Philadelphia museum sues Trump administration over lost federal funding

The Woodmere, a museum in Philadelphia, sued the Trump administration after an executive order revoked a $750,000 federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The museum had already received roughly $195,000 of the funds, but the order targeting "unnecessary" federal bureaucracy cut the remainder. On September 4, the IMLS reinstated the full grant, leading to the dismissal of the lawsuit, which had been scheduled for a first hearing on September 12. The grant, part of the Save America's Treasures program, was intended for conservation, catalog updates, and digitization projects.

Faizi Rahmeen Art Gallery yet to open doors

The Faizi Rahmeen Art Gallery in Karachi, Pakistan, remains unfinished over 35 years after its inception, despite being initiated during the tenure of former MQM Mayor Dr. Farooq Sattar. Construction of the ground-plus-three-storey structure was completed by 1992 at an estimated cost of Rs80 million, but work stalled after the launch of "Operation Clean-Up" against the MQM and the dissolution of the local government. A brief revival in 2007 only saw installation of glass panels and floor tiling; core civil works are only 70% complete, and key systems like electrical, mechanical, revolving stage, and sound system are still pending. The site, formerly the residence of renowned author Atiya Begum and artist Faizi Rahmeen, was donated to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) in trust with the explicit intention of establishing an art gallery. KMC's Culture, Sports and Recreation office now operates from the property, but the gallery itself remains stalled due to lack of political priority for arts and culture.

A new art show brings L.A. climate inequities to life at Descanso Gardens

Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles opens a new exhibition titled “Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World,” co-curated by climate researcher Edith de Guzman and artist Jolly de Guzman. The all-women show features outdoor installations and gallery works that address shade equity—the unequal access to cooling shade across urban neighborhoods. Highlights include Leslie K. Gray’s three-part “Bus Stop” series depicting the climate challenges of female bus riders, Chantée Benefield’s “Cool Canopy” of suspended umbrellas (a recreation after her original was lost in the Eaton fire), and works by Kim Abeles and Diana Kohne inside the Sturt Haaga Gallery and Boddy House.

Dive into the works of artist Badri Narayan and the Vitrum Studio at this art exhibition in Mumbai

Curator Puja Vaish discovered ceramic works by artist Vijoo Sadwelkar in the Jehangir Nicholson Art Foundation's collection, leading her to Haresh Mehta, who preserved original works from the Vitrum studio. This resulted in the exhibition "A Glazed History: Badri Narayan & the Vitrum Studio" at the JNAF Gallery at CSMVS Museum in Mumbai, the first retrospective of the studio that operated from the 1950s to the 1970s. Vitrum, founded by emigre glass expert Simon Lifschutz and his wife Hanna, blended art, craft, and design by having artists create hand-painted ceramic tiles and Venetian glass mosaics for everyday homes.

Years of Michael Dinning's dreams conspire to bring new art gallery featuring local artists to downtown Spokane

Spokane artist Michael Dinning and his wife Stephanie opened D2 Gallery and Studio on May 2 in downtown Spokane, located at the corner of West First Avenue and South Bernard Street. The gallery focuses on showcasing local artists, with Jim Dhillon featured as the star for two consecutive months. Dinning, who has a background in museum curation and art management, returned to art after a decade-long hiatus and now creates mixed-media sculptures that combine painting with found objects like stone arrows and violin bows.

Seven years after brutal fire, National Museum of Brazil to partially reopen

The National Museum of Brazil (Museu Nacional-UFRJ) in Rio de Janeiro will partially reopen its galleries nearly seven years after a devastating electrical fire destroyed around 90% of its collection. The temporary reopening features guided tours of three rooms, including one displaying decorative paintings uncovered during restoration, the surviving Bendegó meteorite, a suspended sperm whale skeleton, and donated objects such as fossils, manuscripts, ceramics, and Indigenous artefacts. The museum's full reopening is scheduled for 2028, with a reconstruction budget of 516.8 million reais ($90.4 million) and an additional 170 million reais ($29.8 million) still needed.

A Non-Speaking Autistic Artist’s Paintings Are Getting a DC Gallery Show

A non-speaking autistic artist's paintings are being featured in a gallery show in Washington, D.C. The article, published by Washingtonian, highlights the artist's unique creative expression and the upcoming exhibition that brings their work to a broader audience.

Malak Mattar becomes first Palestinian artist to get solo show at London's prestigious Central Saint Martins

Malak Mattar, a 25-year-old self-taught Gazan artist, has become the first Palestinian to receive a solo exhibition at London's Central Saint Martins (CSM). After winning a scholarship for a Master's in Fine Art at CSM, she was trapped in Gaza until October 6, 2023, the day before the Hamas attack and subsequent Israeli invasion. Her show, opening May 15 at Window Galleries, features powerful works like 'No Words' (2024), a monochrome canvas likened to Picasso's Guernica, and 'Gaza's Phoenix' (2025), a colorful collage symbolizing resilience. Mattar has also faced institutional challenges, including a lack of public solidarity from the University of the Arts London (UAL) regarding Gaza and financial disparities compared to Ukrainian students.

Open Call for Contemporary Art Commissions for the V&A South Kensington's new South Asia Gallery

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has issued an open call for contemporary artists and designers to create new carved wooden panels for a 19th-century coffered ceiling from a temple in Kochi, South India, which will be the centerpiece of its redesigned South Asia Gallery at South Kensington. The ceiling, measuring 6 by 1.7 meters and originally comprising 45 panels, has been in storage for over 70 years; more than half of its panels are missing. The commission invites applicants to replace the lost panels with sensitivity to the original materials, design, and craftsmanship, integrating them into the restored structure. Expressions of interest are due by 28 February 2026.

1990s pop icon Jewel is the protagonist in Venice with an exhibition that rewrites the geographies of the feminine

L’icona pop Anni ‘90 Jewel è protagonista a Venezia con una mostra che riscrive le geografie del femminile

Singer-songwriter Jewel, a 1990s pop icon with four Grammy nominations, is presenting her largest exhibition to date in Venice. Titled "Matriclysm: An Archaeology of Connections Lost," the immersive show runs from May 6 to November 22, 2026, at the Salone Verde, coinciding with the 2026 Venice Biennale. Curated by Joe Thompson, the exhibition blends painting, textiles, sculpture, sound, and installation to explore themes of femininity, motherhood, care, and intergenerational knowledge, drawing on forgotten rituals and marginalized mythologies.

In Milan, the furnishings of the White House go on display. Design and architecture to talk about propaganda

A Milano vanno in mostra gli arredi della Casa Bianca. Design e architettura per parlare di propaganda

An exhibition titled 'The White House. Domestic Propaganda' has opened at Dropcity, an experimental center in the tunnels beneath Milan's Central Station, as part of the city's Design Week. Curated by students from the Politecnico di Milano's Interior Design Laboratory, the show critically examines the White House as a domestic space for political propaganda, using installations, models, and drawings to explore how its architecture and furnishings project cultural and social meanings.

EastEnders' Jake Wood forced to close art exhibit amid 'abusive behaviour'

EastEnders actor Jake Wood has closed his art exhibition at Indelible Fine Arts in Brighton after a furious backlash over the inclusion of AI-generated imagery in his works. The gallery announced the decision, citing “abusive” messages directed at them and stating that the exhibition’s original message had been “lost.” Wood, known for playing Max Branning on the BBC soap, had curated the show to raise funds for Dementia UK, but controversy erupted when viewers discovered that some pieces—including portraits of Attenborough and Trump—incorporated pre-existing AI source imagery.

Hugo the Decorator

Hugo décorateur

An exhibition and accompanying book explore Victor Hugo's lesser-known role as an interior decorator, focusing on the elaborate interiors he created for his homes in Paris and during his exile on the island of Guernsey. Curator Gérard Audinet conducted extensive research to reconstruct these lost environments, which were filled with eclectic objects, artworks by friends, and prestigious gifts.

NEYRA PÉREZ: RETURN TO ROEBIRI

NEYRA PÉREZ: RETORNO A ROEBIRI

Neyra Pérez, an Iskonawa artist, presents her exhibition "El retorno del Roebiri" at the Centro Cultural Ricardo Palma in Lima, Peru, running until May 9, 2026. The show features her distinctive kené designs, which she creates using natural materials like yakuchapana resin and virgin clay on raw canvas, fixed through sunlight and river washing. The works reference Roebiri, a mountain in the Amazonian Sierra del Divisor that was the ancestral territory of the Iskonawa people, from whom they were displaced in the late 1950s by missionaries and the military. Since 2018, Pérez has been part of a cultural revitalization effort led by anthropologist Carolina Rodríguez to recover these traditional designs and practices.

Art Liard Explores Nature’s Fragile Equilibrium in London

Art Liard presents a new exhibition in London exploring nature's fragile equilibrium, featuring works that examine the delicate balance of natural ecosystems. The show includes a series of paintings and installations that respond to environmental themes, highlighting the tension between growth and decay in the natural world.

‘Final spurt’: decades-long rebuilding of Dresden’s Royal Palace nears completion

The decades-long reconstruction of Dresden's Royal Palace (Residenzschloss), a project costing €400 million, is nearing completion after beginning in 1985. The palace, which was reduced to a burnt-out shell by Allied bombing in February 1945 and remained a ruin through much of East Germany's history, will see its final phases unfold from autumn 2024 through 2027. These include a new installation in the former picture galleries, the rebuilt Schlosskapelle (palace chapel) opening in November, a Rüstkammer installation in the ballroom in early 2026, the completion of the Grosser Schlosshof courtyard in 2027, and a new exhibit in the Gothic Hall chronicling the palace's history. The palace now houses major collections of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (SKD), including the Grünes Gewölbe, Kupferstich-Kabinett, and Rüstkammer.

Walters’ Latin American art exhibit lost $70K in Trump cuts. It’s opening anyway.

The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore is opening its inaugural installation of Latin American art despite losing $70,000 in federal funding due to cuts by the Trump administration. The lost funds represented 6% of the $1,160,000 installation cost, and the museum had little opportunity to raise replacement money. The exhibition features an earthenware burial urn and other works, proceeding as planned despite the financial shortfall.

No Lost Generation Hosts Beautiful, Poignant Exhibition of Afghan Refugee Artists’ Work

Georgetown University’s student organization No Lost Generation (NLG) partnered with the Afghan artist collective ArtLords to host a five-day exhibition at the Intercultural Center galleria. Curated by Omaid Sharifi, the showcase featured works by three Afghan refugee artists—Abdul Hakim Maqsoodi, Mohammad Younus Qani, and Fatima Wojohat—centered around the theme of "nawroz" (new day). The collection spanned traditional Afghan miniatures, scenes of displacement, and portraits exploring the resilience of female refugees.

‘Birds and Blooms’: This art exhibition explores Milwaukee’s nature and tile-making history

Milwaukee tile artist Ben Tyjeski has opened his first solo exhibition, 'Birds and Blooms,' at the Grove Gallery in Milwaukee, running through October 18. The show features 40 handmade faience tile panels depicting native flora and fauna, inspired by the historic ornamentation of Milwaukee's Wells Building and the artist's explorations of local parks and natural spaces. Tyjeski, who previously wrote about Milwaukee's historic faience tiles and architectural terra cotta, uses a wet-clay carving and hand-glazing process to create intricate, nature-themed designs.

The Tender Work of Preserving Renee Good’s Memorial

A traveling photojournalist, Ryan Vizzions, has halted his cross-country project to become the archivist and caretaker of a sprawling memorial for Renee Good, a poet and mother killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. Vizzions is photographing, digitizing, and preserving hundreds of objects left at the site, storing fragile items in a secret location, and protecting the memorial from vandalism and the elements.

Art House Gallery to Present OUR OWN LANGUAGE, Curated by Andrea McKenna

Art House Gallery is set to present "OUR OWN LANGUAGE," an exhibition curated by Andrea McKenna. The show will feature a group of artists exploring themes of personal and collective expression through visual language.

‘Prolific V: The Lost Gallery’ Brings Immersive Art, Music, and Tech to St. Thomas

On Saturday, the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts on St. Thomas will host “Prolific V: The Lost Gallery,” an immersive exhibition blending visual art, music, and interactive technology presented by Eliana B. Artistry. Curated by St. Croix native and Air Force veteran Eliana L. Schuster-Brown, the event features augmented reality elements, an original animation co-produced with Kirk Rojas, and soundscapes by AJ Ventura. Artists include Lucien Downes, Elwin Joseph, Indira Lovely, Chunikwa George, Amy Gibbs, and Kanda Burges. The exhibition runs for two weeks afterward, with all artwork for sale and tickets available on Eventbrite.

Emerging Young Artists and Designers 2026 Juried Exhibition

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) is hosting the Emerging Young Artists and Designers 2026 Juried Exhibition. The virtual opening and awards ceremony will be held on February 6, featuring 100 works selected from over 550 submissions by high school students across New England. Award winners will have their work displayed in the CVPA Campus Gallery from February 14 to 22.

Art exhibit marks full circle moment for LGBTQ+ activist

Arleen Olshan, a Mt. Airy–based artist and activist, opens her latest exhibition “Arleen Olshan: The Tangle I’ve Gotten Into” on Jan. 16 at iMPeRFeCT Gallery in Germantown, running through Feb. 21. The show combines two series: “Dead Dykes & Some Gay Men,” a memorial portrait series honoring LGBTQ+ activists and loved she has lost—including a long-delayed painting of her friend Gil Forman and his partner Zach—and “Women Loving Women,” large-scale figurative works from the 1970s and 1980s celebrating lesbian feminist intimacy and liberation. The exhibition also includes an archival element of memorial cards and newspaper clippings Olshan saved over decades.

Lisa Jarrett: Tenderhead

Lisa Jarrett's first solo museum exhibition in Oregon, "Tenderhead," opens at an unspecified venue on May 21, 2026. The show features new works and site-responsive installations that explore Beauty Supply stores and salons as critical intersections of Black life, migration, and diaspora. Jarrett uses materials like pink kanekalon hair, pigment prints, foam rollers, and lace, treating the Beauty Supply as her art supply store and a living archive of memory and community.

Artists Donate their Works to Help Save Cambodia’s only Photography School

Artists and photographers, both Cambodian and foreign, have donated works to an exhibition at Brown Coffee in Phnom Penh to raise emergency funds for Studio Images - House of Photography, Cambodia's only professional photography school. The school opened in 2024 but lost its funding for the next six months due to external circumstances, threatening the graduation of students in its two-year associate-degree program. The exhibition, titled "Art for the Future," is hosted at the café located in the former home of architect Vann Molyvann, with proceeds supporting the school's operations through the 2025-2026 school year.

53 oil paintings in a Palestinian exhibit were lost in the 1940s. A new exhibit on display in Brookline reimagines what could have been.

A traveling exhibition titled "The Lost Paintings, A Prelude to Return" is on view at the Brookline Arts Center and Unbound Visual Arts in Brighton through December 17. The show reimagines 53 oil paintings by Palestinian-Lebanese artist Maroun Tomb, which were lost in the chaos of the Nakba and the 1948 Arab-Israeli war after his 1947 exhibition opened in Haifa on the same day the UN adopted the Partition Plan. Curators Rula Khoury, Haidi Motola, and Joëlle Tomb—Maroun's granddaughter—commissioned 53 contemporary artists from Palestine and the diaspora to create new works inspired by the original titles, using mediums including textiles, prints, paintings, sculptures, and video.

He can’t speak, so his art does it for him — Nonverbal Bethesda artist debuts expressive artwork

Charles Lunn, a 35-year-old nonverbal autistic artist from Bethesda, Maryland, will debut his exhibition "Nonsense & Hopeful Songs: My Inner Fight to be Heard" at Lost Origins Gallery in Mount Pleasant, Washington, D.C. The show features his paintings and poetry, which serve as his primary means of communication. Lunn's mother, Lorie Peters-Lauthier, explains that his art allows him to express emotions and social commentary that his body cannot verbalize due to a brain-body disconnect.

Culture on canvas: Kyler Pahang, ’21, exhibits work at Henry Art Gallery and Wing Luke Museum

Kyler Pahang, a 2021 University of Washington graduate and current MFA student, is exhibiting his work in two Seattle venues. His thesis exhibition, part of the UW MFA and Master of Design show, runs at the Henry Art Gallery from May 24 to June 15, 2025. Additionally, two of his paintings are on view at the Wing Luke Museum in the exhibition “Lost & Found: Searching For Home,” which continues through September 2026. Pahang’s art focuses on Filipino culture, decolonization, and double consciousness, using imagery from Seattle-area Filipino barber shops and landscapes like “A Cry for Uran” to explore cultural identity.

An Artist Honors Extinct Plants and Animals at New York’s Swiss Institute

The New York Times reports on an exhibition at New York's Swiss Institute where an artist pays tribute to extinct plants and animals through their work. The show features installations and artworks that memorialize species lost to extinction, blending scientific documentation with artistic expression to create a poignant reflection on biodiversity loss.