Finally, Culture Minister Giuli visited the Italy Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale and made peace with President Buttafuoco

Finalmente il Ministro della Cultura Giuli ha visitato il Padiglione Italia alla Biennale di Venezia 2026 e ha fatto pace con il Presidente Buttafuoco

Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli finally visited the Italy Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale alongside Biennale President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, marking their first public appearance together after earlier tensions led Giuli to skip the opening ceremony. During the visit, Buttafuoco proposed that the work of artist Chiara Camoni, whose exhibition "Con te con tutto" is curated by Cecilia Canziani, should find a permanent home after the Biennale ends, sparking discussion about the future of pavilion artworks.

Notte Europea dei Musei 2026: tornano le aperture serali con biglietto a 1 euro. Il programma

The European Night of Museums returns on Saturday, May 23, 2026, with participating museums across Europe opening their doors for special evening hours. In Italy, the Ministry of Culture organizes extraordinary openings from 8 PM to midnight at the symbolic price of 1 euro, alongside events in theater, music, dance, literature, and cinema. Highlights include Rome's Notte dei Musei (16th edition) with civic museums open until 2 AM, Villa Adriana and Villa d'Este in Tivoli offering evening access and contemporary performances, and the Royal Savoy Residences in Piedmont featuring guided tours, exhibitions, and family activities.

A Rediscovered Beato Angelico Takes Center Stage at Pandolfini's Old Masters Auctions in Florence

Un Beato Angelico riscoperto protagonista alle aste di arte antica di Pandolfini a Firenze

Pandolfini auction house in Florence will auction a rediscovered fragment of Beato Angelico's *Tebaide* on May 20, 2026, after it had been missing for fifty years. The attribution was confirmed by comparison with the version held at the Museo di San Marco and formerly at the Galleria degli Uffizi. The auction house's Old Masters department, led since 2025 by young director Nicolò Pitto, has achieved strong results, including over €5 million in total revenue for the year, with top lots such as Artemisia Gentileschi's *Cleopatra* (€595,600) and a French School *Saint Catherine of Alexandria* (€620,000).

Giuli Buys Everything! The Ministry of Culture Also Wants to Take Over Rome's Teatro delle Vittorie and Venice's Palazzo Labia?

Giuli compra tutto! Il Ministero della Cultura vuole prendersi anche Il Teatro delle Vittorie di Roma e Palazzo Labia a Venezia?

Italian Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli is pursuing an aggressive acquisition campaign for cultural properties. After high-profile purchases including Antonello da Messina's *Ecce Homo* and Caravaggio's *Portrait of Monsignor Maffeo Barberini* (€30 million), the Ministry has now expressed interest in acquiring Rome's Teatro delle Vittorie and Venice's Palazzo Labia—both part of a real estate portfolio being sold by state broadcaster Rai. The Ministry also recently bought Verona's historic Cinema Astra (with a €7.5 million restoration plan) and Naples' Teatro Sannazzaro after a fire.

At the Casa di Goethe in Rome, two controversial episodes in the history of science in Mischa Kuball's light installations

Alla Casa di Goethe di Roma due episodi controversi della storia della scienza nelle installazioni di luce di Mischa Kuball

The Casa di Goethe in Rome is hosting a solo exhibition of German conceptual artist Mischa Kuball from April 30 to October 4, 2026. The show features two light installations: "Newton/Goethe luce nera," which contrasts Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's and Isaac Newton's opposing theories on color and light refraction, and "five suns / after Galileo," which visualizes Galileo Galilei's observations of sunspots and his conflict with the Catholic Church. The exhibition is curated by the museum's director, Gregor H. Lersch.

Now we open a Palestinian Pavilion at the Biennale. Interview with Tomaso Montanari

“Ora apriamo un Padiglione Palestina in Biennale”. Intervista a Tomaso Montanari

Tomaso Montanari, a member of the scientific committee for the exhibition "Gaza, il futuro ha un cuore antico. Materie e memorie del Mediterraneo" at Fondazione Merz in Turin, discusses the show's aim to highlight Gaza's 5,000-year history beyond the current war imagery. The exhibition, organized in collaboration with the Museo Egizio and the MAH – Musée d’art et d’histoire de Genève, juxtaposes ancient artifacts with contemporary artworks to assert the cultural and historical significance of Palestine. Montanari also addresses the upcoming Venice Biennale, criticizing the lack of a Palestinian pavilion and suggesting that the Turin exhibition itself serves as a de facto Palestinian pavilion, while calling for accountability for Israel's actions.

All of Italy Rediscovers Bice Lazzari: After the Brera Exhibition, the Second Stage Opens at the National Gallery in Rome

Tutt’Italia riscopre Bice Lazzari. Dopo la mostra a Brera, ecco la seconda tappa alla Galleria Nazionale di Roma

The major retrospective "Bice Lazzari: The Languages of Her Time" has arrived at the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (GNAMC) in Rome following its debut at Palazzo Citterio in Milan. Curated by Renato Miracco and featuring over 200 works, the exhibition traces the Venetian artist’s journey from her early collaborations with architects to her late-career mastery of abstract painting. The show highlights her constant experimentation across various media, including textiles and jewelry, before she fully dedicated herself to painting in her fifties.

Working in Art: Opportunities from Movin’Up, Fondazione Accademia Carrara, nctm, and Sugar Music

Lavorare nell’arte: opportunità da Movin’Up, Fondazione Accademia Carrara, nctm e Sugar Music

Several Italian cultural institutions and organizations have launched new open calls and job opportunities for artists and creative professionals. Key initiatives include the Movin’Up international mobility grant for creatives under 35, a residency scholarship from nctm e l’arte, and a talent scouting program by the record label Sugar Music. Additionally, the Fondazione Accademia Carrara is seeking a new Head of Educational Services, while the Associazione Amici dell’Arte has opened a competition for young visual artists to exhibit in Piacenza.

The MAGA Theory of Art

The article examines the aesthetic dimensions of the MAGA movement, comparing and contrasting it with historical fascist regimes, particularly Nazi Germany. It argues that while both movements share a theatrical, media-savvy approach to politics and a resentment of cultural elites, MAGA lacks the disciplined, sophisticated aesthetic program and the cadre of high-profile artists and designers that characterized Nazi cultural production.

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."

Stars feiern Mode und Kunst bei Met-Gala

The Met Gala, hosted by Anna Wintour at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, raised millions for the museum's Costume Institute. This year's event featured celebrities like Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Heidi Klum, with a dress code of "Fashion is Art." Beyoncé and Kidman brought their daughters for the first time, while Klum dressed as a stone statue. The gala opened the "Costume Art" exhibition and was co-sponsored by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, drawing protests over Bezos's involvement.

miart’s Three-Tier Experiment Reflects a Changing Milan

The 30th edition of the miart art fair in Milan took place from April 17-19 at a new venue, the Allianz MiCo conference hall. The fair introduced a disruptive three-tiered layout across three floors, dividing its offerings into Emergent and Established sections, and featured a mix of early 20th-century modern masters and contemporary works, distinguishing it from Italy's other major fair, Artissima.

Brush to canvas: News from the art community

The St. Petersburg and Gulfport art scenes are preparing for a busy spring season with several major installations and exhibition openings. Highlights include the unveiling of Yvette Mayorga’s 30-foot kinetic sculpture, "The Magic Grasshopper," at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg, and the 10th anniversary of the "Fresh Squeezed" emerging artist exhibition at the Morean Art Center. Other notable events include Ali Banisadr’s solo show at the MFA, an environmentally-themed group exhibition at Soft Water Gallery, and a unique video game installation exploring Native Alaskan culture at the James Museum.

Thoroughly Modern Maastricht: why Tefaf is embracing the 20th century

TEFAF Maastricht is reinforcing its position as a premier destination for high-end collectors by increasingly integrating 20th-century secondary market material alongside its traditional Old Masters and antiquities. Despite a period of leadership instability—marked by the recent departure of managing director Dominique Savelkoul after less than a year—the fair remains a critical fixture for 276 exhibitors. This year's edition highlights a diverse range of objects spanning 7,000 years, from Neolithic pottery to contemporary photography and high jewelry worn by celebrities like Helen Mirren.

Highlights from 1-54 Marrakech and four artists to watch

The seventh edition of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair took place in Marrakech from February 5-8, 2026, at the La Mamounia hotel. The fair featured 22 galleries, primarily from Africa and its diaspora, showcasing around 70 artists across various media. A key parallel initiative was Gallery Night, which saw local galleries like La Galerie 38 open new exhibitions, such as Ghizlane Agzenaï's solo show 'Dimension 2112: The Station', to coincide with the fair's energy and visitor influx.

A Husain horse painting, a portrait of Max Ernst’s soulful dog, and a Fini cat mask: our pick of the September auctions and fairs

The article highlights several notable artworks heading to auction and art fairs in September 2024. These include M.F. Husain's "Untitled (Horses)" (1971) at Christie's New York, estimated at $100,000–$150,000, following a record-breaking sale of another Husain work earlier this year. Also featured are Leonor Fini's embroidered cat mask (around 1960) at Weinstein Gallery during Independent 20th Century in New York, Dorothea Tanning's "Katchina and Her Soul" (1951) at Sotheby's London, and Alberto Giacometti's "Small Head of Elsa Schiaparelli" (around 1935) at FAB Paris.

Pioneering Pop Surrealist Gallery in Seattle Celebrates Reopening With Three Exhibitions in New Space

Roq La Rue, a pioneering gallery in Seattle's art scene known for championing Pop Surrealism and New Contemporary movements, has reopened in a new space in the Belltown neighborhood—its eighth location in 27 years. The reopening was celebrated with three simultaneous exhibitions: a solo show by Frank Gonzales titled "Frequencies," a group show of small works called "Spectacle du Petit," and a four-person exhibition "Unveiled" featuring large-scale works by Beth Cavener, Josie Morway, Carles Gomila, and Jason Puccinelli. Founder Kirsten Anderson described the renovated space as an "elevated, elegant" oasis with a book nook and coffee to encourage visitors to linger.

Angélique Delorme gets a promotion at the Quai Branly

Angélique Delorme prend du galon au Quai Branly

Angélique Delorme has been appointed as the new Deputy Director General of the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris. She succeeds Jérôme Bastianelli and will be responsible for defining and implementing the museum's strategy, particularly in the lead-up to its 20th anniversary celebrations in June.

What Remains of Democracy? The Answers of Contemporary Art

Che cosa resta della democrazia? Le risposte dell’arte contemporanea

The article is a cultural essay examining how contemporary art reflects and responds to the perceived global crisis of democracy. It argues that recent socio-political accelerations—including rising nationalism, wars, and unchecked capitalism—have eroded the substantive content of democracy, reducing public space to an extension of individual, screen-mediated identity.

Riyadh continues to bet big on public art: over 100 new works to be installed in the Saudi capital in the coming years

Riyadh continua a scommettere forte sull’arte pubblica: nei prossimi anni oltre 100 nuove opere installate nella capitale saudita

Saudi Arabia is significantly expanding its Riyadh Art public art initiative, with plans to install over 100 new monumental works across the capital city in the coming years. Following the recent Tuwaiq Sculpture 2026 event, which added 25 stone and metal sculptures to the permanent collection, the city has announced 12 new site-specific installations by high-profile international artists including Anselm Kiefer, El Anatsui, and Manal AlDowayan. The project aims to reach a total of 115 new commissions, building upon a collection that already features masters like Anish Kapoor, Jeff Koons, and Giuseppe Penone.

« No art washing ! » : à la Biennale de Venise, près de 3 000 manifestants réunis pour dénoncer la présence du pavillon israélien

On May 8, 2026, nearly 3,000 protesters gathered in Venice to demonstrate against the presence of the Israeli pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Led by the collective Art Not Genocide Alliance (Anga), the crowd included artists, curators, and cultural workers who chanted slogans such as "Stop al Padiglione genocidio" and called for a strike on the closing day of the professional previews. Dozens of national pavilions, including those of France, Belgium, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, Lebanon, and Ukraine, closed in solidarity. The protest followed a letter sent by Anga in March demanding Israel's exclusion, which went unanswered, and the self-dissolution of the awards jury on April 30 over the presence of both Israel and Russia.

L’œuvre « indocile » du photographe Guido Guidi exposée au BAL

The article announces the exhibition of photographer Guido Guidi's work at Le BAL in Paris, curated by Simona Antonacci, Pippo Ciorra, and Antonello Frongia, with scenography by Cyril Delhomme. The show, titled "Col tempo, 1956-2024," runs from February 20 to May 24, 2026, and was previously presented in a larger version at the MAXXI museum in Rome. Guidi, now 85, is described as the last of a generation of Italian photographers—alongside Luigi Ghirri and Ugo Mulas—who radically redefined photographic language through patient, obstinate reflection on the act of seeing.

In a Year of Remarkable Filmmaker Debuts, Here’s How Aleshea Harris Set ‘Is God Is’ Apart

Aleshea Harris has adapted her award-winning 2016 play 'Is God Is' into a feature film, marking her directorial debut. The story follows twin sisters with burn scars who, summoned to their mother's deathbed, learn their father caused their disfigurement and are urged to seek revenge. The film stars Kara Young, Mallori Johnson, Vivica A. Fox, Sterling K. Brown, and Janelle Monáe. Harris brings her playwright's precision to the screen, using avant-garde typography and captions inspired by a 1964 edition of Eugène Ionesco's 'The Bald Soprano' designed by Robert Massin, with title design by Teddy Blanks.

6 Artworks That Define the 2026 Venice Biennale’s Main Exhibition

The 2026 Venice Biennale's main exhibition opens this week, curated by Koyo Kouoh—the first African woman to hold the role—who was announced in 2024 but passed away suddenly in 2025. The article highlights six artworks that define her curatorial vision, which connected the international art world to artists and institutions from Africa and the Global South.

art charles porch instagram art collecting

Charles Porch, VP of Global Partnerships for Instagram, moved from Venice Beach to a historic West Village brownstone in 2020. He enlisted sculptor-turned-designer Jed Lind to renovate the property, blending vintage furnishings with contemporary artworks collected from emerging artists. The home features pieces by Pierre Augustin Rose, Michael O’Connell, and artworks by Whitney Bedford, Robert Natkin, and Brett Cody Rogers. Porch later married Robert Denning, a philanthropist on the Met’s Board of Trustees, and the couple has since moved to a Chelsea space, combining their collections.

art alice bucknell young artist

Alice Bucknell, a 32-year-old artist based in Los Angeles, is featured in CULTURED's 2025 Young Artists list. Bucknell creates video games and films that explore ecological and political themes, such as a recent work examining Los Angeles from the perspective of its rivers and non-human inhabitants to critique drought politics. They have held residencies at CERN and the New Museum's NEW INC, and founded New Mystics, a digital platform blending magic and technology. Upcoming projects include the game "Earth Engine" and its film component "Ground Truthing," which uses climate data to shape an evolving game world where Earth is the main player.

“Clean / Clear / Cut” Malta Biennale 2026

The Malta Biennale 2026, titled "Clean / Clear / Cut," launched on March 11 and runs through May 29, transforming historical sites and cultural landmarks across Malta and Gozo into venues for contemporary art and critical dialogue. The biennale is under the artistic direction of international curator Rosa Martínez.

Walter Pfeiffer “In Good Company” at Pinacoteca Agnelli, Turin

Pinacoteca Agnelli in Turin will present "Walter Pfeiffer: In Good Company," the first institutional survey in Italy dedicated to the Swiss artist's photographic work, running from April 30 to September 13, 2026. The exhibition features over one hundred photographs spanning from the 1970s to the present, exploring themes of artifice, desire, and the everyday.

‘A Language We Share’ Traces a Photographic Lineage Between Gordon Parks and Beverly Price

‘A Language We Share’ Traces a Photographic Lineage Between Gordon Parks and Beverly Price

A new exhibition, "A Language We Share," opens this month at the Center for Art and Advocacy, placing the work of photographer Beverly Price in direct conversation with the legendary Gordon Parks. The show highlights their shared focus on social advocacy through imagery, particularly documenting the lives of children and communities in areas like Southeast Anacostia in Washington D.C., a location both photographers have captured across different eras.

Not Just the Biennale: What to See in Venice in Spring 2026 Among Galleries, Independent Spaces, and Special Projects

Non solo Biennale: cosa vedere a Venezia nella primavera 2026 tra gallerie, spazi indipendenti e progetti speciali

The article highlights a curated selection of exhibitions to see in Venice during spring 2026, beyond the main shows of the 61st Venice Biennale. It features projects in galleries, independent spaces, and historic venues, including a group show titled "Waves" at Casa Sanlorenzo with works by Alexander Calder and Lucio Fontana, a video installation by Ieva Lygnugarytė at Oratorio dei Crociferi, a Judy Chicago survey at Galleria Alberta Pane, a solo show by Hanna Rochereau at Mare Karina, and a Barry X Ball retrospective at the Abbey of San Giorgio Maggiore.