Exhibition | Anna Park, 'Hot Honey' at Lehmann Maupin, London, United Kingdom

Anna Park makes her United Kingdom solo debut at Lehmann Maupin London with 'Hot Honey,' an exhibition of large-scale charcoal works running from April 30 to May 30. The show features Park’s signature fractured, cinematic compositions that explore female archetypes like the 'vixen' and the 'bombshell.' For the first time, the artist introduces shaped supports that turn her drawings into sculptural reliefs, alongside restrained passages of color that heighten the psychological intensity of her social critiques.

Ward Nichols Opening at Wilkes Art Gallery is April 17

The Wilkes Art Gallery in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, is hosting a career-spanning exhibition titled “From Reality to Realism, A Lifetime Perspective,” featuring the works of veteran artist Ward Nichols. The opening reception on April 17 will include a jazz performance and an indoor/outdoor celebration that involves the closure of Ward Nichols Way, a street recently renamed in the artist's honor.

'Reimagine The Familiar - A Pop-up Exhibition' at Alisan Fine Arts, Alisan Atelier, Hong Kong on 26 Mar–29 Aug 2026

Alisan Fine Arts is launching a pop-up exhibition titled 'Reimagine The Familiar' at its Alisan Atelier space in Hong Kong, featuring the work of six contemporary artists. The show focuses on the transformation of everyday materials—including books, traditional garments, currency, and street ephemera—into complex artistic vessels. Featured artists such as Xie Xiaoze, Man Fung-yi, and Wu Shaoxiang utilize diverse media like ceramics, metal lattice, and performance to explore themes of censorship, cultural memory, and economic ritual.

The biggest selling Irish artists – and how to start investing

Art Price's annual list of the world's 500 most saleable contemporary artists features five Irish artists, led by Sean Scully at number 16. Scully's auction record is $2,046,500 for his 1985 painting "Song." The other listed artists are Graham Knuttel (ranked 202), Liam O'Neill (376), and Genieve Figgis (350), with their market performance and notable auction results detailed. The article also cites commentary from independent art advisor Arabella Bishop on each artist's market appeal and investment potential.

London show of Lee Miller photographs is fundraising to save thousands of her negatives

The Lee Miller Archives, established after the American photographer's vast collection was discovered in the attic of her Sussex home following her death in 1977, is raising funds through an exhibition at Lyndsey Ingram gallery in London to conserve up to 60,000 negatives and prints, some nearly 100 years old and in perilous condition. The show, titled "Lee Miller: Performance of a Lifetime" (23 January-25 February), explores the role of theatre and performance in Miller's work from her 1929 arrival in Paris through her WWII photojournalism, with prices starting at £3,800. Proceeds will enable freezing and preservation of the archive stored at Farleys House, where Miller lived with her husband Roland Penrose.

Painting in Space

The article announces "Singing in Unison: Painting in Space," an exhibition curated by Michael David at Art Cake in Brooklyn, running from October 18 to December 7, 2025. It features works from the 1980s and '90s by four abstract artists—Al Held, Frank Stella, Elizabeth Murray, and Judy Pfaff—who each explored the interplay between two-dimensionality and three-dimensionality, flatness and depth, and spatial boundaries in painting. The exhibition includes an opening reception with a cooking performance by Rirkrit Tiravanija and Tomas Vu, a panel discussion, and a closing poetry reading.

Home, belonging, displacement, community: Artes Mundi exhibitions open across Wales

The 11th edition of Artes Mundi, the UK's largest contemporary art prize, has opened across multiple venues in Wales, featuring six international shortlisted artists. The multi-venue format includes a group show at the National Museum Cardiff and solo presentations at Mostyn in Llandudno, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in Swansea, and Chapter Art Centre in Cardiff. Artists such as Jumana Emil Abboud, Antonio Paucar, Anawana Haloba, Sawangwongse Yawnghwe, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, and Sancintya Mohini Simpson explore themes of home, belonging, displacement, and community through diverse media including sculpture, performance, painting, and text-based installation. The winner of the £40,000 prize will be announced on 15 January 2026.

Frieze London diary: a boozy gallery bar, head-turning headlines and talking mice

During Frieze London week, Thaddaeus Ropac gallery hosts Tom Sachs’s "A Good Shelf" exhibition featuring a working coffee and mezcal bar alongside 30 ceramic works inspired by Japanese tea bowls. At the satellite fair Minor Attractions, performance artist Mark McGowan (aka Artist Taxi Driver) displays subverted Daily Mail headlines. Ryan Gander’s solo show at Camden Arts Projects introduces a fourth animatronic mouse that critiques the state of contemporary art. Meanwhile, the Gallery of Everything presents "Ectoplasmix," a show of works depicting ectoplasm, including pieces by František Jaroslav Pecka, Mathew Weir, and Susan Hiller.

As Iraq's economy shows signs of recovery, a thirst for new art is emerging

Iraq's improving economy and security situation, despite regional conflict, is fueling a revival in its art scene. Artists who fled violence are returning, and curators from the Arab region are touring the country. Key initiatives include Tarkib, a Baghdad art platform co-founded by Hella Mewis that offers workshops and exhibitions, and Babil Performance Art, set up by Zurich-based artist Wathiq Al Ameri to focus on performance work. These efforts reflect a generational shift spurred by the 2019 Tishreen protests, particularly among young women.

‘Maintenance Artist’ Highlights Mierle Laderman Ukeles’ Radical, Caring Approach to Public Art

A new documentary titled 'Maintenance Artist,' premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival, profiles New York City artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles, who has served as artist-in-residence at the city's Department of Sanitation since 1977. The film traces her radical practice, which began with her 1969 'Manifesto for Maintenance Art' and includes performances like 'Touch Sanitation Performance' (1980), where she shook hands with all 8,500 sanitation workers, thanking each for keeping the city alive. Ukeles' work elevates overlooked labor—trash collection, street-cleaning—as a form of public art.

Record-breaking female Surrealists spice up underwhelming Christie’s New York sales

Christie’s New York spring sales brought in a combined $489 million across two evening auctions, including the Leonard and Louise Riggio collection ($272 million) and a 20th-century evening sale ($216 million). While sell-through rates were high at 94%, bidding was shallow and several high-profile lots underperformed: a Mondrian estimated at $50 million sold for $47.6 million, a Magritte from the Empire of Light series matched its 2023 price at $34.9 million, and a Lucio Fontana canvas that sold for $14 million in 2017 fetched just $7.5 million. Andy Warhol’s Big Electric Chair was withdrawn last minute amid a reported $10 million gap between seller and buyer expectations. The sales were bolstered by third-party guarantees and came hours after news of a temporary US-China tariff détente.

Group "New Generation" Plans "Art Protest" on Wednesday

Gruppe "Neue Generation" plant "Kunstprotest" am Mittwoch

The activist group "Neue Generation" has announced a week of protests in Berlin under the theme "Revolution Days," promising creative and artistically designed actions. Their activities began with a "protest dance" on the steps of the Reichstag building, leading to three participants being investigated for trespassing. The group has scheduled a "Kunstprotest" (art protest) for Wednesday and a "revolutions attempt in the government district" for Thursday.

Forgers, One-Way Mirrors of the Art Market

Les faussaires, miroirs sans tain du marché de l’art

Anthropologist Monique Jeudy-Ballini has published a new book, "Peintres de l’ombre. Les faussaires à l’œuvre," in which she examines art forgers through an ethnographic lens. Drawing on autobiographical accounts, published interviews, and expert writings—including those of notorious forgers Wolfgang Beltracchi, Eric Hebborn, and Guy Ribes—she explores the motivations and practices of these clandestine figures, arguing that their work involves not only technical skill but also the creation of elaborate narratives and pedigrees for their forgeries. The book is part of the Ethnologiques series edited by Philippe Descola and published by Éditions Mimésis.

Meloni takes control of Italian museums

Meloni reprend en main les musées italiens

Italy’s culture ministry under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has appointed 14 new directors for so-called “second-tier” museums, reinforcing a shift away from the international “super-director” model introduced by the 2014 Franceschini reform. All appointees are Italian except for French director Axel Hémery, who was reappointed at the Pinacoteca di Siena due to his strong performance. The move follows the earlier ousting of foreign directors at top-tier museums, with only two foreign-born directors—Eike Schmidt and Gabriel Zuchtriegel—remaining, both of whom hold Italian citizenship.

Here's how Maurizio Cattelan's telephone confessions ended up

Ecco come sono finite le confessioni al telefono di Maurizio Cattelan

Maurizio Cattelan has launched a new performance project called "Hotline," a telephone confessional service running from April 2 to 22, where anyone could call a toll-free number or send a WhatsApp voice message to confess their sins directly to the artist. On April 23, Cattelan responded in a live-streamed event, symbolically absolving selected participants. The project coincides with the release of limited-edition reproductions of his iconic 1999 work "La Nona Ora" (depicting Pope John Paul II struck by a meteorite), sold through Avant Arte in an edition of 666 miniature resin sculptures priced at €2,310 each, with some given as gifts to participants.

In Shanghai, a spectacular spiral opera house designed by Snøhetta is revealed

À Shanghai, un spectaculaire opéra en spirale conçu par l’agence Snøhetta se dévoile

The Shanghai Grand Opera House, a massive 147,000-square-meter cultural landmark designed by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta, has reached structural completion in the Houtan district. Inspired by the form of a traditional Chinese fan, the building features a dramatic white helical roof that doubles as a public walkway, connecting the urban landscape to the waterfront. The interior, which includes a 2,000-seat main hall and various modular spaces, is currently being finalized ahead of a scheduled opening in the second half of 2026.

The Mysterious Life of Fluxus Dame Alison Knowles

A new book, "Performing Chance: The Art of Alison Knowles In/Out of Fluxus" by art historian Nicole L. Woods, is the first major study of the late Fluxus artist Alison Knowles, who died last fall at age 92. The book focuses on the first two decades of her career (1958–1975), analyzing key works such as her 1962 performance "Proposition #2: Make a Salad" at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts, and her shift from painting to experimental, ephemeral art after being exiled to a basement by Josef Albers at Syracuse University.

Chanel to open major Lina Lapelytė commission at Berlin’s Hamburger Bahnhof.

Lithuanian interdisciplinary artist Lina Lapelytė will present a large-scale sonic installation and performance titled "We Make Years Out of Hours (2026)" at Berlin's Hamburger Bahnhof — Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart, opening May 1st during Berlin Gallery Weekend 2026. The work is the second iteration of the Chanel Commission, with performances scheduled on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays through January 10, 2027, and a public preview on April 30th.

May First Friday 2026: 20+ events, exhibition openings in Lancaster city this Friday

Lancaster city's May First Friday 2026 features over 20 events, including exhibition openings, concerts, and performances. Highlights include a new exhibition 'Hybrids' by artist Jeremy Waak at Curio Gallery & Creative Supply, the Demuth Museum's 'Demuth Invitational: American Reflections' tied to the U.S. 250th anniversary, and the Lancaster Living Poetry Museum II with performers embodying poets at venues like the Lancaster Public Library and Lancaster Art Vault. Other offerings include salsa dancing at Binns Park, works by York County painters at The Framing Concept, and a show inspired by Yayoi Kusama at Friendship Heart Gallery + Market.

Roksana Pirouzmand’s Dual‑Site Meditation on Loss

Roksana Pirouzmand’s dual-site exhibition in Los Angeles, hosted at OXY ARTS and JOAN, features performance-based sculptures and installations that utilize literal erosion to explore themes of loss and displacement. The works include anatomical clay casts of the artist and her mother, which are subjected to water, vibration, and physical interaction, causing them to crack and deteriorate over the course of the show. At OXY ARTS, a kinetic metal floor involves the viewer directly, as their footsteps cause clay hands to collide and break, illustrating the physical impact of movement and presence.

art sagg napoli exhibition champ lacombe london

SAGG Napoli, a multidisciplinary artist who incorporates Naples into her name, presents her latest exhibition at Champ Lacombe in London from March 26 to May 16, 2025. For the first time, her own body is absent from the work; instead, she shows a new sculpture and a film juxtaposing volcanic eruptions of Mount Vesuvius with New Year's Eve celebrations in Naples. The article includes a studio visit interview where Napoli discusses her creative process, her training as a competitive archer, and her concept of 'South Aesthetics.'

parties art production fund 2026 gala ski chalet

The Art Production Fund held its 15th annual gala at the Seagram Building in New York, transforming the venue into a ski chalet fantasy. The event featured performances by Amanda Ross-Ho, including ice skating choreography, and raised over $1 million for public art. Attendees included artists Derrick Adams, Mickalene Thomas, Sanford Biggers, and Marilyn Minter, along with patrons, designers, and cultural figures.

art ivan argote paris studio pigeon

The article profiles Colombian-born, Paris-based artist Iván Argote, focusing on his monumental aluminum-cast pigeon sculpture *Dinosaur* (2024), currently installed on the High Line Plinth in New York. It discusses his broader practice, which includes performance, video, and installation, often addressing themes of power, resistance, and public space. Argote is preparing for his second exhibition at Albarrán Bourdais in Madrid, centered on a civic performance where he fills sidewalk cracks with colored concrete. The piece also includes a studio visit during Paris Art Week, revealing his creative process, team, and personal touches like a stocked champagne fridge.

parties art swiss institute 2025 gala

The Swiss Institute held its 2025 Benefit Gala at the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center, honoring artists Theaster Gates and Andro Wekua, patron Yan Du, Printed Matter (under Executive Director Lesley A. Martin), and the late curator Koyo Kouoh. The evening featured an a cappella performance by Tonewall, a paddle raise, a seated dinner, and an art auction led by Simon de Pury, with works by Chloe Wise and Michèle Sandoz. Attendees included collectors Maja Hoffmann, Eva Dichand, and Carola Jain; artists Chloe Wise, Tschabalala Self, and Sarah Morris; and other cultural figures.

design amalia ulman home

Artist Amalia Ulman shares a personal inventory of 44 objects from her home, ranging from a pigeon-shaped oven mitt and a 1920s Austrian bronze cat figurine to a telephone-shaped lamp bought from a subway vendor and a graphite portrait of her late dog Holga. The list includes quirky functional items like a cane that turns into a stool, a wooden chair that transforms into a ladder, and sentimental keepsakes such as a red pompom from Holga's casket and a bag of gravel from the dog park. The objects reflect her daily life, travels, and memories, blending humor with melancholy.

art diane severin nguyen protest music

Artist-filmmaker Diane Severin Nguyen is preparing for her live-performance directorial debut, "WAR SONGS," premiering at the Performa Biennial in November 2025 at BRIC in Brooklyn. The piece features a cast of musicians performing a wide-ranging program of protest music, from Woody Guthrie to Black Sabbath, led by musical director Laszlo Horvath. Nguyen, known for her films exploring performance and identity, is working with a group that practices being a band rather than an actual band, creating a raw, protean work that blends music, theater, and filmic sensibilities.

Victorien Bornéat : « De l’échec de la démocratisation culturelle est né un sentiment d’exclusion »

Victorien Bornéat has published a manifesto arguing that French cultural democratization policy, rooted in André Malraux's vision of making masterworks accessible to all, has failed. He cites budget cuts by regional presidents Laurent Wauquiez and Christelle Morançais, police raids on bookshops like Violette and Co, and statistical studies showing that working-class audiences still do not spontaneously attend theaters, museums, or opera. Bornéat contends that the policy's emphasis on direct confrontation with canonical works ignored the need for cultural codes and institutional literacy, creating an exclusion that politicians now exploit for electoral gain.

Theater in Paris: Studio Hébertot brings to life the companions of Pablo Picasso, from Fernande Olivier to Françoise Gilot

Théâtre à Paris : le Studio Hébertot fait revivre les compagnes de Pablo Picasso, de Fernande Olivier à Françoise Gilot

A theatrical production titled 'Les Amours de Pablo' is being staged at the Studio Hébertot in Paris until the end of May 2026. The play, created by the Compagnie Bille en Tête, focuses on the intimate and tumultuous relationships of Pablo Picasso, but primarily aims to give voice and substance to seven of his romantic partners, portraying them as complex individuals and artists in their own right.

Matt Mullican at Galerie Thomas Schulte

Artist Matt Mullican has opened a solo exhibition titled "Above and Below the Three Worlds" at Galerie Thomas Schulte in Berlin. The show, which runs from February 14 to April 18, 2026, features new work documented by 41 images on the gallery's site.

Contrast Reigns in Austn Fischer’s Conspicuous Black-and-White Photos

Austn Fischer, a Wisconsin-born, London-based photographer, creates black-and-white images that explore fashion as performance and identity. His work features striking contrasts, such as lace ruffs paired with athletic wear, and he has collaborated with clients like The New Statesman and Crack Magazine, photographing subjects including Ai Weiwei and David Byrne. Fischer describes his process as working backwards, arranging scenes intuitively and later reflecting on their personal significance, especially regarding his sexuality and masculinity.