The Muskegon Museum of Art Announces a Landmark Exhibition showcasing the Women who shaped Animation History

The Muskegon Museum of Art has announced a landmark exhibition titled "HerStory of Animation: Mary Blair & Beyond," premiering June 6 through September 27, 2026. The show highlights the overlooked contributions of women animators and artists who shaped animation history, featuring figures such as Helena Smith Dayton, Bessie Mae Kelley, Lotte Reiniger, Mary Blair, Faith Hubley, Lillian Schwartz, Caroline Leaf, Joan Graz, Brenda Chapman, and Nora Towmey. Curated by historian and author Mindy Johnson, the exhibition includes production artwork, studio artifacts, rare imagery, films, and newly uncovered research spanning over a century of animation.

Biennale, rules announced for Visitor's Lion. But dozens of artists withdraw

The Venice Biennale has announced the voting rules for the new Visitors' Lion awards, which replace the traditional Golden Lions after the original jury resigned before the opening. On the same day the popular voting opened, dozens of artists from the central exhibition 'In Minor Keys' and several National Pavilions announced their withdrawal from the competition in solidarity with the resigned jury, releasing a statement via e-flux on May 9, 2026. The voting system requires visitors to have attended both the Giardini and Arsenale venues, with anonymous voting open until November 22, 2026.

Meet the Canadian artists heading to Venice Biennale

Five Canadian artists have been selected for the main exhibition of the Venice Biennale, titled *In Minor Keys*, which opens to the public next Saturday. The participants are Abbas Akhavan (featured in the Canada Pavilion), Manuel Mathieu, Rajni Perera, Marigold Santos, and one additional artist. The exhibition is the first Biennale curated by a Black woman, Cameroonian-Swiss curator Koyo Kouoh, who died suddenly in May last year after a cancer diagnosis, just six months after her appointment. Despite her death, the Biennale proceeded with her plans, with her team completing the work.

The World’s First Museum Of AI Arts Is Finally Opening In L.A. This Summer — Here's How To Get Insider Access Before It Opens

Los Angeles will open DATALAND, the world's first Museum of AI Arts, on June 20, 2026. Co-founded by Refik Anadol and Efsun Erkılıç, the 35,000-square-foot museum is located in Frank Gehry's Grand LA complex within the Grand Avenue Cultural District. Its inaugural exhibition, "Machine Dreams: Rainforest," runs through January 31, 2027, and features the Large Nature Model—the first open-source generative AI model dedicated to nature. The exhibition uses real-time audience biofeedback and ecological datasets to create a shifting digital rainforest, including an Infinity Room that plays the extinct Kauaʻi ʻŌʻō bird's call. Pioneer Memberships are now on sale, offering exclusive pre-opening access and a generative print.

Pandolfini presents Julie Hamisky's "Alchemical Garden" at Design Week 2026

Pandolfini Auction House is hosting a solo exhibition titled "Giardino Alchemico" (Alchemical Garden) by French artist Julie Hamisky at its Milan office during Design Week 2026, from April 22 to 26. The exhibition, created in collaboration with Mitterrand gallery, features sculptures and botanical jewelry made through electroplating—a process that preserves organic matter like flowers and leaves in metal. Key works include "La Géante" (2024), an enlarged poppy sculpture, and "Aqua" (2024), a chandelier of galvanized plant elements, alongside wearable jewelry pieces.

Teresa Vall Palou's chromatic experimentation seduces the south of Madrid

The Tomás y Valiente Art Center (CEART) in Fuenlabrada is hosting a major exhibition of Catalan artist Teresa Vall Palou titled "Chromatic Atmospheres." Featuring over sixty large-format works produced over the last decade, the show highlights Vall Palou’s experimentation with color, form, and "conscious unconsciousness" through expansive canvases and diluted glazes. Despite a sixty-year career largely spent in "opacity," this exhibition marks a significant moment of public recognition for the artist, whose abstract style draws comparisons to Pollock and Rothko.

Hong Kong Art Gallery Kwai Fung Hin Opens First Overseas Outpost In Singapore

Hong Kong’s Kwai Fung Hin gallery has expanded internationally for the first time, opening a new outpost at 30 Beach Road in Singapore. Founded by former banker Catherine Kwai in 1991, the gallery specializes in 20th-century modern and contemporary art with a focus on cultural heritage. The new space launched with an exhibition titled “Worlds beyond Reality – Monet’s Legacy II,” featuring a masterpiece by Claude Monet alongside works by Zao Wou-Ki and Chu Teh-Chun.

Art a path to conservation

Art a path to conservation

Dunedin-based artist Clare Reilly is celebrating her 50th year of exhibiting with a practice that merges vibrant depictions of New Zealand’s native flora and fauna with active environmental advocacy. Her work, which frequently features birds in flight as symbols of spiritual uplift, serves as both a tribute to the natural world and a warning about habitat loss. Through her career, she has collaborated with her late husband Max Podstolski under the Primitive Bird Group banner and participated in hands-on conservation efforts, such as the tūī relocation project to Banks Peninsula.

The portrait

López de la Serna CAC has launched a collective exhibition exploring the evolution of portraiture through the works of four major contemporary artists: Francesco Clemente, Alex Katz, David Salle, and Henry Taylor. The exhibition moves beyond traditional representation to examine how identity is constructed in the postmodern era, utilizing diverse approaches ranging from Clemente’s mystical pastels and Katz’s flat, vibrant aesthetics to Salle’s fragmented collages and Taylor’s socially conscious figuration.

‘La Musée’: The history and challenges behind a landmark acquisition of works by women artists

The Museums of Poitiers in France have officially acquired 'La Musée,' a landmark collection of 523 works by women artists spanning the 17th to the 21st centuries. Assembled by artist and historian Eugénie Dubreuil since 1999, the collection includes paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts intended as a 'counterproposal' to the male-dominated art historical canon. The acquisition was finalized in March 2024 following a rigorous two-year review process and was accompanied by a €150,000 grant from the Les Beaux Yeux endowment fund to support a five-year project dedicated to women artists.

'100 Candleholders' by Blunk Space is an exhibition to ignite creativity

Blunk Space gallery in Point Reyes Station, California, is presenting '100 Candleholders', an exhibition running from 17 January to 28 March 2026. The show features 100 artists and designers from around the world—including Max Lamb, Bethan Laura Wood, Ido Yoshimoto, and Jonathan Cross—each invited to create a candleholder inspired by the late sculptor JB Blunk, his work, or his self-built home and studio, Blunk House. This is the second installment in the '100' series, following '100 Hooks' in 2023-24, and takes its cue from Blunk's own 1981 exhibition '100 Plates Plus', which explored the artistic potential of everyday objects.

Oliver Jeffers: Artist's first Belfast exhibition in more than 20 years

Artist and author Oliver Jeffers is holding his first exhibition in his hometown of Belfast in over 20 years. The show, titled "Disasters and Interventions," is on view at the Naughton Gallery at Queen's University and features a series of works where Jeffers inserts calamitous scenes—such as an oil tanker spill or an airship crash—into tranquil vintage landscapes, transforming calm into catastrophe. The project began when he found a discarded print in New York's Chinatown and began painting into it, eventually building a collection over 14 years that balances tragedy with a wry, thoughtful humor.

Exhibition Highlights Jewelry by 45 Female Artists

The Museum of Applied Arts Cologne (MAKK) in Germany is presenting an exhibition titled “From Louise Bourgeois to Yoko Ono: Jewellery by Female Artists,” featuring 101 pieces of jewelry created by 45 female artists. The show, which opened November 11 and runs through April 26, highlights works by well-known figures such as Yoko Ono and Louise Bourgeois, including Ono's yellow and white gold ring shaped like a vinyl disc inscribed with “Imagine Peace” and Bourgeois’ gold spider brooch and silver shackle neckpiece. The exhibition was curated by Lena Hoppe in collaboration with museum director Petra Hesse, and an accompanying book edited by the curators will be published by Arnoldsche Art Publishers in February 2026.

Komal Shah on ‘Making Their Mark’

Komal Shah discusses the exhibition "Making Their Mark: Works From the Shah Garg Collection" at Washington University in St. Louis' Kemper Art Museum. The show spans nearly eight decades and features nearly 70 artists, including Howardena Pindell, Joan Mitchell, Jaune Quick-to-see Smith, Katharina Grosse, Lorna Simpson, Sarah Sze, and Mary Weatherford. Shah, who established the collection with her husband Gaurav Garg, emphasizes the importance of celebrating women artists and challenging the notion that excellence is limited to men.

‘Hippopotame Bar’ Shatters Design Auction Records, Sells for $31.4 Million

François-Xavier Lalanne's 1976 'Hippopotame Bar,' a whimsical copper, steel, and wood cabinet shaped like a hippopotamus with hidden compartments, sold for $31.4 million at a Sotheby's auction on December 10, 2025. Originally commissioned by the late oil heiress and philanthropist Anne Schlumberger, the piece sparked a 26-minute bidding war that far exceeded its $7–10 million estimate, making it the most valuable design object ever sold at auction and shattering Lalanne's previous auction record.

Del Mar Fairgrounds to host Banksy-themed art exhibition

“The Art of Banksy: Without Limits,” a touring exhibition dedicated to the anonymous British street artist Banksy, will open January 30 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego. Featuring 200 pieces including certified originals from private collectors and replicas, the show presents prints, photographs, sculptures, murals, and video-mapping installations, along with an infinity room, a hologram installation, and a room focused on Banksy’s Ukraine-related works. The exhibition, which debuted in Istanbul in 2016, is not officially sanctioned by Banksy but serves as a tribute to his provocative, satirical art.

Comment | Fine balance: fairs up the exclusivity while appealing to younger clients

Art Basel Paris in October introduced a new ultra-exclusive preview called Avant Première, catering to top-tier galleries with seven- and eight-figure works, while some emerging exhibitors felt sidelined. Meanwhile, the fair's organizers dropped the term "VIP," renaming its dedicated department to "collector and institutional relations," as CEO Noah Horowitz explained that the term could be off-putting to a new generation of buyers. Parallel events like Trauma, a curatorial platform founded by artist Adrian Ghenie, and the Basel Social Club offered more inclusive, youth-driven alternatives, though they still maintained guest lists.

Artistic discs

Kolkata Ink Studio presented a group exhibition of graphic art at Gallery Charubasona, featuring 18 artists who each contributed two disc-shaped copperplates and matching prints. The works ranged from Manik Kumar Ghosh's clever double-disc brassiere to Partha Pratim Deb's absurd clownish figures, Laxma Goud's restrained goddess imagery, and Rm. Palaniappan's three-dimensional illusions. Other highlights included Siddhartha Ghosh's identity-less human figures, Sukla Poddar's environmental themes, and Swapnesh Vaigankar's archaeological inspirations. The exhibition was described as neat but lacking in challenge, with most works in monochrome and only faint touches of color.

Christie’s sale confirms it: Indian art has arrived on the world stage

Christie's achieved a rare 'white-glove' sale in its Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art auction, selling all 84 lots for $12.38 million—150% above the low estimate. The sale was led by Vasudeo Gaitonde's *Untitled (1984)* at $2.4 million, with strong bidding from India, the US, the UK, the UAE, and Singapore. New artist records were set for Sheikh Mohammed Sultan and Ivan Peries, while works by Rashid Choudhury and Biren De also drew intense interest. The auction, overseen by Nishad Avari, head of Christie's Indian art department, signals a broadening of the market beyond established modernists like M.F. Husain and S.H. Raza.

New book highlights Vorticism’s toxic side—and puts its women pioneers back in the frame

A new book by Canadian art historian James King, titled "Our Little Gang," examines the Vorticist movement, highlighting its toxic internal dynamics and the marginalization of its female pioneers. King details how Wyndham Lewis, the movement's self-appointed leader, belittled followers like Jessica Dismorr and Helen Saunders, even painting over one of Saunders' works. The book also explores the movement's artistic tensions, balancing abstraction with representation, and features works by Lewis, David Bomberg, and Saunders.

Check out first look images of L.A.’s trippy museum of AI arts — and its new opening plan

Media artist Refik Anadol has announced that Dataland, the world's first museum of AI arts, will open in spring 2026 at the Frank Gehry-designed Grand L.A. complex in downtown Los Angeles, delayed from its original 2025 schedule. The museum spans 25,000 square feet and includes five galleries; a sneak peek was released of the Infinity Room, an immersive multisensory space featuring swirling colors, AI-generated scents, and a proprietary AI model called the Large Nature Model. The Infinity Room concept originated in 2014 at UCLA and has since toured 35 cities, attracting over 10 million visitors.

L.A.’s AI art museum DATALAND is opening next spring—with a trippy infinity room

DATALAND, the world's first museum dedicated to AI art, has announced it will open in spring 2026 at the Grand L.A. complex in Downtown Los Angeles, a delay from its original 2025 target. Founded by artist Refik Anadol and his wife Efsun Erkılıç, the 25,000-square-foot venue will feature five galleries, including an Infinity Room that incorporates AI-generated scents drawn from the studio's Large Nature Model, trained on data from 16 rainforests. DATALAND will also partner with Google Arts & Culture for an artist residency program, selecting three artists for six-month collaborations culminating in public displays.

Southampton Arts Center Celebrates Opening of "Second Skin" Exhibition

Southampton Arts Center has opened its "Second Skin" exhibition, curated by Latin American art scholar Estrellita B. Brodsky. The show explores clothing as a medium for identity, gender, cultural expression, and political activism, featuring approximately 30 works by international artists and designers, including prints from Martine Gutierrez's "Indigenous Woman" series and Andy Warhol works on paper from the Jordan D. Schnitzer Foundation. The exhibition runs through December 28.

“Soy de Tejas” & Cheech Marin: Showcasing Texas Latinx Art in California

The third edition of "Soy de Tejas: A Statewide Survey of Latinx Art" opened at The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture in Riverside, California. Curated by Rigoberto Luna, the exhibition brings together Texas Latinx artists, including Tina Medina, Karla Garcia, Cande Aguilar, and Joe Peña, showcasing their work on a national stage after previous iterations in San Antonio and Fort Worth. The opening weekend highlighted the significance of presenting Texas artists outside their home state, with Cheech Marin himself engaging with the artists and their families.

From Mondrian to Man Ray, Here Are the Best-Sellers at Auction So Far This Year

The article analyzes the best-selling artworks at auction in the first half of 2025, covering Old Masters, Impressionist and Modern, and Postwar categories. Notable sales include a pair of Francesco Guardi views of Venice that sold for $10.5 million at Sotheby’s New York, a Piet Mondrian abstraction from the estate of Barnes & Noble founder Leonard Riggio that fetched just under $50 million, and a monumental rhinoceros-shaped desk by François-Xavier Lalanne that more than tripled its high estimate after a 13-minute bidding war. The report highlights that Old Masters sales were up 24% year-over-year, while top Impressionist and Modern lots saw lower prices compared to 2024.

24th Tehran Auction realizes about $1.5m

The 24th Tehran Auction, dedicated to contemporary Iranian art, concluded with total sales of $1,472,130 on Friday. The top lot was Reza Derakhshani's painting “One Golden Winter Hunt,” which sold for $154,000. The auction featured 120 works by 117 artists, including established names like Masoud Arabshahi, Kourosh Shishegaran, and Parviz Kalantari, with only six pieces remaining unsold.

This Is What Happens When an Art Auction Bidder Changes Their Mind

Auction houses are grappling with a rise in bidders attempting to back out of winning bids, often citing flimsy excuses like cats jumping on keyboards. Richard Wright, CEO of Rago/Wright, describes a 'cat button' on their website that locks the bid button to prevent accidental clicks, but some buyers still renege by blaming spouses or pets. The problem has worsened with online bidding, as remote participants may not grasp the binding nature of a winning bid. Houses like Freeman | Hindman and Eldred's require deposits and registration to mitigate risks, but defaults persist, with Wright estimating 1% of sales become problematic.

Lord of the Rings artist joins fantasy exhibition on Dartmoor

An exhibition titled 'Widdershins 3' at Green Hill Arts on Dartmoor showcases fantasy art inspired by Devon folklore, featuring works by renowned artists Brian Froud, Wendy Froud, and Alan Lee, who have contributed to projects like 'Lord of the Rings', 'Labyrinth', and 'The Dark Crystal'. The show includes 19 artists and has drawn visitors from Europe, America, and Australia, with free admission to ensure broad accessibility.

Longtime Grounds for Sculpture resident artist Clifford Ward has first exhibition on view there

Clifford Ward, a longtime artist-in-residence at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, has opened his first solo exhibition at the venue, titled 'I'll Make Me A World.' The show, on view in the Museum Building through January 11, 2026, features his 'Animism' series—24 large-scale figures standing six to nine feet tall, created over twelve years using plaster bandage. Ward, who began his art career around age 40 and has been at Grounds for Sculpture since 1997, draws inspiration from indigenous cultures, the African diaspora, Native American traditions, and the Māori people of New Zealand.

The Sky High Farm Biennial Cultivates Something Special

The Sky High Farm Biennial, curated by former Downtown art star Dan Colen, opened in a cold storage warehouse in Germantown, N.Y., featuring over 160 works by 50 artists across two floors. The exhibition is loosely themed around humanity's relationship with the natural world, with immersive installations by Anne Imhof (a maze of cider crates) and Rudolf Stingel (a mirrored floor requiring paper booties). Highlights include works by Nan Goldin, Thiago Rocha Pitta, Stephen Lichty, Carrol Dunham, Pia Camil, and Ann Craven. The show balances informal and polished elements, offering a breezy summer experience while serving as a thesis on artist community.