New photography museum in Cincinnati foregrounds the medium’s democratic power

The FotoFocus Center, a new museum dedicated to photography, has opened in Cincinnati after over three years of construction. Designed by local architect Jose Garcia, the building's three-tone palette of black, white, and sepia references the medium's origins, while its materials blend regional elements (black iron bricks, indigenous woods) with foreign stone from Argentina. The inaugural exhibition, "Big Tent," curated by Kevin Moore, features works by dozens of artists including Gordon Parks, Catherine Opie, and Robert Mapplethorpe, and reflects on American diversity through photography. The 14,700-square-foot museum occupies a former gas station lot and gives the non-profit organization FotoFocus a permanent home for year-round programming.

Duane Michals, grand inventeur de récits et de mirages photographiques, est mort

Duane Michals, the American photographer known for his narrative sequences and hand-written texts, died on June 9 in New York at age 94. A self-taught artist, he rejected photojournalism's "decisive moment" and instead created photographic series that explored identity, desire, memory, time, death, and spirituality. His work is currently featured in the exhibition "Fragile Beauté. Photographies de la collection de Sir Elton John et David Furnish" at the Jeu de Paume in Paris.

Death of David Hockney: 12 works that tell the trajectory of a cult painter

Mort de David Hockney : 12 œuvres qui racontent la trajectoire d’un peintre culte

David Hockney died on June 11, 2026, at age 88. The article presents a slideshow of 12 iconic works spanning his career, from early portraits like *Portrait of My Father* (1955) to his famous California pool scenes such as *A Bigger Splash* (1967) and *Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)* (1972), as well as later iPad paintings and photocollages. The selection traces his evolution across mediums—oil, acrylic, photocollage, digital drawing—and themes including hedonism, English and Norman landscapes, and intimate personal reflections.

David Hockney est mort à l’âge de 88 ans. Retour sur une grande figure de l’histoire de l’art

David Hockney, the celebrated British painter known for his sun-drenched, experimental work, died on June 11, 2026, at his home in London at age 88. The article, published by Beaux Arts Magazine, offers a comprehensive retrospective of his life and career, highlighting his six-decade trajectory from California pool scenes to iPad drawings, his fascination with Old Masters and new technologies, and his recent years spent in Normandy. It includes biographical details, interviews, and coverage of major exhibitions, including a 2025 show at the Fondation Louis Vuitton and a retrospective at the Centre Pompidou.

In Barcelona, the very political abstractions of Kapwani Kiwanga at the Miró Foundation

À Barcelone, les abstractions très politiques de Kapwani Kiwanga à la fondation Miró

Kapwani Kiwanga's retrospective at the Fundació Joan Miró in Barcelona presents her politically charged abstract works, including new textile pieces inspired by Joan Miró's habit of carrying a carob pod in a specially sewn pocket. The exhibition, titled "Kapwani Kiwanga. États changeants," features sisal fiber sculptures, gold leaf, mahogany, and beadwork, all chosen for their histories tied to colonial trade, post-colonial dynamics, and global exchange. Curated by Martina Millà, the show explores themes of protection, home, and the hidden power structures embedded in everyday materials.

Duane Michals, photographer known for sequenced works, 1932–2026

Duane Michals, the American photographer celebrated for his pioneering photo sequences and surreal, narrative-driven works, has died at age 94. His gallery, DC Moore Gallery, announced his passing. Born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, Michals began his photography career after a trip to the USSR in 1958, and his first solo exhibition was held in 1963 at New York's Underground Gallery. He became known for series such as *Empty New York* (1964) and *The Spirit Leaves the Body* (1968), moving away from single-frame street photography to create sequenced, dreamlike narratives. His work was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in 1970, and he remained active into his 90s, later incorporating handwritten text and video collaborations with Josiah Cuneo. Recent retrospectives include shows at the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Morgan Library, and Fundación MAPFRE.

Julio Le Parc, Father of Interactive Art, Dies at 97

Franco-Argentinian artist Julio Le Parc, a pioneer of kinetic and Op art whose interactive works presaged contemporary participatory art, died in Paris on May 30 at age 97. The last surviving cofounder of the Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel (GRAV), Le Parc spent nearly seven decades creating works that harnessed light, color, movement, and reflection, completed by viewer participation. He won the International Grand Prize for Painting at the 1966 Venice Biennale, was expelled from France for his protest involvement, and continued experimenting with virtual reality into his nineties.

Crystal Bridges Museum Tacks on a Big Expansion, Just 15 Years After Opening, and Packs it With American Art

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, has opened a major expansion just 15 years after its original 200,000-square-foot facility debuted. Designed by architect Moshe Safdie, the addition adds 114,000 square feet of new galleries, education spaces, and artist studios, including a 14,000-square-foot exhibition space. The new wing features skylights with a mechanism to create balanced natural light and hosts the inaugural exhibition “Keith Haring in 3D,” co-curated by Glenn Adamson, which explores the artist’s sculpture practice. The expansion was driven by founder Alice Walton’s desire to execute the original fifty-year plan while Safdie could still lead the project.

The Most Expensive Works by David Hockney Sold at Auction

David Hockney, the celebrated British artist known for his vibrant Pop art and iconic swimming pool paintings, died on June 11 at age 88 at his home in London. The article lists his most expensive works sold at auction, including "Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)" which sold for $90.3 million at Christie's New York in 2018, "Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy" which sold for $44.4 million in November 2024, "Nichols Canyon" which sold for $41 million at Phillips New York in 2020, and "The Splash" which sold for £23.2 million at Sotheby's London in 2020.

Sotheby’s London to Offer Two Monets With Blue-Chip Provenance, Estimated at up to $67 M.

Sotheby’s London will offer two Claude Monet paintings at its June 24 modern and contemporary art sale, with a combined estimate of up to $67 million. The works—Nymphéas (1907), depicting his water lily pond, and Camille assise sur la plage à Trouville (1870–71), a portrait of his wife—come from a single unnamed seller and have blue-chip provenance, having passed through the collections of Anne Bass and Peggy and David Rockefeller, respectively. Nymphéas previously sold for $56.5 million at Christie’s in 2022, while the Camille portrait last sold for $12.1 million at Christie’s 2018 Rockefeller sale.

Don’t lose sight of the big picture in art galleries | Letters

Readers respond to a Guardian article about the overwhelming amount of art in galleries, offering personal strategies for enjoying museum visits. Dr. Penelope Jackson argues that galleries are caught between criticism for showing too much or too little, noting that the National Gallery in London displays about 40% of its collection while Tate Britain shows a tiny fraction. Sue Lewis shares how visiting with children and letting them choose favorite paintings created a joyful, engaging experience. Fiona Willan suggests reading a newspaper review beforehand to focus on key works and save energy for the cafe.

What Did Critics Think of a Young David Hockney?

In 1970, Pat Gilmour reviewed the first major retrospective of a 32-year-old David Hockney at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. The exhibition assembled over 40 paintings, as many drawings, and his entire print output, showcasing Hockney's autobiographical themes, playful use of graphic devices, and evolving techniques from faux-naïf scribbles to sophisticated explorations of pictorial depth, water, and the male nude. Gilmour highlighted works like 'Picture emphasising still-ness' and 'Play within a Play', noting Hockney's witty commentary on pictorial conventions and his frank treatment of homosexuality.

Society is stuck in the past

"Die Gesellschaft steckt in der Vergangenheit fest"

Lorna Simpson, the first African American woman to exhibit at the Venice Biennale in 1990, is now the subject of her first European retrospective at Punta della Dogana in Venice, titled "Third Person." In an interview with Monopol, she discusses key works including the sculpture "Woman on Snowball" (2018), which references David Hammons' "Bliz-aard Ball Sale," and "Black Totem," a column of over 700 issues of the magazine "Ebony" stacked like a totem pole to explore African American identity and history. The exhibition includes works from the past 15 years, some previously shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York under the title "Source Notes."

25 Art Shows Reckoning With the US at 250

Hyperallergic presents a guide to 25 art exhibitions and projects across the United States that reframe and challenge the story of the nation on the occasion of its 250th anniversary. The article highlights shows such as Rosy Simas's Indigenous survivance-focused exhibition at the Walker Art Center, a survey of women artists from 1945-1979 at Eric Firestone Gallery, and an exhibition of rare manuscripts at Gilcrease Museum examining Native American nations' role in the country's founding, among others.

Lost in a Fantasy of Endless Growth

"Verrannt in einer Fantasie endlosen Wachstums"

Jerry Saltz criticizes Pace Gallery in New York Magazine for pursuing a fantasy of endless growth and hype, comparing it to a 'Fyre Festival of mega-galleries.' He argues that under Marc Glimcher's leadership, the gallery prioritized expansion—more artists, more locations, more projects—over identity, leading to overextension and recent cuts of about 50 artists and 50 staff. Separately, a child at the Israel Museum damaged René Magritte's painting 'The Castle of the Pyrenees' with a pine cone, puncturing the canvas within seconds. In other news, curator Helen Molesworth reflects on sloth as a creative and anti-capitalist strategy in Cultured, and Stefan Niggemeier critiques culture minister Wolfram Weimer's repeated use of the vague term 'Eigentlichkeit' in Übermedien.

Saidiya Hartman on Teaming Up with All-Star Artists to Imagine the End of White Supremacy

Saidiya Hartman, a Columbia professor known for her "critical fabulation" method of writing history, has created her first artwork: a performance titled "Minor Music at the End of the World." Debuted in October, the three-part work imagines the end of white supremacy and features cinematic elements by Arthur Jafa, sculptures by Precious Okoyomon, sounds by Peter Born, and performances by André Holland and Okwui Okpokwasili. Cameron Rowland serves as "Attendant of the Archive." The piece recently had a run in Venice, echoing the Biennale's main show "In Minor Keys." Hartman's essay "The End of White Supremacy," which responds to W. E. B. Du Bois's "The Comet," inspired the performance.

Knicks, Tribeca, Pride!

Hyperallergic's New York newsletter covers a mix of local cultural events and art world news. Highlights include the Guggenheim's screenings of Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno's film about Zinédine Zidane during the World Cup, the Tribeca Film Festival, and Pride Month interviews with queer and trans elders, starting with Jamie Nares. Other news includes Pace Gallery cutting 50 artists and laying off 50 staff, a fire in Long Island City damaging artists' studios, and The New School laying off faculty and staff due to budget deficits.

‘London Needs Some Lobbying’: 50,000 Attend London Gallery Weekend as Dealers Fight Narrative of City’s Decline

London Gallery Weekend (LGW) launched its 2026 edition with a panel discussion titled “How is London’s contemporary commercial gallery scene thriving in times of flux?” featuring mega-dealer Thaddaeus Ropac, Pale Horse Gallery cofounder Emma Hodgson, and Kate MacGarry. The event drew approximately 50,000 attendees and included 120 galleries across the city, with more than 80 free public events. The weekend comes amid troubling headlines for London’s art scene: Pace Gallery cut 50 staff and dropped 50 artists, is downsizing its London operation, and stalwart Stephen Friedman Gallery entered insolvency. New UK tax rules have driven many ultra-wealthy collectors to leave, and Art Basel Paris has drawn attention away from Frieze London.

The Dealers: Rajiv Menon Connects Cultures

This article from Contemporary Art Review LA profiles dealer Rajiv Menon, focusing on his role in connecting cultures through art. The piece, part of the magazine's regular 'The Dealers' series, includes photos and text by Claire Preston and appears in Issue 44 (May 2026), alongside other features on contemporary archives, censorship, and reviews of exhibitions in Los Angeles and beyond.

‘His last kiss to the world’: David Hockney’s return to Yorkshire triggered a glorious reawakening

David Hockney's return to Yorkshire in the early 21st century marked a dramatic shift in his artistic focus, from the glamorous swimming pools and California light of his early career to the landscapes of the English countryside. The article recounts a visit to the blockbuster exhibition "David Hockney 25" at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, which emphasized his later works—iPad paintings of his Normandy garden, Yorkshire fields, hay bales, and ponds—arguing they rival his famous early pieces. The author also shares personal memories of dining with Hockney after a private visit to the National Gallery, where the artist discussed his theories on Old Masters' use of camera obscura, and describes Hockney's life in Bridlington, where he painted en plein air in a style reminiscent of French Impressionists.

Lovers, housewives, deserts and dogs: David Hockney’s greatest works – in pictures

The Guardian presents a curated selection of David Hockney's greatest works, spanning from his early homoerotic paintings of the 1960s to his monumental iPad epic of Normandy. The article features iconic pieces such as "A Bigger Splash" (1967), "Portrait of an Artist (Pool With Two Figures)" (1972), and "Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy" (1970-71), each accompanied by insights into Hockney's creative process, personal relationships, and cultural context. The works trace his evolution from capturing the sun-drenched pools of Los Angeles to the vast, psychedelic landscapes of Yorkshire.

‘Suggestive toothpaste tubes shooting into mouths’: David Hockney’s winking celebration of queer life

David Hockney's early paintings, including 'We Two Boys Together Clinging' (1961) and 'Cleaning Teeth, Early Evening (10pm) W11' (1962), are examined as pioneering expressions of queer identity in British art. The article highlights how Hockney used coded imagery—such as suggestive toothpaste tubes and intimate domestic scenes—to depict same-sex desire while evading censorship laws, long before homosexuality was partially decriminalized in England and Wales. His move to Los Angeles in 1964 allowed him to portray gay life more openly, with works like 'Peter Getting Out of Nick’s Pool' and 'A Bigger Splash' becoming iconic symbols of queer domesticity and desire.

From Olivia Rodrigo to The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead

This week's entertainment guide from The Guardian highlights several art exhibitions opening in London and Hastings. Henry Moore and Lucian Freud are paired at Hastings Contemporary (13 June–13 September) in a show exploring family bonds. Anish Kapoor returns to the Hayward Gallery (16 June–18 October) with monumental mirrored sculptures and Vantablack works. The Royal Academy of Arts opens its annual Summer Exhibition (16 June–23 August), the world's oldest open-submission show. Other cultural events include Steven Spielberg's new UFO film, Kamasi Washington at Meltdown festival, and a Scottish comedy drama.

What Comes After Grow-or-Go? How Goodman Gallery Changed Course

Goodman Gallery, founded in 1966 in Johannesburg and now with spaces in Cape Town, London, and New York, is undergoing a major restructuring amid a prolonged art market downturn. Owner Liza Essers, who has run the gallery since 2008, saw profits fall 58% in 2024 despite rising revenue, and decided to cut costs aggressively while investing in a more sustainable business model. The gallery is launching a new digital platform ahead of Art Basel, where it will present high-value works by artists including El Anatsui, Kapwani Kiwanga, and Yinka Shonibare. Essers has also dropped several underperforming art fairs, including Frieze London, Singapore, Miami Basel, and FOG.

What Was the Art World Like the Last Time the Knicks Were in the Championship?

The article draws a parallel between the New York Knicks' long absence from the NBA championship and the state of the art world during their last two key moments: 1999 and 1973. In 1999, the Knicks lost the finals to the San Antonio Spurs, and the art world was markedly different—the 48th Venice Biennale, titled "dAPERTutto" and curated by Harald Szeemann, established the modern biennial format; the Whitney Biennial had just begun hiring external curators; and the global art fair boom had not yet started, with Art Basel Miami Beach and Frieze Art Fair still years away. Tate Modern was about to open, commissioning Louise Bourgeois's iconic spider sculpture *Maman* (1999), while the Young British Artists dominated headlines, culminating in the controversial "Sensation" exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, which sparked a culture war with then-mayor Rudy Giuliani over Chris Ofili's *The Holy Virgin Mary* (1996).

The Art World Remembers David Hockney: ‘A True Lover of Life’

The art world mourns the loss of British painter David Hockney, who died peacefully at his home at age 88. A leader of the British Pop Art movement since the 1960s, Hockney was known for his vivid paintings, iPad drawings, and iconic personal style. Curators and artists who worked closely with him, including Chris Stephens, Stephanie Barron, Stuart Comer, Sam McKinnis, and Kojo Marfo, shared tributes highlighting his constant reinvention, joyful curiosity, and profound impact on contemporary art. At his death, Hockney held the auction record for the highest-valued living artist.

The Wit and Wisdom of David Hockney

David Hockney, the British artist known for his vibrant California scenes and iPad drawings, is the subject of a feature that collects eight of his best quotes, aphorisms, and one-liners. The article recounts his rebellious student days at the Royal College of Art, where he refused to submit a life drawing of a female model and an academic essay, instead offering a drawing of a male bodybuilder titled "Life Painting for a Diploma." It also includes his sharp opinions on fellow artists—calling Damien Hirst's paintings "terrible" and Jeff Koons "a terrible painter"—as well as reflections on the disappearance of bohemian culture, the importance of faces in art, and his belief that viewers should judge artists by their work, not their words.

David Hockney, Painter Who Captured the Sensibility of ’60s Los Angeles, Is Dead at 88

David Hockney, the iconic British painter best known for his vibrant depictions of 1960s Los Angeles, has died at age 88. His publicist Erica Bolton confirmed he passed away peacefully at his home in London on Thursday, June 11, just one month before his 89th birthday. Over six decades, Hockney created a vast body of work spanning painting, drawing, and printmaking, capturing people and places from London to Normandy with a distinctive, unconcerned approach to contemporary trends. Tributes poured in from figures including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Tate Britain director Alex Farquharson, who praised Hockney's courage and joy in seeing the world anew. Tate Britain plans a major exhibition of his work next year, alongside a multimedia installation at Tate Modern.

Edvard Munch’s chocolate factory series shines a light on the public artist he wanted to be

An exhibition titled "Edvard Munch and the Chocolate Factory" has opened at the Munch Museum in Oslo, running until 11 October. It centers on Munch's rarely seen public works, including a preparatory sketch for Oslo City Hall discovered crumpled in snow after his death, and his 12-painting series for the Freia Chocolate Factory's canteen, completed in 1922. The show also highlights his monumental 1916 decorations for the University of Oslo's Aula, such as "The Sun" and "The History," which he created after a mental breakdown and a stay at a Copenhagen clinic.

Drawings by Willem de Kooning, the ‘last Old Master’, take centre stage in Chicago show

A new exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago, titled 'Willem de Kooning Drawing,' brings together more than 200 works spanning seven decades, including drawings, paintings, prints, and sculptures by the Dutch American artist Willem de Kooning (1904-97). Curated by Kevin Salatino, the show explores drawing as a concept rather than a theme, featuring iconic pieces like 'Excavation' (1950) and 'Woman I' (1950-52) alongside rare works never before shown publicly, such as early caricatures, crucifixion depictions, and drawings made with the artist's eyes closed. The exhibition marks the 100th anniversary of de Kooning's arrival in the US and is the Art Institute's first major show of his work since 1969.