The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Announces First Exhibitions Curated by George Lucas

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open on September 22, 2026, in Los Angeles's Exposition Park, has announced its inaugural exhibition schedule curated by George Lucas. The museum will showcase a wide range of narrative art, from Americana works by Thomas Hart Benton and Norman Rockwell to documentary photography by Gordon Parks, Dorothea Lange, and Robert Capa, as well as public murals by Diego Rivera and Judith F. Baca. The collection also includes production designs, props, and costumes from the Lucas Archives, alongside illustrations by Frank Frazetta, Maxfield Parrish, and N.C. Wyeth, children's literature art by Beatrix Potter and Jacob Lawrence, and comics and manga by Jack Kirby, Alison Bechdel, and Mœbius.

Watercolor dreams come alive at New Mexico spring show

The New Mexico Watercolor Society is hosting its annual juried Spring Exhibition at Expo New Mexico's Fine Arts Building from May 2 through May 23, featuring approximately 100 watercolors by over 300 society members. The show includes works by artists like Marcia Birmingham, Tom Cassidy, and Junko Nakao, who paint subjects ranging from old grain elevators to historic rail yard interiors and Japanese shrines. The society holds free monthly meetings open to anyone interested in learning watercolor techniques.

Nelson Félix’s Desire for Ascent

Nelson Félix's exhibition "Pedra de Rumo" is on view at Galeria Almeida & Dale, featuring new sculptures in Carrara marble, bronze, and living plants. The show explores themes of orientation and boundary-breaking, drawing on the artist's long-standing practice of mapping extreme geographical points. The title references Portuguese sailors' navigation stones, and the exhibition extends beyond the gallery to include a metal tip and seedling planted at a point determined by lines drawn between the gallery and the Museum of Contemporary Art of USP, where Félix will have another solo show in May 2025.

Korea’s art market grows, but working conditions for entry-level workers do not

A 20-something intern at a small Seoul gallery, identified as Park, accepted a job paying 1.35 million won ($910) per month after taxes—below South Korea's minimum wage—because she believed early experience was essential for career advancement in the art world. The article, based on interviews with the Korea JoongAng Daily, reveals that many entry-level workers face low pay and precarious conditions, exacerbated by a severe oversupply of arts graduates (48,000 annually) versus only about 3,523 job postings per year on the industry site Art More, leading to reliance on personal connections and informal hiring.

Laumeier’s ‘Begin Again: 50 Years and Counting’ exhibit celebrates the sculpture park’s history

Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis County is presenting 'Begin Again: 50 Years and Counting,' an exhibition running from February 7 to December 13, 2026, at the Aronson Fine Arts Center. Curated by Dana Turkovic, the show features works from each decade of the park’s history since 1976, including sketches, photographs, and models that are rarely seen by the public, highlighting the creative processes behind the sculptures. A new installation by visiting artist Juan William Chávez and Kranzberg exhibition artist Kiersten Torrez, titled 'Wak’a Garden,' opened on April 18 as part of Art and Nature Day, made from reclaimed natural materials in an amphitheater-like shape dedicated to plants and pollinators.

Untitled (Second Night), 2021 by Louise Lawler, Dye sublimation print on museum box, 121.9 x 182.2 cm (2)

This article is a promotional description for an art platform that partners with leading galleries to showcase artists, artworks, and exhibitions. It highlights a membership model vetted by industry peers, offering visibility and access to influential galleries, collectors, and auction houses. The piece also mentions a specific artwork by Louise Lawler, "Untitled (Second Night), 2021," a dye sublimation print on a museum box.

A new sensual exhibit from Mexico City is now on display at the Museum of Sex

The Museum of Sex in New York is hosting "The Life Force: Portraits from the Amparo & Manuel Foundation," a new exhibition opening April 23 that brings 45 works from a Mexico City-based collection to the U.S. for the first time. Featuring artists such as Amoako Boafo, Tracey Emin, and Bert Stern, the show explores themes of vulnerability, desire, and the tension between Eros and Thanatos—the life instinct and death drive—through painting, sculpture, drawing, and photography.

Vânia Quintão | Cold Afternoon (2023) | For Sale

Brazilian artist Vânia Quintão is offering her 2023 painting "Cold Afternoon" for sale through Inn Gallery. The acrylic-on-canvas work, sized 70 × 100 cm, depicts a suspended, cool-toned landscape under a diffuse blue sky. Quintão, a self-described cultural producer and fundraiser based in Belo Horizonte, has exhibited internationally including at the Louvre Museum in Paris and won prizes at The Holly Art Exhibition (London) and Art Connects Women (Dubai). The work is hand-signed, includes a certificate of authenticity, and is priced at US$1,500.

GALLERY AN INVITATION TO ENJOY CONTEMPORARY ART IN THE CITY OF BUENOS AIRES

Gallery, a free contemporary art event in Buenos Aires, returns for its first 2026 edition on Saturday, May 16th, connecting over 40 galleries, museums, art spaces, and foundations across the Recoleta, Retiro, and Microcentro neighborhoods. Organized by Arte al Día and Pinta, the event features guided tours led by specialists, live music performances, and special activities at each meeting point. Participating venues include Rolf Art, Vasari, Fundación Klemm, ARTHAUS CENTRAL, Isla Flotante, and others, with support from the Buenos Aires City Ministry of Culture.

Animated Bodies

Animierte Körper

Latefa Wiersch presents her exhibition "Atlas Studios" at the Istituto Svizzero in Rome, featuring unsettling, puppet-like sculptures that resemble film sets. The works explore themes of bodily helplessness, imperfection, and geopolitical displacement, drawing on her earlier project "Hannibal" at the Dortmunder Kunstverein, which addressed post-migrant German realities and the demolition of a housing complex. The new installation references the Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate, Morocco, and the history of cinema, with figures made from rags and nylon stockings that appear as actors or set workers.

Russia and Israel cannot win any prizes at the next Venice Art Biennale 2026. The jury takes a stand

Russia e Israele non potranno vincere nessun premio alla prossima Biennale Arte di Venezia 2026. La giuria prende posizione

The international jury for the 61st Venice Biennale, led by Solange Farkas, has unanimously declared it will not consider countries whose leaders are currently accused of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. This means Russia and Israel are excluded from competing for the Golden Lion awards, including Best National Participation and Best Artist. The jury's statement, published on e-Flux Notes, emphasizes the Biennale's historical role as a platform connecting art with contemporary urgencies and acknowledges the complex relationship between artistic practice and state representation.

Futurity & relationality at art gallery's new exhibition

The Art Gallery of Swift Current is opening a new exhibition titled *Tastatâwâyih* by two-spirit Métis artist Sheri Osden Nault, running from May 22 to August 8. The show features a range of mediums including sculpture, video, photography, and drawings, and explores themes of relationality, community, environment, and futurity. A public reception with the artist will be held on May 22.

Laura K. Sayers’ Vibrant Postage Stamps Celebrate the Beauty of Everyday Moments

Laura K. Sayers creates intricate miniature postage stamps using cut paper, depicting everyday scenes from her home in Scotland and places she visits. Her solo exhibition "The Wee Small Hours" at N. atelier in Glasgow showcases these tiny tableaux, which also include works inspired by her residency at the Fiskars Artist-in-Residence program in Finland. The exhibition runs through this weekend.

ECUADOR UNVEILS KANUA IN THE CANALS OF VENICE

Ecuador has unveiled "Kanua: listening practices," a public program for its pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, launching on May 8 with solar-powered boat tours through Venice's canals. Developed by the anticolonial film collective Tawna in collaboration with the Kara Solar Foundation and curated by Manuela Moscoso, the project features six intimate boat journeys with discussions on extractivism, aqua-feminism, and territorial resistance, involving artists such as Carolina Caycedo, Mariana Castillo Deball, and Tabita Rezaire. The initiative reactivates Tawna's floating Amazonian film festival, which originally brought cinema to remote communities in Ecuador via a solar-powered boat.

BOTERO RETURNS TO SEOUL WITH HIS LARGEST RETROSPECTIVE IN ASIA

Fernando Botero (1932–2023) returns to Seoul with his largest retrospective in Asia, opening this Friday at the Hangaram Art Museum, Seoul Arts Center. Curated by Lina Botero and organized with the Fernando Botero Foundation, the exhibition features over 112 works, several never before exhibited. The show, titled "Fernando Botero: The Triumph of Form," runs through August 30, 2026, and highlights the Colombian master's signature visual language of volume, sensuality, irony, and humanity.

New exhibits start at Public Works Art Center

The Public Works Art Center in Summerville, South Carolina, opens five new exhibitions on May 21 with a reception from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The shows include "GODBODY: THE FEMME," a group exhibition celebrating Black women artists; Amy Stewart's "Intersections" exploring interconnectedness; Nick Cerrato's "Our Society Needs To…" featuring abstract works created with his feet; Sarah Mitchell's "Wildlife in Wool" with needle-felted animals; and the Summerville Artist Guild's annual "All Members Show." During the reception, guild members will create collaborative paintings for sale to benefit the Summerville Rocks Scholarship Fund.

Urban art and music unite Amsterdam and Milan for three days

L’arte urbana e la musica uniscono Amsterdam e Milano per tre giorni

MUROMi, an independent Milan-based company, is launching a special Milan edition of Here&Now, a cultural event originally created in Amsterdam by Tony Ant and Chinny Bond. Taking place May 21–23, 2026, at Spazio Diaz in Milan, the event combines live painting, music, and contemporary urban art, aiming to bring together creatives, brands, and key figures from the Milanese scene. The project is born from a collaboration between MUROMi and the Here&Now community, which is rooted in international street culture and music.

The Italian Way of Symbolism in the Exhibition at the Fondazione Magnani-Rocca

La via italiana del Simbolismo nella mostra alla Fondazione Magnani-Rocca

The Fondazione Magnani-Rocca in Mamiani di Traversetolo, Parma, recently made headlines due to a dramatic theft targeting its permanent collection. Despite the incident, the museum's temporary exhibition spaces remain unaffected, and the show "Simbolismo in Italia" (Symbolism in Italy), curated by Francesco Parisi, continues without disruption. The exhibition aims to update critical discourse on Symbolism, a movement that spread across Europe from the 1880s to the early 1900s and arrived in Italy with a distinct, often tradition-rooted character. It features works by artists such as Cesare Saccaggi, Giulio Aristide Sartorio, and Adolfo Wildt, organized into thematic sections exploring literary sources, mythological landscapes, and the dual nature of femininity.

Maine College of Art & Design Presents the 2026 MFA Thesis Exhibition

Maine College of Art & Design (MECA&D), in collaboration with the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) at MECA&D, presents the 2026 MFA Thesis Exhibition, showcasing the culminating work of nine graduate candidates in the Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art program. The exhibition features artists Abigail G. Cloutier, Harley Ngai Grieco, Molly Knobloch, Stephen Medeiros, Darby Miller, Dylan Ouellette, Caitlin Perrigo, Jonathan Spath, and Isaac L. Stern, working across ceramics, drawings, photography, prints, sculpture, sound, and video installations. The show runs from May 7–16, 2026, at the ICA in Portland, Maine.

A giugno 2026 a Pietrasanta apre il Museo Igor Mitoraj. Opere dell’artista ma anche mostre

The article announces the opening of the Museo Igor Mitoraj in Pietrasanta, Italy, scheduled for June 6, 2026, after several years of delays. The museum is the first space entirely dedicated to the Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj, who died in 2014 and was known for transforming Tuscan marble into works blending classical forms with fragmented, contemporary themes. Designed by OBR, Politecnica, and Studio Lumine, the museum results from collaboration between the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Municipality of Pietrasanta, and the artist's heirs, united in the Fondazione Museo Igor Mitoraj. Frank Boehm, director of the foundation, envisions the space as a research-oriented center that will engage with different artistic languages and contemporary issues, not limited to Mitoraj's work alone.

The Paradox of Contemporary Art: The World Is Violent, but the Works Are Correct and Inoffensive

Il paradosso dell’arte contemporanea: il mondo è violento, ma le opere sono corrette e inoffensive

The article examines a paradox in contemporary art: as the world grows more violent and chaotic, art has become increasingly 'correct,' morally irreproachable, and inoffensive. The author argues that over the past fifteen years, artworks have been judged primarily by their moral and identity credentials, with curators acting as moral gatekeepers and censors. This shift coincides with a period when geopolitics, history, and public behavior have spiraled out of control, creating a strange compensatory dynamic where art is expected to be perfectly controlled and polite while reality grows brutal.

Alphabet of bread and love for animals. Uri Aran's exhibition at the Museo Madre in Naples

Alfabeto di pane e amore per gli animali. La mostra di Uri Aran al Museo Madre di Napoli

Uri Aran's solo exhibition at the Museo Madre in Naples, curated by director Eva Fabbris, explores language, communication, and connection through a range of works including video, sculpture, and an edible alphabet made of bread. The show, titled "Untitled (I love love)" after a video work, invites viewers into a space where meaning is fluid and inclusive, challenging rigid linguistic structures. Key pieces include the video "Untitled (I love you)" (2012), where Aran addresses plastic animals, and "Untitled (Bread Library)" (2025), a bread alphabet that visitors can rearrange to create new messages.

The Works of Alfredo Pirri for the Very First Exhibition of the Polytropon Arts Center in Tuscany

Le opere di Alfredo Pirri per la primissima mostra del Polytropon Arts Center in Toscana

The Polytropon Arts Center, founded by Greek-born architect Maria Papadaki Badanjak, opens its inaugural exhibition "Quello che avanza" featuring works by Italian artist Alfredo Pirri. The venue, a converted former spinning mill located between Pelago and Pontassieve near Florence, hosts the show through June 21, 2025. The exhibition includes 144 cyanotypes created between 2014 and 2017, along with Pirri's "Arie" series in plexiglass, crystal, feathers, and colors. The show is accompanied by a musical program curated by artistic director Andrea Cavallari, with concerts scheduled for May 17 and June 21. Pirri and Cavallari previously collaborated in 2019 at the Museo Novecento in Florence as part of the "Firenze Suona Contemporanea" festival.

At the Baths of Diocletian in Rome, a show by a Chinese artist is a hit. The curator explains why

Alle Terme di Diocleziano di Roma spopola la mostra di un’artista cinese. Il curatore spiega perché

Chinese artist Wu Jian'an (born 1980, Beijing) is the subject of a major solo exhibition at the Baths of Diocletian in Rome, part of the Museo Nazionale Romano. Titled "Metamorphoses. L'arte che trasforma," the show explores connections between Chinese and Italian cultures, as well as broader Eastern and European traditions. Curated by Umberto Croppi, president of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma, the exhibition features works such as the monumental leather installation "The Heaven of Nine Levels" (2008–2009) and the series "The Eternal Cycle – Running Through the Seasons" (2024–2025), which combines intricate paper cutouts, silk, wax, and cotton thread. The artist, who represented China at the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017, was inspired by the ancient Roman spaces, creating a dialogue between his contemporary pieces and the site's classical mosaics and architecture.

Evidence of Evolution at QUEUE Gallery, Miami

QUEUE Gallery in Miami is presenting 'Evidence of Evolution,' a two-person exhibition featuring Fharid LaTorre’s hand-carved wood and metal sculptures alongside Jamieson Pearl’s oil-on-linen paintings. LaTorre’s works, such as 'showing slivers & taking off skin for sake of dopamine layer of diophantine equations' (2026), use scavenged metal and burl wood to evoke surgical transformations and bodily stress, while Pearl’s paintings depict glitch-blocked internet microcelebrities and screenshots from LiveLeak pornos, rendered freehand in distorted blocks. The show runs at QUEUE’s new location above Tunnel Projects in Miami.

F.E. McWilliam Gallery & Studio welcome new exhibition by Shore Collective

The F.E. McWilliam Gallery & Studio in Northern Ireland has opened a new exhibition titled "Threads of Time: Industry, Ecology and the River Bann," presented by Shore Collective, an artist-led group based in Lurgan. The show features work from twenty local artists across painting, textiles, photography, and performance, exploring the River Bann's historical role in Irish linen production, its agricultural significance, and its evolving environmental story. The exhibition runs until July 2026 with free admission.

Otis College’s Annual O-Launch Exhibition Weekend Showcased Work by Graduating Artists and Designers

Otis College of Art and Design held its annual O-Launch Exhibition Weekend on May 15 and 16, 2026, in Los Angeles. The event featured a campus-wide exhibition of graduating student work across all majors, including Animation, Environmental Design, Fashion Design, Fine Arts, Game and Entertainment Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Product Design, and Toy Design. Highlights included an industry preview for employers, an alumni reception, and the Fashion Design program's runway show, which showcased collections from junior and senior students along with mentor projects from brands such as St. John, Vince, Activision, Nike, Vuori, and Wilson Sporting Goods.

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.

New exhibit at Art Museum of Eastern Idaho celebrates region's agricultural identity

A new exhibition titled "Sacred Spaces: Visions of the West from the Prosaic to the Sublime" has opened at The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho in Idaho Falls, featuring works by six contemporary artists—David Dibble, Bryan Mark Taylor, Josh Clare, Allie Zeyer, Louisa Lorenz, and Carson Thompson. The show, curated by museum Executive Director Alexa Stanger, focuses on the agricultural landscapes of the American West, portraying farms, ranches, and working spaces not as scenic backdrops but as living environments shaped by labor, memory, and generational stewardship. It runs through July 3.

Before Language: An Interview with Song E Yoon at Biennale Arte 2026

Song E Yoon's exhibition "Songs Across Time" at Spazio 996/A in Venice, presented as a Collateral Event of the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, pairs her Song E Code with Frédéric Bruly Bouabré's Bété alphabet. In an interview with Kun Sok, Yoon discusses how her work uses dots, intervals, and repetition to create a visual language that exists before conventional meaning, emphasizing bodily encounter, sensation, and the productive role of misreading.