More than 200 cultural figures sign statement criticising international response to destruction of Iran’s heritage

More than 200 international scholars and cultural heritage professionals have signed a joint statement condemning the United States and Israel for inflicting "irreversible damage" on Iran’s cultural heritage. The group, which includes academics from leading global institutions, alleges that recent military strikes have damaged over 130 UNESCO-registered monuments and museums, including the Senate Palace in Tehran and sites in Isfahan. They argue these actions violate the 1954 Hague Convention and criticize international bodies like UNESCO for failing to issue a sufficiently forceful response.

France’s new restitution law passes final vote

The French parliament has officially passed framework legislation establishing a legal pathway for the restitution of cultural artifacts looted from former colonies. This landmark law, inspired by a report from former Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez, allows for the deaccession of items taken by force or under duress between 1815 and 1972. While the law fulfills a 2017 pledge by President Emmanuel Macron, it remains strictly supervised, requiring bilateral scientific committees to verify claims and excluding military archives and archaeological shares.

A View From the Easel

Artist Katya Granova discusses her creative practice within her studio at the Spinnerei, a massive former yarn factory in Leipzig, Germany. Granova details her daily routine, which is dictated by natural light and a soundtrack of rock and metal music, and explains how the industrial scale of the space allows her to create large-format works that blend painting with physical movement akin to dance.

Art Cologne heads to the beach with revived Mallorca edition

Art Cologne is relaunching its satellite fair in Mallorca nearly two decades after a brief, unsuccessful attempt in 2007. Scheduled for April 9–12 at the Palau de Congressos de Palma, the revived Art Cologne Palma Mallorca will feature 88 galleries, with a significant emphasis on Spanish and local Balearic participants rather than just German exports.

Galerie Sept Sets Its Sights on a New, Expanded Vision on the Belgian Seaside

Galerie Sept, founded by Florian Araïb in Brussels in 2018, has expanded by opening a second gallery location in the Belgian seaside town of Knokke. The new, larger space features high ceilings and natural light, designed to support more ambitious presentations of its artists' work, and is launching with an exhibition by Juliette Clovis.

Italy’s Culture Minister Calls For Resignation Over Russian Pavilion’s Return to Venice Biennale

Italy's Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli has demanded the resignation of Tamara Gregoretti, the government's representative on the Venice Biennale board, accusing her of failing to alert the ministry to Russia's planned return to the 2026 exhibition. Russia announced it will reopen its national pavilion for the first time since 2019 with a presentation titled 'The Tree Is Rooted in the Sky,' curated by Anastasia Karneeva and featuring over 30 artists.

Rachida Dati Resigns as French Minister of Culture to Run for Mayor of Paris

rachida dati minister of culture france mayor paris

Rachida Dati has announced her resignation as France’s Minister of Culture to launch a bid for the Mayor of Paris in the upcoming March elections. Appointed in 2024 under President Emmanuel Macron, Dati’s tenure was marked by controversy and criticism from outlets like Le Monde, which characterized her term as a series of publicity stunts that failed to address critical reforms in public broadcasting and institutional issues at the Louvre.

france dinosaur skeleton return mongolia

France returned an extremely rare 70-million-year-old Tarbosaurus bataar skeleton and 30 other paleontological finds to Mongolia on Monday. The fossils were looted from the Gobi Desert by a European trafficking network, smuggled via South Korea, and confiscated by French customs in 2015. At a ceremony in Paris, French Public Accounts Minister Amelie de Montchalin handed the items to Mongolia’s Culture Minister Undram Chinbat. The cache includes dinosaur eggs and the prized skeleton, worth over $800,000 at the time of seizure and now valued two to three times higher.

pantone 2026 color of the year tone deaf whiteness

Pantone has named "Cloud Dancer," a shade of white, as its 2026 Color of the Year, describing it as a symbol of serenity and calm in a frenetic society. The announcement has sparked criticism for being tone-deaf amid ongoing political debates about whiteness, white supremacy, and conservative turns in the US and Europe, with wars and censorship fears also looming. Critics, including fashion correspondent Vanessa Friedman, have noted the choice's less salubrious associations, while Pantone executives insist skin tones did not factor into the decision.

felzmann holocaust auction canceled

Felzmann auction house in Neuss, Germany, canceled its planned 'System of Terror Vol II' auction of Holocaust artifacts following international pressure from groups including the International Auschwitz Committee and the European Jewish Association. The sale, which included documents, letters, and Stars of David from Nazi victims between 1933 and 1945, was condemned as exploitative by critics such as executive vice president Christoph Heubner, who called it 'a cynical and shameless undertaking.' Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and Culture Minister Marta Cienkowska also called for restitution of the items to Poland.

benin dialogue group ocotober 2018

Major European museums have agreed to loan important artifacts, including the Benin bronzes looted during the 1897 Benin Expedition, back to Nigeria for a new museum planned to open in 2021. The agreement was reached at a meeting of the Benin Dialogue Group in the Netherlands, involving representatives from Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Britain, who committed to facilitating a rotating display at the planned Royal Museum in Benin City within three years, though specific objects and loan periods remain unconfirmed.

senegal ivory coast france repatriation

Senegal and Ivory Coast have formally requested the repatriation of thousands of artifacts from French museum collections, following a groundbreaking French government report published on November 23 that recommends returning colonial-era objects taken before 1960. Senegalese culture minister Abdou Latif Coulibaly announced plans to file a formal request for up to 10,000 Senegalese objects, while Ivorian authorities have submitted a list of about 100 masterpieces, with director Silvie Memel Kassi noting up to 4,000 Ivorian objects remain in Paris's Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac Museum and New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.

nigeria hopes the return of two looted artfacts will inspire the british museum to give the benin bronzes back

Two Benin Bronzes looted by British troops in 1897 have been returned to Nigeria by a British pensioner, Mark Walker, whose grandfather participated in the raid. The artifacts—a long-beaked bird and a monarch's bell—were handed over during a ceremony in Benin City in June 2014. Following the return, Nigerian officials, including Prince Edun Akenzua, renewed calls for the British Museum to repatriate its collection of some 800 Benin Bronzes, which remain on display in London.

1000 year old sword intact river netherlands

Construction workers discovered a 1,000-year-old sword in the Korte Linschoten River on a private estate in the Netherlands in March. The blade, forged between 1050 and 1150 C.E., features a Brazil-nut-shaped pommel and copper wire inlays of spiritual symbols. After conservation, it was donated to the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden, where it is now on free public view through August.

lough kinale book shrine medieval manuscripts national museum ireland

In 1986, divers recovered ancient fragments from a lake in Longford County, Ireland, which were later identified as the Lough Kinale Book Shrine, the largest and oldest book shrine in Ireland. After a 39-year conservation process at the National Museum of Ireland (NMI), the 9th-century oak and bronze container is now on public display. The shrine, featuring intricate metalwork, snake-head hinges, and a permanently sealed interior, was reconstructed using photogrammetry and 3D modeling. It is part of the NMI exhibition "Words on the Wave," which showcases over 100 early medieval artifacts, including manuscripts on loan from the Abbey Library of St. Gall in Switzerland.

eu sanctions russian museum crimea

The European Union has sanctioned the “Tauric Chersonese” State Museum-Preserve in Crimea, marking the first time the EU has targeted a Russian museum. The museum and its director, Elena Morozova, were included in the latest round of sanctions for allegedly undermining Ukrainian cultural heritage by promoting pro-Russian narratives and supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been accused of transforming into a historical park under Russian control since Crimea's annexation in 2014.

GEORGE FEBRES: TRANSLATION, IRONY, AND LIBERATION. AN ECUADORIAN ARTIST IN THE DIASPORA

The article examines the life and work of George Febres (1943–1996), an Ecuadorian artist who spent most of his career in the United States, primarily in New Orleans. Febres’s practice blends Pop Art, Neo-Surrealism, and Southern US culture with his experiences as a migrant and queer subject, using bilingualism and ironic tropical imagery to create a hybrid, irreverent body of work. Despite his significance, no works by Febres exist in Ecuadorian public collections, and no major retrospective has been held in his home country, reflecting a broader erasure of queer narratives from national art history.

Deutscher Pavillon wird zum Plattenbau

The German Pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale has been transformed into a prefabricated concrete slab building (Plattenbau) for this year's edition, designed by artists Sung Tieu and the late Henrike Naumann, who died suddenly in February at age 41 from cancer. Curator Kathleen Reinhardt described the pavilion as part of a highly political Biennale, with Tieu covering the 1938 fascist-era building with a mosaic of over three million tiles depicting a Berlin apartment block that once housed Vietnamese contract workers. Naumann's interior installation features mint-green references to Soviet barracks in East Germany, a cartography of war, and works including a relief of chairs, a curtain of chainmail, and the performance "Trümmerfrau."

Where to go in May?

Wohin im Mai?

The article, published by Monopol magazine, previews a selection of art exhibitions and biennials opening in May. Highlights include the 61st Venice Biennale, a solo show by Lina Lapelytė at Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin (part of the CHANEL COMMISSION series), a group exhibition titled "Lebt und arbeitet in Wien. Contemporary Art from Vienna" at Kunsthalle Wien, and a presentation of Christoph Schlingensief's work "The African Twin Towers" (2005) at MAK Wien. Also featured is Maximiliane Baumgärtner's exhibition at Kunstverein für die Rheinlande und Westfalen in Düsseldorf.

Foreign Office Reprimands Goethe-Institut for Exhibition

Auswärtiges Amt rügt Goethe-Institut für Ausstellung

The German Foreign Office has formally reprimanded the Goethe-Institut for its involvement in an exhibition in Vilnius, Lithuania, featuring Palestinian-American artist Basma al-Sharif. The ministry stated that events organized by German cultural intermediaries must leave no doubt about the government's firm rejection of antisemitism and hatred of Israel, and demanded greater care in planning and conceptualizing such events with partners. The exhibition, "Bells and Cannons - Contemporary Art in Times of Militarization," was a collaboration between the Goethe-Institut Vilnius, the Contemporary Art Centre Vilnius, and the Berlin Academy of Arts.

From the artist who painted with his feet to the splashes of Pollock: abstraction takes over the Centre Pompidou Malaga

The Centre Pompidou Malaga has opened the exhibition 'Gesture and Matter. International Abstractions (1945–1965)', running until September, featuring around 30 works by 26 artists. The show highlights abstract art as a post-World War II response, with key pieces including Jackson Pollock's 'Number 26A. Black and White' and Kazuo Shiraga's 'Planet Nature', painted with his feet while suspended from ropes. Co-curated by Anne Foucault and Christian Briend, the exhibition traces abstraction's development from Paris and New York to Asia and Europe, emphasizing painting as a full-body, performative act of freedom.

‘A watershed moment’: Major Brisbane art exhibition opens at prestigious London museum

The Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) has exported a major exhibition, "Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia and the Pacific," to the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The show, which runs until January 10, 2027, features works collected over 30 years through QAGOMA's Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, including pieces by Australian artists Michael Cook, Naomi Hobson, Shirley Macnamara, Ken Thaiday Sr, and Judy Watson, as well as artists from China, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, and beyond.

Breaking Ground: The Private Collection of Marian Goodman

Marian Goodman, the legendary New York gallerist who introduced European avant-garde artists to American audiences, is selling works from her private collection through Christie's. The collection features a standout group of paintings by Gerhard Richter, including his masterpiece *Kerze*, which will lead the Richters & 21st Century Evening Sale. Additional pieces will be offered across 20th and 21st Century Art auctions in New York.

With more than 40 galleries represented, Germany is a major player at Art Basel this year

Germany is the second-most represented country at Art Basel in Switzerland this year, with over 40 galleries participating, trailing only the United States. The fair is led by German-born director Maike Cruse, and features prominent German artists including Katharina Grosse, Martin Kippenberger, Tim Eitel, and Jana Schröder. Despite lacking mega-galleries, Germany boasts respected spaces like Galerie Max Hetzler and renowned collectors such as Reinhard Ernst, Julia Stoschek, and the Plattner family. Dealer Gerd Harry Lybke notes Germany's art market is 'very stable' compared to other locations.

Francisco de Zurbarán: Paintings So Real, You Can Hardly Resist Believing

An exhibition of works by Spanish Baroque painter Francisco de Zurbarán has opened at London’s National Gallery, showcasing his strikingly realistic still lifes and religious scenes. The show highlights Zurbarán’s masterful use of light, texture, and dramatic composition to create paintings that feel almost tangible, drawing viewers into their intimate, contemplative worlds.

EU confirms Venice Biennale funding cut over Russia feud

The European Union has confirmed it will cut its funding to the Venice Biennale following the event's decision to allow Russia's return to the exhibition. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced the move, which was previously threatened, during a press conference focused on supporting Ukraine. Latvia and Finland have also stated they will not send government representatives if Russia's participation is maintained.

‘Tide of Returns’: Ocean Space in Venice

The Repatriates Collective has launched 'Tide of Returns' at Ocean Space in Venice, an exhibition that redefines repatriation as a continuous process of spiritual and communal repair rather than a singular legal transaction. Set within the historic Church of San Lorenzo, the installation features immersive works such as 'From My Mother’s Country,' which utilizes thousands of handmade dolls from Namibia, and Verena Melgarejo Weinandt’s textile and video works exploring the symbolic power of water and braiding.

European Commission Tells Venice Biennale to Ditch Russian Pavilion

The European Commission has formally accused the Venice Biennale of violating EU sanctions against Russia by planning to reopen the Russian Pavilion for the 2026 edition. In a letter to the Biennale's president, the Commission argues that hosting a government-funded national pavilion constitutes accepting indirect support from the Russian state during its ongoing war in Ukraine. The organization has threatened to withhold a $2.3 million grant intended for the 2028 edition unless the Biennale addresses these concerns by May 11.

Trophy Buyers Drive Decorative Art Sales

Sales in the decorative-art category—including design objects, furniture, jewelry, and watches—reached approximately $3.9 billion in 2025, a 7.1% increase from 2024 but still well below the 2023 peak of $5.7 billion. The number of lots sold fell by 11.9%, yet the average price rose 21.6% to $15,247, indicating a shift toward trophy buying. A standout was François-Xavier Lalanne's 1976 Hippopotamus bar, which sold for $31.4 million at Sotheby's after a 26-minute bidding war, setting an auction record. Sotheby's led the category with $1.1 billion in sales, followed by Christie's at $1 billion and Phillips at $369.7 million. Europe remained the largest market at $1.4 billion, while North America overtook Asia for second place with $1.2 billion.

Venice Biennale’s Russian Pavilion and Pussy Riot Spar Over Usage of Protest Footage

The Russian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale has become embroiled in a new controversy after accusing the anti-Putin art collective Pussy Riot of censorship. The pavilion posted on Instagram that Pussy Riot demanded the removal of footage featuring them from a documentary film about the pavilion's project, labeling the request as self-censorship. Pussy Riot responded sarcastically, questioning the pavilion's use of Instagram given Russia's 2022 ban of the platform. The dispute follows earlier protests at the pavilion's opening, led by Pussy Riot and FEMEN, against Russia's participation in the Biennale amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.