The Milwaukee Art Museum hosts the only Gertrude Abercrombie surrealist art exhibition in the Midwest

The Milwaukee Art Museum is hosting "Gertrude Abercrombie: The Whole World is a Mystery," a nationally touring retrospective featuring 83 paintings by the surrealist artist. The exhibition, which runs through July 19, is the only stop in the Midwest for the tour and includes works such as "Witches Switches" and "Inheritance," alongside wearable art from the 1950s. The gallery is designed as a maze to reflect Abercrombie's complex mind, and the museum is offering related events like Kohl's Family Sunday and MAM After Dark.

Art of Manga

The Brooklyn Museum is presenting an exhibition titled "Art of Manga," showcasing the artistic and cultural significance of manga as a visual art form. The show explores the history, techniques, and global influence of manga, featuring original drawings, printed works, and immersive installations.

Color them talented: Teen artists offered big scholarship money

Two Illinois high school seniors, Dashiell Speir and Hazel Anderson, received substantial art-school scholarship offers after participating in the Illinois High School Art Exhibition's northern regional show. Speir, a student at Downers Grove North High School, was offered $524,000 in scholarships, while Anderson, from Central High School in Burlington, received $372,000 in offers. Speir plans to attend the College of DuPage before transferring to a four-year school, and Anderson intends to enroll at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Art Gallery Shows in Bangkok to Check Out in May

A roundup of art gallery exhibitions in Bangkok for May 2026 highlights four shows: 'The Fourth Decade of the Bualuang Paintings' at The Queen's Gallery, featuring 141 works by 52 Thai artists from the Bualuang painting contests; 'New Beginning' at ART Space by MOCA Four Seasons, a group show with artists from Japan and Thailand exploring renewal; 'Museum of Monsters' at River City Bangkok, a solo exhibition by artist FAHFAHS (Napath Kuntaruck) confronting hidden memories; and 'Beneath the Horizon Line' at Art Jewel Gallery, Siam.

Venice Biennale denies it helped ‘circumnavigate’ sanctions against Russia with pavilion

The Venice Biennale is facing allegations that it helped Russia circumvent EU sanctions by allowing the Russian pavilion to operate during preview days, when only arts professionals and press are present. Investigative website Open published emails between Biennale officials and Russian pavilion organizers, including requests for visa assistance for artists and staff. The commissioner, Anastasia Karneeva, is the daughter of a Rostec deputy CEO and runs a consultancy with the daughter of Russia's foreign minister. The Biennale denies any wrongdoing, stating it acted in compliance with international law. Russia has been absent from the Biennale since 2022 but retains a permanent pavilion in the Giardini.

À la Biennale de Venise, le pavillon de l’Ouzbékistan fait revivre la mer d’Aral

The Uzbekistan Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, curated around the figure of author Allayar Darmenov, brings together artists including Vyacheslav Akhunov, Zi Kakhramonova, A. A. Murakami, Zulfiya Spowart, and Nguyen Phuong Linh to explore the ecological disaster of the Aral Sea. Once the world's fourth-largest lake, it was drained by Soviet irrigation projects for cotton farming; the pavilion's installations—such as Kakhramonova's participatory salt-fish molding piece and Spowart's cradle-like sculpture—imaginatively revive the vanished sea and its endemic species.

The ECC Italy’s Venice Exhibition Demonstrates the Power of ‘Conscious Intermingling’

The ECC Italy has opened a new exhibition in Venice titled 'Conscious Intermingling,' showcasing works that explore cross-cultural dialogue and artistic exchange. The show brings together contemporary artists from diverse backgrounds, emphasizing collaborative and hybrid creative practices that transcend national and cultural boundaries.

There are 21 artists supporting the new voyage of the Global Sumud Flotilla that set sail from Sicily with painted sails

Ci sono 21 artisti a sostegno del nuovo viaggio della Global Sumud Flotilla salpata dalla Sicilia con vele dipinte

A new humanitarian mission by the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail on April 26 from Augusta, Sicily, with 59 Italian and Spanish boats heading toward Gaza. The flotilla, which follows a first attempt in September 2025 that ended with activists arrested by the Israeli military, aims to deliver humanitarian aid by early May. Twenty-one artists have joined the initiative, called Vele d'Arte, painting the sails of the boats with symbolic artworks. Among the participating artists are Gio Pistone, Antonio Curcio, Escif, Lydia Giordano, Glenda Costa, Millo, Elia Novecento, MP5, Matteo Todeschini, Alleg, Sam3, Okuda, Antonella Santonocito, Fabrizio Foti, Igor Scalisi Palmiteri, Andrea Sposari, and Salvo Ligama. The project was conceived by Carlo Alberto Giardina, who hopes the energy painted on the sails will transform into positive forces.

Nigerian art, culture returns to Atlanta in historic international exhibition

Fulton County Arts & Culture in Atlanta has announced "Threads of Heritage: A Cultural Confluence Connecting Africa to Atlanta," a major Nigerian-American cultural exchange initiative running from May to June 2026. The program, led by Nigerian textile icon Nike Monica Okundaye and involving Nike Art & Culture Foundation, Nike Art USA, and UniSpectrum Inc., will feature Nigerian artists, cultural practitioners, bata dancers, and tradition bearers in visual arts, textile traditions, muralism, sculpture, storytelling, workshops, and youth education at the Fulton County Arts & Culture Downtown Exhibition Space.

Jury of the Venice Biennale Resigns

Jury der Venedig-Biennale tritt zurück

The entire jury of the Venice Biennale, appointed by artistic director Koyo Kouoh, has resigned with immediate effect. In a statement released on Thursday, the jury members—including chair Solange Oliveira Farkas, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi—cited a prior declaration from April 22 in which they announced they would not award Golden or Silver Lions to artists from countries whose political leadership is currently indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity. Although no specific countries were named, the move implicitly targets Russia (President Vladimir Putin) and Israel (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu), both subject to ICC arrest warrants. The resignation comes amid escalating tensions over Russia's participation in the Biennale despite EU sanctions, which had already led to a freeze of EU funding and widespread protests.

Fulton County launches Nigerian art exhibition connecting Africa to Atlanta

Fulton County's Department of Arts & Culture has launched a multi-week international exhibition titled “Threads of Heritage: A Cultural Confluence Connecting Africa to Atlanta” at the Peachtree Gallery, running through the end of June. The exhibition features 14 Nigerian artists and is delivered in partnership with the Nike Art & Culture Foundation of Nigeria, Nike Art USA, and UniSpectrum Inc. Led by acclaimed artist Chief Dr Nike Monica Okundaye, the program includes masterclasses, public panels, community workshops, and live demonstrations on traditional Adire textiles, with US-based textile artist Shayee Awoyomi co-leading workshops and Nigerian painter Adeleke Akeem directing narrative painting masterclasses.

Nike Okundaye leads Nigerian artists to historic U.S. show

Nike Okundaye, founder of Nike Art Gallery, is leading 13 US-based Nigerian artists in a cultural diplomacy initiative titled "Threads of Heritage: A Cultural Confluence Connecting Africa to Atlanta." Organized by Fulton County Arts and Culture under Commissioner Robb Pitts and Director David Manuel, alongside Georgia State Representative Kim Schofield, the show opened last Friday at Fulton County Arts and Culture Downtown exhibition space in Atlanta. The event features artists including Shayee Awoyomi, Lasaki Olubunmi, Adeleke Akeem, Ola Balogun, Ajibade Awoyemi, and Bimbo Samson Adenugba, among others, and includes masquerade performances, African-American dances, and cuisines. The exhibition runs through the end of June.

Coalition’ art exhibition draws massive turnout in Ibadan, eyes Guinness World Records

Over 900 art enthusiasts attended 'The Coalition' art exhibition in Ibadan, Nigeria, held from April 24 to 26, 2026, at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). The three-day event featured more than 600 artworks by 60 Nigerian artists, showcasing abstract works, portraits, and contemporary pieces exploring identity and culture. Organizers, including Constance and Sons Art Gallery founder Dunmade Ayegbayo, reported strong visitor engagement and sales, highlighting the commercial potential of Nigerian art.

600 Art Works on display in Ibadan as ‘the Coalition’ steals the spotlight

Over 600 artworks by 60 artists from across Nigeria were displayed at 'The Coalition' exhibition held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan from April 23 to 25, 2026. The show, organized by Dunmade Ayegbayo of Constance and Sons Art Gallery, featured a diverse range of styles including abstract works, portraits, and pieces exploring African identity, family, and everyday life. Notable participating artists included Ogo-Oluwa Christianah, Okunade Olamilekan, and Gobe Joseph.

Edo-Tokyo Museum Reopens with “Great Edo” Exhibition Showcasing Its Collection Highlights

The Edo-Tokyo Museum in Tokyo's Ryōgoku district has reopened on March 31, 2026, after four years of renovation. Its first exhibition, "In Praise of Great Edo" (April 25–May 24), showcases 160 items from the museum's collection of 350,000, including swords, armor, kimonos, ukiyo-e masterpieces by Sharaku, Utamaro, and Hokusai, and artifacts from Edo-period culture such as kabuki, sumō, and firefighting uniforms. The renovated museum features new animation, projection mapping, full-scale reconstructions like Ginza's Hattori watch store, and a multilingual smartphone guide system.

Art of Manga Exhibition Heads to Brooklyn Museum in October

The "Art of Manga" exhibition, organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, will make its East Coast debut at the Brooklyn Museum in New York from October 3, 2026, to January 31, 2027. Featuring over 600 pieces of art, the show highlights works from renowned manga artists including Hirohiko Araki, Rumiko Takahashi, Gengoroh Tagame, Jiro Taniguchi, Kazumi Yamashita, and Fumi Yoshinaga. The exhibition previously ran at the de Young Museum in San Francisco from September 2025 to January 2026.

The Biennale in Numbers

Die Biennale in Zahlen

Die diesjährige Kunstbiennale in Venedig präsentiert 111 Künstlerinnen, Künstler und Kollektive in der Hauptausstellung – deutlich weniger als 2024 mit 331 und 2022 mit 213 Teilnehmenden. Die Biennale umfasst 99 nationale Pavillons, darunter sieben Länder, die zum ersten Mal vertreten sind: Guinea, Äquatorialguinea, Nauru, Katar, Sierra Leone und weitere.

NRW will Verbot für Handel mit Holocaust-Dokumenten

The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is introducing a legislative bill to ban the commercial trade of personal Holocaust documents and artifacts, such as letters from concentration camps, Gestapo cards, and yellow stars. The initiative follows international outrage over a planned auction in Neuss in November 2025, which was halted at the last moment; around 460 objects from that auction were transferred to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation. The bill, to be presented at the Bundesrat session on May 8, aims to prohibit the sale of items directly linked to Nazi victims, while exempting museums, archives, and research institutions.

Keokuk School District to open art gallery

The Keokuk Community School District in Iowa plans to open a new art gallery in fall 2026, featuring student work and organized by the Keokuk High School Art Department. The gallery will be located in the same building as the Collaboration Center in the district's new central office at 420 N. 17th St. in Keokuk. To fund display items such as frames, pedestals, and presentation equipment, the Art Department is hosting a fundraiser with sponsorship levels ranging from $250 to over $1,000, offering recognition opportunities for donors.

Japan Crown Prince, Crown Princess Visit Belgian Exhibition

Japan's Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko visited a special exhibition at Kokugakuin University Museum in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, celebrating the 160th anniversary of Japan-Belgium diplomatic relations. The exhibition, opening May 23, 2026, features about 40 items from the Royal Museums of Art and History in Belgium, including a flower vase donated by Emperor Meiji and diplomatic documents. The royal couple viewed the exhibits while listening to explanations from a Belgian researcher.