Henrike Naumann, a German artist who recently passed away, is being honored with a posthumous exhibition at the German Pavilion during the Venice Biennale. Her work, which explores recent German history, state art, and the absence of East German art in the pavilion, finds its ultimate context in this historically charged Nazi-era building.
Nasan Tur sammelt Beiträge für "Archiv der Gefühle" zur Manifesta 16
Berlin-based artist Nasan Tur is calling on people from the Ruhr region and beyond to submit contributions to his "Archive of Feelings" via an online portal. The project is part of his commissioned work for the 16th edition of the nomadic biennial Manifesta, which opens on June 21 across several cities in the Ruhr area. Tur's installation, titled "Elevation," will be housed in St. Gertrud Church in Essen, where excerpts from anonymous submissions—expressing hopes, fears, wounds, ideas, wishes, and everyday observations—will be carved into old church pews.
Leigh Magar, a celebrated milliner who crafted bespoke hats for celebrities including Beyoncé and members of the royal family, has died at age 57. After building a high-profile career in Charleston, South Carolina, she relocated to a remote island off the coast, where she shifted her artistic focus to cultivating indigo and creating natural dyes, becoming a dedicated practitioner of the ancient craft.
Nicole Hollander, the creator of the long-running comic strip "Sylvia," has died at the age of 86. For over three decades, she wrote and illustrated the strip, which centered on a tart-tongued, witty woman who freely expressed her many opinions, becoming a staple of feminist humor in American newspapers.
The Venice Biennale is facing allegations that it helped Russia circumvent EU sanctions by allowing the Russian pavilion to operate during preview days, when only arts professionals and press are present. Investigative website Open published emails between Biennale officials and Russian pavilion organizers, including requests for visa assistance for artists and staff. The commissioner, Anastasia Karneeva, is the daughter of a Rostec deputy CEO and runs a consultancy with the daughter of Russia's foreign minister. The Biennale denies any wrongdoing, stating it acted in compliance with international law. Russia has been absent from the Biennale since 2022 but retains a permanent pavilion in the Giardini.
Artists Rhett Tsai and Chang-Ching Su have presented tandem projects at Chicago's Watershed Art & Ecology, inspired by a joint research trip to fishing villages on China's Huangqi Peninsula. Their works explore the practice of light-lure fishing, with Su creating photographic exposures using the green LED lights from squid-fishing boats and translating satellite fishing data into sculptural installations. Tsai's contributions include CGI films and a VR video that depict the rhythms and social realities of coastal communities, focusing on the Tanka boat-dwelling people.
The Uzbekistan Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, curated around the figure of author Allayar Darmenov, brings together artists including Vyacheslav Akhunov, Zi Kakhramonova, A. A. Murakami, Zulfiya Spowart, and Nguyen Phuong Linh to explore the ecological disaster of the Aral Sea. Once the world's fourth-largest lake, it was drained by Soviet irrigation projects for cotton farming; the pavilion's installations—such as Kakhramonova's participatory salt-fish molding piece and Spowart's cradle-like sculpture—imaginatively revive the vanished sea and its endemic species.
Pour le cinquantenaire de sa mort, le sulfureux photographe Pierre Molinier au cœur d’une importante biographie
A new biography of the provocative French photographer and painter Pierre Molinier (1900–1976) has been published to mark the 50th anniversary of his death. Co-published by Mollat and L'Arbre vengeur, the book "Molinier. Une vie d'enfer" is an updated and expanded version of Pierre Petit's 1992 text, incorporating newly surfaced documents and reflecting Molinier's growing international recognition.
Artist Adrien Vescovi has installed a monumental textile work titled "Dormir comme le soleil" at the Vieille Charité in Marseille. The installation features over 600 dyed sheets suspended across 108 arches of the former hospice, using natural pigments from plants, spices, and ochres. The fabrics, dyed in a labor-intensive process involving large wooden spoons and cauldrons, are designed to fade and evolve over the eight-month exhibition, responding to wind, humidity, and Mediterranean light.
Hilma af Klint (1862–1944) is profiled as a pioneering Swedish abstract artist who created a vast body of visionary, large-scale abstract paintings decades before Kandinsky, yet kept them secret during her lifetime. The article traces her life from a childhood steeped in science and nature, through her studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm, to her dual artistic practice: conventional landscapes and portraits for income, and radically abstract works guided by spiritualist séances and theosophical beliefs. She founded the group "The Five" with fellow female artists, and from 1906 onward produced the monumental series "Paintings for the Temple" (193 works), convinced she was channeling a higher force. She stipulated in her will that her abstract works not be revealed until 20 years after her death, and they were only rediscovered in the late 1960s.
A new study by University College London, published in the journal Innovation in Aging, reveals that engaging with arts and culture can slow biological aging at a rate comparable to exercise. Researchers found that attending performances or visiting galleries once a month led to a 3 percent reduction in aging speed, while weekly engagement produced a 4 percent slowdown. Those who participated in the arts at least weekly were biologically at least a year younger than non-participants, outperforming weekly exercisers, who were only six months younger biologically. The study tracked 3,356 adults from 2010 to 2012 using survey data and blood tests, measuring aging via epigenetic clocks that analyze DNA changes.
Hedwig Fijen, the founding director of Manifesta, the nomadic European biennial launched in 1996, has announced she will depart on October 5. Fijen began working on the platform in 1991 under a commission from the Netherlands Office for Fine Arts, and oversaw editions in cities including Rotterdam, Palermo, Pristina, and Barcelona. The supervisory board has appointed Emilia van Lynden as general director and Catherine Nichols as artistic director to lead future editions, starting with Manifesta 16 in Germany’s Ruhr Valley this year and Manifesta 17 in Coimbra, Portugal, in 2028.
Artist Jean Shin has created "Celadon Landscape," a monumental installation at the Green-House at Green-Wood in New York, using nearly two tons of discarded celadon porcelain fragments donated by studios in Icheon, South Korea. The work features two large bulbous vessels covered in broken shards of cups, saucers, and pots, appearing to emerge from the earth as if unearthed in an archaeological dig. The installation is on view through January 17.
Jackie Andres, online editor of Colossal, writes an open letter to readers reflecting on Virginia Woolf's assertion that "thinking is my fighting." Andres connects this to contemporary concerns about declining literacy rates, the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, doomscrolling, and "brain rot" that undermine critical thinking. She positions Colossal as a free, accessible resource for art education, noting that the publication has remained entirely free for 15 years, and highlights how educators and students use the site for lesson plans and learning.
Paul Nicklen, a renowned wildlife photographer and co-founder of the conservation organization SeaLegacy, is releasing a comprehensive book titled *Reverence* through publisher Hemeria. The volume collects 160 photographs spanning his three-decade career, including iconic images and previously unpublished works that capture the beauty and fragility of ecosystems from the Colorado River delta to the Arctic Bay.
London-based artist Dima Rebus creates large-scale watercolor paintings using water samples collected from strangers around the world. In her series "Floaters," she freezes the crowdsourced water with pigments, then lets it melt across paper to form abstract color fields, later adding figures and aquatic landscapes. Each sample arrives with a letter, building an archive of rain, rivers, seas, oceans, and glaciers that serve as both material and human message.
Dyani White Hawk's eight-channel video installation "LISTEN" (2020–ongoing) is on view at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. The work features Indigenous women speaking in their native languages on their tribal homelands, with no subtitles or explanatory text, encouraging viewers to physically move closer to each screen to hear and engage with the speakers' voices and surrounding environments.
The Indonesian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale presents "Printing the Unprinted: The Reversal of World Discovery," a project that reimagines global history by casting an Indonesian kingdom as the explorer who discovers the West. Seven Indonesian artists—Agus Suwage, Syahrizal Pahlevi, Nurdian Ichsan, R.E. Hartanto, Theresia Agustina Sitompul, Mariam Sofrina, and Rusyan Yasin—participated in a two-month residency at the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica in Venice, collaboratively creating works through printmaking and expanded forms. The pavilion includes exhibitions, workshops, and symposiums that challenge dominant narratives and highlight Indonesia's contributions to maritime technology, commerce, arts, and knowledge.
The inaugural Gregorian Art Exhibition opened at Jubilee Hall, St. Gregory’s College, Ikoyi, Lagos, honoring renowned artist Bruce Onobrakpeya. Organized by the St. Gregory’s College Old Boys Association, the three-day event runs from April 25 to April 27, 2026, under the theme “Celebrating Legacy, Excellence and Continuity.” It features an intergenerational mix of artists including Victor Uwaifo, David Dale, Mike Omoighe, and others, and attracted Nigeria’s cultural, political, and religious figures. Speeches by Dr. Michael Omolayole and Francis Oluwole Kudayah highlighted the exhibition as a cultural tradition and platform for mentorship, with plans for an annual art clinic and a digital “Gregorian Art Mart” to support alumni welfare and the college endowment fund.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has revealed photos from inside the Costume Institute's latest exhibition, 'Costume Art,' ahead of the 2026 Met Gala. Curated by Andrew Bolton, the show explores the relationship between clothing and the body, organized around thematic body types such as the Naked Body, Pregnant Body, and Aging Body. It features garments and artworks from The Met's collection, both historical and contemporary, and will be the first exhibition held in the new Condé M. Nast Galleries, a 12,000-square-foot space adjacent to the Great Hall. The exhibition opens to the public on May 10, 2026, and runs through January 10, 2027.
L’intima corrispondenza tra l’artista Maria Lai e lo stilista Antonio Marras è in mostra a Milano
The exhibition "Paso Doble" at Galleria M77 in Milan brings together over 200 works by artist Maria Lai (1919–2013) and fashion designer Antonio Marras, curated by Francesca Alfano Miglietti. The show explores the deep creative and personal dialogue between the two, rooted in a transformative encounter that Marras describes as a turning point in his artistic language. Works range from historical pieces by Lai—including textile books, thread installations, and stone-embedded works—to Marras's own mixed-media creations using humble materials like cardboard, fabric scraps, and pastry trays. The exhibition culminates in collaborative installations such as "Llencols de aigua" (Water Sheets) and "Janas," immersive environments where viewers become part of a silent choreography of memory and imagination.
Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Illinois, is inviting artists aged 18 and older living within 50 miles to submit up to two pieces for its 23rd annual community art show. Submissions are accepted May 19-21, with notifications on May 26. The exhibition runs May 29 to July 30, opening with a reception and awards ceremony on May 30. This year’s juror is Lisa DeLuca, a photographer and teaching artist with experience as a recruiter for art schools and a docent at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. She has previously juried the college’s high school exhibition and other regional shows.
The international jury of the 61st Venice Biennale announced it would exclude from prize consideration countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, specifically targeting Russia and Israel. This prompted the Italian culture minister to send inspectors to the Biennale's offices, leading the jury to resign. The Biennale then replaced the Golden Lion with "Visitors' Lions" prizes voted by ticket-holders, immediately making Russia and Israel eligible again. The article traces this crisis to the Biennale's historical structure under Mussolini's 1930 Royal Decree, which established the national pavilion system as a diplomatic concession system designed to serve state power, and notes the recent acceptance of a €50 million donation from Qatar for a new permanent pavilion in the Giardini.
The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA) in Little Rock opens the 65th Young Arkansas Artists exhibition on Saturday, featuring 52 artworks selected by a panel of museum and art professionals. The exhibition expands to four works per grade, K-12, and includes a "Best in Class" award chosen by grand juror Celeste Alexander. The show runs through July 26 in the Robyn and John Horn Gallery, with free admission and related activities at the museum's Windgate Art School.
The Art Museum of Southeast Texas (AMSET) in Beaumont is presenting two new exhibitions this month, featuring a mix of contemporary and regional artwork. An opening reception honoring artists Bill Pangburn and Julius Stockfleth was held on May 8, and the shows will remain on view through the summer. The exhibitions showcase diverse mediums and perspectives, highlighting both emerging and established artists from Southeast Texas and beyond.
May’s art guide highlights several exhibitions across Dayton, Cincinnati, and Columbus, including "The Future of Female" at the Dayton Society of Artists, a juried show exploring women-identifying artists' perspectives; "At This Moment" at the Main Library's 2nd Floor Gallery, reflecting on contemporary life; "Teresa Olavarria: Lichen" at The Contemporary Dayton, featuring works in vitreous enamel and bronze; and a color-themed collaborative exhibition at the Edward A. Dixon Gallery in partnership with Dayton Collaboratory. The guide also features a 35mm film series by photographer Jake Schneider documenting Greenville’s Swinging 8’s Square Dance Club.
An ongoing group exhibition titled 'Echoes of Past and Future' at Divine Art Gallery in Delhi brings together 48 artworks by 48 artists, spanning generations of Indian modern and contemporary art. The show features works by masters such as Anjolie Ela Menon, Manu Parekh, and Himmat Shah alongside contemporary voices like Ashok Bhowmick and Bhaskar Rao, aiming to create a dialogue between past and present artistic expressions.
Maya Gallery in New York is hosting a benefit sale that features works by over 50 Israeli contemporary artists, including prominent names like Michal Rovner and Sigalit Landau. The sale aims to raise funds for the gallery's programming and to support Israeli artists amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
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.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield will host a new art exhibition titled “Pillars of Democracy,” opening May 15. The show features mixed-media portraits by artist Niki Johnson that highlight women’s contributions to democracy, depicting allegorical figures like Liberty and Justice as voters. The exhibition includes an opening talk, a guided discussion, and a hands-on workshop during the Old Capitol Art Fair, with materials incorporating remnants from Shepard Fairey’s 2020 mural “Voting Rights are Human Rights.”