Red Grooms, Mimi Gross, and The Ruckus Construction Co.: Excerpts from “Ruckus Manhattan”

The Brooklyn Museum is presenting "Red Grooms, Mimi Gross, and The Ruckus Construction Co.: Excerpts from 'Ruckus Manhattan'," a focused exhibition drawn from the original 1976 installation "Ruckus Manhattan." The show, on view from June 13, 2025 to June 5, 2026, marks the first time in over 30 years that elements of this sprawling, 6,400-square-foot "sculptural comic book" are being publicly displayed. Created by artists Red Grooms and Mimi Gross with their collaborative team, the original work satirized 1970s New York City through a vibrant mix of painting, sculpture, performance, and puppetry. Key pieces on view include "Dame of the Narrows" (returning for the first time since 1994) and "42nd Street Porno Bookstore," both offering a playful yet critical look at urban life.

Wohin in Mitte?

The article previews the Berlin Gallery Weekend, focusing on the Mitte district as a hub for contemporary art. Highlights include Pae White's exhibition 'pushmi-pullyu' at Neugerriemschneider, featuring oversized insects, crabs, and kaleidoscopic wall sculptures, alongside other shows with photo art on copper, queer historical explorations, and mobile urban interventions along Linienstraße, Oranienburger Straße, and Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz.

Louisville’s Speed Art Museum shines a light on the women of Abstract Expressionism

The Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, will host "Abstract Expressionists: The Women" from May 16 to August 30, 2026. This is Kentucky's first exhibition devoted to Abstract Expressionism, featuring over 30 major female artists including Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell, Vivian Springford, Grace Hartigan, and Lee Krasner. The show includes works like Frankenthaler's *Circus Landscape* (1951) and Springford's *Scuba Series* (1972–1984/5), along with archival materials and a timeline of women's artistic achievements. Organized by the American Federation of Arts from the Christian Levett Collection and FAMM (Female Artists of the Mougins Museum), France, the exhibition is curated by Dr. Ellen G. Landau and presented locally by Tyler Blackwell.

Musée d’Orsay opens gallery dedicated to still-unclaimed works stolen by Nazis in WWII

The Musée d'Orsay in Paris has opened a permanent gallery dedicated to artworks believed to have been looted by the Nazis from Jewish owners during World War II, but whose rightful owners have not been identified. The exhibition, titled "Who owns these works?", features a rotating selection of 225 such pieces held by the museum, with twelve paintings and one sculpture currently on display. Works by Renoir, Degas, Rodin, and Alfred Stevens are included, alongside provenance research detailing their murky histories—such as a Degas ballroom scene acquired by a Jewish collector later murdered at Auschwitz.

What to Look for at Frieze New York 2026

Frieze New York 2026 returns to The Shed in Hudson Yards from May 13–17, featuring over 65 international galleries in its 15th edition. The fair emphasizes Latin American art with new committee members Fátima González and Omayra Alvarado, and includes highlights such as Southern Guild's expansion into Tribeca and Yeni Mao's cyborg sculptures in the Focus section. Collectors and enthusiasts can explore a diverse range of contemporary and blue-chip works across multiple fairs during Art Week.

The FLAG Art Foundation Named Founding Sponsor of Alchemy with Anthony Mason, Launching May 6

The FLAG Art Foundation has been named the founding sponsor of "Alchemy with Anthony Mason," a new long-form interview series launching May 6, 2026. Hosted by CBS News special correspondent Anthony Mason, the series features intimate 45-minute conversations with artists such as Hozier, Paul Simon, Nile Rodgers, Violet Grohl, and Taj Mahal, focusing on the transformative creative process rather than the finished work. The partnership is integrated into the series' identity, with each episode presented under FLAG's support and connecting viewers to contemporary art exhibitions, including Ellsworth Kelly: Eight Decades at the Parrish Art Museum and the reopening of the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA.

This Years Met Gala Felt More Like an Art Exhibition Than a Red Carpet

The 2026 Met Gala, held on May 4 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, was widely described as feeling more like an art exhibition than a traditional red carpet. The theme, "Costume Art," with the dress code "Fashion Is Art," encouraged celebrities to treat their bodies as canvases. Beyoncé made a highly anticipated return after a decade, serving as a co-chair alongside Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour. Beyoncé wore a sculptural skeleton-inspired design by Olivier Rousteing, while Kiddon wore a shimmering red Chanel gown and Williams donned a Swarovski crystal gown inspired by her Smithsonian portrait. Other notable looks included Sabrina Carpenter in a Dior dress made from vintage film strips, Kendall Jenner referencing classical sculpture, Madonna channeling surrealist painter Leonora Carrington, and Heidi Klum arriving as a marble statue. Inside, live performances by Sabrina Carpenter and Stevie Nicks added to the spectacle.

What Is the 2026 Met Gala Exhibit “Costume Art” All About?

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute will unveil its 2026 exhibition, “Costume Art,” on May 4, 2026, coinciding with the Met Gala. Curated by Andrew Bolton, the show explores the relationship between fashion and the human body, juxtaposing garments like Rei Kawakubo's bulbous Comme des Garçons ensemble with artworks such as Hans Bellmer's “La Poupée” and Albrecht Dürer's “Adam and Eve.” Mannequins cast from real bodies and mirrored heads by artist Samar Hejazi will enhance the immersive experience. The exhibition runs from May 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027, in the new Condé M. Nast Galleries.

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art unveils opening exhibitions

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles has announced its inaugural exhibitions ahead of its opening on September 22. Founded by filmmaker George Lucas and philanthropist Mellody Hobson, the museum was designed by MAD Architects founder Ma Yansong. The opening will feature 18 thematic exhibitions showcasing over 1,200 works across 30 galleries, spanning genres such as cinema, photography, comics, manga, and anime, with dedicated shows for illustrators like Norman Rockwell, Jessie Willcox Smith, and Frank Frazetta. The collection also includes works by Beatrix Potter, Frida Kahlo, Winsor McCay, Alison Bechdel, Gordon Parks, and Dorothea Lange, alongside the Lucas Archives containing props and costumes from Lucas's film career.

At Yale: the commercial empire within the British empire

The Yale Center for British Art presents 'Painters, Ports, and Profits,' an exhibition of 115 items spanning a century of art and history, focusing on the East India Company's commercial empire. The show includes paintings, prints, drawings, books, and artifacts such as a 37-foot watercolor scroll of Lucknow (1826) and works by Indian artist Gangaram Chintaman Navgire Tambat, who emerges as the artistic star with 20 pieces. It also features prints of the company's opium factory and 'The Opium Fleet Descending The Ganges' by Walter Stanhope Sherwill, highlighting the company's role in the Opium Wars with China.

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art’s Artmix is a party built for repeat collectors and first-time buyers

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) is hosting its annual Artmix fundraiser on May 8, 2026, a fast-paced evening featuring a silent auction of works by 100 regional artists. The event includes a VIP preview with early access, champagne, and a guided tour, followed by a general admission party where bidding runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets range from $150 for members to $300 for VIP access, with proceeds supporting BMoCA's exhibitions and education programs.

How Claude Monet’s reluctant sojourn reignited his career

A new exhibition, "Monet and Venice," has opened at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. It centers on the pivotal 1908 trip to Venice that the 68-year-old Claude Monet was initially reluctant to take, showcasing over 20 of the luminous, atmospheric paintings of the city he produced there. The show also includes over 100 related items, featuring works by Canaletto, Turner, Sargent, and Whistler, as well as photographs and books, to contextualize Monet's Venetian achievement.

Sexual assault lawsuit against the estate of artist Norval Morrisseau is dismissed

A sexual assault lawsuit against the estate of the late First Nations artist Norval Morrisseau (1932-2007) has been dismissed. The plaintiff, Mark Anthony Jacobson, had sought C$5 million in damages, alleging Morrisseau assaulted him in 2006. The dismissal was signed by Jacobson and the estate's lawyer, Jason Gratl, and filed in the BC Supreme Court on 6 January. The estate argued Morrisseau was physically incapacitated by advanced Parkinson's disease at the time, and Gratl stated that after cross-examination, Jacobson's lawyer withdrew and Jacobson consented to the dismissal without payment.

À Marseille, la nouvelle saison culturelle Méditerranée s’ouvre avec deux semaines de festivités

France's new cultural season, "Saison Méditerranée," launches on May 15, 2026, in Marseille with two weeks of festivities running through May 24. Organized by the Institut français and announced by President Emmanuel Macron in 2023, it is the first season to focus on an entire region—the Mediterranean and its 21 bordering countries—rather than a single nation. The program includes exhibitions at venues like the [mac], the Vieille Charité, and the Friche la Belle de Mai, featuring artists such as Louisa Babari, Adrien Vescovi, Zineb Sedira, Mona Benyamin, and Abdessamad El Montassir. Highlights also include the inauguration of the transformed Citadelle de Marseille with works by Saber Zammouri and Hugo Mir-Valette, a performance by Mohamed El Khatib at the Mucem, and a concert by Sofiane Saidi and Camélia Jordana. The season continues across France until October, with a major project by Mohamed Bourouissa at the Grand Palais in Paris.

Arles Drawing Festival: What Not to Miss at This Fourth Edition

Festival du dessin d’Arles : ce qu’il ne faut surtout pas rater pour cette quatrième édition

The fourth edition of the Arles Drawing Festival has opened, featuring over forty exhibitions across the city. The highlights include two major private drawing collections being publicly presented: Marin Karmitz's collection, displayed at the Sainte-Anne church under the title "Et la vie continue…", and the Collezione Ramo from Milan, showcased at the Museon Arlaten chapel as part of a focus on Italian art.

An Art Fair for the "Global Majority" Debuts in Brooklyn

The inaugural Conductor Art Fair debuted at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn, running through May 3. Co-curated by fair director Adriana Farietta and PHA president Eric Shiner, the event features 28 gallery exhibitors and 20 special projects, with a focus on representing "the global majority and Indigenous nations." Highlights include an immersive yurt installation by Vuslat and Sana Frini, works by Palestinian artist Khaled Jarrar, Puerto Rican sculptor Margarita Vincenty, Venezuelan artist Esmelyn Miranda, and Bangladeshi artist Bishwajit Goswami. The fair offers affordable booth fees starting at $2,500 for nonprofits and free participation for self-representing artists with a 30% sales donation to PHA.

independent new york relocation pier 36

Independent, the New York art fair, will relocate to Pier 36 on Manhattan’s Lower East Side for its May 2026 edition. The 70,000-square-foot venue more than doubles the size of its previous home at Spring Studios, accommodating increased gallery participation post-pandemic. The fair hosted 83 exhibitors in 2025, and founder Elizabeth Dee noted that even the coat check was repurposed for a special project. The architectural redesign will be led by Solid Objectives Idenburg Liu (SO–IL), with exhibition design by Berlin’s D_P_S.

Here Are the Seven Booths We’re Beelining to at NADA’s 2026 New York Edition

The 12th edition of NADA New York is now open through May 17 at the Starrett-Lehigh building in Chelsea, featuring 120 galleries and nonprofit spaces from around the world. The fair emphasizes intimacy and scale, with presentations ranging from wrestling-scene paintings by Ursula Dilley to miniature landscapes stitched onto shirt cuffs by Chang Suyung, alongside collaborations rooted in regional craft traditions and psychedelic excess. Cultured magazine highlights seven must-see booths, including solo shows by Douglas Rieger and Loucia Carlier, and a transatlantic dialogue between Saenger Galería and COHJU.

art miami jarrett earnest nina johnson

Critic and curator Jarrett Earnest has organized a group exhibition titled “Acid Bath House” at Nina Johnson gallery in Miami, running through February 7. The show features photography, sculpture, textiles, painting, and drawings by artists including Juliana Huxtable, TM Davy, and Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, and is inspired by Earnest's own experience with queer erotic psychedelia. In an interview over breakfast, Earnest discusses the show's themes of pleasure, connection, and glamour, and critiques the contemporary art world's focus on market-driven professionalism.

art david rimanelli alex katz matthew barney

The article reviews Alex Katz's latest exhibition at Gladstone Gallery in New York, featuring 11 large orange-and-white canvases depicting the road to his Maine home, alongside Matthew Barney's three-channel video work "DRAWING RESTRAINT 28" showing Katz at work on a ladder. The show, on view through December 20, 2025, pairs Katz's new paintings with Barney's video, continuing a collaboration first seen at O'Flaherty's gallery. Katz, now 98, reflects on his artistic evolution, citing Matisse's "The Red Studio" as inspiration while asserting his move away from literal representation.

art ivan argote paris studio pigeon

The article profiles Colombian-born, Paris-based artist Iván Argote, focusing on his monumental aluminum-cast pigeon sculpture *Dinosaur* (2024), currently installed on the High Line Plinth in New York. It discusses his broader practice, which includes performance, video, and installation, often addressing themes of power, resistance, and public space. Argote is preparing for his second exhibition at Albarrán Bourdais in Madrid, centered on a civic performance where he fills sidewalk cracks with colored concrete. The piece also includes a studio visit during Paris Art Week, revealing his creative process, team, and personal touches like a stocked champagne fridge.

art collector carmelo anthony nba hall of fame

Carmelo Anthony, the retired NBA star and soon-to-be Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, discusses his art collection in an interview with Cultured. He began collecting seriously early in his NBA career, guided by older players like Juwan Howard, and now owns works by artists such as Nelson Makamo, Nathaniel Mary Quinn, Ernie Barnes, Marcus Jansen, Hebru Brantley, and Stan Squirewell. His collection emphasizes street art, photography, and the Black experience, with pieces displayed intentionally throughout his home.

art sam mckinniss jeffrey deitch show

Artist Sam McKinniss, known for his internet-sourced celebrity portraits exploring fandom and parasocial relationships, is opening a new exhibition titled “Law and Order” at Jeffrey Deitch gallery in New York on September 6. The show shifts focus to figures of crime and justice, including “Hot Felon” Jeremy Meeks, Luigi Mangione, art dealer Mary Boone (as portrayed by Parker Posey in the 1996 film *Basquiat*), and a painting of Alcatraz, the former prison that President Donald Trump has proposed reopening. McKinniss describes the work as tracing the parameters of a top-down worldview in an era of new tyrannies. In an interview with CULTURED, he discusses his studio routine, creative influences like Martha Argerich, and the informal group chat that first sees his works-in-progress.

takako yamaguchi moca los angeles show

Takako Yamaguchi, a Japanese-born artist based in Los Angeles since 1987, will receive her first solo museum show in the city at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) starting June 29, 2025. The exhibition will feature 10 new seascapes in MOCA's Grand Avenue space, following a period of heightened attention including a 2023 show at Ortuzar gallery, inclusion in the 2024 Whitney Biennial, and record-breaking auction sales. In an interview with Cultured, Yamaguchi discusses her ambivalent relationship with the actual sea—she lives near the coast but rarely visits—and explains that her seascapes are inspired by other artists' depictions, such as Marsden Hartley and Rockwell Kent, filtered through her own lens of "semi-abstraction in reverse."

summer group shows julien nguyen kyoko idetsu reviews

The article reviews two summer group shows in New York. At 56 Henry, "Small Format Painting," curated by painter Josh Smith and actor/former gallerist Leo Fitzpatrick, features 34 artists working on identical 10x8 inch canvases, including blue-chip names like Nate Lowman and emerging talents. At Matthew Marks Gallery, Julien Nguyen presents a solo show of compact oil-on-copper paintings, inspired by Rembrandt's techniques and featuring his muse Nikos.

Where to go on Potsdamer Straße?

Wohin auf der Potsdamer Straße?

The article previews the Gallery Weekend Berlin, focusing on the Potsdamer Straße art scene. It highlights several exhibitions, including Adam Gordon's "Months Turn to Years" at Galerie Isabella Bortolozzi, which transforms the space into a secluded enclave with quiet paintings. Other featured shows include luminous color experiments, soap foam as an art form, and works exploring identity.

Editor’s Letter: Still, Listening

The 61st Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys" and curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, opens in May 2026, shifting focus from Eurocentric narratives to quieter, relational, and improvisational voices from the Global South. ArtAsiaPacific's May/June issue honors Kouoh's vision with features on artists including Gala Porras-Kim (a 2025 MacArthur Fellow), Khaled Sabsabi (representing Australia), and others like Liang Yuanwei, Yuko Mohri, Mona Hatoum, Tadanori Yokoo, Gayane Umerova, Li Yi-Fan, Hyeree Ro, and Ei Arakawa-Nash, with contributions from a curatorial team that carried Kouoh's work forward after her death in 2025.

africa art market shift

The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in Marrakech saw a significant contraction in 2026, with participation dropping by over 25 percent to just 22 galleries. This decline coincides with the recent arrival of Art Basel in Doha, which is intensifying competition for galleries and collectors' attention across the MENASA region, forcing dealers to make strategic choices about which fairs to support.

jonathan carver moore profile fog art fair

Jonathan Carver Moore, founder of an eponymous gallery in San Francisco, is presenting a solo booth of new paintings by Cameroonian-born artist Sesse Elangwe at the FOG Design + Art Fair. The works, developed during a residency with the gallery, depict local Bay Area subjects against recognizable backdrops. Moore, who opened his gallery in 2023 after a career in nonprofit communications and criminal justice reform, emphasizes creating an inclusive, conversational atmosphere for art viewing and collecting.

tobias pils galerie eva presenhuber

Austrian artist Tobias Pils presents a new body of pencil and ink drawings at Galerie Eva Presenhuber in Vienna, in an exhibition titled "Blende zum Morgen / Fade to Morning. Zeichnungen / Drawings." The show features works that are finished pieces rather than preparatory sketches, highlighting the dynamism of drawing as a medium. Pils, known for his monochromatic paintings blending figuration and abstraction, here eschews color entirely, allowing the raw qualities of ink and pencil to reveal the core of his creative vision. The exhibition runs through December 19, 2025.