Near Florence there is a castle that recalls the Orient. The rebirth of the gardens begins with architect Tommaso del Buono

Vicino Firenze c’è un castello che ricorda l’Oriente. Al via la rinascita dei giardini con l’architetto Tommaso del Buono

The Castello di Sammezzano, a Moorish-style castle near Florence, Italy, is set for a major revival. Built in the 19th century by the Marquis Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes d'Aragona, the castle is one of Italy's most important examples of Orientalist architecture, featuring over sixty uniquely decorated rooms, a monumental park, and rare botanical species. After decades of neglect, auctions, and sporadic openings, the property was purchased in 2025 by the family of entrepreneur Giorgio Moretti, who plans a €50 million restoration. The first phase will focus on rehabilitating the historic gardens, with work beginning in June 2026.

Veneto: In Place of a Liberty Café in Recoaro Terme, a Contemporary Art Center Opens. Interview with the Curator

Veneto: al posto di un caffè liberty di Recoaro Terme apre un centro d’arte contemporanea. Intervista alla curatrice

The historic Palazzo Caffè Nazionale in Recoaro Terme, a small spa town in the Veneto region of Italy, is being transformed into a contemporary art center called Cantiere del Contemporaneo, set to open on May 2, 2026. The project, curated by Elisabetta Bacchin, will focus on artist residencies, with the inaugural group including Romesh Bothalage, Pietro Chiarello, Francesco Pizzocchero, and Virginia Stevenin, who will work for two months in the converted spaces. The initiative is part of a broader regeneration plan funded by the National Plan for Borghi and the European Union's PNRR funds, aiming to revitalize the town's cultural and economic identity through contemporary art.

What are therapeutic gardens and how are they designed? An expert explains

Cosa sono i giardini terapeutici e come si progettano. Ce lo spiega l’esperta

Landscape architect Monica Botta discusses the resurgence and design principles of healing gardens, specialized green spaces designed to promote physical and psychological well-being. While the therapeutic value of nature was largely ignored in mid-20th-century clinical architecture, a modern shift is reintegrating 'nature therapy' into healthcare facilities to combat stress, depression, and chronic illnesses.

In a Piacenza church, the light of designer Davide Groppi becomes a whisper suspended in time

In una chiesa di Piacenza la luce del designer Davide Groppi diventa un sussurro sospeso nel tempo

Renowned lighting designer Davide Groppi has unveiled a major anthological exhibition titled "Un’ora di luce" (An Hour of Light) at Volumnia, a gallery housed within the deconsecrated Church of Sant’Agostino in Piacenza. Curated by Marco Sammicheli, the retrospective spans forty years of Groppi’s career, featuring iconic works like Sampei and Moon alongside new site-specific debuts. The exhibition is structured in two parts: a series of enclosed "utopias" that create intimate light environments, followed by a dialogue between his minimalist fixtures and the soaring, historic architecture of the church.

From Prison to Cultural Space: New Life for the Former Austrian Jails of Busto Arsizio

Da prigione a spazio per la cultura: nuova vita per le ex carceri austriache di Busto Arsizio

The city of Busto Arsizio has officially inaugurated the transformation of its mid-19th-century Austrian prison into a vibrant cultural hub. Following a €2.35 million restoration project largely funded by the EU’s PNRR (NextGenerationEU), the historic structure on Via Borroni now serves as an extension of the "G.B. Roggia" Civic Library. The facility features three levels of study rooms, multi-purpose exhibition spaces, and a literary café, all while preserving original architectural elements like cell doors and prisoner graffiti.

Six contemporary artists reimagine ‘the Gothic’ for new Tyntesfield exhibition

Six contemporary artists have created new works reimagining the Gothic aesthetic for an exhibition at Tyntesfield, a Victorian Gothic Revival house in Somerset, England. The artists were invited to respond to the architecture, collections, and atmosphere of the National Trust property, producing paintings, sculptures, and installations that engage with themes of the macabre, the supernatural, and the uncanny.

Colares studio opens its doors for one-day art show

Three artists—Maria José Meneses, Clara Rêgo, and Mary St. George—are opening their studio at Casa do Celeiro in Colares, Sintra, for a one-day "Open Studio" event on Saturday, May 30, from 12pm to 6pm. The event offers the public a rare behind-the-scenes look at a working art studio, featuring contemporary paintings, mixed media, sculptural ceramics, and artists' books in a 17th-century building that was once a barn and stable.

Springfield Art Museum celebrates young artists at 2026 All School Exhibition

The Springfield Art Museum has launched its 2026 All School Exhibition, a historic community tradition that has showcased student artwork since 1932. This year's iteration, hosted at Missouri State University’s Brick City Gallery due to museum renovations, features selected works from elementary, middle, and high school students across 57 local public, private, and parochial schools. The exhibition is a collaborative effort, installed by a team of local educators and students alongside professional curatorial staff.

‘Scattered Memories’: Fragments That Refuse to Fade

The Goethe-Institut Sudan, in collaboration with the Humboldt Forum Berlin, presents 'Scattered Memories,' a transcontinental exhibition at the Goethe-Institut Kairo from 1 to 3 May 2026. The show features Sudanese artists working across collage, film, music, performance, food, and storytelling to explore themes of loss, remembrance, and cultural memory. Public programs include discussions, guided tours, and a traditional coffee corner, transforming the exhibition into a space for communal gathering and exchange.

Get Out There: A short list of community art spaces to check out during the shutdown

A short list of community art spaces is being promoted for people to visit during a shutdown period. The article highlights local venues where art can still be experienced, encouraging public engagement with grassroots creative hubs despite broader closures.

Moudy Art Gallery presents Marcy Davis: "Understory" opening reception

Moudy Art Gallery at Texas Christian University (TCU) is presenting "Understory," a thesis exhibition by MFA candidate Marcy Davis. The show explores the intersection of body, landscape, and architecture, examining how flesh becomes terrain and structures breathe like living forms. The exhibition runs through March 3, with free admission at the Moudy Art Gallery in Fort Worth, Texas.

"Art Department Triennial" | Artists Reception

Cal Poly Pomona's Art Department is hosting a triennial exhibition at the Kellogg University Art Gallery, with an opening reception scheduled for February 3, 2026, from 4 to 6 p.m. The showcase features art and graphic work by department faculty and students, exploring themes of environment and nature through landscape, architecture, history, memory, spirituality, and contemporary culture.

Palm Beach artist honored with wing at Dreyfoos School of the Arts

The Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach has officially dedicated its Fine Arts Wing to artist and philanthropist Ellen Liman. A longtime board member and supporter, Liman recently opened a new gallery and studio in Palm Beach Towers, pledging all proceeds from her artwork sales to the school's foundation.

Fancy a One-Kilometer Walk on Water in Shandong?

Japanese architect Junya Ishigami has designed the Zaishui Art Museum in Rizhao, Shandong, China, a striking ivory-white structure built on an artificial lake. The museum features a one-kilometer-long immersive walkway that allows water to flow into the interior, blurring the boundary between architecture and nature. Currently, the museum hosts an exhibition on the history and production of chocolate, blending industrial displays with contemporary art.

State museum exhibits piece of DeWitt County

An original painted ceiling tile from the historic DeWitt County Courthouse, built in 1896, has been loaned to the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. The DeWitt County Commissioners Court approved a 10-month loan agreement in late April, with the tile on display from May 1 through January 31, 2027. The tile, valued at $3,000, was discovered hidden in the courthouse attic before its 2007 restoration and is now featured in the museum's Texas Art Gallery as part of an exhibit celebrating Texas courthouse architecture.

Dozens of artists bring new life to a gigantic former ironworks on UNESCO's world heritage list

Dozens of artists have revitalized a massive former ironworks site that is listed on UNESCO's World Heritage list, transforming the industrial complex into a vibrant cultural venue. The project brings contemporary art installations and performances into the historic industrial architecture, blending heritage preservation with creative expression.

Mainstreaming abstract art

Twenty-six Nepali abstract artists are exhibiting together for the first time at Taragaon Next in Kathmandu in a group show titled 'Forms of Abstraction'. The exhibition, curated by Roshan Mishra, features works by artists including Kiran Manandhar, Sangee Shrestha, Sushma Rajbhandari, Bidhata KC, NB Gurung, Jeevan Rajopadhyay, Laya Mainali, and Nabendra Limbu, among others. Supported by the Saraf Foundation for Himalayan Traditions and Culture, the show explores themes of motion, emotion, nature, architecture, geometry, and culture, emphasizing how Nepali abstraction transforms rather than abandons tradition.

Art museum - The art of stillness: Dib Bangkok

Dib Bangkok, a major new contemporary art museum, has opened in Thailand's capital. Conceived by the late Thai businessman and art collector Petch Osathanugrah and realized by his son Purat 'Chang' Osathanugrah, the museum is housed in a converted 1980s warehouse redesigned by LA-based Thai architect Kulupat Yansantrast of WHY Architecture. It features 7,000 square meters of gallery space across 11 galleries, a central courtyard, an outdoor sculpture garden, and a penthouse. The inaugural exhibition, titled '(In)visible Presence,' presents 81 works by 40 artists exploring memory and the unseen, curated by director Miwako Tezuka.

Open Art Exhibition brings international creativity to Olhão

The Open Art Exhibition has launched at the República 14 cultural center in Olhão, Portugal, featuring works by 86 artists from around the world. This collective showcase spans a wide array of styles and techniques, transforming the historic 19th-century venue into a hub of international creative dialogue. The exhibition is open to the public with free entry through March 29.

Edinburgh independent arts festival announces open call for artists

Edinburgh's Hidden Door, an annual independent multi-arts festival, has announced an open call for visual artists to submit work for its 2026 edition, running from June 3 to June 7. The festival, which is volunteer-run, received transformative multi-year funding from Creative Scotland through 2027, enabling it to pay artists fairly and expand its ambitions. Artists based in Scotland or with a meaningful connection to the country are invited to apply by January 11, with themes including 'Out-of-Place Objects,' 'Stone Tape Theory,' and 'Myth of a Building.' The venue for 2026 remains secret, with the full program to be announced later.

Watch inside the Harris ahead of the museum, art gallery and library’s re-opening

The article describes the ongoing preparations inside the Harris Museum, Art Gallery and Library in Preston, UK, ahead of its highly anticipated re-opening. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at the building's transformation, including the installation of new exhibitions, the restoration of historic architecture, and the final touches being applied by staff and contractors.

UWSP Carlsten Art Gallery hosts ‘Meet Your Mentors’ faculty show

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's Carlsten Art Gallery is hosting 'Meet Your Mentors,' a summer exhibition featuring work from faculty members across the School of Design and Communication. The show runs through September 13, with an artist reception on September 4, and is free and open to the public. Faculty from programs including art, art history, graphic design, interior architecture, media studies, and professional communication are participating, offering students a glimpse into their instructors' artistic processes and professional practices.

No 1 Poultry exhibition spaces, City of London

The article is behind a paywall, but the title and source indicate it concerns an exhibition space at No 1 Poultry, a notable building in the City of London. The content appears to be from the Architects' Journal (AJ), suggesting coverage of architectural or art-related exhibitions hosted at this location.

Syria, Ukraine and Gaza among countries to receive heritage funds from Aliph

ALIPH, the Geneva-based cultural heritage protection agency, has announced over $16 million in its latest funding round, with support directed to Syria, Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and a new focus on climate change impacts on heritage, primarily in Africa. Nearly a third of the funding ($5 million) goes to Syria, where the newly appointed Director General of Antiquities and Museums, Dr. Anas Haj Zeidan, aims to restore sites damaged during the war under former president Bashar al-Assad. ALIPH executive director Valéry Freland reported extensive damage from 14 years of war, the 2023 earthquake, and economic crises, but noted strong local determination to rehabilitate heritage, including Palmyra. The agency also committed $9 million to address climate threats, supporting 28 projects—22 in Africa—focused on earthen architecture, sacred forests, and local knowledge preservation.

Karin Skiba’s 50-Year Retrospective at the Hi-Desert Artists Gallery holds opening reception tonight (5/17)

Karin Skiba's 50-year retrospective, titled "Tapestries, Paper, and Paint," opens May 17 at the Hi-Desert Artists Gallery in Yucca Valley during the Yucca Valley Artwalk. The exhibition runs through June 16 and features large-scale collages of Detroit's decaying architecture, fictional portraits of women, and works layered with beads and symbolic feathers. Skiba, who spent over 20 years teaching in the community college system and helped establish the gallery at Norco College, describes art-making as integral to her identity.

Dato’ Chong Hon Fatt’s Solo Art Exhibition at Khoo Kongsi

Dato’ Chong Hon Fatt’s solo art exhibition opened at the Khoo Kongsi Art Gallery in Georgetown, Penang, on a Sunday afternoon. The event featured paintings created between April 21 and May 3, 2025, depicting traditional buildings, temples, shophouses, and street scenes that capture Penang’s architectural and cultural heritage. Speeches were delivered by Mr. Khoo Boo Yeang, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Leong San Tong, and Guest of Honour Mr. Lee Khai, Chairman of the Penang State Art Gallery, before the official opening ceremony.

CAB EXPLORES LANDSCAPE AS LIVING MEMORY IN MATIAS ERCOLE S WORK

The CAB / Centro de Arte Caja de Burgos in Spain has opened "Me olvidé de mis ojos" (I Forgot My Eyes), an exhibition by Argentine artist Matías Ercole. The show explores landscape as a living memory, blending Latin American and European visual traditions through the artist's signature sgraffito technique, which reveals hidden layers of light and color. The works are arranged as architectural elements, guiding viewers through a reflective journey on identity, memory, and cultural construction.