Jewyo Rhii: ‘If you don’t die today, you get another opportunity to live’

Jewyo Rhii, a Seoul-born artist from the first generation to come of age during South Korea's dramatic political shifts in the 1980s, has been selected for this year's Korean Artists Today project. Her work, which began as personal explorations of misplacement and survival using ephemeral materials and found objects, evolved around ten years ago into collaborative projects like Love Your Depot (2019), a series of storage-unit-like installations that question the lifespan of artworks. Rhii's practice includes object-oriented performance pieces such as Ten Years Please (2007-17) and Lie on the Han River (2003-06), and she has shown at institutions including the Queens Museum, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul, and the Venice Biennale.

The Pressure to Mean Something: Inside the VCUarts’ MFA Exhibition

The article covers the MFA exhibition at VCUarts, showcasing the work of graduate students in the visual arts program. It highlights the pressure on emerging artists to imbue their work with meaning and the diverse approaches taken by the exhibitors.

At TEFAF New York, Lesser-Known Artists Delight

At TEFAF New York, held at the Park Avenue Armory, the art fair known for its European roots showcased a range of works. Our critic highlights five lesser-known artists who stood out, offering fresh perspectives that cut through the traditional art-world star system.

How Much Art Is Too Much? A Guide to the New York Fairs.

New York City is hosting a wave of art fairs this week, featuring Latin American galleries, world-class photography, and upcycled design. The article highlights seven fairs worth visiting among many, offering a guide to navigate the crowded event landscape.

8 Pavilions That Have the Venice Biennale Buzzing

The article highlights eight standout national pavilions at the Venice Biennale, the world's premier contemporary art event. These include a doll-focused exhibition, a contemplative garden, and a sizzling hothouse, each generating significant buzz among attendees and critics.

A Forum for African Voices Draws Inspiration From a Former Champion

The African Art in Venice Forum is continuing its mission of addressing the continent’s artistic needs, even as it mourns the loss of Koyo Kouoh, a key supporter. The forum, which draws inspiration from a former champion, aims to amplify African voices in the global art scene, particularly during the Venice Biennale.

Route 66, a ‘Linear Museum Stretched Across Eight States,’ Turns 100

Cultural institutions across the United States are launching a series of exhibitions and preservation projects to commemorate the centennial of Route 66. From the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to local galleries along the 2,448-mile corridor, these programs examine the highway's evolution from a vital migration artery to a kitschy symbol of Americana. The initiatives aim to provide a nuanced look at the road’s history, including the experiences of marginalized travelers who relied on the Green Book to navigate segregated landscapes.

Her Museum Was Surviving in Russia. Then the Threats Became Too Much.

Nailya Allakhverdiyeva, the longtime director of the PERMM Museum of Contemporary Art in Perm, Russia, has fled the country following escalating intimidation and a raid by security forces. Despite her efforts to maintain the institution's integrity through strategic compromises and "Aesopian language" to navigate tightening censorship, the pressure became untenable after she was interrogated and her home was searched by the F.S.B. in connection with activist Pyotr Verzilov.

Filipa Ramos takes on 2027 Lofoten Festival

Filipa Ramos has been appointed curator of the 19th edition of the Lofoten International Art Festival, set to take place across the Norwegian arctic archipelago in June 2027. Ramos, a curator and writer who teaches at the Institute Art Gender Nature of the Academy of Art and Design FHNW in Basel, is known for ecologically-focused research that reimagines human-animal-environment relationships. She authored *The Artist as Ecologist* (2025) and is currently organizing the LOOP Festival in Barcelona and the symposia series *The Shape of a Circle in the Mind of a Fish*, created with Lucia Pietroiusti.

Frieze Prize Winners at the 2026 Venice Biennale

Frieze has announced the winners of its prize program at the 2026 Venice Biennale. The prizes recognize outstanding contributions by artists and curators participating in the Biennale, with awards given across multiple categories including emerging talent and innovative exhibition practices. The winners were selected by a jury of international art professionals and will receive financial support and visibility through Frieze's platforms.

Future cultural professionals in Africa will be trained by six Italian museums

I futuri professionisti della cultura in Africa saranno formati da sei musei italiani

The fourth edition of the International School of Cultural Heritage (Scuola Internazionale del Patrimonio Culturale) is underway, with 23 cultural professionals from 12 African nations participating in a hands-on training program hosted by six Italian museums. After online modules and a week of lectures in Rome, the residential phase runs from April 27 to May 22, 2025, placing participants at the Museo delle Civiltà (MUCIV), the Archaeological Parks of Praeneste and Gabii, the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto (MArTA), the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN), the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria (MArRC), and the National Archaeological Museum of Agro Falisco and Forte Sangallo in Civita Castellana. The program, titled "Managing Art Collections: from ancient to contemporary," focuses on collection management, conservation, and public programming, linking archaeological heritage with contemporary practices.

Fair Play Art Fair launches in London with artist-first model offering free exhibition stands

A new artist-led art fair called Fair Play Art Fair will launch in London from October 15–18, 2026, at One Marylebone. Founded by Ryan Stanier, creator of The Other Art Fair, the event offers selected artists free exhibition stands instead of requiring upfront fees, operating on a commission-based model that takes 50% of sales. The fair will run alongside Frieze London and include immersive installations, sound art, dining, and live performances, with a curated selection process overseen by an independent committee.

Southern Guild’s New York moment signals a shift for African art

Southern Guild, a Cape Town-based gallery, opened a permanent location in New York's Tribeca district on Friday, marking a major expansion for the gallery and a milestone for contemporary African art's international visibility. The inaugural exhibitions feature South African painter Mmangaliso Nzuza's "Ballad of the Peacock" and conceptual artist Usha Seejarim's "Used," both on view until May 17. Co-founder Trevyn McGowan described the 371m² space in a historic cast-iron building as both instinctive and strategic, following the closure of the gallery's Los Angeles outpost, which served as a testing ground for American audiences.

This art exhibit takes climate change seriously

Ceramicists Savannah Jacob and Abby Jo Elle are co-curating "Respect Your Mother," a group exhibition at Patina Gallery dedicated to climate change and environmental activism. Opening in honor of Earth Day, the show features works from over 50 artists across various mediums, including sculptures, collages, and paintings, with a strict prohibition on artificial intelligence to emphasize human-centric craft.

Wohin im Westen?

The article guides readers through the Gallery Weekend Berlin in the western part of the city, specifically along Fasanenstraße and Savignyplatz. It highlights classic modern works, major contemporary names, and paintings that oscillate between pathos, poetry, and doubt. The route includes a stop at the gallery of Wolfgang Werner, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary in Berlin, and references the area's long tradition of art dealing, with institutions like the Literaturhaus and auction house Grisebach.

Pahari art show opens in Washington​

A major exhibition of Indian art titled “Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings from India’s Himalayan Kingdoms” has opened at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C. Running from April 18 to July 26, 2026, the show features 48 rare paintings created for Hindu kings in the Pahari region of north India between the 1620s and 1830s. Curators highlight the diversity of styles—from lyrical and naturalistic to boldly colored and abstracted—and emphasize the collaborative nature of the artist communities that produced these works. The exhibition includes pieces acquired from art historian Catherine Glynn Benkaim and Ralph Benkaim, some never publicly exhibited before, alongside loans from the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Four Latin American Voices Around the Montevideo Curatorial Intensive

CUATRO VOCES LATINOAMERICANAS EN TORNO AL INTENSIVO CURATORIAL DE MONTEVIDEO

Independent Curators International (ICI) held the Montevideo Curatorial Intensive in March 2026, in partnership with the ESTE ARTE fair and the Faculty of Arts at the University of the Republic (Udelar). This was the first time the program took place in Uruguay, bringing together twelve emerging curators from Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, and the United States for eight days of seminars, debates, and mentorship. Led by independent curator Marina Reyes Franco, the intensive included visits to local cultural spaces such as CasaMario, SUBTE, and the Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo, as well as a trip to Punta del Este to tour galleries and artist studios. The program featured presentations by international faculty including Ionit Behar, Victoria Noorthoorn, Maya Juracán, and Keyna Eleison, and concluded with a public symposium at the Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales (MNAV).

stella alliance women art collectors global connection

Chimere Cissé and Greta Scarpa founded STELLA Alliance in November 2024, a global community dedicated to uplifting and connecting women art collectors. The platform offers invitation-only workshops, curated Art Drops featuring works vetted by curators and gallerists, and international gatherings from Milan to Abu Dhabi. In an interview with CULTURED ahead of Frieze London, the founders discuss their mission to close the gender gap in art collecting and build a network that prioritizes long-term cultural stewardship over short-term market trends.

Venue of National Centre for Contemporary Arts on Niakrasava Street to Cease Exhibition Activities in June

The National Centre for Contemporary Arts (NCCA) in Minsk, Belarus, has announced that its venue on Niakrasava Street will cease exhibition activities from June 22, 2026. The institution is set to be liquidated, with its premises and collections transferred to the National Art Museum, while the Niakrasava Street space will be taken over by the Belarusian State Academy of Arts. The closure is linked to the newly appointed chairman of the Union of Artists, Andrei Vasileuski, and reportedly supported by the Culture Ministry.

Evanston's Dittmar Gallery Hosts Community Art Exhibition 'I Was Here'

The Dittmar Memorial Gallery in Evanston is hosting 'I Was Here,' a community-driven exhibition running from April 9 to May 3, 2026. Curated by Jasmine Ametovski and Clare Kirwan, the show features 24 local artists utilizing diverse mediums such as sound, video, and beeswax to document their daily lives. The project prioritizes lived experience and personal encounters over traditional, academic studio practices.

This Tokyo exhibition explores the process of curating art for an entire nation

The National Art Center, Tokyo, has opened a major exhibition titled "Curating the Nation: Japanese Art from the 1950s to the Present." The show examines the complex and often contentious process of how Japanese art has been selected, presented, and defined for both domestic and international audiences over the past seven decades.

Is this art Celtic? It’s complicated.

The Harvard Art Museums have launched "Celtic Art Across the Ages," a first-of-its-kind exhibition that challenges traditional Eurocentric narratives focused on Greece and Rome. Spanning from the Iron Age to the modern Celtic Revival, the show features objects like the abstract Heidelberg sandstone head and the bronze Dea Artio sculpture to highlight a visual language defined by ornamentation and deconstruction.

Art month 2026: all the art exhibitions to see in Hong Kong outside Art Basel

Hong Kong's art scene is preparing for a massive influx of programming to coincide with the 2026 edition of Art Basel Hong Kong. Beyond the main fair, major institutions and private galleries across the city—from M+ and the Hong Kong Museum of Art to the gallery hubs in Central and Wong Chuk Hang—are staging flagship exhibitions to capture the international audience.

Louvre closes again due to staff strikes

Staff at the Louvre museum in Paris staged another strike on Monday, January 19, the ninth such action in a month, forcing the museum to close completely for the third time since mid-December. The strike, voted unanimously by 350 employees, concerns pay, working conditions, and infrastructure, with unions demanding salary alignment with other national museums and monuments, and calling for the €666m new entrance project to be dropped in favor of basic maintenance. The closure costs the museum about €400,000 per day, and negotiations with France's culture ministry are scheduled for January 29.

‘Unrealistic’ €600m Louvre redevelopment plans must be scrapped, say striking workers

Staff at the Musée du Louvre staged another walkout on Monday, forcing the Paris museum to close temporarily before partially reopening at noon. The striking workers, representing 350 staff members including curators, unanimously voted for the action, citing concerns over working conditions and infrastructure. They are demanding that director Laurence des Cars scrap her "unrealistic" €666m plan for a new entrance, subterranean complex around the Mona Lisa, and an exhibition hall, arguing that funds should instead be directed toward urgent technical maintenance to preserve the collections. The strike follows a three-day walkout before Christmas and an October theft of crown jewels, which have not been recovered despite arrests.

National Museum of Korea names new director as part of post-election reshuffle

You Hong-jun, a Myongji University art historian and author, has been appointed director of the National Museum of Korea and its 13 provincial affiliates. This appointment is part of a broader reshuffle following South Korea's snap presidential election in June, which brought Lee Jae-myung's Democratic Party to power. Other key appointments include Youn Bummo as president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, and Amal Khalaf and Evelyn Simons as co-curators of the 2026 Busan Biennale, marking the first female duo to curate that event.

New photography exhibit coming to Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in August

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City will open a new photography exhibition in August. The show, organized by the museum's photography curators, will feature works from its permanent collection alongside loans from private collectors and other institutions, highlighting both historical and contemporary photographic practices.

Mindy N. Besaw appointed new director for Eskenazi Museum of Art at IU Bloomington

Indiana University Bloomington has appointed Mindy N. Besaw as the next Wilma E. Kelley Director of the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, effective August 15. Besaw, who brings over two decades of curatorial and museum leadership experience, currently serves as director of fellowships, research and university partnerships and curator of American art at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. She succeeds interim director Mariah Keller and will oversee all facets of the museum's strategy, operations, and engagement, including exhibitions, collections, teaching partnerships, and public programming.

Event Recap: Groundbreaker Private Tour of Seattle Art Museum

Asia Society Seattle hosted a private tour of a major exhibition at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) on June 2, 2025. The two-hour walkthrough was led by Dr. Ping Foong, SAM's Foster Foundation Curator of Chinese Art, who curated the exhibition. The event was exclusive to invited guests, partners, and Asia Society Seattle Advisory Council members, and notably featured the museum's first bilingual tour in Mandarin Chinese.

‘Arte Latinoamericano’ Opens at The Walters with a Full Day of Programming Saturday

The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore opens its first permanent exhibition of Latin American art, titled 'Latin American Art/Arte Latinoamericano,' on May 17. Curators Ellen Hoobler and Patricia Lagarde designed the galleries with accessibility in mind, featuring bilingual children's books, comfortable benches, and sensory elements like incense and musical instruments. The exhibition spans 200 objects representing 40 cultures from North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean, informed by a 12-member community advisory group of local Latino immigrants. The opening day includes a free festival with tours, performances, artist talks, and children's activities, plus a special appearance by Paco the Llama, an ancient effigy vessel turned mascot.