ugly and pornographic mermaid statue removed copenhagen 1234749265

The Danish government has ordered the removal of a 13-foot tall mermaid statue known as the "Big Mermaid" from Dragør Fort in Copenhagen, following years of criticism that it is sexualized, ugly, and pornographic. The sculpture, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, was installed without permission on a protected monument site overseen by the Agency for Culture and Palaces, which determined it disrupts the fort's military structure. Critics including Sorine Gotfredsen and Mathias Kryger condemned the work, while entrepreneur Peter Bech, who commissioned it, defended the statue's proportions.

british museum tobacco deal health pact 1234762318

The British Museum has ended a 15-year sponsorship deal with Japan Tobacco International (JTI) after concerns that the partnership violated the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which the UK signed in 2004. The decision followed pressure from the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which provides the museum with around £75 million annually. The sponsorship had funded acquisitions of over 2,400 Japanese objects, a curatorial post, an African heritage tour, and diversity training, while giving JTI access to museum galleries for private events and filming, which critics said allowed the tobacco company to launder its reputation and meet policymakers.

homeland security puerto rican museum chicago 2666579

Officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) arrived at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (NMPRAC) in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood on Tuesday, with between 15 and 20 DHS vehicles appearing without notice or a warrant. Museum staff reported that officers claimed to be assessing entry and exit points for undocumented immigrants at upcoming events. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin denied the account, stating the visit was a briefing for a narcotics investigation, but security camera footage shows officers inside the museum, contradicting her statement. Local aldermen and museum leadership condemned the action as intimidation, with the museum vowing to resist and continue its community programming.

'Cigars!' exhibit at Florida Museum of Photographic Arts captures a fading history

The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts has launched "Cigars! Photography, Industry and Identity," a new exhibition by local photographer Zack Wittman. The show documents the architectural remnants of Tampa’s historic cigar industry, which once boasted over 200 factories but has dwindled to approximately 25 standing brick buildings. Through a collaboration with the J.C. Newman Cigar Company, Wittman captured both preserved and derelict structures that define the unique personality of Ybor City.

Key player in Norval Morrisseau forgery ring pleads guilty

James White, a central figure in a long-running forgery ring producing fake artworks by Indigenous Canadian artist Norval Morrisseau, pleaded guilty in Ontario Superior Court to creating forged documents and trafficking forged artworks. White admitted to trafficking 502 fake works, some sold for tens of thousands of dollars. The plea follows a multi-year investigation called Project Totton, led by Inspector Jason Rybak of the Thunder Bay Police Service, which uncovered three large forgery networks operating in Ontario. Two other alleged accomplices, Paul Bremner and Jeffrey Cowan, still face charges, while earlier guilty pleas from David Voss and Gary Lamont resulted in five-year prison sentences.

Imagining the Manosphere as a Kinder, Gentler Place

Two new art exhibitions are tackling the aesthetics and ideology of the online "manosphere," a network of communities promoting hypermasculinity and often misogyny. The shows, 'The Manosphere: A New Hope?' at the New Museum and 'Soft Boys' at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, use video, sculpture, and installation to dissect this digital subculture and its visual language.

Jack White’s first visual art show to open in London this spring

Musician Jack White is set to debut his first solo visual art exhibition, titled ‘These Thoughts May Disappear’, at Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery in London. Running from May 29 to September 13, the show will feature a diverse array of mediums including sculpture, furniture design, and large-scale installations, many of which are constructed from reclaimed industrial materials and hardware remnants.

Esther fair brings global galleries to Manhattan’s Estonian House

The Esther art fair, founded by Estonian dealers Olga Temnikova and Margot Samel, is holding its second edition at the Beaux-Arts Estonian House in Manhattan through May 10. The boutique fair features 25 galleries from the US, Europe, and Asia, including James Fuentes, Sargent’s Daughters, Pangée Gallery, Kogo Gallery, Ivan Gallery, Sophie Tappeiner, and Bank. New additions include on-site fashion designers Julia Heuer and Laivi creating custom t-shirts. Participation fees have risen from $1,500 to $2,500, allowing the founders to hire staff, but the fair remains vulnerable to global shifts such as US trade policies and immigration crackdowns that affect art shipping and artist travel.

EU Says It ‘Intends’ to Cut Funding to Venice Biennale Because of Russian Pavilion

The European Union has declared its intention to cut its €2 million funding contribution to the Venice Biennale in response to the exhibition's decision to host a Russian national pavilion for the first time since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that allowing Russia to exhibit while it "bombs museums, destroys churches and seeks to erase Ukrainian culture" is morally wrong, marking the union's strongest condemnation to date.

Remnants of 3,400-Year-Old Loom in Spain Sheds Light on Bronze Age Textile Production

Archaeologists in Spain have published new research on a remarkably preserved 3,450-year-old wooden loom, discovered in 2008 at the Cabezo Redondo site. The loom survived because a fire destroyed the surrounding Bronze Age village and a roof collapsed on it, charring and protecting the wood from decay. This rare find includes over 200 lightweight loom weights, suggesting the community was engaged in intensive production of delicate wool textiles.

pride flag removal stonewall elected officials reinstate 1234773286

The Trump administration removed the Pride flag from the flagpole at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City, a site commemorating the birth of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. The action, reportedly carried out by the National Park Service, followed a memo restricting "non-agency" flags at federal sites.

iranian artists killed in anti government protests advocacy groups report 1234769963

At least four Iranian artists have been killed by police and militias during anti-government protests that began in December, according to Artists at Risk Connection (ARC). The victims include sculptor Mehdi Salahshour, filmmaker Javad Ganji, fashion designer Rubina Aminian, and hip-hop artist Soroush Soleimani. ARC condemned the extrajudicial killings, internet blackouts, and suppression of dissent, while the Iranian Independent Filmmakers Association (IIFMA) reported over 2,000 civilian deaths and called for international intervention.

family of israeli graffiti artist who died in hamas captivity demands return of her body after ceasefire 1234757032

As part of the recent ceasefire deal brokered by the Trump Administration, Hamas returned 20 living hostages and four bodies of deceased hostages to Israel on Monday, but failed to return all 28 bodies as agreed. Among the deceased is Israeli graffiti artist and art student Inbar Haiman, known as “Pink,” who was abducted at age 27 from the Nova Music Festival on October 7. Her family is demanding the return of her remains, with her aunt Hannah Cohen emphasizing the need for closure. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum condemned the incomplete return as a violation of the agreement, and Israel has threatened consequences if the remaining bodies are not handed over.

vapid art world novel dimes square zoe dubno happiness love 1234754320

Zoe Dubno's novel *Happiness & Love* is a satire of the art world, heavily borrowing from Thomas Bernhard's 1984 novel *Woodcutters*. The book follows an unnamed narrator who relentlessly criticizes the vapid, social-climbing denizens of the downtown New York scene, using the word "stupid" over twenty times. The narrator laments the art world's obsession with wealth and clout over meaning and beauty, but her own hypocrisy and lack of self-awareness are evident. The novel has received superficial coverage from outlets like *New York Magazine*, focusing on the author's lifestyle rather than the book's content.

yemen national museum damaged israeli air strikes 1234751793

The National Museum of Yemen was damaged during Israeli airstrikes on Sanaa on Wednesday, according to the Houthi Ministry of Culture. The bombardment, part of escalating regional tensions linked to the Gaza war, killed 45 people and injured 165. Video footage shows the museum courtyard littered with rubble, and its windows and doors destroyed, though the building remains standing. The museum had only reopened in May 2023 after a decade-long closure due to Yemen's civil war.

burmese artist sai exhibition bangkok arts cultural center 1234749521

An art exhibition at the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre titled “Constellation of Complicity: Visualising the Global Machine of Authoritarian Solidarity” was censored after repeated visits by Chinese embassy representatives. The show, featuring exiled artists from China, Russia, Iran, and Burma, had black paint applied over artists' names and descriptions of homelands such as Tibet, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang. Works by Tibetan artist Tenzin Mingyur Paldron were particularly affected, with television screens showing her films switched off and Tibetan and Uyghur flags removed. Burmese artist Sai told BBC News that since the censorship, he and his wife fled to the UK to seek asylum.

giulia cretulescu fiber art sexy 1234743086

Giulia Crețulescu creates fiber art from synthetic fabric sourced from a Ford automotive factory near her hometown of Craiova, Romania. Her work features geometric, torso-sized wall-mounted shapes with bondage-like straps and repurposed industrial seatbelts, blending found and handmade elements. After completing a PhD in graphic arts in Bucharest, she turned to sewing to resist the speed of digital design, producing non-functional, armor-like abstractions. Her recent exhibition at Fragment Gallery in New York showcased her unique approach, which also incorporates inspiration from motorcycle gear and medieval armor.

trump fires biden appointees from holocaust museum board 1234740222

President Donald Trump fired Biden-appointed members of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, which oversees the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. Those removed include former second gentleman Doug Emhoff, former Biden chief of staff Ron Klain, former labor secretary Tom Perez, former national security adviser Susan Rice, and Jill Biden’s senior adviser Anthony Bernal. The appointments had been announced in January 2025. Emhoff, who is Jewish, condemned the move as politicizing Holocaust remembrance, while the White House stated Trump will appoint new members who honor the Holocaust and support Israel. The museum issued a statement expressing commitment to its mission without directly addressing the firings.

Patarei Prison Could Become Museum

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Estonia’s Minister of Justice, Urmas Reinsalu, has proposed transforming the historic Patarei Prison in Tallinn into an international museum and research center dedicated to the crimes of communism. The sprawling 10-acre seaside complex, which served as a site of political incarceration under Soviet rule until 2002, remains largely unrestored, containing haunting remnants such as surgical tools and tattered bunk beds. The proposal has gained significant diplomatic traction, receiving formal support from representatives of eight EU member states during a recent meeting in the Estonian capital.

Volunteer Restorer Accused of Painting PM Giorgia Meloni's Face into Angel on Church Fresco

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A volunteer restorer in Rome, Bruno Valentinetti, has been accused of altering a church fresco to make an angel bear the likeness of Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The fresco, in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina, was restored after water damage, and the angel holding a map of Italy now appears to resemble the political leader. Valentinetti denies the likeness, claiming he faithfully followed the original design.

Finland’s political leadership to retract from Venice Biennale over Russian Pavilion

Finland's Minister of Science and Culture, Mari-Leena Talvitie, announced that the country's political leadership will not participate in the upcoming Venice Biennale if Russia's national pavilion is allowed to take part. This decision follows a joint letter signed by Talvitie and 21 other European ministers in March, which deemed Russia's return to the Biennale since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine as 'unacceptable'. Finnish public officials and cultural representatives, however, will still attend to support Finnish artists.

Under pressure, the jury of the 61st Venice Biennale will exclude Russian and Israeli pavilions from the awards

Sous pression, le jury de la 61e Biennale de Venise exclura les pavillons russe et israélien du palmarès

The 61st Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys" and running from May 9 to November 22, 2026, has been embroiled in political controversy after organizers decided to reinstate the Russian pavilion, which had been excluded since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Under pressure from the European Commission, which threatened to suspend a €2 million grant, the jury announced it will exclude artists from the Russian and Israeli pavilions from winning prizes, citing that leaders Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu face International Criminal Court charges for crimes against humanity. The Russian pavilion will remain closed to the public but open for VIP press previews, while the Israeli pavilion stays open to the public. Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli has refused to attend the opening ceremony in protest.

UK government insures Bayeux Tapestry for £800m during loan to British Museum

The UK Treasury will insure the Bayeux Tapestry for an estimated £800 million under the Government Indemnity Scheme during its loan to the British Museum next year. The tapestry, created in the 1070s, will travel from Normandy to London via the Channel Tunnel and be displayed in the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery from September 2025 to July 2027 while its home museum in Bayeux undergoes renovations. The loan agreement, announced by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, includes a dry run with a facsimile and vibration monitoring, and in exchange, British Museum treasures such as the Lewis chessmen and Sutton Hoo helmet will travel to Normandy.

Artists travel back in time with work created from ancient wood discovered at site of lost London river

The artist twins Jane and Louise Wilson are presenting a new exhibition, "Performance of Entrapment," at London Mithraeum Bloomberg Space from 17 July 2025 to 1 January 2026. The show features 2,000-year-old oak stakes unearthed during excavations by the Museum of London Archaeology (Mola) at Bloomberg's European headquarters between 2012 and 2014. These timbers, dated to AD50-80, were preserved in the waterlogged conditions of the lost Walbrook river valley. The Wilsons also incorporate films and layered works, including images from scanning electron microscopy of the ancient wood.

Artists accuse Whitney Museum of censorship for cancelling pro-Palestine performance

The Whitney Museum of American Art has been accused of censorship by artists Fadl Fakhouri, Noel Maghathe, and Fargo Tbakhi after canceling their performance titled *No Aesthetics Outside my Freedom: Mourning, Militancy and Performance*, scheduled for May 14 as part of the exhibition *A Grammar of Attention*. The museum cited the work's "exclusionary and inflammatory" content, referencing a prior iteration where Tbakhi called for those who believe in Israel or America to leave the audience and valorized specific acts of violence. The artists argue the cancellation is an act of anti-Palestinian censorship, while the museum claims the decision was necessary to uphold its policies. In response, Sara Nadal-Melsió, associate director of the Whitney Independent Study Program (ISP), canceled a related critical studies symposium, and the ISP cohort alleged the museum surveilled and intervened in their work.

Brussels, Russia and the Venice Biennale

The jury of the 61st Venice Biennale Art Exhibition has resigned en masse to protest the decision to allow Russian participation for the first time since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The jury stated it would refuse to consider artists from countries whose leaders face International Criminal Court warrants, specifically Israel and Russia, citing a commitment to human rights. The Biennale organizers defended the re-admission as consistent with openness and dialogue, while Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the move, with the EU threatening to cut funding. The Italian government distanced itself, calling the Biennale autonomous.

Pro-Palestine mural boarded up overnight at University of North Carolina

A pro-Palestine mural at the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill was boarded over overnight on August 17 by university administration without warning to the art department. The mural, created by students and community members in a course taught by artist Hồng-An Trương, had been displayed in the Hanes Art Center lobby for over a year. It features collaged prints in the colors of the Palestinian flag and the text “I told you I loved you and I wanted genocide to stop.” University officials cited the need to remove the artwork after its one-year display period and to repair the wall, but faculty and students have condemned the action as censorship.

“Gucci Memoria” at Chiostri di San Simpliciano, Milan

During Fuorisalone 2026, Gucci presents "Gucci Memoria," an immersive exhibition curated by Demna at Milan's Chiostri di San Simpliciano. The project traces the House's 105-year history through a continuous narrative of installations across the cloisters, reflecting its evolving identity while staying rooted in its Florentine origins.

For this 2026 too, the Fuorisalone is full of fashion. Here are the events halfway between fashion and design

Anche per questo 2026 il Fuorisalone è pieno di moda. Ecco gli eventi a metà strada tra fashion e design

The 2026 Fuorisalone in Milan continues to be a major platform for the convergence of fashion and design. Numerous fashion brands are presenting immersive installations, special collections, and cultural formats across the city, transforming urban spaces into narrative environments. Key presentations include YOOX's digital installation with Keta Bart, Gucci's archival project by Demna, Prada's symposium curated by Formafantasma, and new collections from Armani, Fendi, Dior Maison, and Louis Vuitton.

south dakota art professor reinstated charlie kirk comments 1234755756

Tenured University of South Dakota art professor Michael Hook, who faced termination for social media comments about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, has been reinstated after dropping his lawsuit. Hook posted remarks on September 10 calling Kirk a "hate-spreading Nazi" after the activist was shot dead, then apologized and deleted the post. South Dakota political leaders including Governor Larry Rhoden called for his firing, and USD placed Hook on administrative leave on September 12. Hook sued the university and the South Dakota Board of Regents on September 23, arguing his comments were protected by the First Amendment. Students organized a petition with nearly 22,000 signatures supporting his reinstatement. On October 3, USD president Sheila Gestring withdrew the termination notice, citing Hook's apology and employment record. Hook then dismissed the lawsuit as moot.