The article features an interview exploring the unique aesthetic characteristics of African visual art, emphasizing its vibrant use of color and dynamic rhythmic compositions. It delves into how traditional heritage informs contemporary practices, highlighting the evolution of the continent's artistic identity on the global stage.
A 13th-century Gothic church in Venice's Cannaregio district, the former Chiesa dell'Abbazia della Misericordia, will reopen on May 5, 2026, as Etnia House of Arts. The project is promoted by Spanish eyewear brand Etnia Eyewear Culture and includes artist residencies, public events, and site-specific interventions. The restoration was led by architects Piero Vespignani and Alessia Semenzato of Studio Anfibio. The first two resident artists are Conxi Sane and Greta Pllana, who will explore themes of perception and vision, with the residency program using eyewear as a symbolic field to investigate identity and representation.
L’arte può essere ufficialmente una forma di cura. Intervista al Sottosegretario alla Cultura Lucia Borgonzoni madrina del progetto
The Italian Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Health have signed a formal protocol recognizing art as a form of therapy and care. The agreement, championed by Undersecretary of State for Culture Lucia Borgonzoni, mandates that museums, libraries, archives, and cultural institutions play a central role in developing therapeutic pathways using art to improve individual and community well-being. Borgonzoni, who has advocated for this initiative for nearly a decade, traces its origin to a 2018 study at the Sanctuary of Vicoforte that measured cortisol levels in visitors before and after viewing frescoes, showing significant stress reduction.
Tredici sculture monumentali a Stoccolma. L’artista italiano Davide Rivalta ridisegna lo spazio urbano
Italian artist Davide Rivalta has installed thirteen monumental bronze sculptures of animals—including lions, rhinoceroses, and buffalo—across iconic public spaces in Stockholm. The project, titled 'Blowing Figures into Space,' places the life-sized, pedestal-free figures directly on the ground, allowing them to blend into and subtly disrupt the urban landscape.
È morto il filantropo e mecenate Emmanuele Emanuele. Fautore a Roma degli spazi museali di Palazzo Sciarra e Palazzo Cipolla
Emmanuele Francesco Maria Emanuele, a prominent Italian philanthropist, jurist, and patron of the arts, has passed away in Rome at the age of 86. Born in Palermo, Emanuele dedicated the latter half of his life to cultural promotion, most notably serving as the President of Fondazione Roma and the Fondazione Terzo Pilastro – Internazionale. His leadership was instrumental in transforming Rome's Palazzo Sciarra and Palazzo Cipolla into significant museum spaces, hosting both permanent collections and major temporary exhibitions.
In Cina la sfilata di Margiela è allestita dentro una serie di container
Maison Margiela has launched a major traveling exhibition in China titled "Artisanal: Our Creative Laboratory," debuting in Shanghai before moving to Chengdu. Designed by OMA/AMO, the open-air showcase features over forty couture creations from the Artisanal line dating back to 1989, uniquely displayed within weathered shipping containers. The project aims to demystify the fashion house's secretive creative process, highlighting the techniques of deconstruction and manipulation that define the brand's aesthetic.
Super Mario Galaxy è il primo vero film videoludico
The article analyzes the 2023 animated film 'Super Mario Galaxy – Il film,' arguing it represents a significant evolution in video game adaptations. The film, a sequel to 'Super Mario Bros. – Il film,' abandons traditional narrative concerns and instead structures itself like a video game, constantly introducing new characters, power-ups, and scenarios directly from the Super Mario game series, as if the protagonists are moving through game levels.
The Renew Jordan Creek revitalization project in downtown Springfield has severely impacted Fresh Gallery, an award-winning local art space. Extensive road closures on Boonville Avenue and ongoing construction noise have cut off the gallery from its usual pedestrian and tourist traffic, leading to a drastic decline in sales and foot traffic. To combat these challenges, the gallery has launched a GoFundMe campaign and is attempting to reinvent its business model to survive until construction concludes in mid-2024.
KAG in Tokyo is presenting a group exhibition titled "月を射る" (Shooting the Moon), running from May 19 to August 16, 2026. The show takes its starting point from a prose poem of the same name by Korean poet Yun Dong-ju (1917–1945), who wrote it in 1939 under Japanese colonial rule and later died in a Fukuoka prison. The exhibition spans pre-war and wartime educational films, propaganda, performance, and contemporary fieldwork, featuring works by artists such as Inoue Kan (Lee Byung-woo), Choe Seung-hui, Kamei Fumio, Yoshimi Yasushi, Atsugi Taka, Fujii Hikaru, Yamamoto Seiko, T.T. Takemoto, Morita Reine, Gataro, and Shirakawa Masao. It examines the management models formed by the former empire and the spiritual structure of colonialism that underlies contemporary issues, centering on works that carry the "memory of censorship"—banned, deleted, or denied existence by national, administrative, or social norms.
長野県150周年記念／リニューアル・オープン5周年記念「再編する－NAMコレクションの現在」@ 長野県立美術館
The Nagano Prefectural Art Museum has announced a major exhibition titled "Reorganizing – The NAM Collection Today," scheduled to run from April 29 to June 7, 2026. Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Nagano Prefecture and the 5th anniversary of the museum's renewal, the show features approximately 100 works from the permanent collection alongside new commissions by guest artists Naoya Hirata, Barrack, and Tomoko Sato. The exhibition is structured into three thematic sections focusing on sculpture, the layers of painting, and the re-reading of institutional history.
The El Paso Museum of Art (EPMA) and the Museo de Arte de Ciudad Juárez (MACJ) have launched an open call for the eighth edition of the Border Biennial/Bienal Fronteriza. Scheduled to open in September 2026, the exhibition invites artists living within 300 miles of the El Paso-Juárez border to submit works under the theme "Imagining the Border." This iteration will expand its scope to include multi-sensory art, poetry, and spoken word, with 30 selected artists displaying works across both international venues.
Annonce de chercheur : Les poteries « genre Palissy » au XIXe siècle en France
A doctoral candidate in art history, Mariette Boudgourd, has announced a public call for information to aid her research on 19th-century French ceramics in the 'genre Palissy' style. Her thesis aims to define the corpus of these works, analyzing their production techniques, market diffusion, and the construction of the myth surrounding the Renaissance potter Bernard Palissy.
Jeddah-based artist Ahaad Alamoudi presents 'Sunkissed' at the Sharjah Art Foundation, a solo exhibition curated by Amal Al Ali that explores the rapidly shifting cultural landscape of the Gulf. Through a series of newly commissioned and recent works, including looping videos and mechanical installations, Alamoudi utilizes repetition and pop-culture symbols like falcons and fly traps to examine how collective identity is negotiated amidst accelerated urban development and technological change.
Cosima Ungaro and Austin Feilders, who run the creative agency Concept, have taken over the restoration and operation of Domaine de La Cavalerie, a 12th-century Knights Templar compound in France that was acquired by Emanuel Ungaro in 1985. The estate, which includes the original La Commanderie building, a 17th-century Bergerie, and 160 acres of land, has been updated with geothermal power, 1,000 additional olive trees, and a hospitality concept for stays and events. The article highlights the library as a key example of Ungaro's design philosophy, blending medieval roots with Italian antiques and artworks.
Amsterdam is tackling overtourism by embedding art, culture, and history directly into its public spaces, streets, and transit systems, transforming the city into an open-air museum. Led by amsterdam&partners, the initiative uses digital screens, art installations, and interactive urban furniture to guide visitors toward hidden cultural gems, encouraging spontaneous engagement with local heritage. Major institutions like the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum, and Eye Filmmuseum, along with smaller venues such as Foam Museum and STRAAT Museum, are part of a network designed to distribute cultural attention more evenly across the city.
The Salon was an official art exhibition sponsored by the French government, originating in 1667 when Louis XIV sponsored an exhibit of works by members of the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture. It was held in the Salon d’Apollon of the Louvre Palace in Paris, and after 1737 it became an annual event, with a jury system introduced in 1748. During the French Revolution, the Salon opened to all French artists, though academicians retained control through much of the 19th century. Its influence waned after the Société des Artistes Français took over in 1881 and as independent avant-garde exhibitions gained prominence.
Brea Gallery in Brea, California, opened its 41st annual "Made in California" juried art exhibition on Saturday, featuring over 90 artists from across the state. The show includes a range of mediums such as oil paintings, sculptures, and mixed media, with jurors selecting works from roughly 5,000 submissions. This year's exhibition explores themes of identity and social justice, with pieces like Angel Lesnikowski's "Othered Existence" addressing Arab identity and conflict, and Adam Singer's "Big Feelings" reflecting on aging and mortality in Los Angeles. A solo installation by Lorena Molina, "This must be the place," draws on her Salvadoran heritage and the immigrant experience.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is hosting "Household Gods: Hindu Devotional Prints, 1860–1930," an exhibition exploring the evolution of Hindu visual culture through the rise of chromolithography. The show traces how mass-produced prints transitioned sacred imagery from exclusive temple environments into the intimate, everyday spaces of domestic shrines.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art has launched a new exhibition titled "A Nation of Artists," which showcases a diverse range of works highlighting the creative spirit and historical narratives of American artistry. The exhibit, previewed by local media, offers a comprehensive look at how various artists have shaped the national identity through their unique visual languages.
The Harvard Art Museums have launched "Celtic Art Across the Ages," a first-of-its-kind exhibition that challenges traditional Eurocentric narratives focused on Greece and Rome. Spanning from the Iron Age to the modern Celtic Revival, the show features objects like the abstract Heidelberg sandstone head and the bronze Dea Artio sculpture to highlight a visual language defined by ornamentation and deconstruction.
The article discusses the opening of the National Museum of Art, Architecture, and Design in Oslo in 2022, which aims to break down traditional boundaries between art, design, and craft by housing the combined collections of several major Norwegian institutions. It highlights the inclusion of Sámi artist Máret Ánne Sara's work "Pile o' Sapmi" (2017) at the museum's entrance, a piece made from reindeer skulls that blends art, craft, and cultural identity, reflecting the museum's mission to challenge hierarchical distinctions.
Siamo stati al concerto di Torino dove i Marlene Kuntz festeggiavano i 30 anni del loro indimenticabile disco “Il vile”
Italian alternative rock band Marlene Kuntz recently performed two sold-out shows at the Hiroshima Mon Amour venue in Turin to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their seminal album, *Il vile*. The concert featured a near-complete performance of the 1996 record, which is widely regarded as a cornerstone of Italian noise rock. The anniversary celebration also includes a nationwide tour and a special vinyl reissue featuring new artwork by renowned illustrator Alessandro Baronciani.
Award-winning visual artist and animator Lesego Vorster is set to debut a solo exhibition titled 'BETWEEN THE LINES' at MCA Gallery (Madlozi Contemporary Art) in Paris. Running from April 22 to August 31, 2026, the exhibition features a deeply personal body of paintings that explore human connection through the study of hands and emotional anatomy. The collection includes eleven new works, such as 'NOMAYINI' and 'Portrait of The Artist', with prices ranging from approximately $3,250 to nearly $10,000.
Mango Tango Art Gallery in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, is opening a commemorative exhibition titled “Gone but Not Forgotten” on Saturday, November 22, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The show honors three beloved local artists—Kathy Carlson, Max Johnson, and Smokey Pratt—whose lives and works shaped the Caribbean art scene. The evening will feature live music by Neko Crush, appetizers, and spirits. Carlson and Johnson, both East Coast natives who studied at the Art Students League of New York, created lush floral paintings and portraits inspired by their Caribbean travels. Johnson also painted New England landscapes. Carlson was a respected educator who taught math at Antilles High School, while Johnson had a career in advertising at J. Walter Thompson. Pratt, a chef, musician, and gallery co-owner, contributed humorous cartoons and played in the blues duo 2 Blue Shoes. The exhibition runs for one month.
Mario Rodriguez, the co-founder of the influential New York gallery Lisson Gallery and a respected figure in the contemporary art scene, has passed away. Rodriguez was instrumental in bridging the gap between European and American minimalism and conceptualism, helping to establish a global platform for artists who challenged traditional aesthetic boundaries.
Wenn die Kunstwelt sich selbst zerlegt
James Cahill's novel "The Violet Hour" offers a satirical and precise portrait of the contemporary art world, featuring characters such as curators with revolutionary fervor, collectors with superyachts, and artists oscillating between genius and pose. Cahill, a former gallery employee, curator, and critic, draws on his insider experience to craft a milieu study that is both humorous and incisive.
Thapar Gallery is presenting an exhibition titled "Master Artist A. A. Raiba: A Unilateral Eclectic," showcasing the work of Indian modernist Abdul Aziz Raiba from the 1950s and 1960s. The show highlights Raiba's versatility across mediums including murals, paintings on jute, reverse glass paintings, serigraphs, calligraphy, and sketches, and features landscape drawings from his Kashmir sojourn between 1957 and 1959. The exhibition runs until June 21.
The Seoul Museum of Craft Art opens two special exhibitions on Tuesday, both centered on the Korean Empire (1897-1910), a brief period when Korea sought to modernize through craft and industrial innovation. The larger exhibition, “The Hybrid,” marks 140 years of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, gathering 24 objects from European collections—23 from France and one from Germany—some not displayed in Korea in over 120 years. The second, “Folded Time, Unfolded Memory: Andong Palace,” focuses on the royal women who lived on the museum’s grounds, particularly Empress Sunjeonghyo and Princess Kim Deok-su. Museum director Kim Soo-jung described the two shows as “almost like an omnibus,” connected through the Korean Empire period.
The Fayetteville Observer explores the historical racial bias embedded in photographic technology through the lens of "Shirley Cards." These reference tools, used by film developers for decades to calibrate color balance, were based exclusively on the skin tones of white female models, resulting in poor image quality and distorted representations for Black and dark-skinned subjects.
The group exhibition "Virgin Islands Contemporary" is set to open at Salt of the Earth Tattoo in St. Thomas, featuring the work of ten local artists. Curated by Lucien Downes, the show highlights a diverse range of visual mediums that move beyond traditional Caribbean iconography like seascapes and historical narratives. The participating artists, including Brenda L. Cotto and Jon Euwema, explore themes of cultural evolution and identity through experimental materials and modern techniques.