Art Basel’s ‘Basel Exclusive’ Initiative Asks Galleries to Withhold at Least One Work from PDF Previews, and Other News.

Art Basel is launching a new initiative called "Basel Exclusive" for its June 2026 Switzerland fair, asking exhibitors to withhold at least one key work from pre-fair digital PDF previews to encourage in-person viewing. Around 170 of 232 exhibitors, including major galleries like Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Pace, and David Zwirner, have already adopted the program. Separately, Tate Britain announced the 2026 Turner Prize shortlist featuring artists Simeon Barclay, Tanoa Sasraku, Kira Freije, and Marguerite Humeau, with the exhibition opening at Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) in September. The Museum of Sonoma County will also commemorate the 50th anniversary of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's land art installation "Running Fence" with a major exhibition opening June 27.

150+ Works Celebrate Philadelphia’s Boxing Legends and Monuments in New Exhibition

The Philadelphia Museum of Art will present "Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments," an exhibition opening April 25, 2026, that explores the cultural significance of the Rocky statue and its connection to Philadelphia's boxing legends, immigrant neighborhoods, and public monuments. Featuring over 150 works by more than 50 artists—including Keith Haring, Rashid Johnson, Kara Walker, and Andy Warhol—alongside artifacts spanning 2,000 years, the show includes sculptures, paintings, video, and new commissions, timed to the 50th anniversary of the film "Rocky" (1976), the city's World Cup matches, and Philadelphia's Semiquincentennial.

'Frank Gehry' at Gagosian, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, United States on 14 May–27 Jun 2026

Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills is presenting a posthumous exhibition of works by architect Frank Gehry, opening on May 14, 2026. The show, realized in collaboration with Gehry's family and studio, features animal-themed sculptures and works on paper, including the life-size stainless steel 'Bear with Us' (2014), 'Fish on Fire' (2023), and the early 'A Pair of Snake Lamps' (1989).

Gagosian Beverly Hills hosts first Frank Gehry show since the iconic architect’s death

Gagosian Beverly Hills has announced the first exhibition of Frank Gehry’s work since the legendary architect’s death in December. Opening May 14, the show pivots away from his architectural legacy to focus on his sculptural practice, specifically his animal-themed works. Highlights include the stainless steel sculpture "Bear with Us" (2014), on loan from the Gehry family, alongside his signature fish and snake lamps and late-career copper sculptures.

Gagosian To Open New UES Gallery With Duchamp Show

Gagosian is expanding its presence on the Upper East Side with the opening of a new ground-floor gallery at 980 Madison Avenue on April 25. The inaugural exhibition features the iconic readymades of Marcel Duchamp, including the 1964 editions of works like "Fountain." This opening marks a return to a historic location for the gallery, which previously utilized the building as its headquarters for over three decades.

Art Card: Helen Frankenthaler at the Milwaukee Art Museum (Hand Signed by Helen Frankenthaler) , 1985

A rare, hand-signed offset lithograph invitation card from a 1985 Helen Frankenthaler exhibition at the Milwaukee Art Museum has surfaced on the market. The two-sided card, which served as an invitation for the show "Frankenthaler, Works on Paper, 1949-1984," was signed by the artist in ink during her talk at the opening reception on October 3, 1985. It is currently presented in a double-sided frame to preserve the integrity of the signature and the exhibition text.

Forget Masterpieces—Show Me Everything

The Victoria & Albert Museum has launched the V&A Storehouse in East London, a massive open-storage facility housing over 250,000 objects, 1,000 archives, and a vast library. Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Austin-Smith:Lord, the space eschews traditional curated narratives in favor of a dense, immersive environment where visitors navigate four stories of artifacts arranged by cataloging logic rather than art-historical themes.

K-POP, FUNGI, AND TERRACE RAVES: Art Basel Hong Kong 2026

Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 commenced against a backdrop of global economic uncertainty and geopolitical tension, yet the city's local scene demonstrated remarkable resilience. The week was characterized by a surge of grassroots activity, including the debut of three alternative art fairs and the opening of several new gallery outposts. Key highlights included the launch of GOLD, a cross-disciplinary salon in Wong Chuk Hang, and the expansion of Shanghai’s Antenna Space into the city, signaling a shift toward more flexible, community-oriented art spaces.

Pilar Corrias now represents Alexis Ralaivao

London gallery Pilar Corrias has announced the representation of French painter Alexis Ralaivao in partnership with New York-based Olney Gleason. The announcement coincides with Ralaivao’s debut UK solo exhibition, "Flirter avec l’abstrait," which is currently on view at the gallery’s Conduit Street location in Mayfair. Ralaivao is recognized for his intimate, diaristic oil paintings that blend 17th-century Dutch technical precision with contemporary emotional depth.

Artist Lee Bae's solo exhibit questions his understanding of art and interrogates his farming roots

South Korean artist Lee Bae has opened a major solo exhibition titled "En attendant: Waiting" at Museum SAN in Wonju. The show features 39 works, including his signature "Issu du feu" charcoal sculptures and massive 10-meter-tall bronze "Brushstroke" installations placed within the museum's Stone Garden. The exhibition is designed to harmonize with the unique architecture of Tadao Ando, utilizing natural light and the surrounding mountain landscape to create a meditative experience for visitors.

Tracey Emin, the studio and me: inside the wild, passionate process of the artist at work

Harry Weller, Tracey Emin’s long-time creative director, provides an intimate look into the artist’s studio practice ahead of her major exhibition at Tate Modern. Weller describes a high-intensity environment where Emin works without preparatory sketches, often entering a trance-like state of "primal instinct" to produce her visceral paintings and text-based works. His role involves acting as a creative antagonist, challenging Emin during the painting process to push the boundaries of her work while documenting the spontaneous poetic fragments she produces.

Art Rotterdam focuses on photography

The 27th edition of Art Rotterdam took place at the Rotterdam Ahoy, featuring over 150 galleries with a heavy emphasis on the Dutch art scene. This year’s fair was marked by a strategic integration with the photography fair Unseen and coincided with major local developments, including the relocation of the Nederlands Fotomuseum to its new 'Santos' home and the opening of the Fenix Museum of Migration. Notable presentations included Sakir Khader’s poignant photography of Palestinian resistance at No Man's Art Gallery and Shimon Kamada’s atmospheric oil paintings at Diez Gallery.

Beyond Art Basel Hong Kong, Cyborgs, Neon Abstractions and More

Art Basel Hong Kong's return to full scale has catalyzed a surge of satellite exhibitions and gallery openings across the city. High-profile shows include major presentations of cyborg-themed works, neon-infused abstractions, and a focus on both established international names and emerging Asian voices. The city's art hubs, from the H Queen’s building to the Wong Chuk Hang industrial district, are hosting ambitious projects that coincide with the fair's VIP preview week.

Tate Modern opens largest ever exhibition of Tracey Emin's work

Tate Modern has launched "Tracey Emin: A Second Life," the largest survey exhibition of the British artist’s work to date. Spanning 40 years of her career, the show features over 100 works including her iconic 1998 installation "My Bed," early textile pieces, and recent bronze sculptures. The exhibition, supported by Gucci, traces Emin’s journey from the Young British Artists (YBA) era to her contemporary practice, which addresses her recent experiences with cancer and disability.

12 art exhibitions to check out this spring in L.A.

Los Angeles is preparing for a robust spring arts season with a diverse lineup of exhibitions across the city's major institutions. Highlights include the long-awaited opening of the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA, a retrospective of the band Sublime at the Grammy Museum, and Yoko Ono’s first solo exhibition in Los Angeles. The season also features multidisciplinary showcases such as Guillermo Bert’s tech-integrated textiles at the Museum of Latin American Art and a sensory-focused group show at the Hammer Museum.

Ruth Asawa: Retrospective

A major retrospective of the Japanese-American artist Ruth Asawa is touring internationally, organized through a partnership between SFMOMA and MoMA. The exhibition spans six decades of her career, featuring her iconic suspended looped-wire sculptures alongside tied-wire pieces, bronze casts, drawings, and archival materials. The show traces her journey from her formative years at Black Mountain College to her influential role as an arts advocate and educator in San Francisco.

New York Galleries: Openings and Closings (03/03-03/08)

The New York City gallery scene is experiencing a significant surge of activity for the first week of March 2026, with dozens of new exhibitions scheduled to open across Manhattan. Major highlights include a survey of Edouard Vuillard’s early interiors at Skarstedt, Sigmar Polke at VeneKlasen, and a comprehensive Robert Mapplethorpe presentation at Gladstone. The week also features high-profile institutional and blue-chip gallery shows, including Carol Bove at the Guggenheim and new works by Daniel Arsham and Gelitin at Perrotin.

What’s on now at San Francisco museums, March 2026

San Francisco’s museum landscape is undergoing a significant seasonal shift with several high-profile openings and closings scheduled for Spring 2026. Major highlights include the de Young Museum’s 'Monet and Venice' exhibition, Chiharu Shiota’s debut at the Asian Art Museum, and a major rehang of the Fisher Collection at SFMOMA. However, the scene faces a somber note as the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts has suspended operations due to financial or structural difficulties, prompting calls for city intervention.

Frieze Los Angeles Diary: hockey hotties, roaming Rami and Simon sells

Frieze Los Angeles week kicked off with a flurry of high-profile events, celebrity sightings, and charitable initiatives across the city. Key highlights included the Felix Art Fair, where RF. Alvarez’s painting inspired by the queer hockey drama 'Heated Rivalry' drew significant attention, and a major benefit auction led by Simon de Pury that raised over $500,000 for natural disaster relief. The week also featured a prestigious gathering at a private James Turrell Skyspace to celebrate the Serpentine Americas Foundation.

‘Better every year’: Frieze opens to swift sales for Los Angeles artists

Frieze Los Angeles opened its 2026 edition at the Santa Monica Airport with a strong showing of community spirit and rapid sales during the VIP preview. Following a difficult year marked by local wildfires, the fair has seen a surge in institutional acquisitions and commercial success for both emerging local talent and established international figures. Notable early transactions included a $2.8 million sale of a Njideka Akunyili Crosby work by David Zwirner and a complete sell-out of Erica Mahinay’s paintings at Make Room gallery.

New York Galleries: Openings and Closings (02/16-02/22)

One Fine Show: “Michael Rakowitz, Proxies for Poets and Palaces” at the Stavanger Art Museum

Iraqi-American artist Michael Rakowitz has opened his first major survey exhibition in Norway, titled "Proxies for Poets and Palaces," at the Stavanger Art Museum. The show features eight new reliefs from his long-running series *The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist*, which recreates artifacts looted from Baghdad's Iraq Museum using cardboard, Arabic newspapers, and food packaging, alongside older works like the 2017 film *The Ballad of Special Ops Cody*.

Art of Contemporary Africa Opens in San Francisco with Inaugural Exhibition ‘Afropop’

Art of Contemporary Africa (AOCA), described as San Francisco's first Pan-African contemporary art gallery, has opened a permanent space at the Minnesota Street Project. Founded by gallerist Craig Mark and photographer Clint Strydom, it operates as a sister space to The Melrose Gallery in Johannesburg and represents a broad roster of artists from across Africa and its diasporas, including the internationally recognized Dr Esther Mahlangu.

At Mexico City’s Material and Salón Acme fairs, artists find hope in nature

Mexico City Art Week's satellite fairs, Salón Acme and Feria Material, drew large crowds during VIP previews on February 5, with Material reporting its biggest opening-day attendance ever after moving to the expansive Maravilla Studios venue. The fairs feature over 70 exhibitors, with a strong contingent of Mexico City galleries and around half of participating galleries from Latin America. Notable presentations include Rajni Perera's works on paper and sculptures addressing environmental exploitation and colonial control, Gala Berger's hybrid works on amate paper referencing the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, and Miguel Harte's enamel and resin pieces depicting nature overwhelmed by synthetic materials.

The first Art Basel Qatar heralds a new model for art fairs in the region

Art Basel has launched its first fair in Qatar, adopting a novel format distinct from its other global events. The fair, featuring 87 galleries, requires each to present only one artist and is spread across multiple venues in Doha's Msheireb cultural district, with an open-plan, museum-like layout and special commissioned projects. Artist Wael Shawky serves as artistic director, emphasizing curatorial coherence over commercialism.

Van Gogh and café culture: 'The absinthes and brandies would follow each other in quick succession'

An exhibition titled 'Café Society: Art and Sociability in Belle Epoque Paris' is opening, featuring over 50 paintings that explore the role of cafés in late 19th-century Parisian social and artistic life. The show will travel from the Ordrupgaard museum in Copenhagen to two venues in the United States: the Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis and the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha.

Six London Art Exhibitions Opening In February 2026

Six major art exhibitions are opening in London public galleries in February 2026, running through at least May. Highlights include Lucian Freud: Drawing Into Painting at the National Portrait Gallery (12 Feb–4 May), Seurat and the Sea at The Courtauld Gallery (13 Feb–17 May), Chiharu Shiota: Threads of Life at the Hayward Gallery (17 Feb–3 May), Beatriz González at the Barbican Art Gallery (25 Feb–10 May), and Tracey Emin at Tate Modern (26 Feb–31 Aug). These shows span modern masters, contemporary installation, and international voices.

What’s on now at San Francisco museums, January 2026

A roundup of current and upcoming exhibitions at San Francisco museums in January 2026 highlights several shows closing soon, including "Manet and Morisot" at the Legion of Honor and "Suzanne Jackson: What is Love" at SFMOMA, both ending March 1. New exhibitions opening include "The art of Cece Carpio" at SOMArts on Jan. 30, and "Trina Michelle Robinson: Open Your Eyes to Water" at 500 Capp Street and Root Division in February. The de Young Museum features "Boom and Bust: Photographing Northern California" and artist Rose B. Simpson's show "LEXICON," part of the newly opened galleries dedicated to Arts of Indigenous America. The Museum of the African Diaspora presents "Unbound: Art, Blackness and the Universe" and "Continuum: MoAD Over Time," while the Asian Art Museum hosts "Jitish Kallat: Covering Letter (Terranum Nuncius)."

BMA sets attendance record with 'Amy Sherald: American Sublime' exhibition

The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) has set a new attendance record with its current exhibition, 'Amy Sherald: American Sublime,' which has drawn 52,597 visitors since opening on November 2. The previous record was held by the 'Matisse/Diebenkorn' show in 2016-2017 with about 45,700 visitors. The exhibition, a mid-career survey of Sherald's work, runs through April 5 and is projected to reach 70,000 attendees. It originated at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and traveled to the Whitney Museum of American Art before arriving in Baltimore, after Sherald canceled its planned stop at the National Portrait Gallery due to censorship concerns.

FOG Design + Art Delivers Strong Sales and Institutional Momentum in San Francisco

FOG Design + Art opened its 2026 edition on January 21 with a gala benefit for SFMOMA's education initiatives, drawing strong attendance and sales. The fair, which blends contemporary art and collectible design, featured 85 works acquired by SFMOMA, including pieces by Ruth Asawa, Michael Armitage, Firelei Báez, Dorothea Lange, Gabriel Orozco, and Indigenous artists such as Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Kay WalkingStick. Galleries like Wendi Norris presented ambitious, institution-worthy works, with a focus on visionary artists and the intersection of art, science, and spirituality.