Torggler Celebrates African American Artists And Their Stories

The Mary M. Torggler Fine Arts Center in Virginia will present two new exhibitions this fall: "Gateways: African American Art from the Key Collection" and "Transcendence" featuring works by Norfolk artist Luisa Adelfio. "Gateways" showcases ninety works from the collection of Eric Key, a Smithfield native who began collecting African American art in the 1990s as a means of exploring his identity and supporting Black artists, including pieces by Henry Ossawa Tanner, Jacob Lawrence, and Elizabeth Catlett. "Transcendence" presents Adelfio's paintings, drawings, and sculptures from the last five years, blending Classical architecture, Renaissance panel painting, and Surrealism, with a series titled "Corona Chronicles" that juxtaposes domestic objects with pandemic-era headlines.

Christie’s Quietly Deletes Digital Art Department

Christie’s has quietly dissolved its dedicated digital art department, laying off two staff members including vice president Nicole Sales Giles, as part of a strategic shift to fold digital art sales into its broader 20th and 21st Century Art category. The move follows a two-year contraction in the art market and a dramatic decline in NFT trading volume from $2.97 billion in 2021 to $197 million in 2024, mirroring similar downsizing at Sotheby’s and the shuttering of platforms like Async Art and KnownOrigin.

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.

George Lucas reveals new details of Los Angeles museum at Comic-Con panel

George Lucas made his first-ever appearance at Comic-Con on July 27 to reveal new details about the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, a $1 billion institution set to open next year in Los Angeles. The panel, moderated by Queen Latifah and featuring Guillermo del Toro and Doug Chiang, included a video narrated by Samuel L. Jackson showcasing the 300,000 sq. ft building designed by Ma Yansong, along with highlights from Lucas and Mellody Hobson's collection of 40,000 objects, ranging from comic art to works by Frida Kahlo and Norman Rockwell.

“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.

Artists travel back in time with work created from ancient wood discovered at site of lost London river

The artist twins Jane and Louise Wilson are presenting a new exhibition, "Performance of Entrapment," at London Mithraeum Bloomberg Space from 17 July 2025 to 1 January 2026. The show features 2,000-year-old oak stakes unearthed during excavations by the Museum of London Archaeology (Mola) at Bloomberg's European headquarters between 2012 and 2014. These timbers, dated to AD50-80, were preserved in the waterlogged conditions of the lost Walbrook river valley. The Wilsons also incorporate films and layered works, including images from scanning electron microscopy of the ancient wood.

Capture the Senses: Attraction and Horror in Early Modern Art // Haggerty

The Haggerty Museum at Marquette University will present 'Capture the Senses: Attraction and Horror in Early Modern Art' from August 22 to December 20, 2025. The exhibition draws from the museum's own collection to explore how Early Modern artists combined aesthetic pleasure with terrifying subject matter, featuring works by Albrecht Dürer, Ferdinand Bol, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, and Francesco Solimena. Curated by Kirk Nickel, the show examines themes such as the end times, human sacrifice, imperial decay, and fate, using paintings, prints, and sculpture from Europe and the Americas between the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution.

Palo Alto gallery adds new artist to the fold whose layered pieces unite chaos and calm

Bryant Street Gallery in Palo Alto has added Louisiana-based painter Lynn Sanders to its roster, featuring her large-scale abstract works in a solo exhibition titled "Lessons in Patience," on view through August 30. Gallery owner Karen Imperial discovered Sanders while searching online for abstract contemporary art, bypassing traditional portfolio submissions. Sanders uses a layered process with acrylic paints, stains, and ink to create fluid, color-rich compositions that she describes as a diary of her life and emotions.

Beyond The Mini-Bar: How Hotels Are Reimagining The Modern Art Gallery

Hotels are increasingly transforming their spaces into dynamic platforms for contemporary art, moving beyond generic decor to embed curation into their operational core. The article highlights 21c Museum Hotels, which operates nearly 80,000 square feet of free exhibition space across seven U.S. locations, featuring works by artists such as Xenobia Bailey, María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Natia Lemay, and Xavier Daniels. Chief Curator Alice Gray Stites emphasizes radical accessibility, removing barriers like ticket prices and elitism, and fostering partnerships with institutions like Artadia to support local artists.

Remembering Sebastião Salgado, world builder, photographer of collective humanity and prophet of possibility

Sebastião Salgado, the legendary Brazilian photographer known for his monumental documentary projects capturing collective humanity and environmental activism, has died. Born in 1944 in Aimorés, Brazil, Salgado studied economics at the University of São Paulo and was exiled to France for political activism before turning to photography in the 1970s. He joined Magnum Photos in 1979 and went on to create epic, multi-year projects such as "Workers" (1986-93), "Migrations" (1993-99), "Genesis" (2005-13), and "Amazônia" (2011-19), which redefined documentary practice through total immersion and scale. His work earned him the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador role, and numerous awards including the W. Eugene Smith Grant and the Royal Photographic Society’s Centenary Medal.

Art Macao 2025 opens this summer Sparking citywide artistic resonance through an everyday question

Art Macao 2025, the Macao International Art Biennale, will run from July to October 2025, featuring nearly 30 exhibitions across six sections. Chief curator Feng Boyi has themed the Main Exhibition around the everyday question "Hey, what brings you here?", showcasing nearly 80 works by 46 artists from 13 countries at the Macao Museum of Art. The event is organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and co-organized by major casino-resort operators including Galaxy Entertainment Group, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM, Sands China Ltd., SJM Resorts, and Wynn Resorts Macau.

As Iraq's economy shows signs of recovery, a thirst for new art is emerging

Iraq's improving economy and security situation, despite regional conflict, is fueling a revival in its art scene. Artists who fled violence are returning, and curators from the Arab region are touring the country. Key initiatives include Tarkib, a Baghdad art platform co-founded by Hella Mewis that offers workshops and exhibitions, and Babil Performance Art, set up by Zurich-based artist Wathiq Al Ameri to focus on performance work. These efforts reflect a generational shift spurred by the 2019 Tishreen protests, particularly among young women.

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 dialogue about rationality and irrationality’: Ai Weiwei to present new installation in Ukraine

Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei will unveil a major new commission in Kyiv, Ukraine, this autumn. The installation, titled "Three Perfectly Proportioned Spheres and Camouflage Uniforms Painted White," is a site-specific response to global armed conflicts, housed in Pavilion 13, a renovated Soviet-era exposition hall. The work features three large spheres covered in camouflage uniforms painted white, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's illustrations, and incorporates patterns based on rescued cats. The project is commissioned by RIBBON International and supported by the Pavilion of Culture.

“Defying Boundaries To Celebrate Creativity” — Highlights From Art Basel in Basel 2025

Samsung Electronics partnered with Art Basel in Basel 2025 as the official display partner, presenting a digital art experience called 'ArtCube' at the fair from June 19 to 22, 2025. The lounge featured Samsung Art TVs including The Frame Pro, MICRO LED, and Neo QLED 8K, displaying artworks from the Samsung Art Store collection. A talk session included RM of BTS and artist Basim Magdy, discussing digital technology's role in art. Samsung also launched a new collection of 38 highlighted pieces from the fair on its Art Store, allowing subscribers worldwide to view the works remotely.

In pictures: highlights from Art Basel's city-wide exhibition, Parcours

New York-based curator Stefanie Hessler has organized the second edition of Art Basel's Parcours exhibition, featuring 21 works installed across Basel in unconventional spaces such as hotels, shops, and private apartments. Highlights include Agnieszka Kurant's chemical gardens made from computer-manufacturing metals, Finnegan Shannon's accessible benches with rest-oriented texts, and Hylozoic/Desires' 80-meter fabric installation referencing a colonial-era customs line. The exhibition clusters along Clarastrasse and extends to the Münsterplatz in the Old Town.

'Black Gold: Stories Untold' art exhibit reclaims forgotten histories of Black Californians at Fort Point

A new immersive art exhibition titled 'Black Gold: Stories Untold' opens at Fort Point in San Francisco, featuring 25 commissioned works by 17 artists that uncover the overlooked histories of Black Californians from the Gold Rush through Reconstruction. Curated by FOR-SITE, a nonprofit focused on art and place, the exhibition transforms the Civil War-era military fort into a multi-sensory space with beaded portraits, video installations, sculptures, and a tent installation by artist Umar Rashid. Works include Cheryl Derricotte's tribute to Mary Ellen Pleasant, a formerly enslaved woman who became a wealthy abolitionist.

Anna-Eva Bergman

The article reports on the life and work of Anna-Eva Bergman, a Norwegian-born painter whose abstract, minimalist works are gaining renewed attention. It highlights her recent exhibitions and the growing recognition of her contributions to post-war European art, particularly her use of metallic pigments and geometric forms inspired by Nordic landscapes.

Boston Public Art Triennial launches with more than a dozen projects across the city

The inaugural Boston Public Art Triennial launches on 22 May, bringing over a dozen site-specific installations, performances, and community-led activities to public spaces and cultural institutions across Boston through October. With a projected cost of $8 million, the free event features newly commissioned works by artists including Stephen Hamilton, Swoon, Nicholas Galanin, Beatriz Cortez, and Ekene Ijeoma, exploring themes such as Indigenous experience, trauma and healing, social justice, and humanity's relationship with nature.

Review | Johns Hopkins exhibit elevates the artists of its city

Kriston Capps reviews a Johns Hopkins exhibition that highlights Baltimore-based artists, focusing on Derrick Adams's 2019 series "Deconstruction Worker." The series features portraits with skewed geometric forms and rich fabrics, referencing Dada, cubism, and contemporary Black artists like Mickalene Thomas and Lorna Simpson. The review positions Adams as a leading figure in contemporary painting.

See Jonathan Lyndon Chase’s Acne Studios takeover in New York

Acne Studios has collaborated with Philadelphia-based artist Jonathan Lyndon Chase for a second time, following their initial partnership for the brand's S/S 2025 runway presentation in Paris. For Frieze Week in New York, Chase has taken over Acne Studios' SoHo flagship with an immersive installation featuring approximately 60 sculptures, furnishings, and paintings. The works, created in Chase's Kensington studio, draw on personal memories, queer identity, and the artist's Philadelphia roots, including soft figurative cloth sculptures, a stuffed cat, bedazzled busts, and vintage furniture covered in doodles. A capsule collection of trousers, T-shirts, a pillow, and a blanket is also available exclusively at the store.

Mainframe Studios becomes a free, interactive art museum on First Fridays, drawing thousands of Des Moines art lovers

On the first Friday of every month, Mainframe Studios in Des Moines transforms into a free, interactive art museum, drawing over 2,400 visitors. Approximately 200 artists open their studios to the public, and each event features a different theme. The April edition, curated by Iowa-based artist Jill Wells, featured the exhibition "Diverse by Design," showcasing works by more than 35 contemporary Iowa artists of all abilities and identities, with a focus on multi-sensory engagement and inclusivity.

Saodat Ismailova “When the Water Turns to Wind” at Portikus, Frankfurt

Saodat Ismailova “When the Water Turns to Wind” at Portikus, Frankfurt

Uzbek artist Saodat Ismailova has opened a major solo exhibition, "When the Water Turns to Wind," at Portikus in Frankfurt. The presentation features a new, immersive film installation that weaves together ancestral myths, sonic landscapes, and the ecological history of Central Asia, focusing on the region's disappearing rivers and steppes. The work continues her long-term exploration of memory and cultural preservation.

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.

Un itinerario fotografico tra installazioni e progetti d’autore della Design Week 2026. La collaborazione tra Artribune e i computer di MSI

This article outlines a one-day itinerary through Milan's 2026 Fuorisalone design week, highlighting key installations and exhibitions. It begins at Torre Velasca, featuring Polish Modernism and Brazilian modernist Jorge Zalszupin, then moves to the University of Milan's cloisters for the Interni magazine exhibition themed 'Materiae,' with oversized sculptures and a yacht installation by Piero Lissoni for Sanlorenzo. Other stops include Palazzo Litta, where architect Lina Ghotmeh presents 'Metamorphosis in Motion,' and Galleria Rossana Orlandi, focusing on the theme of doors. The itinerary concludes at Alcova in the former Baggio Military Hospital, an abandoned space reactivated by curators Valentina Ciuffi and Joseph Grima.

Lucas Museum unveils inaugural exhibitions curated by George Lucas himself

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles will open to the public on September 22, 2026, with about 20 inaugural exhibitions curated by George Lucas himself across more than 30 galleries. The $1-billion, 300,000-square-foot museum in Exposition Park, designed by Ma Yansong of Mad Architects, will display over 1,200 objects from Lucas's collection of more than 40,000 works, including manga, comics, children's illustrations, and narrative art by artists such as Norman Rockwell, Beatrix Potter, and Dorothea Lange, with only one exhibition focused on "Star Wars" memorabilia.

DANCING OUR PROBLEMS LATIN AMERICAN PRESENCE AT MOCA S ART ON THE PLAZA 2026 AWARDS IN MIAMI

Peruvian multidisciplinary artist Joan Jiménez Suero, known as Entes, has been named one of three winners for the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami’s (MOCA) Art on the Plaza 2026. His winning installation, "Bailando Nuestros Problemas" (Dancing Our Problems), features kinetic metal sculptures inspired by Afro-Peruvian traditions and salsa culture. The work, which officially opens on April 15, 2026, transforms rigid industrial materials into fluid figures of musicians and dancers to celebrate the resilience of the Latin American diaspora.

ROBERTO BEHAR ROSARIO MARQUARDT WIN THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT THE ELLIES OOLITE ARTS AWARDS

The Argentine artistic duo Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt have received the $75,000 Lifetime Achievement Award at The Ellies Oolite Arts Awards. The pair, founders of R&R STUDIOS, are recognized for their decades-long collaborative practice that merges art, architecture, and public space to create social sculptures.

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.

ECUADOR UNVEILS KANUA IN THE CANALS OF VENICE

Ecuador has unveiled "Kanua: listening practices," a public program for its pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, launching on May 8 with solar-powered boat tours through Venice's canals. Developed by the anticolonial film collective Tawna in collaboration with the Kara Solar Foundation and curated by Manuela Moscoso, the project features six intimate boat journeys with discussions on extractivism, aqua-feminism, and territorial resistance, involving artists such as Carolina Caycedo, Mariana Castillo Deball, and Tabita Rezaire. The initiative reactivates Tawna's floating Amazonian film festival, which originally brought cinema to remote communities in Ecuador via a solar-powered boat.