Exhibition in Abu Dhabi marks collaboration between Korean and Emirati institutions

A partnership exhibition titled "Layered Medium: We Are in Open Circuits" has opened at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi, featuring 29 Korean contemporary artists from the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) collection. Organized with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), the show includes works by Nam June Paik, Haegue Yang, Lee Bul, and others, and runs until 30 June. A reciprocal exhibition of Emirati artists, "Intense Proximities," will open at SeMA in December 2025. The curators, Maya El Khalil and Kyung-hwan Yeo, chose to present each country's art scene separately to allow full appreciation on its own terms.

UL’s Hilliard Art Museum showcases permanent collection

The Hilliard Art Museum at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is showcasing its permanent collection for the first time in over a decade through the exhibition "Tides, Times and Terrain: Floyd Sonnier and the Evolving Cultural Landscape." The show features more than 41 artists from southwest Louisiana, including the prominently displayed 1844 painting "Woman In Tignon," which was once misidentified as Marie Laveau. Executive Director Molly Rowe and Curator-at-Large Aaron Levi Garvey are rotating pieces from the museum's 2,000-work collection throughout its 11,000 square feet of gallery space, emphasizing the importance of placing historical works in contemporary context.

Christie’s Spring Marquee Week Totals $693 Million 123% Over Low Estimate - Christie's

Christie's Spring Marquee Week, held May 12–15, 2025 in New York, generated $693 million in total sales, exceeding the low estimate by 123% and surpassing the auction house's totals from both May and November 2024. The week featured six evening and day sales, led by the $272 million Leonard & Louise Riggio: Collected Works sale, with the top lot being Piet Mondrian's *Composition with Large Red Plane, Bluish Gray, Yellow, Black and Blue* (1922) selling for $47.6 million. Marlene Dumas' *Miss January* set a new auction record for a living female artist at $13.6 million, and additional records were set for Simone Leigh, Emma McIntyre, Louis Fratino, Dorothea Tanning, and Remedios Varo. The overall sell-through rate was 88% by lot, with strong bidding across all price bands.

‘All the electrifying paintings I wish I’d bought’: New York restauranteur Keith McNally recalls his art wins and regrets as memoir debuts

New York restaurateur Keith McNally, known for founding Balthazar and the Odeon, discusses his art-buying habits and regrets in a new memoir titled *I Regret Almost Everything*. In an interview with The Art Newspaper, McNally recounts his first serious purchase—a $500 painting by Albert Montmerot in 1989—and his most recent acquisitions, including works by Élisabeth Ronget and Walter Steggles. He describes his instant attraction to paintings, his tendency to agonize over purchases just beyond his budget, and the persistent regret of not buying certain works he now covets.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Legendary Artists, Are Back in Spirit

The article revisits Christo and Jeanne-Claude's iconic 1983 "Surrounded Islands" project in Miami's Biscayne Bay, where they wrapped 11 small islands in hot pink plastic. It describes how the spectacle drew global attention and marked a turning point for Miami, which was then struggling with crime and a negative image. The piece also notes that the couple's work is being seen again in Florida, New York, and Germany, with a related exhibition at NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale.

In the Heart of Washington, Adam Pendleton’s Work Demands Deep Thought

Adam Pendleton, a contemporary artist known for his abstract and text-based works, has a major exhibition in Washington, D.C., that challenges viewers to engage in deep contemplation. The show, likely at a prominent institution, features his signature blend of painting, collage, and language, exploring themes of history, identity, and social justice.

How ‘Miss Chief’ Can Help Us Rethink Art History

The New York Times article explores how the character 'Miss Chief Eagle Testickle,' created by Indigenous Canadian artist Kent Monkman, serves as a provocative lens for reexamining Western art history. Miss Chief, a gender-fluid, time-traveling figure, appears in Monkman's paintings to subvert classic works by inserting Indigenous perspectives and challenging colonial narratives. The article details how Monkman uses this alter ego to critique the erasure of Indigenous peoples from canonical art, often placing Miss Chief in scenes that parody famous European paintings.

In Seattle, a Deep Dive into the Provocative and Creative World of Ai Weiwei

The New York Times reports on a comprehensive exhibition in Seattle that explores the provocative and creative world of Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei. The show presents a deep dive into his multifaceted practice, including his politically charged installations, sculptures, and works that critique authority and surveillance.

Lucas Museum unveils inaugural exhibitions curated by George Lucas himself

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles will open to the public on September 22, 2026, with about 20 inaugural exhibitions curated by George Lucas himself across more than 30 galleries. The $1-billion, 300,000-square-foot museum in Exposition Park, designed by Ma Yansong of Mad Architects, will display over 1,200 objects from Lucas's collection of more than 40,000 works, including manga, comics, children's illustrations, and narrative art by artists such as Norman Rockwell, Beatrix Potter, and Dorothea Lange, with only one exhibition focused on "Star Wars" memorabilia.

'Slime family portrait' shown at top exhibition

Kutub Uddin, a photographer from West Sussex, is one of only two UK photographers selected for the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. His image, described as a "slime family portrait," captures the reproductive parts of a slime mold—tiny blue spheres on stalks—on a fallen tree in Slindon Wood, magnified many times using a specialist lens. The exhibition recently opened at Brighton Museum and Art Gallery and runs until September 6.

Image of Family Torn by ICE Wins World Press Photo of the Year

American photojournalist Carol Guzy won the 2026 World Press Photo of the Year for her image "Separated by ICE," which captures a tearful family torn apart by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after an immigration court hearing in New York amid President Trump's broader crackdown. The contest, established in 1955, selected 42 global winners from over 57,000 photographs submitted by nearly 3,800 photographers across 141 countries. Finalists included Saber Nuraldin's "Aid Emergency in Gaza" and Victor J. Blue's "The Trials of the Achi Women," while other winners addressed displacement, war, and environmental crises.

Commentary: This year's Met Gala proved one thing: The real devil who wears Prada is Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sánchez Bezos served as honorary co-chairs and sponsors of this year's Met Gala, sparking widespread protests and calls for boycotts. Guerrilla activist group Everyone Hates Elon plastered New York with anti-Bezos signage, and activists placed 300 bottles filled with fake urine inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art to highlight Amazon workers' bathroom break complaints. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani declined his invitation, and the absence of celebrities like Meryl Streep and Zendaya fueled speculation about a boycott, though representatives denied any coordinated protest. Despite the controversy, the gala proceeded with many attendees and is expected to raise more than last year's $31 million for the Costume Institute.

Holocaust Museum LA will reopen as part of the new $70-million Goldrich Cultural Center

Holocaust Museum LA, the first survivor-founded and oldest Holocaust museum in the United States, will reopen after a 10-month closure as part of the new $70-million Goldrich Cultural Center in Pan Pacific Park. The 70,000-square-foot campus, debuting June 14, doubles the museum's original footprint and includes three pavilions, a 200-seat theater, exhibition galleries, a rooftop garden, and a Holocaust-era boxcar. The center is named after the late Jona Goldrich, a Holocaust survivor and co-founder of the museum, and was designed by architect Hagy Belzberg.

Painting through trauma

Israeli artist Ilan Adar, whose Jaffa studio was a cultural hub before October 7, found himself unable to paint after the attacks as tourism and daily visitors vanished. Encouraged by collector Josh Liberman, Adar created 'Echoes of the Tribe,' an exhibition now showing in Melbourne, Australia. The works, built from red pigment and layered with emotion, explore themes of shared human connection, memory, and resilience. The exhibition was organized with the help of Alexandra Pyke to support Israeli artists facing discrimination and economic hardship post-October 7.

Photographer Walter Pfeiffer: ‘Everyone else my age is already in an asylum’

Swiss photographer and artist Walter Pfeiffer, now in his late 70s, is the subject of a profile in which he discusses his daily life, his love for Marlene Dietrich, his disdain for rude people, and his habit of wearing the same clothes every day. The article offers an intimate glimpse into his personality and creative philosophy.

The best exhibitions to see in London this weekend

The Financial Times' critics have curated a list of the most compelling art exhibitions to see in London during 2026, featuring shows dedicated to Henry Moore, Cecily Brown, Tracey Emin, and Francisco de Zurbarán. The recommendations span a range of styles and periods, from modern sculpture to contemporary painting and Baroque still lifes, offering a diverse cultural itinerary for weekend visitors.

Artist Keith Tyson on why he’s funding Oxford’s 400-year-old astronomy professorship

Turner Prize-winning artist Keith Tyson is funding Oxford University's 400-year-old Savilian Professorship of Astronomy, a prestigious academic chair established in 1619. Tyson, whose work frequently engages with probability, orbital mechanics, and cosmic themes, is making a donation to support the position, merging his artistic practice with scientific patronage.

Photographer Matthieu Salvaing: my crazy, beautiful Camargue

Photographer Matthieu Salvaing has released a new book celebrating the Camargue, a wild marshland region in southern France known for its unique landscape, wildlife, and salty culture. The book captures the area's dramatic light, white horses, flamingos, and traditional bull-rearing practices through Salvaing's distinctive photographic style.

Henry Moore at Kew Gardens — a startling, stunning summer meeting

The Financial Times reports on the largest-ever outdoor exhibition of Henry Moore's sculptures, held at Kew Gardens in London. The show presents a startling and stunning summer meeting between Moore's monumental modernist works and the botanical landscape, offering visitors surprising new perspectives on the artist's oeuvre.

Kennedy Center Board Votes to Close for 2-Year Renovation Project

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts board has approved a plan to close the institution for a two-year, comprehensive renovation project. The decision follows public criticism from former President Donald Trump regarding the center's physical state and past financial management.

Israeli Pavilion Artist Made Legal Threats Before Venice Biennale Jury Resigned

New reports reveal that Israeli Pavilion artist Belu-Simion Fainaru issued legal threats against the Venice Biennale, alleging antisemitism and discrimination after the awards jury decided to exclude Israel and Russia from consideration due to human rights charges. The jury, which included Elvira Dyangani Ose, Zoe Butt, Marta Kuzma, Giovanna Zapperi, and Solange Farkas, initially stated on April 22 it would not consider nations whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. Fainaru filed legal warnings with the Biennale, the Italian Ministry of Culture, and the Prime Minister's office. The jury abruptly resigned eight days later, leading the Biennale to scrap the Golden Lion awards and institute "Visitor Lions" decided by public vote. Reports indicate the Biennale's legal department warned jurors could be personally liable for damages, and Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli promised to promote Fainaru's work.

Two years ago Russia ceded its pavilion at the Biennale to Bolivia. A testimony from within

Due anni fa la Russia cedette il suo padiglione in Biennale alla Bolivia. Una testimonianza da dentro

Two years ago, Russia ceded its national pavilion at the Venice Biennale to Bolivia, a move that artist Inés Fontenla experienced firsthand when she was invited by Bolivia to participate in the 2024 edition. Fontenla recounts how the pavilion's organization shifted after Bolivia's 2025 elections, with the curator replaced by the new Minister of Culture just one month before the opening. She realized Russia was using Bolivia as a front to re-enter the Biennale after closing its own pavilion in 2022 in protest of the Ukraine invasion, and she ultimately withdrew from the project to avoid being instrumentalized by a military power.

egypt prince waserif re tomb discovered saqqara

Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered the tomb of Prince Waserif Re, son of King Userkaf, founder of the Fifth Dynasty, at the Saqqara necropolis. The multi-chamber tomb features a 15-foot-tall pink granite false door inscribed with the prince's name and titles, a red granite offering table, and statues of Third Dynasty pharaoh Djoser, his wife, and ten daughters that were moved there during the Late Period. A black granite statue with hieroglyphic inscriptions from the 26th Dynasty suggests the tomb was reused nearly 2,000 years after its original construction. The joint Egyptian mission was led by the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Dr. Zahi Hawass Foundation for Antiquities and Heritage.

Nostalgia and Decay Meet Theatricality in Andrew Moore’s Dramatic Photos

Photographer Andrew Moore has opened a solo exhibition titled 'Theater' at Jackson Fine Art. The show features his large-format, atmospheric photographs of aging theaters, grand staircases, and other architectural spaces in locations like New York, Cuba, and Russia, which evoke a sense of timelessness and a bygone era.

International Friendship Park, at the western end of the U.S.-Mexico border, is focus of new art exhibition

A new art exhibition titled “Occupy Thirdspace III: The Park” opens at San Diego’s Central Library, focusing on International Friendship Park, a state park at the western end of the U.S.-Mexico border. Co-curated by Sara Solaimani and Natalia Ventura, the show features three artist collectives—Las Comadres, Art Made Between Opposite Sides (AMBOS), and Friends of International Friendship Park—to visually tell the park’s story. The park opened in 1971 as a meeting place for families divided by the border but has been closed on the U.S. side since 2020, while remaining open on the Mexico side. The exhibition is the third installment in Solaimani’s series exploring Henri Lefebvre’s concept of “third spaces” as symbolic sites that challenge systems of power.

Exhibition brings together 23 contemporary artists in exploration of styles across generations | Hindustan Times

An exhibition titled "The Contemporary Lore: Sojourn of Styles and Generations Unfurled" has opened at Bikaner House in New Delhi, bringing together 23 contemporary Indian artists. Curated by Kiran K Mohan with a critical essay by art historian Johny ML, the show features works by veterans like Ashok Bhowmick and emerging talents like Nilisha Phad, spanning paintings, sculptures, and mixed media. The non-chronological arrangement aims to present artistic lineages as a landscape rather than a linear progression, encouraging dialogue across generations. The exhibition runs until May 14 before moving to Shailja Art Gallery in Gurugram from May 17 to June 13.

London gallery cancels controversial art show over antisemitic imagery

An exhibition titled 'Drawings Against Genocide' by British artist Matthew Collings, scheduled to open at Delta House Gallery in Wandsworth, London, has been cancelled after complaints from UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) about antisemitic content. The show, planned for May 2026, included graphic drawings depicting Jews with horns, devouring babies, and denying Hamas's October 7 attacks, and had previously sparked outrage at a Margate gallery. Gallery owners Pineapple Corporation and Delta House Studios Ltd confirmed the cancellation after UKLFI warned of legal risks under the Public Order Act 1986.

New experimental art organisation opens in New York

Curator Summer Guthery, who left economics to found four non-profit experimental art spaces across the US, is launching a fifth venture called Times with fellow curator Francesca Sonara. Located in Manhattan’s Chinatown at 151 Lafayette Street, the 3,000-square-foot space will host up to three exhibitions simultaneously across two galleries and a screening room. The inaugural event on 12 February features Latvian performance artist Jana Jacuka, followed by a solo exhibition by Danish artist Nina Beier (21 February-9 May). Times rejects a permanent institutional model, planning a three-year obsolescence to remain nimble and responsive to artists’ needs.

Little Gallery Emerging Artist Program 2026

The Devonport Regional Gallery in Tasmania has announced that submissions are now open for the Little Gallery Emerging Artist Program 2026, a initiative supporting early-career artists from across the state. Selected artists will present solo or small group exhibitions in The Little Gallery, with all media forms welcome, and applications close on 25 August 2025. The program is named after arts advocate Jean Thomas, who founded the first public gallery on Tasmania's north-west coast in 1966.

This is the Press Photo of the Year

Das ist das Pressefoto des Jahres

The World Press Photo competition has named Carol Guzy's photograph "Separated by ICE" as the World Press Photo of the Year. The image, taken for the Miami Herald in August 2025, shows children clinging to their father's shirt during a court hearing in New York after he was unexpectedly detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The jury praised the photo as a stark documentation of family separation resulting from U.S. immigration policy. Two other finalists were recognized: Saber Nuraldin's image of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Victor J. Blue's photo documenting the Achi women from Guatemala who sought justice for wartime abuses.