Artists respond to the continuing toll of colonialism in the Americas

The Chicago art space Wrightwood 659 is hosting a major survey titled "Dispossessions in the Americas: The Extraction of Bodies, Land, and Heritage from La Conquista to the Present." Featuring over 35 contemporary Latin American artists, including Regina José Galindo and the late Ana Mendieta, the exhibition serves as the culmination of a multi-year research project funded by the Mellon Foundation. The show explores the historical and ongoing impacts of colonial dispossession on Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and LGBTQ+ communities through diverse media ranging from performance art to installation.

Artists respond to the continuing toll of colonialism in the Americas

The Chicago art space Wrightwood 659 is hosting a major survey titled "Dispossessions in the Americas: The Extraction of Bodies, Land, and Heritage from La Conquista to the Present." Featuring over 35 contemporary Latin American artists, including Regina José Galindo and the late Ana Mendieta, the exhibition is the culmination of a multi-year research project funded by the Mellon Foundation. The show explores the historical and ongoing impacts of colonial dispossession on Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and LGBTQ+ communities through diverse media ranging from performance art to installation.

Exhibition of Emirati art in Seoul becomes a relic of pre-war UAE life

An exhibition titled 'Proximities,' featuring over 110 works by 47 UAE-based artists, opened at the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) in December and closed on March 29. The show, co-curated by Maya El Khalil and SeMA's Eunju Kim, aimed to present nuanced, everyday perspectives of life in the UAE through sections organized by artist-curators like Farah Al Qasimi and Mohammed Kazem, moving beyond stereotypes of gilded excess.

Want to check out LACMA’s new building? Here’s how you can get tickets—for free

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is set to open its highly anticipated David Geffen Galleries to the public on May 4, 2026, following a members-only preview starting April 19. Designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, the $724 million, 110,000-square-foot concrete structure spans Wilshire Boulevard and houses the museum's permanent collection in a single-floor layout. The opening will be celebrated with a public block party on June 20, featuring free admission, tours, and live performances.

Kimbell Art Museum’s free community programs this spring

The Kimbell Art Museum has announced an extensive lineup of free community programming for the Spring 2026 season. The schedule features a diverse array of events including gallery discussions, hands-on art-making workshops for children, live music performances, and scholarly lectures. A significant portion of the programming is designed to complement the special exhibition, "The Holy Sepulcher: Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem," through documentary screenings and expert-led talks.

5 noteworthy art gallery exhibitions to check out during Expo Chicago

Expo Chicago returns to Navy Pier from April 9-12, featuring over 130 international galleries and anchoring a city-wide week of major art programming. Local institutions and commercial galleries are strategically timing their most significant exhibitions to coincide with the fair, including a major presentation of Chicago Imagist Roger Brown at Gray gallery and architectural collages by Marshall Brown at Western Exhibitions.

Morad Montazami appointed artistic director of 2026 Dakar Biennale

Morad Montazami has been named the artistic director for the 16th edition of the Dakar Biennale, scheduled to run from November 19 to December 19, 2026. Titled "(Anti)Fragility: Arts of Repair and Counter-Shock Strategies," the exhibition will explore themes of community-led restoration and the transformation of vulnerability into collective strength. Montazami, a former Tate Modern curator and founder of the platform Zamân Books & Curating, brings an extensive background in postcolonial art histories and global modernisms to the prestigious African forum.

Morad Montazami Named Artistic Director of 16th Dak’Art Biennial

Morad Montazami has been appointed as the artistic director for the sixteenth edition of the Dak’Art Biennial, scheduled to run from November 19 to December 19. Titled "(Anti)Fragility: Arts of Repair and Counter-Shock Strategies," the upcoming biennial will focus on themes of community, co-creation, and the transformation of vulnerability into artistic strength. Montazami, an esteemed art historian and curator known for his work on global modernism and postcolonial narratives, brings extensive experience from previous roles at Tate Modern and various international exhibitions.

Boston had Isabella Stewart Gardner, and Fitchburg had Eleanor Norcross

The Fitchburg Art Museum is celebrating its 100th anniversary with the exhibition “Kaleidoscope: 100 Years of Collecting for our Community.” The show honors the legacy of founder Eleanor Norcross, a Victorian-era artist and collector who studied under William Merritt Chase and exhibited in Parisian salons. Although Norcross died in 1923 before the museum opened, her estate and personal collection of paintings and decorative arts provided the foundation for the institution, which officially opened in 1929.

Dallas Art Fair Foundation Art Acquisition Fund 2026 Prizes Announced

The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) has selected several new works for its permanent collection through the Dallas Art Fair (DAF) Foundation Art Acquisition Fund. During the 2026 edition of the fair, curators and donors chose pieces by artists including Hasani Sahlehe, Caroline Monnet, Gloria Klein, Raymond Saunders, and Nicole Eisenman. The acquisitions span a variety of media, from large-scale abstract paintings and triptychs made of industrial materials to wood reliefs and works on paper.

The Met Appoints Oluremi C. Onabanjo as Curator of Photographs

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has appointed Oluremi C. Onabanjo as Curator in its Department of Photographs following an international search. Onabanjo, who joins from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), will oversee exhibitions, acquisitions, and research for 20th-century and contemporary photography, with a specific emphasis on international practices in Africa and Asia. Her role includes the stewardship of the Walther Collection, a massive gift of over 6,500 works, and the preparation of a major exhibition scheduled for 2028.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Appoints Oluremi C. Onabanjo as Curator in the Department of Photographs

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has appointed Oluremi C. Onabanjo as a Curator in the Department of Photographs. Joining from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Onabanjo will focus on 20th-century and contemporary photography with a specific emphasis on international practices from Africa and Asia. Her responsibilities include overseeing the stewardship of the recently acquired Walther Collection and developing a major exhibition for 2028.

Ionit Behar, the MCA’s Newest Curator, on Opening Windows Into Other Worlds

Dr. Ionit Behar has been appointed as the Marilyn and Larry Fields Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago, effective February 9, 2026. Born in Israel and raised in Uruguay, Behar brings a global perspective shaped by her upbringing in an academic environment and her experience as an immigrant in the United States. Her curatorial philosophy emphasizes the museum as a space for intellectual discovery and emotional resonance rather than a mere repository of information.

Andrea Karnes, Museum Curator

Andrea Karnes, a longtime curator at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, provides an inside look at the evolving role of a contemporary art curator. Having spent her entire career at the institution, Karnes describes the transition from being a traditional 'caretaker of objects' to an intellectual architect who constructs arguments through exhibitions. She details the multi-year process of organizing shows, which involves extensive studio visits, international travel to biennials, and complex negotiations with collectors to secure loans for major retrospectives.

MoMA PS1’s “Greater New York” Is Gritty, Stunning, and Gutting

MoMA PS1 has launched the sixth edition of "Greater New York," a quinquennial survey featuring over 50 artists living and working in the city. Coinciding with the museum’s 50th anniversary, the 2026 iteration focuses on artists in the formative stages of their careers, emphasizing a gritty, raw aesthetic over the polished, market-driven surfaces often found in major biennials. The exhibition highlights photography and installation work that reflects the city's complex immigrant narratives and evolving urban identity.

Theresa Hak Kyung Cha Made Human Again

The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) is hosting "Theresa Hak Kyung Cha: Multiple Offerings," a comprehensive exhibition that draws from the artist’s complete archives. The show highlights Cha’s multidisciplinary practice, spanning film experiments, performance documentation, and her signature linguistic explorations. By pairing finished artworks with archival materials and personal ephemera, the exhibition reveals a playful, puckish side of the artist that is often obscured by the tragic circumstances of her death and the heavy themes of exile and dislocation in her work.

Arts of the Earth

ARTES DE LA TIERRA

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has inaugurated "Artes de la Tierra" (Arts of the Earth), a multidisciplinary exhibition curated by Manuel Cirauqui that examines the relationship between contemporary art and the soil. Spanning from the mid-20th century to the present, the show integrates visual arts, architecture, and ancestral Basque knowledge to explore themes of composting, terraforming, and ecological repair. Featured artists include pioneers of Land Art and Arte Povera such as Ana Mendieta, Fina Miralles, and Meg Webster, whose works are presented alongside archival materials and architectural models.

Of the Love that Moves the Sun and the Other Stars: An Interview with Amalia Cross

DEL AMOR QUE MUEVE EL SOL Y LAS OTRAS ESTRELLAS. ENTREVISTA A AMALIA CROSS

The Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende (MSSA) in Santiago has inaugurated a major collection-based exhibition titled "Del amor que mueve el sol y las otras estrellas," curated by art historian Amalia Cross. The show revisits the museum's unique history—from its origins during Salvador Allende’s presidency and the international "Operation Truth" to its period of exile following the 1973 coup and its eventual return to Chile. Featuring works by global icons such as Alexander Calder, Lygia Clark, and Yoko Ono, the exhibition emphasizes movement and collective action across various mediums including sculpture, video, and installation.

AOY Art Center’s 14th Juried Show set to open

The AOY Art Center in Yardley, Pennsylvania, is launching its 14th annual Juried Show, featuring 137 selected works from over 425 regional submissions. Curated by Amanda C. Burdan of the Brandywine Museum of Art, the exhibition spans various mediums including painting, sculpture, and photography. The show opens April 10 with a public reception and includes specialized honors such as the Frumi Cohen memorial award for wildlife art.

Art Basel reveals 33 medalists for second edition of its awards

Art Basel has announced the 33 medalists for the second edition of its annual awards program, honoring a diverse group of artists, curators, collectors, and institutions. The cohort is divided into categories including emerging, established, and icon artists, as well as cross-disciplinary figures and art-world allies. Notable honorees include Julie Mehretu, Barbara Kruger, and the Studio Museum in Harlem, representing a broad cross-section of the global art ecosystem.

What Makes a Good Protest Sign?

The article's main feature is a guide on creating effective protest signs for the upcoming No Kings protest, compiled by comic artist Steven Weinberg with input from artists, writers, and curators including Hyperallergic's Editor-at-Large Hrag Vartanian. It offers practical advice for crafting visually and rhetorically powerful signs that challenge authority.

Defying Soft Power: “Proximities” at SeMA

The Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) is hosting "Proximities: Contemporary Art from the United Arab Emirates," a major survey featuring over 110 works by 47 artists. Co-curated by Maya El Khalil and Eunju Kim in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), the exhibition eschews traditional chronological narratives in favor of a dense, non-linear exploration of Emirati identity. The show is organized into thematic chapters led by artist-curators, featuring works ranging from Shaikha Al Mazrou’s precarious sculptures to Raja’a Khalid’s olfactory installations.

Isa Genzken at David Zwirner

David Zwirner’s New York gallery is hosting "VACATION," a solo exhibition by the influential German artist Isa Genzken. Curated by Ebony L. Haynes, the show features a series of new works that continue Genzken’s career-long exploration of urban architecture, consumer culture, and the complexities of modern life. The presentation is supported by Galerie Daniel Buchholz, the artist's long-time representative in Cologne.

Artists Criticize Somalia’s First-Ever Venice Biennale Pavilion: ‘This Pavilion Does Not Speak for Us’

Somalia's inaugural pavilion at the Venice Biennale has sparked significant backlash from the nation's domestic art community. Four major Somali art spaces and nine local artists issued a joint statement criticizing the pavilion for failing to include or consult artists currently living and working within Somalia. The controversy centers on the selection of three diaspora artists based in Europe and the appointment of a Venice-based co-curator, which critics argue ignores the cultural workers who have rebuilt the country's art scene under difficult conditions.

I Saw a Great Show in China That Would Be Censored in the United States

A major exhibition titled "The Great Camouflage" is on view at the Rockbund Art Museum in Shanghai, curated by X Zhu-Nowell and Kandis Williams. The show explores 20th-century Afro-Asian revolutionary alliances and Black feminist thought through contemporary art, featuring works by artists like Pope.L, Tuan Andrew Nguyen, and Onyeka Igwe that process these histories from feminist perspectives.

“Iter Subterraneum” / Bergen Kunsthall, Bergen by Adele Seip

Bergen Kunsthall has launched "Iter Subterraneum," a group exhibition inspired by Ludvig Holberg’s 1741 satirical novel about a man who falls through a cave in Bergen into a subterranean world. The show features ten international artists, including Robert Gabris, Anicka Yi, and Cecilia Fiona, whose works span video, sculpture, and performance. By pairing historical editions of Holberg’s book with contemporary installations, the exhibition explores themes of displacement, collective existence, and the blurring of lines between human and non-human life.

Tanka Fonta wins 2026 Wi Di Mimba Wi Prize

Cameroon-born artist and polymath Tanka Fonta has been named the recipient of the 2026 Wi Di Mimba Wi Prize. Awarded by SAVVY Contemporary and the AKB Stiftung, the prize includes a €30,000 grant, production funds for a new commission, and dedicated curatorial support. Fonta, whose multidisciplinary practice spans visual art, composition, and philosophy, was selected from a shortlist of five Germany-based artists by a jury of prominent curators and academics.

Museum Storytellers: Three Art Scholars Curate Exhibitions at the North Shore’s World-Class Museum

The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem is highlighting the work of its curatorial team, specifically focusing on how Lydia Peabody, Lan Morgan, and Ruthie Dibble are revitalizing the institution's collections. A primary focus is the exhibition 'Edmonia Lewis: Said in Stone,' where Peabody integrated contemporary photography and video by artist Gisella Torres to create a dialogue with Lewis’s 19th-century neoclassical marble sculptures. Other initiatives include Lan Morgan’s 'Beyond the Broom' project, which uses short films to showcase a community-focused perspective of Salem beyond its 'witch city' reputation.

Anthony Elms and Hamza Walker in Conversation

The Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh has announced a public conversation between its new Artistic Director, Anthony Elms, and renowned curator Hamza Walker to mark the institution's 50th anniversary. The event focuses on the evolution of artist-centered institutions and Elms's vision for the museum following his tenure as Chief Curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania.

5 Artists on Our Radar This April

Artsy has highlighted five emerging and established artists to watch this April, selected based on recent gallery representation, exhibition success, and market data. The list features Peruvian painter Sylvia Fernández, known for her meticulous and majestic depictions of the natural world, alongside four other artists who have made significant impacts through recent art fairs and new bodies of work.