Brittany Invites Itself to the Venice Biennale: An Unusual Pavilion Dedicated to Breton Creation Moors in the Lagoon

La Bretagne s’invite à la Biennale de Venise : un insolite pavillon dédié à la création bretonne s’est amarré dans la lagune

For the 61st Venice Biennale, a group of artists and art figures from Brittany have created an unofficial "Breton pavilion" in the form of a spectacular sailboat moored on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. The boat, designed by artist Joachim Monvoisin, features contributions from Morgane Tschiember (who sewed a sail with a black cross, the 11th-century Breton flag) and master glassmaker Andrew Erdos (who made the navigation lights). Performances during the opening week included readings by Breton authors and traditional music concerts with binious and bombardes on the Via Garibaldi.

Aux châteaux de Malmaison et de Bois-Préau, le festival des Premiers Romantiques fait dialoguer musique et nature

The Festival des Premiers Romantiques takes place from May 22 to 25 at the châteaux of Malmaison and Bois-Préau in Rueil-Malmaison, France. The event features concerts on period pianos (including an 1806 Erard pianoforte and an 1847 Streicher), performed by musicians from La Nouvelle Athènes collective, alongside an exhibition titled "Roses & Pivoines" showcasing works by Pierre-Joseph Redouté and contemporary German artist Thilo Westermann. The festival celebrates Romantic-era music and nature, set in the recently restored château and its emblematic gardens, once the botanical passion of Empress Joséphine.

Study Shows Engaging with Art as Effective as Exercise in Slowing Aging

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.

“In corpo presente” at IED, Florence

On Tuesday, April 28, at IED Firenze (former Teatro dell'Oriuolo), the collective performance "In corpo presente" took place as the final act of a research project exploring contemporary meanings of freedom, presence, belonging, and collective action. Since December 2025, 50 students from various disciplines at IED Firenze have been involved in the project, guided by artist Jacopo Benassi.

Pat Oleszko “Fool Disclosure” at SculptureCenter, New York

Pat Oleszko has opened a major solo exhibition, "Fool Disclosure," at SculptureCenter in New York. The show features her signature sculptures and costumes, which are designed to be activated through performance, and includes new works created specifically for the presentation.

Tarek Atoui “Souffle Continu and Sunflowers” at IMMA, Dublin

IMMA in Dublin is presenting the first Irish solo exhibition of Lebanese sound artist and composer Tarek Atoui, titled "Souffle Continu and Sunflowers." The exhibition opens on February 21, 2026, showcasing Atoui's innovative work in sound, performance, and custom instrument creation, which focuses on the physical experience of listening.

ARAB POP ART: Between East and West

The Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington, D.C., is presenting an exhibition titled "Arab Pop Art: Between East and West," featuring works by Arab artists who remix global Pop Art with local voices and political commentary. The exhibition includes a closing celebration with a live performance by Syrian-American rapper and poet Omar Offendum, an artist talk with participating artist Marwan Chamaa and co-curators Lyne Sneige and Laila Abdul-Hadi Jadallah, and a film screening of "A Thousand and One Berber Nights" (2023) with director Hisham Aidi. The show is part of MEI's broader programming and has been highlighted in multiple media outlets including YUNG Magazine, Hyperallergic, Vogue Arabia, and Washington City Paper.

Altos de Chavón Art Gallery presents ‘WONDERLAND

The Altos de Chavón Art Gallery in La Romana, Dominican Republic, is presenting 'WONDERLAND,' a new exhibition by artist Stepanova opening on January 9, 2026. The show explores early childhood perception through immersive paintings, and the opening will feature a darkroom installation, live performances, and a curated atmosphere.

This Garden of Weeds Review: V. Sanjay Kumar Maps the Art World

V. Sanjay Kumar's novel *This Garden of Weeds* explores the Indian art world through a murder mystery centered on the death of a mythic artist, Maya. The story follows her daughter Tara as she uncovers Maya's past through flashbacks involving former art-school classmates—an art critic, a reporter, and a performance artist—while also weaving in subplots about a wealthy family's entry into art collecting, a gallerist's shady dealings, and a reality show for artists. The novel satirizes the fusion of gossip, celebrity, and commerce that defines contemporary art culture.

Roksana Pirouzmand’s Dual‑Site Meditation on Loss

Roksana Pirouzmand’s dual-site exhibition in Los Angeles, hosted at OXY ARTS and JOAN, features performance-based sculptures and installations that utilize literal erosion to explore themes of loss and displacement. The works include anatomical clay casts of the artist and her mother, which are subjected to water, vibration, and physical interaction, causing them to crack and deteriorate over the course of the show. At OXY ARTS, a kinetic metal floor involves the viewer directly, as their footsteps cause clay hands to collide and break, illustrating the physical impact of movement and presence.

In SF, a gallery transformed into an immense, red web of memory

The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco has opened "Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries," the first solo museum exhibition in the Bay Area for the Berlin-based Japanese artist. The centerpiece is "Diary," an 88-foot-long network of blood-red yarn that incorporates pages from diaries of Japanese soldiers and German citizens from World War II, creating an immersive web of memory. The exhibition also includes a crimson dress unraveling into cords, set designs for a theatrical psycho-drama, performance videos, and paper works reflecting on the artist's experience as a cancer survivor.

One of the fairs during Milan Art Week will be open until midnight (and you can even have dinner there)

Una delle fiere in corso a Milano durante questa Art Week sarà visitabile fino a mezzanotte (e ci puoi anche cenare)

MEGA Art Fair has announced an unconventional schedule for its third edition during Milan Art Week 2026, extending its opening hours until midnight. Located in the former Esperis perfume factory known as PROFUMO, the fair will occupy over 3,000 square meters of industrial space. The event features a multidisciplinary public program and a unique "sensory dinner" titled The Perfume Table, which translates the olfactory structure of perfumes into a gastronomic experience set among artworks.

A review within a play. Play by Josiane M.H. Pozi and Emily Pozi  by Nasra Abdullahi

Josiane M.H. Pozi's exhibition "PORTRAIT O.A.Y.G." at Carlos/Ishikawa in London is reviewed through an unconventional, fragmented narrative that blends a play script with critical observation. The review describes Pozi's video works, including "Rhythmic Stimming" (2025) and "Restaurants" (2023), which capture mundane domestic scenes and personal artifacts. The text shifts between a first-person account of meeting the artist and a scripted dialogue between characters J and E, reflecting the exhibition's themes of identity, selfhood, and the poetic potential of everyday objects.

New Hong Kong fairs offer fresh opportunities for a changing market

Hong Kong Art Week 2026 features several new art fairs offering alternative models to traditional events. ArtHouse Tai Hang, led by former Christie's executive Jacky Ho, displays works across ten locations in a residential neighborhood with a pay-only-if-sold financial model. Check-in, organized by Alex Chan, requires all artworks to be suitcase-sized and includes daily performances. Pavilion, founded by Ysabelle Cheung and Willem Molesworth, presents a boutique, curated alternative to high-pressure fairs.

Art Museum of Southeast Texas opens two new exhibitions tonight exploring Texas waterways and history

The Art Museum of Southeast Texas (AMSET) opens two new exhibitions today: "Julius Stockfleth: Dawn of a Century" and "Bill Pangburn: Printed Traces - A Neches River Journal." The Stockfleth exhibition features early Texas artist Julius Stockfleth's paintings of the 1900 Galveston hurricane and Texas coastal history, marking a homecoming as his work was first shown at AMSET in 1987. The Pangburn exhibition presents a new series of large-scale abstract woodcut prints inspired by the Neches River. Both run through July 5, with a free public reception tonight and a musical performance by composer Nathan Felix on May 30.

New York City provides long-term support to five local arts organisations

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) has inducted five new members into its Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), an exclusive program that provides long-term operational subsidies to private arts organizations operating on public land. The new members—Bric (Brooklyn), Pregones/Puerto Rican Traveling Theater (Manhattan), the Bronx Children’s Museum, the Noble Maritime Collection (Staten Island), and the Louis Armstrong House Museum (Queens)—represent each of the city’s five boroughs. This is the largest expansion of the program, now totaling 39 members, since the 1970s. A celebratory event was held at Bric on September 30, featuring remarks from DCLA Commissioner Laurie Cumbo and Deputy Mayor Adolfo Carrión Jr., along with musical performances by each institution.

Peruvian artist's solo exhibition opens at Heydar Aliyev Center [PHOTOS]

On May 21, a solo exhibition of Peruvian artist Ronald Companoca titled "The Theater of Dreams" opened at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan. The ceremony was attended by Leyla Aliyeva, Alena Aliyeva, Minister of Culture Adil Karimli, and other dignitaries. The exhibition features many works shown for the first time, including pieces inspired by Azerbaijani culture, such as carpet elements and national motifs. Companoca described his style as a synthesis of realistic and mystical elements, rooted in magical surrealism. An artistic performance with live characters mirroring the artwork accompanied the opening. The exhibition runs until March 1, 2027.

A Gallery Turned Casino: How Below Grand's "Club Bar" Blurs the Lines of Contemporary Art, NYC

Below Grand, a gallery on Orchard Street in New York, has transformed its space into "Club Bar," an immersive exhibition curated by Marissa Graziano that blurs the line between art and entertainment. The show features a pool table, free beer and hot dogs, and a white roulette table dealt by artist Sam Guy, where guests gamble for raffle tickets to win artworks. The exhibition includes works by Alexis Akua, Thomas Bohm Jr., Alex Cassetti, Angela Dufresne, and others, with a suggested donation of $25 for five plays and raffle tickets.

Qatar makes Venice Biennale debut with pavilion built on collaboration, food and live art

Qatar has made its debut at the Venice Biennale with an official national pavilion, marking a major cultural milestone as the first new national pavilion in the Giardini in 30 years. Led by artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, the project titled "Untitled 2026: A gathering of remarkable people" transforms the space into a living environment featuring live music, film screenings, shared meals, and ongoing performances. The pavilion brings together artists, musicians, and chefs from across the Arab world and its diasporas, emphasizing cultural exchange rather than a single national narrative.

Opening Conversation: International Surrealism from Tate

The Frist Art Museum in Nashville will host "Opening Conversation: International Surrealism from Tate" on May 21, 2026, from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. The event features a discussion with Dr. Matthew Gale, exhibition curator; Michael J. Ewing, Frist Art Museum associate curator; and Caroline Yates, Susan H. Edwards Curatorial Fellow, focusing on the exhibition "International Surrealism from Tate: Fifty Years of Dreams." The exhibition, drawn from the Tate's collection in the United Kingdom, presents a broad selection of paintings, photographs, sculptures, publications, and archival material that traces the long trajectory and global reach of surrealism. A live musical performance in the Grand Lobby precedes the conversation from 5:15 to 6:15 PM, and the museum remains open until 9:00 PM for gallery visits.

Bildmuseet opens the MFA exhibition from Umeå Academy of Fine Arts.

Bildmuseet in Umeå, Sweden, will host the Master's exhibition "Of Love and Care" from the Umeå Academy of Fine Arts at Umeå University, opening on 22 May 2026 with an Art Friday event featuring talks, performances, tours, live music, and a DJ. The exhibition showcases works by ten graduating artists—Christian Abrahamsson, Amanda Angeli Blombäck, Time Bohlin, Renan De Menezes Anan, Elna Dani Liljedahl, Joanne Löfling, Måns Palmberg, Sofia Tien, Fanny Åberg, and Tin Åling—whose pieces explore themes of love, care, mysticism, and the wonder of existence, moving beyond overtly political and consumerist messages. A media preview will be held on 20 May, and the exhibition runs through 23 August 2026.

Shahin Norouzi : Paintings

Shahin Norouzi's solo exhibition of paintings is on view at Negar Art Gallery in Tehran from October 20 to November 6, 2023, presented by Arena Fine Art Gallery. The show features 13 recent works, all titled "Untitled" and dated 2022, with prices ranging from $800 to $3,500, exploring gesture, rhythm, and repetition as performative and time-based practices.

'Under Pressure': San Francisco artist's exhibit in Chicago is an SOS to save the planet

San Francisco-based artist Ana Teresa Fernández has opened a solo exhibition titled 'Under Pressure' at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. The exhibition, a four-year project, features works including oil paintings and a sculptural piece made from a transformed hose, all centered on themes of water and environmental fragility. A key installation involves a white balloon pressed by a stiletto heel, symbolizing human activity pushing the planet to a breaking point.

San Francisco artist Ana Teresa Fernandez's Chicago exhibit, 'Under Pressure,' is a call to climate action

San Francisco-based artist Ana Teresa Fernández has opened a solo exhibition titled 'Under Pressure' at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. The four-year project features a range of works, including detailed oil paintings and a sculptural piece, all centered on the theme of water and climate change. A key performance element involved Fernández leading hundreds of participants on Chicago's lakefront to form a giant S.O.S. signal using mirrors, a 'social monument' she previously staged in California.

Boston College Arts Festival To Feature Nunziata Brothers As Alumni Artist Awardees

Boston College has unveiled the programming for its 2026 Arts Festival, themed "Artchella," scheduled for April 23–25. The 28th annual event will feature over 50 activities across the campus, including visual art exhibitions, theatrical performances, and musical concerts. A centerpiece of the festival is the Arts Awards Ceremony, which will honor alumni brothers Will and Anthony Nunziata for their professional achievements in the arts, alongside faculty and student awardees.

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art Announces Date For ARTMIX 2026

The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) has announced the official date for its 2026 ARTMIX event. This signature annual fundraiser typically features a curated auction, live performances, and community engagement initiatives designed to support the museum's exhibition and education programs.

Creativity takes the stage at fifth annual ‘Art and Autism’ exposition

Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) partnered with the City of Boynton Beach to host the fifth annual 'Art and Autism' exposition. Held at the Boynton Beach Arts & Cultural Center in honor of Autism Awareness Month, the event featured approximately 50 artists—a significant increase from the three or four participants at its inception in 2021. The showcase included a diverse array of media, from graphic illustrations and children's books by artists like Kiora Slate to live musical performances by Patrick Fahely, providing a public platform for neurodivergent creators to sell their work and share their personal stories.

Bolton artists invited to show their work at Bolton Museum

Bolton Museum is inviting local artists to submit their work for the Open Art Exhibition, with submissions due on January 29, 2026, at Bolton Library. Three prizes are on offer: the Young Artist award (ages 16–25, sponsored by Bolton at Home), the Visitors’ Choice award (sponsored by Bromley Art Supplies), and the Winners Prize (sponsored by the Library and Museum service). The judging panel includes Amy Brunn, Professor Kirsty Fairclough, David Gledhill, and the Manchester Young People’s Panel. All mediums except installations and live performances are accepted, and entrants must be aged 16 or over and live, work, or study in Bolton.

Early career artists are invited to apply to Collective programme

Collective Gallery on Calton Hill in Edinburgh has announced its 2026 exhibition programme, featuring solo shows by Paloma Proudfoot and Katie Paterson in the City Dome Gallery. Proudfoot's exhibition, running from March to May 2026, will include new sculptures and a performance exploring the female voice and body, while Paterson's 'Afterlife' presents nearly 200 amulets made from endangered materials, previously shown at Folkestone Triennial 2025. The gallery also launched a new career-development programme called Time + Space, inviting early-career artists to apply by 14 December 2025, with the first edition featuring Alberta Whittle and Aqsa Arif.

Sara Stern '17 Opens Latest Solo Exhibition, 'STALL,' at Turley Gallery

Sara Stern, a 2017 alumna of the Visual and Environmental Studies program at Harvard, has opened her fifth solo exhibition, 'STALL,' at Turley Gallery in Hudson, New York. The installation transforms the gallery's interstitial space, The Light Well, into a horse stall featuring a toy theater that plays a video of horseshoe crabs spawning. The exhibition runs from July 19 to September 7, 2025, and includes elements such as straw, a velvet curtain, and an adorned horseshoe crab shell, creating a mise en abyme effect.