Long Live the King?

Sam Jacob's essay in ArtReview uses the upcoming Baz Luhrmann film 'EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert' (2026) as a springboard to explore the cultural and technical implications of digital restoration. The film, a spinoff from Luhrmann's 2022 Elvis biopic, draws on 59 hours of previously unseen footage from Elvis Presley's 1970 and 1972 Las Vegas performances, recovered from Warner's Kansas salt-mine archive. Using Peter Jackson's Park Road Post technology—including Machine Assisted Learning (MAL) for demixing audio and video—the damaged, fragmented material has been digitally scanned, reconstructed, and enhanced to 4k resolution with 12-channel sound, presented in IMAX cinemas.

The legendary film "Novecento" by Bertolucci in his Parma becomes a major exhibition

Il mitico film “Novecento” di Bertolucci nella sua Parma diventa una grande mostra

A major exhibition titled "Bernardo Bertolucci. Il Novecento" has opened at the Palazzo del Governatore in Parma, Italy, marking the 50th anniversary of Bertolucci's epic film "Novecento" (1976). The show is structured as a visual experience across 25 rooms and four sections, exploring the film's dialectic between collective history and intimate gaze. It features video, drawings, photographs, production materials, and artworks by artists such as Franco Angeli, Renato Guttuso, Taner Ceylan, and Mario Schifano, all drawn from private collections. The exhibition's first room sets the tone with a video juxtaposing the film's opening credits over Pellizza da Volpedo's painting "Il Quarto Stato" and a close-up of the young Olmo holding a frog, encapsulating the tension between political epic and sensory detail.

The new London museum that looks like a ‘reconstructed Toblerone’

The V&A has opened a new outpost in east London's Lower Lea Valley, a former industrial area transformed into a cultural quarter after the 2012 Olympics. The museum, described as looking like a 'reconstructed Toblerone', is the latest addition to the 'Olympicopolis' vision, which aimed to create a cultural legacy akin to west London's Albertopolis. The article, written by Catherine Slessor in The Guardian, offers a mixed review: praising the beauty and craftsmanship of the galleries while criticizing overuse of trendy phrases like 'lived experience' and 'transcultural identities'.

Queer Saints, Big Egos

Queere Heilige, große Egos

Andrew Durbin's new biography examines the intertwined lives of artists Peter Hujar and Paul Thek, focusing on their art, desire, and self-staging. The review notes that while the book covers their creative circles—including figures like David Wojnarowicz, Divine, John Waters, and Susan Sontag—it loses sight of the urgent political and social context that animated their work, particularly the AIDS crisis and Reagan-era repression.

Philadelphia Museum of Art previews "Rocky" exhibit

The Philadelphia Museum of Art previewed a new exhibition titled "Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments," timed to coincide with the nation's 250th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the "Rocky" film. The exhibition focuses on the iconic Rocky statue at the base of the museum's steps, and a talk featured guest curator Paul Farber and Jacqui Frazier-Lyde, daughter of boxing legend Joe Frazier. A statue of Joe Frazier will be moved to the base of the Art Museum steps, where the Rocky statue once stood. The exhibit opens to the public on April 25, 2026.

Lubaina Himid has been busy ‘Predicting History: Testing Translation’

Lubaina Himid has been selected to represent the United Kingdom at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2026 with a major solo installation titled 'Predicting History: Testing Translation' at the British Pavilion. The exhibition, running from May 9 to November 2026, features a new series of large, multipaneled paintings in dazzling colors, surreal settings, and a soundscape created in collaboration with artist Magda Stawarska. Himid, a Turner Prize-winning pioneer of the Black British Art Movement and Emeritus Professor at the University of Central Lancashire, explores themes of belonging, migration, and making a home in a new place.

New Leamington Spa art gallery to spotlight South Asian artists

A new art gallery in Leamington Spa is set to open with a focus on South Asian artists. The inaugural exhibition will feature paintings and works from eight local and national artists, including Amrit Singh Sandhu, Simran Kaur Panesar, and Rati Devi Sivyer. Sandhu, who also appears as an expert on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow, has worked in the art industry for 12 years and previously exhibited in London, New York, Paris, and Mumbai.

Exhibition openings to enjoy in May

Bundaberg Regional Galleries in Queensland, Australia, will launch five new exhibitions in May 2025, with opening events spread across the month. The shows include 'Lost in Palm Springs', a national touring exhibition curated by Dr Greer Honeywill featuring 14 artists and thinkers from America and Australia exploring Palm Springs' landscape and mid-century modern architecture; 'Shifting Perspectives: the Self Reconciliation Project' by local artist Avi Amesbury, which uses ceramics and storytelling to examine settler-colonial family history; 'Post Truth' by Gureng Gureng/Gangalu artist Darren Blackburn, addressing the Australian Government's Close the Gap campaign through led-neon signs; 'The Nature of Silk: The Glad Not Sad Book', a family-friendly exhibition of silk art by children's book author Kim Michelle Toft; and 'Metal in Motion' by Kevin Dekker, a collection of sculptures that transform steel, wood, stone and ceramics into dynamic, fluid forms. Opening events will be held at Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery and Childers Arts Space, with free admission and no RSVP required.

Turkish artist Nilbar Gures brings defiance to 61st Venice Biennale

Turkish artist Nilbar Güneş will represent Türkiye at the 61st Venice Biennale (May 9–November 22, 2026) with her exhibition "A Kiss on the Eyes" in the Arsenale's Türkiye Pavilion. Güneş, born in Istanbul in 1977 and educated at Marmara University, the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, and the University of Applied Arts, works across photography, film, painting, performance, and mixed media. Her practice draws on personal biography to address societal issues, and she has shown internationally at venues including Osmos in New York and Vortic Art in London.

Mirror Silk Art Exhibitions

Shaniqwa Jarvis's solo exhibition 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' opens at Public Gallery in London on 30 April 2026, featuring twelve works across silk, mirrored surfaces, aluminum, and collage. The show includes suspended silk panels in front of mirrors, floral imagery, portraiture, abstract compositions, a moving image work combining archival footage and recorded audio, and a second book titled 'GUTS' published by Super Labo with an introduction by curator Essence Harden.

Through Reverie: Love and Memory | A Duo-solo Exhibition by Clasutta and C.K.Koh

Whitestone Gallery Singapore will present a duo-solo exhibition titled "Through Reverie: Love and Memory" opening on 9 May 2026. The show features Indonesian artist Clasutta and Malaysian artist C.K. Koh, each presenting a solo component: Clasutta's "Roommates?" explores the emotional stages of a relationship through fragmented, intimate gestures, while Koh's "Folded Glimpses" draws from his personal photographic archive to evoke memory as impression rather than documentary record.

Challenging norms through Mithila art

An exhibition titled 'Hamro Sahas, Hamro Kala' (Our Courage, Our Art) is being held at Gallery 108 in Kathmandu, Nepal, from April 24 to April 30. Organized by Maiti Nepal in collaboration with Gallery 108, the show features 15 Mithila artworks that address dowry practices, child marriage, and gender inequality, while promoting women's empowerment and resilience. Each piece is accompanied by a written narrative to clarify its social message.

KAWS | ALONG THE WAY (2013) | Art & Prints

This article is a detailed listing for KAWS's sculpture *ALONG THE WAY* (2013), a wood piece measuring 96 7/8 × 75 × 51 1/4 inches, held in the collection of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. It includes the work's exhibition history, the artist's biography (born Brian Donnelly, 1974), his key solo exhibitions at institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum and Yorkshire Sculpture Park, and his high auction record of HK$116 million at Sotheby's in 2019. The listing also features a series of related KAWS works available at auction houses including Christie's, Phillips, and Heritage Auctions.

HOW TO READ A POROUS WORK AT PINTA LIMA 2026

Casa Miraflores presents the RADAR section titled "Porous Systems" at Pinta Lima 2026, curated by Ilaria Conti. The section features Guatemalan center La Galería Rebelde and artist Angélica Serech, whose textile works draw from Maya Kaqchikel knowledge, alongside artists Diana Eusebio, Luciano Giménez, Alberto Casari, and Carlos Luis "Pajita" García Bes. The exhibition explores permeability, process, and the meeting of inherited knowledge with contemporary languages.

Muzeu Braga, Portugal’s newest art museum bridging art and critical thought

Portuguese construction and engineering group DST has opened Muzeu, a contemporary art museum in Braga's historic center, housed in a former courthouse redesigned by architect José Carvalho Araújo. The inaugural exhibition, 'Sejamos realistas, exijamos o impossível' (Let us be realistic, let us demand the impossible), features works by international artists Alex Katz, Nan Goldin, Annie Leibovitz, and Anselm Kiefer alongside leading Portuguese artists such as Ângela Ferreira, Pedro Calapez, and Ana Vidigal. DST CEO José Teixeira, who has built one of Portugal's most significant private art collections, aims to position the museum as a cultural anchor for the city.

‘Prolific V: The Lost Gallery’ Brings Immersive Art, Music, and Tech to St. Thomas

On Saturday, the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts on St. Thomas will host “Prolific V: The Lost Gallery,” an immersive exhibition blending visual art, music, and interactive technology presented by Eliana B. Artistry. Curated by St. Croix native and Air Force veteran Eliana L. Schuster-Brown, the event features augmented reality elements, an original animation co-produced with Kirk Rojas, and soundscapes by AJ Ventura. Artists include Lucien Downes, Elwin Joseph, Indira Lovely, Chunikwa George, Amy Gibbs, and Kanda Burges. The exhibition runs for two weeks afterward, with all artwork for sale and tickets available on Eventbrite.

SCV News | May 31: SCAA Call to Artist 'Freshly Squeezed' Submission Deadline

The Santa Clarita Artists Association (SCAA) has issued a call for artists to submit work for its upcoming exhibition titled "Freshly Squeezed," with an entry deadline of May 31. The exhibition, running from June 18 to July 19 at the SCAA Gallery in Santa Clarita, California, invites original 2D and 3D fine art in all media that features citrus fruits, citrus-inspired colors, or abstract interpretations of a citrus palette. No video or AI-generated works are accepted, and pieces must not have been shown at the gallery in the last two years. Key dates include a reception on June 20, notification on June 2, and artwork drop-off on June 16.

This California Art Show From Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys Pairs Major Artists With a Stunning Pacific Backdrop

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego is hosting "Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys," an exhibition featuring over 130 works by 37 Black American and diasporic artists. The show, which began at the Brooklyn Museum in 2024, includes pieces by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Gordon Parks, Mickalene Thomas, and Derrick Adams, and was celebrated with a preview party attended by the collectors and their creative community.

American Popular Art Museum Educates Young Art Mediators for the 2026 Popular Arts Encounter in Cerrillos

The American Popular Art Museum Tomás Lago (MAPA) in Chile has trained a group of children as art mediators for the 2026 Popular Arts Encounter in Cerrillos. The program, called "Art Mediators in Your School," began after the school Pedro Aguirre Cerda hosted its first community art encounter in 2022, initiated by educator Sandra Ramírez and local organizers. Ten children received training in cultural mediation and art appreciation at MAPA, then guided their peers through the exhibition. The collaboration has deepened, with MAPA now also contributing to curating and exhibit design for the 2026 edition.

Important Early Works from the Cy Twombly Foundation

Gagosian Gallery will present an exhibition of six early works by Robert Rauschenberg from the Cy Twombly Foundation, opening April 25 at 980 Madison Avenue. The show coincides with the centennial of Rauschenberg’s birth and runs alongside a Marcel Duchamp exhibition in the gallery’s new ground-floor space. The featured works, including a rare 1950 sculpture and the photogram *Untitled (1950)*, were preserved by Cy Twombly, reflecting the close friendship and artistic exchange between the two artists who met in 1951 at the Art Students League of New York and later traveled together through Europe and North Africa.

Andrea Pazienza is alive! A major exhibition opening at MAXXI shouts it

Andrea Pazienza è vivo! Lo urla una importante mostra in apertura al MAXXI

The MAXXI museum in Rome is opening a major exhibition titled "Non sempre si muore" dedicated to Andrea Pazienza, the legendary Italian underground comic artist. Curated by Giulia Ferracci and Oscar Glioti, the show opens on April 24, 2026, and runs until September 27, 2026. It features over 500 original drawings, including a monumental mural Pazienza created live at the 1987 Fiera del Fumetto in Naples, recently restored by the museum. The exhibition is the second chapter of a larger research project by MAXXI, following the earlier show "La matematica del segno" at MAXXI L'Aquila, which focused on Pazienza's formative years. The title quotes a phrase Pazienza said in 1988 to British host Clive Griffiths shortly before his death, underscoring the enduring vitality of his work.

Venice Biennale jury excludes Russia and Israel from artist awards as EU threatens funding cut

The Venice Biennale jury has excluded Russia and Israel from eligibility for artist awards, following the EU's threat to cut funding over geopolitical concerns. The decision bars artists from these countries from being considered for official prizes at the prestigious international art exhibition.

Yves Saint Laurent–Owned Mirrors Shatter Record, Selling for $33.5 Million

A unique set of fifteen mirrors custom-made for fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé sold at Sotheby’s for $33.5 million, setting a new auction record for the artist Claude Lalanne. The gilt bronze, copper, and mirrored glass mirrors, created between 1974 and 1985, were originally displayed in the couple’s Paris apartment and were purchased from the collection of Jean and Terry de Gunzburg.

Image of Family Torn by ICE Wins World Press Photo of the Year

American photojournalist Carol Guzy won the 2026 World Press Photo of the Year for her image "Separated by ICE," which captures a tearful family torn apart by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after an immigration court hearing in New York amid President Trump's broader crackdown. The contest, established in 1955, selected 42 global winners from over 57,000 photographs submitted by nearly 3,800 photographers across 141 countries. Finalists included Saber Nuraldin's "Aid Emergency in Gaza" and Victor J. Blue's "The Trials of the Achi Women," while other winners addressed displacement, war, and environmental crises.

'Sachlichkeit' at Galerie Albrecht, Berlin, Germany on 2 May–27 Jun 2026

Galerie Albrecht in Berlin presents 'Sachlichkeit', an exhibition running from 2 May to 27 June 2026, that explores the concept of objectivity in art. The show features works by Kate Diehn-Bitt, a forgotten representative of the New Objectivity movement, alongside Michael Langner, associated with 'German Pop', as well as Rafael Cidoncha, Emese Kazár, and Sabine Herrmann. The exhibition examines how these artists portray people and objects with empathy, realism, and sometimes surreal distortion, ranging from Diehn-Bitt's empathetic portraits to Langner's automobile studies and Kazár's commentary on women's lives.

Studio Sessions: Raili Jänese

Artist Raili Jänese, an Estonian-born painter now based in Kirkland, Washington, creates colorful acrylic works that capture everyday human and animal behaviors with humor and tenderness. Her practice, which began after a corporate career, focuses on observation of mundane moments—people eating, drinking coffee, riding transit, and animals in urban settings. Her upcoming solo exhibition, "E.L.U," will be on view at Ryan James Fine Arts from May 1–31, 2025, with a Gallery Night on May 22. Jänese has shown work regionally at venues including Happy Time Studio Gallery, Oxbow Montlake, and the Seattle Art Fair, and has completed public art projects in Bellevue, Kent, Kirkland, and Seattle.

L’inquinamento acustico diventa un percorso sonoro. L’installazione di Continental a Milano

Continental, the premium tire manufacturer, has commissioned WOA Studio, a creative studio founded by Davide Carioni and Giuliana Pajola, to create an immersive sound installation titled "The Sound of Premium" for the Fuorisalone design festival in Milan. Presented at BASE Milano, the installation transforms urban noise pollution into a three-part sonic journey—chaos, harmony, and quiet—using seventeen audio-luminous elements that abstract the city soundscape. The experience is designed to show how noise can be mitigated rather than eliminated, with sound data derived from real urban recordings, particularly tire rolling noise.

Thiago de Paula Souza Appointed Curator of Eighth Athens Biennale

Thiago de Paula Souza, a Brazilian-born curator and educator, has been appointed curator of the Eighth Athens Biennale, scheduled for spring 2026. De Paula Souza, based in São Paulo and a member of the artistic committee of NESR Art Foundation in Angola, is recognized for focusing on artistic practices involving transmutation through eroticism, gender nonconformity, and intimacy. He previously cocurated the 2025 Bienal de São Paulo, the 2024 Panorama da Arte Brasileira at MAM São Paulo, and the survey “Some May Work as Symbols: Art Made in Brazil, 1950s–70s” at Raven Row, London, and served on the curatorial team of the 2018 Berlin Biennale.

Ai Weiwei to Reenact His Own Detention in 24-Hour Performance in Manchester

Artist and dissident Ai Weiwei will reenact his 81-day detention by China's Ministry of Public Security in a 24-hour performance titled "Sewing a Button" at Factory International's Aviva Studios in Manchester, England. The performance, part of his exhibition "Button Up!" running from July 2, 2025, will take place in a re-creation of his cell and involve Ai sleeping, eating, exercising, writing, washing, and being interrogated, with visitors able to book two-hour slots or a full 24-hour ticket. The work follows his earlier piece "S.A.C.R.E.D." (2013) and is joined by other commissioned works including "Eight-Nation Alliance Flags" and a new version of "History of Bombs."

Nations Charged With Crimes Against Humanity Will Not Be Considered for Venice Biennale Awards

The jury for the 2026 Venice Biennale announced it will not consider contributions from countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity for the Golden and Silver Lion awards, effectively excluding Israel and Russia. The decision, framed as a commitment to human rights and aligned with curator Koyo Kouoh's vision, comes amid broader controversy over participating pavilions, including American artists declining to represent the US and the EU withdrawing a $2.3 million grant over Russia's involvement.