Vantaa Art Museum Artsi's exhibition Empathy explores the multilayered nature of emotion, power, and connection

The Vantaa Art Museum Artsi has launched "Empathy," a multifaceted exhibition exploring the psychological, social, and technological dimensions of emotional connection. The show features diverse works that examine how facial expressions and gestures communicate feelings, while also addressing the power dynamics of who is allowed to tell their story. A central highlight is Ali Akbar Mehta’s immersive installation, which utilizes an archive of 30,000 video clips and XR technology to analyze how digital algorithms and visual overexposure to violence affect human compassion.

Local Notes: Art Exhibition, Line Dancing Classes, Set Dancing Classes

The group exhibition ‘Bándearg’ (Pink) is set to open at Books At One in Louisburgh, County Mayo, featuring the work of five female artists based in Ireland. The show explores the color pink as both a physical medium and a complex cultural symbol, showcasing a diverse range of artistic approaches including the bold, hard-edge op art of Elphin-based artist Nickie Harrington.

DePaul Art Museum Bids Farewell with Barbara Nessim’s Retrospective

The DePaul Art Museum (DPAM) is hosting a career-spanning retrospective for New York-based artist Barbara Nessim titled "My Compass Is the Line" before the institution permanently closes in June. The exhibition marks Nessim’s first solo show in Chicago, featuring works from the 1960s to the present that span painting, computer art, and her iconic 1982 Time magazine cover. The show highlights Nessim’s exploration of femininity and sexuality, drawing stylistic parallels to the Chicago Imagists while showcasing her technical versatility.

Exhibition | Etsu Egami, 'Blessings from Afar' at Tang Contemporary Art, Hong Kong

Japanese artist Etsu Egami is set to debut a solo exhibition titled "Blessings from Afar" at Tang Contemporary Art’s Wong Chuk Hang space in Hong Kong on March 21, 2026. The showcase features over ten recent works that bridge the artist's cross-cultural background with her evolving visual language of rainbow hues and rhythmic line work. The exhibition specifically explores themes of miscommunication and sonic perception, drawing from Egami's experiences living between Japan, China, Germany, and the United States.

Slow Art Day at The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space April 11 Noon to 6pm

The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space in Springfield, Illinois, is set to participate in the international Slow Art Day on April 11. This grassroots event encourages visitors to move away from the typical museum-going experience of rushing through exhibits, instead focusing deeply on a small selection of works. The Springfield location will feature concurrent exhibitions by Bob Waldmire and photographer David Schwartz, whose work will be featured on upcoming Route 66 Centennial stamps.

58th Annual Juried Undergraduate Exhibition showcases WCU student artists

The WCU Fine Art Museum recently hosted its 58th Annual Juried Undergraduate Exhibition, featuring works by 25 student artists across various media including video, sculpture, and photography. Juried by artist Tracy Templeton, the showcase highlighted technical skill and personal expression, with top honors going to James Wood Boone for his time-based media piece "The Caretaker" and Valeria Enid Ramos for her portraiture.

Art of the Brick: LEGO Exhibition opens in Downtown Cincinnati

The globally acclaimed exhibition "Art of the Brick" has officially opened in downtown Cincinnati, showcasing over 100 sculptures crafted by artist Nathan Sawaya. The display features millions of LEGO bricks transformed into large-scale original works, including a 20-foot T-Rex, alongside brick-built interpretations of iconic masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and The Starry Night. Visitors can also engage with a hands-on building zone designed to foster creativity.

Exhibition | Lulama Wolf, 'The Architecture of Memory' at THK Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

South African artist Lulama Wolf presents 'The Architecture of Memory,' an online-only exhibition hosted by THK Gallery. Wolf utilizes a distinct material language of pigmented sand and acrylic to create tactile surfaces that reference the weathered walls of domestic and sacred spaces. Her work moves beyond simple representation, using geometric abstraction and earth-based materials to explore the intersection of personal history and collective generational memory.

Art seniors explore identity, faith and change in capstone exhibition

Four graduating seniors at Shippensburg University—Drew Weaver, Greg Schultz, Ally Richwine, and Katelyn Bard—unveiled their capstone art exhibition at the Huber Arts Center. The showcase features a diverse array of media, including surrealist paintings of liminal spaces, printmaking focused on mental health and friendship, experimental ceramics, and biblical-themed paintings exploring personal identity.

Mattapoisett Students at O.R.R. Shine With Award-Winning Art

Students from Old Rochester Regional High School in Mattapoisett have swept top honors at the 9th Congressional District Art Competition. Ian Hartwig secured first place in the Drawing category, while Lauren Serpa and Jocelyn Yurof earned second and third place respectively in the Mixed Media category. The award-winning works will be featured in an upcoming exhibition and awards ceremony at the Plymouth Center for the Arts.

Sotheby’s Returns to Profit as Sales Rise, Though Cash Pressures Persist

Sotheby’s has reported a return to profitability in 2025, posting a $53 million pre-tax profit following a significant $190 million loss the previous year. Driven by a 20 percent increase in sales totaling $7.1 billion, the auction house benefited from a broader 4 percent recovery in the global art market. Despite these gains, the company is navigating complex financial pressures, including a $10.2 million commission lawsuit from Cushman & Wakefield and the need to refinance $765 million in debt by 2027.

One of Napoleon’s Sweaty Hats Was Just Rediscovered After a Century in Storage

A distinctive bicorne hat belonging to Napoleon Bonaparte, worn during his final exile on Saint Helena, has been rediscovered after more than a century in storage at the Condé Museum. Curators found the beaver pelt hat, made by his official hat-maker Poupard, while preparing for an upcoming exhibition, and its provenance has been confirmed through extensive study.

How museum funding in Denmark has become reliant on visitor numbers

Danish museums have recovered strongly from the pandemic, with 2025 attendance matching 2024's record levels of around 9 million visitors. However, a new state-funding model introduced in January 2025 now makes government subsidies increasingly dependent on measurable outputs, primarily visitor numbers. Institutions must meet minimum thresholds for annual visitors and income, and produce peer-reviewed research to secure and retain funding.

New £5m cultural centre in Northampton, UK to pursue model that ‘embeds artists in social and economic fabric of a place’

A new £5.2 million cultural centre called Arts Collective is opening in Northampton, UK, on May 1st. The centre, housed in a refurbished 1930s former municipal building, features a gallery, 17 artist studios, workshop spaces, and community facilities. Its opening exhibition, "House Rules," presents a retrospective of British conceptual artist Rose Finn-Kelcey.

‘As an artist I have a duty to reflect the times’: photographer Misan Harriman explores protests and solidarity in new London show

Photographer and filmmaker Misan Harriman has opened a permanent installation titled 'The Purpose of Light' at London's Hope 93 gallery. The exhibition features over 100 black-and-white photographs taken over seven years at protests in the UK, US, and South Africa, including demonstrations related to Black Lives Matter, Gaza, and other social justice movements. The project debuted as a solo show last summer and, due to significant public response, has now been established as a long-term fixture with support from private collectors.

Maria Britton: Second Sleep

Artist Maria Britton presents "Second Sleep," a solo exhibition at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art featuring her "Draperies" series. Britton transforms discarded, patterned bedsheets into three-dimensional abstract works that blur the line between painting and sculpture through expert layering and pleating.

Inside Richie Shazam’s Debut Solo Show in Texas

Multidisciplinary artist Richie Shazam has launched her debut solo exhibition, "I Was Never Meant to Survive This," at the McLennon Pen Co. gallery in Austin, Texas. The show features 39 new works that blend photography, sculpture, and set design, utilizing found objects, hair, and flowers alongside Shazam’s own body as a primary subject. The collection represents a deeply personal exploration of her Guyanese heritage, trans identity, and the community that has supported her journey from New York City to the international stage.

At Rirkrit Tiravanija’s “Say Yes To Everything”, Eating Is Part Of The Experience

Renowned contemporary artist Rirkrit Tiravanija has launched his largest solo exhibition in Singapore at STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery. Titled "Say Yes To Everything," the retrospective spans over a decade of the artist's practice, featuring prints, editioned works, and interactive installations that emphasize communal experiences. The show includes signature elements of Tiravanija’s relational aesthetics, such as communal meals, origami sessions, and works that utilize UV light to reveal extinct animals, highlighting themes of migration, ecology, and social interaction.

New York's New Museum Unveils $82 Million Expansion

The New Museum in Manhattan has officially unveiled its $82 million expansion, a transformative project designed by architects Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematsu. The renovation has doubled the institution's footprint, adding three levels of gallery space and a new 'public spine' featuring an atrium staircase. To mark the reopening, the museum launched 'New Humans: Memories of the Future,' a massive 732-object survey curated by Massimiliano Gioni that explores the intersection of art, visual culture, and emerging technologies like AI.

Two new exhibitions debut today at St. Pete’s MFA

The Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg has launched two major exhibitions: a career-spanning survey of Iranian-born artist Ali Banisadr and a site-specific installation by Ward Shelley and Douglas Paulson. Banisadr’s exhibition, "The Alchemist," features nearly 20 years of work including large-scale paintings that blend abstraction with intricate, emerging figures. Accompanying this is "The Last Library IV: Written in Water," a life-sized library constructed from corrugated cardboard that explores the fragility of the written word and the impact of censorship and AI on language.

Local artists take over two SF neighborhoods

The San Francisco neighborhoods of the Marina and West Portal are set to host "The Art of Place," a three-month exhibition featuring 24 local artists. Organized by Ingleside Gallery founder Shrey Purohit in partnership with the BarbCo real estate group, the fair will showcase cityscapes, sculptures, and photography across two commercial offices starting April 17. The initiative aims to integrate art into everyday community spaces, featuring works by artists like Sarah Horowitz and Rhonel Roberts that capture the unique geometry and secret views of the city.

Coastal Discovery Museum hosting annual Beaufort County High School Regional Art Exhibition

The Coastal Discovery Museum is hosting the fifth annual Beaufort County High School Regional Art Exhibition, a juried showcase featuring over 100 works by local students. Running through May 5, the exhibition includes a diverse range of media such as painting, photography, ceramics, and digital art from eight public and private schools. A public reception and awards ceremony are scheduled for April 9 to celebrate the technical skill and creativity of these emerging young artists.

Open call for nominations: exhibition and prize

Artes Mundi has officially opened nominations for its 12th edition, inviting the global art community to propose artists for the prestigious biennial exhibition and prize. Based in Cardiff, Wales, the organization seeks emerging to mid-career artists whose work engages with social reality and the human condition. Nominations are open until May 31, 2026, with the selected winner receiving a substantial prize of £40,000.

Exploring the magical colors of Matisse

The Times Art Museum has launched a major retrospective of Henri Matisse’s printmaking, featuring 100 works that span his career from early line drawings to his iconic late-period cut-outs. Titled "Bathe in Color — A Journey of Lines, Body and Dreams," the exhibition includes significant collaborations with Paris-based workshops Mourlot Studios and Atelier Auval, highlighted by the vibrant composition La Gerbe.

Artist shows agriculture droning forward

Chinese artist Cao Fei is set to debut her latest multimedia project, "Dash" (known as "Super Farms" in China), at the Fondazione Prada in Milan on April 9. The exhibition is the result of three years of field research across China and Southeast Asia, where Cao documented the rise of smart farming and the integration of AI, drones, and autonomous vehicles into traditional agricultural landscapes. Her work captures a unique cultural synthesis where modern technology is sometimes integrated into ancient rituals, such as the worship of drones as deities.

Renoir Exhibition: 185th Anniversary of His Birth | Sanno Art Museum | Art in Osaka

The Sanno Art Museum in Osaka is hosting a comprehensive exhibition to commemorate the 185th anniversary of Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s birth. The show features 50 works drawn from the museum's permanent collection, including 12 pieces that are being publicly exhibited for the first time. Organized into five chronological chapters, the exhibition traces the artist's evolution from his early Impressionist experiments through his classical period and into the final decade of his life, where he continued to paint vibrant nudes and landscapes despite the physical limitations of rheumatoid arthritis.

MASP Contested Narratives Between Replica and Weaving

MASP CONTESTED NARRATIVES BETWEEN REPLICA AND WEAVING

The Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) has opened two simultaneous exhibitions that critically examine how narratives in Latin American art are formed. 'Réplica (Replica)' is a retrospective of Peruvian artist Sandra Gamarra Heshiki, featuring over 70 works that appropriate and alter historical pieces to expose the exclusionary mechanisms of museums. 'Vivir, tejer (Living, Weaving)' presents the collaborative textile work of Claudia Alarcón and the Silät collective, a group of over one hundred Wichí women weavers, foregrounding ancestral knowledge and collective creation.

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.

A Delightful Short Film Highlights the Remarkable Self-Taught Art of George Voronovsky

Ukrainian-born artist Jonko “George” Voronovsky transformed his modest retirement room at Miami’s Colony Hotel into a dense, vibrant sanctuary of over 5,000 artworks. After surviving the horrors of the Russian Revolution, Nazi labor camps, and permanent separation from his family, Voronovsky immigrated to the U.S. and spent his final years creating "memoryscapes." These works, crafted from found materials like pizza boxes and soda cans, depicted idyllic, colorful scenes of his youth in Ukraine, contrasting sharply with the trauma of his past.

Activist glues herself to museum display case

Aktivistin klebt sich an Museumsvitrine

A protester from the activist group Neue Generation glued herself to a display case in the Coin Cabinet of the Bode-Museum on Berlin's Museum Island. Dressed as Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche, the activist targeted the museum to protest the minister's perceived lack of independence from corporate interests. Police were called to the scene to remove the woman, and the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation confirmed that while the glass case was targeted, no historical artifacts were damaged.