Today in History March 17 | Opening of the National Gallery of Art

On March 17, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially dedicated the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The museum was established through the massive bequest of industrialist Andrew Mellon, who donated his world-class art collection, the funds for the building's construction, and a significant endowment. The opening marked a milestone in American cultural history, providing the public with access to a premier national collection of Old Master paintings.

Great Dunmow artist has painting featured in Harlow Open exhibition

Great Dunmow artist Mandy Whittick is among the selected participants in this year's Harlow Open exhibition at the Gibberd Gallery. Her acrylic painting, "Stocks and Tulips," was chosen from nearly 500 submissions by a panel of prestigious judges, including representatives from the Royal College of Art and the Cambridge School of Art. The annual showcase, organized by the Harlow Art Trust, features 205 works from regional creators and is curated this year by Laura Noble.

Artists agonise over when a work is finished—but should we viewers care?

The article explores the perennial struggle artists face in determining when a work is complete, a process often fraught with the risk of overworking or 'wrecking' a piece. Drawing on insights from Howard Hodgkin and David Sylvester, it examines how artists like Degas, Matisse, and Cézanne navigated the boundary between a finished object and a work-in-progress, sometimes intentionally leaving canvases 'open' or 'fragmentarily complete' to preserve their emotional and visual immediacy.

Obituary | Umberto Allemandi, visionary publisher who founded 'Il Giornale dell’Arte', has died aged 88

Umberto Allemandi, the influential Italian publisher and founder of 'Il Giornale dell’Arte', has died at the age of 88. After early career stints in advertising with Armando Testa and directing 'Bolaffi Arte', Allemandi launched his own publishing house in 1982. His most significant contribution was the creation of a monthly publication designed with the rigor and layout of a daily newspaper, dedicated entirely to the art world and modeled after London’s 'The Times'.

Spot the difference: Bridget Riley work enjoys new green cleaning treatment

Tate Britain has completed the first-ever cleaning of Bridget Riley’s landmark 1964 Op art painting, 'Hesitate,' using a pioneering 'green' conservation method. Developed through the international Greenart research program, the treatment utilizes specialized hydrogels that lift dirt from the surface without the mechanical pressure of traditional swab rolling. This breakthrough allows conservators to safely clean the sensitive, unvarnished polyvinyl acetate house paints Riley favored, which were previously deemed too fragile for standard restoration techniques.

Dozens of Artists Bring Their Studios to Hauser & Wirth New York

Hauser & Wirth New York has launched "Studio Visit," a sprawling group exhibition co-curated by artists Anicka Yi and Josh Kline in collaboration with Performance Space New York. Featuring works by 27 international artists including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Huma Bhabha, and Wolfgang Tillmans, the show pairs physical artworks with AI-generated "machine-generated memories" based on the artists' written recollections of their early workspaces. The project revives the spirit of Circular File, an experimental collective formed by Yi and Kline in the late 2000s.

Biennale Arte 2026: the invited artists

The Venice Biennale has officially announced the list of invited artists for its 61st edition in 2026. The selection features a diverse global cohort including established figures like Laurie Anderson, Nick Cave, and Carsten Höller, alongside influential collectives such as fierce pussy and blaxTARLINES KUMASI. The list also includes significant posthumous inclusions like Marcel Duchamp and Beverly Buchanan, signaling a curatorial approach that bridges contemporary practice with historical legacies.

Comment | Time for a rethink: women artists were never meant to merely be canon fodder

Comment | Time for a rethink: women artists were never meant to merely be canon fodder

The art world is increasingly moving beyond simply adding women to the existing art historical canon, a practice long criticized by feminist historians like Griselda Pollock. Instead of merely 'expanding' the canon, new institutional approaches aim to 'difference' it by using the work of women to fundamentally re-evaluate and subvert established narratives. This shift suggests that the inclusion of previously marginalized artists should change how we perceive the masters they are often compared to.

UK exhibition celebrates the artisans throughout history who went to war

The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge is launching "War Craft," an exhibition dedicated to art and objects created by non-professional soldiers on or near the front lines. Curated by Richard Kelleher, the show features a diverse array of items ranging from First World War shell cases engraved by the Chinese Labour Corps to a contemporary Ukrainian ammunition tin decorated with Sharpie drawings. The collection includes scavenged battlefield materials transformed into personal mementos, alongside significant works by established artists like J.M.W. Turner, John Singer Sargent, and C.R.W. Nevinson.

This year's Carnegie International will feature 61 artists, including Jasleen Kaur and Li Yi-Fan

The Carnegie Museum of Art has announced the full list of 61 artists and collectives for the 59th Carnegie International, which opens in May. The exhibition will feature a record 36 new commissions and includes notable participants such as 2024 Turner Prize-winner Jasleen Kaur and Li Yi-Fan, who will represent Taiwan at the Venice Biennale, alongside a significant number of Indigenous artists.

Frist Art Museum opens “In Her Place” a group exhibition featuring 28 women artists; Vanderbilt Art faculty among the exhibitors

The Frist Art Museum in Nashville opened a major group exhibition titled "In Her Place" to mark its 25th anniversary. The show features nearly one hundred works by 28 women artists with strong ties to the Nashville community, including painting, sculpture, textile, and installation. The artists, such as María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Alicia Henry, and Marilyn Murphy, represent an intergenerational group whose practices have significantly impacted the local art scene.

New York Galleries: Openings and Closings (02/09-02/15)

A comprehensive list of gallery exhibitions opening and closing in New York City for the week of February 9-15, 2026, has been published. The schedule includes openings at major galleries like Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, and Matthew Marks, featuring artists such as Michael Heizer, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, and Anish Kapoor, alongside shows at smaller spaces. The list also notes the final weekend to see exhibitions at venues including Tanya Bonakdar Gallery and Alexander Gray Associates.

Gwen John—the quiet ‘seer of strange beauties’—gets major show in Wales

The National Museum Cardiff is mounting a major survey exhibition of Gwen John (1876-1939), one of the most famous artists in its collection, titled "Gwen John: Strange Beauties." The show marks the 150th anniversary of John's birth in Wales and will be the most comprehensive exhibition of her work in decades, featuring major loans from institutions such as Tate and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It will travel to Scotland and the US, emphasizing John's interest in form, materials, and color theory, including late watercolours she never sold or exhibited. The exhibition draws on the museum's extensive archive of over 900 drawings, letters, and photographs acquired in 1976, and aims to shift focus from John's biographical narrative—her relationship with Auguste Rodin and reputation as a recluse—to her artistic dedication and technical innovations.

Lawrence Abu Hamdan and Lydia Ourahmane among artists confirmed for new Qatar quadrennial

Qatar has announced details for its inaugural Rubaiya Qatar quadrennial, set to open in November across Doha and the wider state. The headline exhibition, 'Unruly Waters,' will feature over 50 artists, including Lawrence Abu Hamdan and Lydia Ourahmane, and more than 20 new commissions. It will be curated by a team led by Tom Eccles and Ruba Katrib, and will incorporate historic objects from Qatar Museums.

Huntsville Museum of Art’s new vision, fresh exhibits + reimagined experiences

The Huntsville Museum of Art is undergoing a significant transformation under the leadership of Chief Curator Natalie Mault Mead. Following extensive HVAC renovations that closed the museum, Mead is implementing a new vision focused on interactive storytelling, immersive experiences, and breaking down traditional barriers to art. This includes refreshed permanent installations, interactive elements like QR codes and audio descriptions, and a deliberate mix of internationally acclaimed and local artists.

February Book Bag: from Tracey Emin’s conversations about painting to a catalogue of Lucian Freud’s drawings

The article presents a selection of recently published art books, highlighting new releases on artists Tracey Emin, Beatriz González, and Lucian Freud, as well as a second volume on Arab Modernist artists. It details the content of each book, including personal reflections, career overviews, and connections to upcoming exhibitions.

Mexico City's Zona Maco fair finds a ‘balance between continuity and renewal’

Zona Maco, Latin America's largest art and design fair, has launched its 22nd edition in Mexico City as the anchor of the city's 2026 Art Week. The fair features over 220 galleries from 26 countries, blending contemporary and modern art, design, and photography under the artistic direction of Direlia Lazo.

5 Art Openings in London this week.

London galleries are launching a packed week of late-January exhibitions, featuring solo shows by Jessica Rankin at White Cube (embroidered paintings and works on paper), R. Crumb at David Zwirner (a survey of his six-decade career in countercultural drawing), Alexandra Christou at Sadie Coles HQ (rarely seen 1990s paintings of Greek life), Christina Mackie at Goldsmiths CCA (interdisciplinary installation), and a group show 'Geometry in Motion' at Stephen Friedman Gallery (exploring geometry and seriality).

Pioneering US collector Albert Barnes turned down both of Van Gogh’s 'Starry Nights'

Albert Barnes, the pioneering US collector who built the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, twice declined the opportunity to acquire Vincent van Gogh's iconic 'Starry Night' paintings. Unpublished correspondence in the Barnes Foundation archives reveals that in 1923, agent Frank Washburn Freund offered Barnes *Starry Night over the Rhône* (1888), but Barnes did not pursue it; the painting later went to the Musée d'Orsay. In 1936, the Van Wisselingh gallery offered Barnes *Starry Night* (1889), but he again passed; it was eventually acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Despite these missed chances, Barnes was the first American to buy a Van Gogh, ultimately owning seven works by the artist, including *The Postman* and *Still Life*.

Meet the global taskforce working to recover stolen cultural heritage

The London Metropolitan Police's Art and Antiques Unit, in collaboration with the Heritage Crime Task Force (HCTF) of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), is processing over 300 recovered cultural artefacts. The objects—including statues, frescoes, chainmail armour, and stucco heads—were voluntarily handed over by an individual who had kept them for over a decade. Experts are conducting forensic analysis, photography, and archaeological assessment to determine authenticity and origin, with initial findings suggesting items from Cambodia's Angkor Period, the Gandhara region of Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Indus Valley civilisation, and possibly a mosque in Syria or Iraq.

Rijksmuseum announces plans for €60m sculpture park

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has announced plans to build a €60 million Modern sculpture garden, called the Don Quixote Pavilion and Garden, on a nearby triangular plot of land. The project is funded by an exceptional donation and long-term art loans from the Don Quixote Foundation, established by billionaire businessman Rolly van Rappard. The garden will feature three pavilions designed by Foster + Partners, with landscaping by Piet Blanckaert, and will display sculptures by Alberto Giacometti, Jean Arp, and Henry Moore. The museum aims to open the space free of charge this autumn, but planning permission has not yet been granted, and the project includes the restoration of three listed buildings.

An expert’s guide to the Gothic: five must-read books on the topic

Annabelle Ténèze, director of the Louvre-Lens, recommends five recently published books that explore the Gothic period and its enduring influence. The books range from the official history of Notre-Dame's restoration after the 2019 fire to an anthology linking Gothic aesthetics to contemporary art, a catalogue for the 'Gothic Modern' exhibition at Vienna's Albertina Museum, a study of 19th-century medieval forgeries tied to the Musée de Cluny, and a Batman comic set in Barcelona's Gothic architecture. These recommendations accompany the Louvre-Lens exhibition 'Gothicisms,' which argues that Gothic art never truly disappeared.

How much should art cost? The pitfalls and paradoxes of pricing works

The article examines the current state of the art market, which is in its third consecutive year of contraction. It traces how low interest rates fueled speculative price inflation, leading to a boom in ultra-contemporary art that has now burst, with collectors shifting toward Old Masters. Dealers like Larry Gagosian are now advocating for lowering primary market prices, while private sales stall due to sellers' 'anchoring' to peak valuations. The piece highlights the disconnect between high prices and long-term value, using examples such as auction records being manipulated (e.g., Patrick Drahi's anonymous bidding on a Francis Bacon triptych) and the reality that most artworks in even celebrated collections depreciate.

The Brandywine Museum offers a tiny peek into a Wyeth family Christmas

The Brandywine Museum in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, has opened its "Home for the Holidays" exhibition, featuring a custom-made dollhouse built by Ann Wyeth McCoy and her husband John McCoy from a repurposed tool shed. Two of the dollhouse's six modular rooms are on display, showcasing miniature furniture handcrafted by Ann's brother Nathaniel Wyeth and tiny paintings by Andrew Wyeth, Henriette Wyeth, and Jamie Wyeth. The dollhouse includes hidden family references, such as a miniature six-pack of Coca-Cola and a bottle labeled "Lucy Juice," a nod to benefactor Lucy Farnsworth.

10 New York Museum Shows Worth Slowing Down for Over the Holidays

Late December offers a rare slowdown in New York's commercial art world, with most galleries closing around December 20, but museums remaining open. This creates an opportunity for visitors to spend quality time with exhibitions that often get lost in the city's relentless cultural calendar. The article highlights ten must-see museum shows in New York City, including "Wifredo Lam: When I Don't Sleep, I Dream" at MoMA—the first major U.S. survey of the Cuban artist's surreal, decolonial paintings—and "Anish Kapoor: Early Works" at the Jewish Museum, showcasing his pigment sculptures and Vantablack works.

A Calibrated Market: How 2025 Shaped the Landscape for Collectors in 2026

The article analyzes the art market in 2025, describing a year of divergence rather than a single trend. While aggregate sales remained below post-pandemic peaks, the year ended with a billion-dollar New York auction week, a record-setting Klimt portrait, and strong demand for exceptional works. Segments like Old Master auctions and the $1 million–$10 million band saw growth, while the ultra-contemporary segment struggled. Key events included the May marquee auctions in New York, the second edition of Art Basel Paris, and November sales at Christie’s and Sotheby’s, which demonstrated a split-level market with record highs at the top and discipline elsewhere.

'Savannah Figurative' exhibit to showcase process studies of eight artists

Arts Southeast has named Isaac McCaslin as its 2025 Incubator Artist, providing him with a studio, exhibition opportunities, and mentorship. In response to the lack of affordable live-model drawing in Savannah, McCaslin founded the Savannah Open Model Sessions. An upcoming exhibition, "Savannah Figurative," opening January 9, 2026, at Cute Tomatoes Gallery, will showcase completed works and process studies by eight artists, including McCaslin, Phil Musen, and Astoria Jellett, highlighting the importance of figure study in their practices.

Noah Davis's exhibition

The Philadelphia Museum of Art announces a landmark survey of the late American artist Noah Davis (1983–2015), bringing together over 60 works across painting, sculpture, works on paper, and curating. The exhibition marks the final stop of an international tour organized with DAS MINSK in Potsdam, the Barbican in London, and the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. Highlights include "40 acres and a unicorn" (2007), "Isis" (2009), "Savage wilds" (2012), and the "Pueblo del rio" series (2014). Curated by Eleanor Nairne and Wells Fray-Smith, the show is accompanied by a catalog co-published by Prestel with contributions from Tina M. Campt, Claudia Rankine, and others.

Cosmos: The Art of Observing Space Art and Science Symposium

A symposium titled "Cosmos: The Art of Observing Space Art and Science Symposium" will take place at the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) headquarters in Burlington House, London, celebrating the major exhibition "Cosmos: The Art of Observing Space" at the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) in Bristol (24 January–19 April 2026). Curated by visual artist Ione Parkin RWA, the exhibition features over 30 contemporary artists alongside loan items from public collections, all inspired by astronomy, cosmology, astrophysics, and space exploration. The symposium includes talks by astronomers, archivists, and exhibiting artists, with a catalogue published by Sansom & Company featuring contributions from Professor Chris Lintott, Professor Amaury Triaud, Dr Sian Prosser, and Ione Parkin RWA.

The Year in Review 2025

The Art Newspaper has published its annual 'Year in Review' for 2025, a roundup of the most significant stories, trends, and developments in the international art world over the past twelve months. The article serves as a comprehensive digest covering major exhibitions, market shifts, institutional changes, and key figures that shaped the visual arts landscape in 2025.