Comment | Bristol's Spike Island has become an environmental beacon—here's why it makes financial sense for others to follow suit

Spike Island, a creative hub in Bristol housed in a historic tea packing factory, has been recognized by the Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC) as a model of environmentally sustainable practice. After an energy audit revealed that 85% of its emissions and running costs came from heating the leaky 1950s building, the organization installed solar panels and began a major retrofit. Since March, the panels have saved 6,000 kilograms of CO2, and further upgrades—including heat pumps and insulation—are planned as part of a long-term capital masterplan developed with Max Fordham and 6a Architects.

Glimpsing the future: William Kentridge opera has its New York premiere in Brooklyn

William Kentridge's award-winning chamber opera *Waiting for the Sibyl* (2019) makes its New York premiere this week at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn, as part of the inaugural Powerhouse: International arts festival. The opera, which won an Olivier Award in 2023, features an original score by Nhlanhla Mahlangu and Kyle Shepherd, and incorporates Kentridge's animated ink drawings, collages, text projections, and sculptures. Inspired by the Cumaean Sibyl of ancient legend, the work explores themes of fate and uncertainty, with paper leaves from texts like Dante's *Divine Comedy* symbolically blowing through the action. The production was originally commissioned by the Rome Opera as a companion piece to Alexander Calder's 1968 *Work in Progress*.

Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB pays tribute to local Hispanic cultures in a year-long celebration

The Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) has launched ¡ARTE VIVA!, a yearlong celebration honoring the Hispanic cultures that make up nearly 30% of the region's population. The 2025-2026 season includes Día de los Muertos events at venues like the Marco Island Center for the Arts, Naples Botanical Garden, and Artis—Naples, featuring Calaveras sculptures by Ricardo Soltero, photography by Lizette Morales, and performances by Ballet Folklorica Jaliscience. Visual arts highlights include a Joan Miró exhibition at Naples Art Institute, a permanent collection show at The Baker Museum, and a public art installation by Michelle Tricca at Lipman Farms. Musical programming features Gulfshore Opera's Carmen, Latin Grammy nominee Leslie Cartaya, and Opera Naples Festival under Ramón Tebar.

3 New Galleries to launch at No.1 Poultry

Hypha Studios has announced the launch of three new galleries at No.1 Poultry, the iconic James Stirling-designed postmodern building in the City of London. Opening on 24 September with celebratory events, the galleries will host a year-long programme of culture, each presenting eight unique exhibitions. Galleries 1 and 3 will feature contemporary artists and curators, while Gallery 2, in partnership with recessed.space, will focus on exhibitions related to the living environment. The inaugural shows include "The Turn" curated by Shakthi Shrima, featuring artists such as Cajsa von Zeipel and Janine Antoni, and a group exhibition led by maker Nina Oltarzewska from Blackhorse Lane Makers.

WIASC art exhibition in the heart of Pointe-Claire Village

The West Island Art Studio Circuit (WIASC) is presenting a free café-exhibition titled "Circuits" at Studio 77 in Pointe-Claire Village, Quebec, from September 1 through 30, 2025. The show features works by 11 local artists who participated in the WIASC's inaugural Open Studio Day on August 16, 2025, including pieces such as "Colors of the Autumn" by Preetha Mitran, "Pain Waves" by Sandra Woods, and "Flight Paths" by Donna McGee. A special public vernissage will be held on September 21.

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.

Boston’s streets transform into open-air galleries

Boston has launched its first-ever citywide public art exhibition, the Boston Public Art Triennial, titled "The Exchange." The exhibition features 21 large-scale installations by local and international artists placed across neighborhoods including Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, Downtown Crossing, and the Charlestown Navy Yard. Works address themes such as indigeneity, sustainability, shared humanity, affordable housing, and Black motherhood. The triennial also includes an accelerator program that funds and supports local artists with professional development. The exhibition runs through October 31, 2025, with over 100 associated events citywide.

“Art Macao 2025” opens today (18 July) Dedicated spaces in the Macao Museum of Art offer a new multidimensional visiting experience

Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2025 opened on July 18 with an inauguration ceremony at the Macao Cultural Centre Small Auditorium, featuring nearly 30 exhibitions across the city in six sections including Main Exhibition, Public Art Exhibition, City Pavilion, Special Exhibition, Local Curatorial Project, and Collateral Exhibition. The Main Exhibition at the Macao Museum of Art showcases nearly 80 artworks by 46 artists from 13 countries, curated by Feng Boyi under the theme "Hey, what brings you here?" The event runs through October and was officiated by government officials and casino executives.

In 'Football City, Art United,' Artists and Athletes Reimagine the Beautiful Game

A new group exhibition titled 'Football City, Art United' has opened at Aviva Studios in Manchester, pairing 11 legendary footballers with 11 contemporary artists to create original artworks inspired by the sport. Co-curated by footballer Juan Mata, curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, and filmmaker Josh Wilding, the show features painting, video, performance, architectural interventions, and playable installations, including highlights such as Stefano Boeri's immersive arena 'The Playmaker' and Paul Pfeiffer and Edgar Davids' sound-light installation 'Crowds and Power.' The exhibition runs through August 24, 2025.

Hunterdon Art Museum exhibition explores the wonder of … paper

The Hunterdon Art Museum in Clinton, New Jersey, presents "Pulp: The Fluid and the Concrete," a group exhibition featuring 26 artists who explore the artistic potential of handmade paper. Curated by Gail Deery and Cynthia Nourse Thompson, the show transforms the museum's second floor into a celebration of paper as a versatile, sculptural medium, with works ranging from Joan Hall's marine-inspired "Red Tide Returning" to Michelle Samour's intricate paper installations and Marc Rosenquist's pulp sculptures.

A Wave of Japanese Art and Culture Immerses College of DuPage in ‘Floating World’ Exhibition

The Cleve Carney Museum of Art at the College of DuPage has opened "Hokusai & Ukiyo-e: The Floating World," an immersive exhibition exploring Japanese ukiyo-e art from the Edo period. The show features woodblock prints and scrolls, including Hokusai's iconic "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa," drawn from the collection of 19th-century Italian engraver Edoardo Chiossone. Many prints are on view in the U.S. for the first time. The exhibition extends beyond traditional display with an outdoor garden, manga and anime rooms, and a recreated Edo village built by the college's theater department.

Eric Cantona and Ella Toone help meld football and art for Manchester festival

The Manchester International Festival presents "Football City, Art United," an exhibition that pairs 11 footballers with contemporary artists to create collaborative artworks. Highlights include a tunnel installation by artist Paul Pfeiffer and former Dutch footballer Edgar Davids, recreating pre-match tension; a piece by Eric Cantona and artist Ryan Gander exploring fame; and an interactive work by artist collective Keiken with England star Ella Toone. The exhibition is co-curated by Serpentine artistic director Hans Ulrich Obrist, Josh Willdigg, and former Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata, and takes place at Aviva Studios in Manchester.

‘Cultural innovation comes from the margins’—tales of artists pushing boundaries in 1960s New York

J. Hoberman, the longtime Village Voice film critic, has published a new book titled *Everything Is Now: The 1960s New York Avant-Garde—Primal Happenings, Underground Movies, Radical Pop*. The book expands his focus from cinema to a broad array of artists, poets, theater makers, musicians, and other figures in New York City's 1960s arts scene, including Andy Warhol, Barbara Rubin, Edie Sedgwick, Yoko Ono, and Jonas Mekas. Hoberman emphasizes collective and marginal cultural innovation, tracing how these figures influenced each other and responded to events of the era, such as Robert Moses's urban redevelopment plans.

Winona gets a new art gallery, THIS, with grand opening this weekend

Winona, Minnesota, is getting a new independent art gallery called THIS, opening this weekend with its inaugural group show “Friends & Family.” The gallery is run by artist Anne George, who transformed a former consignment shop into the space. The exhibition features 18 artists, each invited by George or by another participating artist, fostering an inclusive, community-driven approach. George, who moved to Winona from Minneapolis after a major life change, sees the gallery as an extension of her artistic practice and a gift to the local arts community.

A free exhibition of Bob Dylan’s paintings is opening in London this week

A free exhibition of Bob Dylan's paintings, titled 'Point Blank', opens at the Halcyon Gallery on Bond Street, London, on May 9, 2025. The show features 97 original paintings on paper created between 2021 and 2022, based on quick sketches that were later painted over. This marks Dylan's latest collaboration with the gallery, following previous exhibitions including 2021's 'Deep Focus'. The 84-year-old Nobel Prize-winning songwriter has been working with Halcyon for nearly two decades and has also exhibited internationally, including a major 2019 retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in Shanghai.

Let him entertain you: Robbie Williams gets honest in latest Moco exhibition

Pop star Robbie Williams opened his new exhibition "Radical Honesty" at the Moco Museum in London on May 2, 2025, featuring his latest sculptures and paintings. The show was attended by celebrities including documentary maker Louis Theroux, artists Chris Levine and Daniel Lismore, and comedian Leigh Francis. Williams's works incorporate his trademark sarcastic and self-deprecating humor, with one painting bearing the text: "To be completely honest I’m not sure if we are friends or we’ve just been in the same room a lot in the last 15 years." This is not Williams's first art venture; in 2022 he presented 14 large-scale works at Sotheby's London co-created with Ed Godrich under the name Williams Godrich, and he is also an art collector with pieces by Banksy, Peter Blake, Christopher Page, and Morris Wade.

Michael Asher at MOCA, Los Angeles

The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) is presenting a major exhibition dedicated to the work of conceptual artist Michael Asher. The show focuses on his site-specific interventions that critically examined the social, economic, and institutional frameworks of the spaces he engaged with.

Chantana Tiprachart Wins Han Nefkens Foundation’s Southeast Asian Video Art Grant

Thai artist and filmmaker Chantana Tiprachart has been awarded the 2026 Southeast Asian Video Art Production Grant by the Han Nefkens Foundation. The prize provides $15,000 for the production of a new moving-image work over a nine-month period, which will subsequently tour several international institutions including the Rockbund Art Museum in Shanghai and Nottingham Contemporary. The jury selected Tiprachart for her ability to locate social and political narratives within quiet, everyday spaces, praising her commitment to reflection in an era of information overload.

Ethics and Parafiction: A Conversation

Ethics and Parafiction: A Conversation

e-flux Screening Room hosted an event featuring artist and filmmaker Salomé Lamas on December 6, 2025. The program included screenings of her films 'Eldorado XXI' (2016) and 'Gold and Ashes' (2025), a presentation of her related publication, and a public conversation with curator Lukas Brasiskis. The published transcript focuses on Lamas's filmmaking process, particularly the logistical and ethical challenges of shooting in extreme locations like La Rinconada, Peru.

Gallery openings and exhibits in Central Oregon this week

Central Oregon’s art scene is hosting a diverse array of exhibitions this week across Bend, Sisters, Sunriver, and Redmond. Notable highlights include Jana Charl’s mixed-media showcase "This is not a Love Story" at Art Adventure Gallery, Hilary Baker’s moth-themed "Prophets" at the High Desert Museum, and a collection of literary-inspired quilts at the Deschutes Historical Museum. The offerings span various mediums, from nomadic woven macramé and custom jewelry to volcanic science explorations and historic cartography.

parties kidsuper dinner cultured nyfw

Colm Dillane, designer and artist behind KidSuper, co-hosted an intimate dinner with CULTURED magazine at his 10,000-square-foot Williamsburg studio during New York Fashion Week. Guests toured the brand's headquarters—featuring a recording studio and rooftop soccer field—before enjoying an Italian dinner prepared by Eric Madonna of Bar Madonna. Attendees included fashion tastemakers, gallerist Hannah Traore, curator Zoe Lukov, and musician Gashi, and each received a tote bag with the inaugural CULTURED at Home interiors issue and KidSuper's new book with Rizzoli, *The Misadventures of KidSuper*.

author rob franklin great black hope interview

Rob Franklin, a professor, poet, critic, and co-founder of Art for Black Lives, has released his debut novel "Great Black Hope" on June 10. The book follows Smith, a queer Black Stanford graduate, who is arrested for cocaine possession in the Hamptons after his best friend's death, leading him through New York's nightclubs, courtrooms, and recovery meetings. The novel is described as a satirical, intellectually incisive, and mournful addition to the canon of New York party literature, blending social commentary with a bildungsroman and elegy.

❤️ Atlanta, with love

This article from Rough Draft's Sketchbook newsletter highlights two Atlanta-focused art stories. Painter Carlos Solis, who left Venezuela for Kennesaw nearly two decades ago, curates "In the Beginning," a group exhibition opening May 9 at the Hudgens Center's Fowler Gallery in Duluth, featuring 15 artists from around the world who now call Georgia home. Separately, designer and illustrator George F. Baker III, originally from Nebraska and shaped by Detroit, was commissioned by the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs to create the key art for the 49th annual Atlanta Jazz Festival, and he discusses how the musical souls of both Detroit and Atlanta influenced his design.

Art and Light Gallery spotlights artist Eric Benjamin at The Anchorage

Art & Light Gallery has partnered with The Anchorage restaurant in Greenville to host an exhibition of works by local artist Eric Benjamin. The show, available virtually on the gallery's website and on view through July 7 at the restaurant, features Benjamin's landscape paintings characterized by bold color and abstract energy created with hand-mixed oil paints. A ticketed artist talk is scheduled for June 18.

Where to see art in Singapore this week (Oct 24 to 31)

South-east Asia's largest art book fair, the Singapore Art Book Fair (SGABF), returns from October 31 to November 2, 2025, with over 120 exhibitors—its largest edition yet. The fair moves to a larger venue at New Art Museum Singapore and Whitestone Gallery, with ticket prices unchanged from 2024 ($6 online, $8 on-site). About half the exhibitors are first-timers, including Saigon-based studio WEDOGOOD, Cairo-based Rizo Masr, and local participants like graphic design trio Hause, Con-Temporary Art Editions, and visual artists Chin Lew and Isabell Hansen. The pilot Thing Books Residency Programme presents three new artist books by musician Yuen Chee Wai, filmmaker Seth Cheong, and vocalist Nur Wahidah. Visitors can also register for bookmaking workshops at additional cost.

Carver Hill Gallery readies new show for Camden's First Art Walk of the season

Carver Hill Gallery in Camden, Maine, will host three solo shows for the first 2025 Third Thursday Art Walk of the season on May 15. The exhibitions feature Kristen Diederich with "It’s When The Night Already Knows To Hold The Night That Gets Me," Angela Warren with "Untamed Blooms: Journey through Wild Meadows," and Giacomo Mazzari with "Forme e Colori," showcasing new works inspired by nature, wild landscapes, and Italian magical realism. The shows run through June 15.

Two photographers tried to tell Tuscany beyond the usual clichés

Due fotografi hanno provato a raccontare la Toscana oltre i soliti cliché

The article profiles photographers Gioconda Rafanelli and August Kaciuruba, who are contributing to the "How Italy Feels" project curated by Marina Serena Cacciapuoti and Cesare Cacciapuoti of Italy Segreta. The project involves twenty local photographers capturing Italy beyond stereotypes. In the Tuscany chapter, Rafanelli and Kaciuruba present a lived, off-duty vision of the region, blending fashion, architecture, and cinematic influences. They discuss their collaborative process, their shared gaze, and how their work shifts between the fast pace of Milan and the slower rhythms of Tuscany, drawing inspiration from filmmakers like Wong Kar-wai, Stanley Kubrick, Luchino Visconti, and Michelangelo Antonioni.

Israeli Pavilion Artist Made Legal Threats Before Venice Biennale Jury Resigned

New reports reveal that Israeli Pavilion artist Belu-Simion Fainaru issued legal threats against the Venice Biennale, alleging antisemitism and discrimination after the awards jury decided to exclude Israel and Russia from consideration due to human rights charges. The jury, which included Elvira Dyangani Ose, Zoe Butt, Marta Kuzma, Giovanna Zapperi, and Solange Farkas, initially stated on April 22 it would not consider nations whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. Fainaru filed legal warnings with the Biennale, the Italian Ministry of Culture, and the Prime Minister's office. The jury abruptly resigned eight days later, leading the Biennale to scrap the Golden Lion awards and institute "Visitor Lions" decided by public vote. Reports indicate the Biennale's legal department warned jurors could be personally liable for damages, and Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli promised to promote Fainaru's work.

A Roma fotoromanzi e cliché sono i protagonisti di una mostra femminista a Villa Medici

A retrospective exhibition titled "Fotoromanzo" by French artist Nicole Gravier (born 1949) is on view at Villa Medici, the French Academy in Rome. The show explores Gravier's semiotic dissection of Italian photo-romance magazines from the 1970s, using irony and staged self-portraiture to deconstruct the fabrication of femininity and patriarchal narratives. The exhibition runs concurrently with a separate show dedicated to filmmaker Agnès Varda at the same venue, highlighting parallel feminist inquiries into women's representation.

Loved by the public, but not by art critics. Jack Vettriano on show in Rome (interview with the curator)

Amato dal pubblico, ma non dai critici d’arte. Jack Vettriano in mostra a Roma (intervista alla curatrice)

A major retrospective exhibition of Scottish painter Jack Vettriano has opened at Palazzo Velli in Rome. The show, which originated in Bologna at Palazzo Pallavicini, was transformed into a posthumous retrospective following the artist's death in March 2025. It features both original oil paintings and high-quality, limited-edition reproductions on museum paper, a curatorial choice made by Vettriano himself to make his work more accessible.