Native Arts Artists-in-Residence Gallery Talks

On August 1, 2026, the Denver Art Museum will host gallery talks featuring its 2026 Native Arts Artists-in-Residence: CooXooEii Black, Adrian Stevens, Sean Snyder, and Benjamin West. The artists will celebrate new installations in the Indigenous Arts of North America galleries, specifically reimagining the Home/Land section, which honors the Native Nations whose ancestral homelands include Denver and the surrounding Colorado region. The event coincides with the 150th anniversary of Colorado statehood and runs from 2-4 pm, with the artists present to discuss their work.

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.

Hunterdon Art Museum presents three new exhibitions: Claybash, Emily Strong, and Bascha Mon

The Hunterdon Art Museum in Clinton, New Jersey, will open three new exhibitions on May 17, 2026: 'Claybash,' a triennial juried ceramics exhibition; a solo show of figurative paintings by Emily Strong; and 'Mindscapes,' a solo exhibition of works by 93-year-old artist Bascha Mon. Emily Strong's show features large-scale realist oil paintings that explore themes of cultural identity, gender, and human relationships, with QR codes linking to interviews with her models. 'Claybash' includes 40 artists selected by curator Angelik Vizcarrondo-Laboy, with cash prizes awarded. Bascha Mon's exhibition highlights her six-decade career of imaginative, color-driven work.

New exhibition at Yorkville’s top gallery celebrates the 100th birthday of this famous artist

Mira Godard Gallery in Yorkville is hosting the Takao Tanabe 100th Birthday Exhibition this May, celebrating the centenary of the renowned Canadian landscape artist. Tanabe, born in 1926 in Seal Cove, B.C., studied at the Winnipeg School of Art and the Brooklyn Museum of Art School under Hans Hoffmann, later working in New York, London, and Japan before teaching at Emily Carr University of Art and Design. The gallery has represented Tanabe for nearly 55 years, and the exhibition features paintings and prints directly from his studio, focusing on British Columbian and Prairie landscapes.

Derrick Adams to Install Monumental Portrait of Koyo Kouoh in Venice During the Biennale

Artist Derrick Adams will install a monumental banner version of his collage "Heavy is the head that wears the crown" (2026) on the facade of the Palazzetto dello sport Giobatta Gianquinto in Venice, near the Arsenale, during the Venice Biennale. The work features a portrait of the late curator Koyo Kouoh, artistic director of the 2026 Venice Biennale, with the word "JOY" radiating golden rays above her head. The tribute was conceived by curator Francesco Bonami, who had invited Kouoh to serve on the Golden Lion jury for his 2003 Biennale, and developed after a studio visit with Adams.

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.

Why Did the Met Opera Decide to Exhume Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s Marital Strife?

The Metropolitan Opera has staged Gabriela Lena Frank's first opera, *El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego*, which imagines a supernatural reunion between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera on Día de los Muertos. The production, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin and starring Isabel Leonard and Carlos Álvarez, uses magical realism to explore the couple's turbulent relationship, though it largely sidelines their Communist activism and Kahlo's queer affairs in favor of a simplified reconciliation narrative.

The Whitney Museum Raised $6.3 Million Last Night

The Whitney Museum of American Art raised $6.3 million at its annual benefit gala on Tuesday night, honoring artist Julie Mehretu, Board Chair Fern Kaye Tessler, and Director Emeritus Adam D. Weinberg. The event drew a crowd of artists, actors, musicians, and arts leaders, with a performance by Grammy winner Shaggy and a seated dinner at the museum's downtown flagship.

Latino community organisation opens $33m arts centre in Boston

On 15 May, Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA), a Latino-founded nonprofit community development corporation, will open La Casa, a $33 million, 26,000-square-foot cultural center in Boston's South End. The largest Latino cultural center in New England, La Casa is designed by local firms Studio Enée and Annum Architects and features a terracotta-colored facade, energy-efficient design, and flexible spaces for civic engagement, education, and artistic expression. Initial programming includes artist residencies, workshops, and a mural by local artist Alvin “Acóma” Colon honoring Boston’s Puerto Rican residents. The building incorporates salvaged elements from the original turn-of-the-century Lutheran church that IBA repurposed in the 1960s.

Rosy Simas on Creating a Space for Peace in Minneapolis

Minnesota-based interdisciplinary artist Rosy Simas opened a contemplative installation titled "A:gajë:gwah dësa’nigöëwë:nye:' (i hope it will stir your mind)" at the Walker Art Center on the same day that Trump-appointed border czar Tom Homan announced the end of Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities. The installation features salt bottles made from woven corn husks, each honoring one of Simas's relatives, and is inspired by the teachings of Handsome Lake (Ganyodaiyo’), her fifth great-grandfather’s half-brother, who promoted the Seneca concept of a "good mind." The exhibition, on view through July 5, is part of a two-part project that also includes performances in May. Simas, known primarily for choreography, has increasingly gained recognition as a visual artist, recently receiving a Creative Capital Award.

US National Gallery of Art receives $116m gift to continue nationwide lending programme

The National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, DC, has received a landmark $116 million donation from the Mitchell P. Rales Family Foundation to permanently endow its Across the Nation lending programme. Launched in spring 2025, the initiative has already reached around 900,000 visitors at ten partner institutions, including the Anchorage Museum and the Mint Museum, by loaning works from the NGA's collection at no cost—covering transport, installation, insurance, and marketing. The next cycle will run from autumn 2027 to 2029, with new partners to be announced.

Venice Biennale Jury Resigns En Masse, Organizers to Award “Visitors’ Lions” in November

The jury for the 2026 Venice Biennale has resigned en masse, announcing the decision via e-flux's Instagram account on April 30 without providing a reason. The five-member jury, including president Solange Oliveira Farks, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi, had previously stated they would not consider national pavilions from countries charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, directly affecting Israel and Russia. In response, the Biennale postponed the awards ceremony from May to November 22 and replaced the Golden Lions with two "Visitors' Lions" voted on by the public.

parties new museum gala 2026 debbie harry

On Monday evening, the New Museum held its 2026 gala at Cipriani South Street, honoring outgoing Director Lisa Phillips, who led the institution for over three decades. The event featured a performance by Blondie's Debbie Harry, a live auction with works by Jack Pierson, Billy Sullivan, Rashid Johnson, and Cindy Sherman, and remarks from John Waters, Maya Lin, and Whitney Museum director Adam Weinberg. Notable attendees included artists Hank Willis Thomas, Derrick Adams, Marilyn Minter, and Anne Imhof, as well as arts leaders Thelma Golden, Yvonne Force Villareal, and Noah Horowitz.

Prize commemorates Henrike Naumann – MMK takes over estate

Preis erinnert an Henrike Naumann – MMK übernimmt Nachlass

A new prize named after the late artist Henrike Naumann has been established by the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa) and the Zeit Stiftung Bucerius, coinciding with her posthumous presentation at the German Pavilion of the Venice Biennale. The €15,000 Henrike-Naumann-Preis für Bildende Kunst, plus €5,000 in production funds, will be awarded regularly starting this year to early- to mid-career artists whose work engages with social transformation, political fault lines, or transnational contexts. Meanwhile, the Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt (MMK) has acquired Naumann's estate, which will be catalogued and made publicly accessible to ensure her work receives long-term scholarly and curatorial attention.

Federal Bill Creating Smithsonian Women’s Museum Scuttled Over Demand That It Honor Only “Biological” Females

Legislation to advance the construction of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum in Washington, DC, failed in the House on May 21 after Democrats rejected amendments added by Republicans. The bill, introduced by Republican Representative Nicole Malliotakis, was defeated 216-204, with six Republicans joining Democrats in opposition. Key changes included language specifying the museum would honor only “biological women” and explicitly barring the depiction of any “biological male as a female,” which critics said would exclude transgender women. Other provisions would have given President Donald Trump unilateral authority to choose an alternative site for the museum, originally planned for the National Mall, and granted approval power over design and construction to commissions controlled by Trump appointees.

Final proposals for Billie Holiday monument in New York City revealed

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs has selected six finalist proposals for a monument to jazz singer Billie Holiday in Queens, where she once lived and performed. The finalists—all Black artists from around the world—include Tavares Strachan, La Vaughn Belle, Tanda Francis, Nikesha Breeze, Thomas J Price, and Nekisha Durrett. Their designs range from realistic to abstract, with some focusing on Holiday's expressive face, her signature gardenia, or symbolic forms. The winning project will be announced this summer and installed near the Jamaica Performing Arts Center (JPAC).

Close encounters: the new wave of women photographers – in pictures

The Saltzman-Leibovitz photography prize, founded in 2025 by Lisa Saltzman and Annie Leibovitz, announces its winners and runners-up for 2026. Bolivian photographer Marisol Mendez wins for her series 'MADRE,' which challenges patriarchal representations of women in Bolivia through portraits of matriarchs and references to the Inca moon goddess. Runner-up Miranda Barnes documents African American debutante cotillions in Detroit, while other featured photographers include Bettina Pittaluga and Cole Ndelu, whose works explore body diversity and the fusion of Zulu cosmology with Catholicism. The exhibition runs at Photo London, Olympia, 13–17 May 2026.

Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian Pavilions Stage Pro-Ukraine Procession During Venice Biennale

On May 6, 2026, the Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian pavilions at the Venice Biennale organized a procession in solidarity with Ukraine, walking approximately one and a half miles from the Lithuanian Pavilion in the Fucina del Futuro to the Estonian pavilion. The action honored Ukrainian cultural workers creating under war conditions and those who have died. It is one of several political protests at the contentious 2026 Biennale, including demonstrations by Pussy Riot and FEMEN at the Russian pavilion, a "Solidarity Drone Chorus" opposing Israel's inclusion, and a planned 24-hour strike by the Art Not Genocide Alliance.

‘She had a fresh, informed eye’: mural depicting late Venice Biennale curator Koyo Kouoh displayed in lagoon city

A mural honoring Koyo Kouoh, the late curator of the 2025 Venice Biennale, has been unveiled in Venice. Created by US artist Derrick Adams, the collage titled "Heavy is the head that wears the crown" adorns the facade of the Palazzetto dello sport Giobatta Gianquinto near the Arsenale. Kouoh died on 10 May 2025 at age 57 after a cancer diagnosis. The tribute was organized by curator Francesco Bonami, who had invited Kouoh to join the jury for the 50th Venice Biennale in 2003.

Thomas J. Price and Tavares Strachan Make Shortlist for Billie Holiday Monument Designs

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs has announced a shortlist of six finalists for a public monument honoring jazz singer Billie Holiday, to be installed outside the Jamaica Performing Arts Center in Queens. Among the top contenders are British sculptor Thomas J. Price and Bahamian conceptual artist Tavares Strachan, whose proposals include abstract bronze forms and a mirrored column, respectively. Other finalists are La Vaughn Belle, Nikesha Breeze, Nekisha Durrett, and Tanda Francis, all of whom consulted with Holiday scholars and family members to develop their designs.

The MAR Museum in Ravenna Opens a Permanent Gallery Dedicated to Fashion Photographer Paolo Roversi

Il museo MAR di Ravenna apre una galleria permanente dedicata al fotografo di moda Paolo Roversi

The MAR museum in Ravenna, Italy, is opening a permanent gallery dedicated to fashion photographer Paolo Roversi, set to launch on May 20. The space, curated by Chiara Bardelli Nonino, will showcase Roversi's poetic and visual universe, featuring his iconic portraits of models like Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Rihanna, along with his fashion work and still lifes. The gallery is designed by scenographer Ania Martchenko with lighting by Silvestrin & Associati, and includes areas such as the Studio, the Archive, and the Room of the Muses.

브루클린뮤지엄: 패션디자이너 아이리스 반 페르펜전 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses'(5/16-12/6)

The Brooklyn Museum will present the North American debut of "Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses" from May 16 to December 6, 2026. The exhibition features over 140 haute couture creations by Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen, displayed alongside contemporary art, design objects, and scientific artifacts. It explores her fusion of traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology, sustainability, and themes from nature and science. The show first opened at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 2023 and has traveled to QAGOMA, ArtScience Museum Singapore, and Kunsthal Rotterdam. The Brooklyn presentation coincides with the museum's annual Brooklyn Artists Ball, where Van Herpen will be honored.

Maine: A Force Within American Art (1890-2026) At Farnsworth Art Museum

The Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine, has opened a year-long exhibition titled "Maine: A Force Within American Art (1890-2026)" in honor of America's 250th anniversary. The show presents 150 works across media, highlighting the state's artistic legacy from the late 19th century to the present. It features leading modernists such as Marsden Hartley, John Marin, Charles Demuth, and Georgia O'Keeffe, who found inspiration in Maine's landscapes, as well as contemporary artists like Theresa Secord. The exhibition is curated by Jaime DeSimone and Francesca Soriano, in collaboration with multiple institutions including the Ellis-Beauregard Foundation and Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture.

Art meets flowers: What to know about Ball State’s 'Art in Bloom'

Ball State University's David Owsley Museum of Art is hosting its annual 'Art in Bloom' event from May 15 to 17, 2026, in Muncie, Indiana. Regional floral designers create arrangements inspired by works from the museum's collection, with a free public preview party on May 15 featuring jazz by the Mark Buselli Trio. The weekend includes extended hours, paper flower-making workshops, live music by pianist Mikael Darmanie, and a People's Choice Award vote. This year's event is dedicated to the late David T. Owsley, the museum's namesake and main benefactor. A special exhibition, 'Nora Krug: Belonging,' organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum, is also on view through June 13.

Roberto Lugo brings monumental tribute to Puerto Rican culture to Manhattan park

Roberto Lugo has unveiled a monumental 20ft-tall urn titled *Capicú de Cariño (I Heard It Both Ways)* (2026) in Manhattan’s Madison Square Park, as part of his exhibition *Alfarero del Barrio (Village Potter)* commissioned by the Madison Square Park Conservancy. The urn features portraits of prominent Puerto Rican figures including Bad Bunny, Sonia Sotomayor, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Roberto Clemente, and the artist’s own parents, Gilberto and Maribel Lugo. The installation also includes a 15ft-tall orange fire hydrant sculpture, *Para Los Días Caliente (This Is For The Hot Ones)* (2026), and several planters and domino tables, all designed to invite public interaction and community engagement.

Kim Dacres Revitalizes Sleek Tires, Chains, and Gears in Defiant Sculptures

Kim Dacres transforms discarded auto and bicycle rubber into sculptural portraits that celebrate Black hairstyles and community. Her new exhibition "Lost on a Two Way Street" at Charles Moffett in New York features busts with braided buns and gear-like crowns, alongside flat wall works evoking Victorian cameos. The show also includes reimagined U.S. flags with Black and brown figures, addressing the current political climate and the gap between national symbols and lived reality.

New Kickernick Gallery Exhibition Celebrates 50 Years of a Women’s Art Collective

The article reports on a new exhibition at the Kickernick Gallery in Minneapolis celebrating the 50th anniversary of WARM (Women's Art Registry of Minnesota), a pioneering women's art collective founded in 1976. The show features works by founding members including Harriet Bart, whose textile piece "Concrete Poem" (1985) is made from discarded garment labels she collected from her studio floor. The exhibition is curated by Christy Frank and runs until mid-June, highlighting the collective's history of mentorship, activism, and advocacy for gender equity in the arts.

In an age of distraction, Marina Abramovic draws audiences into art

Marina Abramović, the pioneering performance artist who turns 80 this year, is the subject of a major exhibition at the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, running through October. The show, titled "Transforming Energy," features interactive "transitory objects" such as crystal structures and minerals, a re-enactment of one of her best-known performances, and a depiction of her work "Pieta" staged with her late partner Ulay alongside Titian’s masterpiece. Abramović became the first living woman to be honored with a major exhibition at the museum, and she previously won the top prize at the 1997 Venice Biennale. In an interview, she discusses her shift from painting to performance, her evolving relationship with the audience, and the challenge of holding attention in an age of distraction.

Venice Biennale 2026 Roundup

The 61st Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys" and curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, opened in May 2026 amid significant turmoil. The Austrian Pavilion features Florentina Holzinger's performance piece "Seaworld Venice," centered on a giant bell that chimes hourly. The biennale has been marked by the death of its curator, the resignation of the international jury over the inclusion of Russia and Israel, protests by Pussy Riot and the Art Not Genocide Alliance, and the cancellation of the South African Pavilion over Gabrielle Goliath's "Elegy," which honors murdered women including a Palestinian poet. The US Pavilion's state-sponsored offerings have also drawn criticism.

Stirling Art Collection awarded National Significance status

The University of Stirling's Art Collection has been designated a Collection of National Significance by Museums Galleries Scotland, joining four other collections receiving the honor on International Museums Day. The collection comprises over 800 prints, paintings, and sculptures, many displayed across the campus, particularly in the A-listed Pathfoot Building. Founded on a policy set by Principal Dr Tom Cottrell in 1967 to allocate 1% of building costs for art, the collection has grown through purchases and donations, including 14 works by Scottish Colourist J.D. Fergusson gifted by Margaret Morris. The collection team runs exhibitions, workshops, and an Artist in Residence programme to integrate art into university life.