Quatre Moreau le Jeune pour Versailles

The French state has preempted four drawings by Jean-Michel Moreau le Jeune at a Christie's Paris auction, securing them for the Palace of Versailles. The works, sold in two lots, depict the festivities in Paris following the birth of the Dauphin Louis Joseph in autumn 1781, including the arrival of the Queen at the Hôtel de Ville and a fireworks display. The drawings were commissioned by the City of Paris and were intended to be engraved, marking a high point of public commissions under the ancien régime. The preemption was made possible through the support of the Friends of the Louvre, echoing a similar acquisition of Hubert Robert works from the same Veil-Picard sale.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Calls on King Charles to Return Treasured Diamond to India

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly called on King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor Diamond to India during the British monarch's visit to New York City on Wednesday. Speaking at a press conference before a 9/11 commemoration ceremony, Mamdani said he would encourage the King to return the diamond, which was given to Queen Victoria in 1850 after Britain's colonial governor-general arranged its exchange from a deposed Indian leader. The two leaders later met at the ceremony, but Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the discussion.

art sonya yu philanthropy

Philanthropist Sonya Yu made headlines in December by funding universal admission to MoMA PS1, making the Queens institution the largest free museum in New York. Based on the West Coast, she serves on the boards of SFMOMA and the Hammer Museum. In this interview, Yu discusses her influences, her views on the art industry, and her personal philosophy, touching on topics like stagnation, curiosity, and the importance of world-building over algorithm-chasing.

V&A East targets young people

Le V&A East vise les jeunes

The Victoria and Albert Museum has opened a new branch called V&A East in Stratford, east London, within the former Olympic Park. The £135 million (€155.8 million) building, designed by O'Donnell and Tuomey, features 479 sand-colored concrete panels and houses around 500 objects from the V&A's collection across two permanent galleries titled "Why We Make." The museum opened on April 18 and is part of the East Bank cultural complex supported by the London municipality. It prioritizes local engagement and mediation tailored to attract younger audiences, with exhibitions addressing social justice and environmental themes.

Centenary of Elizabeth II: Two colossal statues of the queen to be erected in London's St James's Park

Centenaire d’Elizabeth II : deux statues colossales de la reine seront érigées à Londres, dans St James’s Park

London has unveiled the final design and models for a colossal memorial to Queen Elizabeth II in St James's Park, to be completed by 2028. The centerpiece is a seven-meter bronze statue of the queen at age 28, inspired by a Pietro Annigoni portrait and created by sculptor Martin Jennings. It will be accompanied by a statue of Prince Philip by Jennings and a second, more intimate statue of the queen in old age by Karen Newman. The project marks the centenary of Elizabeth II's birth (1926–2022) and is designed by Foster + Partners. Models are on display at the British Museum until June 21.

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).

Joe Macken Spent 22 Years Building a Miniature New York by Hand

Joe Macken, a truck driver from upstate New York, spent 22 years building a 50-by-27-foot miniature scale model of New York City entirely from balsa wood, cardboard, and glue. The model, which includes all five boroughs and landmarks like the Twin Towers and One World Trade Center, went viral on TikTok after Macken’s daughter encouraged him to post a video. It is now on display at the Museum of the City of New York in an exhibition titled *He Built This City: Joe Macken’s Model*.

Exclusive | Met Gala 2026 and ‘Costume Art’ brashly transform flesh, bones and guts into too-cool couture

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute will debut its spring 2026 exhibition, “Costume Art,” on May 10, preceded by the Met Gala on May 4. The exhibition explores the dressed body in all forms—nude, pregnant, plus-size, disabled, aging, and internal—and features fashion designer Renata Buzzo’s hand-stitched “Corset Anatomia” from her 2024 collection “The Body.” Buzzo was personally selected by curator Andrew Bolton and donated her pieces. The exhibition will be housed in the new Condé M. Nast Galleries, an 11,500-square-foot space that will make fashion galleries the first thing visitors see upon entering the Great Hall. The Met Gala, co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, raised a record $31 million in 2025 and will follow the dress code “Fashion is Art.”

Cambodian Artist Sopheap Pich Shares in an Exhibition how He Conceives Sculptures

Cambodian artist Sopheap Pich is presenting an exhibition at Meta House in Phnom Penh that reveals his creative process, showing how he conceives sculptures from initial drawings and woodblock prints to works in bamboo and metal. Born in Battambang, Pich survived the Khmer Rouge regime as a child and later immigrated to the U.S., earning an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago before returning to Cambodia in 2002. The exhibition includes early rattan pieces and recent metal sculptures, reflecting his intuitive, memory-infused approach to making art with a team of ten assistants in his Phnom Penh studio.

How Tony Albert’s childhood instinct became a radical art practice

Tony Albert, a Girramay/Yidinji/Kuku-Yalanji artist, has spent his life collecting Aboriginalia—kitsch household items from the mid-20th century that feature naive or racist depictions of Indigenous culture. These objects, including ashtrays, velvet paintings, and figurines, form the basis of his upcoming exhibition *Tony Albert: Not A Souvenir* at the Museum of Contemporary Art, curated by Bruce Johnson McClean. Albert's practice transforms these mass-produced artifacts into a powerful critique of colonization, displacement, and erasure.

Cultural Compass: Cello takes centre stage, Antwerp galleries open their doors and wartime art

This week's cultural agenda in Belgium highlights three major events: the 75th anniversary of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, which focuses on cello for only the third time since 2017, featuring 64 young cellists from over 20 countries; the 12th edition of Antwerp Art Weekend, spanning 88 venues with a strong emphasis on emerging talent and politically engaged works; and a new exhibition at the Permekemuseum exploring Constant Permeke's formative years in wartime England. The competition includes a world premiere of 'Caffeine' by Belgian composer Harold Noben, and the winner will receive the use of Pablo Casals' historic 1733 Goffriller cello.

Museum Moves 24 – 30 April 2026

This article is a weekly roundup of museum news from 24–30 April 2026, covering openings, closures, and exhibitions across the UK. Highlights include the permanent closure of Blackpool's Tramtown museum due to structural unsafety, the reopening of Sibsey Trader Windmill after a five-year restoration, and several new exhibitions: 'Vennels: Perth’s Little Streets' at Perth Museum, 'The 90s: Art and Fashion' at Tate Britain, 'Regeneration' at Hull's Streetlife Museum, 'Inspiration' at Stockport Station, 'Our Story with David Attenborough' at Outernet London, and 'Lynn Chadwick at Houghton Hall' in Norfolk.

2 art exhibits in Woolwich, Portland illuminate in more ways than one - Portland Press Herald

Two solo exhibitions by artists Josefina Auslender and Billy Gerard Frank are on view in Woolwich and Portland, Maine, through mid-May. Auslender's "La Chimera de Oro (The Golden Chimera)" at Sarah Bouchard gallery features new ink-on-paper drawings exploring themes of artistic truth and the seductive danger of commercial success, while Frank's show at the Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design (ICA at MECA&D) addresses the legacy of slavery through multimedia installations.

National Gallery takes art to town centres

The National Gallery is displaying high-quality reproductions of masterpieces by Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, J.M.W. Turner, and Vincent van Gogh in town centres across the UK, starting with Croydon. The three-year initiative, called Art on Your Doorstep, places artworks in locations such as Croydon Minster and Queen’s Gardens, and will expand to Torquay, Derry, Birstall, and the Isle of Wight in 2026. Local residents help select the pieces and contribute creative responses, embedding the project within each community.

Glasgow-based artist's explosive work earns place in major UK exhibition

Frank To, an award-winning Glasgow-based artist known for using gunpowder to create explosive artworks, has been selected to exhibit at the Royal Cambrian Academy’s 2026 Annual Exhibition in Conwy, Wales. He is one of only four Scottish artists chosen from 148 applicants. To's recent London exhibitions at the Stafford Gallery, Wimbledon, and the Mall Galleries sold out, and his collectors include actor Sir Patrick Stewart and art patron Michel Witmer, who displays To's work alongside pieces by Picasso and Warhol.

WA’s Maryhill Museum of Art has ties to royalty, celebrates milestone

The Maryhill Museum of Art in Goldendale, Washington, is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its dedication by Queen Marie of Romania. Founded by entrepreneur Samuel Hill in 1907, the museum houses an eclectic collection including over 80 works by Auguste Rodin, French haute couture fashions, and thousands of Indigenous art objects. To mark the centennial, the museum has opened three new exhibitions highlighting Queen Marie's contributions: Russian icons, Romanian embroidery, and folk pottery, alongside her personal items like coronation gowns and gilded furniture.

Inside The Met's New 'Costume Art' Exhibition

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute has announced a new exhibition titled 'Costume Art,' opening to the public on May 10 and running through January 10, 2027. The show inaugurates the Met's nearly 12,000-square-foot expansion adjacent to the Great Hall, providing a permanent home for the Costume Institute's annual spring exhibitions. Featuring nearly 400 objects—half garments and half traditional art like sculpture and painting—the exhibition explores how clothing alters and enhances the human body, dividing 'the body' into 13 types such as 'The Classical Body' and 'The Corpulent Body.' The show includes works from designers like Coco Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Thom Browne, and Alexander McQueen, paired with historical artifacts and contemporary art. The exhibition follows this year's Met Gala, co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, which raised a record $42 million for the Costume Institute.

All the Looks That Made It From the Runway Into the Met’s “Costume Art” Exhibition

Lebanon’s Art Scene Is Living in ‘War Mode’

On April 8, 2025, a wave of Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon killed 357 people and injured over 1,200, a day now known as 'Black Wednesday.' Amid the violence, Lebanese artist Abed Al Kadiri, who grew up during Lebanon's civil war and Israeli occupation, has been working with displaced children in shelters, using art to help them process trauma. He collects their drawings and plans to combine them with sketches by other artists reflecting their own war experiences, creating concertina-style books to be exhibited and sold to raise funds for over 1.1 million displaced people.

Treasures from the worlds of fashion and art collide at an extraordinary new exhibition in Lisbon

A new exhibition titled 'Art & Fashion' has opened at Lisbon's Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, curated by Eloy Martínez de la Pera Celada. It juxtaposes masterpieces from the museum's permanent collection—spanning ancient Egyptian artifacts to Rembrandt and Impressionist works—with historic and contemporary fashion pieces, including garments from Charles Frederick Worth, Yohji Yamamoto, Dries Van Noten, Alexander McQueen, and Sarah Burton's debut at Givenchy. The show is organized by regional provenance and temporarily replaces the museum's usual display while its Brutalist building undergoes renovation.

The new London museum that looks like a ‘reconstructed Toblerone’

The V&A has opened a new outpost in east London's Lower Lea Valley, a former industrial area transformed into a cultural quarter after the 2012 Olympics. The museum, described as looking like a 'reconstructed Toblerone', is the latest addition to the 'Olympicopolis' vision, which aimed to create a cultural legacy akin to west London's Albertopolis. The article, written by Catherine Slessor in The Guardian, offers a mixed review: praising the beauty and craftsmanship of the galleries while criticizing overuse of trendy phrases like 'lived experience' and 'transcultural identities'.

V&A East opens as ‘civic space’ for creativity and community

V&A East Museum, a major new branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum, opened on 18 April in London's Olympic Park as part of the East Bank cultural quarter. The free-entry museum features permanent galleries and temporary exhibitions, launching with a landmark show titled 'The Music is Black: A British Story,' which traces over a century of Black British music through more than 200 objects. Developed with BBC Music, the exhibition includes items from artists like Winifred Atwell, Little Simz, Skepta, and Mis-Teeq. The museum's permanent display, 'Why We Make,' was co-created with the V&A East Youth Collective and explores global creative motivations. The opening was marked by a star-studded event with performances by AJ Tracey, Beverley Knight, and MNEK.

Ackerman Midcentury Art Show at Craft Contemporary

Craft Contemporary in Los Angeles is presenting 'Material Curiosity by Design: Evelyn & Jerome Ackerman,' an exhibition showcasing the mosaics, tapestries, wood carvings, and other works of the late midcentury design duo. The show, which runs through May 10, juxtaposes their vintage pieces with contemporary works by artists Porfirio Gutiérrez, Jolie Ngo, and Vince Skelly.

At the Venice Biennale, Canada’s entry blooms with unease

Montreal artist Abbas Akhavan's installation "Entre chien et loup" transforms the Canadian pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale into a living climate system, featuring a humid, Amazon-like environment with a pond of Victoria water lilies. The seeds were sourced from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and germinated at the Orto Botanico di Padova, with the lilies growing and blooming over the course of the biennale.

Rising Voices: Inside the V&A’s Landmark Exhibition Of Asian, Australian & Pacific Art

A new exhibition, 'Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia, and the Pacific,' opens this weekend at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. It features over 70 works by more than 40 artists from 25 Asia Pacific countries, including sculpture, painting, photography, ceramics, and textiles, many never before exhibited outside the region. The show is presented in partnership with the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in Brisbane and co-curated by Daniel Slater, the V&A's director of exhibitions.

Major, International Touring Exhibition ‘Treasures of the Pharaohs’ Coming to the Kimbell Art Museum in 2027

The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, announced it will host the major international touring exhibition 'Treasures of the Pharaohs' from March 14 to September 19, 2027. Featuring 130 artifacts from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the Luxor Museum, the exhibition spans 3,000 years of ancient Egyptian history, including royal treasures, newly discovered objects from the 'Golden City' in the Valley of the Kings, and works from Dynasty I to the Ptolemaic period. The exhibition is currently on view at the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome and will travel to the de Young museum in San Francisco before arriving at the Kimbell.

The National Gallery of Canada, commissioner of Canada's participation in the 61st International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, unveils the exhibition Abbas Akhavan: Entre chien et loup

The National Gallery of Canada has unveiled the exhibition "Abbas Akhavan: Entre chien et loup" for the Canada Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in 2026. The site-specific installation reimagines the pavilion's architecture as a Wardian case, a precursor to the terrarium used to transport plants across the British Empire, featuring a custom pool with giant Victoria water lilies. The artist replaced the facade with glass panels, making the plants visible from outside, and the installation is framed by additional sculptural works. The exhibition is curated by Kim Nguyen and accompanied by a fully illustrated publication.

Troublemakers and Prophets: Elizabeth Allen and Other Visionary Artists

Compton Verney in Warwickshire is staging a major exhibition titled "Troublemakers and Prophets: Elizabeth Allen and Other Visionary Artists," running from 28 March to 31 August 2026. The show reintroduces Elizabeth "Queen" Allen (1883–1967), a self-taught British artist who created intricate patchwork artworks inspired by the Apocrypha and biblical visions, using scraps of fabric, buttons, and sequins. Despite achieving success in her lifetime, Allen fell into obscurity; the exhibition pairs her work with thematically related contemporary artists to contextualize her legacy.

4 artistes sami, peuple autochtone d’Europe du Nord, à découvrir avant tout le monde

Four Sámi artists, representing the Indigenous people of Northern Europe, are being highlighted in Finnish museums as Oulu, the European Capital of Culture, hosts exhibitions showcasing their work. The article introduces these artists and their practices, emphasizing their unique perspectives rooted in Sámi culture and traditions.

Who Should Design NYC’s New Billie Holiday Monument?

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) has revealed six commission proposals for a monument honoring legendary jazz vocalist Billie Holiday, to be installed outside the Jamaica Performing Arts Center in Queens through the Percent for the Art program. The artists in the running are Thomas J Price, Tanda Francis, Nekisha Durrett, La Vaughn Belle, Tavares Strachan, and Nikesha Breeze, and the public is invited to share input on the conceptual designs before the final selection. The monument emerged from the 2018 She Built NYC initiative, which aimed to address the lack of historical monuments dedicated to influential women in the city, and was revitalized in 2024 after delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.