The Many Forms of Marcel Duchamp

The New Yorker's Hilton Als reviews "Marcel Duchamp," a major retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, running through August 22, 2026. Curated by Matthew Affron, Michelle Kuo, and Ann Temkin, it is the first North American retrospective of Duchamp's work since 1973, organized in collaboration with the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The exhibition spans MoMA's entire sixth floor, showcasing Duchamp's shape-shifting practice—from iconic works like "Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2)" (1912) and "Bicycle Wheel" (1951) to his readymades and conceptual pieces—emphasizing his rejection of commodification and embrace of intellectual freedom, play, and queer sensibilities.

The New York Historical Celebrates Artist Betye Saar’s 100th Birthday with a New Exhibition Featuring Her Black Doll Collection

The New York Historical will present "Betye Saar’s Black Dolls" from May 8 to October 4, 2026, celebrating the artist’s 100th birthday. The exhibition features 27 dolls from Saar’s promised gift of over 100 Black dolls to the museum, alongside 15 watercolors and several assemblages, including "Hoo Doo Woman" (1974) and "Indigo Mercy" (1975). Saar, a key figure in the Black Arts and feminist art movements, began collecting Black dolls in the late 1960s after growing up without one.

KAWS | Along the way (Gray Variant) (2019) | For Sale

APC ART is offering for sale a gray variant of KAWS's iconic figure "Along the Way" (2019), a painted cast vinyl sculpture measuring 10 × 7 1/2 × 3 1/2 inches. The work is a miniature version of the artist's 2013 wooden sculpture, originally exhibited at Mary Boone Gallery in New York. The piece features two of KAWS's signature "Companion" characters leaning on each other for emotional support. The work is brand new, in hand, signed in plate, and includes a certificate of authenticity. It is offered exclusively by APC ART, which ships from the USA.

Trevor Paglen’s New Book Says AI Is Rewriting What Images Do

Artist Trevor Paglen has published a new book, *How to See Like a Machine: Images After AI*, which argues that generative AI and computer vision are fundamentally changing how images function in culture. Drawing on his decade-long practice, Paglen contends that images are no longer merely representations for human interpretation but have become operational tools—'activations' that trigger automated responses and shape reality. He cites examples such as surveillance cameras at grocery stores, the Samsara navigation system in trucks, and the ImageNet database to illustrate how machine vision systems normalize surveillance in service of capital, a phenomenon he terms 'machine realism.'

An Inside Look at Realizing Koyo Kouoh’s Venice Biennale Exhibition and More: Morning Links for April 29, 2026

The article reports on the 2026 Venice Biennale proceeding without its curator Koyo Kouoh, who died last May from liver cancer. Her husband Philippe Mall and son Djibril Schmed agreed with Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco to continue the exhibition, which opens to the public on May 9. Elsewhere, a Chicago judge sentenced Robert Dunlap to 23 years for a cryptocurrency scam claiming to be backed by artworks by Picasso, Dalí, and van Gogh. A Renoir painting once owned by the Duchess of Alba is returning to Spain, and a robot docent named R1 debuted at Palazzo Madama in Turin.

Jarvis Cocker and Kim Sion to curate art exhibition at Hepworth Wakefield

Jarvis Cocker and his wife Kim Sion will curate a new exhibition titled "Hodge Podge" at the Hepworth Wakefield, opening in May 2027. The show brings together a personal selection of works by artists including Jeremy Deller, Peter Doig, Barbara Hepworth, and others, alongside unknown outsider and visionary artists never before exhibited in UK public museums. The exhibition aims to challenge conventional ideas of art and includes an immersive Dreamachine, a flickering light device co-invented by Brion Gysin and Ian Sommerville in 1959.

The great Anselm Kiefer arrives in Valencia for an exhibition. There is a rare work for the first time in Europe

Il grande Anselm Kiefer arriva in mostra a Valencia. C’è un’opera rara per la prima volta in Europa

German artist Anselm Kiefer is coming to Valencia for the first time, inaugurating the temporary exhibition program at the CAHH – Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero. The show, curated by Javier Molins, will run from April 29 to October 25 at the Palacio de Valeriola, featuring Kiefer's works in dialogue with the permanent collection. A highlight is "Danaë," a monumental painting over 13 meters wide that depicts the interior of Berlin's Tempelhof airport and references the myth of Danaë; this work has only been shown once before, in New York in 2022, and is now on view in Europe for the first time.

Why London’s Whitechapel Gallery Hired an Economist

London's Whitechapel Gallery has appointed economist Mariana Mazzucato as its first economist-in-residence, a three-year role aimed at rethinking how museums generate revenue and demonstrate social value. The gallery faces a £880,458 deficit, a 325% increase from the previous year, due to declining exhibition income, reduced trust and foundation funding, and cuts in Arts Council England grants. Mazzucato, a professor at University College London and director of the Institute for Innovation & Public Purpose, will advocate for treating culture as a strategic public investment.

Reclaiming the Self-Taught Artist’s Creative Identity

The American Folk Art Museum (AFAM) in New York will present "Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists" this spring, a major exhibition examining the historical definition of the "self-taught artist" through authorship, agency, and self-representation. Featuring over 90 works spanning the early 20th century to today, the show is organized around three strategies—self-portraiture, alter egos, and autobiography—and includes pieces by Henry Darger, Clémentine Hunter, Martín Ramírez, Aloïse Corbaz, Adolf Wölfli, Nicole Appel, Susan Janow, and Joe Coleman, many on view for the first time.

Venice, Here We Come

Hyperallergic's newsletter previews the upcoming 61st Venice Biennale, noting the charged political climate that may overshadow the art. It highlights the main exhibition "In Minor Keys" conceived by the late Koyo Kouoh, and includes a guide to national pavilions, collateral events, and notable exhibitions in Venice. The edition also features a studio visit with 93-year-old artist Joan Semmel, an interview with Lebanese artist Tania El Khoury about her "revenge art," and news about Barbara Chase-Riboud declining to represent the US at the Biennale, a $116M gift to the National Gallery of Art, and the death of Argentine painter Ides Kihlen at 108.

Museums and Art Galleries to Visit in Tokyo

This article provides a guide to notable museums and art galleries in Tokyo, including the Mori Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, The National Art Center Tokyo, Yayoi Kusama Museum, teamLab Planets Tokyo, Creative Museum Tokyo, and Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum. Each entry includes details on opening hours, addresses, and highlights such as immersive installations, contemporary art collections, and unique architectural settings.

Has a new Banksy statue just appeared in central London?

A new statue has appeared on Waterloo Place in central London, bearing the signature of elusive street artist Banksy. The artwork depicts a suited man carrying a large flag that covers his face, stepping off a plinth, and blends with nearby bronze and granite monuments. Sightings were first reported on Wednesday 29 April, but how and when the statue was erected in this busy intersection remains unknown. Banksy has not yet posted the work on his Instagram account, his usual method of authentication, though crowds have already gathered.

Monopol gives away 5 × 2 tickets for Peter Hujar and Liz Deschenes at the Gropius Bau

Monopol verlost 5 × 2 Tickets für Peter Hujar und Liz Deschenes im Gropius Bau

Monopol magazine is giving away 5 × 2 tickets to the exhibition "Peter Hujar / Liz Deschenes: Persistence of Vision" at the Gropius Bau in Berlin. The show pairs Hujar's iconic black-and-white photographs of New York's downtown scene—featuring figures like Susan Sontag, Divine, and David Wojnarowicz—with Liz Deschenes' abstract, material-focused works on glass and photosensitive paper. To enter, readers must email their name with the subject line "Hujar" by May 30.

Big Crisis, Small Gestures

Große Krise, kleine Gesten

The article reviews the second edition of the Klima Biennale Wien, which opened in early April in Vienna. It notes that while the biennale aims to address the urgent triple crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, its execution falls short. The exhibition features symbolic works such as a beached whale, a broken boat, and a compostable SUV sculpture, but these motifs feel repetitive and lack the necessary impact. The author contrasts these with historical precedents like Menashe Kadishman's 1978 Venice Biennale installation and Joseph Beuys' "7000 Eichen" (1982), arguing that the themes of nature and sustainability are not new, only the urgency has intensified.

Online-Only Art Auctions Overwhelmingly Succeed in 2025

A new report from Artnet reveals that online-only auctions at Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Phillips, Bonhams, and Artnet Auctions generated $423.9 million in 2025, an 8% increase from 2024. The average price of artworks sold online also rose 8.6% to $14,309, with some platforms like Fair Warning finding success through hyper-specific sales, such as one centered on Andy Warhol’s 1974 portrait of Brigitte Bardot. Christie’s reported that 63% of new buyers made their first purchase online in 2025, where the average price point was $22,700.

Immersive exhibitions and visits not to miss from spring to summer in France

Les expos et visites immersives à ne pas rater du printemps à l’été en France

The article from Beaux Arts Magazine highlights a selection of immersive art exhibitions and experiences across France for spring and summer 2026. Featured attractions include "Passion Japon" at Parc de la Villette in Paris, a journey through Japanese culture with Hokusai and Hiroshige projections; "L'Odyssée Céleste" at Église Saint-Eustache, a 3D light spectacle with live choral music; "Frissons" at the Musée d'Orsay, an interactive light installation by artist Adrien M responding to visitors' movements; and a Picasso immersive experience at Les Baux-de-Provence.

Martin Schongauer in 2 Minutes

Martin Schongauer en 2 minutes

Martin Schongauer (c. 1445–1491), the Alsatian painter, draftsman, and engraver, is celebrated as the greatest German copperplate engraver before Albrecht Dürer and one of the first artists to achieve pan-European fame in his lifetime. The article outlines his life and career, from his early training in his father's goldsmith workshop in Colmar to his studies at the University of Leipzig and travels through Flanders, where he absorbed the influence of Rogier van der Weyden and Dirk Bouts. It highlights his 116 copper engravings, signed with the monogram 'M+S', which elevated engraving to a high art and circulated from Spain to Bohemia, inspiring Dürer and the young Michelangelo. Key works discussed include the painting 'La Vierge au buisson de roses' (1473) and the engraving 'La Tentation de saint Antoine' (c. 1470–1475).

Il mitico artista-ceramista italiano Nanni Valentini torna negli Stati Uniti con una mostra sulla sua storia. Le immagini

The Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York, is hosting "Interspaces," a retrospective exhibition dedicated to Italian artist Nanni Valentini (1932–1985), a pivotal figure in ceramic art. Curated by Garth Johnson of the Everson Museum and Luca Bochicchio of the Museo della Ceramica di Savona, with oversight by art historian Flaminio Gualdoni, the show runs until September 6, 2026. It traces Valentini's evolution from functional pottery to conceptual wall works, featuring pieces like "I segni della terra" (1981) and "Impronta-totem" (1979), on loan from ABC-ARTE gallery. The exhibition marks Valentini's return to the U.S., where he first gained international recognition at the museum's 1958 Ceramic International, introduced by Lucio Fontana.

Liu Ding and Carol Yinghua Lu to curate 2027 Istanbul Biennial

The Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (ISKV) has announced that Liu Ding and Carol Yinghua Lu will curate the 2027 Istanbul Biennial. Liu Ding is a Beijing-based artist and curator who has participated in numerous international biennials and taught at NABA Milan, while Carol Yinghua Lu is an art historian and director of the Inside-Out Art Museum in Beijing, with a background at OCAT Shenzhen, Museion Bolzano, and Asia Art Archive. The pair, who have collaborated since 2007, most recently served as artistic directors of the 2024 Yokohama Triennale. The 19th edition of the Istanbul Biennial is scheduled for 18 September to 14 November 2027.

Star-Studded Doc on Auction Icon Simon de Pury Heads to Cannes

A new feature-length documentary titled "The Hammer" will premiere at this spring's Cannes Film Market, chronicling the five-decade career of Swiss auctioneer and art advisor Simon de Pury. Produced by Simon Wallon, who previously made a documentary on casting director Bonnie Timmermann, the film features cameos from artists Marina Abramović, Jeff Koons, Ai Weiwei, and Chloe Wise, and includes executive producer Catherine Quantschnigg. Filming took place in New York, Tokyo, London, Cannes, Miami, and Monaco between July 2023 and February 2025.

‘Tracey Emin said they’re all about death’: Johnnie Shand Kydd on his dog-walk photographs – and capturing the hard-partying YBAs

Johnnie Shand Kydd, a former art dealer turned photographer, reflects on his intimate black-and-white photographs of the Young British Artists (YBAs) in the 1990s, capturing figures like Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst, and Sarah Lucas in candid, hedonistic moments rather than traditional studio portraits. Now 66, Shand Kydd has a new exhibition titled 'Ramsholt' at Emin's gallery in Margate, featuring photographs from his dog-walking route, which will also be published as a photobook.

'You Must Change Your Life' at GRIMM, New York, United States on 26 Jun–7 Aug 2026

GRIMM gallery in New York presents "You Must Change Your Life," a group exhibition curated by Tom Morton, running from June 26 to August 7, 2026. The show features an international roster of painters and sculptors including Alexander Tovborg, Elinor Stanley, Sophie Ruigrok, Sara Rossberg, Jhonatan Pulido, Ken Kiff, Matthew Day Jackson, Ted Gahl, Gabriella Boyd, Anderson Borba, Kinga Bartis, Mahesh Baliga, and Charles Avery. The exhibition takes its title from the final line of Rainer Maria Rilke's poem "Archaic Torso of Apollo" (1918), exploring themes of how the past speaks to the present, the animation of materials, the fragment as synecdoche, and the transformative power of visual contemplation.

Inside the Inaugural Edition of Art Cologne Palma Mallorca

The inaugural edition of Art Cologne Palma Mallorca took place from April 9–12, 2026, attracting 88 galleries from 20 countries and over 10,000 visitors to the Mediterranean island. The fair, held at the Palau de Congressos Convention Centre, reported strong sales and sold-out weekend days, with Artistic Director Daniel Hug praising the high level of engagement and positive response from both exhibitors and attendees. A second edition has already been scheduled for April 1–4, 2027.

Your Australian art guide for May 2026 is here

May 2026 brings a packed calendar of art exhibitions across Australia, with highlights including Rone's 'Another TIME' at COMA Gallery in Sydney, the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes at the Art Gallery of NSW, and solo shows by Eleanor Louise Butt, Jordan Gogos, Natalya Hughes, Patricia Piccinini, and Michaela Gleave. Regional venues like Bundanon and Ngununggula also feature major exhibitions, including a posthumous show of Rosalie Gascoigne alongside new commissions by First Nations women artists.

27 Best Museums in the World for Art, History, and Cultural Wonders

This article from Travel + Leisure lists 27 of the best museums in the world, covering art, history, science, and culture. Featured institutions include the Louvre in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Vatican Museums, the National Museum of China in Beijing, the National Gallery and Tate Modern in London, the Natural History Museum in London, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and Miraikan in Tokyo. The piece highlights iconic artworks such as the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and the Sistine Chapel ceiling, as well as notable architectural features like I.M. Pei's glass pyramid at the Louvre.

Art Fund launches UK-wide touring programme

Art Fund has launched a UK-wide touring programme called Going Places, backed by £5.36 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Julia Rausing Trust. The first exhibition, *Making Her Mark: A Celebration of Women in Art*, opened at Penlee House Gallery & Museum in Penzance, featuring over 60 works from three museum collections alongside community responses. It will travel to Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum and Kirkcaldy Gallery through 2027. The programme plans 12 major touring shows over five years, with six already scheduled, including exhibitions on green spaces, journeys, radical living, art and nature, and community making.

Cole evolution featured in inaugural exhibition

The Thomas Cole National Historic Site in Catskill, New York, has opened a new exhibition titled “Thomas Cole: An American Visionary,” which marks the debut of the Richard Sharp Gallery in the historic 1815 Main House. The exhibition features 16 original paintings by Thomas Cole, along with drawings, sketches, and studio objects that trace the artist’s development and influence. It explores Cole’s evolution into an internationally recognized artist, his connection to the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley, and his role in shaping a visual identity for the young United States, while also highlighting his mentorship of Frederic Church. The gallery was funded and inspired by collector Richard “Rick” Sharp, who donated the centerpiece work “Diagram of Contrasts” to the site’s permanent collection.

The Female Artists To See at This Year's Venice Biennale

The 61st Venice Biennale returns amid controversy, including calls to exclude Israel, scrutiny over Russia's participation, and the reinstatement of Australian artist Khaled Sabsabi. Despite the political tensions, the exhibition will feature a strong lineup of female artists, from established names like Marina Abramović and Jenny Saville to emerging voices such as Maja Malou Lyse, who becomes the youngest artist to represent Denmark. The 2026 edition also introduces dedicated spaces for Black and Indigenous artists for the first time, with works exploring themes from male fertility to patriarchal violence and resilience.

Giovanni Segantini at the Marmottan Monet Museum: our photos from the exhibition on the painter of the Alps

The Marmottan Monet Museum in Paris has opened a major retrospective of Giovanni Segantini, an Italian painter known for his Symbolist and Divisionist Alpine landscapes. Titled "I Want to See My Mountains," the exhibition runs from April 29 to August 16, 2026, and features over 60 works including oil paintings, pastels, and drawings, plus around 30 works on paper from European collections. Curated by Gabriella Belli and Diana Segantini, the show traces Segantini's artistic journey from his early days in Italy to his time in the Engadine Valley in Switzerland, where he found inspiration in mountain landscapes. The exhibition is divided into ten sections and also includes a contemporary tribute to Anselm Kiefer, whose works create a dialogue with Segantini's vision.

11 Art Shows to See in the Hudson Valley in May 2026

The article surveys 11 art exhibitions opening across the Hudson Valley in May 2026, highlighting a regional preoccupation with structure, materiality, and resistance to singular narratives. Featured shows include "Surface, Structure, String" at Hudson Hall, a textile survey curated by Richard Saja with artists like Portia Munson and Laleh Khoramian; "Jose Picayo: 35 Years in Photographs" at Robin Rice Gallery; "The Linda McCartney Retrospective: From the Light" at the Fenimore Art Museum; "Carol Seitz: Growth in Difficult Places" at Convey/er/or; and "Stephen Olivier: Hazmat" at ASK in Kingston, among others.