends’ Art Prize, funding an acquisition for the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw (MSN).

Venice Biennale 2026 Roundup

The 61st Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys" and curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, opened in May 2026 amid significant turmoil. The Austrian Pavilion features Florentina Holzinger's performance piece "Seaworld Venice," centered on a giant bell that chimes hourly. The biennale has been marked by the death of its curator, the resignation of the international jury over the inclusion of Russia and Israel, protests by Pussy Riot and the Art Not Genocide Alliance, and the cancellation of the South African Pavilion over Gabrielle Goliath's "Elegy," which honors murdered women including a Palestinian poet. The US Pavilion's state-sponsored offerings have also drawn criticism.

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.

Group of Seven, Van Gogh and Renoir works will be showcased at new downtown gallery

A new commercial gallery, Cowley Abbott Fine Art, is opening in downtown Calgary with a three-day public preview starting April 23, 2026. The gallery will showcase rare masterworks by artists including Vincent van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Canadian icons like Emily Carr and Lawren Harris of the Group of Seven. Notably, an Emily Carr painting from the 1930s, last exhibited nearly a century ago, will be on view.

Unpacking the Venice Biennale controversies and highlights

The 2026 Venice Art Biennale is proceeding with a posthumous main exhibition, "In Minor Keys," curated by the late Cameroonian-born artistic director Koyo Kouoh, who died in May 2025. The event features 100 national participations, including seven first-time countries, and has reinstated Russia's pavilion after its voluntary withdrawal following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Pictorial Foundation Opens New Gallery in Newburgh with “Foundations of Practice”

Pictorial Foundation, an organization born from the international photography magazine The Pictorial List, has opened a new gallery space at 105 Ann Street in Newburgh, New York. The 1,500-square-foot gallery, located within the ADS Warehouse complex, debuts on February 7 with the group exhibition “Foundations of Practice,” featuring 19 artists whose work emphasizes process over finished results. Founder Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico, a Pratt Institute-trained artist, collaborated with her husband, architect Michael Pomarico of Pomarico Design Studio, to create a flexible system of suspended partitions that can be reconfigured for each show. The gallery grows out of a desire to move beyond the limitations of online art visibility and create a physical space for slow, thoughtful engagement with art.

installations, paintings, and playful sculptures that stand out at osaka art & design 2025

The article highlights standout works at Osaka Art & Design 2025, including Maki Takato's 'Yokai Unity' installation at Nankai Namba Station, Shotaro Sanada's 'Next Landscape', and alan's 'Re:Re:' piece. It also promotes designboom's upcoming guides and exhibition roundups, such as the Venice Art Biennale 2026 and a monthly selection of global art and design shows.

CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts announces touring exhibition Viaje a la luna (A trip to the moon)

CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts in San Francisco has announced a touring exhibition titled "Viaje a la luna (A trip to the moon)," inspired by the only screenplay ever written by Spanish poet Federico García Lorca. Curated by Diego Villalobos and Rodrigo Ortiz Monasterio, the exhibition runs from June 12 to October 11, 2025, before traveling to Centro Federico García Lorca in Granada starting October 30. It features historic and contemporary works that reconstruct Lorca's lost 1932 film, which was halted after his murder and later destroyed in a studio fire, leaving only a script and photographs.

Ethics and Parafiction: A Conversation

Ethics and Parafiction: A Conversation

e-flux Screening Room hosted an event featuring artist and filmmaker Salomé Lamas on December 6, 2025. The program included screenings of her films 'Eldorado XXI' (2016) and 'Gold and Ashes' (2025), a presentation of her related publication, and a public conversation with curator Lukas Brasiskis. The published transcript focuses on Lamas's filmmaking process, particularly the logistical and ethical challenges of shooting in extreme locations like La Rinconada, Peru.

Futurity & relationality at art gallery's new exhibition

The Art Gallery of Swift Current is opening a new exhibition titled *Tastatâwâyih* by two-spirit Métis artist Sheri Osden Nault, running from May 22 to August 8. The show features a range of mediums including sculpture, video, photography, and drawings, and explores themes of relationality, community, environment, and futurity. A public reception with the artist will be held on May 22.

Winter Solstice: Seeds of Nothingness. Edo Costantini in collaboration with Delfina Braun & Delfina Muniz Barreto

WINTER SOLSTICE: SEEDS OF NOTHINGNESS. EDO COSTANTINI EN COLABORACIÓN CON DELFINA BRAUN & DELFINA MUNIZ BARRETO

Praxis Gallery in New York is hosting "Winter Solstice: Seeds of Nothingness," a multidisciplinary exhibition by Argentine artist Edo Costantini in collaboration with Delfina Braun and Delfina Muniz Barreto. The show features photography, sound, moving images, and bronze sculptures that explore the quiet, latent biological processes occurring during the winter season. Based on Costantini’s decade-long observation of the landscapes in Katonah, New York, the works focus on the concept of stillness as an active state of reorganization and persistence.

Gabrielle Goliath to Show Work Banned from Venice Biennale Outside Main Exhibition

South African artist Gabrielle Goliath will present her work 'Elegy' at the Chiesa di Sant’Antonin in Venice, after her government-appointed exhibition for the South African pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale was abruptly canceled. The pavilion will remain empty for the event's duration, while Goliath's project, sponsored by the Bertha Foundation and London's Ibraaz, will be shown nearby from May to July.

NXT Gallery Presents new work by Joey Morgan

NXT Gallery at Next Stage Arts in Putney, Vermont, presents “Forgotten Not Gone,” a new exhibition by Brattleboro-based artist Joey Morgan. The show features 12 mixed-media collage works salvaged from a previous project, “Have You Ever Loved Me?,” which was largely destroyed in a flood. An opening reception will be held on May 24, and the exhibition runs from May 8 to August 9.