Actress Alba Clemente Tells Her Story in the Theater and Reveals What Lies Behind Her Partenope, a Smoking Siren

L’attrice Alba Clemente si racconta a teatro e svela cosa si nasconde dietro la sua Partenope, sirena fumatrice

Actress Alba Clemente (née Primiceri) recounts her life and career in a theatrical performance titled "Racconto di una vita, anzi tre: ALBAINCLEMENTE," directed by Guido Torlonia. The show, adapted from an earlier piece created with director Andrew Ondrejcak, premiered in Naples and is set to tour Rome and Milan. Clemente reflects on her rebellious youth in Amalfi, her studies at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Naples, and her encounters with artists such as Joseph Beuys, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Alex Katz, and Robert Mapplethorpe. She also describes meeting her husband, internationally renowned painter Francesco Clemente, in Rome on the day Pier Paolo Pasolini was assassinated.

A Venezia sta aprendo un nuovo Palazzo delle Arti e delle Culture grazie alla Fondazione Giancarlo Ligabue. L’intervista

A new Palazzo delle Arti e delle Culture – Collecto is opening in Venice at Palazzo Erizzo Ligabue, a 15th-century palace on the Grand Canal. The initiative, spearheaded by Inti Ligabue (45), son of the late paleontologist and entrepreneur Giancarlo Ligabue, will open to the public from May 7 to May 24, 2026, offering guided tours of a collection of over 400 pieces spanning from 4.5-billion-year-old fossils to contemporary works by artists such as Arcangelo Sassolino, Nico Vascellari, and Giorgio Andreotta Calò. The project builds on the Fondazione Giancarlo Ligabue, established in 2016 from the original Centro Studi founded in 1973, and will feature a residency by artist Marta Spagnoli.

Art world news selected by Artbox on Sky Arte

Le novità del mondo dell’arte selezionate da Artbox su Sky Arte

The new episode of Artbox, a weekly program on Sky Arte airing April 28, surveys current exhibitions across Italy. It features Isaac Julien's show "Museum Dreams" at gres art 671 in Bergamo, running until October 4, where the British artist presents five multi-screen video installations from the late 1990s to today. The episode also covers the exhibition "Etruschi e Veneti. Acque, culti e santuari" at Palazzo Ducale in Venice, exploring water cults through ancient artifacts including recent finds from San Casciano dei Bagni; the show "Giovanni Antonio Bazzi detto il Sodoma. Alla conquista del Rinascimento" at Museo Accorsi-Ometto in Turin; and a profile of Spanish artist Almudena Romero, who uses photosynthesis to create images on leaves. Regular segments include a feature on Symbolism by Maria Vittoria Baravelli and an arts news roundup.

The Milan fair dedicating an entire day to reflecting on the state of Italian art: 8 straight hours of conversations

A Milano la fiera che dedica un’intera giornata per riflettere sullo stato dell’arte italiana: 8 ore filate di conversazioni

The debut edition of Paris Internationale in Milan, scheduled for April 2026 at Palazzo Galbani, will feature a marathon eight-hour symposium titled "Aperto Italia." Organized in collaboration with the Fondazione Nicola Trussardi and curated by Massimiliano Gioni, the event brings together 35 international galleries and a significant roster of Italian artists. The program is designed as a continuous cycle of conversations to address the current state of contemporary art in Italy, paying tribute to the late Flash Art publisher Giancarlo Politi.

Near Parma, the Timeless Elegance of Erté is on Display at Labirinto della Masone

Vicino a Parma c’è l’intramontabile eleganza di Erté in mostra al Labirinto della Masone

The Labirinto della Masone near Parma is hosting a comprehensive exhibition titled "Erté. Lo stile è tutto," showcasing the work of the Russian-born Art Déco master Romain de Tirtoff, known as Erté. The display features a diverse array of drawings, gouaches, models, and sketches, many of which were originally acquired by the late publisher Franco Maria Ricci. The exhibition traces Erté's journey from his aristocratic Russian roots to his rise in Paris as a collaborator of Paul Poiret and a visionary of theatrical and couture design.

Kiss Me, Beneath the Milky Twilight

The article reviews the exhibition "Ahhh! Beije-me" (Ahhh! Kiss me) at Martins & Montero gallery in São Paulo, featuring the late Brazilian artist Hudinilson Jr. (1957-2013). The show presents works from the 1970s and 1980s, including photocopies, stencils, paintings, and personal objects from the artist's apartment, which was closed by his family for twelve years after his death. Highlights include a billboard artwork "Zona de tensão," newly discovered gouache and pastel works on photocopies of Michelangelo's "David," and stencil matrices made from laundry detergent boxes used in street graffiti. The exhibition also incorporates furniture, decorative objects, and photographs by Mauro Restiffe documenting the apartment before its dismantling.

At the Venice Biennale, protests, self-mutilation and rage against Israel and Russia. Is anyone left to talk about the art?

At the 61st Venice Biennale, protests and controversies have overshadowed the art itself. The Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) demonstrated against the inclusion of Israel and Russia, while the Israeli Pavilion became a flashpoint. Artist Belu-Simion Fainaru, presenting his installation "Rose of Nothingness" in a temporary space, complained that he was forced to defend his art's right to exist amid questions about politics rather than his work. The Biennale also saw barricades, strikes, the resignation of the Golden Lion jury, Iran's last-minute withdrawal, and anger directed at the American pavilion over Trump administration policies. The central exhibition, "In Minor Keys," curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, was eclipsed by these events.

Art Leven First Nations And Australian Fine Art Auction Opens This Week - Scoop

Art Leven, a Sydney-based gallery focused on First Nations art, is opening its First Nations and Australian Fine Art Auction and Exhibition, headlined by the private collection of the late Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO and Sir Nicholas Shehadie AC OBE. The exhibition runs from 15–19 May 2026 at Art Leven's new Woolloomooloo gallery, with the live auction on 19 May at Artspace. The sale includes approximately 115 artworks, with 79 from the Bashir-Shehadie collection, featuring works by Balang John Mawurndjul AM, Arthur Boyd, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Albert Namatjira, and others. The collection reflects decades of travel to remote art centres and close relationships with artists, supported by archival material like handwritten notes and early catalogues.

Barber, Heyman @ 11th Sogal auction of modern, contemporary masters

The 11th Sogal art auction, themed “Yemoja,” will take place in Lagos, Nigeria, with a preview from October 29–31, 2025, at Signature Beyond Gallery, followed by an online auction on November 2, 2025. The auction features a diverse lineup of modern and contemporary African artists, including a standout painting by the late modernist Abayomi Barber titled *Yemoja* (1990), which inspired the theme, and Ogbemi Heyman’s *Single Room — A Story of Resilience and Togetherness* (Lot 83). Other notable lots include works by Ben Osawe, Uche Okeke, Soly Cissé, and Clary Nelson Cole, spanning generations and geographies.

Skylands Museum of Art presents Spotlight on the Artist: Massimo Rao

The Skylands Museum of Art in Lafayette, New Jersey, has opened a new exhibition titled "Spotlight on the Artist: Massimo Rao," featuring eight works by the late Italian artist from the museum's permanent collection. The display includes oil and tempera paintings, lithographs, and drawings, such as "Portrait" and "Shelter Made of Ashes & Recollections," and will run through October 2025 in the museum's Sanctuary Gallery. Rao, known for his classic yet mysterious style blending Renaissance influences with Nordic Mannerism and pre-Raphaelite approaches, often depicted surreal, moonlit figures and was called "the Painter of the Moon." Born in 1950 near Naples, he studied art history and architecture, exhibited internationally, and died in 1996 at age 46; his hometown opened a museum dedicated to him in 2012.

A new watercolor by Marie-Désiré Bourgoin acquired by Orsay

Une nouvelle aquarelle de Marie-Désiré Bourgoin acquise par Orsay

The Musée d’Orsay has expanded its collection with the acquisition of a watercolor by Marie-Désiré Bourgoin. The work depicts a somber interior scene featuring an elderly woman in black seated before a commemorative display of the late painter Ernest Meissonier’s personal effects, including his Academician's sword, Legion of Honor insignia, and his final self-portrait on an easel.

Verdun enriches itself with a work by a native son

Verdun s'enrichit d'une œuvre d'un enfant du pays

The Musée de la Princerie in Verdun has acquired a painting by Joseph Christophe, a rare artist originally from the city. The work was purchased from the Versailles-based Galerie Barnabé, which specializes in Old Master paintings.

Johannes Phokela: Exploring Virtue, Contradiction, and Power at the Venice Biennale 2026.

South African artist Johannes Phokela is set to showcase a significant body of work at the 2026 Venice Biennale, building on his recent series 'The Seven Virtues' and 'Original Sin'. Curated under a vision initiated by the late Koyo Kouoh and supported by Eclectica Contemporary, Phokela’s paintings subvert the aesthetics of European Old Master traditions. His works, including 'Fides' and 'Temperantia', utilize Baroque visual languages to critique constructed morality, institutional power, and the performance of virtue.

Guillermo Del Toro Scored a Different Prize at the Oscars: A Rare Frankenstein Painting

Guillermo del Toro received a rare painting of Frankenstein's Monster by the late British artist Josh Kirby as a gift from collaborators during Oscars festivities, despite his film not winning Best Picture. The painting, which depicts Boris Karloff's iconic portrayal, was previously owned by famed horror collector Forrest J. Ackerman and was sourced through a gallery specializing in pop culture art.

The Public Legacy of Gonzalo Díaz

EL LEGADO PÚBLICO DE GONZALO DÍAZ

A collaborative research project, the Gonzalo Díaz Archive, was presented at the National Museum of Fine Arts in early 2025, focusing on the late artist's five-decade connection to the University of Chile. Just before his death in December 2025, Díaz publicly called for the university to safeguard a substantial part of his prolific work, and he was posthumously awarded the university's Rector Juvenal Hernández Jaque Medal. His widow, artist Nury González, will lead a funded project to transform his decades of preparatory notes and sketches into a new artist's book.

Walk through UAE’s first contemporary art exhibition dedicated to the Urdu language

The Ishara Art Foundation in the UAE has launched 'Urdu Worlds,' the region's first contemporary art exhibition dedicated to the Urdu language. Curated by Hammad Nasar, the show features a visual dialogue between the late Indian-born artist Zarina and Pakistani multimedia artist Ali Kazim. The exhibition showcases Zarina’s delicate woodcut prints, including her seminal 'Home is a Foreign Place,' alongside an expansive survey of Kazim’s paintings, sculptures, and his new 'Alphabets' series, marking his institutional debut in West Asia.

Khaled Sabsabi—who had his Australia Pavilion cancelled and reinstated—will also exhibit in main Venice Biennale show

Khaled Sabsabi has achieved a historic milestone as the first Australian artist to be selected for both a national pavilion and the Venice Biennale’s main international exhibition. After a tumultuous period in which his appointment to the Australia Pavilion was cancelled and then reinstated following political controversy, Sabsabi will now present his work 'conference of one’s self' in the Giardini alongside a separate contribution to the central show. Both projects are deeply rooted in Tasawwuf (Sufism) and themes of spiritual enlightenment and communal unity.

Things to do on Wednesday, February 18

A wide array of cultural events are scheduled across Cyprus for Wednesday, February 18. These include the opening of a curated showcase of publications from the late archaeologist Vassos Karageorghis in Nicosia, a contemporary art auction featuring 82 works, a presentation by underwater photographer Sakis Lazaridis, a sold-out theatre performance in Limassol, and numerous ongoing exhibitions in Nicosia, Limassol, and Larnaca featuring both historic and contemporary Cypriot artists.

Amid a wave of global crises, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov’s Ship of Tolerance sets sail again—with added potency

Ilya and Emilia Kabakov's participatory art project *Ship of Tolerance* (2005–present) has been reinstalled at Oakville Galleries on Lake Ontario, near Toronto, opening on 31 May as part of the exhibition *Between Heaven and Earth* (through 20 September). The project, which involves children from diverse backgrounds creating painted sails for a 60-foot wooden boat, has previously traveled to locations including Siwa, Egypt; the Venice Biennale; Sharjah; Brooklyn; Miami; Moscow; and London. Emilia Kabakov continues to lead the project after Ilya Kabakov's death in 2023, and the latest iteration arrives amid global crises including wars, migrant displacement, and US President Donald Trump's threats to annex Canada.

A Gauguin Portrait for Budapest

Un portrait de Gauguin pour Budapest

The Szépművészeti Múzeum (Museum of Fine Arts) in Budapest has acquired a portrait by Paul Gauguin. The painting was part of the collection of André and Françoise Kostolany, which was recently dispersed at auction by De Baecque & Associés in Versailles. The sale saw strong results, particularly for Hungarian paintings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with works by József Rippl-Rónai fetching high prices.

A drawing by Toulouse-Lautrec for Albi

Un dessin de Toulouse-Lautrec pour Albi

The Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi has acquired a rare drawing by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, depicting the intimate daily lives of women in a Parisian brothel. The work, created during the artist's frequent visits to the establishment on Rue des Moulins, captures a candid, non-judgmental moment of modern life, reflecting the artist's commitment to Baudelairian realism.

Print Quarterly Volume XLIII - Number 1 - March 2026

The March 2026 issue of the academic journal *Print Quarterly* has been published, featuring a collection of scholarly articles and reviews focused on the history of prints and printmaking. The contents include new research on artists ranging from Hans Burgkmair and Paul Gauguin to Hiroshige and Aubrey Beardsley, along with obituaries for notable scholars and reviews of recent publications and exhibitions.

Venice Biennale Opens Amid Strikes, Protests and Institutional Rupture.

The 61st Venice Biennale opened in May 2026 amid strikes, protests, and political unrest, rather than celebration. Coordinated by Italian labor groups and transnational coalitions, demonstrators targeted the Biennale's decision to allow participation by Israel and Russia during the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine. The Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) led protests against Israel's participation, while Pussy Riot and FEMEN activists staged a protest outside the Russian pavilion. The Israeli pavilion's relocation from the Giardini to the Arsenale added symbolic weight, with critics viewing it as institutional endorsement. The late curator Koyo Kouoh's vision for the exhibition, titled "In Minor Keys," emphasized tenderness and complexity, contrasting with the volatile atmosphere.

In Minor Keys: The 61st Biennale di Arte Venezia Opens Under Koyo Kouoh (1967–2025).

The 61st Biennale di Arte Venezia opens under the posthumous curatorial vision of Koyo Kouoh (1967–2025), the late Cameroonian-born curator who reshaped contemporary African and diasporic art discourse. The central exhibition, spanning the Giardini and Arsenale, features 111 participants including artists, collectives, and artist-led organizations from across the Global South, with works in textiles, film, sculpture, and performance that interrogate colonialism, migration, and ecological repair. The Biennale is also marked by a pronounced presence of African and diasporic narratives across national pavilions, including several first-time pavilions from the African continent.

1,000-year-old archaeological site bulldozed during construction of Mexico-US border wall

On 24 April, a Department of Homeland Security contractor bulldozed a 1,000-year-old intaglio—a 280ft by 50ft etching in the desert sand—during construction of the US-Mexico border wall in Arizona's Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. The site, sacred to local Indigenous communities including the Hia-Ced O’odham, was part of a UNESCO biosphere and contained over 3,000 petroglyphs. Despite warnings from tribal members and refuge staff, the contractor destroyed a 70ft stretch of the fish-shaped intaglio, which elders and archaeologists describe as an irreplaceable cultural and archaeological treasure.

Historic Monument Honors New York's First Arabic-Speaking Community

New York City unveiled its first commemorative public artwork under Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration on April 30, honoring the historic "Little Syria" neighborhood in Manhattan's Financial District. The monument, titled "Al Qalam (The Pen): Poets in the Park," is a mosaic installation and sculpture by French-Moroccan artist Sara Ouhaddou, created over the past decade. It celebrates nine members of the enclave's literary community, including Lebanese-American poet Khalil Gibran, who co-founded the writers' association Pen Bond in 1920. The $1.6 million artwork sits in Elizabeth H. Berger Plaza, within the blocks where immigrants from Greater Syria settled in the late 19th century before being displaced by tunnel construction in the 1940s.

What Biennials Reveal About the Art World

Ben Davis and Jo Lawson-Tancred of Artnet News have published complementary projects analyzing global art biennials. Davis compiled data from major biennials including Istanbul, Gwangju, São Paulo, Sharjah, and Venice over the past four years, tracking which artists have been shown most frequently worldwide since the 2022 Venice Biennale. Lawson-Tancred examined the upcoming Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys" and curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, comparing the demographics of its artists to previous editions to trace shifts in the global art conversation.

Native Americans Played Dice Games Far Earlier Than Previously Known, Study Shows

A groundbreaking study from Colorado State University reveals that Native Americans in the western Great Plains were using dice for gaming over 12,000 years ago. Researcher Robert J. Madden identified two-sided dice made of bone or wood from archaeological sites in Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico, pushing the known history of games of chance back significantly further than previously recorded.

After a Decade of Delays, a 5th-Century Church in Glasgow Will Become a Museum

The Govan Heritage Trust is moving forward with a $6 million redevelopment of Govan Old, a historic 5th-century church site in Glasgow, following a decade of financial and pandemic-related delays. The project, designed by jm architects, will transform the late 19th-century building into a self-sustaining cultural complex featuring a museum, tourist attraction, and commercial business spaces.

maya train old man sculpture construction mexico

Archaeologists excavating for Mexico's Maya Train project in the Yucatan peninsula have uncovered a 2,000-year-old limestone sculpture of an elderly man, dating to the Preclassic period (2500 B.C.E.–200 C.E.). The 18-inch tall carving, found at the site of Sierra Papacal near Mérida, once marked the entrance of a west-facing ceremonial structure. The sculpture's flat nose, defined lips, and deep eye sockets symbolize wisdom and respect in Maya culture. It will be transferred to a laboratory for conservation and further study.