A Work Gifted to David Drake’s Descendants Is the Star of Theaster Gates’s Powerful Gagosian Show

Artist Theaster Gates has gifted a 19th-century vessel by enslaved potter David Drake to Drake's descendants and made this act of restitution the centerpiece of his solo exhibition at Gagosian in New York. The show, titled "Dave: All My Relations," features Gates's own artworks responding to Drake's legacy and the recently transferred pot, highlighting Gates's decades-long engagement with Drake as a foundational figure for his own practice.

Graduating Seniors, LSAA Artists' Works on Display

Northern Michigan University's DeVos Art Museum is hosting two concurrent exhibitions. The first is the NMU School of Art & Design Senior Exhibition, featuring capstone projects from graduating seniors across various media, with a closing ceremony on May 1. The second is "Celebrating Legacy: Lake Superior Art Association in the Permanent Collection," a group show marking the LSAA's 75th anniversary by displaying works by past and present members from the museum's holdings.

Jule Korneffel Finds Meaning at the End of Light

Artist Jule Korneffel's solo exhibition 'In Search of Lost Light' is on view at Spencer Brownstone Gallery through May 2. The show features seven paintings from 2023 to the present, including a site-specific wall work, that explore themes of fading light, memory, and melancholia through a nuanced palette of grays and blues.

Leonardo Madriz’s Monuments to the Precarity of Now

Artist Leonardo Madriz presents his solo exhibition 'Do Not Be Afraid' at Parent Company, featuring five totemic sculptures constructed from rope, resin, and found objects. These works, which Madriz calls 'sentinels,' use materials like rebar, barbed wire, a fake Rolex, and a fragment of a US flag made in Vietnam to create anthropomorphic forms that appear weary and burdened.

Student art and design work showcased in annual Julio Fine Arts Gallery exhibition

The Julio Fine Arts Gallery at Loyola University will host its 2026 Annual Student Exhibition from April 13 to May 4, featuring work nominated by faculty from art and design classes. A reception and awards ceremony on April 23 will include prizes for studio art and photography, judged by artist-in-residence Jaz Erenberg.

James Hayward, West Coast Painter with a Cult Following, Dies at 82

James Hayward, a West Coast painter known for his thickly applied monochrome abstractions, died on April 16 at the age of 82. His work, which developed a dedicated following among fellow artists, was characterized by a deliberate, eccentric process that set it apart from other minimalist painting of his era.

'Parallel Route 01' at Alzueta Gallery, Séneca, Barcelona, Spain on 2–30 Jun 2026

Alzueta Gallery in Barcelona is presenting the exhibition 'Parallel Route 01' from June 2 to 30, 2026. The gallery, founded by Miquel Alzueta, operates from five locations and runs a program of exhibitions, art fairs, and artist residencies.

'Frank Gehry' at Gagosian, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, United States on 14 May–27 Jun 2026

Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills is presenting a posthumous exhibition of works by architect Frank Gehry, opening on May 14, 2026. The show, realized in collaboration with Gehry's family and studio, features animal-themed sculptures and works on paper, including the life-size stainless steel 'Bear with Us' (2014), 'Fish on Fire' (2023), and the early 'A Pair of Snake Lamps' (1989).

V&A East Launches With a Fresh Lens on a 2.8 Million-Object Collection

The Victoria & Albert Museum has opened V&A East, a new $180 million outpost in east London designed by architects O'Donnell + Tuomey. Its mission is to engage young and local audiences by presenting over 500 objects from its 2.8 million-strong collection in thematic, non-chronological displays that connect historical artifacts to contemporary issues like identity, social justice, and environmental responsibility.

Jinsun Kim: C.O.C.O.O.N.: HEALING

Interdisciplinary artist Jinsun Kim presents a solo exhibition titled 'C.O.C.O.O.N.: HEALING' at K Space Contemporary in Corpus Christi, Texas. The exhibition features mixed-media sculptures that create immersive, cocoon-like environments exploring themes of healing, survival, and transformation. The works are informed by Kim's childhood memories of her mother's illness and recovery, translating personal experience into universal spatial narratives.

Go See Diné Artist Eric-Paul Riege’s Largest Show to Date at the Henry Art Gallery

Diné artist Eric-Paul Riege has opened his largest exhibition to date, titled "ojo|-|ólǫ́," at the Henry Art Gallery in Seattle. The show features textile sculptures, looms, beading, video, and performance, and uniquely invites visitors to physically touch the artworks, allowing them to become part of the objects' material history through their interactions.

How Claude Monet’s reluctant sojourn reignited his career

A new exhibition, "Monet and Venice," has opened at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. It centers on the pivotal 1908 trip to Venice that the 68-year-old Claude Monet was initially reluctant to take, showcasing over 20 of the luminous, atmospheric paintings of the city he produced there. The show also includes over 100 related items, featuring works by Canaletto, Turner, Sargent, and Whistler, as well as photographs and books, to contextualize Monet's Venetian achievement.

NEPA Philharmonic & Everhart Museum Panel Discussion | Scranton, PA | NEPA Events

The Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, will host a panel discussion on April 30, 2026, featuring astronaut and artist Nicole Stott, composer Amanda Lee Falkenberg, projection designer Camilla Tassi, and museum curator James Lansing. The event will explore the connections between the NEPA Philharmonic's upcoming "Planets, Moons, & Star Wars" concert and the museum's "Hubble Space Telescope: New Views of the Universe" exhibition.

Was This Anne Boleyn’s Seat? Rare 500-Year-Old Chair Linked to Tudor Queen

A rare, intricately carved wooden chair, potentially used by Anne Boleyn during her time in the French courts between 1510 and 1520, has been acquired and is now on display at Hever Castle. The chair was purchased by antiques dealer Paul Fitzsimmons from an online American auction in 2022, and its carvings—featuring dolphins, a Tudor rose, and the initials "AB" intertwined with a cordelière emblem of Queen Claude—suggest a strong link to the Tudor queen's early life.

Niagara Falls juried art show puts out call for artists

The Niagara Falls culture committee is accepting submissions for its annual juried art exhibition. Local artists have until May 30 to submit up to two original works in mediums like painting, photography, fibre, and digital art, with selected artists notified in June. The exhibition will run from August 6 to November 7 at the Atrium Gallery in The Exchange, featuring cash awards for emerging artists, the mayor's selection, and best in show.

Philana Oliphant: Everything is Everything

K Space Contemporary in Corpus Christi, Texas, will present a solo exhibition titled "Everything is Everything" featuring new work by artist Philana Oliphant from May 1 to June 25, 2026. The show opens during the downtown Corpus Christi ArtWalk and includes a closing reception, showcasing Oliphant's intricate drawings, sculptures, installations, and prints that explore themes of time, memory, and environmental change.

Kickpigeon Kids

The Grackle Art Gallery in Fort Worth, Texas, will host "BLANK," the fourth curated installation by the Kickpigeon Kids, from May 2 to May 31, 2026. The exhibition explores the concept of blankness as a prerequisite for new beginnings and limitless potential, inviting selected artists to submit work interpreting the theme, often starting from the idea of a "blank canvas."

New exhibit at Museum of Contemporary Art explores reggaetón and dancehall as forms of protest

The Museum of Contemporary Art has opened a new exhibition titled 'Dancing the Revolution: From Dancehall to Reggaetón.' The show features works by 42 contemporary artists, including paintings, sound sculptures, and interactive installations like a karaoke machine, examining the social, political, and spiritual histories of these musical genres. It was inspired by the 2019 protests in Puerto Rico, where reggaetón music and dance became a central form of protest and celebration.

Size 2 who? Starry Met costume show features pregnant people, plus size models and dwarves for first time

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's upcoming Costume Institute exhibition, 'Costume Art,' will feature mannequins representing a diverse range of body types, including pregnant, disabled, and plus-size figures, instead of the traditional sample size 2. The mannequins were created using photogrammetry scans of real people, such as artist Michaela Stark and disability activist Sinéad Burke, and have reflective steel faces intended to allow visitors to see themselves in the display.

Artist Mustapha Boucenna Exhibits His Works in Algiers

Visual artist Mustapha Boucenna opened a solo exhibition and sale titled 'The Memory of Dreams' in Algiers. The show features approximately fifty contemporary paintings that blend abstraction, cubist ornamentation, and symbolic motifs drawn from history, mythology, and global literature.

May 2026 Exhibitions

Several galleries and a museum in Columbus's Short North arts district are opening new exhibitions for May 2026. Highlights include a women's group show at Sean Christopher Gallery Ohio, environmental abstract paintings by Annette Poitau at Marcia Evans Gallery, a spring-themed solo exhibition by Amy Adams at Sharon Weiss Gallery, and a salon exhibition at 24 Lincoln St. Gallery & Art Studios. The Columbus Museum of Art at the Pizzuti is presenting the first U.S. museum survey of Bahamian conceptual artist Tavares Strachan, featuring his 'Encyclopedia of Invisibility'.

Alma Allen’s US Pavilion Heads to Venice Amid Questions Over Selection Process

The selection of Alma Allen to represent the United States at the 2026 Venice Biennale has ignited controversy over the process. The U.S. State Department abandoned its traditional selection model, which involved a panel of experts convened by the National Endowment for the Arts, and instead handed control to a new nonprofit, the American Arts Conservancy, led by individuals with little museum experience. This shift has drawn criticism from prominent figures in the art world, with some artists declining to participate due to concerns over the political context and unfamiliar leadership.

Rutherglen exhibition highlights creativty of local artists

A community-led exhibition titled 'We Are Rutherglen' is being held at the Number 18 Venue in Rutherglen, Scotland. The show features work from 14 local artists across various media, including painting, drawing, and sculpture, and is part of the town's 900th-anniversary celebrations. Entry is free, with several viewing dates remaining in April.

Genesis P-Orridge’s Subversive Mail Art Goes on View

A focused exhibition at Art Metropole in Toronto presents a selection of mail art submissions by the late transgressive artist Genesis Breyer P-Orridge to the Canadian collective General Idea in the 1970s. Drawn from the National Gallery of Canada's collection, the show features letters, collages, photos, and ephemera that capture P-Orridge's early, boundary-pushing work with collectives like COUM Transmissions and Throbbing Gristle.

Out and About: Richmond Art Gallery premieres new exhibits

The Richmond Art Gallery has launched two new exhibitions, 'I digress' and 'Side Core: under city'. The latter marks the North American debut of a show exploring the intersection of skateboarding culture and contemporary art in Tokyo, featuring work from artists Takasu Sakie, Matsushita Tohru, and Nishihiro Taishi. The former is a group exhibition curated by Zoe Chan, presenting diverse media from artists Simranpreet Anand, Jo-Anne Balcaen, August Klintberg, Anne Koizumi, Lindsay McIntyre, and Gonzalo Reyes Rodriguez.

'David Macho, Juan Narowé' at Alzueta Gallery, Madrid, Spain on 7 May–8 Jun 2026

The Alzueta Gallery in Madrid will present a two-person exhibition featuring artists David Macho and Juan Narowé from May 7 to June 8, 2026. The show highlights the work of these two contemporary artists, bringing their practices to a significant gallery platform in the Spanish capital.

A flaming locomotive and the future stars: RSA200 celebrates a bicentenary for Scottish Art

The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) has launched RSA200, a nationwide initiative involving over 100 partners to celebrate its 200th anniversary. The program highlights Scotland's art history and contemporary practice, kicking off with the New Scottish Contemporaries exhibition featuring recent graduates like Daye Allan, Malachy McCrimmon, and Poppy Gannon.

Fifteen Works Donated to the Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans

Quinze œuvres offertes au Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans

The Musée des Beaux-Arts in Orléans has received a donation of fifteen artworks from art historian Françoise Heilbrun. The gift includes two drawings by Eugène Delacroix, which are immediate donations, and additional drawings, paintings, and a sculpture by artists like Louis Boulanger, which are given with a usufruct clause.

What if the Polaroid had existed in Biblical times? Photographer Mishka Henner asks this in a show in Modena

E se la Polaroid fosse esistita ai tempi della Bibbia? Se lo chiede il fotografo Mishka Henner in mostra a Modena

Belgian photographer Mishka Henner has opened his first solo exhibition in Italy, titled 'Seeing Is Believing,' at Palazzo Santa Margherita in Modena, presented by the Fondazione Ago. The show features 25 new works that explore the nature of photography in the age of artificial intelligence, including AI-generated images of biblical scenes presented as if they were historical Polaroids.

Dealer Matthew Brown More Than Doubles His Los Angeles Space with Move to Hollywood Media District: ‘I Really Believe in LA’

Los Angeles art dealer Matthew Brown is relocating his gallery to a significantly larger, 13,000-square-foot former warehouse in the Hollywood Media District. The new space, designed by architect Markus Dochantschi, more than doubles his exhibition area and includes offices, viewing rooms, and storage. The inaugural exhibition will feature artist Mimi Lauter, marking her first Los Angeles show in eight years.