Skin deep: Museum exhibit showcases body art

The Chippewa Valley Museum in Eau Claire is concluding its run of “Tattoo: Identity Through Ink,” a traveling exhibition exploring the historical and cultural evolution of body art. To bring the history to life, the museum hosted live tattooing sessions where local artists, including Ed Erdmann of Wintership Tattoo, demonstrated their craft. In a notable moment of institutional engagement, the museum’s executive director, Carrie Ronnander, received her first-ever tattoo during the event to highlight the personal significance of the medium.

Arts organisation enlists celebrities in fight to save Manhattan church

West Park Presbyterian Church on Manhattan's Upper West Side, a designated landmark, is seeking permission from the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission to demolish its building, citing financial hardship due to an estimated $26.6 million in repair costs. The church's sole tenant, the arts nonprofit The Center at West Park, was evicted last year and is now leading a fierce opposition campaign, arguing the building is financially viable through leasing and air rights sales.

Yearning for Sun, New Yorkers Soak Up the Sauna

New Yorkers gathered at the waterfront for the Culture of Bathe-ing Festival, an event centered around public saunas and cold-water plunges. The festival offered a communal, wellness-focused experience as a respite from the urban grind and recent cold weather.

What’s Your Star Sign? The Ancients Could Offer You Some Insight.

The article explores the ancient origins of astrology, tracing its foundational concepts to Babylonian, Egyptian, and classical civilizations. It details how these early cultures developed complex systems of celestial observation and interpretation that predate modern horoscope apps and the contemporary astrology industry.

Heirs of Dave the Potter, the Enslaved Artist, Are Battling to Recover His Legacy

The heirs of David Drake, an enslaved 19th-century potter known as Dave the Potter, are engaged in a legal and ethical struggle to recover his legacy and his works. They argue that his pottery, which includes jars inscribed with his name and poetry, represents their family's artistic and spiritual inheritance, and they are seeking recognition and a role in the stewardship of these artifacts.

The Château de Breteuil upgrades its offering

Le château de Breteuil monte en gamme

François and Pauline de Breteuil, the son and daughter-in-law of the 10th Marquis de Breteuil, have initiated a strategic shift for the centuries-old Château de Breteuil in the Chevreuse Valley, one year after taking over the family estate. They are moving the château's positioning away from its previous focus on family tourism and Perrault's fairy tales toward a more museum-like and prestigious experience. This 'upgrading' includes the opening of a new on-site restaurant, the Café d'Achille, and the redecoration of four rooms by interior designer Jacques Garcia, creating period rooms dedicated to the 18th century, Marie Antoinette, and the Empire style.

Nigeria At Venice: Speaking on Our Own Terms.

Nigeria is preparing for its return to the Venice Biennale in 2028 with a fundamentally different approach, framing its participation as a structural intervention rather than mere inclusion. Curator Richard Vedelago, in conversation with Suzette Bell-Roberts, outlines a strategy focused on ownership, authorship, and building a self-sustaining cultural ecosystem, moving beyond seeking validation from global art structures.

Researcher Announcement: The Duke of Morny's Far Eastern Objects Collection

Annonce de chercheur : la collection d'objets extrême-orientaux du duc de Morny

A doctoral researcher at Sorbonne University, Anaïs Veyrac, is publicly seeking information to aid her thesis on the collection of Far Eastern objects assembled by the Duke of Morny (1811-1865). She is asking collectors, enthusiasts, or anyone with relevant correspondence, archives, or testimonies regarding Asian-origin objects that belonged to the Duke to come forward, as the collection was dispersed after his death and lacks comprehensive archival records.

Three Years, One City: Tulsa’s Transformative Artist Fellowship.

The Tulsa Artist Fellowship has announced an open call for its 2027–2029 award cycle, seeking ten artists and arts workers for a three-year residency in Oklahoma. Selected fellows receive a comprehensive financial package totaling over $150,000 in stipends, plus housing and relocation support, in exchange for committing to live and work in Tulsa. The program, established by the George Kaiser Family Foundation, emphasizes long-term community engagement and the development of ambitious, site-specific projects.

10 art exhibits to catch this month

St. Louis Magazine has published a curated list of ten art exhibitions currently on view or opening in the St. Louis area this month. The article serves as a guide for local residents and visitors seeking cultural activities.

Actor-Painter Park Shin-yang Breaks Fourth Wall in Solo Exhibition

Renowned South Korean actor Park Shin-yang has launched a solo exhibition titled 'The Fourth Wall' at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul. The show features a unique performative element where fifteen clowns roam the gallery, acting as surreal extensions of the canvases to bridge the gap between the artist and the public. Park, known for his roles in 'Lovers in Paris,' presents a diverse body of work including paintings of donkeys and bullfighters that symbolize the burdens of life and the struggle for creative expression.

Starbucks has opened an art gallery and café in Tokyo’s trendy Yanaka neighbourhood

Starbucks has launched a new hybrid venue in Tokyo's Yanaka district, combining a café with an art gallery. This location is designed to integrate with the neighborhood's historic and artistic character, offering a space for both coffee and local art appreciation.

Your guide to the best arts events in San Francisco this spring

The article provides a curated list of notable arts events taking place in San Francisco during the spring season. It highlights a variety of exhibitions, performances, and cultural happenings across the city's museums, galleries, and public spaces.

New Gallery Exhibit at CU Anschutz Honors Son's Legacy

A new photo exhibition and speaker series titled "Love, Anything: 28 Expressions for 28 Luminous Years" has opened at the Fulginiti Pavilion for Bioethics and Humanities on the University of Colorado Anschutz campus. The show features 28 photographs and journal entries by the late photographer Ryyan Chacra, who died by suicide in May 2024 at age 28 while struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The opening reception on April 10 drew over 120 attendees, including family, friends, and university faculty.

Why This Swedish Gallery Set Up Shop in a 19th-Century Chapel

Loyal, a gallery founded by Martin Lilja and Amy Giunta, has relocated from Stockholm to a 19th-century chapel in the university town of Lund, Sweden. The move represents a deliberate shift away from the fast-paced commercial art world towards a slower, more contemplative model of exhibition-making.

The Postal Museum recovers its name

Le Musée postal retrouve son nom

The Musée de La Poste in Paris has reverted to its original name, Musée postal, as part of a major rebranding effort. The institution, approaching its 80th anniversary, has introduced a new visual identity and aims to reposition itself within the Parisian cultural landscape, seeking to distance itself from the image of a corporate museum.

AT THE ART GALLERIES

Jag Gallery in Key West has announced an open call for its 7th annual "Poolside" juried exhibition, seeking 2D and 3D original artwork with swimming pools as the subject. The show opens with a reception on August 5, and selected artists will be notified by July 12, with an entry fee of $35 per artwork and a 50/50 commission split. The article also highlights current shows at other local Key West venues: Harrison Gallery is featuring vibrant paintings by Santa Fe artist Melinda K. Hall, Shade Ceramics and Shutter Photography is displaying pottery by Mark Klammer and landscape photography by Sarah Carleton, and it notes the legacy of the late textile artist Suzie dePoo.

In Veneto, a New Art Center is About to Open in Two 16th-Century Villas on the Brenta Riviera (Opening on the Same Day as the Biennale)

In Veneto sta per inaugurare un nuovo centro d’arte con sede in due ville cinquecentesche della Riviera del Brenta (apertura lo stesso giorno della Biennale)

A new cultural center named Ca' Riviera will open on May 9, 2026, in Mira, Veneto, housed within two 16th-century villas on the Brenta Riviera. The project, founded by Riccardo Corò and Leonardo Tiezzi, aims to be a permanent hub for contemporary art, design, and architecture, featuring exhibitions, installations, and artist residencies. Its inaugural exhibition, 'The Shape of the Self / La forma del Sé,' is organized in collaboration with the Milan gallery Cassina Projects.

Harmless Art: Kim Sang-yu Exhibition Becomes Healing Space

A retrospective exhibition for the late Korean artist Kim Sang-yu, titled 'A Person Who Does Not Easily Fade,' is being held at the Seoul Museum of Art to mark the centennial of his birth. The show, featuring over 150 works, has become a popular destination for meditation and healing, with visitors describing the serene paintings as comforting and harmless.

100 Mile House’s Parkside Art Gallery looking for new volunteers

Parkside Art Gallery in 100 Mile House, British Columbia, is actively seeking new volunteers to help maintain its operations. The gallery, which has been a free, community-run space for 26 years, relies entirely on volunteers from the South Cariboo Arts and Culture Society to stay open five days a week.

Max Giermann is not looking for recognition with his painting

Max Giermann sucht mit seiner Malerei nicht nach Anerkennung

German comedian and actor Max Giermann has launched his first Berlin art exhibition, titled "Figuring Out," at the Janinebeangallery. The showcase features large-scale acrylic paintings on canvas depicting figures, heads, and body fragments, including a final tribute to Klaus Kinski, whom Giermann famously parodied throughout his comedy career. Although he grew up in a household of art educators and began drawing as a child, this exhibition marks a significant return to painting after a 20-year hiatus.

Heron Marsh Gallery at Paul Smith's VIC calling for art

The Heron Marsh Gallery, located at the Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC), has issued an open call for artists to participate in an upcoming exhibition. The gallery is seeking submissions that align with the natural themes of the Adirondack region, specifically highlighting the "Fiddleheads and Ferns" feature scheduled for May at the Adirondack Artists Guild.

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Sotheby’s is navigating a complex financial landscape marked by a major debt refinancing effort and the introduction of a controversial delayed-payment program. The auction house is seeking to raise $825 million through five-year bonds to address existing debt due in 2027, while simultaneously facing a $10.2 million lawsuit over real estate commissions. To manage liquidity, the firm has codified a scheme offering sellers a 7 percent interest rate if they agree to wait six months for their payout, a significant departure from the industry standard of 35 to 45 days.

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The 2026 IFPDA Print Fair concluded at the Park Avenue Armory with record-breaking attendance of over 21,000 visitors and robust sales across various price points. This edition marked a significant pivot for the fair following its formal expansion to include drawings dealers, rebranding as the International Fine Prints and Drawings Association. Notable sales included a sold-out edition of Cecily Brown etchings at Two Palms and six-figure works by David Hockney and Rashid Johnson at Galerie Maximillian.

Arty Parties: Your Guide to September's First Friday in Denver

Denver’s art scene is preparing for a busy spring and summer season with a series of exhibition openings, market events, and institutional announcements. Key highlights include the selection of six fellows for the 2026 Clyfford Still Museum Institute Residential Fellowship, a nationwide open call for the Dairy Arts Center’s 2027 season, and several new gallery shows featuring artists such as Stacey Steers, Kim Dickey, and Deanne Gertner. Local advocacy is also in focus as the RiNo Art District supports Colorado Senate Bill 26-133, which aims to establish a formal legal structure for artist-led companies.

Gallery collection on display

The Naracoorte Art Gallery has launched 'ORIGIN', a retrospective exhibition showcasing the foundational pieces of its permanent public collection. The show features acquisitions made between the gallery's founding in 1968 and the early 1980s, including the institution's very first acquisition, a pencil drawing by Robert Walter Felling, alongside significant works by Australian modernists like Mervyn Smith and Judith Heidenreich.

nahmad lawsuit nazi looted modigliani 372020

The estate of Jewish art dealer Oscar Stettiner has filed a new lawsuit in the New York State Supreme Court against the Nahmad family, seeking the restitution of Amedeo Modigliani’s 1918 painting "Seated Man With a Cane." The suit alleges that the $25 million portrait was looted by the Nazis in Paris and is currently held by the International Art Center, which the plaintiffs claim is a shell company controlled by the Nahmads. This legal action follows a 2012 dismissal of a similar claim by Stettiner’s grandson, Philippe Maestracci, due to a lack of standing.

ACME Opens Artist Call for City Hall and Airport Exhibitions Showcasing Austin’s Creative Talent

The City of Austin’s Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME) department has launched two open calls for local artists to exhibit their work in high-traffic public spaces. The 2026–28 People’s Gallery exhibition at Austin City Hall and the Changing Exhibits Program at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport are seeking submissions of 2-D and 3-D multi-disciplinary works. Applications are open to professional artists and organizations within the Austin metropolitan area through May 31, 2026.

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President Donald Trump has unveiled a rendering for his planned presidential library in downtown Miami, envisioned as a 47-story skyscraper. The proposal features a gold entranceway, a 20-foot-tall golden statue of the former president, and a replica of the Oval Office, alongside a hotel and office space. The project is being designed by architecture firm Bermello Ajamil and is reportedly seeking to raise nearly $1 billion in donations to fund the construction on highly valuable waterfront land.

April 2026 Opportunities: Open Calls, Residencies, and Grants for Artists

This monthly roundup highlights a diverse range of professional opportunities for artists and designers scheduled for April 2026. Key listings include the Earth 2026 Art Awards, which offers global promotion and Artsy exposure, and The Hopper Prize, which provides grants totaling $13,000. Other notable calls include the Glen Arbor Arts Center’s "American Tree" exhibition, the fiber-focused "Fiber Forward" open call for women and non-binary artists, and the prestigious Fleurieu Biennale Art Prize in Australia.