Art Cologne heads to the beach with revived Mallorca edition

Art Cologne is reviving its satellite fair in Mallorca nearly two decades after a short-lived first attempt in 2007. Scheduled for April 9–12 at the Palau de Congressos de Palma, the new edition features 88 galleries, with a significant emphasis on Spanish and local Balearic participants rather than just German exports. Director Daniel Hug notes that the island’s cultural ecosystem has matured significantly, bolstered by a new generation of young galleries and a growing reputation as a luxury destination.

Gods, emperors and eagles restored in Blenheim Palace roof-rescue mission

Blenheim Palace is nearing the completion of a £12m conservation project, the most extensive in the 300-year history of the UNESCO World Heritage site. Led by Donald Insall Associates, the initiative involved a massive logistical effort, including the construction of 31 miles of scaffolding and a one-acre protective tent to repair rotting timbers, crumbling stonework, and leaking roofs. The restoration also addressed the palace's iconic Baroque skyline, featuring statues of gods, emperors, and a 30-tonne marble bust of Louis XIV.

Milan’s contemporary art credentials further bolstered by arrival of Paris Internationale

Paris Internationale, the influential non-profit art fair, has announced its inaugural Milan edition featuring a lineup of 34 galleries. Scheduled to coincide with Milan Art Week, Miart, and the Salone del Mobile, the fair includes prominent participants such as Jocelyn Wolff, kaufmann repetto, and Sylvia Kouvali. The move signals a strategic expansion for the French organization into a city increasingly recognized for its intersection of art, design, and high-level production.

Irreconcilable differences: Canadian cultural tourism to the US experiences a steep decline

Canadian tourism to the United States has plummeted by more than 30% following a period of heightened political tension, including threats of annexation and the imposition of trade tariffs by the Trump administration. This decline is being felt acutely across the northern border states and major cultural hubs, with cities like Seattle, Detroit, and Portland reporting significant drops in Canadian visitors.

These Ghosts. Clémentine Bruno  by Michela Ceruti

Clémentine Bruno’s artistic practice explores the tension between presence and absence, treating the canvas as a site of temporal layers rather than a flat surface for representation. Her work emphasizes the preparatory stages of painting—the laying of gesso and the construction of supports—allowing images to emerge reluctantly through processes of sanding, veiling, and partial erasure. Recent exhibitions, such as "Educational Complex" at Tonus and "Vision of Fading" at Mendes Wood DM, highlight her interest in how institutional structures and memory maps dictate what is retained and what is forgotten.

Major collection of Indian paintings and calligraphy to be offered at Christie's

Christie's London will auction a major collection of Indian paintings and calligraphy from the Seattle-based collectors Mary and Cheney Cowles on April 28, with an estimated total exceeding £1.5 million. The sale is dominated by Mughal-era works from the 16th to 19th centuries, including a highlight piece from the Fraser Album estimated at £180,000, and features rare examples of "Mughal Occidentalism" where court artists incorporated European motifs.

Chicago: Model City by Mark Acciari

Native Chicagoan architect and artist Mark Acciari reflects on the architectural identity of Chicago from the distance of Mexico City. Using the iconic imagery of a Chicago-style hot dog as a metaphor for the city's construction, he explores how the city's legacy is often reduced to the 'skeleton frame' of early modernism by critics, while ignoring its more playful, symbolic, and postmodernist undercurrents.

Same is More: Parisian Architecture à l’identique by Octave Perrault

Paris is undergoing a wave of architectural preservation and renovation that prioritizes the "à l’identique" (identical) approach, most notably seen in the reconstruction of Notre-Dame Cathedral following its 2019 fire. This trend extends to other major cultural landmarks, including the renovation of the Bourse de Commerce by Tadao Ando and the upcoming multi-year closure of the Centre Pompidou for technical upgrades. The author uses the critical lens of 19th-century writer Joris-Karl Huysmans to question whether this obsession with restoring buildings to a previous state stifles contemporary architectural evolution.

‘The Queen of the Ghetto’ Gave New York’s Immigrant Community a Voice. A Century Later, It’s Re-emerging

Anzia Yezierska, a Polish-Jewish immigrant who arrived in New York in 1890, defied traditional gender expectations to become a leading literary voice of the 1920s. Dubbed the 'Queen of the Ghetto,' she documented the raw struggles of immigrant women on the Lower East Side using a unique 'immigrant English' style that captured Yiddish idioms. After escaping a restrictive marriage and pursuing an education at Columbia University, she channeled her personal frustrations into stories of poverty, ambition, and the psychological toll of assimilation.

Frist Art Museum to Present ANILA QUAYYUM AGHA: INTERWOVEN Starting May 2026

The Frist Art Museum in Nashville has announced the upcoming exhibition "Anila Quayyum Agha: Interwoven," scheduled to run from May 22 through August 30, 2026. This career-spanning survey features two decades of the Pakistani American artist's work, including her signature immersive light installations, drawings, and sculptures. The exhibition highlights major pieces such as "All the Flowers Are for Me (Red)" and the poignant installation "A Flood of Tears (Gathering Storms)," which reflects on the catastrophic 2010 Pakistan floods.

V&A faces calls to become living wage employer on eve of Stratford opening

The Victoria and Albert Museum is facing intense pressure to become an accredited living wage employer just as it prepares to open its high-profile V&A East site in Stratford. A petition coordinated by Organise and Citizens UK has garnered over 21,000 signatures, calling on Director Tristram Hunt to ensure all staff and contractors receive the London living wage of £14.80 per hour. While the museum meets legal minimum wage requirements, campaigners argue that as a publicly funded institution, it must provide a wage that reflects the actual cost of living in the capital.

Pooh in pencil: sketches for original Winnie-the-Pooh book shared for first time

Two previously unseen preliminary pencil sketches of Winnie-the-Pooh by illustrator E.H. Shepard have been revealed to the public for the first time. Shared by the artist’s family to mark the centenary of A.A. Milne’s classic stories, the drawings depict scenes from the "expotition" to the North Pole and the hunt for a "Woozle" that were never included in the final 1926 publication. These rare works are set to go on display at Peter Harrington Rare Books in London starting April 17.

‘A cauldron of people with their tops off!’ Goldie, Estelle, Courtney Pine, Flo and more pick great moments in Black British music

Prominent figures in Black British music, including Goldie, Estelle, and Dennis Bovell, reflect on iconic photographs and visual artifacts that define the history of their genre. The article highlights specific works such as Eddie Otchere’s portrait of drum and bass pioneers Kemistry and Storm, Janette Beckman’s photography of Slick Rick, and Adrian Boot’s documentation of the Race Today offices in Brixton.

‘It was a way of processing violences I’ve survived’: how iconoclastic musician Arca beat burnout with frenzied painting

The acclaimed Venezuelan electronic musician Arca, born Alejandra Ghersi, is transitioning into the visual arts with her first institutional exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London. Titled "Angels," the body of work consists of visceral, heavily textured paintings created using a chaotic mix of oils, acrylics, melted plastic, and latex. Ghersi turned to the physical medium as a therapeutic response to professional burnout, using the permanent nature of painting to process personal trauma and reconnect with the raw creative enthusiasm she felt before her music career became a global profession.

Angela de la Cruz review – wonky chairs and busted pianos are monuments to resilience

Angela de la Cruz's solo exhibition "Upright" at Birmingham's Ikon gallery presents a collection of broken and mended artworks. Her canvases are crumpled, folded, and snapped, while sculptures are assembled from precarious junk like a three-legged chair on a stool and a piano stacked atop another. The works, though appearing on the verge of collapse, are all repaired and propped back up, reflecting a state of post-collapse resilience.

Edward Weston Unveiled: The American Photographer on Display in Turin

Edward Weston senza veli. Il fotografo americano in mostra a Torino

CAMERA – Centro Italiano per la Fotografia in Turin is hosting a major retrospective of the American photographer Edward Weston. The exhibition explores Weston’s mastery of 'straight photography,' showcasing his iconic nudes, still lifes of organic forms like peppers and shells, and sweeping Californian landscapes. Through absolute precision and tonal control, the show highlights how Weston transformed physical matter into timeless, sculptural images that defined a new visual language of the 20th century.

The Sense of Touch at Billboard Scale

Conceptual artist Ann Hamilton has debuted a new series of large-scale scanner photography installations at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Moving from her signature immersive environments to high-resolution digital captures, Hamilton utilizes a flatbed scanner to document the tactile qualities of various objects and figures, enlarging them to billboard proportions to emphasize the intimacy of touch.

A Senegalese Artist Who Crossed Boundaries Others Didn’t Dare

A major exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is dedicated to the work of Senegalese modernist painter Iba Ndiaye. The show, "Iba Ndiaye: The Studio of the World," presents a comprehensive look at his career, tracing his journey from Senegal to Paris and his unique synthesis of global artistic traditions.

Thomas Zipp has died

Thomas Zipp gestorben

The Berlin-based artist Thomas Zipp has died. His gallery, Barbara Thumm, announced the news on Saturday. Zipp, born in 1966, was a professor of painting and multimedia at the Berlin University of the Arts and was considered one of the most significant figures in German contemporary art since the 1990s. His work was shown internationally at venues including the Venice Biennale and museums in New York, London, and Zurich.

Melissa Chiu leaves Hirschhorn directorship for Guggenheim

Melissa Chiu has been appointed as the new director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, effective September 1. She departs the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., where she has served as director since 2014. This leadership transition follows a decade of growth at the Hirshhorn under Chiu’s tenure and marks a significant shift for the Guggenheim’s administrative structure.

Kengo Kuma Architects Chosen to Design New Wing of London’s National Gallery

Kengo Kuma and Associates has been selected to lead the design of a massive £750 million extension to London’s National Gallery, titled Project Domani. The Tokyo-based firm won the commission over sixty-four other competitors and will collaborate with UK firms BDP and MICA to develop the new wing on land currently occupied by a hotel and office complex. The design features a dual-level approach, utilizing vaults and arches on the main floor to harmonize with existing galleries while introducing a modern geometric aesthetic on the upper level.

Keisha Scarville Awarded Brooklyn Museum’s $25,000 UOVO Prize

The Brooklyn Museum has named photographer and multimedia artist Keisha Scarville the winner of its sixth annual UOVO Prize. She will receive a $25,000 unrestricted grant, a public exhibition titled "Where Salt Meets Black Water" at the museum's Iris Cantor Plaza opening May 8, and a commission for a large-scale work on the façade of UOVO's Bushwick storage facility.

Laura Phipps Named Director of Gochman Family Collection

Laura Phipps has been appointed director of the Gochman Family Collection, a private collection focused on contemporary Indigenous art. She joins from the Whitney Museum of American Art, where she was an associate curator, and will oversee the collection's strategic direction and the opening of its new 10,000-square-foot exhibition space in Katonah, New York this fall.

What Made Marcel Duchamp’s Readymades So Revolutionary?

Marcel Duchamp transformed the trajectory of 20th-century art by introducing the 'Readymade,' a concept where mass-produced, everyday objects are elevated to the status of art through the artist's selection rather than manual craft. Beginning with a bicycle wheel in 1913 and a bottle rack in 1914, Duchamp eventually formalized the term during a 1915 stay in New York, where the city's industrial modernity and lack of rigid class structures inspired him to challenge traditional definitions of creativity.

Siri Aurdal, Artist Who Elevated Industrial Materials Into Visions of Shared Humanity, Dies at 88

Norwegian artist Siri Aurdal, known for her pioneering use of industrial materials to create socially-driven sculptures, has died at the age of 88 in Oslo. Born into a prominent artistic family, Aurdal rose to prominence in the late 1960s by repurposing materials like reinforced fiberglass and plexiglass—often sourced from Norway’s oil industry—into modular, interactive installations. Her work frequently bridged the gap between fine art and public utility, manifesting in monumental playground structures and politically charged pieces that responded to global events like the Vietnam War.

Art Collector and ‘Galerie’ Magazine Founder Lisa Fayne Cohen Fawned Over Jeffrey Epstein in Emails: ‘There Is No One Else Like You’

Newly released documents from the Justice Department's Epstein files reveal that New York art collector and Galerie magazine founder Lisa Fayne Cohen and her husband, real estate developer Jimmy Cohen, were in close contact with financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2015 and 2016. The emails show Cohen seeking Epstein's advice and arranging to photograph his Paris apartment for her magazine, which later featured the residence anonymously in its second issue.

This Watch Witnessed the Rise of the Empire State Building. Now It’s Up for Sale

A rare 1929 Patek Philippe wristwatch, originally owned by Paul Starrett—the chairman of the corporation behind the Empire State Building—is headed to auction at Phillips in New York. The Tiffany & Co. signed timepiece was purchased by Starrett during the construction of the iconic skyscraper and features unique floral engravings alongside his initials. It is expected to fetch between $15,000 and $30,000 during the June sale.

This French Castle Is Crowdfunding Its Own Restoration

The Château de Chambord, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the second-most visited castle in France, has launched a €30 million ($35 million) crowdfunding campaign to fund urgent structural restorations. Decades of flooding and drought in the Loire Valley have severely compromised the foundations of the François I Wing, leading to warped walls and a 2023 incident where 20 visitors fell through a collapsing floor. Director General Pierre Dubreuil has initiated a three-phase plan to shore up the masonry, modernize accessibility, and create new educational facilities.

Lost Cecil Beaton and Lee Miller Photos Turn Up in Old Scrapbook

A previously unknown scrapbook containing over 150 unseen photographs by Cecil Beaton and Lee Miller has been acquired by the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Library. Compiled between 1943 and 1949 by Roland Haupt, a darkroom assistant who processed film for both photographers during World War II, the album includes rare war reportage, portraits, and personal mementos. Among the highlights is an unpublished alternative shot of Miller in Adolf Hitler’s bathtub and Surrealist-inflected images of the conflict's aftermath.

These Artists Dominated Auction Sales in 2025

The article presents a data-driven analysis of the top-performing artists at auction in 2025, highlighting specific works and their record-breaking sales. J.M.W. Turner re-entered the top ranks with a $11.9 million sale, while Jean-Michel Basquiat dominated the contemporary category with a $48.3 million result for his painting 'Crowns (Peso Neto)'. Other notable sales included works by René Magritte, David Hockney, and the ultra-contemporary artist Matthew Wong.