looted nude emperor statue marble head returned to turkey

A California antiquities dealer, Aaron Mendelsohn, surrendered a 2,000-year-old bronze statue of a Roman emperor, known as the Nude Emperor, to New York prosecutors. The statue, valued at $1.33 million, was purchased in 2007 from a defunct New York gallery but is believed to have been looted in the late 1960s from a Roman shrine in Bubon, Turkey. In a deal filed in New York Criminal Court, Mendelsohn relinquished claims to the statue without admitting wrongdoing, and prosecutors withdrew an arrest warrant. The statue was repatriated to Turkey in a restitution ceremony on Monday, alongside dozens of other objects, including an $800,000 marble head of Demosthenes seized from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

huge library of ashurbanipal

The British Museum houses the Library of Ashurbanipal, a collection of approximately 30,000 cuneiform tablets from the Assyrian Empire, discovered in the 19th century. Created by King Ashurbanipal (r. 669–631 BCE), the library contains texts on astronomy, medicine, history, and literature, including the Epic of Gilgamesh. The tablets survived a fire set by invading Babylonians and Medes, which hardened them. Recent excavations in Nineveh have uncovered more tablets and a 20-foot-tall winged bull statue, while the British Museum's Ashurbanipal Library Project, now led by curator Jon Taylor, focuses on digitizing and studying medical texts.

trump cuts museums funding aam report

A new survey from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) reveals that one-third of American museums have lost government grants and contracts since President Donald Trump took office. Based on responses from 511 museum directors, the report documents funding cuts from federal agencies including the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). These losses have forced museums to defer infrastructure improvements, cancel programming for underserved communities, and lay off staff. Some institutions have taken legal action, and a court ruling in May halted further dismantling of the IMLS. The Mellon Foundation has offered emergency grants, but two-thirds of surveyed museums have been unable to replace lost funding, with a median grant loss of $30,000.

israeli airstrike doha qatar risk of planning art basel fair

On Tuesday, Israel carried out a missile strike in Doha, Qatar, targeting senior Hamas leaders, with explosions reported in the Leqtaifiya neighborhood and smoke visible over the Katara cultural district. The strike comes as a shock to Qatar, which has built a reputation for stability and is home to major art institutions operated by Qatar Museums, including Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar, and the Museum of Islamic Art. Art Basel, which announced in May a partnership with Qatar Sports Investments and QC+ to launch Art Basel Doha in February 2026, said it is closely monitoring developments and remains committed to the fair's inaugural edition.

leon black jeffrey epstein senator irs investigation

Leon Black, a billionaire investor and prominent art collector, is facing renewed scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon has called on the Internal Revenue Service to investigate what he describes as suspicious tax planning work performed by Epstein for Black, involving tens of millions of dollars paid to Epstein to help Black evade billions in taxes. Wyden submitted a letter to the IRS on July 31, demanding more information by September 1. Black has previously been investigated for his Epstein connections; a 2021 probe found he had no involvement in Epstein's criminal activities but confirmed he paid $158 million to Epstein between 2012 and 2017.

national gallery london citizen panel

The National Gallery in London is launching a citizens' panel called NG Citizens, composed of 20 randomly selected members of the public from across the UK. Starting with 15,000 household invitations, a civil lottery will narrow the group to 50, then to 20 individuals who will serve for five years, advising the museum on its purpose, priorities, and public value, though not directly on artwork selection or exhibitions. The initiative is overseen by the public participation charity Involve and follows similar models at institutions like the Federal Art Gallery in Bonn and the Dresden State Art Collections.

ukraine russia icom expulsion open letter

A group of arts professionals, including art historian Konstantin Akinsha and Francesca Thyssen Bornemisza, has published an open letter in Le Monde calling for the International Council of Museums (ICOM) to expel Russia for violating its code of ethics. The group threatens to take ICOM to court in France if it fails to act, citing Russia's systematic erasure of Ukraine's cultural identity since the 2022 invasion, including looting of museum collections and destruction of cultural sites documented by UNESCO. Signatories demand the exclusion of ICOM Russia and Russian museum staff involved in looting, and seek either negotiation or legal proceedings in a French court.

The Picasso of India: Amrita Sher-Gil exhibit opens in Drents Museum

The Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands, has opened a major exhibition of works by Amrita Sher-Gil (1913-1941), the Hungarian-Indian painter often called the Picasso of India. Titled “Europe is Picasso’s, India is Mine,” the show features nearly 50 paintings and drawings on loan from the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi, marking the first-ever Sher-Gil exhibition in the Netherlands and the first in Europe in nearly two decades. Originally scheduled for March, the opening was delayed due to geopolitical tensions linked to the war in Iran, which postponed the transport of the artworks. The museum worked for six years to secure the loan, and 23 Dutch museums stepped in to create an alternative exhibition during the delay.

Exhibition | Olivia Sterling, 'Jelly' at Dirimart Pera, Istanbul, Turkiye

Dirimart presents Olivia Sterling's first solo exhibition in Istanbul, titled 'Jelly,' at its Pera location from May 7 to June 14, 2026. The show explores themes of race, power, and desire through scenes involving food, the body, and stains, using fruit and dark colors as metaphors for consumption and objectification. Sterling's paintings incorporate letters that expose how race is constructed through language, while the title 'Jelly' evokes flexibility, fluidity, and a grotesque bodily quality that mirrors the instability of identity and social conventions.

Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir: Pocket Universe

The Icelandic Art Center will present "Pocket Universe," a multidisciplinary exhibition by artist, poet, composer, and filmmaker Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir, representing Iceland at the 61st Venice Biennale. The exhibition, held at the Icelandic Pavilion's new location at Docks Cantieri Cucchini, explores shifting perspectives through hope, imagination, and belief, blending sound, performance, moving image, sculpture, and installation. It features a moving image work centered on a character called "Creature Zero" searching for the "original rock," and incorporates themes of luck, chance, and transformation through playful, game-like structures.

Sacramento Fine Arts Center Celebrates 40th Anniversary

The Sacramento Fine Arts Center (Sac Arts) is celebrating its 40th anniversary in April 2026. Founded in April 1986 by five independent regional art clubs, including Northern California Arts and Watercolor Artists of Sacramento Horizons, the center began in a former high school building in Carmichael, California. Volunteers cleaned and renovated the space, which is owned by the Carmichael Recreation and Park District. Over the years, the center has expanded with studio spaces, galleries, and a rental gallery, supported by community donations and volunteer efforts. The anniversary year features special events, classes, and a new banner project with 130 submissions for 21 PVC mesh banners.

Patchwork Lost – A Critique of the Princeton University Art Museum’s American Art Wing

The article critiques the newly opened American art wing at the Princeton University Art Museum, arguing that its curatorial approach prioritizes contemporary social justice narratives over historical accuracy and national pride. The author contends that the exhibition presents a fragmented, politicized view of American history, highlighting slavery and racial injustice while omitting or minimizing the contributions of Princeton alumni to the nation's founding, such as James Madison and John Witherspoon. Specific examples include the inclusion of a 2022 revisionist painting of the Signing of the Constitution and selective signage that emphasizes marginalized figures while ignoring male patriots.

Paul’s Gallery of the Month: Arcadia Missa

Paul Carey-Kent selects Arcadia Missa as his 'Gallery of the Month'. The gallery, founded by Rózsa Farkas in 2011, has evolved from a non-profit project space in Peckham to a commercial gallery in central London, now representing 18 artists including recent Turner Prize winners and finalists. Its current exhibitions feature work by Morag Keil and Nnena Kalu.

Danger and inspiration: Bangladeshi artists divided about country’s future after historic election

The 11th Chobi Mela photography festival in Dhaka has become a vital site for political discourse following Bangladesh's historic election and the 2024 revolution. Through public installations like 'Women in the July Uprising,' artists are documenting the pivotal role of women in toppling the previous regime and addressing the subsequent erasure of their contributions under the new political landscape. The festival also highlights the ongoing struggle for justice regarding the 'disappeared' through the documentary work of photographers like Mosfiqur Rahman Johan.

Pompidou moves in as Grand Palais reopens after £395m revamp

The Grand Palais in Paris reopens after a €466m (£395m) four-year restoration led by Chatillon Architectes, the most significant transformation since its 1900 inauguration. The building will serve as a temporary venue for the Centre Pompidou while the museum undergoes its own renovation until 2030. The project restored original sightlines, added over 40 lifts and 30 staircases, and created modular exhibition spaces to meet contemporary curatorial demands.

Asian Art Museum’s exhibit finds hope and beauty in ‘Everyday War’

The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco is presenting "Everyday War," the first North American solo exhibition of Taiwanese artist Yuan Goang-Ming, on view through August 4. The show features two video installations—"Dwelling" (2014) and "Everyday War" (2024)—that depict domestic spaces being violently destroyed by unseen forces, only to reassemble moments later. Yuan, who created "Everyday War" for the Venice Biennale, uses slow-motion explosions and intimate household details to evoke anxiety, beauty, and catharsis without showing blood or fleeing figures.

The Walters Art Museum: New leadership and a new exhibition

The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore has appointed Kate Burgin as its new director, succeeding Dr. Julia Alexander, who left the museum after 11 years to run a foundation in New York and passed away suddenly at age 57 earlier this month. Burgin, previously the museum's deputy director, now leads the institution while the community mourns Alexander's loss. Meanwhile, the museum has opened its first permanent exhibition of Latin American art, featuring works from over 40 cultures across North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean.

A Washington Museum Zeros In on the Watergate Scandal

A Washington Museum Zeros In on the Watergate Scandal

The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., has opened a new exhibition titled "Break the News: Watergate and the American Presidency." The show features over 60 objects, including photographs, political cartoons, and artifacts like the infamous tape recorder used by President Richard Nixon, to explore the scandal's impact on media, politics, and public trust.

Wexner Center for the Arts Workers Call for Institution to Be Renamed Over Top Funder’s Epstein Ties

Unionized workers at the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio, have demanded that the institution remove the name of top funder Les Wexner from its moniker, citing his close ties to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. In a letter to Ohio State University leadership, Wexner Workers United (WWU) argued that Wexner’s name on the building harms the center’s mission and community trust. Wexner, a billionaire retail magnate and art collector, donated $25 million to the center’s construction in the 1980s and has been mentioned over a thousand times in the Epstein Files; Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre named Wexner as among those she was trafficked to, though Wexner denies the allegations.

85% of All US Museums Need Repairs, Study Finds

A March survey by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 85% of all US museums need repairs, with 77% having at least one structural issue endangering their collections. Federal funding does not cover construction-related expenses, and 73% of the roughly 11,900 museums surveyed reported building system or facility problems posing health or safety risks. The American Alliance of Museums noted the data aligns with years of reports from museums struggling with aging infrastructure and unpredictable funding.

Justin Sun and David Geffen's legal feud over $78m Giacometti sculpture expands

Crypto billionaire Justin Sun and entertainment mogul David Geffen are escalating their legal dispute over Alberto Giacometti's sculpture *Le Nez* (1947), valued at $78.3 million. Sun alleges that his former art adviser, Sydney Xiong, sold the sculpture to Geffen without authorization using forged documents and fake lawyers, and that Xiong is now detained in China. Geffen countersues, calling Sun's claims "bizarre and baseless," pointing to inconsistencies in Sun's story and his financial troubles.

Sex, beauty and the body: how Helen Chadwick shaped British contemporary art

A new critical biography, "Helen Chadwick: Life Pleasures," has been published, marking the first comprehensive study of the British artist Helen Chadwick (1953-96). Edited by Laura Smith, director of collections and exhibitions at the Hepworth Wakefield, the book includes contributions from historian Marina Warner, curator Katrin Bucher Trantow, and artist Maria Christoforidou. A touring exhibition of Chadwick's work opens at the Hepworth Wakefield on 17 May and runs until 27 October. The article highlights Chadwick's provocative, punky, and perverse body-focused works, such as "Untitled (Eat Art)" (1973), where she cast her face in jelly for viewers to consume, and "Piss Flowers" (1991-92), made from snow she urinated on. It also recounts the infamous 1986 incident at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, where her sculpture "Carcass"—a glass tower of rotting vegetables—leaked and collapsed.

alaska art student arrested eating ai generated art protest

A University of Alaska Fairbanks undergraduate, Graham Granger, was arrested for eating AI-generated artwork created by MFA student Nick Dwyer. The artwork, titled *Shadow Searching: ChatGPT psychosis* (2025), was part of the exhibition “This Is Not Awful” at the UAF Art Gallery. Granger allegedly destroyed at least 57 of 160 Polaroid-style images in protest of AI-generated art, and was charged with criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor.

artist renee good last words new york ice office

Performance artist Maria De Victoria spent Tuesday chanting the last words of Renee Nicole Good—a poet and mother killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis—outside the ICE field office in New York City's Jacob K. Javits Federal Building. Dressed in a coat bearing Good's phrase "I'm not mad at you, dude," De Victoria performed the endurance piece from sunrise to sunset as an act of dissent against federal immigration crackdowns. The work concluded with a silent vigil, and De Victoria, an immigrant from Peru represented by Desnivel Gallery, has a history of politically charged endurance performances.

All 3.5 Million Pages of the Epstein Files Are Now on View at This Pop-Up Exhibition

The Institute for Primary Facts has transformed New York's Mriya Gallery into the Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Reading Room, a pop-up exhibition displaying all 3.5 million pages of the released Epstein files in 3,437 bound volumes. Open from May 8 to May 21 in Tribeca, the installation is the group's first live project, requiring visitors aged 16 and over to book appointments via a platform called Trumpsonian. Only accredited press, Congress, law enforcement, and victims' advocates may open the volumes, due to the Department of Justice's failure to properly redact victims' names.

ENTRE PERRO Y LOBO CANADA LLEVA EL CREPUSCULO A LA BIENAL DE VENECIA

Abbas Akhavan, born in Tehran in 1977, will represent Canada at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026 with an exhibition titled "Entre chien et loup" (Between Dog and Wolf). Commissioned by the National Gallery of Canada and curated by Kim Nguyen, the Canada Pavilion is transformed into a monumental Wardian case—a 19th-century plant transport device—serving as a greenhouse for Victoria water lilies. The seeds were germinated at the Orto Botanico di Padova in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and the installation will be on view until November 22, 2026.

WAYS OF REMEMBERING YAHUARCANI AND MUNOZ AT MASP

The Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) is currently presenting two distinct exhibitions that explore memory, identity, and historical violence in Latin America. 'Santiago Yahuarcani: The Beginning of Knowledge' features 35 works by the Peruvian artist that weave together Uitoto cosmology with the traumatic history of the Amazon rubber boom, while 'Video Room: Oscar Muñoz' showcases three video works by the Colombian artist that use ephemeral materials to reflect on political disappearance and the instability of the image.

Greece Introduces New Law to Combat Art Forgery and Vandalism

Greece has enacted a landmark legislative framework specifically designed to combat art forgery, vandalism, and the trade of counterfeit cultural property. The new law introduces stringent criminal penalties, including prison sentences of up to ten years and fines reaching €300,000, while mandating the destruction of works confirmed as fakes. Key provisions include the creation of an independent registry of forgery experts under the culture ministry and the expansion of legal protections to include historically significant cinemas.

Il fotoreport Andy Rocchelli morto nel Donbass nel 2014 ha un giardino a lui dedicato a Pavia

On May 24, the Collegio Ghislieri in Pavia inaugurated the Giardino della Ricerca, a garden dedicated to photojournalist Andy Rocchelli, who was killed in 2014 in the Donbas region of Ukraine alongside human rights activist Andrei Mironov. The garden, opened on the twelfth anniversary of his death, features a commemorative plaque and includes speeches by Gherardo Colombo and Michele Serra, as well as a podcast by Agostino Zappia and Enrico Rotondi. Italian courts have ruled that Rocchelli and Mironov were killed by Ukrainian army fire, but no one has been convicted.

There is an absent pavilion at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale that no one has talked about: Venezuela

C’è un padiglione assente alla Biennale d’Arte di Venezia 2026 di cui nessuno ha parlato: il Venezuela

The Venezuelan pavilion at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale remains closed, an absence that has gone largely unnoticed amid other controversies surrounding the Russian, Israeli, South African, and Iranian pavilions. Designed by architect Carlo Scarpa and built between 1953 and 1956, the pavilion now displays a trilingual sign stating it will "rise again soon," reflecting the country's collapse after the kidnapping and imprisonment of President Nicolás Maduro by the United States and the installation of a fragile pro-American interim government.