Der Schmerz hinter den Farben
Henry Taylor is the subject of a major exhibition at the Musée Picasso in Paris, where his monumental paintings addressing racism, poverty, hope, and pain are displayed in dialogue with art history. The article describes a key work featuring Martin Luther King Jr. in a park scene, with small adult-faced figures and a limousine of white men watching, highlighting Taylor's narrative style.
At Christie's spring auctions in New York, Jackson Pollock's painting "Number 7A" sold for approximately $181 million and Constantin Brancusi's sculpture "Danaïde" fetched around $108 million, both setting records. The works came from the estate of publisher S. I. Newhouse, who died in 2017. Christie's total sales for the evening exceeded $1 billion, while rival Sotheby's had sold several hundred million dollars' worth of art the previous week. Christie's enlisted actress Nicole Kidman to promote the Brancusi piece.
Gesichter der russischen Kunst
On the Venice Biennale, the Russian Pavilion presents itself as a space for dialogue, while simultaneously a major exhibition in St. Petersburg titled "Russischer Imperativ" (Russian Imperative) opened on May 8 at the Manezh exhibition hall, glorifying war as a historical imperative of Russian identity. Curated by Anton Belikov, a Moscow artist and former Russian soldier who fought in Ukraine, the show features works from state museums like the Tretyakov Gallery, blending historical battles with the current war in Ukraine, and includes a monumental, fascistoid design with a ten-meter-tall installation of a soldier's head. The exhibition has sparked outrage on social media and in Russian exile media for its militaristic propaganda.
German painter Harald Metzkes has died at the age of 97 in Wegendorf, Brandenburg, surrounded by his family. His son, sculptor Robert Metzkes, confirmed the news to the German Press Agency. Metzkes, who grew up in East Germany, was a leading figure of the Berlin School of painting and resisted the official doctrine of socialist realism, instead creating a personal "world theatre" of harlequins, circus scenes, and theatrical figures inspired by Rembrandt, Velázquez, and Paul Cézanne. His best-known work includes "Der Abtransport der sechsarmigen Göttin." After training as a stonemason and studying at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts, he worked as a freelance artist in Berlin, supporting himself with book illustrations. His work gained international attention when one of his paintings was sent to the Venice Biennale in 1984, and after the fall of the Berlin Wall he built connections with Western collectors.
The article examines a peculiar three-seat sofa called the "Indiscret" on display in the Louvre, designed in 19th-century France under Napoleon III to force conversation among sitters. This "Conversation Chair" reflects an era when furniture was deliberately crafted to create social intimacy and control guest behavior, in stark contrast to modern public seating that often discourages lingering through hostile architecture.
Der großen Form beim Zerbrechen zuschauen
Marc Brandenburg, a Berlin-based artist born in 1965, is the subject of a comprehensive survey exhibition titled "20th Century Debris" at the Berlinische Galerie. The show presents his meticulous pencil drawings on paper, which invert light and dark and are viewed under blacklight to create ghostly, dissolving images. Brandenburg's works fragment urban spaces, faces, and everyday objects into shimmering, unstable forms, drawing on photography and photocopying to produce a sense of eerie stillness and motion. The exhibition also includes his first films, tracing his stylistic evolution from early 1990s fragmented portraits to large-scale panoramic works with metallic surfaces.
Auf High Heels ins Museum
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) closed its newly opened David Geffen Galleries just days after their official debut to host a Dior fashion show. The show, designed by Dior creative director Jonathan Anderson, featured a Cruise collection inspired by Hollywood glamour, with models walking through the museum's outdoor spaces amid vintage cars and historical lamps. The event highlighted the ongoing tension between the museum's architectural ambitions—Peter Zumthor's amoeba-like concrete structure has drawn both criticism and praise—and its use as a venue for luxury brand marketing.
"Die einen schreien Zensur, die anderen Antisemitismus"
A constitutional law scholar, Christoph Möllers, warns in an interview with Die Zeit about the dangerous escalation of cultural policy conflicts, sparked by Documenta 15, where accusations of censorship and antisemitism collide. In Poland, Adam Budak was removed as director of MOCAK in Krakow after just a few months, facing 79 allegations including mobbing and problematic leadership. Meanwhile, the New York spring auctions have launched, and Jason Farago's review of the Venice Biennale in the New York Times criticizes the shift from aesthetic innovation toward identity-driven art. Robin Pogrebin also reports on the merger of the Met and the Neue Galerie, described as a rare convergence of two museum models.
Valie Export, the pioneering Austrian media and performance artist, has died at age 85 in Vienna. Born Waltraud Lehner in Linz in 1940, she adopted the name Valie Export in the late 1960s, derived from a cigarette brand, and became internationally known for provocative works such as "Tapp- und Tastkino" (1968) and "Aktionshose: Genitalpanik." Her practice critically examined gender roles, power structures, and the representation of the female body through film, video, photography, and performance. She participated in major exhibitions including Documenta, the Centre Pompidou, and the Museum of Modern Art, and represented Austria at the Venice Biennale in 1980 alongside Maria Lassnig. She also taught as a professor of media and performance art in Berlin and Cologne, and the VALIE EXPORT Center opened in Linz in 2017.
Wie Tech-Milliardäre Couture zu Content machen
The Met Gala, long considered the premier event for fashion and cultural influence, has become increasingly dominated by tech billionaires. This year, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos purchased their role as co-hosts, sparking protests in New York and raising questions about whether money alone now buys entry into the highest echelons of fashion. Individual tickets cost $10,000 and a table $350,000, with sponsors including OpenAI, Snapchat, and Meta. The event, organized by Anna Wintour to raise funds for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, raised $31 million last year but has transformed from a benefit into a spectacle optimized for viral moments and algorithmic appeal.
Meister der Madonnen und des Marktes
A major exhibition titled "Raphael: Sublime Poetry" has opened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, exploring how the Renaissance master Raphael's work was deeply intertwined with money, prestige, and patronage. The show traces his career from early mentorship under his father and influences from Leonardo da Vinci to his rivalry with Michelangelo, highlighting commissions from wealthy supporters like the aristocrat Elena Duglioli and Pope Leo X, who commissioned Raphael's extravagant tapestries for the Sistine Chapel.
Berlin's cultural senator Sarah Wedl-Wilson resigned on Friday after the Berlin Court of Auditors ruled that millions in funding for antisemitism prevention projects were illegal. The resignation has sparked a political debate, with CDU general secretary Ottilie Klein defending governing mayor Kai Wegner against opposition criticism, while Franziska Stoff of the Berlin Culture Conference demands stability and a reversal of budget cuts. Thomas Fehrle, director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, expressed personal regret over Wedl-Wilson's departure, praising her competence and engagement.
Christie's London will host 'Close Encounters: Figuration, Painting and Landscape in the Arts Council Collection' from 3 to 23 June 2026, in partnership with the Arts Council Collection to mark its 80th anniversary. The exhibition brings together historical works by artists such as David Hockney, Sonia Boyce, Peter Doig, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Michael Armitage, and Claudette Johnson alongside new acquisitions by Christina Kimeze and Vanessa Raw, exploring themes of gender, sexuality, landscape, and Black British women's representation.
The article highlights 34 of the best London art exhibitions to see in May 2026, focusing on three major shows: the V&A's 'Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art', the first UK exhibition dedicated to designer Elsa Schiaparelli; Tate Modern's 'Tracey Emin: A Second Life', the largest retrospective of the YBA artist's 40-year career; and the Design Museum's 'NIGO: From Japan with Love', a retrospective of Japanese creative NIGO spanning over 700 objects. These exhibitions showcase fashion, contemporary art, and street culture, with the V&A show running until November, Tate Modern until August, and the Design Museum until October.
The June 2026 auction news roundup reports a sharp slowdown in the ultra-contemporary art market, with sales of artists under 40 dropping from $306 million in 2022 to just $48 million in 2025—a 47% decline from 2024. Painting dominates 80% of this segment, but top prices remain far below pre-pandemic peaks, with Flora Yukhnovich's $1.73 million work leading. London now holds 26% of the market, ahead of New York's 24%, while Paris lags at 0.9%. Other highlights include a sale of over 150 unseen concert photographs by Patrick Ullman at Quai des Enchères, a record €10.2 million for Henry Taylor, and a €10.2 million Monet record in France at Sotheby's Paris. Ader also offers rediscovered Renaissance and Baroque works by Antonello da Messina and Rubens at Drouot.
The Journal des Arts issue of May 15, 2026, covers multiple art-world stories: the Venice Biennale opening amid controversy, France's final adoption of a law on restitution of colonial-era looted cultural property, the new V&A East museum targeting younger audiences, tensions in Giverny where Monet's legacy does not benefit all, and the structuring of the Nabis art market.
This issue of Le Journal des Arts covers several major art news stories: the opening of the Venice Biennale amid a tense climate, the final adoption of a French law on the restitution of cultural property looted during colonization, the new V&A East museum targeting younger audiences, the uneven economic benefits of Monet's legacy in Giverny, and the structuring of the Nabis art market.
The French Senate has definitively adopted a law on the restitution of cultural property looted during the colonial period, marking a major legislative step in France's approach to colonial-era artifacts. The law establishes a legal framework for returning objects held in French public collections to their countries of origin, potentially affecting thousands of items in museums across the country.
The latest issue of Le Journal des Arts (n°677, May 15, 2026) covers several major art-world stories: the Venice Biennale opening amid controversy, the final adoption of a French law on the restitution of cultural property looted during colonization, the V&A East museum's strategy to attract younger audiences, the uneven economic impact of Monet's legacy on the town of Giverny, and the structuring of the market for Nabis artists.
The Journal des Arts' issue No. 677, dated May 15, 2026, leads with the opening of the Venice Biennale amid a tense climate. Other top stories include the final adoption of a French law on the restitution of cultural property looted during colonization, the V&A East museum's strategy to attract younger audiences, a report on how Monet's legacy in Giverny does not benefit everyone locally, and an analysis of the structuring market for the Nabis artists.
The Journal des Arts' May 15, 2026 issue (No. 677) covers a range of art-world developments: the Venice Biennale opens amid controversy, a French law on the restitution of cultural property looted during colonization is definitively adopted, the V&A East museum targets younger audiences, the town of Giverny struggles to benefit from Monet's legacy, and the market for Nabis artists is becoming more structured.
Le Journal des Arts' issue n°677 (May 15, 2026) leads with the opening of the Venice Biennale amid a tense climate. Other top stories include the final adoption of a French law on the restitution of cultural property looted during colonization, the V&A East museum's strategy to attract younger audiences, a report on how Monet's legacy in Giverny does not benefit everyone locally, and an analysis of the structuring market for works by the Nabis artists.
Bruno Bischofberger, the influential Swiss gallerist and art dealer, has died. Known for his Zurich gallery that represented major contemporary artists, Bischofberger played a pivotal role in the careers of figures like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Francesco Clemente. His death marks the end of an era for the post-war and contemporary art market.
Cécile Debray, president of the Musée national Picasso-Paris, discusses a rare collaboration with galleries to present a three-artist exhibition in Venice during the Biennale. The show brings together Pablo Picasso, Giorgio Morandi, and Claudio Parmiggiani around the theme of the object and still life, highlighting unexpected philosophical and poetic connections. Debray explains how the selection of 14 Picasso works balances iconic pieces with lesser-known ones, including sculptures, to create a dialogue with Morandi's rigorous, serial approach and Parmiggiani's metaphysical art.
The article reports that the contemporary art gallery at the Cathedral of Angers has been well received. It highlights the cathedral's new exhibition space dedicated to contemporary works, marking a notable integration of modern art within a historic religious site.
L’ouverture du Berlin Modern repoussée à 2030
The opening of the Berlin Modern museum has been delayed to 2030 due to construction setbacks and cost overruns. According to German media outlet Monopol, the project has been plagued by humidity issues, including mold, algae, and bacteria on new surfaces, caused by winter dampness, concrete sensitivity, and faulty ventilation. Originally launched in 2019 with a planned opening in mid-2020, the museum's completion has been repeatedly pushed back, with costs soaring from an initial €200 million to over €500 million, making it the most expensive museum ever built in Germany. The building, designed by Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron, is located at the Kulturforum and will house 20th-century art collections from the Nationalgalerie, the Marx Collection, the Pietzsch Collection, and holdings from the Kupferstichkabinett and the Kunstbibliothek.
Bruno Bischofberger, the influential Swiss gallerist who founded his eponymous gallery in 1963, has died at age 86. He was best known for his decades-long relationship with Andy Warhol, securing right of first refusal on all of Warhol's new works after purchasing eleven early paintings in 1968. Bischofberger also represented Jean-Michel Basquiat internationally from 1982 and gave solo exhibitions to a generation of major artists including Julian Schnabel, David Salle, George Condo, and Francesco Clemente. In 2013, his gallery relocated to a former factory in Männedorf, Switzerland, redeveloped by his daughter and son-in-law.
Sur l’île Seguin, le nouveau centre d’art Large dévoile son bâtiment spectaculaire et une première expo tournée vers l’histoire de Renault
On Île Seguin, the new contemporary art center Large unveiled its spectacular building designed by Catalan firm RCR Arquitectes during a press preview on May 21. The center, backed by real estate developer Emerige and its president Laurent Dumas, will open to the public on October 17. Its inaugural exhibition, curated by Cecilia Alemani, explores the history of the automobile and the island's industrial past as the site of Renault factories from 1929 to 1992, featuring works by 55 contemporary artists including Julio Le Parc, Nina Beier, Thomas Bayrle, Mohamed El Khatib, and Giulia Andreani.
À Bâle, plongée dans le grand bain de couleurs d’Helen Frankenthaler
The Kunstmuseum Basel has opened a major retrospective of American painter Helen Frankenthaler (1928–2011), a key figure in Color Field painting who is less known in Europe than her contemporaries Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. The exhibition was sparked by a 2024 donation of Frankenthaler's 1963 painting "Riverhead" from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, and features around fifty works showcasing her signature soak-stain technique, in which she applied thinned paint to unprimed canvas using sponges, brooms, and scrapers. The show traces her career chronologically, highlighting influences from Old Masters and her physical approach to painting on the floor.
Nouveau centre d’art et pépites cachées : un week-end plein de surprises à Bruges
Bruges, the Flemish city known for its medieval charm and UNESCO World Heritage status, has inaugurated a new art center called BRUSK in spring 2026. Located in the museum district, the building designed by Robbrecht en Daem and Olivier Salens features a monumental 350-square-meter fresco by French artist Laure Prouvost titled "The Whispering Walls Rêve," which references the city's past and present. The center also includes a conservation and research facility, with free access to the ground floor. The article proposes a weekend itinerary starting at the Grand-Place (Markt) and highlights Bruges as a hub for contemporary creation alongside its historic treasures.