The article is a critical essay by Alex Taek-Gwang Lee challenging the philosophical approach of popular thinker Byung-Chul Han. It argues that Han's accessible, 'Sloterdijkian' style prioritizes rhetorical flair and immediate recognition over dialectical rigor and material political analysis, resulting in a critique that circulates comfortably within the very neoliberal attention economy it claims to oppose.
London's Science Museum has opened a free exhibition titled 'Star Trek Warp Trail' to celebrate the franchise's 60th anniversary. The display features iconic costumes, props, and models from various Star Trek series and films, including uniforms worn by characters like Captain Pike and Jean-Luc Picard, the prototype android B-4 prop head, and a model of the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Fort Lauderdale is the final Florida city continuing a legal challenge against a state directive to remove painted street art, specifically its rainbow crosswalks. A hearing is scheduled for May. The directive, part of Governor Ron DeSantis's Safe Streets program, prohibits pavement art with "social, political or ideological messages" and threatens cities with the loss of transportation funding if they do not comply.
W. David Marx joins Artnet News senior editor Kate Brown on the podcast 'The Art Angle' to discuss his new book, *Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century*. The book argues that creativity across art, media, and popular culture has stagnated over the past 25 years, driven by commercialization, rapid technology shifts, and a preference for profit-driven formulas over experimentation. Marx identifies a 'conspicuous blank space where art and creativity used to be' and proposes five strategies to revive cultural inventiveness.
Bonhams auction house in London will hold a sale on February 18 of books, photographs, and ephemera related to Irish writer Oscar Wilde, drawn from the 60-year collection of former antiques dealer Jeremy Mason. Highlights include a signed 1891 copy of *The Picture of Dorian Gray* (estimated $16,000–$24,000), a signed 1898 copy of *The Ballad of Reading Gaol* ($13,000–$20,000), and a letter to a child in which Wilde describes himself as a wallflower ($5,400–$8,100). The sale spans Wilde’s life from childhood to his literary success, imprisonment, and exile.
Phillips’s “Geneva Jewels Auction” on Monday achieved CHF 13.7 million ($17 million) in total sales, with 96 of 113 lots sold (85% sell-through rate). Twelve lots from the Vanderbilt family sold out, contributing CHF 3.42 million ($4.25 million)—four times their low estimate. The top lot was “The Vanderbilt Sapphire,” a 42-karat sugarloaf Kashmir sapphire and diamond brooch by Tiffany & Co., which sold for CHF 2.88 million ($3.57 million), exceeding its $1–1.5 million estimate. Other highlights included a Cartier Magnificent diamond brooch ($560,582), a Bulgari “Serpenti” belt ($368,383), and multiple Cartier “Panthère” jewels. The auction drew over 1,600 visitors and bids from 44 countries.
A court in Argentina has placed Patricia Kadgien and her husband Juan Carlos Cortegoso under house arrest as police search for a Nazi-looted painting by Giuseppe Ghislandi. The work, which once belonged to Jewish dealer Jacques Goudstikker, was spotted in a real estate listing for their house in Mar del Plata by the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad. The listing has been deleted, and police failed to find the painting during a raid, but prosecutors are also investigating two other works held by another of Kadgien's daughters.
The Guardian's picture editors curated a selection of global photographs for Tuesday, March 31, 2026. The images include a Holy Week procession by the Trabajo y Luz brotherhood in Granada, Spain; white pelicans at Lake Çavuşçu in Turkey; apricot blossoms in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan; and scenes from California, Lebanon, India, Israel, Ukraine, the West Bank, and France, capturing moments of nature, conflict, displacement, and commemoration.
The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art has opened two new exhibitions celebrating queer identity, memory, and community. "John Paul Morabito: Dancing in the Night" features large-scale woven works by transdisciplinary artist John Paul Morabito, using linen, cotton, gold-leaf threads, and beadwork inspired by queer history, resistance, and celebration. The second exhibition, "Norma I. Quintana: Paradise of Memory / Paraíso de la Memoria," presents a portrait series by photographer Norma I. Quintana that examines memory, identity, and cultural heritage, recreating hand-painted backdrops from her family's photographs to honor her community. Both exhibitions run through September 6.
The National Geographic Society has announced an extended tour of its exhibition "The Greatest Wildlife Photographs," following its run at The Momentary in Arkansas, USA. The show features a curated selection of iconic wildlife images from National Geographic magazine, chosen by picture editor Kathy Moran, and includes works by renowned photographers such as Michael “Nick” Nichols, Steve Winter, Paul Nicklen, Beverly Joubert, and David Doubilet. The exhibition will be available for booking in the US and globally as a digital delivery, and is currently on view at The Momentary from November 22, 2025, to June 7, 2026.
The Westchester Regional Library in Miami is hosting "Circular Reflections," an exhibition featuring over 80 contemporary Cuban artists, each working within a 21-inch circular format. Organized in collaboration with the Miami-Dade Public Library System, the show opened on April 3 and runs through June 25. Curated by Miami-based artist and independent curator Miguel Rodez, the project began nearly a decade ago and has evolved into a traveling, ongoing documentation of Cuban visual culture. Artists like Ismael Gómez Peralta discuss how the circular constraint challenged traditional rectangular composition, pushing them to rethink spatial organization while maintaining their individual visual languages.
The Venice Biennale previews have descended into chaos, with the event overshadowed by controversies surrounding Israeli and Russian participation. Protests and disruptions have marked the lead-up to the prestigious international art exhibition, as demonstrators voice opposition to the inclusion of Israel amid the Gaza conflict and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. The situation has created a tense atmosphere, drawing significant media attention and complicating the Biennale's usual celebratory preview period.
The National Museum of Military History in Bulgaria will open an exhibition titled “Created in War, Preserved through Art” on May 5, marking the Day of Bravery and the Bulgarian Armed Forces as well as the museum’s 110th anniversary. The exhibition transports visitors to 1916, during World War I, when the museum was founded to preserve the memory of the Bulgarian Army, and highlights how Bulgarian artists participated in an international exhibition in Berlin that year, with many of their war-inspired works later acquired by the Ministry of War to form a major art collection.
The Surrey Art Gallery in British Columbia is presenting a new exhibition titled "In the Shadow of the Pavilions: Expo 86 and Contemporary Art," running from April 18 to June 7, 2026. The show features over 50 artists, including a project by Michael de Courcy who took 1,700 photos of Expo 86 visitors, and works by Henri Robideau, a self-described 'Gianthropologist' who photographed giant roadside attractions across Canada in the 1980s.
The Petaluma Historical Library and Museum is hosting 'Time and Tide,' a multimedia exhibition running through June 6 that explores the Petaluma River and its wetlands through 90 works including watercolors, photographs, poems, and sketches. The show, subtitled 'An Artful Exploration of Petaluma’s Wetlands,' opened April 9 and features contributions from local artists such as Leslie Ihrig, Zoe Caron, Dan Rogers, David Tomb, Marion Hatcher, and Sonoma County Poet Laureate Dave Seter, alongside taxidermy from the Petaluma Wildlife Museum and a video presentation.
Brussels Airlines has announced a major traveling exhibition called AfriConnections, dedicated to contemporary African art, set to launch in 2026. The exhibition will tour museums and cultural venues in Kinshasa, Abidjan, Yaoundé, and Dakar before arriving in Brussels, featuring fifteen artists from across Africa whose works are drawn from the Ifitry artist residency collection. Admission will be free to maximize public access.
The USC Fisher Museum of Art is hosting the "Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation," a traveling exhibition of rare founding-era documents from the U.S. National Archives. The show, which runs through May 3, includes items such as a rare engraved copy of the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Paris (1783), and a Senate markup of the Bill of Rights (1789). USC is the only university stop on the eight-city national tour, and the documents arrived in Los Angeles on a special Boeing 737. The exhibition has drawn history students, faculty, and the public, with USC Distinguished Professor Peter C. Mancall bringing his class to study the documents up close.
A new photo exhibition and speaker series titled "Love, Anything: 28 Expressions for 28 Luminous Years" has opened at the Fulginiti Pavilion for Bioethics and Humanities on the University of Colorado Anschutz campus. The show features 28 photographs and journal entries by the late photographer Ryyan Chacra, who died by suicide in May 2024 at age 28 while struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The opening reception on April 10 drew over 120 attendees, including family, friends, and university faculty.
The Clay Studio in Philadelphia has launched "Radical Americana," a citywide initiative involving 24 arts organizations and 45 artists to mark the United States' 250th anniversary. The project features 25 exhibitions across the region, showcasing new works that engage with American craft heritage and material culture. Participating artists were tasked with researching historical objects—ranging from Federal-period furniture to Pennsylvania Dutch fraktur—to create contemporary responses that reflect on the nation's complex history.
Wittenberg University’s Art Department recently debuted "Prologue to Somewhere," a senior thesis exhibition held in the Ann Miller and Thompson Galleries. The showcase features diverse works from nine graduating seniors, ranging from traditional oil painting and stoneware ceramics to digital media, photography, and interactive video game design. Notable projects include Francesca Heidinger’s Pink Floyd-inspired abstract paintings, Kris Such’s queer horror comic concept art, and Molly Kirkpatrick’s mental health-focused digital experience.
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.
Artist Vic Liu and abolitionist organizer Mariame Kaba have launched "The Warehouse," a large-scale exhibition at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Bedford branch. Featuring over two dozen paintings and a dedicated children’s wing, the installation explores the concept of prison abolition by visualizing a society supported by robust healthcare, housing, and community care. The project moves away from traumatic imagery, instead focusing on the humanity of incarcerated individuals and the tangible possibilities of a world without prisons.
Visual artist and poet Suporna Alice Gomes has launched her debut solo exhibition, "Burnt Expressions—the Realms of Fantasy," at Safiuddin Shilpalay in Dhaka. The showcase features 59 works, including acrylics and unique series utilizing watercolor and coffee on paper. The collection is characterized by a monochromatic, rusted aesthetic intended to evoke "burnt expressions" and nostalgic memories, featuring portraits of iconic Bangladeshi figures like Kazi Nazrul Islam and SM Sultan alongside nature-inspired landscapes.
The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa is hosting its 2026 MFA Thesis Exhibition from March 7 to March 29 at The Art Gallery. The showcase features the culminating work of five Master of Fine Arts candidates: Diane Chen, Ashley Jeneé Collins, Caroline Holmes, Sheldon Wong, and Mia Zheng. The exhibition represents the final requirement for the terminal degree in visual arts, highlighting a diverse range of practices from personal narratives to broader contextual explorations.
The University of Texas at Austin abruptly closed an exhibition at its Visual Arts Center after a single day because it included a piece critical of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The artwork, a neon sign reading "Fuck ICE" by artist Tammie Rubin, was part of a group show curated by the university's own art faculty. The administration cited concerns about the work's "vulgarity" and potential to distract from the university's educational mission as reasons for the closure.
Young Malaysian artist Lee Wei Heng, 22, has opened his first solo exhibition titled "Ananas" at Artas Gallery in Petaling Jaya. The show features 17 oil paintings that document the grueling lives of pineapple farmers in Pekan Nenas, Johor, where his grandparents worked as laborers. Lee, who studied fine arts and worked part-time in the plantations during school holidays, captures the farmers' daily struggles—from cutting thorny fruit under the sun to praying for protection against wild animals. His works, such as the monochromatic "Old Farmer," use motifs like the parang (machete) to symbolize both the farmers' hidden identities and their pain.
A new exhibition titled 'This is Home' has opened at Gallery Main Street in downtown Tyler, Texas. The show, sponsored by the Rose City Art Gallery, features works by East Texas artists exploring themes of home, memory, and belonging through various media including painting and sculpture. It opened on January 9 with a reception and includes a juried award and a People's Choice Award, with voting ongoing until the show closes on March 2.
South African artist Gabrielle Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo are taking urgent legal action against South Africa's sport, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie after he cancelled their project for the country's Venice Biennale pavilion. The pair were selected in December 2025 to present a new iteration of Goliath's decade-long project *Elegy*, which addresses femicide and the murder of LGBTQI+ people, and was also set to include references to the Ovaherero and Nama genocide in Namibia and the death of Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada. McKenzie, leader of the right-wing Patriotic Alliance party, described the Abu Nada-related content as "highly divisive" and cancelled the project on 2 January, just days before the submission deadline. The legal team, led by Adila Hassim, will file an application at the high court in Pretoria by 22 January, arguing that McKenzie's interference is unconstitutional.
The article profiles praxis ARTSPACE in Adelaide, Australia, which was originally a former brothel and is now a leading arts space celebrating its tenth anniversary. Founded and directed by Patty Chehade, the space offers professional exhibition facilities for emerging and established artists, featuring a mix of one-person and thematic shows. Notable artists exhibited include Liz Butler, Dianne Longley, Olga Sankey, and Margaret Ambridge.
A small Arizona town of 1,500 residents, Tubac, is home to Bruce Baughman Studio & Gallery, an LGBTQ+-owned business run by life partners Bruce Baughman and Bill Davis. For three years (2021-2023), the gallery partnered with the Tubac Center of the Arts to host "Proud to Be Seen," a national juried exhibition of works by LGBTQ+ artists and allies. Despite backlash from some community members and the local Chamber of Commerce, the exhibition succeeded and became a local standout. Baughman, known for his reverse painting technique and bold acrylic works, has operated the gallery since 2001 after previously running a space in Saugatuck, Michigan.