Hired Amid Great Fanfare, Patricia Marroquin Norby, Met’s Inaugural Curator of Native American Art, Quietly Left

Patricia Marroquin Norby, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's inaugural full-time associate curator of Native American art, quietly left her position in December. Her departure followed independent investigations, including a 2024 report from the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds, which challenged her claims of Native American ancestry. Both Norby and the museum cited health concerns as the reason for her exit.

Lost Page From Archimedes Palimpsest Reappears In French Museum

A researcher has identified a long-lost page from the Archimedes Palimpsest, a 10th-century manuscript containing copies of the Greek mathematician's treatises. The page, held at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Blois, France, was matched to a leaf documented in 1906 photographs and contains diagrams from "On the Sphere and the Cylinder" on one side and a later-added religious illustration on the other.

Participatory Design or Processual Formalism? Frei Otto, the Ökohaus, and the Ökohäusler by Matthew Kennedy

The Ökohaus (Eco-House) project in Berlin stands as a radical experiment in participatory architecture, born from the 1987 Internationale Bauausstellung (IBA) urban renewal program. Designed by Frei Otto, the complex features three residential buildings characterized by a 'double informality' where dense foliage and a patchwork of diverse cladding materials—ranging from timber and metallic shingles to exposed concrete—create a ruin-like yet meticulously resolved aesthetic. The project challenged traditional housing models by allowing residents, or 'Ökohäusler,' to engage in a collective and individualized construction process.

154-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Fossil Debuts in the U.K.—But Its Species Remains a Mystery

A remarkably complete 154-million-year-old theropod fossil, nicknamed Juliasaurus, has made its public debut at the Hollytrees Museum in Colchester, U.K. Discovered in Wyoming’s Morrison Formation in 2020 and sold by the David Aaron gallery to a private collector, the 20-foot-long specimen is currently part of the “Discover: Museum Wonders” exhibition. While initially thought to be an Allosaurus or Marshosaurus, unique anatomical features in its skull and pelvis suggest it may represent an entirely new species.

What Faces Do Not Say: Reimagining Portraiture Beyond Recognition.

Curator Yasmin Sarnefors challenges the traditional boundaries of portraiture in the exhibition 'What Faces Do Not Say,' which features artists from Africa and its diaspora. Moving away from the expectation of physical resemblance, the show explores identity through ambiguity, memory, and the use of archives, landscapes, and abstract gestures. By presenting works that obscure or transform the human face, the exhibition highlights the psychological and political dimensions of how individuals are perceived and represented.

Archaeologists Uncover a 2,000-Year-Old Hillfort in Estonia

Archaeologists from the University of Tartu have discovered a 2,000-year-old Iron Age hillfort at Köstrimägi in Tartu County, Estonia. Using high-resolution terrain mapping, the team identified a 16,000-square-foot fortification featuring an unusual stepped rampart system that dates back to between 41 BCE and 9 CE. Despite its size, the site yielded few artifacts beyond pottery fragments and charcoal, suggesting a very brief period of occupation before it was destroyed by fire.

Barcelona museum refuses to return Sijena murals to monastery

The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) in Barcelona is refusing to comply with a Spanish Supreme Court order to return the 12th-century Sijena murals to their original monastery in Aragón. Tensions escalated after the museum hosted a listening party for pop star Rosalía in the same hall where the Romanesque masterpieces are housed, leading to accusations from the municipality of Villanueva de Sijena that the museum is endangering the fragile works. MNAC director Pepe Serra has dismissed these concerns as scientifically unfounded, sparking threats of a defamation lawsuit from local officials.

Rawya El Chab Tends to the Wounds of Lebanon's Civil War

Lebanese performance artist Rawya El Chab has debuted the second installment of her trilogy, "Crossing the Water," at The Brick in Brooklyn. The performance explores the collective trauma of the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon and her family's subsequent flight to the Ivory Coast, blending personal memory with political satire and mythology. By embodying various roles—from suspicious neighbors to puppet-like politicians—El Chab navigates the complexities of life under military occupation and the persistent feeling of surveillance.

1-54 New York Lines-Up More Than 20 Exhibitors, with a Special Focus on Brazil

The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair has announced its exhibitor lineup for its New York edition, set for May 13–17 at the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea. More than 20 galleries will participate, including a mix of returning and first-time exhibitors from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Americas, with the fair running concurrently with Frieze New York and NADA New York.

Required Reading

This week's cultural roundup connects diverse stories from art conservation to literary analysis. Novelist Karma Brown draws parallels between restoring artworks and revising novels, inspired by visits to the Art Gallery of Ontario, while an interview with Namwali Serpell examines the complex "monumentalization" of Toni Morrison's legacy. The column also includes a poignant image from Tehran—a framed artwork hanging in a bomb-damaged apartment—and touches on topics ranging from celebrating Eid in Gaza to discussions about "girl games" and the Lindy West drama.

Yoshiko Shimada: Selfless Devotion / Loving Care @ Ota Fine Arts

嶋田美子：滅私｜愛護 @ オオタファインアーツ

Ota Fine Arts in Tokyo is hosting a solo exhibition by Yoshiko Shimada titled "Selfless Devotion / Loving Care," running from March 14 to May 16, 2026. The exhibition features a significant selection of Shimada’s seminal works from the early 1990s, including "A Woman Shooting II," "A House of Comfort," and "Tied to Apron Strings." These pieces utilize photography, installation, and found objects to confront difficult historical narratives.

Sotheby’s Owes Real Estate Firm $10.2 Million Commission: Lawsuit

Real estate giant Cushman & Wakefield has filed a lawsuit against Sotheby’s, alleging the auction house failed to pay a $10.2 million commission following the $510 million sale of its New York headquarters. The dispute centers on the building at 1334 York Avenue, which was sold to Weill Cornell Medicine in late 2025 after the medical institution initially leased several floors through a deal brokered by the real estate firm.

Where are the Louvre Jewels?

Wo sind die Louvre-Juwelen?

Six months after a high-profile heist at the Louvre, investigators remain in pursuit of stolen jewelry valued at approximately €88 million. While four suspects are currently in custody, the bulk of the Second Empire-era treasures remains missing, leading to fears that the pieces may have been dismantled or melted down. The investigation has shifted focus toward how the thieves obtained a sensitive 2018 security audit that detailed vulnerabilities in the museum's defenses.

Whitney Biennial Between Cuteness and Panic

Whitney-Biennale zwischen Niedlichkeit und Panik

The Whitney Museum of American Art has unveiled its latest Biennial, a sprawling survey of contemporary art that navigates the tension between playful aesthetics and existential dread. Curators have embraced an expanded definition of American art, incorporating global perspectives and diverse media to reflect a nation grappling with political instability and social change. The exhibition oscillates between moments of "cuteness" and "panic," utilizing strong visual narratives to address the complexities of the current era.

In Shanghai, a spectacular spiral opera house designed by Snøhetta is revealed

À Shanghai, un spectaculaire opéra en spirale conçu par l’agence Snøhetta se dévoile

The Shanghai Grand Opera House, a massive 147,000-square-meter cultural landmark designed by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta, has reached structural completion in the Houtan district. Inspired by the form of a traditional Chinese fan, the building features a dramatic white helical roof that doubles as a public walkway, connecting the urban landscape to the waterfront. The interior, which includes a 2,000-seat main hall and various modular spaces, is currently being finalized ahead of a scheduled opening in the second half of 2026.

“Tohé Commaret: Mala Onda” at ZOLLAMT MMK, Frankfurt

“Tohé Commaret: Mala Onda” at ZOLLAMT MMK, Frankfurt

Chilean artist Tohé Commaret has opened her first institutional solo exhibition in Germany, "Mala Onda," at the ZOLLAMT MMK, a project space of the Museum für Moderne Kunst in Frankfurt. The exhibition features a new body of work, including large-scale paintings and a site-specific installation, that explores themes of memory, cultural displacement, and the lingering psychological effects of political violence.

Becoming Midwest: Mother and daughter artist pair mount museum collaboration

Watercolor artist Judy Thompson and her daughter, poet Kristin Gifford, have launched a collaborative exhibition titled “Becoming Midwest: Life Between” at the Washington Pavilion Visual Arts Center in Sioux Falls. The show features 27 artworks and 12 poems that explore shared themes of motherhood, the natural landscape of the Great Plains, and the complexities of regional identity. The project marks the first formal partnership between the pair, blending Thompson’s established watercolor practice with Gifford’s contemporary poetry.

Stay Connected: Supplying the Globe @ Tai Kwun

Stay Connected: Supplying the Globe @ 大館

Tai Kwun in Hong Kong is set to host "Stay Connected: Supplying the Globe," a major group exhibition running from February 28 to May 31, 2026. Curated by Pi Li and Yan Kwok, the exhibition features a diverse array of contemporary artists including Musquiqui Chihying, Ho Rui An, Lap-See Lam, and Li Shuang. The works span various media, from video installations like "The Smart City" to sculptural interventions and performance-based projects, focusing on themes of global infrastructure, labor, and technological connectivity.

EducaImmagine returns to Rovereto: the festival on media use. The protagonists speak

A Rovereto torna EducaImmagine, il festival sull’uso dei media. Parlano i protagonisti

The EducaImmagine festival returns to Rovereto with its 2026 edition titled "Miraggi" (Mirages), focusing on the complex relationship between media consumption and the perception of reality. Led by artistic director Luca Ferrario, the event gathers a diverse group of experts—including artists, designers, psychologists, and content creators—to address the challenges of digital literacy and the potential for images to distort or amplify truth in the modern age.

MAFOLOFOLO: Sonic Cartographies of Return

The South African artist collective MADEYOULOOK has unveiled 'Mafolofolo' at Hangar – Centro de Investigação Artística in Lisbon. Curated by Margarida Mendes, the installation utilizes sound, oral histories, and liberation songs to map the complex relationships between land, memory, and dispossession in northern South Africa. The work, which originally debuted at documenta fifteen, has been reconfigured for this specific research-driven setting to explore themes of extraction and survival.

Kazuhito Kawai & Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka "Tsuitayo: Becoming by Making" @ KOTARO NUKAGA (Roppongi)

川井雄仁&アレクサ・クミコ・ハタナカ「ついたよ：Becoming by Making」@ KOTARO NUKAGA（六本木）

Artists Kazuhito Kawai and Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka are presenting a joint exhibition titled "Tsuitayo: Becoming by Making" at KOTARO NUKAGA in Roppongi, Tokyo. Running from March 14 to April 10, 2026, the show features Kawai’s expressive ceramic sculptures alongside Hatanaka’s textile-based works, including her signature "Noren" and "Tabi" pieces. The exhibition highlights a dialogue between Kawai’s tactile, often grotesque ceramic forms and Hatanaka’s exploration of heritage and craft through traditional Japanese materials.

Elliot Erick Jimenez El Monte

Elliot and Erick Jiménez, twin photographers from Miami, have debuted their first museum exhibition, 'El Monte,' at the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM). The immersive installation transforms the gallery into a hybrid chapel-forest, drawing conceptual inspiration from Cuban ethnographer Lydia Cabrera's seminal 1954 book of the same name, which explores Afro-Cuban spiritual traditions. The artists present staged photographs featuring anonymous 'shadow figures' adorned in paint and costumes, creating archetypal representations of spiritual forces.

Gê Viana: Afterlives of the African Diaspora

Artist Gê Viana's monumental sound system installation, 'A colheita de Dan (The Harvest of Dan, 2025)', was a standout work at the most recent Bienal de São Paulo. The piece, a towering radiola painted in black, white, and red, combines photomontages of Black reggae parties, Afro-Indigenous religious shrines, and medicinal plants, while playing a loop of Brazilian reggae and songs from Maranhão's quilombo communities.

A New "Creative" Campus in Rennes

Un nouveau campus « créatif » à Rennes

The private higher education group Icônes is investing €33 million to construct a new 16,000-square-meter "creative campus" in the EuroRennes district of Rennes, France. Scheduled to open in 2027, the complex will feature three buildings designed by architect Philippe Dubus, including a new home for the ESMA 3D animation school, a 300-studio student residence, and coworking spaces dedicated to creative startups.

ARTS AND HUMANITIES: Aiken Center for the Arts exhibition focuses on the shaping of identity

Artist Lucy Bailey is presenting a solo exhibition titled "Roots and Wings" at the Aiken Center for the Arts, running through April 29. The show features nearly 50 mixed-media works created on vintage early 20th-century infant gowns, exploring the complex origins of human identity through themes of genetics, genealogy, community, and nature. Bailey utilizes diverse materials—ranging from DNA-inspired patterns and family photographs to resin-dipped cicada wings—to symbolize the foundational "roots" of selfhood and the "wings" of individual expression.

CLC presents 'Atrophy of Reality' gallery opening

Central Lakes College Art Gallery is hosting "Atrophy of Reality," a multidisciplinary exhibition created and curated by Studio Arts Instructor Casey Hochhalter. The show features an artist lecture on April 17 at the Brainerd campus, followed by an opening reception where Hochhalter will discuss his creative process and research into art philosophy and metacognition.

How do you break bad news to someone you love? With this artist’s help, it’s a piece of cake

Artist Keely O'Brien has transformed the Richmond-Brighouse SkyTrain station in Vancouver into a public gallery with her exhibition "Secret Ingredients." Part of the Capture Photography Festival, the installation features large-scale photographs of decadent, homemade cakes iced with unconventional messages like "You Snore" or "I'm So Proud of You." These images originated from a social experiment where O'Brien solicited anonymous confessions from the public and delivered them as custom-baked confections to recipients across the city.

An Artist Renounced His Family. They Sued to Acquire His Life’s Work.

The heirs of the late artist Robert S. Neuman sued his longtime gallerist, June Kelly, to gain control of his artistic estate. The lawsuit, filed in New York, claims Kelly exploited her relationship with the elderly artist to secure ownership of hundreds of his works, while the family argues Neuman's renunciation of them was based on false information she provided. The family's victory in court, resulting in the transfer of the entire collection to them, sets a significant precedent for estate disputes involving artists and their dealers. It highlights the complex power dynamics and potential for exploitation in artist-gallerist relationships, especially as artists age, and may influence how galleries structure agreements to protect both their interests and those of an artist's heirs.

AFFECTIVE CARTOGRAPHIES AND ARCHITECTURES BY SOFIA SALAZAR AT C3A

Ecuadorian artist Sofía Salazar Rosales has debuted a site-specific solo exhibition titled "Travesías de una lágrima" at the Centro de Creación Contemporánea de Andalucía (C3A) in Córdoba, Spain. The installation-heavy showcase utilizes sculpture and architecture to explore themes of migration, memory, and colonial legacies. Through materials like wax, charcoal, and iron grilles, Salazar Rosales creates a physical itinerary that invites visitors to navigate the complex emotional and political landscapes of displacement and territory.

This Tokyo exhibition explores the process of curating art for an entire nation

The National Art Center, Tokyo, has opened a major exhibition titled "Curating the Nation: Japanese Art from the 1950s to the Present." The show examines the complex and often contentious process of how Japanese art has been selected, presented, and defined for both domestic and international audiences over the past seven decades.