Seattle Art Museum Workers Move to Unionize

Over 100 employees at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) have announced their intention to unionize, forming Seattle Art Museum Workers United (SAMWU) and affiliating with the Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME Council 28. In a letter to Director and CEO Scott Stulen and the museum board, staff across departments including visitor experience, collections care, curatorial, and education cited unsustainable wages, subpar health benefits, and top-down decision-making as key grievances. They are urging voluntary recognition by May 27 to bypass a formal election, and also call for just-cause job protections. The effort follows a successful 2024 strike by SAM's unionized security guards.

DOGE Cuts to National Endowment for the Humanities Were Unconstitutional, Court Rules

A federal judge ruled that the cancellation of over 1,400 grants by the National Endowment for the Humanities, carried out by Elon Musk's Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), was unconstitutional. Judge Colleen McMahon of the Federal District Court in Manhattan ordered DOGE to rescind the cancellations, finding that the cuts violated the First Amendment and the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment. The lawsuits were filed after the NEH chairman was dismissed and the agency was redirected under President Donald Trump's "America First" cultural campaign, with acting chair Michael McDonald cutting most grants awarded by the previous administration. The cuts, totaling more than $100 million, disrupted research, publications, and humanities programming, and were reportedly flagged using ChatGPT to target grants related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Steel And Shadows Converge in “Larry Kagan: Men”

Louis K. Meisel Gallery in New York City will present “Larry Kagan: Men,” an exhibition of steel and shadow sculptures by artist Larry Kagan, opening May 9 and running through June 20. Kagan, a former engineer turned sculptor, creates intricate steel assemblages that, when lit from a calculated angle, project remarkably detailed shadow images onto the wall, blending material and illusion. The show includes works like “Michelangelo's Adam” (2025) and highlights his career shift from acrylics to metal in the 1980s under the mentorship of Richard Stankiewicz.

Al Padiglione del Giappone della Biennale di Venezia vi affidano una bambola da accudire

The Japan Pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale 2026 features an immersive, interactive exhibition titled "Grass Babies, Moon Babies" by Japanese-American artist Ei Arakawa-Nash. Visitors are invited to care for one of 200 dolls, each with a QR code that provides a "diaper poem" linked to the doll's symbolic birth date—reflecting the artist's personal experience of becoming a father in 2024 and broader social dynamics in Japan. The pavilion, curated by Lisa Horikawa and Mizuki Takahashi, evolves over the seven months of the Biennale as a platform for shared care and participation.

The Ireland Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale Speaks of Dreams and Pays Homage to Aldo Manuzio

Il Padiglione Irlanda alla Biennale Arte 2026 di Venezia parla di sogni e omaggia Aldo Manuzio

The Ireland Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale will present "Dreamshook," a project by Irish artist Isabel Nolan. The exhibition explores dream states and pays homage to the Venetian printer Aldo Manuzio, drawing on the humanist revolution between the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Nolan, who works across sculpture, embroidery, photography, and text, will create new tapestries, drawings, and sculptures that engage with classicism, Christianity, humanism, Irish heritage (including the Book of Kells), and the invention of printing. The project is curated by Georgina Jackson and produced by Cian O'Brien, with support from Culture Ireland and the Arts Council.

At the Venice Biennale there is also Taiwan. With a collateral event on melancholy

Alla Biennale di Venezia c’è anche Taiwan. Con un evento collaterale sulla malinconia

Taiwan will present a collateral event at the 2026 Venice Biennale titled "Screen Melancholy," curated by Raphael Fonseca and featuring artist Li Yi-Fan. The exhibition, organized by the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, will be held at Palazzo delle Prigioni and run until November 22, 2026. It explores anxieties of the digital age through a site-specific installation combining a single-channel video and monumental human sculptures, reflecting on information overload, fragmented perception, and the limits of human knowledge.

72 Hours in Venice: Palazzos, Protests, and a Biennale on the Brink

The article recounts a journalist's 72-hour visit to the Venice Biennale, beginning with a protest by Pussy Riot and Femen at the Russian Pavilion. The action features pink smoke, chants of "Blood is Russia's art," and a guerrilla performance of the song "Disobey," set against a backdrop of internal Biennale strife—including juror resignations over countries whose leaders face ICC arrest warrants (Netanyahu and Putin). The narrative also notes the presence of alt-right figures like Ryan Coyne and sculptor Alma Allen's troubled U.S. pavilion representation.

Basel Abbas & Ruanne Abou-Rahme: Archivists and Activists

New York- and Ramallah-based Palestinian artists Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme present *Prisoners of Love: Until the Sun of Freedom* (2025), an hour-long four-channel film installation at The Bell/Brown Arts Institute in Providence. The work layers psychedelic imagery of figures in nature with spoken and written testimonies from Palestinians formerly detained by Israeli authorities, exploring themes of incarceration, surveillance, and resistance through fragmented montage and poetic text. The exhibition also includes drawings by Abou-Rahme’s father and printed screenshots of reflections on the genocide in Gaza.

Where to see artworks in Marin

This article is a comprehensive listing of art exhibitions and events across Marin County, California, from May through August 2025. It includes details on dozens of shows at venues such as the Belvedere Tiburon Library, Anthony Meier, Blunk Space, Bolinas Museum, Gallery Route One, and many others, featuring works by artists like Carol Thomas, Saif Azzuz, Ian Collings, and Drew Frazier. The listings cover photography, painting, sculpture, and mixed-media exhibits, with opening receptions, artist talks, and benefit events noted.

Alex Israel on finding inspiration in Erewhon, AI as a tool and new show 'Where Is My Mind'

Multimedia artist Alex Israel has launched his first collaboration with Pace Prints, releasing a new suite of 10 archival pigment prints titled 'Where Is My Mind?' The series, part of his ongoing Self Portrait project, features intimate-scale works that incorporate representational imagery within his signature silhouette—ranging from the Hollywood Bowl stage to aerial views of Los Angeles and a California desert scene with an iPhone outline. Each print began as a photograph, translated into paint by the Scenic Art department at Warner Brothers Studio, then scanned and mounted in custom frames. The show coincides with Pace Prints' upcoming expansion into Los Angeles in fall 2026.

Wonder Gallery Debuts in Coney Island With Vintage Photos and Mini Zines

Wonder Gallery, a collaboration between Parachute Literary Arts and the Coney Island History Project, opens May 23 at the History Project's Exhibit Center beside the Wonder Wheel in Coney Island. The seasonal gallery will debut with black-and-white photographs by Brooklyn documentary photographer Anders Goldfarb, capturing Coney Island residents and architecture from the 1970s and 1980s, alongside the launch of the Coney Island Zine Machine featuring miniature zines by Sheepshead Bay artist Kelly Luu. The free gallery will be open weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Major Exhibition Creates World Class Art Trail Across North Yorkshire

An exhibition featuring works by 50 leading contemporary artists will be staged across four venues in North Yorkshire, England, from April to September 2025, as part of the 20th anniversary of the Aesthetica Art Prize. The venues include Skipton Town Hall, the Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate, Scarborough Art Gallery, and Woodend Gallery, with free entry at most sites. The exhibition is a joint venture between Aesthetica and Culture North Yorkshire, the council's culture and archive service, and is divided into four thematic parts: Future(s), Perception, Intervention, and Transformation.

Artist appointed, axed then reinstated from Venice Biennale triumphs

Khaled Sabsabi, a Lebanese Australian artist, presents his installation 'conference of one's self' at the Australia Pavilion of the Venice Biennale, alongside a second work 'khalil' in the main exhibition 'In Minor Keys' curated by Koyo Kouoh. His participation follows a tumultuous period in February 2025 when he was initially appointed to represent Australia, then controversially sacked by Creative Australia's board after a political dispute triggered by Senator Claire Chandler's comments, and later reinstated. Sabsabi is now one of only three artists in the Biennale's 131-year history to show in both a national pavilion and the main exhibition.

Hamed Abdalla | Untitled (1972) | For Sale

Hamed Abdalla's 1972 painting "Untitled" is being offered for sale through Mark Hachem Gallery, listed on Artsy. The work is an acrylic on canvas measuring 92 × 65 cm, hand-signed by the artist, and includes a certificate of authenticity. Abdalla (1917–1985) was a pioneering Egyptian modernist who developed the concept of the "Creative Word," blending abstraction with human forms. His career included exhibitions at Cairo's Museum of Modern Art, the Louvre in Paris, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and his works are held in major institutions such as the Tate Modern, the Barjeel Art Collection, and Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.

Hamed Abdalla | Al Beous, Misery (1961) | For Sale

Hamed Abdalla's 1961 work "Al Beous, Misery" is being offered for sale through Mark Hachem Gallery, listed on Artsy. The piece is an ink on paper from glue relief, measuring 33 × 46 cm, hand-signed, and includes a certificate of authenticity. Abdalla (1917–1985) was a pioneering Egyptian and Arab modernist, known for his "Creative Word" concept blending abstraction and human forms. His career included exhibitions at Cairo's Museum of Modern Art, the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Tate Modern, among others.

Keeping It Simple

On Valentine's Day, the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art in Manhattan, Kansas, opened the inaugural "Kansas Triennial 25/26" exhibition, featuring works by four Kansas-based visual artists: Mona Cliff, Mark Cowardin, Poppy DeltaDawn, and Ann Resnick. The museum engaged young visitors by handing out paper hearts and inviting them to place their heart in front of the artwork they loved best, creating a reflective and participatory experience.

'The Chinese Avant-Garde in Paris' at Alisan Fine Arts, Central, Hong Kong on 22 May–15 Aug 2026

Alisan Fine Arts in Central, Hong Kong, presents 'The Chinese Avant-Garde in Paris' from 22 May to 15 Aug 2026 as part of its 45th anniversary 'Then and Now' programme. The exhibition features works by Zao Wou-ki, Chu Teh-chun, T’ang Haywen, and Walasse Ting—francophone Chinese diaspora masters who blended Chinese cultural roots with post-war Parisian modernism. Highlights include previously unseen ink works by Chu Teh-chun from the 1980s and 1990s, a rare black-and-white canvas by Walasse Ting from 1959, and a major 1970s canvas by Zao Wou-ki. The show anchors the 'Then' component of the programme, with a parallel 'Now' exhibition at Alisan Atelier, both part of the French May Arts Festival Associated Projects.

Why global gallery studies matters now

University College Cork (UCC) has launched an MA in Global Gallery Studies (Online), a two-year part-time programme designed to prepare students for careers in the international gallery sector. Directed by Dr Mary Kelly, the programme combines core modules in global gallery studies, global art histories, and digital arts with practice-based learning, including online fieldwork connecting students with galleries across multiple countries, guest lectures by international gallery practitioners, and a project-led onsite internship in the second year.

Es Devlin invites the UK to become part of a collective digital portrait at the National Portrait Gallery

Es Devlin has launched *A National Portrait*, a participatory digital artwork at the National Portrait Gallery in London, created in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture Lab. Opening on 14 May 2026 and running until 27 October 2026, the project invites anyone in the UK to upload a photograph of themselves via an online platform, where it is transformed into an animated digital portrait inspired by Devlin's charcoal and chalk drawing practice. These portraits are displayed collectively in the gallery's History Makers space, and participants receive a downloadable digital edition of their own portrait. The project is the result of three years of collaborative research between Devlin and Google Arts & Culture Lab.

Realms of the Dharma

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has opened "Realms of the Dharma: Buddhist Art Across Asia," an exhibition on view through July 12, 2026, that brings together approximately 180 Buddhist artworks from its permanent collection for the first time in a single space. Curated by Stephen Little and Tushara Bindu Gude, the show features paintings, sculptures, ritual objects, and sacred texts spanning Asia, including a notable gray schist bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara from Gandhara (c. 200 CE). The exhibition highlights the transformative work of curator Pratapaditya Pal, who from 1970 built LACMA's Indian, Himalayan, and Islamic collections into one of the nation's premier repositories.

‘Art’s Selfish’: Canada Pavilion Artist Abbas Akhavan on What Comes After Venice

Abbas Akhavan, representing Canada at the 2026 Venice Biennale, has transformed the Canada Pavilion into a greenhouse-like installation titled “Abbas Akhavan: Entre chien et loup.” The pavilion’s wooden door has been replaced with glass, revealing a pond of pinkish water illuminated by sunlight and LED grow-lamps. Visitors encounter mossy boulders, a vintage fur coat sprayed with mist, sharpened bronze sticks, and frosted mirrors that blur the architecture. Three giant Bolivian water lilies, grown from seeds sent from Kew Gardens to Padua, will gradually fill the pond over the summer. Akhavan describes his role as a “custodian” rather than a controller, emphasizing the unpredictability of nature.

The National Gallery of Canada, commissioner of Canada's participation in the 61st International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, unveils the exhibition Abbas Akhavan: Entre chien et loup

The National Gallery of Canada has unveiled the exhibition "Abbas Akhavan: Entre chien et loup" for the Canada Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in 2026. The site-specific installation reimagines the pavilion's architecture as a Wardian case, a precursor to the terrarium used to transport plants across the British Empire, featuring a custom pool with giant Victoria water lilies. The artist replaced the facade with glass panels, making the plants visible from outside, and the installation is framed by additional sculptural works. The exhibition is curated by Kim Nguyen and accompanied by a fully illustrated publication.

Exhibition | Naomi Rincón Gallardo, 'Sonnet of Vermin' at Hayward Gallery, London, United Kingdom

Naomi Rincón Gallardo presents her first solo exhibition in London, 'Sonnet of Vermin,' at the Hayward Gallery. The show features her 2022 film following a group of animals from Mesoamerican myths—Bat, Snake, Scorpion, and a choir of frogs—as they navigate dystopian landscapes in Oaxaca, communicating via radio signals and calling for solidarity amid social and ecological devastation. Rincón Gallardo works across video, performance, drawing, and sculpture, weaving cuir/queer resistance, pre-colonial folklore, DIY aesthetics, music, and dance into surreal narratives that critique colonialism and exploitation.

GaHee Park: The Exhaustion of Distance

GaHee Park's solo exhibition "Half-Looking, Half-Seen" is on view at Perrotin New York from April 24 to May 30, 2026. The show presents paintings that destabilize perception, using light and shadow to fragment figures and objects, with works like "Seafood Heaven," "Wetland at Dusk," and "Creeping Shadow" exploring themes of visibility, identity, and temporal collapse. The exhibition marks a trajectory toward Park's institutional debut at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

Hear! Hear! Kimball Art Center’s (Re)sounding

The Kimball Art Center in Park City, Utah, is preparing to open its upcoming exhibition "(Re)sounding" on May 15, curated by Nancy Stoaks. The show explores the relationship between sound and visual art through immersive installations, interactive systems, and soundscape sculptures by artists including Jon Bernson, Christine Sun Kim, Janet Cardiff & George Bures Miller, Yuri Suzuki, Mary Toscano, and Andrew Rease Shaw. The exhibition coincides with the center's 50th anniversary and its ongoing mission to make contemporary art accessible and personal.

"She's Like the Wind"

The article reviews "She's Like the Wind," an annual all-female group exhibition at Deep Space gallery in Jersey City, featuring works by artists Delilah Ray Miske, Leigh Cunningham, and SarahGrace. Miske's painting "Lemon Lime Toe of God" shows only a woman's leg and foot, while Cunningham's oil paintings present figures as blurred forms seen through a translucent curtain, and SarahGrace's textile works depict headless female nudes with suggestive titles like "Provoke" and "Dominate." The show marks a departure from the gallery's typically family-friendly, sex-averse programming.

At Alserkal Avenue’s Deja Vu, UAE galleries find strength in collaboration

Alserkal Avenue in Dubai has launched "Deja Vu," a multi-gallery exhibition bringing together 20 UAE-based galleries at the Concrete venue, running until May 8. Curated by Zaina Zaarour with co-curators Kevin Jones and Nada Raza, the show features works including German artist Michael Sailstorfer's installation of a car fuel tank, reflecting anxieties around fuel prices and geopolitical uncertainty. The exhibition emerged from urgent community meetings after the Iran war disrupted the spring art season, which typically includes Art Dubai and collector visits. Participating galleries include 16 from Alserkal Avenue, plus Nika Project Space, Total Arts at The Courtyard, Tabari Artspace, and Iris Projects, with many works priced under $10,000 to facilitate sales.

Marianne Vitale exhibition and performance in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents "Marianne Vitale: On Liberty: A Summoning," an exhibition and performance project at SPACE gallery in downtown Pittsburgh, running from May 1 to October 11, 2026. Guest curated by Benjamin Tischer of New Discretions, the project explores the layered social and cultural history of the 818 Liberty Avenue building, a former hub of nightlife, performance, and queer gathering. Vitale's work incorporates sculpture, painting, film, and live activations, using decommissioned locomotive parts and industrial debris to engage with post-industrial America. The exhibition transforms into a functioning club during select Final Fridays, drawing on the site's history as home to venues like Pegasus Lounge, a key LGBTQ+ space during the AIDS crisis.

Historic Istanbul exhibition reveals century of growth and creative vision

Yapı Kredi Culture Arts and Publishing has opened a landmark exhibition in Istanbul titled "Imprints on the Century: The Koç Group and the Arts," running until November 29, 2026, at the Yapı Kredi Culture Center in Galatasaray. Curated by YKYM Gallery Director Didem Yazıcı over two years, the show commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Koç Group, tracing its evolution from a small business registered by Vehbi Koç in 1926 to a global industrial conglomerate. The exhibition draws on archives from the Sadberk Hanım Museum, Arter, and the Rahmi M. Koç Museums, highlighting the group's contributions to archaeology, museology, contemporary art, publishing, and theater, including milestones like the first color film in Turkey and the Bauhaus-inspired Küçük Sahne theater.

AIPAD’s 45th Edition Puts New Light on Favorites at Park Avenue Armory

The Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD) held its 45th annual Photography Show at New York City's Park Avenue Armory, featuring 77 exhibitors from North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Australia. The preview night drew a crowd of photography enthusiasts, with highlights including strong representation of Latin American photographers such as Graciela Iturbide, Frida Kahlo, and Tina Modotti, as well as classic New York imagery from William Klein, Joel Meyerowitz, and Richard Avedon. Notable sales included a Lucienne Bloch portrait of Kahlo, which sold within hours of the preview opening.