Art21 + DOC NYC Filmmaker Celebration
Art21 and DOC NYC co-hosted their third annual Filmmaker Celebration on November 18, 2025. The in-person event brought together over 140 independent filmmakers, producers, and other production professionals who have contributed to Art21's films over the past year, providing a social and networking opportunity at the close of a challenging year for the documentary community.
The 2026 BFA Exhibition at the Krannert Art Museum, featuring work from University of Illinois School of Art & Design students, emphasizes interactivity, inviting visitors to physically engage with the displays. Highlights include Dhanvi Puttur's "The Third Showing," which explores film communities through an interactive prompt, and Venya Naidu's "The Last Maharaja of Mysore," a vibrant piece blending history and vintage advertising aesthetics. The exhibition runs through May 16, 2026, and is free to the public.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's 2025 Costume Institute exhibition, "Costume Art," features 25 mannequins modeled after nine real people with diverse body types and mobilities. Curator Andrew Bolton collaborated with artist Samar Hejazi, who created mirrored faceless heads for the mannequins, and artist Tanda Francis, who modeled features after historical figures like André Grenard Matswa. The mannequins are distributed across two thematic sections: "Disabled Body," featuring individuals such as writer Sinéad Burke, athlete Aimee Mullins, and models Aariana Rose Philip, Antwan Tolliver, and Sonia Vera, along with imagery of the late drag performer Goddess Bunny; and "Corpulent Body," featuring models Jade O'Belle, Charlie Reynolds, artist Michaela Stark, and singer Yseult. The living subjects underwent 3D photogrammetry scanning to recreate their likenesses.
Easton's downtown art scene came alive during the May First Friday event, with multiple galleries opening their doors to the public. At the Zach Gallery inside the Prager Family Center for the Arts, a new exhibition of paintings by Paton Miller was curated by interior designer Jeffrey Parker. The TRA Gallery, run by the Talbot Arts Council, featured a photography show by Steve Waltrich, Mike Miller, and Maire McCardle. Troika Gallery, Easton's original fine art gallery, also participated, with artist Deborah Elville showing her work. Looking ahead, Zach Gallery announced a June 4 solo exhibition by Rhode Island artist Breath Day Wyndham titled "Gathering the Chesapeake," featuring cyanotypes created from flora and fauna collected from the Chesapeake Bay region.
Central Illinois is hosting a diverse array of art exhibitions and cultural displays across several regional institutions. Key highlights include the 18th Annual Peoria Area Juried High School Art Exhibition at the Contemporary Art Center of Peoria and a showcase of works by Richard Kirchgessner. Local galleries and museums, such as the Eaton Studio Gallery and the McLean County Arts Center, are actively engaging the community through student tours and rotating exhibits of area artists.
The Union Hall Gallery in San Diego's Golden Hill neighborhood recently debuted "Gossip," a multidisciplinary exhibition featuring the work of seven local female artists. The opening reception drew over 100 attendees, signaling a strong community interest in local grassroots art initiatives. Additionally, the city is preparing for the upcoming Barrio Logan Art Crawl, a recurring cultural event that highlights the region's creative scene.
Diné artist Eric-Paul Riege has launched his largest exhibition to date, titled “ojo|-|ólǫ́,” at the Henry Art Gallery. The show features large-scale soft sculptures, wearable art, and multimedia installations that reinterpret traditional Navajo symbols like the weaving comb and the hogan. Central to the exhibition is Riege’s rejection of traditional museum barriers; he encourages visitors to touch the tactile, plush works to honor the many hands involved in the production of his materials.
Alfa Art Gallery in New Brunswick, New Jersey, presents "Reflections of the Living World," its Winter 2026 Photography Exhibition running from January 20 to March 21, 2026. The free exhibition features thirteen artists—including Alan Chimacoff, Arik Gorban, Barry Rosenthal, and Jeremy Dennis—whose works explore perception, memory, and storytelling through contemporary photography. The show is available both in-person and virtually, with opening receptions on January 30 and February 6.
Students from Aldine ISD's Impact Leadership Academy will debut their collaborative artwork in the Shared Grounds exhibition, hosted by the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH). The opening takes place on November 18, 2025, at the University of Houston's 3rd Space Art Gallery, featuring large-scale paintings created under the guidance of teaching artist Carlos Mendoza and art teacher Toby McCraw. The works explore themes of place, memory, and the future.
Ugoma Chinelo Ebilah, an economist-turned-curator who founded Bloom Art Lagos in 2010 and the Mbari Kola Arts and Culture Foundation in 2019, is opening Mbari Kola, a private art society and members club in Lagos. Located in the affluent Ikoyi district, the 800 sq. m space will include a public gallery, shop, and garden, along with a private lounge, terrace, library, and multifunctional rooms for members. The venue will host exhibitions, residencies, film screenings, concerts, performances, and readings, focusing on pan-African art and culture. A soft launch for founding members is set for Africa Day (25 May), with further phases after summer and during Lagos Art Week in November. The club is part-funded by Ebilah and crowdfunded through around 50 founding patrons and members.
The IFPDA Foundation held its annual benefit at Christie's, celebrating printmaking with an evening of conversation and the second annual Studio Visit initiative. The event featured a discussion between artist Ana Benaroya and Leslie-Lohman Museum Associate Director Judy Giera on printmaking and queer contributions to the medium, with attendees including artists, curators, and collectors. The Studio Visit sale, offering access to artists' studios, runs through October 24.
The Dalmore whisky distillery hosted a private panel discussion in San Francisco, featuring architect Ben Dobbin of Foster + Partners and artist Sarah Meyohas, moderated by CULTURED Executive Editor Mara Veitch. The event, held at Studio at Mission Rock, brought together local gallerists, designers, and art enthusiasts to explore the intersection of fine art, architecture, and commercial practice. Dobbin was recently selected for the third iteration of The Dalmore's Luminary series, collaborating with master distillers to create limited edition whiskies housed in his custom bronze sculpture and bespoke case.
The Austrian group Gelitin has opened a new exhibition titled "All for All" at Perrotin gallery in New York. The show continues the group's long-term exploration of artworks as social forms, focusing on building chosen families and temporary publics through their collaborative practice.
The Newport Art Museum is set to host "Voices of Springboard" on April 16, a moderated panel discussion featuring four artists from its current members' juried exhibition. Led by juror and art consultant Julie Keyes, the event features artists Karin Gielen, Tas Mahr, Saberah S. Malik, and Janice Smyth. The discussion will explore the transition from emerging to professional status, the impact of branding on artistic careers, and how contemporary practices engage with historical museum collections.
Alexandria Contemporary Art Days launches from October 9th to 16th, 2025, transforming the Egyptian city into an open-air gallery. The festival features site-specific works by local and international artists across venues including the French Institute, Behna Warehouse, El Garage Cultural Space, and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Highlights include a performance connecting breath and sound by dancer Salma Salem and trombonist Simon Petermann, a drawing-based installation by Mohamed Adel Dessouki, and Tiana Kader's evolving participatory installation 'The House of the Fat Lady'. The programme also includes exhibitions, live performances, workshops, talks, and guided walks such as 'Art on Foot'.
Contemporary Art Month (CAM) in San Antonio has announced the open call for its 40th anniversary CAM Perennial exhibition, inviting Texas artists to apply. The 2026 edition will be curated by Casie Lomeli and Leslie Moody Castro, both CAM Board Members, and will take place citywide at multiple artist-run spaces during March. The exhibition is not limited to local artists; past Perennial curators will also nominate artists from cities including El Paso, Dallas, Las Cruces, and Mexico City. Studio visits are planned for fall 2025, and the application deadline is September 26.
A wave of independent, artist-run galleries is emerging across North Texas, operating out of unconventional spaces like houses, lofts, and apartments. Notable examples include PRP (Permanent Research Project) in a little white house in Trinity Groves, Nature of Things in a Deep Ellum loft, and 2 BED 1 BATH in an Oak Cliff apartment. These venues often face precarious funding and zoning issues, yet they persist, with some like 500X operating since 1978 and PRP for a decade. Recent exhibitions have addressed themes such as the treatment of bodies in visual culture and political commentary, including a protest show after the University of North Texas shut down an exhibition critical of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The article promotes taking mothers to art museums and galleries for Mother's Day weekend, highlighting several venues in the Lowell, Massachusetts area. It features the Fitchburg Art Museum's centennial free admission, with events including a curator talk, a members' mixer with artist Tara Sellios, and a drumming workshop. The New England Quilt Museum in Lowell offers a storytelling event with An Marshal and Luana Rubin tied to its exhibition "Soul Stories: Threads of Existence." The Whistler House Museum of Art is noted for being featured in Artscope Magazine, and the 21st annual Doors Open Lowell event provides access to historic buildings, alongside an opening reception at the Arts League of Lowell Arts Gallery.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's 2026 Costume Institute exhibition, titled "Costume Art," will feature special mannequins with mirrored steel heads created by Toronto-born, Dubai-based artist Samar Hejazi. The mannequins, designed in collaboration with Curator in Charge Andrew Bolton, represent differently sized and abled bodies and replace traditional faces with reflective surfaces to disrupt the conventional presentation of fashion. Hejazi attended the Met Gala wearing a gown by Palestinian designer Zaid Farouki and described the project as a meaningful collaboration aimed at fostering empathy and self-reflection.
The Clay Studio has organized "Radical Americana," a sprawling exhibition series featuring 45 artists across 22 sites in the Philadelphia area. Curated by Jennifer Zwilling, the project includes a central "welcome hub" at The Clay Studio and 25 satellite exhibitions at venues such as the Museum for Art in Wood, Cliveden, and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Artists were prompted to reflect on the Declaration of Independence and envision a better future, resulting in works that explore feminism, social justice, and LGBTQ rights through media including ceramics, wood, fiber, metal, glass, paper, and bookmaking. Notable participant Roberto Lugo presents "American Crib: What's Happening?" at The Clay Studio, blending Puerto Rican heritage with historical references.
CARE Gallery, a new visual arts initiative by the Care Center of New Jersey (CCNJ), is set to open in Rockaway Township this spring. The gallery will debut on May 2, 2026, with an inaugural solo exhibition titled “Gift of Grace: The Art of Cedric Michael Cox,” featuring over 20 large-scale works that blend surrealism, abstraction, and rhythmic geometry.
The Trenton City Museum has launched the call for entries for the 43rd Ellarslie Open, appointing Adam Welch as the juror for the 2026 edition. Welch, the Executive Director of the Arts Council of Princeton and a former lecturer at Princeton University, will oversee the selection process for the prestigious regional showcase. Artists from the New Jersey and Pennsylvania areas are invited to submit digital entries through May 6, with the final exhibition scheduled to open on June 6 at the historic Ellarslie Mansion.
Fourteen Korean collectors have formed a collective called Arche II to jointly acquire and display works by world-renowned artists in Daejeon, a city 140 km from Seoul. Their exhibition "Tracing the Unfinished" at the multidisciplinary complex Heredium features 30 works, including 14 jointly owned pieces, by artists such as Le Corbusier, Robert Longo, Olafur Eliasson, David Hockney, Yang Hae-gue, Anicka Yi, and Choi Byung-so. The group, founded in 2017 by business leaders including a radiologist and a former prosecutor, contributes a fixed annual budget to purchase three to five works at major art fairs, focusing on emerging artists rather than established names.
Constellations Warsaw 2026, a group exhibition curated by Galerie Max Mayer, opened at Galeria Wschód in Warsaw from April 10 to May 16, 2026. The show features works by artists Nicolás Guagnini, Cudelice Brazelton IV, Tobias Hohn, and Stanton Taylor, presenting a constellation of contemporary practices across 20 exhibition images.
Pamela Bryan of Octavia Art Gallery in New Orleans and London-based curator Julia Campbell Carter have organized "Rhythm in the Blues," a contemporary group exhibition at 14 Percy Street, London, running from May 11 to 20. The show features five international artists—Alia Ali, Aigana Gali, Azadeh Ghotbi, Naomie Kremer, and Lucille Lewin—whose works in painting, sculpture, and mixed media explore themes of memory, migration, resilience, and identity, with music serving as an atmospheric and structural influence rather than a literal subject.
The article reports on the UAE Pavilion's presentation at the Biennale Arte 2026 in Venice, titled 'Washwasha'. It also covers several art exhibitions in Dubai, including 'In Abstracto, In Concreto' at Efie Gallery featuring artists like Tunji Adeniyi-Jones and Ludovic Nkoth, the 'White' faculty exhibition at XVA Gallery, and the inaugural exhibition at Tatintisian Gallery's new Dubai space with works by Ron Arad, Peter Saul, and Tony Matelli. Additionally, it mentions a book of the week and a photo of the UAE Pavilion.
Stockholm's art fair, featuring 54 galleries and around 150 artists, offers a democratic layout with no sections, placing established and emerging galleries side by side. Prices range from €300 to €300,000, with most works under €50,000. Notable presentations include Olafur Eliasson's new works at i8 gallery, Benjamin Orlow's sculpture destined for the Venice Biennale's Nordic Pavilion, and emerging galleries like Coulisse Gallery showing Jonatan Pihlgren. The fair reflects a strong local collector base, though some galleries note a recent market contraction.
A new pop-up gallery, Ghiringhelli Art Gallery, opens in Milan on May 8, 2026, with its inaugural exhibition "Refracted Worlds. Contemporary Japan Through Multiple Lenses" at Via Tortona 20. Founded by Nicola Ghiringhelli Forlani, the gallery specializes in contemporary Japanese art and will feature works by seven Japanese artists—Kohei Nawa, Yukie Ishikawa, Kenjiro Okazaki, Mr., Ayako Rokkaku, Yuji Ueda, and Noritaka Tatehana—alongside the Chim↑Pom collective from Smappa!Group. The temporary format allows the gallery to maintain a flexible presence in Milan while the founder travels frequently to Japan to follow artists and market dynamics.
Tang Contemporary Art in Hong Kong is presenting the exhibition 'Come Closer,' featuring works by artists Arik Levy and Zoé Ouvrier from May 15 to July 5, 2026. The show explores themes of intimacy, vulnerability, and the relational space between viewer and artwork, inviting audiences to engage deeply with pieces that address memory, the body, and identity.
The Lindsay Museum and Gallery recently debuted "Still Point: Everything Moves, One Remains," an international contemporary exhibition curated by JunHwan Chang of Gallery Chang. The show features a cross-cultural dialogue between local California artist Shane Guffogg and four prominent Korean artists: Kim Miné, Kim Hongbin, Anon, and Shin Kiwoun. The works on display range from Guffogg’s layered abstract paintings and Kim Miné’s lenticular "Nobody" series to hand-dyed fabric installations and video art exploring historical currency.