Ten essential works of art to see at the National Gallery in London

The National Gallery in London, home to over 2,300 paintings spanning Western European art from Giotto to Cézanne and including early modernism by Picasso, has recently completed a comprehensive rehang of its collection at its Trafalgar Square site. This coincides with the reopening of the Sainsbury Wing after a two-year renovation. The article highlights ten essential works to see, including Jan van Eyck's *The Arnolfini Portrait* (1434), Leonardo da Vinci's *The Burlington House Cartoon* (around 1506-08), and Paolo Veronese's *The Adoration of the Kings* (1573), emphasizing the gallery's free admission and its role as a cultural treasure.

Column: The new LACMA is sleek, splotchy, powerful, jarring, monotonous, appealing and absurd

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is nearing completion of its new Brutalist building designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, known as the David Geffen Galleries. Museum members will get a sneak peek at the empty interior spaces starting July 3, though the fully finished project with art installed won't open until April 2026. The poured-in-place concrete structure spans 347,500 square feet, including 110,000 square feet of exhibition space across 90 galleries, elevated 30 feet above ground on seven massive piers crossing Wilshire Boulevard. The article offers a critical preview of the building's aesthetics, noting the overwhelming monotony of concrete across floors, walls, and ceilings, while acknowledging some appealing views and powerful visual impact.

Art Basel Qatar

Art Basel has announced the launch of Art Basel Qatar, a new international art fair set to debut in Doha. The fair will be held under the patronage of Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, chairperson of Qatar Museums, and is expected to bring together leading galleries from around the world. The announcement marks a significant expansion of the Art Basel brand into the Middle East, following its existing fairs in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong, and Paris.

Empathy is in short supply today – artist Saya Woolfalk intends to change that

Saya Woolfalk's largest survey exhibition, 'Empathic Universe,' has opened at New York's Museum of Arts and Design. The show introduces visitors to the Empathics, a fictional plant-human hybrid species that embodies profound understanding and interconnection. Organized by curator Alexandra Schwartz, the exhibition spans two decades of Woolfalk's career and includes video, sculpture, installation, works on paper, and artist-fashioned clothing. It explores themes of empathy, hybridity, and utopia, drawing on Afrofuturist thinkers and science fiction, while addressing issues of racism and sexism in a polarized world.

'I do believe in love at first sight': plastic surgeon Charles Boyd on why his heart rules his head in matters of art

Plastic surgeon Charles Boyd, based in Michigan and deeply involved in the Detroit art scene, discusses his art collection and passion for visual art in an interview with The Art Newspaper. Boyd chairs the board at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, serves on the board of the Detroit Institute of Arts, and is on the acquisitions committee of the Studio Museum in Harlem. His collection, which began in earnest in 2004 after inheriting art from his father, includes works by prominent Black American artists such as Ming Smith, Kerry James Marshall, Titus Kaphar, Deborah Roberts, and Sanford Biggers. He shares stories about his first purchase (a sculptural work from Côte d'Ivoire), his most recent acquisition (by the late Cuban artist Belkis Ayón), and a regret over not buying a Norman Lewis painting when he was a resident.

Yayoi Kusama survey at National Gallery of Victoria becomes best-selling art exhibition in Australian history

The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne has announced that its Yayoi Kusama survey exhibition, titled "Yayoi Kusama," sold 570,537 tickets, making it the most-visited ticketed art exhibition in Australian history. The show, which ran from 15 December 2024 to 21 April 2025, surpassed the NGV's own record of 462,262 tickets for "Van Gogh and the Seasons" in 2017. Featuring 200 artworks spanning nearly nine decades of the artist's career, including ten infinity rooms, the exhibition was the largest the NGV has ever dedicated to a single living artist. The NGV also acquired two major works from the show: "Dancing Pumpkin" (2020) and "Narcissus Garden" (1966/2024).

Auction record

A new auction record has been set, with a significant artwork selling for a high price at a major auction house. The sale took place recently, drawing attention from collectors and the art market.

In 2026, DeviantArt Is Helping Artists Cut Through The Noise and Fuel Sustainable Careers

DeviantArt has undergone a significant resurgence, reaching over 108 million users by 2026 following a multi-year modernization effort. The platform has pivoted away from traditional advertising models to a creator-centric ecosystem that prioritizes artist monetization through subscriptions, digital tip jars, and low-fee sales. By removing third-party ads and implementing advanced image protection technology, the site has positioned itself as a secure alternative to mainstream social media for digital creators.

A ruined building, five Ghanaians and an elegant horse: Ron Timehin’s best photograph

Photographer Ron Timehin discusses a standout image from his documentary project in Labadi, Accra, featuring five local community members and a horse against a ruined farm building. The project, commissioned by My Runway Group, aims to move away from traditional documentary tropes by portraying West African communities in a collaborative, dignified, and elegant manner.

‘Just Dudes Hanging Out’: Dustin Yellin and Paul Rudd on Making the Artist’s First Film

Dustin Yellin, known for his glass sculptures and as founder of Pioneer Works, has made his first film, *Goodnight Lamby*, produced by Darren Aronofsky's A.I.-focused studio Primordial Soup. The short film, a hero's journey to rescue his daughter Zia's favorite stuffed animal, premiered at Cannes. Yellin discusses the project with his friend actor Paul Rudd, who voices the character "Papa," exploring how fatherhood and his existing artistic practice of "frozen cinema" inspired the animation.

Jitish Kallat appointed Kochi-Muziris Biennale president

The Kochi Biennale Foundation has appointed contemporary artist and curator Jitish Kallat as the new president of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. He will chair the selection committee for the next edition's curator, succeeding co-founder Bose Krishnamachari, who resigned earlier this year.

Embattled Louvre Director Laurence des Cars Resigns

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Laurence des Cars has resigned as director of the Louvre Museum following months of intense scrutiny and institutional turmoil. Her departure, accepted by French President Emmanuel Macron, comes in the wake of a massive $102 million jewelry heist in October 2025 that exposed severe security lapses, outdated infrastructure, and systemic management failures. Despite proposing a major security overhaul and a massive modernization project, Des Cars faced mounting pressure from government audits, staff walkouts, and investigations into ticket fraud.

Ai Weiwei to Reenact His Own Detention in 24-Hour Performance in Manchester

Artist and dissident Ai Weiwei will reenact his 81-day detention by China's Ministry of Public Security in a 24-hour performance titled "Sewing a Button" at Factory International's Aviva Studios in Manchester, England. The performance, part of his exhibition "Button Up!" running from July 2, 2025, will take place in a re-creation of his cell and involve Ai sleeping, eating, exercising, writing, washing, and being interrogated, with visitors able to book two-hour slots or a full 24-hour ticket. The work follows his earlier piece "S.A.C.R.E.D." (2013) and is joined by other commissioned works including "Eight-Nation Alliance Flags" and a new version of "History of Bombs."

Performance Artist Crackhead Barney Moves From the Streets to the Stage: ‘Art Should Be Going Insane’

Performance artist Crackhead Barney, known for her viral street interventions and ambush interviews at protests and public events, is transitioning her work to the formal stage. Her new play, GOD IS RAPING ME, is having sold-out dates at the Pageant performance space in Brooklyn, marking a significant shift from her guerrilla-style, social media-driven practice to theatrical production.

leskovar fine art roy lichtenstein 2664027

Private dealer Nikolaus Leskovar, through Leskovar Fine Art, has amassed a significant collection of works by Pop art pioneer Roy Lichtenstein (1923–1997), including pieces such as *I Love Liberty* (1982), *Modern Print* (1971), and *Still Life with Red Jar* (1994). The article highlights Leskovar's admiration for Lichtenstein's ability to blend comic strip aesthetics with high art, and notes that the gallery offers both iconic and lesser-known compositions for collectors. Market data from the Artnet Price Database shows that Lichtenstein print sales rose 16% in 2024 to $11.6 million, with average sale prices increasing 17% to $44,000, partly driven by strong demand for his 1994 nude series—exemplified by *Roommates* selling for $1.2 million at Sotheby's in November 2024.

Lu Yang at Kunsthalle zu Kiel

Lu Yang's solo exhibition "Electromagnetic Brainology" opened at Kunsthalle zu Kiel, running from January 30 to March 15, 2026. Curated by Muriel Meyer, the show features a new body of work from the Shanghai-based multimedia artist, known for immersive installations blending digital avatars, neuroscience, and pop culture iconography.

parties young artist prize 2025 mz wallace

CULTURED magazine and fashion brand MZ Wallace celebrated the 10-year anniversary of their Young Artists List with an event at (SUB)MERCER in SoHo, where they announced Iraqi-born, Los Angeles-based artist Ali Eyal as the winner of the 2025 Young Artist Prize. Eyal received an unrestricted $30,000 grant, selected by a jury of curators from the Met, the Hammer, and MoMA, for his multidisciplinary practice reflecting on violence endured during his upbringing in Baghdad.

The Last Interview with the Great Artist Georg Baselitz on the Occasion of His Exhibition in Florence

L’ultima intervista al grande artista Georg Baselitz in occasione della sua mostra a Firenze

Georg Baselitz, the German artist born in 1938, is the subject of a major retrospective titled "Avanti!" at the Museo Novecento in Florence, featuring 170 works including paintings, works on paper, and sculptures, with a strong focus on his graphic output. The exhibition, curated by Sergio Risaliti and Daniel Blau (Baselitz's son and an artist himself), spans three floors and traces the evolution of Baselitz's practice, culminating in a dialogue with the work of Italian artist Ottone Rosai. The show is accompanied by a prequel exhibition honoring the 120th anniversary of Villa Romana, where Baselitz once held a fellowship, and will be followed by another exhibition at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice in May, which together with the Florence show form the artist's testament. Artribune published Baselitz's last interview in its new bimonthly issue.

In Spain, art becomes popular thanks to this expert influencer. We interviewed him

In Spagna l’arte diventa popolare grazie a questo esperto influencer. Lo abbiamo intervistato

Miguel Ángel Cajigal, known as 'El Barroquista,' is a Spanish art historian and popularizer who has brought art history to prime-time television, radio, and social media. In an interview with Artribune, he discusses his books, including 'Otra historia del arte' (2021), his approach to making art accessible without dumbing it down, and his critique of the cult of the individual genius in art historiography. He emphasizes the collective nature of art production and reception, challenging the traditional focus on masterpieces and authorship.

5 exhibitions in Provence for the 100th anniversary of Fragonard, the historic perfume house

5 mostre in Provenza per i 100 anni di Fragonard, la storica maison di profumi

The historic French perfume house Fragonard is preparing to celebrate its centenary in 2026 with a series of five exhibitions in Provence. Founded in 1926 by Eugène Fuchs and named in honor of the Rococo painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard, the maison has evolved into a significant cultural patron under the leadership of the Costa family. The upcoming celebrations highlight the family's extensive private collections, which span ancient perfume artifacts, traditional Provençal costumes, and fine art, housed across several free public museums in Grasse, Paris, and Arles.

The New Victoria & Albert Museum Opens in April: Once Again in East London

Ad aprile inaugura il nuovo museo del Victoria&Albert. Ancora una volta nell’East London

The Victoria & Albert Museum has announced the official opening date for the V&A East Museum, a new five-story cultural landmark in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Designed by architects O’Donnell + Tuomey, the museum will debut on April 18, 2026, featuring two permanent galleries titled "Why We Make" that showcase over 500 objects ranging from Renaissance paintings to contemporary fashion by Vivienne Westwood. The entrance will be anchored by a monumental bronze sculpture by Thomas J Price, marking the start of a robust contemporary commission program.

An exhibition in New York reconfigures German Expressionism. The curator explains everything

Una mostra a New York riconfigura l’Espressionismo Tedesco. La curatrice ci spiega tutto

The Guggenheim Museum in New York has launched "Contours of a World," the first major U.S. retrospective of German Expressionist painter Gabriele Münter in nearly thirty years. Curated by Megan Fontanella, the exhibition features a significant selection of paintings and photographs produced between 1908 and 1920, including a rare loan from the Vatican Museums. The show follows a major 2025 retrospective in Paris and aims to present Münter as a primary figure of the avant-garde in her own right.

France reckons with Nazi-looted art in a new Paris museum gallery

France has opened a new permanent gallery at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris dedicated to displaying Nazi-looted artworks that remain unclaimed. The gallery features 13 works from the MNR (Musées Nationaux Récupération) collection, including a painting by Alfred Stevens originally destined for Hitler's planned museum in Linz. The display is the first in the museum's history to show the backs of paintings, revealing stamps, labels, and inventory marks that trace how each piece moved from private Jewish homes into Nazi hands. The museum also launched its first research unit to trace rightful heirs, led by Ines Rotermund-Reynard.

The best looks from the 2026 Met Gala

The 2026 Met Gala, themed 'Costume Art,' took place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, honoring the Costume Institute's spring exhibition on the role of the dressed body in art history. Co-chaired by Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, Anna Wintour, and Beyoncé, the event featured A-list celebrities, pop stars, and tech titans on the museum's grand staircase, with a dress code of 'Fashion Is Art' encouraging guests to treat the body as a canvas. Notable attendees included Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Rosé, Gigi Hadid, Katy Perry, and Charli XCX, with many wearing custom designs from houses like Marc Jacobs, Saint Laurent, Thom Browne, and Jean Paul Gaultier.

Lost bunny paintings by JFK's photographer found in ABQ storage

A trove of paintings by Eddie Johnson, an obscure artist who photographed President John F. Kennedy in 1962 as assistant to Elaine de Kooning, has been discovered in a storage unit in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The archive, saved from disposal by the artist's estate, includes a major series of bunny-themed works created between 1972 and 1995, all based on a worn plush toy. Artist Matthan Cowart organized the exhibition "Hares on the Mountain" at his gallery Desert Mystery Center, pairing Johnson's bunny paintings with works by 11 living artists including David Altmejd and Ed Haddaway.

New Exhibition Explores Victor Vasarely’s Influence on Hungarian Neo-Avant-Garde Art

A major exhibition titled "Vasarely Don't Go Home!" opens at NEO Contemporary Art Space in Budapest, marking the 120th anniversary of Victor Vasarely's birth. Curated by Zsolt Petrányi, the show runs until 19 September and examines Vasarely's influence on Hungarian experimental and neo-avant-garde art of the 1960s and 1970s. Featuring over 60 works, the exhibition is organized around three themes—construction, grid structures, and illusion—and connects to parallel Vasarely shows at the Museum of Fine Arts and the Hungarian National Gallery. The title references a 1969 protest where artist János Major carried a sign reading 'Vasarely go home!' during Vasarely's exhibition at Műcsarnok.

Former Hornets player returns to Charlotte with new art exhi...

Former Charlotte Hornets player Elliot Perry and his wife Kimberly Perry have opened an exhibition of their abstract art collection at the Harvey B. Gantt Center in Charlotte. Titled "Beyond Boundaries: Black Abstraction in the Elliot and Kimberly Perry Art Collection," the show features 40 works by Black artists from the early 1920s to the present, including recent college graduates. The exhibition spans all three of the Gantt Center's galleries and runs through August 30. Elliot Perry, who played for the Hornets in the 1991-92 season, was introduced to art in 1996 by former NBA player Darrell Walker.

The mysterious case of one of the most important British artists of the 1990s who is back with a bang after more than 25 years

Cathy de Monchaux, a prominent British artist from the 1990s known for her erotic and dystopic sculptures, has opened a major survey exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris titled 'Studio, Wounds and Battles, Desire is the Reiteration of Hope'. The show comes 26 years after her last major solo exhibition at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC, and includes a facsimile of her Hoxton studio, featuring intimate sketchbooks, maquettes, and early works. De Monchaux, who graduated from Goldsmiths in 1987 and was nominated for the Turner Prize, largely stepped away from the public exhibition circuit to raise her son, focusing instead on private commissions.

A World-Class Art Museum Arrives in the Texas Hill Country

A new museum called Arthouse is opening in Marble Falls, Texas, on April 25, 2026, during the town's Paint the Town Festival. Its inaugural exhibition, "Words Matter," features text-based artworks by artists including Faith Ringgold, Ed Ruscha, Terry Allen, and Jenny Holzer, drawn from the collection of oil and gas entrepreneur Mickey Klein and his wife Jeanne, who are longtime art collectors named to ARTnews' Top 200 Collectors list. The building, designed by Lake Flato, is a limestone and metal structure on Main Street that will serve as both a public gallery and an office.

Wangechi Mutu Awarded National Gallery Contemporary Fellowship in Landmark UK Collaboration

Kenyan-American artist Wangechi Mutu has been awarded the National Gallery's second Contemporary Fellowship, a two-year initiative developed with Art Fund and delivered in partnership with the Whitworth, The University of Manchester. The fellowship will see Mutu develop a new body of work through close engagement with both institutions' collections, culminating in her first UK institutional exhibition. The project will open at the National Gallery in London in October 2027 before traveling to the Whitworth in Manchester in spring 2028, with plans for an international tour.