In Venice, 22 unmissable exhibitions on the sidelines of the biennial

À Venise, 22 expositions incontournables en marge de la biennale

The article highlights 22 must-see exhibitions happening alongside the 61st Venice Biennale, which is expected to be affected by geopolitical tensions but still promises artistic vibrancy. Notable events include Bvlgari's dual projects featuring artists Lotus L. Kang, Lara Favaretto, and Monia Ben Hamouda; the unveiling of the Asscher collection at the Ama Venezia foundation with works by Charles Ray, Jenny Saville, and Richard Serra; and the inaugural exhibition "The Only True Protest Is Beauty" at the Fondation Dries Van Noten, showcasing 200 objects across fashion, design, and art. Other highlights include a dialogue between Picasso, Morandi, and Parmiggiani at the Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa.

15 Art Shows to See in NYC This May

Hyperallergic's May 2025 guide to New York City art shows highlights 15 exhibitions, including a survey of Hawaiian Japanese-American artists from the Metcalf Chateau group at Ryan Lee Gallery, a retrospective of Malian photographer Seydou Keïta at the Brooklyn Museum, and Renée Green's multimedia project 'Secret' at Bortolami Gallery. The article also features Lynette Yiadom-Boakye's quietude-focused works, a meditation on grief and death, and a document of a city devastated by the AIDS crisis through portraits of inanimate objects, among other shows.

Hirshhorn Director Melissa Chiu Departs to Lead Guggenheim Museum

Melissa Chiu is stepping down as director of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden after a decade-long tenure to lead the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. Appointed by Guggenheim Foundation CEO Mariët Westermann, Chiu will officially assume her new role on September 1, while deputy director Aaron Seeto takes the interim helm at the Hirshhorn.

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera are given a voice by New York's Metropolitan Opera

New York is experiencing a wave of Frida Kahlo-related events this spring, including a new book from Rizzoli about her childhood home museum in Mexico City and a small exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) featuring works by Kahlo and Diego Rivera. The centerpiece is the Metropolitan Opera's new production of *El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego*, with music by Gabriela Lena Frank and libretto by Nilo Cruz, both Pulitzer Prize winners. The opera, which premiered in San Diego in 2022, opens on 14 May and features set and costume design by Jon Bausor, who also co-curated the MoMA exhibition alongside curator Beverly Adams. The production imagines Kahlo's spirit rising from the underworld on the Day of the Dead to reunite with Rivera, blending Mexican musical elements with a dreamlike, visually rich aesthetic.

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Adam Heft Berninger has opened Heft, a new gallery on Manhattan's Lower East Side, dedicated to artists who work with systems-based practices such as generative code, machine learning, and scanners. Berninger, who previously worked with MoMA and the Public Art Fund and ran the curatorial platform Tender, emphasizes that the gallery is not an "AI art" gallery but a contemporary art space where technology serves as a tool for artistic methodology rather than a defining label. He argues that misconceptions about AI art can only be overcome through in-person viewing, and that the scarcity of galleries focused on this kind of work globally—countable on two hands—presents an opportunity.

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The Frick Collection in New York has reopened after a multiyear renovation and expansion by Selldorf Architects with Beyer Blinder Belle. Under director Ian Wardropper, the museum hired ambitious young curators who introduced fresh perspectives, including online programming focused on social contexts, temporary relocation to the Whitney's old space (Frick Madison) where they presented female old masters like Rosalba Carriera and contemporary artists of color like Barkley Hendricks, and a rehang that organized works by time and place. The expansion adds new exhibition spaces, a gallery for old master drawings, and opens the Frick family's former bedrooms to the public, housing treasures like gold ground paintings and Impressionist works.

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A new art fair called Arrival made its debut at the Tourists hotel in North Adams, Massachusetts, featuring 36 exhibitors and attracting curators, collectors, and artists from across the country. The fair, which closed June 15, offered an intimate format with world-class art, deep conversation, and a relaxed atmosphere that included swimming between sales, set against the backdrop of cultural attractions like Mass MOCA, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williams College Museum of Art.

Think you have strong opinions about the 2026 Archibald prize? Check out the portraits that didn’t make the cut | Dee Jefferson

The article explores the annual ritual of the Archibald Prize, Australia's most famous portrait competition, through the lens of the 2026 edition. The author, Dee Jefferson, describes the predictable cycle of public enthusiasm, critical disdain, and media coverage that surrounds the prize, noting recurring trends like brown suits, oversized heads, and the dominance of male artists painting male subjects. The piece highlights specific works in this year's exhibition, including a portrait of musician Keli Holiday by Sindy Sinn that the author finds disorienting, and contrasts the main exhibition with the Salon des Refusés, the showcase of rejected entries, which includes a provocative portrait of Patricia Piccinini by Wendy Sharpe featuring exaggerated anatomy.

The car park that changed British art: Bold Tendencies at 20

Bold Tendencies, the pioneering arts organization that transformed a multi-storey car park in Peckham, London, into a vibrant cultural venue, is celebrating its 20th summer season. Founded by gallerist Hannah Barry in 2007, the project has hosted over 3 million visitors, commissioned dozens of new artworks, and built an auditorium and concert hall within the concrete structure. It began as a low-budget experiment in using derelict urban spaces for art, featuring sculptures, performances, and a rooftop bar that predated the experiential art boom.

Allison Katz’s Playful Paintings Hide Serious Ideas in Plain Sight

Painter Allison Katz, who lived in New York for seven years but hasn't shown in Manhattan for over a decade, returns with a major debut solo exhibition at Hauser & Wirth's Wooster Street location. Titled "Outta the Bag," the show features a suite of New York–centric paintings, including depictions of the city's museums and skyscrapers, as well as an ironically small "Big Apple" composition, marking a significant moment for the mid-career artist.

11 Must-See Shows During New York Art Week 2026

New York Art Week 2026 is set to be a packed event, with major art fairs including Frieze, TEFAF, and Independent all scheduled within a single week this May. The art world will arrive directly from the Venice Biennale, and New York galleries are opening their major spring exhibitions to coincide with the influx of curators and collectors.

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Three art-world professionals—adviser Sarah Galender Meyer, gallerist Yng-Ru Chen, and artist Crystalle Lacouture—have launched Arrival Art Fair, a biannual, invitation-only event in North Adams, Massachusetts, at the Tourists hotel. The fair features 36 exhibitors selected by curators with regional ties, including galleries such as Jane Lombard, Sears Peyton Gallery, Jessica Silverman, Abattoir Gallery, and Wolfgang Gallery. Programming includes outdoor sculpture, museum talks, and an acquisition prize from the Williams College Museum of Art, with booth fees supplemented by philanthropic support to keep the fair free for visitors.

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A group of cultural leaders including Kristina Newman-Scott, Heather Hubbs, Franklin Sirmans, Maribel Pérez-Wadsworth, and Sarah Harrelson hosted a launch party at Tropezón Miami for ECOLOGIES, a four-day series of public programming presented by NADA, the Knight Foundation, Pérez Art Museum, and CULTURED. The event featured tapas and tequilas, with guests including philanthropists Jorge and Darlene Pérez, artist Anastasia Samoylova, and NADA Director Heather Hubbs, among many others. Attendees received a copy of 'The Deep State: Art, Culture & Florida' as a parting gift.

Hirshhorn Museum Director Melissa Chiu Leaves for Guggenheim, Another Smithsonian Departure

Melissa Chiu has been appointed as the new director of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, departing her long-standing role at the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Starting September 1, Chiu will report to Mariët Westermann, CEO of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, effectively splitting the leadership responsibilities previously held by Richard Armstrong. During her decade-long tenure at the Hirshhorn, Chiu was known for staging massive blockbuster exhibitions, including the record-breaking Yayoi Kusama "Infinity Mirror Rooms" show, though she also faced criticism for commercial ventures like a reality TV competition.

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Frieze New York opened on a warm Wednesday morning, with a packed spring art week schedule that saw the fair and TEFAF's US edition separated by just 24 hours. The VIP day was animated with strong sales, including Jeff Koons's *Hulk (Tubas)* reportedly selling for $3 million at Gagosian, which presented the artist's first collaboration since he left the gallery in 2021. Other notable sales included works by Liza Lou, Joan Snyder, David Salle, and Adam Pendleton, with Pace Gallery selling all six of Pendleton's paintings within hours. Galleries reported a slower but deliberate pace of buying, with collectors taking more time to make decisions.

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Trustee Patsy Marino resigned from the Palm Springs Art Museum board just one week after Christine Vendredi was appointed director on September 29, 2024. In a resignation letter reported by the Los Angeles Times, Marino alleged that the hiring committee failed to interview any outside candidates, despite two "exceptional" candidates being considered, and cited "inappropriate interference" by the executive committee, individual trustees, and museum staff. Two other board members also left the 22-member body, though the museum claims their departures were unrelated. Vendredi, previously chief curator and interim CEO, has a background in luxury brand management at Louis Vuitton and holds multiple advanced degrees but no prior museum directorship experience.

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Andisheh Avini, a senior director at Gagosian who has been with the gallery for over 25 years, discusses his career trajectory and the gallery's evolution in an interview timed to the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar. Avini, who is also an artist, recounts key moments such as the post-9/11 global market expansion that led Gagosian to open spaces in Europe and Hong Kong, and his work with artists including Cy Twombly, Adam McEwen, Piero Golia, and Maurizio Cattelan. He also shares insights into the gallery's approach to art fairs, emphasizing tailored presentations based on location and audience.

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A judge has sentenced two men for stealing Maurizio Cattelan's 18-carat gold toilet, titled "America," from Blenheim Palace in England during a 2019 raid. Michael Jones received 27 months in prison for burglary, while James Sheen was sentenced to four years, added to his existing 19-year term for other crimes. The theft took less than five minutes, causing major flooding and water damage when the toilet was ripped from the plumbing. Police arrested four men in November 2023, with evidence including DNA, phone messages, and CCTV footage leading to convictions. Fred Doe received a suspended sentence, and Bora Guccuk was found not guilty. None of the gold has been recovered and is believed to have been chopped up and sold.

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An enormous painting of Leonardo DiCaprio by Damien Hirst, titled *Beautiful Leonardo DiCaprio Looking Away Painting* (2016), sold for $1.3 million at the amfAR Gala in Cannes, France, on May 25. The work, a colorful spin painting signed by both the actor and artist, was donated by collector Christian Levett and auctioned by Simon de Pury. The gala raised $17 million total, with the top lot being a $1.6 million Aston Martin DB12, and also featured artworks by Claire Tabouret, Cecily Brown, Andres Valencia, and Robert De Niro.

Art Movements: Dozens Laid Off at Artnet and Artsy

Digital art giants Artnet and Artsy have implemented significant layoffs following their recent merger under the investment firm Beowolff Capital. The cuts, which occurred on April 16, impacted dozens of employees across both organizations, including senior editorial staff such as Sarah Cascone and Eileen Kinsella. The restructuring follows a reported 12% revenue decline for Artnet in early 2025 and involves the shutdown of Artnet's German entity as the two companies consolidate into a single team led by CEO Jeffrey Yin.

Pioneering Modernist Fahrelnissa Zeid Returns to the Spotlight in London

The Turkish-Jordanian modernist Fahrelnissa Zeid is the subject of a new solo exhibition titled "Immersion" at Dirimart London, curated by art historian Adila Laïdi-Hanieh. This marks the artist's first gallery solo show in the United Kingdom this century, featuring several works from her estate that have never been publicly exhibited. The selection spans various periods of her career, highlighting her transition from monumental geometric abstractions to her late-career expressionist portraits.

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The Museum of Fine Arts Boston has opened "Van Gogh: The Roulin Family Portraits," the first exhibition dedicated to Vincent van Gogh's portraits of the Roulin family—the local postman Joseph Roulin, his wife Augustine, and their children. The show brings together 14 of Van Gogh's 26 depictions of the family, including loans from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, and the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. The exhibition was inspired by a 2018 conversation between curators Nienke Bakker and Katie Hanson, who realized no show had ever focused on this working-class family that was so central to Van Gogh's portraiture.

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Abstract Expressionist painter Mary Abbott has died at age 98 due to heart failure, as confirmed by McCormick Gallery in Chicago, which represented her for nearly 20 years. Known for her colorful canvases and sweeping brushstrokes, Abbott was praised by the New York Times in 2008 as one of the last great Abstract Expressionist painters of her generation. Despite her early modeling career on Vogue covers and her immersion in the downtown New York art scene alongside figures like Mark Rothko and Willem de Kooning, her work received little scholarly recognition until the 2016 Denver Art Museum exhibition "Women of Abstract Expressionism," which traveled to the Mint Museum and Palm Springs Art Museum.

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President Donald Trump has proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and arts organizations across the U.S. are already feeling the impact. After a White House budget request in May that excluded the NEA, dozens of institutions received abrupt termination notices for their grant applications, with the NEA citing a shift in policy priorities to focus on projects reflecting the nation's artistic heritage as prioritized by the President. In protest, many senior NEA staff resigned or were asked to retire, leaving the agency in disarray. The cuts are part of broader federal efforts to defund cultural agencies, including the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, which has seen a 70-80 percent staff reduction and canceled over a thousand grants. Private foundations like the Mellon Foundation and the Helen Frankenthaler and Andy Warhol Foundations have launched emergency funding programs, but the consequences for artists, educators, and community organizations are immediate and destabilizing.

5 Ways the Art World Can Better Support Women Artists

Ed Ruscha | Billy (1968) | Art & Prints

Ed Ruscha's 1968 exhibition catalogue 'Billy', designed for a show of works by his friend Billy Al Bengston, is being offered for sale. The catalogue features a flocked sandpaper cover, satin ribbon bookmark, and machine screw and hex nut binding, and was published by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for an exhibition that traveled to the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Vancouver Art Gallery. The work is listed on an art marketplace platform with a price of €62,600, and the listing includes details about its condition, provenance, and the artist's broader career.

Esther fair goes out on top

The Esther art fair, a satellite of Frieze New York, opened its third and final iteration at Estonian House on East 34th Street. Founded by Estonian gallerists Olga Temnikova and Margot Samel, the fair eschews conventional stands, instead arranging 22 participating galleries and three bespoke projects throughout the historic Beaux-Arts building’s basement, salons, and upper floors. Highlights include sold-out presentations at Adams and Ollman and Management, works by Katja Novitskova, Jill Goldstein, and Elīna Vītola, and a special project by Darja Popolitova and Madlen Hirtentreu turning beauty-industry equipment into installations. Gallerists praised the cooperative atmosphere, contrasting it with larger, more institutionalized fairs.

art artist couples eric firestone gallery

A new exhibition titled “Couples” at Eric Firestone Gallery in New York features the work of 26 artist-partners, exploring how they navigate material, color, and form in complementary ways. The show runs through May 2. CULTURED magazine brought together five duos from the exhibition to answer questions about mixing professional and personal lives, with each artist responding without seeing their partner’s answers. Featured couples include Caitlin Lonegan and Spencer Lewis, who discuss topics such as sharing studios, jealousy, and role models like Charline von Heyl and Christopher Wool.

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LA Louver, one of Los Angeles's longest-running galleries, is closing its physical space in Venice, California, after 50 years and shifting to private dealing. The gallery, founded in 1975 by Peter and Elizabeth Goulds, has shown artists including Marcel Duchamp, David Hockney, Ed Ruscha, and Doris Salcedo, mounting over 660 exhibitions. The Venice space will host select exhibitions by appointment, while the gallery will focus activities on a private warehouse in LA's West Adams neighborhood. The Huntington library, museum, and botanical garden will receive LA Louver's archive of photography, correspondence, and documents.

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Matt Bangser, a longtime director at Blum gallery (formerly Blum & Poe), will join Art Intelligence Global (AIG) as senior director on September 8. Bangser spent 16 years at Blum overseeing global sales and securing major estates like Robert Colescott, and previously held senior posts at Van de Weghe Fine Art, Phillips, and Christie's. His move follows the closure of Blum's Los Angeles and Tokyo galleries last month, when founder Tim Blum announced he was leaving the traditional gallery model. AIG co-founder Amy Cappellazzo said Bangser's experience across galleries, auction houses, and artist studios made him a rare hire.