Arthur Jafa and Mark Leckey, Cecilia Alemani on SITE Santa Fe, Trisha Brown and Robert Rauschenberg—podcast

An exhibition opening at Conditions in Croydon, London, pairs two landmark video works: Mark Leckey's "Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore" (1999) and Arthur Jafa's "Love is the Message, the Message is Death" (2016). Ben Luke interviews both artists about the show. Separately, the 12th SITE Santa Fe International, titled "Once Within a Time," opens under artistic director Cecilia Alemani. The episode also features the Trisha Brown Dance Company's 1979 piece "Glacial Decoy," a collaboration with Robert Rauschenberg, now the subject of a Walker Art Center exhibition curated by Brandon Eng.

Landmark Exhibition at the National Museum of Women in the Arts Reframes an Iconic Historical Era

The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in Washington, D.C., will present "Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600–1750" from September 26, 2025, to January 11, 2026. This landmark exhibition features nearly 150 artworks by 40 Dutch and Flemish women artists, including Judith Leyster, Rachel Ruysch, and Clara Peeters, alongside works by unnamed textile makers. Co-curated by Virginia Treanor and Frederica van Dam, the show includes loans from over 50 institutions such as the Rijksmuseum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Prado Museum. It will travel to the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent, Belgium, from March to May 2026.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Middleton Family Present a Landmark Exhibition of American Art Celebrating the Nation’s 250th Anniversary

The Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) have announced a landmark collaboration with the Middleton Family Collection to present "A Nation of Artists," a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition celebrating America's 250th anniversary. Opening from April 2026 to September 2027, the show will feature over 1,000 works across both venues, spanning three centuries of American art from Charles Willson Peale to Mickalene Thomas, with selections from the private Middleton Family Collection interwoven throughout.

Albanian dictator’s fortress-like palace becomes ‘hub for artistic experimentation’

Vila 31, a Brutalist compound in Tirana that once served as the fortress-like residence of Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha, has been transformed into an artistic hub called Vila 31—Art Explora. Opened in April by the Paris-based Art Explora Foundation, the site now hosts up to 30 international artists annually for residencies and experimentation, with programming developed in collaboration with the École nationale supérieure d’arts de Paris-Cergy, the Museum of Contemporary Art Skopje, and Oral History Kosovo. The conversion, led by NeM Architectes, preserves key elements of the original structure while radically reimagining its interior, turning a symbol of repression into a center for creative freedom.

Intuit Art Museum has its big reopening: ‘I don’t want this to be a traditional art museum’

The Intuit Art Museum in Chicago has reopened after a landmark $10 million renovation, marking a significant rebranding from its former name, "Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art," to simply "Intuit Art Museum" (IAM). The museum, which collects work by self-taught artists, replaced a traditional ribbon-cutting with a collaborative ribbon-tying ceremony, creating an interconnected artwork that will remain in its collection. The renovation tripled its gallery space and introduced new exhibitions, including a refurbished Henry Darger installation with LED screens and an immersive recreation of the artist's apartment, as well as a rotating permanent collection display featuring artists like Mr. Imagination, Lee Godie, and Wesley Willis. The second floor is dedicated to the special exhibition "Catalyst: Im/migration and Self-taught Art in Chicago," featuring works by artists such as Drossos Skyllas, Thomas Kong, Pooja Pittie, and Carlos Barberena.

Peabody Essex Museum opening new gallery of Korean art and culture May 17, 2025

The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, Massachusetts, will open the Yu Kil-Chun Gallery of Korean Art and Culture on May 17, 2025. This landmark installation showcases PEM’s historic Korean collection, featuring works from the late Joseon dynasty through the early 20th century and into the present day, including rare objects, textiles, and recent acquisitions by artists like Nam June Paik. The gallery is supported by the Korea Foundation and the National Museum of Korea, and is curated by Dr. Jiyeon Kim.

The Big Review | The reopening and rehang of the Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery, London ★★★★★

The National Gallery in London has reopened its Sainsbury Wing after a renovation led by architect Annabelle Selldorf, designed to create a more welcoming entrance. The wing, originally designed by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown in 1991, now features a transformed ground floor with double-height spaces, improved lighting, and a new piazza linking to Trafalgar Square. The reopening coincides with the gallery's bicentenary and a major collection rehang titled "C C Land: the Wonder of Art," sponsored by a Hong Kong property developer. Old favorites like the chapel-like space for Piero della Francesca's works are restored, and new commissions, including Richard Long's "Mud Sun," greet visitors.

Tate Modern, the ‘cathedral to contemporary art’, celebrates 25 years

Tate Modern in London celebrates its 25th anniversary this month, marking the transformation of a derelict Bankside power station into a landmark contemporary art museum. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the museum opened on 11 May 2000 and quickly reshaped London's art landscape, catalyzing the launch of the Frieze London art fair in 2003 and attracting international commercial galleries. Artist Michael Craig-Martin, a former trustee, recalls how the project was driven by then-director Nicholas Serota's ambitious vision to elevate modern art from its status as 'art's poor cousin.' The museum pioneered free-admission thematic collection displays and a global curatorial approach, though its inaugural exhibition 'Century City' was widely criticized as overambitious.

Indigenous Identities: Here, Now & Always

The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, is presenting "Indigenous Identities: Here, Now & Always," on view from February 1 through December 21, 2025. This exhibition is the largest and final show organized by the late Native artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, featuring over one hundred works by ninety-seven artists representing some seventy Nations and communities. The show is organized around four thematic sections—Political, Tribal, Social, and Land—and includes a separate gallery of Quick-to-See Smith's own prints, notably the "Survival Suite" (1996). The exhibition is intergenerational, with artists ranging from their eighties to those born at the end of the twentieth century, and most works date from the twenty-first century.

Antoni Gaudí’s Casa Batlló is reaping the rewards from its continual reinvention

Antoni Gaudí’s Casa Batlló in Barcelona, completed in 1906 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2005, has undergone a series of ambitious multi-million-euro restorations and a hi-tech revamp over the past decade. Acquired by the Bernat family in 1993 and opened to the public in 2002, the monument now draws over 1.5 million visitors annually, generating a record €56 million in income in 2023—a 54% increase from the previous year. Recent projects include a €30 million investment (2018-2024) that uncovered original gold-leaf patterns and expanded immersive exhibitions such as Refik Anadol’s "Gaudí Dreams." The family plans to open the third floor for private events by late 2025.

Robert Rauschenberg and Asia @ M＋

M+ museum in Hong Kong has announced a major exhibition titled "Robert Rauschenberg and Asia," scheduled to run from November 2022, 2025, through April 26, 2026. Curated by Russell Storer, the show explores the American master's deep engagement with the region, featuring his own works alongside pieces by Asian contemporary artists like Huang Yong Ping and Sui Jianguo.

Same is More: Parisian Architecture à l’identique by Octave Perrault

Paris is undergoing a wave of architectural preservation and renovation that prioritizes the "à l’identique" (identical) approach, most notably seen in the reconstruction of Notre-Dame Cathedral following its 2019 fire. This trend extends to other major cultural landmarks, including the renovation of the Bourse de Commerce by Tadao Ando and the upcoming multi-year closure of the Centre Pompidou for technical upgrades. The author uses the critical lens of 19th-century writer Joris-Karl Huysmans to question whether this obsession with restoring buildings to a previous state stifles contemporary architectural evolution.

preservation societies lawsuit kennedy center trump

Eight preservation societies have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to halt a planned two-year closure and renovation of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The legal action alleges that the administration is bypassing federal historic preservation and environmental laws, as well as necessary Congressional approval, to fundamentally alter the modernist landmark. The suit specifically targets the administration's lack of transparency regarding the extent of the work, which plaintiffs fear could include demolition and reconstruction.

trump announces kennedy center closure

President Donald Trump announced the planned closure of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for up to two years, starting July 4, as part of a major renovation project. The closure, pending board approval, aims to transform what Trump called a "tired, broken, and dilapidated" facility into the "finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind."

Vacant New Brunswick Bank Building to Become an Art Gallery in 2027

A vacant bank building in New Brunswick is set to be transformed into an art gallery, with plans to open in 2027. The project aims to repurpose the historic structure into a cultural venue for the local community.

Wonder Gallery Debuts in Coney Island With Vintage Photos and Mini Zines

Wonder Gallery, a collaboration between Parachute Literary Arts and the Coney Island History Project, opens May 23 at the History Project's Exhibit Center beside the Wonder Wheel in Coney Island. The seasonal gallery will debut with black-and-white photographs by Brooklyn documentary photographer Anders Goldfarb, capturing Coney Island residents and architecture from the 1970s and 1980s, alongside the launch of the Coney Island Zine Machine featuring miniature zines by Sheepshead Bay artist Kelly Luu. The free gallery will be open weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Discover the David Geffen Galleries, Jazz at LACMA, and More This Weekend

LACMA is hosting its monthly Third Weekends event from May 15-17, 2025, featuring free workshops, screenings, concerts, and performances across its newly transformed campus, including the David Geffen Galleries. Highlights include guided architectural walks, figure drawing workshops, a concert by the Julius Rodriguez Trio at Jazz at LACMA, a screening of Tenzin Phuntsog’s film *Next Life*, a roving dance performance by Lula Washington Dance Theatre, and artist talks with Todd Gray. The weekend also includes outdoor activities, chess sessions, and a screening of the 1986 World Cup match.

Rising Voices: Inside the V&A’s Landmark Exhibition Of Asian, Australian & Pacific Art

A new exhibition, 'Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia, and the Pacific,' opens this weekend at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. It features over 70 works by more than 40 artists from 25 Asia Pacific countries, including sculpture, painting, photography, ceramics, and textiles, many never before exhibited outside the region. The show is presented in partnership with the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in Brisbane and co-curated by Daniel Slater, the V&A's director of exhibitions.

Historic Istanbul exhibition reveals century of growth and creative vision

Yapı Kredi Culture Arts and Publishing has opened a landmark exhibition in Istanbul titled "Imprints on the Century: The Koç Group and the Arts," running until November 29, 2026, at the Yapı Kredi Culture Center in Galatasaray. Curated by YKYM Gallery Director Didem Yazıcı over two years, the show commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Koç Group, tracing its evolution from a small business registered by Vehbi Koç in 1926 to a global industrial conglomerate. The exhibition draws on archives from the Sadberk Hanım Museum, Arter, and the Rahmi M. Koç Museums, highlighting the group's contributions to archaeology, museology, contemporary art, publishing, and theater, including milestones like the first color film in Turkey and the Bauhaus-inspired Küçük Sahne theater.

São Paulo pop-up exhibition spotlights spherical home by architect Eduardo Longo

The fifth edition of Aberto has launched in São Paulo, transforming the iconic Casa Bola—a spherical, sustainable home designed by architect Eduardo Longo in the 1970s—into a temporary art and design hub. Co-curated by Kiki Mazzucchelli and Claudia Moreira Salles, the exhibition features over 50 artists and six major galleries, including Gladstone Gallery and Mendes Wood DM. The show spans the futuristic residence and an adjacent warehouse, showcasing newly commissioned works that dialogue with Longo’s counterculture architectural vision.

Landmark moment as city celebrates reopening of Newcastle Art Gallery

The Newcastle Art Gallery has officially reopened following a transformative expansion project that has been more than 16 years in the making. NSW Governor Margaret Beazley led the ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the facility, which now stands as the largest public gallery in New South Wales outside of Sydney. The reopening is being celebrated with a three-day community festival and the launch of 'Iconic Loved Unexpected,' a major exhibition featuring nearly 500 works from the gallery’s $145 million permanent collection.

Bowdoin College Museum of Art Will Present Landmark Josefina Auslender Retrospective and Hung Liu’s "Happy and Gay"

The Bowdoin College Museum of Art (BCMA) will present two exhibitions this winter: "Josefina Auslender: Drawing Myself Free" (December 11, 2025–May 31, 2026), the first museum retrospective of Argentine-born, Maine-based artist Josefina Auslender, featuring over 90 drawings from the 1970s to the present; and "Hung Liu: Happy and Gay" (January 22–May 31, 2026), which examines how Hung Liu reinterpreted Chinese propaganda from her childhood during the Cultural Revolution through ten paintings, prints, archival materials, and a video. Both shows explore themes of immigration, history, memory, and personal experience.

New flagship art gallery opening in historic city square

Clarendon Fine Art, a leading UK contemporary art gallery, will open a new flagship location in Glasgow's Royal Exchange Square in July. Housed in a restored late-1700s building across two floors, the gallery will feature works by artists including The Connor Brothers, Mr. Brainwash, Danielle O'Connor Akiyama, Philip Gray, and Fabian Perez, along with limited editions, sculptures, and original pieces. An official launch event is scheduled for August 21.

In Shanghai, a spectacular spiral opera house designed by Snøhetta is revealed

À Shanghai, un spectaculaire opéra en spirale conçu par l’agence Snøhetta se dévoile

The Shanghai Grand Opera House, a massive 147,000-square-meter cultural landmark designed by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta, has reached structural completion in the Houtan district. Inspired by the form of a traditional Chinese fan, the building features a dramatic white helical roof that doubles as a public walkway, connecting the urban landscape to the waterfront. The interior, which includes a 2,000-seat main hall and various modular spaces, is currently being finalized ahead of a scheduled opening in the second half of 2026.

National Assembly Unanimously Votes on Law for Restitution of Looted Colonial Works, but with Restrictions

L’Assemblée vote à l’unanimité la loi sur la restitution des œuvres pillées pendant la colonisation, mais avec des restrictions

The French National Assembly has unanimously passed a landmark law establishing a permanent legal framework for the restitution of cultural property looted during the colonial era. Moving away from the previous requirement for case-by-case legislation, the new law allows the government to return artifacts via decree following consultations with scientific and parliamentary commissions. This shift fulfills a long-standing promise to simplify the return of African heritage currently held in French public collections.

Top Seattle art shows to see in May 2026

Seattle's art scene in May 2026 features six diverse exhibitions. Highlights include 'Influences: Japanese Prints and Northwest Art' at the Cascadia Art Museum, exploring the impact of Japanese woodblock printing on regional artists; a site-specific installation by Carly Sheehan at the appointment-only Double Garage Gallery; Clare Johnson's exhibition of over 6,000 artworks on sticky notes at Gallery 4Culture; Emma Bergman's surreal multimedia installation 'The World to Come' at Specialist Gallery; and a landmark retrospective of light-art pioneer Tom Lloyd at the Frye Art Museum.

99 Variations of a Volcano

99 Variationen eines Vulkans

Julian Charrière has released a new artist's book titled "After the Smoke Cradle," documenting a series of 99 lithographs originally exhibited at the Verein für Originalgraphik in Zurich. The project features 33 variations of three different volcanoes, created using a unique process where the artist transformed collected lava, ash, obsidian, and sulfur into printing pigments. This material-focused approach ensures that the physical essence of the volcanic sites is literally embedded into the photographic imagery.

Richmond Acquires an 18th-Century Terracotta

Richmond s'enrichit d'une terre cuite du XVIIIe siècle

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond has acquired a rare 18th-century terracotta sculpture by the French artist Jean-Baptiste Boudard. A winner of the Grand Prix de Sculpture in 1732, Boudard spent much of his career in Italy serving the court of Philip of Bourbon in Parma, which contributed to his relative obscurity in his native France despite his significant contributions to Roman and Parmese landmarks.

Dans les ateliers de la Maison du vitrail, où création et restauration conjuguent au présent cet art du verre et de la couleur

The article visits the Maison du vitrail, a French stained-glass workshop founded in 1973 by Christiane and Philippe Andrieux and now run by their daughter Emmanuelle. Located in a historic courtyard, the studio employs fourteen artisans who cut, paint, and assemble colored glass for both restoration and original creations. The workshop has evolved from a small space in Châtillon to a thriving enterprise that handles everything from church windows and Parisian staircases to trophies, jewelry, and commercial projects for clients like Truffaut and the Casino de Paris.

Extraterrestrial Art Created During Space Observatory Residencies on View in Mouans-Sartoux

À Mouans-Sartoux s’expose l’art extra-terrestre créé lors des résidences de l’Observatoire de l’espace

The Espace de l’art concret in Mouans-Sartoux is hosting a landmark exhibition featuring "extraterrestrial" artworks created through the Observatoire de l’espace’s residency program. Since 2006, this cultural laboratory of the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) has invited artists like Renaud Auguste-Dormeuil, Stéphane Thidet, and Victoire Thierrée to produce works in zero-gravity environments. These creations are born aboard parabolic flights on the Airbus A310 Zero G or via stratospheric balloons, where physical laws like gravity and atmospheric pressure are suspended.