This French Castle Is Crowdfunding Its Own Restoration

The Château de Chambord, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the second-most visited castle in France, has launched a €30 million ($35 million) crowdfunding campaign to fund urgent structural restorations. Decades of flooding and drought in the Loire Valley have severely compromised the foundations of the François I Wing, leading to warped walls and a 2023 incident where 20 visitors fell through a collapsing floor. Director General Pierre Dubreuil has initiated a three-phase plan to shore up the masonry, modernize accessibility, and create new educational facilities.

First Indigenous Representative of Peru at the Venice Biennale, Sara Flores Opens the Doors of Her Studio in the Heart of the Amazon

Première représentante autochtone du Pérou à la Biennale de Venise, Sara Flores ouvre les portes de son atelier au cœur de l’Amazonie

Sara Flores, a 76-year-old artist from the Shipibo-Konibo Indigenous community in the Peruvian Amazon, has been selected as the first Indigenous artist to represent Peru at the Venice Biennale. In her open-air studio deep in the rainforest, she creates large-scale geometric compositions in the kené ("true drawing") tradition, using natural dyes from local plants. She is also co-founder of the Bakish Mai Multiversity, an educational institution dedicated to Indigenous knowledge and artist residencies, alongside Matteo Norzi, one of the two curators of the Peruvian pavilion. The article offers an intimate portrait of her life, her matriarchal family, and her creative process.

In Paris, the Catacombs reveal a transformed route after five months of work

À Paris, les Catacombes dévoilent un parcours métamorphosé après cinq mois de travaux

The Catacombs of Paris have reopened to the public following a comprehensive five-month renovation aimed at modernizing the visitor experience. The upgrades include a completely redesigned lighting scheme, a more welcoming entrance hall capable of hosting small exhibitions, and a high-tech spatialized audio guide that utilizes radio-style storytelling to narrate the site's history.

Massive Buddha sculpture by Tuan Andrew Nguyen opens on New York’s High Line Plinth.

Vietnamese sculptor and visual artist Tuan Andrew Nguyen has unveiled a 27-foot-tall sandstone Buddha sculpture titled *The Light That Shines Through the Universe* (2026) on New York's High Line Plinth, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and 30th Street. The monumental work is the newest commission for the elevated park's public art program and will remain on view for the next 18 months.

Has the world grown weary of art biennials? In search of an antidote, a Portuguese festival turns to anarchism

Anozero, a biennial art festival held in Coimbra's Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova, has opened a ghostly edition that uses installations—including Taryn Simon's sound piece of laments in multiple languages—to protest plans by the Portuguese government to redevelop the 17th-century convent into a hotel under its Revive programme. Festival co-founder Carlos Antunes threatens to cancel the biennial if the development proceeds, framing the event as a warning to the developer about the spirits that haunt the building.

Venice Biennale Jury Bars Israel and Russia from Official Prizes

The international jury of the 61st Venice Biennale announced on April 23 that it will not consider the Israeli and Russian pavilions for official prizes, including the Golden Lion for national participation. The five-member, all-women panel—comprising Solange Farkas, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi—said it would exclude countries whose leaders are currently charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, a criterion that applies to Israel and Russia due to ICC arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin. The decision comes amid mounting controversy over the Biennale's decision to host both pavilions, with Russia returning after its artists withdrew in 2022 over the Ukraine invasion and Israel reopening after its 2024 pavilion remained closed pending a Gaza ceasefire. The European Commission had also threatened to suspend a €2 million grant over the Russian pavilion's reopening.

Jean Katambayi Mukendi “RATIO” at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin

Congolese artist Jean Katambayi Mukendi has opened a solo exhibition titled "RATIO" at the KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin. The show features works that interrogate fundamental dualities such as the natural versus the artificial, growth versus destruction, and the dynamics between resources and power.

A Sculptor’s Life, in Constant Motion

A major retrospective of Alexander Calder’s work has opened in Paris, offering a comprehensive look at the sculptor’s career-long obsession with movement and balance. The exhibition invites visitors to engage directly with his iconic mobiles and wire sculptures, emphasizing the physical and temporal experience of art that shifts with the surrounding air and light.

What Can the New Dib Bangkok Do for Thai Art?

Dib Bangkok, a new contemporary art museum housed in a former steel warehouse, opened in December with its inaugural exhibition, (In)visible Presence. The show features 80 works by 40 artists from the collection of late founder Petch Osathanugrah, including pieces by James Turrell, Alicja Kwade, and Pinaree Santipak. Curated by director Miwako Tezuka, the exhibition emphasizes immersive, sensory experiences over passive observation, with works like Marco Fusinato's sound installation and Hugh Hayden's threshold piece. However, the museum's pan-global focus and sleek, tranquil setting initially distance visitors from the local Thai art scene.

In Conversation: Arch Hades and Fi Churchman

Arch Hades will hold a breakfast conversation with ArtReview editor Fi Churchman on May 8, 2026, at the Scoletta Battioro e Tiraoro di Venezia in Venice. The event coincides with the opening of Hades's solo exhibition 'Return | Ritorno,' a major presentation of large-scale paintings, immersive sculptures, and installations supported by the Erarta Foundation during the Venice Biennale preview week.

New exhibition ‘Personal Structures – Confluences’ to open in Venice in May 2026

The European Cultural Centre Italy has announced the eighth edition of its biennial contemporary art exhibition, 'Personal Structures – Confluences,' set to run from May 9 to November 22, 2026, in Venice. Spanning Palazzo Bembo, Palazzo Mora, and the Marinaressa Gardens, the massive showcase will feature 175 artists from over 40 countries, including high-profile figures like ORLAN, Rashid Al Khalifa, and Hirohiko Araki. This edition introduces 'PS Design,' a new section dedicated to the intersection of art and architecture, and will host the national pavilions of El Salvador and Seychelles alongside a significant collaboration with the Palestine Museum US.

A tour of 10 must-see booths at the miart 2026 fair in Milan

Un giro in 10 stand da non mancare alla fiera miart 2026 a Milano

The 30th edition of miart, Milan’s international modern and contemporary art fair, has launched at the Allianz MiCo South Wing under the artistic direction of Nicola Ricciardi. Titled "New Directions," the 2026 edition features 160 galleries from 24 countries, organized into sections like Emergent, Established, and Established Anthology. Despite some logistical complaints regarding the new layout, the opening saw high attendance and early optimism from dealers regarding sales.

The international gallery bridging contemporary artists and art history masters reopens in Milan: The Interview

Riapre a Milano la galleria internazionale che mette in dialogo artisti contemporanei e maestri della storia dell’arte. L’intervista

The artist-run space Octagon is set to establish a permanent home in Milan at Via Maroncelli 12, officially opening on April 15, 2026, during the city's Art Week. Founded by artist Jacopo Mazzetti in 2018, the gallery is transitioning from a nomadic model that saw recent collaborations in Paris and Athens to a fixed physical presence. The inaugural exhibition will feature works by the French Symbolist master Odilon Redon, maintaining the space's signature curatorial approach of bridging historical art with contemporary perspectives.

Marcello Dantas Named Curator of 2027–29 Vancouver Biennale

The Vancouver Biennale has appointed Brazilian artist and documentary filmmaker Marcello Dantas as senior curator for its 2027–29 edition. Dantas, currently art director at the immersive museum Ster Ik in Tulum, Mexico, recently cocurated the 2024 iteration of Saudi Arabia's Desert X AlUla with Maya El Khalil. He has previously organized exhibitions for artists including Ai Weiwei, Anish Kapoor, Shirin Neshat, and Bill Viola, and curated a project by Vik Muniz for the 2013–15 Vancouver Biennale. Dantas plans to shape the event by addressing the city's corporate real estate development alongside its First Nations and colonial history, exploring themes of displacement and belonging.

New CARE Gallery Launches in New Jersey with Inaugural Exhibition “Gift of Grace” by Cedric Michael Cox

CARE Gallery, a new visual arts initiative by the Care Center of New Jersey (CCNJ), is set to open in Rockaway Township this spring. The gallery will debut on May 2, 2026, with an inaugural solo exhibition titled “Gift of Grace: The Art of Cedric Michael Cox,” featuring over 20 large-scale works that blend surrealism, abstraction, and rhythmic geometry.

7 Shows to See in Milan Right Now

Gallery Applications Open for Frieze Abu Dhabi

Milan's art scene is currently anchored by several high-profile exhibitions coinciding with the Miart fair. Key highlights include Cao Fei’s exploration of global farming and technology at Pirelli HangarBicocca, alongside Anselm Kiefer’s monumental tributes to female alchemists. Other notable shows feature historical and contemporary dialogues, ranging from Italian post-war masters to experimental multimedia installations.

Must-See: Mirosław Bałka and the Fragility of Memory

Mirosław Bałka has opened a major solo exhibition at the Pirelli HangarBicocca in Milan, featuring a new, large-scale installation titled 'CROSSOVER/S' (2026). The work, a monumental steel structure filled with salt, continues the Polish artist's decades-long exploration of memory, trauma, and the body, using industrial materials to evoke profound personal and historical narratives.

What Do Danh Vo’s Curated Collections Add Up To?

The article reviews the exhibition 'Danh Vo: Untitled' at the Pirelli HangarBicocca in Milan, which presents a collection of objects curated and arranged by the artist. The show features a diverse array of items, including a 17th-century Flemish painting, a meteorite, a taxidermied peacock, and personal memorabilia, all displayed without explanatory labels in a large, warehouse-like space.

Michaela Eichwald at Maureen Paley

Michaela Eichwald has opened a solo exhibition titled "MÄR" at Maureen Paley gallery in London. The show runs from March 28 to May 23, 2026, and is documented with 27 images on the Contemporary Art Daily website.

Nick Goss: Interview of the Month, March 2026 – Paul Carey-Kent

Anglo-Dutch painter Nick Goss has opened a new exhibition at Josh Lilley Gallery, featuring eleven paintings inspired by Eel Pie Island, a private marshy area on the Thames in Twickenham with a bohemian past—including 1960s rock concerts by The Rolling Stones, The Who, and Pink Floyd, a hippie commune, and a 1972 fire. In an interview with Paul Carey-Kent, Goss discusses how he blends fact and fiction, combining sources from hotel corridors, Pompeii, and the Sergeant Pepper album cover to create ambiguous, layered works that evoke half-remembered histories.

New museum dedicated to AI promises an ethical approach

Dataland, billed as the world's first museum dedicated to AI art, is set to open on June 20 in Los Angeles at The Grand LA, a Frank Gehry-designed complex. Co-founded by Turkish-American artist Refik Anadol, the 35,000-square-foot privately-funded museum will feature five immersive galleries. Its inaugural exhibition, *Machine Dreams: Rainforest*, is an audiovisual experience based on millions of images and sounds of nature, inspired by a visit Anadol and co-founder Efsun Erkılıç made to the Amazon rainforest. Anadol is known for his generative AI piece at MoMA in 2022 and a projection on the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Outsourcing Museum Reception: A Booming Model

Externaliser l’accueil dans les musées, un modèle en plein essor

French museums are increasingly outsourcing front-of-house services, including ticketing, reception, and crowd management, to specialized private firms. This trend, which gained momentum with the opening of the Musée du quai Branly in 2006, allows public institutions to focus internal resources on core missions like conservation and curation while utilizing flexible, external labor for high-traffic operations. The market for these cultural services in France is projected to reach approximately €50 million by 2025.

In Warsaw, the Poster Museum reopens and it is the oldest in the world

A Varsavia riapre il Museo del Manifesto ed è il più antico del mondo

The Poster Museum in Wilanów, a suburb of Warsaw, has reopened after a major conservation restoration co-financed by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Founded in 1968 as an autonomous institution from the National Museum in Warsaw, it is the oldest museum of its kind in the world. Its collection now holds approximately 63,000 posters from Poland and abroad, dating from the late 19th century to the present, including works by Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Stasys Eidrigevičius. The reopening exhibition, "Polish Posters: The Collection," features 240 works spanning 130 years of Polish urban life, covering themes from politics and propaganda to cinema, theater, music, and fashion. The museum also hosts the International Poster Biennale, founded in 1966, with the next edition scheduled for 2027.

Landmark Exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum Unites U.S. Bicentennial Photography Surveys for the First Time

The Smithsonian American Art Museum will present "Much Here Is Beautiful: Photography Surveys of the U.S. Bicentennial," a landmark exhibition opening September 18, 2026, that brings together for the first time photography surveys created through a federally funded grant program by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) around the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial. Featuring 225 photographs by more than 70 photographers, the show draws on the museum's holdings and collections nationwide, including previously unseen works, and places them in the context of federal survey photography dating back to the 19th century.

Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West | Hong Kong Museum of Art | Art in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Museum of Art has opened 'Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West,' a major exhibition featuring over 100 rare artifacts and paintings from the Palace Museum in Beijing, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Palace of Versailles. Highlights include Claude Monet's 'Water Lilies' (1906) and 'Water Lily Pond' (1900) on loan from Chicago, alongside works by Chinese masters Zhang Daqian and Wen Zhengming, plus an immersive digital recreation of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering.

Don Brown & Max Cole’s art in ‘Postcards From Home’ exhibit

The Michelson Museum of Art in Marshall, Texas, recently debuted 'Postcards from Home,' a collaborative exhibition featuring the works of regional artists Don Brown and Max Cole. The opening reception drew a significant local crowd, including three generations of Cole’s descendants, to celebrate the legacy of two figures who captured the landscapes and history of East Texas. The show, which runs through July 4, was organized in partnership with the Harrison County Historical Museum and the Meadows Museum of Art.

À Bordeaux, la métamorphose du MADD

The Musée des arts décoratifs et du design (MADD) in Bordeaux has reopened its design-focused wing after three years of renovation, featuring a new entrance pavilion designed by Antoine Dufour Architectes that connects the historic Hôtel de Lalande and the former municipal prison. The overhaul includes a monumental shelving display of eighty vases by designers such as Andrea Branzi and Gaetano Pesce, a new "gallery of know-how" dedicated to rotating thematic presentations (starting with ceramics), a graphic arts cabinet showcasing the Jacques Sargos collection of over 130 drawings, and improved climate control for conservation.

Arles Drawing Festival: What Not to Miss at This Fourth Edition

Festival du dessin d’Arles : ce qu’il ne faut surtout pas rater pour cette quatrième édition

The fourth edition of the Arles Drawing Festival has opened, featuring over forty exhibitions across the city. The highlights include two major private drawing collections being publicly presented: Marin Karmitz's collection, displayed at the Sainte-Anne church under the title "Et la vie continue…", and the Collezione Ramo from Milan, showcased at the Museon Arlaten chapel as part of a focus on Italian art.

As Told By: Slavs and Tatars at Rossi & Rossi

Slavs and Tatars, the research-based art collective, opened their first solo exhibition in Hong Kong titled “胡 ( هو / who) are you?” at Rossi & Rossi, running until May 9, 2026. The show gathers iconic projects and new commissions across various media, playfully probing the philosophical question of identity and belonging. Co-founder Payam Sharifi discusses works such as the handblown glass melon sculptures in "Dark Yelblow" (2025), which explore cultural stereotypes and the figure of the Other, and the "Love Me, Love Me Not" series, which recovers original place names and scripts to reveal the layered complexity of empires.

Maria Kreyn “Continuum” at Robilant+Voena, Milan

American artist Maria Kreyn opened her first solo exhibition in Milan, titled "Continuum," at the gallery Robilant+Voena. The show presents a selection of her new paintings, which are characterized by atmospheric renderings that blend figuration with abstract geometry.