The global financial landscape is undergoing a structural shift toward "collapse finance," where institutions designed to manage risk are increasingly profiting from and accelerating systemic instability. Amid geopolitical turmoil and the abandonment of green initiatives, traditional concepts of market security are unravelling, replaced by a system that monetizes uncertainty through instruments like catastrophe bonds and volatile cryptocurrencies.
Artist Emily Drew Miller has created a series of collograph prints titled "Matzot" by running sheets of matzah through a printing press. The resulting black-and-white impressions capture the intricate textures and cracks of the unleavened bread, transforming the traditional Passover food into a medium for her grid-based painting practice. The series began as a personal ritual around the holiday and has evolved into a decade-long exploration.
Chinese dissident artist Gao Zhen, based in the US, has been tried in a closed-door court in China on charges of "defaming national heroes and martyrs" related to his satirical sculptures of former leader Mao Zedong. The one-day trial concluded without a verdict, and the artist faces up to three years in prison. His wife and young son, both US citizens, are under exit bans and unable to leave China.
A new exhibition titled 'Dvaita: Dualities' has opened at The Lexicon Art in New Delhi, featuring works by ten artists exploring the concept of oneness through opposites. The show includes paintings, murals, and installations that examine contrasts like black and white, geometry and abstraction, and the relationship between humanity and nature.
The 'Evanston Woods II' exhibition at Space 900 Gallery in Evanston, Illinois, showcased wood in various forms through works by six local designers and makers over three days. Organized by Chicago woodworker Paul Segedin, the show featured visual wood sculptures, practical furniture, and mixed-media pieces, including Madeline Usher's sculpture 'I Wish You Could Join Me Up Here' and a coffee table by architect Len Koroski made from a downed tree. The event aimed to connect the public with handmade furniture and woodcraft, highlighting the challenges of finding such work in Chicago.
Southern Guild, a Cape Town-based gallery, opened a permanent location in New York's Tribeca district on Friday, marking a major expansion for the gallery and a milestone for contemporary African art's international visibility. The inaugural exhibitions feature South African painter Mmangaliso Nzuza's "Ballad of the Peacock" and conceptual artist Usha Seejarim's "Used," both on view until May 17. Co-founder Trevyn McGowan described the 371m² space in a historic cast-iron building as both instinctive and strategic, following the closure of the gallery's Los Angeles outpost, which served as a testing ground for American audiences.
Four months after the Bondi Beach terror attack that killed 15 people during a Chanukah celebration, a major exhibition titled 'Holding Light' has opened at Bondi Pavilion Art Gallery. Curated by Shalom Collective and supported by Waverley Council, the show brings together 29 artists and 28 works selected through a community call-out, spanning visual art, installation, and digital media. Artists including Ella Dreyfus, Munganbana Norman Miller, Beck Feiner, Bibi Solimani, and David Solomons respond to themes of loss, memory, courage, and hope, with works such as Dreyfus's 'Nature Morte – Zikaron' documenting the spontaneous memorial near the beachfront.
Hull-based nail tech Lucy Allman, who never considered herself an artist, was recruited by curator Lucy Brooke to participate in an art exhibition titled "Mother," organized by The Feminine Urge Collective. Allman created a series of unique nail art pieces using mixed media, including her children's hair and 3D clay, exploring themes of childhood, teenage years, and motherhood. The exhibition runs from 1-17 May 2026 at a pop-up space on Pier Street in Hull.
A photo essay showcases fashion and decorative arts associated with Marie Antoinette, drawn from multiple museum exhibitions in France. Images include an English-style dress and skirt (circa 1780-1790) from the Palais Galliera-Paris Musées, a shoe from 1895 at the Musée des Beaux Arts de Caen, a pug on a cushion from the Berlin Manufactory (circa 1760) courtesy of Les Arts Décoratifs, and a painting titled "The Bad News" by Jean-Baptiste-Marie Pierre. The collection also features a French-style dress (circa 1755-1765), a formal corset attributed to Queen Marie Antoinette (circa 1770-1780), and a view of the exhibition "Fashion in the 18th Century: A Fantasized Legacy" at the Palais Galliera fashion museum in Paris.
The article reports on the upcoming 61st Venice Biennale in 2026, focusing on the Korean Pavilion's exhibition titled "Liberation Space: Fortress and Nest." The Korean Pavilion, built in 1995 as the 26th national pavilion in Giardini Castello Park, will present itself as a temporary monument exploring Korea's post-colonial history, specifically the liberation period (1945-1948) and the concept of sovereignty. Artistic director Choi Bit-na has curated the exhibition to address Korea's geopolitical context, viewing the pavilion's 1995 entry as a key moment of decolonization alongside the demolition of the Government-General building and the founding of the Gwangju Biennale.
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.
Art of the Vineyard Tasting Gallery has opened in downtown Paso Robles, California, at 840 13th Street. The 1,500-square-foot venue combines estate wine tasting from Carmody McKnight Wines with curated fine art exhibitions, live music, open mic nights, and hands-on creative activities like sip-and-paint sessions and artist-led workshops. The gallery features works by local, national, and international artists, including original pieces by Gary Conway, and offers a Collectors Club with wine shipments and limited-edition prints.
Sculptor Paul Kroner has opened a solo exhibition titled "What Have I Done?" at his own Studio Kroner in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. The show, which launched on April 16 and runs through May 23, marks the studio's fifth anniversary and is Kroner's first solo exhibition in the space since he founded it in 2021.
Mothership Studios is hosting the opening reception and a brunch for the "Layers of Us" exhibition, featuring nine artists from Texas State University. The show explores the concept of culture through individual representation and community, using diverse media like video, painting, photography, and sculpture.
The Paul Collins Art Gallery at Grand Rapids Community College is currently hosting its annual Student Show, featuring artwork created by GRCC students throughout the year. The exhibition, which runs until April 22, is the gallery's final rotation before the fall semester and includes pieces selected by the art department faculty from various classes, though some disciplines like interior design are underrepresented due to display challenges.
Interdisciplinary artist Jinsun Kim presents a solo exhibition titled 'C.O.C.O.O.N.: HEALING' at K Space Contemporary in Corpus Christi, Texas. The exhibition features mixed-media sculptures that create immersive, cocoon-like environments exploring themes of healing, survival, and transformation. The works are informed by Kim's childhood memories of her mother's illness and recovery, translating personal experience into universal spatial narratives.
The Grackle Art Gallery in Fort Worth, Texas, will host "BLANK," the fourth curated installation by the Kickpigeon Kids, from May 2 to May 31, 2026. The exhibition explores the concept of blankness as a prerequisite for new beginnings and limitless potential, inviting selected artists to submit work interpreting the theme, often starting from the idea of a "blank canvas."
The Downtown Artists Cooperative (DAC) held its Annual Live Art Auction Gala at the F&M Bank’s Franklin Room in Clarksville, Tennessee. This event marked the organization’s first in-person gala since the COVID-19 pandemic, featuring both live and silent auctions of original works donated by cooperative members. Attendees enjoyed a catered dinner and live musical performances while bidding on local art.
The Leominster Public Library recently hosted the annual Head Start Art Show, an event showcasing creative works by preschool-aged children from the local MOC Child Care and Head Start Center. The exhibition featured a variety of media, including three-dimensional canvas pieces made with twigs and glitter, and brought together students, families, and community leaders to celebrate early childhood creativity.
The 25hours Hotel Jakarta The Oddbird has launched the inaugural Room Art Fair 2026 to coincide with World Art Day. In collaboration with the Indonesian Art Galleries Association (AGSI), the event transforms the hotel’s 10th-floor guest rooms into immersive gallery spaces featuring 13 different galleries. By removing the formal barriers of traditional white-cube settings, the fair allows visitors to engage with contemporary Indonesian art in a domestic, intimate environment.
A new art gallery called THINGS! Global Experiences is opening in Stonewell Plaza in New Scotland, New York. Founded by Elena Silverman, a longtime Voorheesville resident, the space will launch on April 18 with an inaugural exhibition titled VOICES, featuring 17 local artists. Silverman, who has a background in economics and a deep connection to art through experiences like working with Cambodian hand-woven textiles, describes the gallery as a meeting point between vision and structure. The exhibition emphasizes authenticity and communication over stylistic uniformity, with works by artists including Joe Schaefer and Kris Kelly. Silverman plans to expand to a second location if the gallery establishes a strong identity.
The Lynnwood Event Center recently hosted a "Meet the Artists" reception for its juried exhibition, "Flight Patterns: The Art & Motion of Winged Life." Curated by Mary Adams and Julie Carlos, the show features over 45 works by 27 regional artists from the Pacific Northwest, ranging from traditional paintings and photography to innovative metal etchings and fiber arts. Highlights include Graham Schodda’s holographic bird imagery ground into stainless steel and Alexandra Nason’s participatory installation, "The True Butterfly Effect," which invited guests to decorate aluminum butterflies to contribute to a growing communal wall piece.
The Carmen Durazo Cultural Arts Center, in partnership with the Calexico Recreation Department, has launched the "Creative Young Minds" exhibition. The showcase features diverse works including paintings, photography, ceramics, and mixed media from 51 student artists hailing from Calexico, El Centro, Imperial, Brawley, and Mexicali. The opening ceremony was attended by local dignitaries and the Mexican consul, highlighting the cross-border cultural participation of the region's youth.
Silverlens Manila is set to debut two distinct exhibitions in April 2026: a solo show by Is Jumalon titled "Topographies of Seeing" and a group exhibition titled "PLAY." Jumalon’s work utilizes mixed media to reimagine landscapes through the lens of her childhood memories of Zamboanga’s rock formations, blending natural beauty with an underlying sense of danger. Meanwhile, "PLAY" features artists Jenifer K Wofford, Jake Verzosa, and Aze Ong, focusing on the concept of place-making and postcolonial spatial realities, specifically highlighting the cultural significance of basketball courts across the Philippines.
Grants from the Kordelin Foundation’s Rauma Fund for 2026 Awarded – Emphasis on Local Roots and New Experiments
The Alfred Kordelin Foundation’s Rauma Fund has awarded €30,000 in cultural grants for 2026, distributed equally among three recipients. The funding supports puppet theatre artist Aati Hanikka for an experimental underwater performance, Rauman Konserttiyhdistys ry for an immersive musical storytelling project in Old Rauma, and Tarvonsaari Art House for a series of pilot exhibitions.
Cincinnati-based artist and activist Paul Kroner is celebrating the fifth anniversary of his space, Studio Kroner, with his first solo exhibition titled "What Have I Done?" opening April 17. Since its founding, the 1,200-square-foot venue has evolved from a private studio into a vibrant community hub, hosting national artists, theatrical performances, and social justice-oriented exhibitions. The upcoming show will feature a diverse range of Kroner’s own work, including paintings, illustrations, and a new series of bronze sculptures called "Liminals" created through a hybrid process of wax casting and digital scanning.
Emami Art in Kolkata is set to launch two concurrent exhibitions on March 20, 2026, titled "Nothing Twice" and "Chance Remains of Another Time." "Nothing Twice," a group show curated by Ushmita Sahu, features nine emerging women artists exploring themes of impermanence and domesticity through diverse media including textiles, ceramics, and video. Running alongside it is a solo presentation by Kolkata-based artist Suman Dey, whose new polyptych works utilize abstract fragments to mirror the complexities and decay of contemporary urban life.
The Neelam Cultural Centre and Neelam Arts Collective have launched "The Whole Story," a significant Dalit art exhibition at the Lalit Kala Akademi in Chennai. Featuring works by 36 artists from across India, the show is a cornerstone of the fifth Vaanam Art Festival held during Dalit History Month. The exhibition showcases a diverse range of visual practices—from Yuvadharani’s multidisciplinary pieces to S Venkatesan’s explorations of urban displacement—all centered on themes of caste, memory, and resistance.
Grackle Art Gallery is set to host "Blank," a group exhibition curated by the artist duo Kickpigeon Kids. Featuring works from students and affiliates of The Alternative Art School, the show explores the conceptual theme of blankness as a site of limitless potential and unsaid narratives. The curators, Cosmo Jones and Max Marshall, employ an experimental approach by integrating the artists' works with found objects and ephemera to create a singular, immersive installation.
Asbury University is launching its Senior Spring Art Exhibits on March 2, a semesterly tradition that serves as a capstone for graduating art majors. The exhibitions will be spread across multiple campus venues, including the Blue, Kinlaw, Purple, and Red Galleries, as well as the Reasoner Hallway Gallery. Featured students include Vanessa Fischer, Ella Nelson, Hope Eland, Joshua Owen, and Kaja Jaques, showcasing a diverse range of media such as sculpture, graphic design, photography, and fabric arts installations.