Nine Fathom Deep charts new course for contemporary art

Nine Fathom Deep, a new gallery in Wellington, New Zealand, is opening its latest exhibition "Soft Cycle" on May 15, 2026. The group show features works by local artists Ruth Thomas-Edmonds, Noa Noa von Bassewitz, and Kate Woods. The gallery, directed by Susanna Bauer, operates on a model that does not seek exclusive artist representation, allowing for a more dynamic exhibition program that focuses on mid-career artists with established practices. Bauer, who has a background as an artist, academic, and arts advisor, emphasizes building genuine relationships, professional integrity, and creating a welcoming space for all visitors.

Boca Raton Public Library Presents “Fine Art Photography & Quote” from Artist Art Jacoby

The Boca Raton Public Library is presenting a new exhibit titled “Fine Art Photography” by artist Art Jacoby, running from June 1 to July 6, 2026, at the Downtown Library. Jacoby, who has been passionate about photography since childhood, focuses on Infrared Photography and Intentional Camera Movement (ICM), and his work has been published in Black and White Magazine and the International Color Awards. The free exhibit features dynamic, emotionally charged images using vivid color and strategic blur.

Australian Indigenous Art Speaks to Contemporary Concerns

The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne, in collaboration with the National Gallery (NGA) in Washington, D.C., has organized 'The Stars We Do Not See,' the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of Australian Indigenous art ever shown outside Australia. Opening in Washington on October 25 and running through March 1, 2026, the show features over 200 works from the 19th century to the present, including 130 of the NGV's most prized pieces by revered artists from across Australia. The title is inspired by late Yolŋu artist Gulumbu Yunupiŋu, known for her celestial mappings, and the exhibition will travel to several U.S. cities and Toronto over two and a half years.

Q&A: Laura Pass Barry

Laura Pass Barry has been appointed the Carlisle H. Humelsine chief curator at Colonial Williamsburg, a role that expands her responsibilities to include leadership of Collections, Conservation and Museums as vice president. Barry began her career at Colonial Williamsburg over 30 years ago as a curatorial intern in folk art, later working as assistant curator to Margaret Pritchard and eventually overseeing the graphics, paintings, and folk art collections. She holds degrees from the College of Wooster and the College of William & Mary.

iris van herpen's colossal body of intricate work on view at the brooklyn museum

Iris van Herpen's exhibition "Iris Van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses" opens at the Brooklyn Museum from May 16 to December 6, 2026, featuring over 140 haute couture creations alongside contemporary art, design objects, and natural history specimens. The show, previewed by designboom, is organized around natural themes from water to planetary scale, with the Dutch designer leading a walkthrough that emphasized her inspirations from micro and macro worlds and her process of turning material experiments into wearable sculptures.

South Fork Bakery Holds Spring Benefit At The Parrish Art Museum

South Fork Bakery held its spring benefit at the Parrish Art Museum on Saturday, May 9. Guests enjoyed music, bites, and signature cocktails while funds were raised to support the bakery's mission of providing meaningful employment for adults with disabilities. The event featured attendees including local officials, board members, and supporters, with photography by Lisa Tamburini.

Why is contemporary art afraid of the present?

Warum fürchtet sich die Gegenwartskunst vor der Gegenwart?

The article critiques the 2024 Whitney Biennial, which emphasizes themes of compassion, vulnerability, and community. It argues that the exhibition feels like a capitulation to reality, failing to confront the rise of contemporary fascism and the political urgency of the present moment.

What the renovation of the Pergamon Museum costs

Was die Sanierung des Pergamonmuseums kostet

The Pergamon Museum in Berlin is undergoing a major renovation with a total budget of €1.5 billion for both construction phases, including cost risks. The Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR) has announced that current projections indicate the overall costs will not be exceeded. Phase A, which includes the hall housing the famous Pergamon Altar, is expected to open on June 4, 2027, with a potential cost increase of up to 5% over the originally approved €489 million. Phase B, covering the Ishtar Gate and Babylonian Processional Way, has seen its cost forecast reduced by €27 million to €722.4 million, with an additional €295.6 million set aside for risks and price increases. The museum will fully reopen only in 2037.

Maximilien Durand reconduit au Louvre

Maximilien Durand, aged 50, has been reappointed for a three-year term as head of the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Arts at the Louvre Museum in Paris. He has been preparing the department's opening since 2022. Durand previously served as director of the Musée des Tissus in Lyon and deputy director of collections at Paris Musées. His role includes overseeing collections, acquisitions, loans, and exhibitions, as well as a national expertise mission. Separately, Sophie Jugie moved to the Musées de France service after her non-renewal as head of the Sculptures department.

Kanal-Centre Pompidou sans tête

Yves Goldstein, the general director of the Brussels branch of the Centre Pompidou, has announced his departure just before the scheduled opening of Kanal-Centre Pompidou on November 28. Goldstein stated that his mission is nearly complete and that the museum's daily management phase requires a different leader. A call for applications will be launched by the board of directors, with the selection made by the board of the Fondation Kanal based on profiles proposed by a jury led by president Michèle Sioen. The new director will face immediate challenges, including negotiating a new management contract with the Brussels Region for 2029-2033 and securing an increased annual subsidy, currently set at €10 million, which is deemed insufficient.

Un agent du Louvre devant le juge

A Louvre agent appeared before a judge. The article, published in Le Journal des Arts on May 2, 2026, covers multiple art world stories including the Whitney Biennial's perceived neutrality, the increasing complexity of art taxation in 2025, a resized project for Bourges 2028 by Yann Galut, a new contemporary gallery at Angers Cathedral, the abandonment of the Frigos artist site in Paris, and auctioneer Hubert L'Huillier's emergency sales.

Five Scottish museum collections awarded national significance status

Five museum collections in Scotland have been awarded national significance status on International Museum Day, bringing the total number of recognized collections in Scotland to 56. The newly designated collections are the Linoleum Collection (managed by OnFife), the Photographic Collection (University of St Andrews), the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design Collection (University of Dundee Museums), the Oakbank Collection (Scottish Crannog Centre), and the Art Collection (University of Stirling). The Recognition Scheme, managed by Museums Galleries Scotland, highlights collections beyond those held in national museums and galleries, spanning from Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway.

All you need to know about world’s highest art biennale 2026 that is set to be hosted in Ladakh

The sā Ladakh Biennale, billed as the world's highest art biennale, returns to Ladakh from August 1-10, 2026, after a previous edition. Held at 3,600 meters above sea level, the event transforms the corridor between Leh and Kargil into an open-air exhibition titled 'Signals from Another Star', curated by Vishal K Dar and Tsering Motup across eight locations including Basgo, Lamayuru, and Kargil. It features 24 artists, including international figures like Jitish Kallat, Anna Jermolaewa, Peter Kogler, and Agnieszka Kurant, alongside local artists such as Tundup Dorjay, Chemat Dorjey, and Stanzin Samphel. Works are created using natural materials like stone, clay, and wool, and are designed to eventually disintegrate, reflecting the fragile ecosystem.

In Kyoto, a photography festival unites artists on society's fringes

Kyotographie, an independent international photography festival in Kyoto, has announced 'The Edge' as its theme for the 2026 edition, following a focus on humanity in 2025. The festival will feature exhibitions exploring fringes, darkness, and extremes of life, including a posthumous show of Fatama Hassona's 'The Eye of Gaza', a focus on South Africa with works by Lebohang Kganye, Pieter Hugo, and a peripatetic library from A4 Arts Foundation, as well as Ernest Cole's 'House of Bondage' at the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art—his first exhibition in Japan. Other highlights include Linder Sterling's survey 'Goddess of the Mind' at the Museum of Kyoto Annex and Anton Corbijn's 'Presence' at the Shimadai Gallery.

Pajaro Valley student art exhibit showcases artistic skills of all grade levels

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District held an opening ceremony for its Annual Art Exhibition at the Watsonville Civic Plaza, showcasing hundreds of works by students from transitional kindergarten through high school seniors. The exhibition, which will remain on display for up to a year, features a variety of media including watercolors, charcoal drawings, photographs, collages, and mixed media, with subjects ranging from local landmarks to portraits of Frida Kahlo and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Art teachers like Itzel Vega of Landmark Elementary School collaborated to curate projects that represent each school, highlighting student creativity and problem-solving, such as first grader Aleyda Carrillo's collage of a crowned brontosaurus.

PRESS RELEASE: OK Arts Council announces historic gift of artworks for the Oklahoma State Art Collection

The Oklahoma Arts Council has announced a historic gift of artworks for the Oklahoma State Art Collection. The donation, described as one of the largest in the collection's history, includes a significant number of works by Oklahoma artists and will be formally added to the state's holdings.

Immersive Van Gogh experience opens in Denver, bringing art to life

An immersive Van Gogh experience has opened in Denver, allowing visitors to step inside the mind of the famed artist through displays of his art, letters, and a projection room where his paintings come to life. The exhibit, organized by Exhibition Hub, combines art, technology, and history to celebrate the 2,100 works Van Gogh created in his short 37 years.

Photography in all its letters, an artistic ABC on display at the MEP

The Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) in Paris is presenting a special exhibition titled "La photographie en toutes lettres" from June 10 to September 13, 2026, celebrating the bicentennial of photography. The show brings together 35 artists, including Nan Goldin, Ralph Gibson, Martin Parr, Sophie Calle, and Frank Horvat, organizing works alphabetically around key words to explore the medium's history, evolution, and thematic diversity.

Los Angeles Sees Cultural Explosion: AI Art Museums, Immersive Exhibits, and Iconic Festivals Set to Redefine US Tourism

Los Angeles is undergoing a major cultural expansion in 2026, with several high-profile museum openings and immersive art experiences set to debut between June and December. Key developments include Dataland 3.0, the world's first dedicated Museum of AI Arts, created by Refik Anadol Studio at The Grand LA; the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, a 100,000-square-foot gallery in Exposition Park designed by MAD Architects; and a new permanent installation by the art collective Meow Wolf. These are joined by recurring events such as LA Pride 2026, Cali Vibes 2026, the German Currents Film Festival, the Hollywood Christmas Parade, and the L.A. County Holiday Celebration, creating a dense cultural calendar.

Art Born of Pain: Frida Kahlo

This article is a promotional piece for the DW English program 'Arts Unveiled,' highlighting several upcoming segments. It announces the start of the 61st Venice Biennale, the world's largest art exhibition, and poses questions about its standout features and art's role in times of crisis. Other segments explore the American Dream as a nightmare on the 250th anniversary of US independence, and feature Indigenous artist Britta Marakatt-Labba, who creates embroidered polar landscapes reflecting Sámi culture.

SMoCA Will Present DESERT PERSPECTIVES Exhibition on Southwest Landscape

The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) will present an exhibition titled "Desert Perspectives" focusing on the Southwest landscape. The show will explore artistic interpretations of the desert environment through works by various contemporary artists.

Experience the Full Breadth of Morandi's Artistic Legacy

The Museum of Art Pudong (MAP) in Shanghai has announced "Giorgio Morandi. Solo," the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of Giorgio Morandi in the 21st century, opening June 17 and running through October 2026. Presented with the Museo Morandi in Bologna, the show brings together over 200 works from 39 institutions and private collections worldwide, including more than 140 original artworks by the Italian painter, with over 120 shown in China for the first time. Highlights include Morandi's only known seascape, one of seven self-portraits, a never-before-exhibited portrait of his sister, and his personal star-wheel etching press on loan from descendants of his friend Francesco Bagnaresi.

Dataland AI museum unveils olfactory art experience

Dataland, the world's first museum of AI arts, has partnered with L'Oréal Luxe to create an olfactory art experience for its inaugural exhibition, *Machine Dreams: Rainforest*. Co-founded by Refik Anadol and Efsun Erkılıç, the museum opens on 20 June in downtown Los Angeles. L'Oréal Luxe has developed 12 unique 'olfactive imprints' that will be diffused through smart devices, responding to artworks and visitor presence. The scents, including 'Scent of Rain' and 'Scent of Data', are drawn from Anadol's Large Nature Model, an open-source AI system based on data from 16 rainforests worldwide. The exhibition runs through 31 January 2027.

yuko mohri tunes into the unseen energies connecting people and objects

Japanese artist Yuko Mohri has created an exhibition where decomposing fruit powers electronic systems, and visitors move through the installations, becoming part of the circulation of energy within the show. The work explores the unseen energies connecting people and objects, blending organic decay with technological interactivity.

Calling Back 11 Forgotten Women Artists: Leeum’s "Inside Other Spaces"

Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul is presenting "Inside Other Spaces: Environments by Women Artists, 1956–1976," an exhibition that reconstructs immersive environmental artworks by 11 pioneering women artists. Originally curated in 2023 at Haus der Kunst Munich and later shown at MAXXI in Rome and M+ in Hong Kong, the show features restored pieces including Judy Chicago's "Feather Room" (filled with 136 kg of white goose feathers), Jung Kangja's "Muchejeon" (restored after 56 years), Lygia Clark's "House Is Body: Penetration, Ovulation, Germination, Expulsion," and Marian Zazila, La Monte Young, and Jung Hee Choi's "Dream House: Environment of Sound and Light" (shown in Asia for the first time).

Due giovani artisti in una mostra a Matera si confrontano sulle tracce della memoria

The article reports on "Remain(s)," a dual exhibition at Momart Gallery in Matera, Italy, featuring young artists Luca Granato and Michela Rondinone. Curated by Antonella Marino, the show explores the aesthetics of fragments and memory through installations, sculptures, and video works. Granato's pieces address loss, migration, and climate change, while Rondinone's works focus on childhood, play, and relational practices. The exhibition runs until May 26, 2026.

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.

Andrew Christopher Green at Galerie Khoshbakht

Andrew Christopher Green presents a solo exhibition titled "Catkins" at Galerie Khoshbakht in Cologne, running from April 17 to May 23, 2026. The show features a selection of works documented through 9 images and 1 video on the gallery's exhibition page, with photography by Mareike Tocha.

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.

Opening Reception | 21st Annual SDSU Art Council Scholarship Exhibition | Athenaeum Art Center

The Athenaeum Art Center in San Diego is hosting the 21st Annual SDSU Art Council Scholarship Exhibition from May 16 to July 3, 2026, with an opening reception on May 16. The exhibition features new work by five graduate and undergraduate students from San Diego State University's School of Art and Design: Andrea Mendoza, Tina Mardan, Todd Bradley, Ana Saad, and Isa Ybarra. Their works explore themes of the body as a site of history, resistance, and reinvention, addressing chronic pain, immigrant memory, queerness, and colonial boundaries through diverse media including painting, metalsmithing, photography, installation, clay, fiber, and printmaking.