La tour Perret, premier gratte-ciel en béton armé d’Europe, renaît à Grenoble après 60 ans de fermeture

The Tour Perret in Grenoble, Europe's first reinforced concrete skyscraper, will reopen to the public on July 11, 2026, after being closed since the 1960s. Designed by Auguste Perret in 1925 for the International Exhibition of White Coal and Tourism, the 95-meter tower has undergone a complex restoration led by heritage architect François Botton, addressing water infiltration and corrosion while preserving its original character.

The delirious teaser by the creators of 'Panique au village' for the reopening of the Musée de la Figurine in Compiègne

Le teaser délirant des créateurs de « Panique au village » pour la réouverture du musée de la Figurine à Compiègne

The Musée de la Figurine in Compiègne, France, is set to reopen on May 23, 2026, after a major renovation. To promote the reopening, the museum commissioned Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar, the creators of the cult stop-motion series "Panique au village" (known for its absurd plastic figurines), to produce a teaser video. The museum, which holds a rare collection of nearly 155,000 figurines spanning from prehistory to the present, has been redesigned with a 1,000-square-meter space, six thematic areas, interactive displays, and a monumental diorama of the Battle of Waterloo featuring 12,000 figurines, now enhanced with augmented reality. Admission will be free for all from May 23 to August 16, 2026.

Ndidi Dike “Rare Earth Rare Justice” at Secession, Vienna

Ndidi Dike, a British-Nigerian sculptor and multi-disciplinary artist, presents her first major solo exhibition at an Austrian institution, titled "Rare Earth Rare Justice," at Secession in Vienna. The show features works across mixed media, painting, sculpture, collage, photography, video, and installation, addressing social, political, and economic conditions of the modern world.

Alex Thake “I Know This Much is True” at Triangolo, Cremona

Alex Thake presents a solo exhibition titled "I Know This Much is True" at Triangolo gallery in Cremona. The show features new works by the artist, continuing his exploration of material and conceptual themes.

Even More Drawings for Versailles

Encore d'autres dessins pour Versailles

The Palace of Versailles has acquired several drawings during the Paris Drawing Week sales in March 2026, including a rare study by Charles de La Fosse for the royal chapel's dome decoration. The drawing, depicting a reclining nude man for "The Resurrection of Christ," was purchased at the Rossini auction of Paul and Florence Vercier's collection for €3,800. This acquisition adds to Versailles' growing collection of La Fosse works, following earlier purchases of an angel study in 2016 and a ceiling project in 2023.

Echoes from the Margins: Guinea’s Debut Pavilion Resonates in Venice.

Guinea has presented its first-ever national pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale. Titled 'Le Son de l’Art,' the exhibition is installed on the island of San Servolo and is curated by Koyo Kouoh, featuring a multidisciplinary group of artists exploring memory, materiality, and postcolonial identity.

‘Between A Memory and Me’: Navigating Belonging

Photographer Rahim Fortune has opened a new exhibition titled 'Between A Memory and Me' at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The show presents a series of photographs that map memory, land, and Black life across the American South, creating a lyrical cartography where landscape and personal lineage intertwine.

Tabula Rasa: The Geometry of the Collective.

Peterson Kamwathi's exhibition 'Tabula Rasa: The Geometry of the Collective' opened at the Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute. The show features his work exploring how individual bodies accumulate and dissolve into larger social and political formations, mapping the dynamics of crowds, protests, and collective identity.

New gallery celebrating craftmanship and art opens

The historic Hopton Hall Estate has opened a new gallery in Ashbourne, England, called the Hopton Hall Gallery. The gallery, housed in an 18th-century building that previously served as a butcher's, clockmaker's, and draper's shop, is the creation of estate owners Chris and Andi Harvey. Its inaugural exhibition, 'Brushed Light: Atmospheric Watercolours,' features works by local artists, and the gallery will host a rotating program of exhibitions and events through at least May 2027.

Exhibition | Yelena Popova, 'Moments of Grace' at Osnova gallery, Valencia, Spain

Yelena Popova's solo exhibition 'Moments of Grace' opens at Osnova gallery's new space in Valencia, Spain, marking a decade of collaboration between the artist and the gallery. The show brings together works from several of Popova's major series, including 'Painting Installations' (2012-2017), 'Evaporating Paintings', 'Post-Petrochemical Paintings', and three jacquard-woven tapestries, tracing her practice over the past fifteen years. Popova approaches each project as part of an interconnected body of work, comparing her logic to garden cultivation—a layered, cyclical process. Her cross-disciplinary research focuses on the material conditions of painting, exploring temporal transformations like evaporation, oxidation, and decay, as well as the dynamics between image, surface, and space.

East Dallas art exhibition is a celebration of Chicano identity and community

An exhibition titled “Chicano” at Art on Main gallery in East Dallas showcases the work of over 50 North Texas artists, featuring paintings, digital photography, and mixed media that explore Chicano identity, childhood memories, lowrider culture, immigration enforcement, and Indigenous heritage. Co-curated by artists Ariel Esquivel and Junanne Peck, the show includes pieces such as Chelsea Reyes' digital photograph “Movimiento y Orgullo,” Cease Martinez's painting “Cultura,” and Hermila Cuevas' oil on canvas “Chicomecōātl: Giver of Harvest.” The gallery owner Andrea Lamarsaude, who previously collaborated with the curators on the exhibition “Shelter,” notes the community's positive response.

Damola Adepoju Evokes Hope With ‘Light’, His Solo Exhibition

Nigerian artist Damola Adepoju has opened his third solo exhibition, titled 'Light', at Mydrim Gallery in Lagos. The show, curated by Idowu Bankole to commemorate Adepoju's 50th birthday, features 30 paintings and mixed-media works created between 2015 and the present, focusing on Lagos cityscapes and employing his signature technique of newspaper prints, acrylic, and soft gold on a grey palette.

Fort Smith museum unveils two new art exhibitions on May 15

The Fort Smith Museum of History will open two new exhibitions on May 15. 'The Art of the Brick' features large-scale sculptures by contemporary artist Nathan Sawaya, built entirely from LEGO bricks, while 'The Art of Native American Basketry' showcases a collection of woven baskets from regional tribes.

Exhibition | Tang Maohong, 'Simplified' at ShanghART, Singapore

ShanghART Singapore presents 'Simplified', a solo exhibition by Chinese artist Tang Maohong opening on 16 May 2026. The show features paintings developed over the past two years since his relocation to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and marks his return to Singapore after a 2019 solo exhibition and twenty years since his participation in the first Singapore Biennale. Tang's new works explore a technique of mixing colors directly on the painting surface rather than using a palette, collapsing the image and the palette into a single pictorial space.

Louisiana artists travel to world’s oldest, biggest, most prestigious art show

A group of Louisiana artists from Orleans Gallery on Julia Street in New Orleans is preparing to travel to the Venice Biennale, the world's oldest, largest, and most prestigious art exhibition, which has been held since 1895. The artists, led by coach Cayman Clevenger, will show their work at the Biennale from May through November, marking a major milestone for the gallery, which has been open for less than a year.

Japanese artist Mari Ito debuts in India with bold, thought-provoking exhibition

Japanese contemporary artist Mari Ito has opened her first solo exhibition in India, titled 'Origin of Desire,' at Bikaner House in New Delhi. The show features recent paintings and a large-scale installation created between 2024 and the present, exploring themes of identity, resistance, and the human body. Ito's practice is rooted in Nihonga, a classical Japanese painting technique using mineral pigments and sumi ink on washi paper or silk, which she blends with contemporary subject matter. A highlight is the installation 'Flowers Blooming in Defiance of the Bombs,' previously shown in Spain and reimagined for the Indian context. The exhibition is supported by Galerie Geek Art, which aims to connect Asian contemporary artists with Indian audiences.

Bikaner House to host Japanese artist Mari Ito’s first solo exhibition in India, Origin of Desire

Japanese artist Mari Ito will hold her first solo exhibition in India, titled 'Origin of Desire,' at Bikaner House in New Delhi. The week-long show, presented by the gallery GEEK/ART, opens on April 25 and features new paintings and a special installation, introducing Ito's botanical, surreal, and Nihonga-influenced work to a new audience.

Water's Awakening - Clara Chiu's debut solo art exhibition at Gallery Lane Cove

Photographic artist Clara Chiu is presenting her debut solo exhibition, 'Water's Awakening,' at Gallery Lane Cove. The show, curated by Miguel Olmo, features abstract photographic works focused on water, exploring its fleeting forms and movement to question perception and offer contemplative sanctuary. The exhibition runs from May 13 to June 6, 2026.

Al Museo Egizio di Torino ora c’è un centro di ricerca per studiare la scrittura dell’Antico Egitto attraverso tremila anni di storia

The Museo Egizio di Torino has launched ME-Scripta, a new research center dedicated to the study, restoration, and digitization of ancient Egyptian written sources, including papyri, ostraca, and Coptic bindings. Funded by a €3 million grant from the Fondazione CRT, the center will operate under the direction of Susanne Töpfer and employ a dedicated team of curators, collaborators, a data manager, and an apprentice. ME-Scripta will pursue three major projects: reassembling and studying papyri from Assiut and Gebelein, analyzing ostraca, and restoring 17 Coptic bindings, with a goal of launching an integrated digital platform by 2034.

Public Tour | Graduation Weekend Tour: Looking Back Toward the Future

The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum at Washington University in St. Louis is hosting a public tour on May 14, 2026, as part of its Graduation Weekend programming. The tour will explore the exhibition "Looking Back Toward the Future: Contemporary Photography from China," which features over forty large-scale photographs by fourteen Chinese artists created between 1993 and 2006. The exhibition is organized into three thematic sections—The Presence of the Past, East and West, and Performance and the Body—examining how artists used photography and performance to critique China's post-1989 sociopolitical and cultural shifts. This is the first time these works are on view at the museum, and they represent a significant recent addition to its contemporary Chinese art collection.

Mennello Museum’s 'Our Orlando' group show returns, featuring three innovative local artists

The Mennello Museum in Loch Haven, Orlando, has launched the fourth edition of its 'Our Orlando' group exhibition, featuring three local artists: Tasanee Durrett, Mado Smith, and Martha Jo Mahoney. The show, curated by museum director Shannon Fitzgerald and co-curator Flynn Dobbs, includes four works each by Durrett and Mahoney and two by Smith, drawn from studio visits. The exhibition runs through late August with an opening reception on Friday.

Pavlina Vagioni Oikeiōsis: A Greek Artist Asks Venice to Remember How to Belong

Pavlina Vagioni's exhibition *Oikeiōsis*, presented by the Hellenic Diaspora Foundation at the Venice Biennale, takes its name from a Stoic concept about recognizing belonging and expanding care outward. The show is structured in two rooms: the first, named Neikos (strife), features a fragmented plexiglass cube that reflects visitors in multiplied form, evoking separation. The second, Philotes (harmony), contains warm rock-salt seats and a layered vocal soundscape that activates the Tartini effect—a psychoacoustic phenomenon where two frequencies produce a phantom third tone, symbolizing collective kinship. The salt seats will physically change over the Biennale's six-month run, accumulating the memory of each visitor.

Ullger reflects on ‘quite special’ Berlin exhibition with Cane-Yo collective

Artist Karl Ullger recently participated in the group exhibition "Running with Scissors" at Anders Galerie in Berlin, organized by the global artist collective Cane-Yo. The show featured over 40 artists, including five invited Berlin artists, and displayed some 200 artworks. Ullger described the experience as "quite special," highlighting the energy of the packed opening and the direct engagement with visitors. He noted standout works by Austrian artist Theo Ritzinger, Chilean artist Diego Palacios, and Italian artist Yasmine Elgamal, as well as the opportunity to reconnect with fellow artists Alf Sims, Alex May, Shanice Farrugia, and Nicole Debono.

Artspace111 Opens Call for 2026 Texas Juried Exhibition

Artspace111 in Fort Worth, Texas, has opened the call for its 2026 Texas Juried Exhibition, organized by the nonprofit Love Texas Art Foundation. The annual show invites artists from across the state to apply by June 1, with juror Terri Provencal, publisher of the Dallas Arts District Guide and Patron magazine, selecting participants. Prizes include the $10,000 Edmund Craig Memorial Award, a solo or group exhibition opportunity in 2027, and cash awards totaling thousands of dollars, with every selected artist receiving a $150 honorarium.

New York art museum showcases Raphael's rare prints

The Murray Hill Art Museum in New York has opened an exhibition featuring 100 rare prints of works by Italian Renaissance master Raphael. The show includes engravings and lithographs from the museum's own collection as well as loans from private collectors across the United States, and was attended by local artists and collectors at its opening ceremony on April 25, 2026.

New Providence Artist Zenia Olesnyckyj Opens "Impressions of Alaska" Exhibition at Summit Free Public Library

Artist Zenia Olesnyckyj is presenting her exhibition "Impressions of Alaska" at the Gallery at the Summit Free Public Library from May 1 to June 30, 2026. The show features twenty mixed-media works inspired by the Alaskan landscape and the art of the Tlingit people, aiming to capture the grandeur and intimacy of the region through texture and color.

Bayeux Tapestry: A Blank Voyage That Tests Nothing

Tapisserie de Bayeux : un voyage à blanc qui ne teste rien

A confidential interim report obtained by La Tribune de l'Art reveals that the "blank voyage" test transport of the Bayeux Tapestry from Bayeux to London in February 2026 failed to measure actual risks to the artwork. The report admits that the vibration threshold used (2 mm/s) is arbitrary and based on paintings, not on a textile of this size and fragility. Because the tapestry has been stored and inaccessible since September 2025, no mechanical tests could be conducted beforehand to determine safe vibration levels, rendering the test meaningless. A second test took place on April 15, 2026, but its report has not yet been finalized; the actual loan is planned for July 2026, with transport via Eurostar.

Deux nouveaux tableaux français du XVIIIème siècle pour le Musée Fabre

The Musée Fabre in Montpellier has acquired two 18th-century French paintings at auctions held by Artcurial in September 2025. The first is an "Allégorie de la Poésie" (1774) by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, purchased for €250,000 with support from the museum's corporate foundation and a special grant from the Fonds du patrimoine. The painting, which depicts the early struggles of the future portraitist, was previously owned by Henry and Catherine Robert and had been exhibited in a major retrospective at the Grand Palais a decade ago.

Today’s war, tomorrow’s loot: attempts at stemming the illicit trade in art

The article examines the ongoing challenge of preventing the illicit trade in cultural property looted from conflict zones. It discusses the Hague Convention of 1954 and its protocol, which require signatory countries to prevent theft and pillage during armed conflict and to seize and repatriate unlawful exports. However, the protocol only applies to situations of 'occupation,' leaving a gap for looting that occurs in the chaos of war beyond formal occupation. The article also notes UN Security Council Resolutions that restrict unlawfully removed cultural property from Iraq and Syria, but no similar consensus exists for countries like Afghanistan, Libya, Ukraine, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, and Iran. EU Regulation 2019/880 is highlighted as a measure that prohibits introducing goods removed unlawfully from their place of origin into the EU, though its scope has expanded beyond its original anti-terrorist financing purpose.

US exhibition unearths the Etruscans and their enduring cultural influence

The Legion of Honor in San Francisco will present "The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy" from 2 May to 20 September, featuring nearly 200 objects including jewellery, sculptures, and vessels from the ancient Etruscan civilisation. The exhibition highlights recent archaeological discoveries, such as the Liber Linteus Zagrabiensis—the longest surviving Etruscan text—and grave objects from the Regolini-Galassi Tomb, many making their US debut. Curator Renée Dreyfus aims to correct negative portrayals of the Etruscans by Greeks and Romans and showcase their cultural achievements.