Street art festival sees Lagos turned into 'open-air gallery'

Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, has been transformed into an "open-air gallery" for its first-ever street art festival, which opened on Wednesday and runs through December 15. The festival features murals by Nigerian and international artists, including Ashaolu Oluwafemi, Babalola Oluwafemi, and Ottograph, displayed on Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue in Victoria Island. Artists aim to bring art directly to the community, telling stories of Lagos's vibrancy, resilience, and culture, with themes of joy, partying, and pride symbolized by motifs like the peacock.

Victoria artist organizes exhibition to benefit lesser-known charities

Victoria artist Tanya Bub is organizing a benefit exhibition titled "Wild Art for the Big of Heart" at the Victoria Gage Gallery from May 12 to 31, 2026. The show features 10 sculptures or installations, each representing a different local charity focused on people in need, animals, and the environment. Buyers can choose which charity receives 25% of the purchase price. Bub, who has been making art in Victoria since 2019, aims to highlight lesser-known organizations like Soap for Hope, and participating charities will host public events such as film screenings and talks.

New book shows why physical maps have an important role to play in our digital world

Professor James Cheshire spent three years cataloging forgotten maps in a University College London storage room, resulting in the book 'The Library of Lost Maps.' The volume presents 96 historically significant maps, ranging from a pre-atomic bomb Hiroshima map to a Victorian geological survey of India, highlighting their physical fragility and hidden stories.

venice biennale russian pavilion eu threatens funding

The European Union has threatened to withdraw funding from the Venice Biennale if the organization proceeds with hosting a Russian national pavilion for the 2026 edition. EU commissioners Henna Virkkunen and Glenn Micallef issued a joint statement arguing that providing a platform for Russia is incompatible with the EU's response to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. While the Biennale Foundation maintains a policy of neutrality, stating it rejects the censorship of any country recognized by Italy, the EU warned that continued participation could result in the suspension or termination of active grants.

Ashfika Rahman's art lands in New York Times Critics' Top 6

Bangladeshi visual artist Ashfika Rahman has been recognized by The New York Times as one of the six must-see shows at the Venice Biennale, with her work "Than Para — No Land Without Us" featured in the collateral exhibition "Still Joy — From Ukraine into the World." The installation, presented by the PinchukArtCentre and curated by Björn Geldhof and Oleksandra Pohrebnyak, incorporates thousands of small temple bells gathered from different spiritual traditions and draws on testimonies from Ukraine as well as the struggles of Indigenous communities in Bangladesh's Hill Tracts.

in venice, ukrainian artists reclaim joy with tender force

The article reports on 'Still Joy — From Ukraine Into the World,' a collateral exhibition at the 61st Venice Biennale presented by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation and PinchukArtCentre. The show features works by Ukrainian artists including Malashchuk & Khimei, Simone Post, and Zhanna Kadyrova, exploring themes of joy, survival, and resilience amid war. Highlights include a two-channel video juxtaposing a Kyiv rave before and after Russia's full-scale invasion, letters from Ukrainian soldiers printed on foam panels, and installations that transform everyday objects into meditations on sweetness and endurance.

Healing through art : Stories of First Nations people who have experienced incarceration

The Torch, a First Peoples-led arts organization in Victoria, Australia, runs a program supporting Indigenous artists who have experienced incarceration. Its annual exhibition, Confined 17, features nearly 500 artworks by 424 First Nations artists at the Glen Eira City Council gallery in Naarm. The organization provides art materials, cultural connection, and economic support, with artists receiving 100% of their income from sales. Participants like Tegan, a Palawa woman, describe improvising with food dye in prison to create watercolor-style works, while CEO Susannah Day and founder Kent Morris emphasize the program's role in reducing reincarceration rates.

Live Arts Program “1922 Revisited” Opens May 5th to Kick Off Preview Week, 61st Venice Biennale 2026

Third Space Art Foundation will present “1922 Revisited,” a live arts program curated by Dr. Janine A. Sytsma, from May 5–9, 2026 in Venice, Italy, during the preview week of the 61st Venice Biennale. The program brings together ten international artists to engage with the 1922 Venice Biennale exhibition of African sculpture through performances, a film screening, and a panel discussion, staged at venues including Hotel Monaco and the European Cultural Centre’s Marinaressa Gardens.

Ann Arbor guaranteed income program inspires ‘No Strings’ art exhibit

An art exhibition titled 'No Strings' has opened in Ann Arbor, inspired by the city's guaranteed income program. The show features works from local artists who explore themes of economic security, dignity, and community support, drawing directly from the experiences and principles of the universal basic income initiative.

Graduating Seniors, LSAA Artists' Works on Display

Northern Michigan University's DeVos Art Museum is hosting two concurrent exhibitions. The first is the NMU School of Art & Design Senior Exhibition, featuring capstone projects from graduating seniors across various media, with a closing ceremony on May 1. The second is "Celebrating Legacy: Lake Superior Art Association in the Permanent Collection," a group show marking the LSAA's 75th anniversary by displaying works by past and present members from the museum's holdings.

Evergreen Brick Works Art Exhibition Raises Awareness of Spotted Lanternfly

Artist Laura Fedynyszyn has partnered with the Invasive Species Centre to present "Memorial for Trees Not Yet Fallen III" at Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works. The exhibition features wreaths made from dried riverbank grapevines adorned with prints of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect currently threatening Ontario’s borders. Drawing inspiration from Victorian-era mourning jewelry, the installation serves as a tangible memento for an ecosystem at risk.

‘Together with Art’ exhibit at Town Hall highlightsAsian American and Pacific Islander cultures

Tiburon Town Hall is hosting "Together with Art," a group exhibition celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) cultures. Running through June 30, the showcase features five Bay Area artists, including Santa Rosa photographer Glenna Yee, whose work focuses on themes of serendipity and juxtaposition. The exhibition is timed to coincide with the town’s third annual AAPI Heritage Festival in May.

Major gift fuels new curator role at Laguna Art Museum

Laguna Art Museum has established a new endowed curator position, the Curator of Contemporary Art, funded by a significant gift from local philanthropists and art collectors Mark and Janet Hilbert. The inaugural appointment to this role is artist and curator Rochelle Steiner, who will oversee the museum's contemporary art initiatives and exhibitions.

Opening reception for Eastside 11 Art Crawl planned for Valentines Day

Artist Chris Moss is organizing the Eastside 11 Art Crawl, a free, multi-venue art event in Savannah, Georgia, with an opening reception scheduled for Valentine's Day. The event aims to showcase local artists across various businesses and includes a map for self-guided tours.

Art Talk Sunday Featuring Exhibition ’10th Street Studio’

The Humboldt Arts Council presents an Art Talk Sunday event at the Morris Graves Museum of Art on January 4th, featuring the four artists from the exhibition '10th Street Studio': Carol Andersen, Laura Corsiglia, Peggy Rivers, and Van Shields. The exhibition showcases works by these like-minded artists who recently began sharing a studio space dedicated to creativity and mutual support. Andersen, Corsiglia, and Rivers have over 110 years of combined art-making experience, with works in significant public and private collections, while Shields joins as an emerging artist. The talk will include discussions on their practices, with Andersen focusing on wildlife as metaphor, Corsiglia drawing from nature and her time in Paris, Rivers exploring color theory through series, and Shields reflecting on his post-retirement artistic awakening.

We've brought a new fine art gallery to Sunderland city centre to celebrate local creativity

A collective of 26 local artists has opened a new fine art gallery called Twenty-Four North East in Sunderland city centre, transforming the former Sweet Home Alabama shop on Fawcett Street. The gallery launched with a busy opening night attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Sunderland, featuring works ranging from screw art by Darren Timby to SAFC fan scenes by Chris Cummings and pieces by Dr Ron Lawson, creator of the Molly sculpture. The gallery operates Tuesday to Saturday, selling original fine art from £90, prints, and cards, and plans to host workshops.

Shirley Fiterman Art Center Opening: Artists Courtney McClellan and Victoria Dugger

The Shirley Fiterman Art Center at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) will open two exhibitions on September 10: Courtney McClellan: Simulations and Victoria Dugger: Late Bloomer, running through December 20. The opening includes a discussion with both artists at 5 p.m. followed by a reception at 6 p.m. at 81 Barclay Street.

Maxwell’s Southport Gates painting named overall winner of National Day art exhibition

Thomas Oliver Maxwell won the Ministry of Culture Award and the overall prize of £1,500 in Gibraltar's 'Our Gibraltar' art competition for his painting of Southport Gates. The annual National Day Art Exhibition, featuring 64 entries from 42 local artists across painting, sculpture, and photography categories, opened at the Fine Arts Gallery in Casemates with Deputy Mayor Nicky Guerrero and Governor Lieutenant General Sir Ben Bathurst in attendance. Nataly Zelak-Victor won first prize in painting for 'Parson’s Lodge Battery,' while Prem Mahtani took first prize in photography for a photograph of Parson’s Lodge. Judges Douglas Morello, Gabriella Martinez, and Stefano Blanca Sciacaluga evaluated the works, noting the variety of media and locally themed subjects.

In the new documentary Architecton, buildings collapse and stones dance

Victor Kossakovsky's new documentary *Architecton*, opening in US theaters on August 1, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival. The film is a silent, drone-shot meditation on the destruction of the built environment, showing war-ravaged buildings in Ukraine, earthquake ruins in Turkey and Lebanon, and the violent process of stone being blasted for concrete. It contrasts modern structures that collapse within decades with ancient buildings that still stand, and features architect Michele di Lucchi as a quiet voice for thoughtful, enduring design. The film's score is by Russian expatriate composer Evgueni Galperine.

Wirral Welcomes the Independents Biennial 2025

Wirral is hosting the Independents Biennial 2025, a major contemporary art festival running concurrently with the Liverpool Biennial. Nearly 300 artists will exhibit in 120 locations across the Liverpool City Region, including landmarks such as Fort Perch Rock, Hilbre Island, and Hamilton Square. Highlights include a studio group exhibition titled 'Boom' at the Old Fire Station in Port Sunlight, featuring sculptor Emma Rodgers and collaborators, with works by Johnny Vegas. The Williamson Art Gallery and Museum will debut a commissioned piece by Jackie Haynes and Heather Mullender-Ross, and an art market at Birkenhead Market on June 28 will offer works by over 30 independent artists.

Now Open: Prospect Refuge Gallery

A new art gallery concept, Prospect Refuge Gallery, opens in Northeast Minneapolis, led by Victoria Sass of Prospect Refuge Studio. The gallery's inaugural exhibition, "Homecoming: Objects of Origin," features works by New York-based ceramicist Jeremy Anderson, a Twin Cities native, showcasing ceramic vessels, lighting, and bronze-cast furniture that draw influence from Midwest rural architecture. The gallery aims to rotate regional talent through exhibitions focused on collectable design.

An Artist Renounced His Family. They Sued to Acquire His Life’s Work.

The heirs of the late artist Robert S. Neuman sued his longtime gallerist, June Kelly, to gain control of his artistic estate. The lawsuit, filed in New York, claims Kelly exploited her relationship with the elderly artist to secure ownership of hundreds of his works, while the family argues Neuman's renunciation of them was based on false information she provided. The family's victory in court, resulting in the transfer of the entire collection to them, sets a significant precedent for estate disputes involving artists and their dealers. It highlights the complex power dynamics and potential for exploitation in artist-gallerist relationships, especially as artists age, and may influence how galleries structure agreements to protect both their interests and those of an artist's heirs.

Open Call for Contemporary Art Commissions for the V&A South Kensington's new South Asia Gallery

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has issued an open call for contemporary artists and designers to create new carved wooden panels for a 19th-century coffered ceiling from a temple in Kochi, South India, which will be the centerpiece of its redesigned South Asia Gallery at South Kensington. The ceiling, measuring 6 by 1.7 meters and originally comprising 45 panels, has been in storage for over 70 years; more than half of its panels are missing. The commission invites applicants to replace the lost panels with sensitivity to the original materials, design, and craftsmanship, integrating them into the restored structure. Expressions of interest are due by 28 February 2026.

New dates, new venue, and a new theme: Here is what the Moncalieri emerging photography festival will look like

Nuove date, nuova sede e nuovo tema. Ecco come sarà il festival di fotografia emergente di Moncalieri

Liquida Photofestival has announced the details for its fifth edition, scheduled to take place from April 17 to 19, 2026. The independent festival dedicated to emerging contemporary photography is moving to a new venue at the Real Collegio Carlo Alberto in Moncalieri, near Turin. Under the artistic direction of Laura Tota, the upcoming edition will center on the theme "Learning and Unlearning – (re)writing the rules," featuring a program of exhibitions, talks, and publishing events built primarily through open calls.

Art on Main presents "Women in Art: Revealing Our Magnificence" opening reception

Art on Main in Dallas is presenting "Women in Art: Revealing Our Magnificence," a juried exhibition featuring bold, expressive works across mediums such as painting, drawing, photography, fiber art, sculpture, printmaking, and ceramics. The opening reception includes live music by the East Dallas Uke-A-Ladies and a set by DJ MISO, along with a Best in Show award presentation, and the exhibit runs through May 30.

Suzann Victor installation lights up Art Basel Hong Kong

Singaporean artist Suzann Victor has unveiled a major installation at Art Basel Hong Kong, showcasing her signature blend of large-scale spectacle and deep conceptual inquiry. The Sydney-based artist, recognized as a pioneer of contemporary art in Southeast Asia, utilizes her multidisciplinary practice to challenge viewers to confront the enduring psychological and cultural impacts of postcolonialism.

SOBO Art Gallery's Young Creatives Showcase to open Oct. 2

SOBO Art Gallery in Orlando will host the Young Creatives Showcase on October 2, featuring artwork by high school and college students. The showcase, co-founded by Victoria Pestrichello, Branton Urbieta, and Fritz-Lee Saint Paulin, includes a collaborative piece that artists have been building together, as well as individual works in various media such as photography, pencil, and acrylic. Pestrichello, a UCF student, contributed handprints to the collaborative Dalmatian painting, while her own abstract piece, "Conosci il nemico? Do you know your enemy?", was inspired by negative news coverage.

Double vandalism on the Place de la Concorde

Double vandalisme place de la Concorde

During the PSG Champions League semi-final victory celebrations last Wednesday, vandals destroyed an exhibition by Yann Arthus-Bertrand on the theme of 'Living Together' on the Place de la Concorde in Paris. The article describes this as a double vandalism: the physical destruction by rioters compounded what the author considers the original vandalism—the exhibition itself, which was supported by the French government, the Paris city hall, and several other entities.

Une souscription pour restaurer le réfectoire des Invalides

La Tribune de l'Art reports that a fundraising campaign has been launched to restore the refectory of the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris, specifically the salle de l'Europe. This room features 17th-century murals attributed to Michel Corneille le Jeune, depicting battles from the Franco-Dutch War (1673–1675), including the sieges of Maastricht, Huy, and Limbourg, as well as allegorical scenes of Louis XIV. The restoration is organized by the Musée de l'Armée, which manages the site.

In Dim Light, New Histories Emerge

Museo Afro Casa Silvana in Humacao, Puerto Rico, is hosting 'Dim Light: Afro-Puerto Rican Photography,' the first collective exhibition dedicated exclusively to Afro-Puerto Rican photographers. Featuring ten artists from the island and its diaspora, the show explores themes of spirituality, family, and resistance through a lens of self-representation. The works were previously debuted at the 3rd Black Brazil Art Biennial before returning to Puerto Rico for this landmark presentation.