È morto a 88 anni il grande artista tedesco Georg Baselitz

German painter Georg Baselitz, known for his expressionist works that confronted the horrors of Nazi Germany, died on April 30, 2026 at age 88. Born Hans-Georg Kern in 1938, he grew up amid World War II rubble and became a pioneering, anti-conformist figure of the post-war era, famously inverting his images to force viewers to reconstruct meaning. A major exhibition, 'GEORG BASELITZ – AVANTI!', had just opened on March 25 at the Museo Novecento in Florence, focusing on his graphic works and his ties to the city. Another show, 'Georg Baselitz. Eroi d’Oro', was set to open May 6 at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice during the 61st Venice Biennale, featuring large recent paintings and portraits of his wife Elke.

The New Exhibitions of the Pinacoteca Agnelli and the New Public Works on the Lingotto Park-Track: The Photos

Le nuove mostre della Pinacoteca Agnelli e le nuove opere pubbliche sulla pista-parco del Lingotto: le foto

The Pinacoteca Agnelli in Turin has launched a new exhibition program that includes the first major institutional retrospective in Italy dedicated to Swiss photographer Walter Pfeiffer, titled "In Good Company," running until September 13, 2026. Curated by Nicola Trezzi and Simon Castets, the show features over 100 photographs from the 1970s to today, blending iconic and unseen works that explore queer eroticism, everyday artifice, and collaborative image-making. Concurrently, the museum presents "Modigliani sottopelle. Quattro capolavori" as part of its "Beyond the Collection" series, placing four masterpieces by Amedeo Modigliani—including a loan from the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart and works from the Centre Pompidou—in dialogue with the permanent collection. Curated by Pietro Rigolo and Beatrice Zanelli, the exhibition takes an interdisciplinary approach combining art history, diagnostics, and scientific research, using an algorithm to analyze canvas weaves and propose a new dating for the iconic "Nu couché" acquired by Giovanni and Marella Agnelli in 1960.

What the tenth edition of Art Monte-Carlo fair in the Principality of Monaco will be like

Come sarà la decima edizione fiera Art Monte-Carlo nel Principato di Monaco

Art Monte-Carlo, the boutique art fair in the Principality of Monaco, celebrates its tenth edition from April 29 to May 1, 2026 (preview April 28), under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II. The fair will host 26 international galleries of modern and contemporary art at the Grimaldi Forum, moving to new spring dates and coinciding with the Monaco Art Week (April 27–May 1). Newcomers include Italian gallery Secci, Mitterrand from Paris, A&R Fleury, Cecilia Hillström Gallery, Fabienne Levy, Giovanni Martino Projects, Lee & Bae, Ritsch-Fisch Galerie, and Monegasque galleries Hartford Fine Art – Lampronti Gallery and M.F. Toninelli Art Moderne. Returning exhibitors include Almine Rech, Cortesi, Galleria Continua, Suzanne Tarasieve, Semiose, Van de Weghe, Voena, and Wilde. A curated section features a collective exhibition titled "Earthly Delights," curated by Stefano Rabolli Pansera and inspired by Luis Buñuel, centered on a functioning bar as a conceptual and physical space. The fair also includes a public program and talks with figures such as photographer Juergen Teller, auctioneer Simon de Pury, and collector Batia Ofer, and has moved under the influence of Informa Prestige, the luxury division of events company Informa.

13 modern chair designs that remain utterly timeless

A recent Christie's online auction, 'Modern Collector: Design and Tiffany,' featured a range of iconic 20th-century chair designs that achieved significant sale prices. Highlights included Gaetano Pesce's 'Nobody's Perfect' series chair selling for $6,350, Hans J. Wegner's 'Valet' Chair for $8,255, and a set of four Ludwig Mies van der Rohe MR10 chairs for $5,334.

F.E. McWilliam Gallery & Studio presents 100 Years of British and Irish Art – A Fermanagh Collection

The F.E. McWilliam Gallery & Studio in Northern Ireland has opened "100 Years of British and Irish Art: A Fermanagh Collection," a landmark exhibition showcasing the private art collection of the Earl and Countess of Belmore. Curated by William Laffan and Riann Coulter, the show spans five decades of collecting and features works by Irish painters such as Paul Henry, Norah McGuinness, and Basil Blackshaw, alongside British modernists including David Bomberg and Ceri Richards. The collection, rooted in the historic Castle Coole estate, was shaped by the Belmores' friendships with artists, particularly Enniskillen-born T.P. Flanagan. The exhibition runs until January 31, 2026, with free admission.

A brush with… Tai Shani—podcast

Tai Shani, a London-based artist born in 1976, is the subject of a podcast episode in the "A brush with…" series. She discusses her multidisciplinary practice, which draws on cultural forms, historical events, and theoretical ideas to create fantastical, utopian worlds infused with contemporary political and social themes. Shani reflects on the gendered nature of her mediums, the influence of works like John Everett Millais's *Ophelia* and Valie Export's exhibition at Camden Art Centre, and the revolutionary potential of art in an era of right-wing politics. The episode also covers her upcoming exhibitions: *The Spell or The Dream* at Somerset House (August–September 2025), *Gathering* in London (September–November 2025), a sculpture at Dulwich Picture Gallery's new sculpture park, and her High Line commission in New York, on view through March 2026.

Asian painters were ‘othered’ in Paris a century ago. Now, the art world is taking note

A new exhibition at Singapore's National Gallery, "City of Others: Asian Artists in Paris, 1920s-1940s," highlights the experiences of Asian painters who worked in Paris during the interwar period. These artists, including Le Pho, Sanyu, Tsuguharu Foujita, Liu Kang, and Georgette Chen, faced marginalization and exoticized expectations from European critics, who dismissed their work as either not "Asian" enough or insufficiently Western. Despite these challenges, they produced significant bodies of work blending Eastern and Western traditions.

Congress Moves to Expand Holocaust Art Restitution Claims

The U.S. Congress has passed an extension of the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery (HEAR) Act, a 2016 law designed to help heirs of Holocaust victims recover looted art. The new legislation aims to limit the ability of museums and other current holders to use time-based legal defenses, such as statutes of limitations, to block restitution claims, thereby pushing more cases to be decided on their factual merits.

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.

BUSINESS MONDAY: Spotlight on Art in the Berkshires—now open on Castle Street

Art in the Berkshires, founded in 2024 as an online resource, has opened a physical gallery and studio space at 8 Castle Street in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The venture is led by Shany Porras, an abstract painter and founder who serves as gallery director, aiming to make Berkshire creativity more accessible through artist directories, venue listings, and a weekly newsletter.

Must-see Milwaukee exhibits on view in May 2026 | The Shortlist

The article highlights several art exhibitions on view in Milwaukee in May 2026, curated around themes of graduation and motherhood. Featured shows include Ahmari Benton's solo exhibition 'No Place for Self-Pity, No Room for Fear' at Mitchell Street Arts, Cameron Clayborn's solo show 'That's When Love Swallows You Whole, Right. Now' at Experimental Sculpture Room, the group exhibition 'Mom & Art' at Milwaukee Makers Market, and a youth art exhibition at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Many of the shows honor resilience, identity, memory, and the complexities of motherhood, with some featuring works by artists who have passed away.

Week in art: 0417

The Boulder area is hosting a diverse array of art exhibitions and events across various local institutions and galleries. Highlights include Rodney Carswell’s lithographs at 15th Street Gallery, Jorge Vinent’s eco-conscious works at Ana’s Art Gallery, and the group exhibition "Yes &…" at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. Other notable shows include a historical examination of racism at the Lafayette Swimming Pool and a student showcase from the Boulder Valley School District at the Canyon Gallery.

The Future is Handmade – The Regina A. Quick Center Hosts Community Art Project in the lobby this Season

The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University has debuted "The Future is Handmade," a large-scale exhibition featuring eight female artists with regional ties. Curated by Linda Colletta and organized by the Center for Arts & Minds, the showcase transforms the center's lobby into a vibrant gallery of mixed-media, textiles, and sculpture. The exhibition opened alongside a performance by the dance company BODYTRAFFIC, emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach to community engagement.

Biennale Arte 2026: In Minor Keys

The 61st Venice Biennale, titled 'In Minor Keys,' will proceed as a posthumous tribute to its late Artistic Director, Koyo Kouoh, who passed away in May 2025. Before her death, Kouoh had already finalized the curatorial framework, artist selection, and exhibition architecture during a pivotal meeting at her RAW Material Company in Dakar. The exhibition is scheduled to run from May 9 to November 22, 2026, across the Giardini, Arsenale, and various Venetian venues.

Bing Crosby’s collection brings a white-glove Christmas to Sotheby’s

Sotheby's achieved a white-glove auction of Bing Crosby's personal collection in New York, selling all 100% of lots for $6.7 million against an estimate of $3.9–$6.3 million. Highlights included musical arrangements from Crosby's 1954 film *White Christmas* ($19,050), a Tiffany & Co cigarette box gifted by John F. Kennedy ($15,240), a Sheraton-style grand piano from *High Society* ($95,250), and a Fabergé sapphire mouse ($355,600). Top prices were led by paintings by Sir Alfred James Munnings ($1.2 million) and Charles Marion Russell.

“It’s All in the Details” at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas

The Art Museum of Southeast Texas (AMSET) has opened a new exhibition titled “It’s All in the Details,” featuring approximately 50 works from its permanent collection, many of which have never been exhibited before. The show spans contemporary fine art and Mexican folk art, highlighting intricate techniques and the need for close viewing. Key works include Shawne Major’s mixed-media piece “Syzygy” (2022), Marcelino Eduardo Sánchez Rodriguez’s feather-based “Viva Mexico” (2009), and Mary McCleary’s densely layered collage “The Clouds Grew So Dense, She Couldn’t See” (2015), which had been hanging in the museum’s intern office for years.

Fort Works Art Unveils ‘The Works’ This Fall

Fort Works Art Gallery in Fort Worth, Texas, will present 'The Works,' a group exhibition running from September 6 to October 25, 2025, with an opening reception on September 6. The show features both local and international artists, including Greg Bahr, Rachel English, Jodi Gerbi, Joshua Goode, Alonsa Guevara, Kerri Menchaca, James Razko, Lawrence Schiller, and Jay Wilkinson, with many pieces debuting for the first time across various mediums. The exhibition coincides with the Fort Worth Art Dealers Association’s Fall Gallery Night.

Joan Danziger Retrospective in Washington

The American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center in Washington, D.C., will host the first career retrospective of artist Joan Danziger, titled "The Magical World of Joan Danziger," opening February 7, 2026. The exhibition spans six decades of her work, from abstract paintings to mixed-media sculptures, featuring over 100 pieces including 40 sculptures and 25 works on paper and canvas. A concurrent exhibition, "Ravens: Spirits of the Sky," showcases 24 large glass and metal raven sculptures, many never before exhibited. Danziger, who continues to work daily at age 91, traces her evolution from an abstract painter to a multimedia sculptor, with influences ranging from surrealists to Hieronymus Bosch.

The legacy of the Baghdad Modern Art Group is explored in first major US show

The Hessel Museum of Art at Bard College in New York State has opened "All Manner of Experiments: Legacies of the Baghdad Modern Art Group," the first major US survey of the influential Iraqi collective. Organized by curators Nada Shabout, Tiffany Floyd, and Lauren Cornell, the exhibition brings together 64 works by 30 artists—including Dia al-Azzawi, Jewad Selim, and Mohammed Ghani Hikmat—spanning from 1951 to 2023. Many pieces have not been publicly displayed in decades, and the show draws from private collections and major Arab institutions such as the Barjeel Art Foundation, the Dalloul Art Foundation, the Ibrahimi Collection, and Qatar Museums. The exhibition also addresses the devastating loss of modern Iraqi art during the Iraq War, with an estimated 85% of 8,000 works from the Saddam Arts Centre looted or damaged.

London Gallery Weekend, Brazil’s National Museum, Jane Austen at the Morgan—podcast

The latest episode of The Art Newspaper's podcast 'The Week in Art' covers three major stories: the fifth edition of London Gallery Weekend, which opens amid a sluggish global art market; the National Museum of Brazil's planned partial reopening after a devastating 2018 fire; and the Morgan Library & Museum's new exhibition 'A Lively Mind: Jane Austen at 250', featuring a miniature portrait of the author. Host Ben Luke speaks with gallerists Ananya Mukhopadhyay and Jeremy Epstein about the weekend's potential market impact, interviews museum director Alexander Kellner on the recovery efforts, and discusses the Austen portrait with curator Juliette Wells.

Dozens of Venice Biennale Artists Stage ‘Drone’ Perfomance in Protest of Israel’s Participation

On the opening day of the Venice Biennale, around 60 artists and dozens of other participants staged a protest titled “Solidarity Drone Chorus” at the Giardini entrance, humming a viral song by Gazan composer Ahmed “Muin” Abu Amsha to sonically occupy the space. The action, organized by artists in the main exhibition over several months, protested Israel’s participation in the Biennale and expressed support for Palestine, with participants wearing T-shirts bearing the names and artworks of Gazan and Palestinian artists, many of whom have been killed. The protest follows an open letter from the Art Not Genocide Alliance demanding Israel’s exclusion.

Activist Super-Glues Herself to Display Cabinet at Berlin’s Bode Museum

An activist from the group New Generation staged a protest at Berlin’s Bode Museum by super-gluing herself to a display cabinet containing coins. Dressed as Germany’s Economic Affairs Minister, Katherina Reiche, the protester aimed to criticize the minister's perceived lack of independence from corporate interests. Police successfully removed the activist, and the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation confirmed that no museum exhibits were damaged during the incident.

500-Plus And Just Like That… Items Head to Online Auction

Julien’s Auctions is hosting an online sale featuring over 500 items from the production of the HBO series "And Just Like That…," the sequel to "Sex and the City." The auction includes a wide array of fashion, accessories, and home decor associated with main characters Carrie Bradshaw, Miranda Hobbes, and Charlotte York-Goldenblatt, as well as new additions like Lisa Todd Wexley. Notable lots include Carrie’s hatbox suitcases, Miranda’s wine-red jumpsuit, and various furniture pieces from the characters' apartments, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the foster care charity You Gotta Believe.

underground railroad museum sues trump administration 1234778877

The Underground Railroad Education Center (UREC) in Albany, New York, has filed a lawsuit against the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) following the cancellation of a $250,000 grant. The legal action, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of New York, alleges that the funding was revoked based on race and as part of a broader federal effort to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The center claims this cancellation violates its First and Fifth Amendment rights.

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The Africa Museum in Tervuren, Belgium, a museum dedicated to the country's colonial history in Africa, is at the center of a dispute over access to its historical geological records from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Congolese government and KoBold Metals, a mining company backed by billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, are seeking access to these documents, which detail rich mineral deposits, as part of a deal to digitize them and explore for critical minerals like lithium and cobalt.

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This week's episode of HBO's *Industry* features a watercolor of Neuschwanstein Castle signed "A. Hitler," reflecting the real-world market for Adolf Hitler's amateur paintings. The show uses the artwork as a symbol of inherited wealth and moral ambiguity, mirroring actual auction sales—such as a 2015 Nuremberg sale where a group of Hitler watercolors fetched roughly €400,000, with one version of Neuschwanstein selling for €100,000 to an anonymous Chinese buyer. These works continue to circulate legally in Germany as long as they omit Nazi symbols.

uk announces 1 5 b arts funding package to expand access beyond london 1234770471

UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced a £1.5 billion arts funding package on Wednesday, urging London-based national institutions like the British Museum and the National Portrait Gallery to extend their reach across the country. The package includes £600 million for national institutions, £425 million for a Creative Foundations Fund supporting capital projects at arts venues nationwide, £160 million for local and regional museums, £230 million for the heritage sector, £27.5 million for public libraries, and an additional £80 million for national portfolio organizations. Nandy praised the Royal Shakespeare Company’s outreach as a model and framed the investment as the largest reset in the arts for a generation, comparable to post-World War Two cultural rebuilding.

nefertiti bust egypt zahi hawass demands return 1234768168

Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass has renewed his demand for the return of the ancient bust of Nefertiti from Berlin's State Museums, citing the recent full opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) near Giza as proof that Egypt can properly safeguard its artifacts. The bust, dating to ca. 1351–1334 BCE and discovered in 1912 by German Egyptologist Ludwig Borchardt, has been on display at the Neues Museum since 2009. Hawass, who has shifted his position over time—calling the bust not looted in 2010 but “brazenly stolen” in 2024—argues that Western museums can no longer claim Egyptian institutions lack adequate climate control and display standards.

trump reappoints mary anne carter nea chair 1234767652

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Mary Anne Carter as chair of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) by a 53–43 party-line vote, returning the same political operative to the post she held during Trump’s first term. Carter, who has no professional arts experience and previously worked for the Heritage Foundation (author of Project 2025), was nominated in May amid a tumultuous period when the Trump administration sought to defund the NEA, senior leaders left en masse, and hundreds of arts organizations had promised grants cut or delayed.

uk police seek suspects in high value burglary at bristol museum 1234766186

UK police have released CCTV footage of suspects in a high-value burglary at the Bristol Museum, where over 600 artifacts from the British Empire and Commonwealth collection were stolen on September 25. The stolen items include military memorabilia, jewelry, a carved ivory Buddha, a belt buckle from the East India Company uniform, bronze figurines, and geological specimens, taken from an archive in the Cumberland Basin area. Authorities withheld details until now to aid the investigation, which involves forensic analysis and significant CCTV inquiries.