And Just Like That… Carrie Bradshaw’s Closet Hits the Auction Block

Julien’s Auctions is hosting a massive sale of over 500 props, costumes, and furnishings from the HBO series "And Just Like That…". The auction features iconic items associated with characters Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York, and Miranda Hobbes, including a prop Rolex watch engraved for Mr. Big, high-fashion garments, and furniture from the characters' New York apartments. Bidding began online in early April and will culminate in a live two-day event in California at the end of the month.

Paul Klee: Other Possible Worlds

The Jewish Museum in New York has launched "Paul Klee: Other Possible Worlds," the first U.S. museum exhibition dedicated specifically to the artist’s late-period works. Featuring 100 paintings and drawings, the show focuses on the final decade of Klee’s life (1930–1940), a period marked by his dismissal from the Düsseldorf Academy by the Nazis, his exile to Switzerland, and his battle with a fatal autoimmune disease.

Veronica Ryan review – the seeds are sensational but the detritus is distracting

A major retrospective of Turner Prize-winning artist Veronica Ryan has opened, showcasing her career-long exploration of organic forms and repurposed materials. The exhibition features new works made from plastic bottles, bandages, and avocado trays, alongside earlier sculptures in bronze and lead that reference seed pods and fruit.

The Guardian view on anonymity in art: the ‘unmasking’ of Banksy and Ferrante should stop | Editorial

A Reuters investigation this week identified street artist Banksy as 52-year-old Robin Gunningham, reigniting a long-running public debate about the unmasking of anonymous artists. This follows a recent hoax announcement of novelist Elena Ferrante's death, which similarly targeted her carefully guarded identity.

Aboriginal in the Alps: “ROOTS” at Fondation Opale

Fondation Opale in Lens, Switzerland, has unveiled "ROOTS," a major exhibition that bridges Australian Aboriginal art with Western contemporary masterpieces. Curated by Samuel Gross, the show juxtaposes works by Aboriginal artists like Keith Stevens and Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri with global icons including Olafur Eliasson, Sheila Hicks, and Niki de Saint-Phalle. The exhibition utilizes the unique alpine setting to explore themes of materiality, ancestral territory, and the universal human creative impulse across different geographies and epochs.

IMLS Spared in Legal Battle—But Threat of Budget Cuts Looms

The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a settlement with the American Library Association and the AFSCME union, effectively halting President Donald Trump’s executive attempt to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Following a series of legal defeats where courts ruled that only Congress has the authority to eliminate federal agencies, the administration withdrew its appeal and reinstated previously terminated grants. However, the threat remains as the proposed 2027 federal budget once again seeks to zero out funding for the IMLS, the NEA, and the NEH.

‘Occasionally a picture can change the course of history’: 33 scandalous photos that shocked the world

The article presents a curated collection of 33 photographs deemed to have caused public scandal, ranging from political and royal controversies to celebrity missteps and historical moments of defiance. It analyzes how these images, from Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre to Lee Miller in Hitler's bathtub, have exposed hidden truths, shattered carefully managed public images, and sometimes altered public perception or the course of events.

Michael Clark’s Controlled Movements

Choreographer Michael Clark's 2003 work *Satie Studs* was revived as part of the live event programme for Peter Doig's exhibition *House of Music* at London's Serpentine Galleries. Dancer Jules Cunningham performed the minimalist solo, set to Erik Satie's piano preludes, showcasing controlled, precise movements that distilled ballet and yoga poses into a stark, deliberate sequence.

Louis Vuitton Opens Jean-Michel Othoniel Exhibition in Beijing

Art Exhibition Installations

Louis Vuitton has inaugurated 'Dazzling Trilogy,' a solo exhibition by French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel at the Espace Louis Vuitton Beijing. Running from April 15 through September 6, 2026, the show celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Espaces Louis Vuitton program and features four significant works from the Fondation Louis Vuitton collection. Highlights include an early 2002 water-filled glass installation and 'Rivière Rose,' a new site-specific floor piece composed of pink glass bricks.

Denver Art Museum digs into its closet for fun fashion show

The Denver Art Museum has unveiled "Conversation Pieces: Stories from the Fashion Archives," an exhibition composed entirely of works from its permanent collection. Featuring approximately 60 mannequins, the show highlights high-fashion garments from the past century, many of which have never been publicly displayed. The curation includes iconic pieces by legendary designers such as Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Elsa Schiaparelli, alongside contemporary works by Alexander McQueen and Carla Fernández.

Semiprecious Stones Coat Kathleen Ryan’s Oversized Sculptures of Rotting Food

Artist Kathleen Ryan creates large-scale sculptures of rotting fruit and food items, meticulously covering them with thousands of semiprecious stones and beads to mimic the textures and colors of mold and decay. Works like "Bad Lemon (Slice of Paradise)" and "Screwdriver" juxtapose luxurious materials like amethyst, turquoise, and serpentine with salvaged metal from vintage cars, creating a dual personality of hidden beauty and grotesque rot.

Two Thousand Seasons: A Conversation

The African Film Institute at e-flux launched its 2026 program with an event titled "Two Thousand Seasons: A Look Into 2026 and Beyond." The evening featured a screening of a curated playlist of film clips and works by artists like Ayesha Hameed, Ousmane Sembène, and John Akomfrah, compiled by Christian Nyampeta, followed by a conversation with Nyampeta, KJ Abudu, and Kaneza Schaal.

Picasso and Africa in dialogue at Beijing museum - China Daily

The National Art Museum of China in Beijing has launched "Wood and World," an exhibition that juxtaposes Pablo Picasso’s 1970 painting "Man and Woman with a Vase of Flowers" with dozens of traditional African wooden sculptures. By placing these works side-by-side, the show highlights how the exaggerated and deconstructed forms of African art served as a foundational influence for Picasso’s African period and the eventual birth of Cubism.

Thinking Infrastructurally: On Diversity of Aesthetics, Part 2

The article, part of a series on e-flux, presents a theoretical analysis of the 1965 Watts rebellion through the lens of Guy Debord's Situationist thought. It examines how the rioters' destruction and theft of commodities, like refrigerators they couldn't power, acted as a rejection of capitalist integration and exposed the false promise of consumer affluence.

Brooklyn Museum Plans $13 Million Overhaul for New African Art Galleries

The Brooklyn Museum has announced a $13 million renovation project to create new Arts of Africa galleries, set to open in Fall 2027. The 6,400-square-foot space on the museum's third floor will display 300 works from its 4,500-piece collection, spanning from antiquity to the present day. The project, led by architectural firm Peterson Rich Office, will repurpose latent storage space and reconnect galleries architecturally.

Review: “The Things We Carry” at Un Grito Gallery

The exhibition "The Things We Carry" at Un Grito Gallery serves as the centerpiece for the 2026 Contemporary Art Month (CAM) Perennial in San Antonio. Curated by Casie Lomeli and Leslie Moody Castro, the show features eight artists including Matt Rebholz, whose vibrant, alien-like landscapes subvert traditional Western imagery, and Tina Linville, who presents tactile sculptures composed of salvaged materials and concrete. The exhibition is part of a larger city-wide initiative spread across five artist-run spaces.

Iran’s arts community and heritage suffer as US-Israeli attacks continue

The US-Israeli bombardment of Iran, beginning in late February, has severely disrupted the country's cultural life and art scene. The typically busy Nowruz (Persian New Year) period was marked by fear, travel restrictions, and internet blackouts, leading to the evacuation of museum collections, the closure of galleries, and artists being unable to work in their studios.

Manifesta 16 Ruhr announces list of artists

Manifesta 16, the nomadic European biennial, has revealed the full list of 106 artists from 30 countries who will participate in its 2026 edition. The event will open on 21 June and take place across 12 decommissioned modernist churches in four cities in Germany's Ruhr region: Bochum, Essen, Duisburg, and Gelsenkirchen. The program includes 64 new commissions.

Two Exhibits, Four Artists and a Lot to Think About

The Maude Kerns Art Center is currently hosting two concurrent exhibitions, "Witness: Earth & Sky" and "Consume & Dispose," curated by Liberty Rossel. The shows feature the work of four artists—Rich Bergeman, Amanda Thomas, Rolf Huber, and Jennifer Bucheit—whose practices converge on themes of environmental stewardship, colonial history, and social justice. From Bergeman’s infrared photography documenting indigenous Kalapuya lands to Thomas’s use of toxic mine drainage in her ceramic glazes, the works utilize specific materials and historical research to challenge viewers' perceptions of the landscape and industrial impact.

Bridgeport Gallery Hosts Emerging Artists, Brings in ‘Big Deal’ Curator for October Show

Artist Linda Colletta has transformed her studio practice within Bridgeport’s historic American Fabric Arts building, a former lace factory, by blending painting with labor-intensive weaving. Drawing inspiration from the site’s industrial history and the teachings of Bauhaus artist Anni Albers, Colletta repurposes drop cloths and tears apart her own canvases to weave them back together. Her recent work explores the materiality of paint and the concept of "Thought Forms," a visual language for emotions influenced by early 20th-century Theosophy.

Alexandria Art Galleries in April: Floral Exhibits, Events & Spring Shows

The Alexandria art scene is hosting a diverse array of exhibitions and events throughout April 2026, centered around the Torpedo Factory Art Center, Del Ray Artisans, and Nepenthe Gallery. Key highlights include Marcus Beauregard’s solo printmaking show "Paint to Print," a car-themed exhibition titled "Fast and Fabulous" curated by Kelly and Scott MacConomy, and a series of weekly receptions at Nepenthe Gallery featuring artists like Sweta Shah and the NOVA Plein Air Artists. Many of these events serve charitable purposes, with proceeds from specific sales at Del Ray Artisans being donated in memory of late local artists Donna Gallo and Rusty Lynn.

A Caravaggio for Rome

Un Caravage pour Rome

The Italian Ministry of Culture has acquired Caravaggio's 'Portrait of Maffeo Barberini' for the state. The painting, which had been on loan to the Palazzo Barberini from its private owner, will now be permanently deposited at the museum.

Proposed Restitution Law in France Advances in National Assembly

The French National Assembly’s Cultural Affairs Committee has approved a landmark bill aimed at streamlining the restitution of cultural property looted from Africa during the colonial era. Moving away from the previous requirement for case-by-case legislation, the new framework allows restitutions to be ordered by ministerial decree, provided they fall within the 1815–1972 timeframe. This advancement follows years of debate sparked by President Emmanuel Macron’s 2017 pledge and the influential 2018 Sarr-Savoy report.

What Art Can Do

A conversation between German author and filmmaker Alexander Kluge and curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, originally published in 2017, has been republished following Kluge's recent death at age 94. The dialogue explores the unique capacities of different art forms, the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, and the role of art as an "oasis" or "garden" within an overwhelming technological landscape.

Meet the Gallerists Trading White Cubes for Unconventional Architecture

A growing number of gallerists are moving away from the traditional 'white cube' gallery model, opting instead for spaces with unconventional architecture and distinct character. These include locations in repurposed industrial buildings, historic structures, and uniquely designed new constructions that actively shape the visitor's experience of the art.

Rocky statue moved inside the Philadelphia Museum of Art for new show.

The iconic bronze statue of Rocky Balboa has been relocated from its outdoor spot at the base of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's steps into the museum building itself. This move is in preparation for a major new exhibition titled 'Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments,' which opens in late April.

1815, a Key Year for the Question of Art Restitution at the Heart of an Enlightening Book

1815, année clé de la question des restitutions d’œuvres d’art au cœur d’un ouvrage éclairant

Art historian Bénédicte Savoy has released a new book, "1815, le temps du retour," which examines the massive wave of art restitutions following the collapse of the Napoleonic Empire. Between 1794 and 1811, French revolutionary and imperial forces seized thousands of artworks and cultural objects from across Europe to fill the Louvre under the guise of creating a universal museum. After Napoleon's defeat in 1815, the subsequent return of these works sparked a global debate involving intellectuals and politicians regarding national identity, cultural property, and the legal status of looted heritage.

What can 160-million-year-old clay tell us about AI and ethics? Inside Es Devlin’s tech and pottery summit

Artist and stage designer Es Devlin convened a diverse group of AI researchers, tech experts, and academics at the Oxford Kilns for a unique summit blending pottery with ethical debate. Participants engaged in the tactile process of shaping 160-million-year-old Jurassic clay while discussing the moral implications of artificial intelligence, ranging from the Turing test to Isaac Asimov’s laws. This collaborative workshop serves as a precursor to Devlin’s upcoming installation, "360 Vessels," created in partnership with composer Nico Muhly.

Bose Krishnamachari’s resignation from Kochi Biennale came after sexual harassment allegations

Bose Krishnamachari resigned as director of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale and from the board of its foundation in January. The Kochi Biennale Foundation chairperson has now stated the resignation followed a December complaint alleging Krishnamachari sexually harassed a female employee at his apartment, making unwanted remarks and advances. Krishnamachari had initially cited family reasons for his departure.

The Louvre’s new director is inheriting a troubled, traumatised museum—can he repair the damage?

Christophe Leribault has been appointed as the new director of the Musée du Louvre, taking over an institution reeling from a major security breach. The theft of the crown jewels in October exposed severe systemic failures, including neglected security upgrades and a management culture criticized as autocratic under his predecessor, Laurence des Cars. The museum has also been plagued by strikes, ticket fraud scandals, and damaging parliamentary reports.