massive moai statues walked to platforms easter island new study 1234756846

A new study in the Journal of Archaeological Science by archaeologists Carl Lipo of Binghamton University and Terry Hunt of the University of Arizona proposes that the 92-ton moai statues on Easter Island, Chile, were transported in a vertical position using ropes to “walk” them onto their stone platforms. The research combines three-dimensional modeling, field experiments with a scaled replica, and analysis of 62 abandoned statues along ancient roads, finding that wider bases and a forward lean of 6–15 degrees enabled a rocking motion that allowed a team of 18 people to move a statue 328 feet in about 40 minutes.

Beyond the Needle: Chilean Artist Felipe Abel on Chiaroscuro, Symbolism, and the Evolution of Modern Tattooing

Chilean tattoo artist Felipe Abel (born Felipe Arriagada), who has a background in graphic design and a decade of experience in black-and-grey micro-realism, is preparing to join Noble Art Studio in Brooklyn. He is also developing a new series of oil paintings focused on mythology, theology, and esotericism, expected to debut in a formal exhibition around 2027. Abel, who has held guest spots in over 20 cities across 10 countries including studios like Sasha Tattooing in Paris and The White Whale in Milan, uses chiaroscuro and a recurring floating orb motif in his work, drawing influence from photographer Sebastião Salgado and painter Guillermo Lorca.

Golden Foundation Welcomes Public To 'Made In Paint' Art Gallery Opening In New Berlin

The Sam & Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts is launching its 13th annual 'Made in Paint' exhibition at the Sam & Adele Golden Gallery in New Berlin, New York. The show features over 20 works created by the foundation’s 18 artists-in-residence from the 2025 cycle, who traveled from global locations including Chile and Puerto Rico. This year’s opening is notable for the high attendance of participating artists and the inclusion of digital art for the first time, alongside sculpture, textiles, and mixed-media works.

KÜTRAL VARGAS HUAIQUIMILLA: PERFORMING BLOOD, INHABITING ITS FLOW, DIMENSIONING THE WOUND

KÜTRAL VARGAS HUAIQUIMILLA: PERFORMAR LA SANGRE, HABITAR SU FLUJO, DIMENSIONAR LA HERIDA

Mapuche visual artist and performer Kütral Vargas Huaiquimilla presents "Performance de la sangre" (Performance of Blood) at Galería Gabriela Mistral in Santiago, Chile. Based on the artist's 2024 novel of the same name, the exhibition utilizes video-performance, sculpture, and clinical materials like medication vials to explore the intimate and collective experience of living with HIV. The project marks a significant interdisciplinary intersection of Mapuche identity, pharmacology, and contemporary medicalization.

Chilean textiles showcasing women’s stories of heritage on view at Krannert Art Museum

The Krannert Art Museum has opened "Memorias de la Mujer Lotina: Arpilleras, Women, and Coal in Chile," an exhibition featuring 23 arpilleras created by women from the coal-mining community of Lota. These colorful, hand-stitched textiles, which rose to prominence as a form of resistance during the Pinochet dictatorship, document the daily lives, heritage, and struggles of marginalized communities. The show features a centerpiece 16-foot-long collective textile created by 52 women ranging in age from 14 to 92, depicting scenes of labor, domestic life, and social activism.

rapa nui easter island moai statues sea levels flooding 1234749640

A new study published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage warns that rising sea levels will impact Chile’s Rapa Nui National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, by 2080. Coastal flooding threatens at least 51 culturally significant artifacts, including the iconic Moai statues—nearly 1,000 volcanic tuff figures created by a native Polynesian tribe over 500 years ago, some weighing up to 80 tons. Researchers from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa used advanced computer models to simulate wave patterns and map projected flooding, overlaying this data with the locations of cultural assets provided by local partners.

‘Even late in life, recognition is possible’: photographer Paz Errázuriz opens long overdue UK retrospective

MK Gallery in Milton Keynes is presenting the first major UK retrospective of Chilean photographer Paz Errázuriz, titled *Dare to Look*, featuring 171 photographs from five decades of her career. Now 81, Errázuriz is known for documenting marginalized communities in Chile, often working under the dictatorship that followed the 1973 military coup. Despite international acclaim—including exhibitions at the Venice Biennale and acquisitions by Tate, MoMA, and the Reina Sofía—this is her first solo show at a British institution.

Moving On Up: 24 Museum Curators and Art Leaders Who Took on New Appointments in First Half of 2025

Culture Type has published its annual list of new appointments among museum curators and arts leaders for the first half of 2025, highlighting two dozen hires and promotions at major institutions. Notable appointments include Deana Haggag as program director for arts and culture at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Ann Collins Smith as chief curator at the New Orleans Museum of Art (the first Black American in a full-time curatorial role there), and Vincent van Velsen as head of exhibitions at Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam. The list also features curators such as Alisa Chiles at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and Brittany Webb at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.