Photo London reveals details of tenth anniversary edition

Photo London will celebrate its tenth anniversary edition from May 15-18, 2025 at Somerset House, which is itself marking 25 years as an international arts destination. The fair will feature a strong roster of returning and new international galleries, the return of the Discovery section for emerging galleries, and a new Positions section for unrepresented photographers championed by collectors. Special programming includes a 'London Lives' exhibition showcasing around 30 leading photographers, a solo show by Colin Dodgson presented by Belmond, a new Book Market for independent publishers, a talks programme curated by Thames & Hudson, and awards such as the Photo London x Nikon Emerging Photographer of the Year and the Photo London x Hahnemühle Student Award.

For its 10th edition Photo London aims to look beyond the notorious ‘Kate Moss Index’

Photo London, the UK's leading photography fair, is preparing for its 10th edition from 15 to 18 May at Somerset House under new director Sophie Parker. Parker, the fair's first female director and a longtime staff member, aims to move beyond the so-called 'Kate Moss Index'—industry slang for the prevalence of safe, traditional photographic subjects like supermodel portraits—by rewarding galleries that take risks with more experimental work. The fair has cycled through several directors in recent years, including Roderick van der Lee and Kamiar Maleki, but Parker brings an insider's perspective and a working-class background to the role.

The Enigma of Alison Knowles

Lauren Moya Ford reviews the only book dedicated to Fluxus artist Alison Knowles, who died six months ago. The book, "Performing Chance: The Art of Alison Knowles In/Out of Fluxus" by Nicole L. Woods (2026), attempts to illuminate Knowles's life and work, but Ford notes that much of her personal life remains mysterious despite the author's efforts. The article is part of a broader books newsletter that also features new tomes on Hans Holbein’s portraits, Jan Staller’s photographs of Manhattan construction sites, and a discussion of a Black Panther family album at the Studio Museum in Harlem.

athens emst why look at animals lin may saeed

The National Museum of Contemporary Art in Athens has opened "Why Look at Animals: A Case for the Rights of Non-Human Lives," a major exhibition curated by Katerina Gregos that spans seven floors and features over 60 artists. The show confronts animal exploitation through works such as Ang Siew Ching's video "High-Rise Pigs" (2025), depicting a 26-story factory farm in China, and Art Orienté Objet's charcoal map of endangered species slowly erased by a robotic arm. Other artists include Sue Coe, Igor Grubić, and Janis Rafa, with the exhibition taking its title from a John Berger essay.

Wem die Glocke schlägt

The Kunsthalle Wien has revived its recurring exhibition format "Lebt und arbeitet in Wien" (Lives and Works in Vienna) for the fifth time since 2000, presenting 56 artists selected from a pool of 700 local practitioners. Curated by Daniel Baumann, Monika Georgieva, and Michelle Cotton, the show spans two venues—the Museumsquartier and Karlsplatz—featuring works in painting, sculpture, installation, film, and video that reflect the city's diverse artistic landscape. The exhibition marks a return after a decade-long hiatus, filling gaps left since the previous edition under the curatorial collective WHW.

Maurizio Cattelan’s Latest Work is Hotline for People to Confess Their Sins… to Him

Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan has launched a new project: a hotline and WhatsApp service inviting the public to confess their sins. The project, timed to coincide with the Easter period and the 21st anniversary of Pope John Paul II's death, will culminate in a livestream on April 23 where Cattelan will offer a form of symbolic absolution to selected participants. Alongside the hotline, he is releasing a limited edition of 666 small-scale replicas of his controversial 1999 sculpture, *The Ninth Hour*, which depicts the late pope struck by a meteorite.

The Wild Ways Artists Have Made Their Livings, from the Renaissance to Today

The Wild Ways Artists Have Made Their Livings, from the Renaissance to Today

Mason Currey's new book, 'Making Art and Making a Living,' compiles stories of how artists from the Renaissance to today have funded their creative lives. It details diverse methods beyond family wealth, including odd jobs, dual careers, and institutional roles, highlighting figures like Louise Nevelson, Philip Glass, and Frank O'Hara.

Beware the technology rat trap: Cooper Jacoby’s standout contribution to New York’s Whitney Biennial

Cooper Jacoby's sculptures at the Whitney Biennial explore how AI corporations and other companies turn personal data into financial assets. His five works, displayed in a green-carpeted space he describes as "almost like a rat trap," include the 2026 piece *Estate (July 10, 2022)*—a folding screen with an intercom that uses AI trained on social media posts from deceased creatives to generate vocal outputs. Another series, *Mutual Life*, features eye-like sculptures with clock hands that spin based on the biological age of anonymous individuals in the artist's network. Jacoby's work highlights the lack of regulation around digital life and death, and the opaque nature of AI systems.

nagakin capsule tower moma

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York has acquired and put on display a capsule from the demolished Nagakin Capsule Tower in Tokyo. The capsule, designated A1305, is the centerpiece of a year-long exhibition titled "The Many Lives of the Nakagin Capsule Tower," which also includes archival materials such as photographs, models, films, and recordings. The tower, designed by Kisho Kurokawa and completed in 1972, was a landmark of the Metabolism movement, featuring 140 prefabricated modules. After years of decline, it was demolished in 2022, but 23 capsules were salvaged, with 16 finding homes in institutions including MoMA.

black portraiture peregrine tyam letter

A 17th-century British portrait at Claydon House, a National Trust property, depicts Mary Lawley and Peregrine Tyam, a Black enslaved attendant whose identity is known—one of the earliest such examples. Historian Hannah Lee published research in British Art Studies revealing new details about Tyam, including a rediscovered letter he wrote in 1699 to his enslaver John Verney, offering rare firsthand insight into the lives of enslaved people in aristocratic households. The portrait, attributed to the little-known artist Lenthall, was commissioned by Verney to mark his marriage in 1692 and shows Tyam wearing a silver collar, a symbol of enslavement.

art young photographer chris cook

Cultured magazine profiles Chris Cook, a 33-year-old New York photographer nominated by Ming Smith. Cook describes himself as a "native tourist" of New York, chronicling urban life through photography. His book documenting the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests has been acquired by major institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yale University, the British Library, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Cook cites influences such as Jamel Shabazz, Roy DeCarava, Ming Smith, Kerry James Marshall, Gary Simmons, and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

98,000 People Rush to Defense of Arts Trustee Misan Harriman in Wake of Antisemitism Accusations

More than 98,000 people have filed complaints with the UK Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) in defense of British-Nigerian arts trustee Misan Harriman, following accusations of antisemitism leveled against him by right-wing outlets including the Daily Mail and the Telegraph. The complaints mark the highest number ever submitted to IPSO over a single issue. Separately, an open letter signed by activist Greta Thunberg and artists Tracey Emin and Peter Doig condemns what they call a "dishonest smear campaign" targeting Harriman, who is an Oscar-nominated photographer, chair of the Southbank Centre, and a nominee for Amnesty UK’s People’s Human Rights Champion.

Arghavan Khosravi Breaks Through Gendered Restrictions in Her Architectural Portraits

Arghavan Khosravi's solo exhibition "What Remains" opens today at Uffner & Liu in New York, presenting a new body of sculptural paintings that fuse Persian architecture with Christian altarpieces. The works explore women's fight for equality under censorship and religious dogma in Iran, featuring figures restricted by domestic objects, hinged shutters, and suspended cords, with fragments of limbs or faces visible. Key pieces include "Suspended" (2026), "Bearing" (2026), and "The Whisper" (2026), running through July 2.

Vermont Visual Arts

The article is a roundup of visual art exhibitions and events across Vermont and neighboring New York and New Hampshire, compiled by the Vermont Visual Arts staff. It lists current and upcoming shows at venues including Espresso Bueno, Studio Place Arts, Bennington Museum, Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, UVM Fleming Museum, The Hyde Collection, Hood Museum of Art, and others, with details on dates, artists, and locations. Featured exhibitions include silk screen prints by Jodi Whalen, acrylic paintings by Heidi Broner, a group show on Vermont farms, and a Pride-themed closing reception for "Gayzing" at Studio Place Arts.

What to see at Canada’s largest photo festival

The Contact Photography Festival, Canada's largest photography event, opens Friday in Toronto with over 160 exhibitions across eclectic venues including artist-run centers, commercial galleries, cafes, and a laundromat. Highlights include a towering portrait by Haitian-born artist Thandiwe Muriu on Spadina Ave., and a multi-site exhibition by Turner Prize-nominee Sin Wai Kin, featuring billboards and a two-channel video titled 'The Time of Our Lives.' The festival lost its long-time lead sponsor Scotiabank in 2024, resulting in a reduced budget and less public programming, but organizers remain committed to championing lens-based art.

DESTE’s Summer Convergence Offers the Art World a Rare Pause Between Market Frenzies

The article covers the DESTE Foundation's summer convergence on Hydra, Greece, which offers the art world a respite between market frenzies. It highlights works by Greek artists Sofia Rozaki and Danae Io, whose pieces explore identity, memory, and the impact of politics and economics. The foundation's exhibition "In a Bright Green Field" builds on its legacy of promoting contemporary Greek art, alongside other Athens shows like Marlene Dumas's "Cycladic Blues" at the Museum of Cycladic Art and Michael Rakowitz's "Allspice" at the Acropolis Museum.

Met Gala guests from Beyoncé to Nicole Kidman set to flaunt fashion as art

The article previews the 2025 Met Gala, where celebrities including Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams will ascend the Metropolitan Museum of Art's steps dressed according to the dress code "Fashion is art." The event, which raises funds for the museum's Costume Institute, encourages guests to treat fashion as an embodied art form, drawing on historical collaborations between designers and artists—such as Elsa Schiaparelli with Salvador Dalí, Yves Saint Laurent with Piet Mondrian, and Marc Jacobs with Takashi Murakami. The red carpet will be livestreamed by Vogue and the Associated Press.

Fever Pitch: On Bourgeois Coldness by Henrike Kohpeiß

The article is a critical essay analyzing Henrike Kohpeiß's new book, 'Bourgeois Coldness,' which examines the concept of coldness as an affective strategy of the bourgeois subject. Kohpeiß traces this subjectivity from its mythological roots in Homer's Odyssey to its modern manifestations, arguing that it is forged in and sustained by structures of racial exploitation and colonial power, despite claims of abolition.

And We Shall Go Through Their Hills Without Much Delay

This article documents three journeys into and out of Yunnan, China, spanning from 1874 to 2023. It begins with British interpreter Augustus Raymond Margary's failed colonial expedition to establish a trade route, which ended in his violent death and contributed to unequal treaties opening Southwest China. It then follows a Naxi student named Xueshan in 1937, whose railway journey introduced modern timekeeping to the region, and finally describes the construction of the Burma Road, a critical WWII supply route. The narrative concludes with the artist Cheng Xinhao retracing these routes on foot from Kunming toward Burma over a year and a half, reflecting on history, bodily experience, and the layers of infrastructure that have reshaped the landscape.

This Liminal Moment

The article reviews the exhibition "MONUMENTS" at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA and the Brick in Los Angeles, which addresses the legacy of Confederate monuments through contemporary art. It highlights Cauleen Smith's installation "The Warden" (2025), which features a live-feed of the decommissioned Confederate sculpture "Vindicatrix" (also known as "Miss Confederacy") by Edward V. Valentine, originally atop the Jefferson Davis Memorial in Richmond, Virginia. The exhibition is curated by Hamza Walker, Kara Walker, and Bennett Simpson.

mschf our cow agnus project

MSCHF, the art collective known for viral stunts like Big Red Boots and a branded ATM, has launched a project called "Our Cow Angus" in which they purchased a cow named Angus in August 2024 and presold tokens tied to its eventual slaughter. Token holders can cancel their pre-orders via a "Remorse Portal," and if 50% opt out, Angus will be sent to a sanctuary instead of being turned into hamburger patties and leather handbags. As of January 8, only 31.8% of holders had canceled.

The Artist Who Painted Pixels Before We Saw in Pixels

Der Künstler, der Pixel malte, bevor wir in Pixel sahen

Reinhard Voigt, a German artist little known to the public, painted grid-based pictures as early as 1968—years before pixels became ubiquitous in daily life. Despite early discouragement from Gerhard Richter and fellow artist Alan Jones, Voigt persisted, creating meticulous works on paper and canvas using transparent paper, rulers, pencil, and oil paint. His first major exhibition, "Pure Pleasure," took place in 2023/2024 in Nuremberg, and his current duo show "High on Low" with Anna-Sophie Berger is on view at Berlin's Kunstraum Grotto, featuring his Word Paintings series. Voigt lives and works in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg with his wife, artist Susan Elias.

Maurizio Cattelan opens a hotline to absolve us of our sins via WhatsApp

Maurizio Cattelan ouvre une hotline pour nous absoudre de nos péchés par WhatsApp

Italian provocateur Maurizio Cattelan has launched "The Confessional," an international hotline allowing participants to confess their sins via WhatsApp, SMS, or voice notes from April 2 to April 22, 2026. This participatory performance culminates in a livestream on April 23, where Cattelan will personally grant absolution to selected participants. The project coincides with the release of a limited edition of 666 miniature replicas of his infamous 1999 sculpture, "La Nona Ora," which depicts Pope John Paul II being struck by a meteorite.

Creative Currents: East End Art Exhibits

The article surveys the 2026 summer art season in the Hamptons, highlighting new outdoor sculptures at LongHouse Reserve—including Renée Cox's 'Soul Culture Statue,' Sean Scully's '48,' and William Kentridge's 'Tap'—and a slate of solo exhibitions at venues such as Guild Hall, the Parrish Art Museum, the Arts Center at Duck Creek, and the Peter Marino Art Foundation. Featured artists include Arcmanoro Niles (whose show 'Forgotten Words I Never Got to Say' marks a decade since his Guild Hall residency), Sanford Biggers (presenting 'Drift' at the Parrish), Claire Watson, Brent Richardson, Robert Nava, Betty Parsons, Carla Accardi, and Y.Z. Kami. The Church in Sag Harbor will open 'This Land: Considering the American Landscape,' borrowing works from the Parrish and Dan Flavin's collection.

Kehinde Wiley responds to woman's lawsuit alleging sexual assault

Artist Kehinde Wiley is facing a lawsuit in New York from a woman named Ogechi Chieke, who alleges that he sexually assaulted her at a restaurant in 2007. The suit, filed under New York's Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, claims Wiley forcibly groped her after a gallery opening. Wiley denies the allegations, stating he has never met Chieke and calling the lawsuit a "blatant money-grab." This is the first time an accusation against Wiley has been filed in court, following four separate allegations of sexual misconduct made against him last year by other individuals, including artist Joseph Awuah-Darko, historian Terrell Armistead, and activist Derrick Ingram.

designer analuisa corrigan actor pauline chalamet

Ceramicist and lighting designer Analuisa Corrigan and actor Pauline Chalamet meet at Corrigan's Los Angeles studio for a conversation about their creative practices, hosted by CULTURED and sponsored by Tory Burch. Corrigan discusses her shift from oil painting to working with materials like aluminum, while Chalamet reflects on her path from ballet to acting, including her roles in *The King of Staten Island* and *The Sex Lives of College Girls*.

Week in art: Boulder County art exhibits and gallery displays

The Boulder County arts scene is currently hosting a wide array of exhibitions across its galleries and museums, ranging from contemporary lithographs and multimedia installations to community-focused craft displays. Key highlights include the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art’s eclectic group show "Yes &…" and the Dairy Arts Center’s exploration of Indigenous ecological identity in "Native Niches." Other notable presentations include Albert Chong’s Jamaican portraits at East Window and Jessica Rohrer’s solo exhibition at Nick Ryan Gallery.

Reverend Joyce McDonald: ‘Art was like therapy for me’

Reverend Joyce McDonald, a 74-year-old artist and minister, is the subject of her first museum survey, 'Ministry: Reverend Joyce McDonald,' at the Bronx Museum. The exhibition showcases her ceramic sculptures, which she began creating after an HIV diagnosis in 1995 while struggling with heroin addiction and sex work. McDonald discovered ceramics through an art therapy program with the Jewish Board of Family Services and later connected with Visual Aids, a New York organization supporting HIV-positive artists. Her works, often depicting figures praying or embracing, are held in collections including the Hammer Museum, Brooklyn Museum, and CCS Hessel Museum of Art.

New Orleans artists mark 20 years since Hurricane Katrina

An ongoing group exhibition titled "This City Holds Us" at Ferrara Showman Gallery in New Orleans marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The show, which opened on White Linen Night, features work by ten artists affected by the storm and focuses on the city's recovery and artistic reinvestment rather than the destruction. Gallery founder Jonathan Ferrara and director Matthew Weldon Showman curated the exhibition to honor the past while celebrating progress, with artists submitting written testimonies about how the storm shaped their lives and practices.

A Rosso for the Metropolitan

Un Rosso pour le Metropolitan

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has acquired a painting by Rosso Fiorentino, a master of Italian and French Mannerism, after restoration revealed an earlier overpaint that had obscured the composition. The work, a Virgin and Child, now shows Saint John the Evangelist in the foreground at right, confirming it as an original by the artist.