Jury of the Venice Biennale Resigns

Jury der Venedig-Biennale tritt zurück

The entire jury of the Venice Biennale, appointed by artistic director Koyo Kouoh, has resigned with immediate effect. In a statement released on Thursday, the jury members—including chair Solange Oliveira Farkas, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi—cited a prior declaration from April 22 in which they announced they would not award Golden or Silver Lions to artists from countries whose political leadership is currently indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity. Although no specific countries were named, the move implicitly targets Russia (President Vladimir Putin) and Israel (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu), both subject to ICC arrest warrants. The resignation comes amid escalating tensions over Russia's participation in the Biennale despite EU sanctions, which had already led to a freeze of EU funding and widespread protests.

How the GDR apron became Italian luxury

Wie die DDR-Schürze zum Italo-Luxus wurde

Italian luxury label Miu Miu has released dresses for summer 2026 that resemble 1980s East German kitchen aprons, with prices reaching up to €12,000 for crystal-embroidered versions. The collection debuted on the Paris runway in October, where actress Sandra Hüller opened the show in robust workwear, evoking factory workers from the former GDR. Designer Miuccia Prada, a former member of the Italian Communist Party, drew inspiration from Helga Paris's 1984 photo series "Frauen bei der Arbeit" (Women at Work), which documented female laborers in East Berlin's VEB Treffmodelle textile factory.

La loi-cadre sur les restitutions définitivement adoptée par le Parlement

The French Parliament has definitively adopted a framework law on the restitution of cultural property that was illicitly acquired. The Senate unanimously approved the conclusions of the joint committee on May 7, following the National Assembly's approval on May 6, after an agreement was reached on April 30. The law establishes a general mechanism for returning objects from French public collections without requiring a specific law for each case, covering items acquired through looting, theft, forced sale, or other illicit means before the 1970 UNESCO Convention. It creates a permanent national commission and a bilateral scientific committee to assess claims, with restitution ultimately decided by government decree subject to legal review by the Council of State.

See Norwich artist Dan Topalis' new exhibition at Dada Post

An exhibition featuring the work of Norwich artist Dan Topalis has opened at Dada Post in Norwich, Connecticut. Titled "Dan Topalis: Interchanges & Intersections," the show runs every Saturday through July 1 and presents two series: the "Crazy Clown Series" from 2022, depicting clowns performing feats of agility, and the ongoing "Dots" series of 2026, featuring colorful, two-color patterned compositions. Topalis, a Norwich native and 1973 graduate of Norwich Free Academy who also studied at the Philadelphia College of Art, works primarily in acrylic on canvas.

Zheng Zhilin at Linseed Projects

Zheng Zhilin presents a solo exhibition at Linseed Projects, featuring a series of new works that explore themes of memory, materiality, and spatial perception. The show includes paintings and mixed-media installations that engage with the physical and emotional textures of everyday environments, drawing on the artist's personal experiences and cultural references from contemporary Chinese life.

Nikima Jagudajev “Like” at Scuola Piccola Zattere, Venice

Artist and choreographer Nikima Jagudajev presents "Like", a new commission and exhibition at Scuola Piccola Zattere in Venice, running from 7 May to 18 October 2026. The work merges film and video game into a playable experimental piece, housed in the nonprofit's palazzo in Dorsoduro.

Lenke Rothman “Quality of Life” at Kunstverein in Hamburg

The Kunstverein in Hamburg is presenting "Quality of Life," the first comprehensive survey of Swedish Hungarian artist Lenke Rothman outside of Sweden. The exhibition spans Rothman's career from the 1950s until her death in 2008, showcasing her unique oeuvre that juxtaposes everyday life with her biographical and historical experiences, characterized by a radical processing of personal and collective memory.

Bespoke Glass Studio’s Sculptures Challenge Traditional Conventions of Stained Glass

Lesley Green, founder of Bespoke Glass Studio, creates stained glass sculptures that break from traditional window-mounted forms. Her work includes three-dimensional pieces that project colored light onto walls, functional room dividers, and sculptural objects made using hand-cut copper foil techniques. Green aims to shift perception of stained glass from architectural feature to standalone art object, emphasizing pure color and texture.

Linocuts by Eduardo Robledo Celebrate Mexican Heritage and Community

Eduardo Robledo, a Mexico City-based artist from Xochimilco, creates detailed linocuts that celebrate Mexican heritage, community, and spiritual motifs. His work features traditional symbols like skulls, skeletons, and Sacred Hearts alongside regional animals and cultural references such as Xochimilco's canal boats. Robledo also engages in social activism through printmaking, viewing it as a democratic medium for spreading messages about causes he supports. His prints are available at Hecho a Mano in Santa Fe, and he co-founded Lugar de Huida, a gallery in Mexico City that highlights Mexican printmakers.

Cassandra Dias Takes an Impressionistic Approach to Painting with Thread

Cassandra Dias, a Southern California-based artist, creates lush embroideries of natural landscapes using thread painting, a technique that mimics the gestural strokes of a paintbrush. Since taking up needle and thread in 2020, she has developed an impressionistic style that captures cliffsides, vineyards, and mountains in richly textured scenes. Her forthcoming book, "Richly Stitched Landscape Embroidery: Mastering Thread Painted Scenes," is set for release in May and is available for pre-order through the Colossal Shop.

New Currents: Jungeun Park

Jungeun Park, an artist based between New York and Seoul, creates sculptures that blend glass, ceramics, and textiles to evoke raw biological forms and alien organic matter. Her 2025 graduate presentation at the Rhode Island School of Design featured works like *Skin Mite (demodex)* (2024), sewn from old pillowcases, and *Period Chalice* (2024), made from resin, metal chain, metal ring, water, and strawberry syrup, which transform the repulsive into something tender and strange.

M’barek Bouhchichi: Hands That Remember

Moroccan artist M’barek Bouhchichi presents 'Les mains des poètes' at Foundation H in Antananarivo, Madagascar, running until 17 October 2026. The exhibition stems from a residency in Madagascar where Bouhchichi collaborated with local artisans—blacksmiths, weavers, ceramists, and musicians—to create works that resist singular authorship. Central to the show is the revival of sorabe, the Arabico-Malagasy script, treated as an embodied, gestural practice rather than fixed writing.

From Minor Keys to Uproar: The Crisis of the Venice Biennale

DE LAS MINOR KEYS AL ESTRUENDO: LA CRISIS DE LA BIENAL DE VENECIA

The 61st Venice Biennale is engulfed in a structural crisis, marked by geopolitical tensions over the inclusion of Russia (amid its invasion of Ukraine) and Israel (amid the Gaza genocide). The Biennale Foundation, led by Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, defended their participation on legalistic grounds, sparking outrage from over 200 artists, curators, and cultural workers who demanded Israel's exclusion, aligning with Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA). The international jury, chaired by Solange Farkas and including Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi, resigned collectively on April 30 after deciding not to award prizes to countries whose leaders face International Criminal Court arrest warrants. This led to the cancellation of the traditional Golden and Silver Lions, replaced by audience-voted "Visitor Lions," with awards deferred until November. The European Commission suspended a €2 million subsidy over Russia's participation, and Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli notably skipped the May 9 opening.

Cannes 2026 Dispatch, Part 1: Breaking False Unities

On May 8, during the pre-opening of the Venice Biennale, the independent collective ANGA (Art Not Genocide Alliance) organized a strike protesting genocide and precarity in the art world. Pro-Palestinian activists entered the Arsenale, where part of the exhibition "In Minor Keys" curated by the late Koyo Kouoh was installed, and hung posters on artworks calling for the liberation of Palestine and denouncing what they described as the Biennale's "art-washing" of Israel's reputation. The disruption blurred the line between activist intervention and the exhibition itself, as many works already addressed Palestine directly, including a poem by Refaat Alareer placed at the entrance.

Special Private Tour and Luncheon Hosted by the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum

On April 25, 2026, the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum in Oradell, New Jersey, hosted a private tour and luncheon led by wildlife artist Dwayne Harty, whose exhibition "Bison Legacy" had recently concluded at the museum. The event welcomed over thirty guests, including friends of the artist and Foundation Board President James Bellis Jr. Harty, trained at the Art Students League of New York under Bob Kuhn, Robert Lougheed, and Clarence Tillenius, is known for his accurate and expressive wildlife depictions. The museum will present its Permanent Collection starting at the end of May 2026.

A reading room for the Epstein files opens in New York

A pop-up exhibition in Tribeca, New York, has transformed Mriya Gallery into the Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Reading Room, displaying over 3,000 bound volumes of printed Epstein files. Organized by the Washington, DC-based Institute for Primary Facts, the room holds 3,437 volumes encompassing 3.5 million pages of released documents, printed over about a month. The free exhibition runs until 21 May and requires advance booking.

At Brooklyn Creative Reuse, Art Supplies Get a Second Life

Brooklyn Creative Reuse (BCR), a nonprofit founded by jeweler Stephanie O'Brien, has opened a permanent brick-and-mortar store in Industry City, Brooklyn, after launching as a pop-up in February 2025. The store sells donated, pre-loved and unused art supplies at a price-per-pound rate, making materials affordable for low-income artists, educators, and hobbyists. Its opening party on April 18 drew large crowds, and BCR has already diverted over 1,000 pounds of art supplies from landfills in its first year.

Full circle creativity: Courtney Saunders finds artistic community

Courtney Saunders, a graphic designer and digital artist, has returned to Tallahassee after accepting a position with Grova Creative in early 2025. Her digital painting "Watch Us" earned Third Place in COCA's 2026 Creative Tallahassee exhibition, currently on view at City Hall Gallery through June 8. Saunders, who attended the School of Arts and Sciences in Tallahassee during middle school, credits the city's creative community and her supportive teachers for nurturing her artistic voice. She holds a BFA in graphic design from Andrews University and works across multiple mediums including acrylic, watercolor, collage, and digital illustration.

Harris County Juried Exhibition

Weekend for the arts: 'Untitled' exhibition, 'Lessons Of Silence' theatre

The article covers three events in Kuala Lumpur as part of the KL Festival and Borneo Native Festival 2026. The 'Untitled' group exhibition at GMBB creative mall features 127 artists and 329 works without labels or artist names, inviting viewers to write personal reflections. Proceeds from admission and 'gift letters' go directly to participating artists, offsetting typical financial burdens for emerging creators. The theatre piece 'Lessons Of Silence' by Indonesian artist Agnes Christina is a wordless performance exploring race, class, and parent-child dynamics during a turbulent period in Indonesian history. Additionally, the Borneo Native Festival 2026 at Central Market showcases Sabah and Sarawak's arts and culture, with a highlight being Pangrok Sulap, a woodcut collective from Ranau, presenting prints, books, and socially engaged art.

Here's your last chance to support city centre art gallery forced to close

The Trapezium Art Gallery in Bradford city centre, a volunteer-run space that has hosted over 70 exhibitions by local artists and community groups over the past eight years, is being forced to close due to the redevelopment of the Kirkgate Shopping Centre site. Its final exhibition celebrates the volunteers who kept the gallery thriving, showcasing a diverse range of artwork including printmaking, painting, digital art, photography, collages, and textiles, and runs until May 30.

Fulton County launches Nigerian art exhibition connecting Africa to Atlanta

Fulton County's Department of Arts & Culture has launched a multi-week international exhibition titled “Threads of Heritage: A Cultural Confluence Connecting Africa to Atlanta” at the Peachtree Gallery, running through the end of June. The exhibition features 14 Nigerian artists and is delivered in partnership with the Nike Art & Culture Foundation of Nigeria, Nike Art USA, and UniSpectrum Inc. Led by acclaimed artist Chief Dr Nike Monica Okundaye, the program includes masterclasses, public panels, community workshops, and live demonstrations on traditional Adire textiles, with US-based textile artist Shayee Awoyomi co-leading workshops and Nigerian painter Adeleke Akeem directing narrative painting masterclasses.

Playable exhibition ‘The Art of Mini Golf’ at Battersea Arts Centre announces ninth hole artist - Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley

Rising Melbourne and Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) have announced that British artist and game designer Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley will design the ninth hole artwork for the playable exhibition 'The Art of Mini Golf' when it travels to London this summer. The exhibition, formerly known as 'Swingers', will take over BAC from 17 June to 26 July, featuring nine interactive golf hole artworks by leading women artists including Miranda July, Kaylene Whiskey, Saeborg, Delaine Le Bas, Natasha Tontey, BKTHERULA, Soda Jerk, and Pat Brassington. Brathwaite-Shirley's new commission, 'Enough Is Enough', uses video game language to critique technology's impact on society, addressing issues like surveillance, censorship, and wealth inequality.

Nike Okundaye leads Nigerian artists to historic U.S. show

Nike Okundaye, founder of Nike Art Gallery, is leading 13 US-based Nigerian artists in a cultural diplomacy initiative titled "Threads of Heritage: A Cultural Confluence Connecting Africa to Atlanta." Organized by Fulton County Arts and Culture under Commissioner Robb Pitts and Director David Manuel, alongside Georgia State Representative Kim Schofield, the show opened last Friday at Fulton County Arts and Culture Downtown exhibition space in Atlanta. The event features artists including Shayee Awoyomi, Lasaki Olubunmi, Adeleke Akeem, Ola Balogun, Ajibade Awoyemi, and Bimbo Samson Adenugba, among others, and includes masquerade performances, African-American dances, and cuisines. The exhibition runs through the end of June.

Kettle Art Gallery presents "OG’s Return to Deep Ellum" opening reception

Kettle Art Gallery in Dallas is hosting "OG's Return to Deep Ellum," an exhibition reuniting eight pioneering visual artists who helped shape the creative identity of the Deep Ellum district. The show features works by Bill Haveron, Brad Ellis, Brad Smith, Clay Austin, Dwayne Carter, Frank Campagna, Greg "Ozone" Contestabile, and Thor Johnson, alongside tributes to the late Albert Scherbarth and David "Mosquito" Hawley. The opening reception precedes a run through August 16.

Syrian artist Ismail Nasra explores silence and solitude in new Damascus exhibition

Syrian visual artist Ismail Nasra has opened a new exhibition at Zawaya Art Gallery in Damascus, featuring 28 medium- and large-scale works that mark a departure from his earlier dense, colorful style. The paintings, created over three years on aged and weathered fabrics, employ muted palettes, abstraction, and negative space to explore themes of silence, absence, and emotional solitude. Solitary female figures and recurring bird motifs—symbols of freedom and escape—dominate the compositions, with the natural textures and cracks of the fabric becoming integral to the artwork.

Fabian Perez Gallery Showcases 20 Artists in Neo-Emotionalism Exhibition

Fabian Perez Gallery in Los Angeles is hosting the Neo-Emotionalism Group Exhibition, featuring 20 artists working in painting, photography, and sculpture. The show, running through May 23, centers on feeling and memory, with artists like Shaylen Nelson, Awadé Wade, James Smith, and Martinos Aristidou presenting works that explore personal and cultural narratives. Nelson, an Afrocentric Realism painter, uses Black figures and music to place culture within traditional painting, while Wade’s piece "Abstract Love" draws on a Prince song and uses a tree as a symbol of life and transition.

Art on the Square returns for 24th year with art, food and entertainment

Belleville Art on the Square returns for its 24th year from May 15-17, 2026, in downtown Belleville. The festival features over 100 artists from more than 27 states and one international artist, showcasing works in multiple mediums. Highlights include artist demonstrations by the Gateway East Artists Guild, a high school art show with judged awards, a Children's Art Garden with interactive activities, live entertainment at the Wine Court, and food vendors offering a variety of cuisines. Admission is free, and the event runs Friday evening through Sunday afternoon.

14th Kibria Printmaking Fair: Celebrating a distinct artistic tradition

The 14th Kibria Printmaking Fair concluded on May 9 at Kala Kendra in Lalmatia, Bangladesh, as part of a month-long printmaking festival running from May 1 to May 23. The fair brought together printmaking studios and institutions from across the country, alongside works by pioneering late artists Safiuddin Ahmed and Mohammad Kibria. It was inaugurated by artists Rafiqun Nabi and Monirul Islam, with a special exhibition titled "Pioneers of Printmaking" showcasing early works by key figures who established printmaking as a distinct artistic language in Bangladesh. The festival also includes workshops, artist talks, and a forthcoming "Contemporary Printmaking Exhibition" from May 12 to May 23.

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.