Nagano Prefecture 150th Anniversary / Renewal Opening 5th Anniversary: "Reorganizing – The NAM Collection Today" @ Nagano Prefectural Art Museum

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.

Group Exhibition ‘Here’s To Painting’ To Be Celebrated With Opening Reception Saturday Afternoon

The Newtown Municipal Center Art Gallery is hosting "Here’s To Painting," a group exhibition featuring original works by 12 local artists. Curated by the Newtown Cultural Arts Commission, the show highlights the creative output of a long-standing collective under the mentorship of retired art educator Claudia Mitchell. The collection primarily consists of watercolors and pastels, depicting local Newtown landmarks, international streetscapes, and still lifes.

Lakeland’s first-ever Fuego Festival ignites downtown with Latin culture celebration

The city of Lakeland, Florida, launched its inaugural Fuego Festival, a downtown celebration dedicated to Latin culture, heritage, and the arts. Organized in part by Tony Agnello of Notta Gallery, the event features live music, local vendors, a Cuban cigar lounge, and live painting demonstrations by artists such as William Araujo.

The Cost of Love: Rugby Art Museum and Gallery presents joint exhibition by artists Charlie Kirkham and Robert Walker

Artists Charlie Kirkham and Robert Walker are set to debut a joint exhibition titled "The Cost of Love" at the Rugby Art Gallery and Museum this May. The showcase features contemporary paintings that reimagine classical mythological figures—such as Narcissus, Apollo, and Adonis—to explore psychological themes of desire, transformation, and vulnerability. While both artists maintain a focus on technical rigor and the human figure, the works shift away from traditional storytelling to focus on the emotional tensions of modern life.

Shakespeare’s London Home Finally Located After Centuries of Mystery

Scholar Lucy Munro of King’s College London has identified the precise location of William Shakespeare’s only owned London home in the Blackfriars neighborhood. By analyzing a 1668 property map created after the Great Fire of London, Munro pinpointed the site—now occupied by Ireland Yard and St. Andrew’s Hill—which was previously known only through vague historical references to the Blackfriars Gatehouse.

An Evening in Paris: The Birmingham Museum of Art’s 69th Annual Museum Ball

The Birmingham Museum of Art hosted its 69th annual Museum Ball, themed "An Evening in Paris," to celebrate the institution's enduring presence in the Alabama cultural landscape. The black-tie gala featured French-inspired decor, fine dining, and live entertainment, drawing a significant crowd of local patrons and civic leaders.

Dreamlike visions, Southwest scenes set for Newport Beach library exhibits

The Newport Beach City Arts Commission has selected artists Jim Doody and Elena Kealy for upcoming solo exhibitions at the Newport Beach Central Library. Kealy, a self-taught painter and former mechanical engineer, is recognized for her whimsical, dreamlike oil paintings featuring female figures and vibrant atmospheric light, including her award-winning work "Bliss." Doody specializes in emotive depictions of the American Southwest, capturing iconic Route 66 Americana, Spanish Missions, and desert landscapes through a style that emphasizes the play of light on architecture.

Into the Wild - Art exhibition by Gina O’Connor

Artist Gina O’Connor has launched her latest solo exhibition, "Into the Wild," at Cultúrlann Sweeney in Kilkee. This collection marks her second show at the venue and her seventh solo exhibition overall, featuring a series of semi-abstract paintings inspired by the landscapes of the Wild Atlantic Way. The works, including titles such as "Blown Away" and "Atlantic Bliss," utilize bold, spontaneous mark-making to represent natural elements like mountains, seas, and flora.

Ces 5 créatrices « inoubliables » à découvrir absolument à Gand

The Museum of Fine Arts (MSK) in Ghent is hosting the exhibition "Inoubliables" (Unforgettables), on view until May 31, which highlights the work of women artists from the 17th and 18th centuries in the former Netherlands region. The show features about 40 female creators active between 1600 and 1750, including painters like Michaelina Wautier, Judith Leyster, and Rachel Ruysch, working in genres from portraiture and still life to engraving, lacemaking, and paper cutting. The exhibition aims to restore these women to their rightful place in art history.

Exhibition openings to enjoy in May

Bundaberg Regional Galleries in Queensland, Australia, will launch five new exhibitions in May 2025, with opening events spread across the month. The shows include 'Lost in Palm Springs', a national touring exhibition curated by Dr Greer Honeywill featuring 14 artists and thinkers from America and Australia exploring Palm Springs' landscape and mid-century modern architecture; 'Shifting Perspectives: the Self Reconciliation Project' by local artist Avi Amesbury, which uses ceramics and storytelling to examine settler-colonial family history; 'Post Truth' by Gureng Gureng/Gangalu artist Darren Blackburn, addressing the Australian Government's Close the Gap campaign through led-neon signs; 'The Nature of Silk: The Glad Not Sad Book', a family-friendly exhibition of silk art by children's book author Kim Michelle Toft; and 'Metal in Motion' by Kevin Dekker, a collection of sculptures that transform steel, wood, stone and ceramics into dynamic, fluid forms. Opening events will be held at Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery and Childers Arts Space, with free admission and no RSVP required.

South County Art Association’s ‘Earthworks Open Juried Clay Annual’ exhibition illuminates the art of sculpting

The South County Art Association has opened its 53rd annual 'Earthworks Open Juried Clay Annual' exhibition at the Kingston gallery in Rhode Island. The show features a variety of clay-based pieces from multiple artists, celebrating the versatility of the medium.

After Going Through the Darkness Part 1: Kōta Takeuchi Exhibition "Nononononomatsuri" @ Ichihara Lakeside Museum

暗闇をくぐってみたら Part1 竹内公太展「のののののまつり」@ 市原湖畔美術館

The Ichihara Lakeside Museum, currently under renovation since late 2025, will partially reopen on May 1, 2026, with a theater-style series of solo exhibitions titled "Kōta Takeuchi: Nononononomatsuri" as its first installment. Artist Kōta Takeuchi, born in 1982 in Hyogo Prefecture and based in Fukushima, presents new video installations created during a four-month residency in Ichihara, where he visited over 70 stone monuments across the city—including horse-headed Kannon statues, Koyasu statues, and war memorials—to explore themes of parallel bodies and possession. The exhibition features works such as "Disassembly of the Sansha-za" (2013–2023), "Cement Thief" (2024), and "Sigh of the Ground" (2022), with a map showing the locations of the documented stone monuments.

Maine Gallery Adds New Artists For 2026 Season

Maine Art Collective's (MAC) Gallery in Portland, Maine, has added five new artists to its roster for the 2026 season: Ann Tracy, Bill Elinoff, Sheri Oliva, donnersmith, and Tracy Hehmeyer. The gallery, which transitioned from a pop-up to a full-time space about a year ago, now features 17 artists total. Founder Susan Vittner, an artist herself, emphasizes the gallery's mission to support emerging artists through a cooperative model where artists retain most of their profits.

‘Prolific V: The Lost Gallery’ Brings Immersive Art, Music, and Tech to St. Thomas

On Saturday, the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts on St. Thomas will host “Prolific V: The Lost Gallery,” an immersive exhibition blending visual art, music, and interactive technology presented by Eliana B. Artistry. Curated by St. Croix native and Air Force veteran Eliana L. Schuster-Brown, the event features augmented reality elements, an original animation co-produced with Kirk Rojas, and soundscapes by AJ Ventura. Artists include Lucien Downes, Elwin Joseph, Indira Lovely, Chunikwa George, Amy Gibbs, and Kanda Burges. The exhibition runs for two weeks afterward, with all artwork for sale and tickets available on Eventbrite.

Vancouver Biennale names senior curator for 2027-29 edition

The Vancouver Biennale has appointed Marcello Dantas as senior curator for its 2027-29 edition. Dantas, a Brazilian curator and art director, has worked on major projects including co-curating Desert X AlUla in Saudi Arabia, curating an Es Devlin exhibition in São Paulo, and serving as art director at Sfer Ik in Tulum. He previously contributed to the Vancouver Biennale's 2013-15 edition with a Vik Muniz project. Dantas emphasizes collaboration with local First Nations and community groups, and plans to explore themes of belonging, displacement, and public art that is ephemeral and participatory.

Re-Air: The Young Painter Curators Are Rushing to Work With

Artnet News resurfaces an interview with painter Taína H. Cruz, who is featured in both the Whitney Biennial and MoMA PS1's Greater New York exhibition. Cruz, born in 1998 and a recent MFA graduate from Yale School of Painting, creates moody paintings often depicting Black female figures, drawing on African American and Caribbean folklore, horror, fantasy, and personal imagery. The interview, conducted by Ben Davis, explores her influences and her response to the sudden surge of attention from major institutions.

Refik Anadol’s Dataland Museum Sets an Opening Date

Refik Anadol's Dataland, billed as the world's first A.I. art museum, will open on June 20 in Los Angeles after more than two and a half years of planning. Founded by Anadol and his partner Efsun Erkiliç, the museum is housed inside the Frank Gehry-designed Grand L.A. complex and features five galleries. Its debut exhibition, "Machine Dreams: Rainforest," uses ecological data processed through Anadol's Large Nature Model to create digital sculptures simulating possible rainforests. The museum, designed by Gensler, dedicates nearly a third of its 35,000 square feet to operational hardware and runs on 87 percent carbon-free energy.

Hickey Machine Debuts First-Ever Art Exhibition Celebrating Club Kid Culture

Hickey Machine, a Portland-based creative collective, has launched its first-ever art exhibition celebrating Club Kid culture. The show features works by multiple artists that capture the vibrant, rebellious spirit of the underground club scene, known for its flamboyant fashion and DIY ethos.

Two 17th-Century Dutch Still Lifes Acquired by the Getty

Deux natures mortes hollandaises du XVIIe siècle acquises par le Getty

The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles has acquired two 17th-century Dutch still-life paintings by Pieter Claesz and Jan Davidsz. de Heem, masters of the genre. The works, including de Heem's "Vase en verre avec fleurs et fruits," were purchased on the New York art market and fill a gap in the museum's Dutch still-life collection, which previously lacked examples by these two artists.

City Galleries Burst with Spring Art (sponsored)

The City of Gaithersburg is presenting spring art exhibitions across four of its galleries, along with the Arts Barn Spring Artisan Market. Shows include "Beyond The Canvas," a three-dimensional exhibition of relief and sculptural works by 27 artisans at the Arts Barn; the Gaithersburg Fine Arts Association’s 40th Annual Membership Juried Exhibition at Kentlands Mansion, juried by artist J. Jordan Bruns; "Big, Bold & Bright" at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park, featuring large-scale abstract works; and an Asian-influenced exhibition by the Harmonious Art Group at the Benjamin Gaither Center celebrating Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The Spring Artisan Market on April 25 will offer handcrafted gifts from local makers.

Studio Sessions: Raili Jänese

Artist Raili Jänese, an Estonian-born painter now based in Kirkland, Washington, creates colorful acrylic works that capture everyday human and animal behaviors with humor and tenderness. Her practice, which began after a corporate career, focuses on observation of mundane moments—people eating, drinking coffee, riding transit, and animals in urban settings. Her upcoming solo exhibition, "E.L.U," will be on view at Ryan James Fine Arts from May 1–31, 2025, with a Gallery Night on May 22. Jänese has shown work regionally at venues including Happy Time Studio Gallery, Oxbow Montlake, and the Seattle Art Fair, and has completed public art projects in Bellevue, Kent, Kirkland, and Seattle.

Artapolooza 2026: Crestview student wins Best of Show at Mid-Ohio ESC regional art exhibition

Artapolooza 2026, a regional student art exhibition organized by the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center, took place from April 17 to 22 in Mansfield, Ohio. Over 3,000 student artists from 23 local school districts participated, with Gracie Gallaway of Crestview Senior High School winning Best of Show for her acrylic floral portrait. Other top honors included Kayla Mendez, Anastasia Stimens, and Aria Wright in the High School Division, and Eelyn Crist, Ariel Ramsey, and Olive Richards in the Middle School Division. The revived Rising Star Award was presented to Georgia Gantz of Highland High School, who received professional art supplies to support her artistic development.

Ai Weiwei to Reenact His Own Detention in 24-Hour Performance in Manchester

Artist and dissident Ai Weiwei will reenact his 81-day detention by China's Ministry of Public Security in a 24-hour performance titled "Sewing a Button" at Factory International's Aviva Studios in Manchester, England. The performance, part of his exhibition "Button Up!" running from July 2, 2025, will take place in a re-creation of his cell and involve Ai sleeping, eating, exercising, writing, washing, and being interrogated, with visitors able to book two-hour slots or a full 24-hour ticket. The work follows his earlier piece "S.A.C.R.E.D." (2013) and is joined by other commissioned works including "Eight-Nation Alliance Flags" and a new version of "History of Bombs."

Nairy Baghramian and Ibrahim Mahama to create major new commissions for Art Basel 2026.

Art Basel has announced that Nairy Baghramian and Ibrahim Mahama will create major new site-specific sculptures for the 2026 edition of its flagship fair in Switzerland. Baghramian will present "Modèle vivant (S’empilant)" (2026), an elaborate installation designed for the Messeplatz fountain, while Mahama's commission details are yet to be fully disclosed. Both artists are part of Art Basel's inaugural class of Gold Awardees, with the commissions first revealed in February 2026.

Northside artists sow seeds of ancestral wisdom in Arboretum exhibit

An art exhibit titled "Where the Seed Remembers: A Celebration of Earth, Lineage and Memory" opened on March 29 at the University of Minnesota’s Landscape Arboretum’s Reedy Gallery in Chaska, featuring 10 artists of color. Co-curated by Northside artist Joshua Gillespie (Brotha Aśe), the show includes works by Ron Brown, Ayolanda Evans, Imani Mansfield, and Allena Sweats, among others, and opened with a libation ceremony by Vusumuzi Zulu and Mariama Imani. The exhibition runs through May 17.

At Chaumont-sur-Loire, incredible gardens recreate cult films

À Chaumont-sur-Loire, d’incroyables jardins recréent des films culte

The Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire in France has launched the 2026 edition of its Festival International des Jardins, themed around cinema. Participants including gardeners, landscape designers, and artists—among them actresses Sabine Azéma, Golshifteh Farahani, and Mélanie Laurent, and director Momoko Seto—have transformed small plots into living landscapes inspired by iconic films and cinematic genres, such as a vegetal Cannes Film Festival and a garden based on James Cameron's *Avatar* trilogy. The festival runs from April 22 to November 1, 2026, alongside the estate's ongoing 'Saison d'art' exhibition featuring works by Marc Desgrandchamps, Antonio Crespo Foix, and others.

New exhibit shares refugee’s journey to Baton Rouge

A new art exhibit titled "A Refugee's Origin" opens at the Shell Gallery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, featuring nearly 30 works by artist and rheumatologist K.T. Ho. The show includes paintings, photos, and installations that trace Ho's journey from Vietnam to Louisiana, exploring family history, culture, and the experience of survival and starting over. The free exhibit runs from April 27 through May 29, 2026, with an opening reception on May 1 featuring a lion dance and food, presented in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Art museum - The art of stillness: Dib Bangkok

Dib Bangkok, a major new contemporary art museum, has opened in Thailand's capital. Conceived by the late Thai businessman and art collector Petch Osathanugrah and realized by his son Purat 'Chang' Osathanugrah, the museum is housed in a converted 1980s warehouse redesigned by LA-based Thai architect Kulupat Yansantrast of WHY Architecture. It features 7,000 square meters of gallery space across 11 galleries, a central courtyard, an outdoor sculpture garden, and a penthouse. The inaugural exhibition, titled '(In)visible Presence,' presents 81 works by 40 artists exploring memory and the unseen, curated by director Miwako Tezuka.

Rare art lands in new downtown Calgary gallery ahead of auction

Cowley Abbott Fine Art, a Toronto-based auction house, has opened its first permanent western Canada gallery in Calgary's East Village. The new space launches with a three-day public preview of museum-quality artworks heading to its Spring Live Auction on May 27 at the Globe and Mail Centre in Toronto. Highlights include rare works by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, Emily Carr, and members of the Group of Seven such as Lawren Harris and A.Y. Jackson. Among the standout pieces is Emily Carr's 1936 canvas "Wind," estimated at $500,000 to $700,000, and a Lawren Harris painting valued similarly. The gallery aims to attract both collectors and casual visitors, with Peter Ohler, Western Canada Representative and Director of Private Sales, emphasizing that the space is open to anyone interested in art.

Through the eyes of artist T.C. Steele: IU’s campus 100 years ago

Indiana University's University Collections at McCalla has opened "Capturing the Campus: T.C. Steele," a collaborative exhibition with the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites that brings together many paintings by Hoosier artist T.C. Steele for the first time in decades. Steele, who served as IU's first artist in residence from 1922 until his death in 1926, created impressionist works depicting campus scenes, portraits of university presidents and faculty, and landscapes that capture what the campus looked like a century ago. The exhibit, which opened April 17, features paintings sorted by geographic location on campus, alongside a historic map, letters, documentaries, and 3D renderings.