Guest curator Greg de Cuir Jr. interviews five prominent artist duos—including Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, and OJOBOCA—to explore the mechanics of collaborative practice and shared life. The participants discuss the origins of their partnerships, ranging from the necessity of navigating new environments like Berlin’s analog film scene to the shared political and aesthetic urgency following the Lebanese Civil Wars.
How Much Did It Cost to Paint a Pompeii Room Egyptian Blue?
A new study has calculated the staggering cost of painting a room in Pompeii with Egyptian blue pigment. Researchers determined that covering the walls of a recently discovered "Blue Room," a sacred shrine, would have required between 2.7 and 4.9 kilograms of the prized synthetic pigment. Based on prices recorded by Pliny the Elder, this quantity of high-grade pigment would have cost between 50% and 90% of a Roman legionary's annual salary, highlighting it as an extreme luxury.
At the 60th Venice Biennale, the Sultanate of Oman presents "Zīnah (Adornment)," a pavilion conceived by artist and curator Haitham Al Busafi. The immersive installation, on view at the Arsenale Artiglierie from 9 May to 22 November 2026, draws on the Omani tradition of adorning horses with silver (al-zaanah) to explore themes of relation, movement, and shared presence. Visitors enter through darkness into a field of Omani sand, beneath a canopy of silver elements that respond to movement with sound. The work incorporates drawings by students and emerging artists from a workshop in Muscat, emphasizing collective authorship.
A generation of Native American artists, emerging from the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe from the 1960s onward, reclaimed Indigenous representation in American art. Figures like Fritz Scholder, T.C. Cannon, Kevin Red Star, and Earl Biss used modernism, irony, and cultural specificity to dismantle colonial stereotypes of Native peoples as romanticized relics, instead portraying them as contemporary individuals with agency and living traditions.
The article reviews "Shifting Crossroads. Beirut Contemporary," an exhibition at Circolo in Milan that surveys the contemporary Lebanese art scene. It features internationally recognized artists like Mona Hatoum and Simone Fattal alongside emerging talents, including works from the Saikalis Bay Foundation, founded in 2024 by Nicole Saikalis and Matteo Bay. The show spans historical-archival investigation, photography, installation, painting, and sculpture, with pieces such as Stéphanie Saadé's "Stage of Life" (2021), Catherine Cattaruzza's "I am Folding the Land" (2022), and Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige's "Waiting for the Barbarians" (2013) exploring themes of memory, fragility, and geopolitical instability.
Galerie Sept, founded by Florian Araïb in Brussels in 2018, has expanded by opening a second gallery location in the Belgian seaside town of Knokke. The new, larger space features high ceilings and natural light, designed to support more ambitious presentations of its artists' work, and is launching with an exhibition by Juliette Clovis.
Ronald Rose-Antoinette has been appointed the new Max Stern Curator at Concordia University’s Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery. A Concordia graduate with a BFA, MA in film studies, and PhD in humanities, Rose-Antoinette has over 20 years of experience studying, working, and collaborating at the university. His role includes curating the SIGHTINGS exhibition series, developing public programming, and overseeing the gallery’s permanent collection of more than 1,800 works, primarily by Canadian artists. He describes his return as a "homecoming" and emphasizes a curatorial vision focused on decolonial practices, cross-cultural work, and intersectional approaches.
The National Gallery in London has opened the first monographic exhibition in the UK dedicated to Francisco de Zurbarán, a leading 17th-century Spanish painter. The show brings together exceptional loans from public and private collections across the UK, Europe, and the United States, including works displayed together for the first time in over a century. Highlights include life-size depictions of saints, soaring altarpieces, and contemplative still lifes, with the exhibition running until 23 August.
A coalition of seven Zurich-based artist-run collectives, led by Peter Baracchi and his nomadic platform 6½, has taken over the former Museum Haus Konstruktiv building in Zurich's Selnau district. The project, titled "Oceans Flow Upwards," occupies 1,200 square meters across five floors and expands into over 2,000 square meters by activating the cellar, offices, storage, shop, café, and rooftop. Participating collectives include Hotel Tiger, Die Diele, Papillarya, MATERIAL, volumes, and zwischentext. Baracchi, who previously worked at Haus Konstruktiv as a technician and photographer, initiated the takeover after the museum relocated to Areal Löwenbräukunst, securing temporary cultural use from the City of Zurich in March. Rather than dividing the space into separate zones, the exhibition presents a single, integrated show where artists were invited by the collectives, not selected by open call.
Bruce Katsiff, the founding director of the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, has returned to the institution with his first-ever exhibition at the museum, titled 'Pieces of a Life.' The retrospective showcases six decades of Katsiff's photography, including series such as 'Face Maps,' 'River Town Portraits,' and 'Nature Morte,' as well as collaborative works never before exhibited. Katsiff, who led the museum from 1989 to 2012, transformed it from an arts center into a full-fledged museum, building a collection focused on regional artists from Bucks County and overseeing the installation of iconic spaces like the Nakashima Room.
Newcastle Art Gallery in Australia has unveiled two groundbreaking accessibility commissions: a digital guide named Nancy and architectural-scale sculptures by artist Fayen d'Evie. The digital guide offers a 24-stop tour with audio, Auslan-interpreted video, and written descriptions, developed through a 'by community, for community' model involving d/Deaf consultants, Auslan interpreters, and First Nations consultants. The sculptural solution addresses the gallery's original floating staircases, providing safe navigation for visitors who are blind or have low vision. A panel talk and Auslan-interpreted tour on Saturday will highlight these initiatives.
The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) announced a lecture by linguist Dr. Salikoko S. Mufwene, exploring the evolution of language and symbols, alongside an exhibition of Gelsy Verna's artwork "Mother, Father, Please Help Me" (May 7–September 27, 2026). Verna, a Haitian-born Canadian artist and former University of Wisconsin–Madison professor, created the piece as a palimpsest over several years in collaboration with David Dunlap; the reverse side has been reproduced for display. MMoCA has added the work to its permanent collection.
The 2026 Met Gala took place on May 4 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, celebrating the opening of the "Costume Art" exhibition. A host of celebrities including Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Blue Ivy Carter, Serena Williams, Janelle Monáe, Venus Williams, Ciara, Anderson .Paak, Naomi Osaka, Yseult, Anok Yai, Jon Batiste, and Suleika Jaouad arrived at the museum's iconic stairs wearing art-inspired looks. The event was covered by photographers Evan Agostini and Charles Sykes for the Associated Press.
Artist Stuart Robertson presents "Through the Artist's Eye" at Bikaner House's Centre for Contemporary Arts in New Delhi, an exhibition born from a 15-month residency at Dr Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital. The show features cyanotypes, digital photos, bronze and iron sculptures, and multimedia collages that recreate how patients with cataracts, glaucoma, and other visual impairments perceive the world. Robertson worked with children experiencing sight for the first time, and all proceeds from sales benefit the hospital.
The St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM) hosted two special exhibitions during the past semester: the annual "Art in Bloom" floral exhibition from February 27 to March 1, 2026, and the solo show "Currents 125: Blas Isasi" opening February 6, 2026. "Art in Bloom" pairs 30 permanent collection pieces with ephemeral floral arrangements created by local designers, featuring a centerpiece by New York-based floral designer Rachel Cho. The exhibition has grown from an invitational event with 7,000 attendees to an open call drawing over 30,000 visitors. Isasi's exhibition, titled "The weight of a gaze (is to listen to the sound of a kilogram)," is part of SLAM's "Currents" series and the WashU Henry L. and Natalie E. Freund Teaching Fellowship, incorporating a Chincha Inka balance from the museum's collection alongside sandstone sculptures and aluminum foil pieces.
Taiwan has revoked the National Award for Arts from Indigenous artist Sakuliu Pavavaljung after his sexual assault conviction was upheld by the Supreme Court. The Ministry of Culture and the National Culture and Arts Foundation announced the withdrawal on 17 April 2025, and Pavavaljung must return the NT$1 million prize. The conviction stems from a February 2021 incident involving a woman under his artistic mentorship; he was sentenced to four years and six months in prison. Allegations first surfaced in December 2021 via social media, prompting further accusations. Pavavaljung had previously been dropped from representing Taiwan at the Venice Biennale and suspended from Documenta 15.
The Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, will open two exhibitions in May 2025: "Architecture of the Dalí" on May 2, tracing the museum's history from its 1980s origins to its current bayfront structure, and "Dalí in America" on May 9, featuring over 70 works exploring Salvador Dalí's vision of the United States. Other notable openings include "Wolves: Photography by Ronan Donovan" at the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art (May 9), multidisciplinary artist Babs Reingold's solo show "After Venus" at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg (May 15), and "Cigars! Photography, Industry, and Identity" at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, commemorating Ybor City's cigar-rolling history. Additional events include Florida NOW at Florida CraftArt, Charles Morrison's "Head in the Sky, Feet on the Ground" at the Morean Center for Clay, and a photography contest sponsored by FloridaRAMA and St. Petersburg Month of Photography.
Stella’s Art Gallery in Willoughby, Ohio, is currently hosting two distinct exhibitions: "The Four Seasons," a juried show featuring local award winners like Anna Hsu and Tatiana Strelnikova, and "Unreal: 2 Visions," an abstract showcase in the Annex Gallery featuring artists Josh Chefitz and Gregory Johnson. Additionally, the gallery is preparing for its upcoming "Size Matters" small works exhibition in May, while the Willoughby Arts Collaborative has launched a call for artists to design local utility boxes.
No Place Gallery in Columbus, Ohio, celebrates its 10th anniversary with a sprawling exhibition titled "Between Fields and What Isn't: A Decade Inside No Place," opening February 12 at Beeler Gallery and continuing at No Place. Founder James McDevitt-Stredney, a CCAD graduate and former skate rat, reflects on his journey from showing friends' work to strategically curating artists like Florian Meisenberg and Cameron Granger, who praises McDevitt-Stredney's collaborative, risk-taking spirit.
Sotheby's is returning to Saudi Arabia with an art-only auction, marking a significant re-entry into the regional market. The event signals a deepening engagement with the kingdom's burgeoning cultural scene.
Floral tributes left at Bondi Beach after a deadly terrorist attack on a Hanukkah celebration in December 2024 have been collected and will be transformed into an art installation at the Sydney Jewish Museum. Jewish Australian artist Nina Sanadze, born in Georgia and based in Melbourne, is working with volunteers to dry and process the flowers in a Sydney warehouse, experimenting with resin, bronze casting, and composted materials to create a work that may depict beachgoers fleeing the attack. The museum, currently closed for redevelopment, plans to feature the installation in a special exhibition when it reopens in 2027.
Barbican Immersive, the touring exhibition arm of London's Barbican Centre, has announced its 2026 exhibition "In Other Worlds," the first UK solo show by artist, director and BAFTA-nominated producer Liam Young. The exhibition will debut at the Barbican Centre from 21 May to 6 September 2026 as part of the Barbican's Summer season, before touring internationally. It features films, costumes, props, miniature models, comics, tapestries, and soundscapes that imagine hopeful futures amid environmental and technological challenges. Highlights include the world premiere of Young's film "World Machine" (2026), which envisions an AI-powered planetary supercomputer, alongside earlier works such as "Planet City" (2021), "The Great Endeavour" (2023), and "After the End" (2024).
The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) presented the exhibition "Ten Contemporary Korean Women Artists" from May 21 to August 25, 1991. The show featured forty-eight works in various media that blend Eastern and Western techniques, highlighting modern visions rooted in ancient traditions. It was the first major exhibition of its kind in the United States, celebrating the achievements of Korean women artists, many of whom studied during the 1970s and 1980s—a period of artistic evolution, rapid economic development, and political unrest in Korea.
Toi Tauranga Art Gallery in New Zealand reopens on November 15, 2025, after a two-year closure and transformation. The revamped space features a new entrance at Masonic Park, a Mauri Stones installation, a gallery store highlighting regional artists, a creativity centre, improved accessibility, and a café. The reopening exhibitions include 'Whakairo' by Kereama Taepa, 'Old Friends' curated by Dr Penelope Jackson, 'Glimmer' in the new Meldrum Gallery, and works by Pusi Urale, Vaimaila Urale, and Darcy Nicholas, among others.
The Trout Museum of Art in Appleton, Wisconsin, opened a retrospective exhibition and named a lecture hall in honor of Li Hu, the late UW-Oshkosh emeritus art professor. The event, titled "A Tribute to Li Hu: Celebrating a Visionary Legacy," included a ribbon cutting for the Li Hu Lecture Hall, a panel discussion featuring former students and colleagues, and an exhibition of Hu's sculptural and painted works spanning his career. Hu, who died in 2016, was born in Shanghai, survived the Cultural Revolution, earned a degree from Shanghai University Fine Arts College, and moved to the U.S. in the early 1990s before teaching at UW-Oshkosh for nearly two decades. The exhibition is on view through January 4, 2026.
Virginia Aldoff-Pinay, a Cree Kokum from the Foothills School Division, has opened the Sunrise Moon Art Gallery in High River, Alberta. The gallery features Indigenous art, artifacts, and educational displays representing the Blackfoot Confederation, Métis, and Inuit cultures, along with a tea room and library. Aldoff-Pinay, who comes from a family of artists, named the gallery after a morning prayer when she saw both the sunrise and moon. The business is managed by her grandson Ethan Carpenter, and the sign was made by her daughter Vanessa.
Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts (MoFA) has opened "Water Ways: Indigenous Ecologies and Florida Heritage," an exhibition examining Indigenous relationships with water through historical artifacts and contemporary art. Curated by Elizabeth A. Cecil, the show features works by Harold García V (El Quinto), Samboleap Tol, and Wilson Bowers, alongside ancient cypress dugout canoes, ceramics, tools, and a mask from the New Orleans Museum of Art. The exhibition runs from September 18, 2025, to March 14, 2026, with accompanying events including artist talks, a symposium, and a book club.
The Middlebury College Museum of Art will reassemble Le Petit Salon, an 18th-century French neoclassical paneled room designed by Pierre-Adrien Pâris in 1776 for the duc d’Aumont’s Parisian mansion. Gifted to the college in 1959 by Susan Dwight Bliss, the room had been in storage since the 1990s. The exhibition, running from July 8 to December 6, 2025, traces the room’s journey from Paris to Manhattan—where it decorated the Bliss family’s Gilded Age mansion for fifty years—and finally to Middlebury, where it became part of Le Château, the college’s French language dormitory. The show also features Pâris’s original watercolor elevations and studies from his time in Rome and Naples, with loans from Bowdoin College, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, and the Fine Arts Museum of Besançon.
Renowned artists have opened a new gallery in Enderby, British Columbia, as reported in a segment titled 'This is BC' by Global News. The video feature, published on June 10, 2025, highlights the establishment of this gallery by well-known visual artists in the small community of Enderby, located in the North Okanagan region. The artists are bringing their expertise and creative works to a local venue, aiming to enrich the area's cultural landscape.
Future Fair returns for its fifth anniversary from May 7-10 at Chelsea Industrial in Manhattan, featuring 67 exhibitors. The fair is impacted by President Donald Trump’s tariffs, with one Bologna-based gallery, Magazzeno Art Gaze, displaying a sign that its shipment is stuck at JFK customs, showing only works brought in luggage. Montreal’s Wishbone Gallery narrowly avoided a similar fate after its artist consulted a psychic, and the works arrived just in time. Despite trade disruptions, the fair continues its focus on portraiture, showcasing artists such as Saki Sonoda (depicting Bushwick club House of Yes), Émile Brunet (Dutch Golden Age-inspired portraits), Izere Antoine (impastoed Black women), Matthew Rosenquist (wooden reliefs of Americana), Katie Commodore (digital textile tapestries), and Catie Cook (animal stand-ins for Southern womanhood).