A new watercolor by Marie-Désiré Bourgoin acquired by Orsay

Une nouvelle aquarelle de Marie-Désiré Bourgoin acquise par Orsay

The Musée d’Orsay has expanded its collection with the acquisition of a watercolor by Marie-Désiré Bourgoin. The work depicts a somber interior scene featuring an elderly woman in black seated before a commemorative display of the late painter Ernest Meissonier’s personal effects, including his Academician's sword, Legion of Honor insignia, and his final self-portrait on an easel.

At Alserkal Avenue’s Deja Vu, UAE galleries find strength in collaboration

Alserkal Avenue in Dubai has launched "Deja Vu," a multi-gallery exhibition bringing together 20 UAE-based galleries at the Concrete venue, running until May 8. Curated by Zaina Zaarour with co-curators Kevin Jones and Nada Raza, the show features works including German artist Michael Sailstorfer's installation of a car fuel tank, reflecting anxieties around fuel prices and geopolitical uncertainty. The exhibition emerged from urgent community meetings after the Iran war disrupted the spring art season, which typically includes Art Dubai and collector visits. Participating galleries include 16 from Alserkal Avenue, plus Nika Project Space, Total Arts at The Courtyard, Tabari Artspace, and Iris Projects, with many works priced under $10,000 to facilitate sales.

HARRY CHÁVEZ: DONDE MUERDE EL MITO

Harry Chávez: Donde muerde el mito was the first presentation of Peruvian artist Harry Chávez's work at the Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI), held as part of the MALI Colecciones. Intervenciones contemporáneas program. The exhibition recently won the Premio Luces 2026 from El Comercio in the best exhibition category, a public-vote award reflecting its impact. The show explores symbolic conflicts between serpent and feline in Andean and Amazonian mythology, featuring works like 'Salto mortal' and 'Nacimiento del dragón' that depict cosmic struggles and hybrid transformations.

Notre-Dame : les travaux commencent, le combat se poursuit

Work has begun on replacing the stained-glass windows at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, with scaffolding installed immediately after the work permit was posted. The project involves removing six ornamental windows created in 1864 by Alfred Gérente under Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and installing six new windows by artist Claire Tabouret and the master glassmakers Simon-Marq. The authorization, signed by the prefect, has sparked legal challenges from the heritage association Sites & Monuments, who argue the replacement is neither conservation nor restoration. The article details how the state's own authorization document inadvertently strengthens opponents' arguments by affirming that the entire cathedral, including Viollet-le-Duc's windows, is protected as a historic monument.

Views from Behind. A Figure Without a Portrait

Vu[e]s de dos. Une figure sans portrait

The exhibition "Vu[e]s de dos. Une figure sans portrait" at Les Franciscaines in Deauville, running from February 28 to May 31, 2026, explores the artistic motif of figures seen from behind. Curated by director Annie Madet-Vache, the show was inspired by a small painting from the museum's own collection, André Hambourg's *L'Enterrement de Poincaré*. Unable to secure loans of iconic works such as those by Friedrich, Delacroix, Ingres, or Vermeer, Madet-Vache instead displays large black-and-white reproductions of these masterpieces alongside contemporary works they inspired, turning the absence of the originals into a conceptual strength.

A drawing by Toulouse-Lautrec for Albi

Un dessin de Toulouse-Lautrec pour Albi

The Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi has acquired a rare drawing by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, depicting the intimate daily lives of women in a Parisian brothel. The work, created during the artist's frequent visits to the establishment on Rue des Moulins, captures a candid, non-judgmental moment of modern life, reflecting the artist's commitment to Baudelairian realism.

Investor Says Artnet Layoffs Were Necessary for ‘Financial Strength’

Investor and owner Andrew E. Wolff has publicly explained the recent layoffs at Artnet and Artsy as a necessary step for the companies' financial restructuring and future growth. He framed the cuts as part of a broader consolidation strategy, merging the US businesses and organizational structures of the two digital art platforms while keeping their brands separate.

Bronze Age State Metal-Working Center Unearthed Near China’s Yangtse River

Archaeologists at the Shenduntou site near the Yangtze River have unearthed a significant Bronze Age metal-working center dating back to the Zhou dynasty. The excavation, led by Nanjing Normal University, revealed approximately 1,000 artifacts including clay molds, arrowheads, and knives, alongside evidence of furnaces and protective earthen walls. These findings confirm the existence of a high-level workshop dedicated to large-scale bronze production within the ancient Wu kingdom.

Art Haus Unlimited in Columbus showcases fine art, photography

Artists Elliot Twelvetrees and Daniel Snouffer have opened a new gallery called Art Haus Unlimited in Columbus, Ohio, located at 765 Summit St. in a historic building. The gallery features fine art and photography by Twelvetrees, Snouffer, Colin Dearth, and Tamera Bryant. Twelvetrees, an abstract painter and former interior designer, and Snouffer, an award-winning photographer and designer, launched the space in November 2025, with Twelvetrees returning to the very studio she once used. The gallery participates in the Short North Gallery Hop and hosts events like Twilight Soirées with live music to create an inviting atmosphere.

The Phillies Owner and His Wife Collect Art’s Heavy Hitters

John Middleton, the majority owner of the Philadelphia Phillies, and his wife Leigh have publicly debuted their private collection of blue-chip American art. The couple has lent a significant selection of works for a dual-venue exhibition in Philadelphia, coinciding with the city's preparations for the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Gallery of Art 850 hosts ‘The Color Blue’ art exhibit

The Gallery of Art 850 in Panama City, Florida, hosted an opening reception for 'The Color Blue' art exhibit on Thursday evening. This is the second in a series of themed exhibitions, following last year's 'The Color Red' held in conjunction with the RedFish Film Festival. The show features 75 works in all media, from paintings to sculptures, all incorporating shades of blue, up from 63 entries last year.

'Hidden heritage' Metro art shown in exhibition

An exhibition at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead is showcasing "Blazing Trails," a project by local artist Sofia Barton originally commissioned for Tyne and Wear Metro trains. The artwork celebrates the hidden heritage of north-east England by depicting lesser-known community leaders, including suffragette Kathleen Brown and Chinatown founders Koon Kiu Cheng and Peter Cheng. The display runs until 27 September in the Baltic's pop-up shop.

First Fridays celebrates art spaces

Every first Friday of the month, around 20 galleries and art spaces in Ithaca, New York, open their doors for free evening exhibitions from 5 to 8 p.m. as part of the First Fridays tradition, also known as Ithaca Gallery Nights. The event, now facilitated by artist and curator Michael Sampson since 2023, features both traditional venues like State of the Art Gallery and non-traditional spaces such as Greenstar Co-op and St. Luke Lutheran Church, aiming to expand participation and include newer artists. Featured shows include "Black and White and …" by Ileen Kaplan and David Watkins at SOAG, and "Geometric Abstraction" by Mauro Marinelli, Michael George, and Laura Dale George at The Gallery at South Hill.

Students Selected for Autry Museum's Arts Exhibition

Twenty-seven students from South Pasadena High School have been selected to exhibit their work in the Autry Museum of the American West's "Visions of Humanity" student show, marking the largest number of SPHS students ever accepted into the exhibition. The display runs through May 31 at the Autry Museum in Griffith Park, featuring fourteen students in painting and drawing and thirteen in photography, taught by teachers Rouzanna Berberian and Aimee Levie-Hultman.

May Events at Lynden Sculpture Garden

The Lynden Sculpture Garden in Milwaukee announces its May 2026 events, including exhibitions, workshops, and outdoor installations. Featured exhibitions include Faythe Levine's "Time is Running Out," which explores the legacy of Charlotte Partridge and Miriam Frink, co-founders of the Layton School of Art, and "Slow Growing in the Time of Trees" by the mycology-focused collective mycollective. A bonsai exhibit opens on World Bonsai Day in collaboration with the Milwaukee Bonsai Society and Milwaukee Bonsai Foundation, alongside free community events like Knit @ Lynden with Sara Caron.

When Art Meets Nature: Children’s Art Exhibition At National Gallery Singapore

National Gallery Singapore presents 'When Art Meets Nature', a children's art exhibition running from 30 April to 1 November 2026. The show features two installations: 'Peace Forest' by Singaporean artist Soh Ee Shaun, located in the Keppel Centre for Art Education, and 'Where the River Runs' by Yenting Hsu, displayed in the City Hall Alcove. The exhibition is co-curated by the Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts and National Gallery Singapore, offering interactive experiences such as a scavenger hunt and a woodblock art station, alongside a video and audio installation exploring the Dahan River in Taiwan.

Fisherton Mill to showcase 14 artists and makers on Salisbury Art Trail

Fisherton Mill in Salisbury will host 14 artists and makers as part of the Salisbury Art Trail, running from May 23 to June 7. The mill's first-floor display space will feature resident studio artists, while the main gallery presents 'Brush, Kiln & Camera', a group exhibition from the Nova Art Guild showcasing ceramics, paintings, glasswork, and photography by Fiona Charter, Tamsyn Gregory, Lindsay Keir, Scarlet Leatham, Geraldine McLoughlin, and David Walker. Visitors can meet artists daily during the trail, and admission is free.

Young talent shines at fourth annual student art show

Slanted Art Co-Op in Montrose hosted its fourth annual student art show, featuring high school artists from four of the six school districts in the county. Students displayed works in acrylic, oil, pastels, ceramics, and mixed media, with some pieces available for sale. Notable participants included Forest City senior Amanda Borsheski, whose acrylic painting "Mandarin" and other works won multiple awards, and Blue Ridge senior Madison Gaylord, who exhibited a paint-dotted vinyl record and a relief sculpture. The event was curated by the students themselves and included awards such as Judges Delight and People's Choice.

‘Ojai Mystique’ exhibition returns to Ojai Valley Museum

The Ojai Valley Museum has opened its annual 'Ojai Mystique' exhibition, featuring 19 invited artists from California and beyond. Each artist created two paintings inspired by the Ojai Valley—a large masterwork and a smaller companion piece—resulting in 38 works that explore the region's landscape, atmosphere, and light. The exhibition runs through August 9 and includes a series of Sunday Town Talks with artists and a master framer.

A Canvas of Community at Chester County’s Art Galleries

Chester County, Pennsylvania, is home to a vibrant community of artists working across mediums like acrylic paint, watercolors, sculpture, and furniture. The article highlights five local art galleries—Church Street Gallery, Diving Cat Studio Gallery, Square Pear Fine Art Gallery, Sugartown Art and Antiques, and Werring Contemporary—each offering unique exhibitions, classes, and opportunities to purchase original works. It also promotes the upcoming Chester County Studio Tour, an annual event taking place May 16, where artists open their studios to the public.

MiC initiates cultural bridge between Italy and Mozambique on contemporary art

On April 20, 2026, the Italy-Mozambique project "A Bridge Made in Art" launched in Maputo, Mozambique, running until June 2027. Sponsored by Italy's Ministry of Culture and the National Museums of Perugia, the initiative includes workshops, exhibitions, and training in contemporary art, involving Mozambican institutions such as Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Fundação Leite Couto, and Núcleo de Arte. The program is part of the Mattei Plan for Africa, aiming to redefine Italy-Africa relations through cultural cooperation.

Diverse Materials and Perspectives in Upstairs Artspace’s Two Spring Shows

Upstairs Artspace in Tryon is launching two concurrent exhibitions, "Fight or Flight" and "Birds of a Feather," opening April 19. The solo show by Asheville-based artist Erika Diamond features textile sculptures crafted from bulletproof Kevlar and mirrored vinyl, exploring themes of queer safety, resilience, and survival. The accompanying group show, curated by Diamond, brings together eight artists whose works in photography, glass, and painting examine identity and the human body's relationship to the natural world.

In Venice, the Wagner Museum changes status

À Venise, le Musée Wagner change de statut

The Wagner Museum in Venice, currently a discreet institution housed within the Casino di Venezia in the Ca' Vendramin Calergi palace on the Grand Canal, is set to join the network of the Fondazione dei Musei Civici di Venezia (MUVE) by 2027. An agreement signed in March 2025, after thirty years of discussions, between MUVE, the Casino, and the Richard Wagner Association will make the museum the fourteenth institution under MUVE's management, alongside the Museo Correr, Ca' Pesaro, and the Museo Fortuny. The museum, established in 1995 in the rooms where Richard Wagner stayed and died in 1883, holds significant collections including the Josef Lienhart and Walter Just collections, making it one of the most important private Wagnerian collections outside Bayreuth, Germany.

Coastal Bodies: Camille Guichard's exhibition at the Rachel Hardouin Gallery

Camille Guichard presents 'Corps littoral' (Coastal Bodies), her first solo exhibition in Paris, at the Rachel Hardouin Gallery from May 21 to June 21, 2026. The show blends contemporary photography, poetic texts, and the artist's own nude body against coastal landscapes, exploring themes of vulnerability, erosion, and the relationship between the body and the living world. Guichard, who also works as a filmmaker and writer, includes series such as 'Ces rivages perdus' documenting the Aquitaine coast and 'Pulsions, corps et figures' focusing on bodily fragments.

Sotheby's May Marquee Sales unveiled | Led by Rothko's $70 - 100M Canvas

Sotheby's has unveiled its May marquee sales, headlined by Mark Rothko's monumental painting "Brown and Blacks in Reds" (1957), estimated at $70–100 million. The sales open with a dedicated auction of works from dealer and collector Robert Mnuchin, followed by The Now & Contemporary Art Evening Auction on May 14, led by a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting valued at over $45 million. Additional highlights include works from the collections of Jean and Terry de Gunzburg, Jennifer Gilbert, and David and Shoshanna Wingate, alongside a Modern Evening Auction on May 19 featuring Pablo Picasso's "Arlequin (Buste)" (est. over $40 million) and Vincent van Gogh's "La Moisson en Provence" (est. $25–35 million).

St. Gregory’s College unveils inaugural art exhibition in Lagos

St. Gregory's College in Lagos, Nigeria, launched its inaugural Gregorian Art Exhibition on April 25, 2026, at Jubilee Hall. Organized by the St. Gregory's College Old Boys Association in honor of legendary artist Bruce Onobrakpeya, the three-day event features established and emerging artists under the theme “Celebrating Legacy, Excellence and Continuity.” Speakers included former association chairman Dr. Michael Omolayole and current president Francis Kudayah, who announced plans for an annual art clinic and a digital platform called the “Gregorian Art Mart.” Onobrakpeya, who could not attend in person, delivered a vote of thanks reflecting on his career and the school's role in his development.

Jennifer Gilbert selling art worth millions to aid Detroit nonprofit

Detroit philanthropist and entrepreneur Jennifer Gilbert is selling major artworks from her personal collection at Sotheby’s this spring, with proceeds going to Lumana, a new Detroit-based arts nonprofit she founded. The collection will be offered across multiple sales, including The Now and Contemporary Evening Auction and Contemporary Day Auction in May, followed by Important Design in June. Highlights include Kenneth Noland’s 1958 painting “Circle” (estimated $4–6 million, a record for the artist) and Joan Mitchell’s 1976 painting “Loom II” (estimated $5–7 million).

Gallery Opening Reception: Rhythm of the Stage

The Gallery at the Attucks, located within Norfolk’s historic Attucks Theatre, is launching its second major exhibition titled "Rhythm of the Stage." Curated by Nyree Dowdy, the show features over 40 original works by 25 artists from the Hampton Roads region, exploring the intersection of visual art, music, and dance. A public opening reception is scheduled for April 17, 2026, marking a significant milestone for the city's newest dedicated art space.

Interview to discover Theo Eshetu, the only Italian artist at the 2026 Venice Biennale

Intervista per scoprire Theo Eshetu, unico artista italiano alla Biennale di Venezia 2026

Theo Eshetu (London, 1958), the only Italian artist invited to the central exhibition "In Minor Keys" of the 2026 Venice Biennale curated by Koyo Kouoh, is profiled in an interview. Born to an Ethiopian father and Dutch mother, Eshetu trained in the Netherlands and London before settling in Rome in the early 1980s. He discusses his cosmopolitan background, his early struggles with belonging, and how he transformed that into artistic strength. The interview covers his career, his memories of the Roman art scene in the 1980s and 1990s, and his current work presented at the Biennale, including the piece "The Return of the Axum Obelisk" (2010).

The project that brings Michelangelo's David to the Swiss Alps: a full-scale copy will be installed among the mountains

Il progetto che porta il David di Michelangelo sulle Alpi della Svizzera: verrà installata tra le montagne una copia a grandezza naturale

A full-scale marble replica of Michelangelo's David will be installed in the Swiss Alpine village of Klosters (Canton of Grisons) starting July 2, 2026. The copy, carved in 2017 from Michelangelo's preferred Polvaccio marble in Carrara, weighs over nine tons and was produced by Studi d’Arte Cave Michelangelo under Franco Barattini. The project is organized by Scultura Viva, a cultural initiative based in Klosters that focuses on reactivating sculptural heritage through public installations and educational programs.