After Going Through the Darkness Part 1: Kōta Takeuchi Exhibition "Nononononomatsuri" @ Ichihara Lakeside Museum

暗闇をくぐってみたら Part1 竹内公太展「のののののまつり」@ 市原湖畔美術館

The Ichihara Lakeside Museum, currently under renovation since late 2025, will partially reopen on May 1, 2026, with a theater-style series of solo exhibitions titled "Kōta Takeuchi: Nononononomatsuri" as its first installment. Artist Kōta Takeuchi, born in 1982 in Hyogo Prefecture and based in Fukushima, presents new video installations created during a four-month residency in Ichihara, where he visited over 70 stone monuments across the city—including horse-headed Kannon statues, Koyasu statues, and war memorials—to explore themes of parallel bodies and possession. The exhibition features works such as "Disassembly of the Sansha-za" (2013–2023), "Cement Thief" (2024), and "Sigh of the Ground" (2022), with a map showing the locations of the documented stone monuments.

art fair conductor powerhouse arts new york

Conductor Art Fair made its debut at Powerhouse Arts in Gowanus, Brooklyn, with a VIP preview night on April 29, ahead of its public run from April 30 to May 3. Led by Powerhouse Arts President Eric Shiner and Fair Director Adriana Farietta, the event drew over 800 guests, featuring installations by Juan Jose Barboza-Gubo, House of Silence by Vuslat, and Sana Frini, along with 28 gallery exhibitors and 20 special projects. A performance by Grammy-nominated artist Lido Pimienta highlighted the evening, and the fair showcased works by numerous artists and gallerists.

design salone del mobile 2026 milan raritas

Salone del Mobile 2026 in Milan debuted a new curated section called Salone Raritas, tucked into Pavilion 9 of the fairgrounds. Conceived by fair editorial and cultural director Annalisa Rosso with exhibition design by Formafantasma, the selective showcase brought together 28 exhibitors from 32 countries, featuring rare collectibles, antiques, limited editions, and high-end craft. Highlights included Saudi design house Zaza Maison, Marseille gallery 13desserts, Italian gallery Serafini with works by Indian designer Karan Desai, and live ceramic assembly by Officine Saffi Lab. Formafantasma’s sustainable design used reusable wooden dividers and drilling-free hanging systems.

Buhlebezwe Siwani “uYana umhlaba” at Consonni Radziszewski, Milan

Consonni Radziszewski inaugurates its Milan space with "uYana umhlaba," the first solo exhibition in Italy by South African artist Buhlebezwe Siwani. The show presents a new body of work that expands on research begun in 2020 with the Inkanyamba series, first exhibited at the Galeria Municipal de Almada in Portugal.

Il fotoreport Andy Rocchelli morto nel Donbass nel 2014 ha un giardino a lui dedicato a Pavia

On May 24, the Collegio Ghislieri in Pavia inaugurated the Giardino della Ricerca, a garden dedicated to photojournalist Andy Rocchelli, who was killed in 2014 in the Donbas region of Ukraine alongside human rights activist Andrei Mironov. The garden, opened on the twelfth anniversary of his death, features a commemorative plaque and includes speeches by Gherardo Colombo and Michele Serra, as well as a podcast by Agostino Zappia and Enrico Rotondi. Italian courts have ruled that Rocchelli and Mironov were killed by Ukrainian army fire, but no one has been convicted.

There is an absent pavilion at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale that no one has talked about: Venezuela

C’è un padiglione assente alla Biennale d’Arte di Venezia 2026 di cui nessuno ha parlato: il Venezuela

The Venezuelan pavilion at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale remains closed, an absence that has gone largely unnoticed amid other controversies surrounding the Russian, Israeli, South African, and Iranian pavilions. Designed by architect Carlo Scarpa and built between 1953 and 1956, the pavilion now displays a trilingual sign stating it will "rise again soon," reflecting the country's collapse after the kidnapping and imprisonment of President Nicolás Maduro by the United States and the installation of a fragile pro-American interim government.

Provincia Cosmica. Interview with Giuseppe Stampone, the artist who chose Gran Sasso as his home

Provincia Cosmica. Intervista a Giuseppe Stampone, l’artista che ha scelto il Gran Sasso come casa

Italian contemporary artist Giuseppe Stampone, born in Cluses in 1974, has returned to his native Abruzzo after years living in New York, Rome, and Brussels. Following the loss of his parents, he established his studio in the province of Teramo, where he is restoring a farmhouse under the Gran Sasso mountain to house the Archivio Giuseppe Stampone-Maria Crispal and an artist residency called Abruzzo Mon Amour. Stampone won the PAC2021 prize for his project "La natura delle cose," which explores his bond with the region and will create an archive dedicated to the flora and fauna of the Monti della Laga, Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo, and Gran Sasso areas.

Il grande artista Michelangelo Pistoletto apre un hotel d’arte a Biella

Michelangelo Pistoletto has opened Hotel Cittadellarte in Biella, Italy, within his Cittadellarte Fondazione Pistoletto. The 31-room hotel houses the exhibition "L'ospite inatteso" by Giuseppe Stampone, curated by Ilaria Bernardi, with each room containing a unique artwork designed to be lived with rather than quickly viewed. The exhibition includes Stampone's "Fotocopie intelligenti" and large tapestries from the Brioni manufactory, addressing themes of migration, belonging, memory, and coexistence. The building was sustainably renovated with PNRR funds.

Body as Device. Guide and Reflection on the Performances of the Venice Biennale

Corpo come dispositivo. Guida e riflessione sulle performance della Biennale di Venezia

The article analyzes the role of performance art at the 2026 Venice Biennale, arguing that performance is no longer a rediscovered genre but a structurally institutionalized primary form of experience production. It examines how the body reemerges not as an alternative to image-based works but as an internal interruption of the artwork system, preventing closure and reintroducing instability. Key pavilions are discussed: Austria's Florentina Holzinger with "Sancta" draws on 1970s radical performance and feminist body art, creating an immersive environment of continuous movement; Belgium's Miet Warlop with "IT NEVER SSST" engages post-dramatic theater and postmodern dance repetition; Japan's Ei Arakawa-Nash with "Grass Babies, Moon Babies" activates Gutai avant-garde legacies through viewer interaction with soft dolls.

A Firenze c’è da vedere una mostra sulla creatività degli Anni Venti

A new exhibition titled "Firenze Déco. Atmosfere degli anni Venti" has opened at Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence, running until August 25, 2026. Curated by Lucia Mannini and promoted by Città Metropolitana di Firenze with Fondazione MUS.E, the show explores the creative explosion of the 1920s in Florence, focusing on decorative arts, fashion, graphic design, and manufacturing. It highlights figures such as Gio Ponti for Richard-Ginori, Galileo Chini, Thayaht, Ferragamo, and Gucci, tracing how the city absorbed influences from Paris and the 1925 Exposition des Arts Décoratifs to forge its own distinctive Deco style. The exhibition features ceramics, furniture, jewelry, costumes, and period photographs, and is accompanied by an interview with the curator.

In Romagna, debate over the artistic legacy of the Fascist era

In Romagna c’è discussione attorno all’eredità artistica del Ventennio fascista

Recent developments in Romagna, Italy, have sparked debate over the artistic legacy of the Fascist era. The 102-meter-long Flight Mosaics at the former Aeronautical College in Forlì are now open to the public, and the Conad-Città di Forlì Auditorium, converted from a former GIL cinema, will inaugurate on May 13, 2026. Regional President De Pascale has announced initial funding to secure the Colonia Varese in Cervia, a Rationalist masterpiece, while long-awaited consolidation work has begun on the Casa del Fascio in Predappio, Benito Mussolini's birthplace. A 2010 plan to turn the Casa del Fascio into a cultural center documenting Fascism has stalled due to political changes and bureaucratic hurdles.

Casabianca is the name of the new art space to visit in Como

Si chiama Casabianca il nuovo spazio per l’arte da visitare a Como

A new art space called Casabianca has opened in Como, Italy, housed in a 1930s building designed by Piero Ponci. The project is spearheaded by hoteliers Paolo and Antonella De Santis, who have transformed the former luxury villa and bank into a domestic-style exhibition venue for their contemporary art collection. The space features works by artists such as Giulio Paolini, Stefano Arienti, Alighiero Boetti, Mario Merz, Marina Abramovic, and Joseph Kosuth, with no labels or didactics to preserve the feel of a private home.

In Savona there is a new contemporary culture festival that aims to make tradition dialogue with the most emerging research

A Savona c’è un nuovo festival di cultura contemporanea che mira a far dialogare la tradizione con le ricerche più emergenti

A new contemporary culture festival called Brucia has launched in Savona, Italy, with its zero edition running from May 9 to 17, 2026. Organized by the under-30 association Fiammiferi, founded by Teresa Raineri, the festival transforms the Fortezza del Priamàr and Teatro Chiabrera into a diffuse laboratory of artistic practices, including performances, concerts, exhibitions, workshops, and meetings. A highlight is the solo show [Çigae] by artist Gaia De Megni, curated by Gabriele Cordì, which explores themes of return and belonging through a Ligurian lens, featuring her film 'La tigre e i gabbiani' (2019).

An Italian artist makes an exhibition in Tunis inspired by Le Corbusier's architectures

Un artista italiano fa una mostra a Tunisi ispirandosi alle architetture di Le Corbusier

Italian artist Cristian Chironi has opened the seventh chapter of his ongoing project "My house is a Le Corbusier" with an exhibition in Tunis titled "My house is a Le Corbusier (Villa Baizeau)". The project centers on Villa Baizeau, a Le Corbusier-designed house built between 1928 and 1930 for industrialist Lucien Baizeau, which is now inaccessible inside the Tunisian presidential park. Chironi, inspired by a failed attempt by artist Costantino Nivola to bring Le Corbusier's architecture to his hometown Orani, instead travels the world temporarily inhabiting Le Corbusier's buildings. For this iteration, he set up a residency at La Boîte – Centre d'Art & d'Architecture in the Medina of Tunis from January 22 to April 5, 2026, culminating in an exhibition that opened April 3, 2026, using the villa as a lens to read the city rather than a physical space to occupy.

The Biennale releases the rules for voting on the Visitors' Lions while many artists and pavilions renounce competing for the prizes

La Biennale diffonde il regolamento per votare i Leoni dei Visitatori mentre molti artisti e padiglioni rinunciano a concorrere ai premi

The 61st Venice Biennale has opened to the public, introducing a controversial new voting system for the Golden Lions. After the entire jury resigned en masse on April 30, the Biennale decided to let the public decide the winners of the so-called "Leoni dei Visitatori" (Visitors' Lions). Voting is open from May 9 to November 22, 2026, and requires ticket holders to visit both main venues (Giardini and Arsenale) to receive a voting link. One vote per person is allowed for each of two categories: an artist in the main international exhibition "In Minor Keys" curated by Koyo Kouoh, and a national pavilion.

A Roma una mostra celebra il leggendario scenografo e costumista Dante Ferretti

A new exhibition titled "Dante Ferretti. Con i miei occhi" has opened at the Musei di San Salvatore in Lauro in Rome, celebrating the legendary Italian set designer and costume designer Dante Ferretti. Curated by Raffaele Curi, the show runs until July 19, 2026, and features a collection of Ferretti's sketches, charcoal drawings, and collages that served as the foundational visual ideas for films by directors including Pier Paolo Pasolini, Martin Scorsese, Federico Fellini, and Tim Burton. The exhibition presents these preparatory works not merely as production tools but as autonomous works of art, tracing Ferretti's visual genealogy from Renaissance painters like Piero della Francesca and Caravaggio to contemporary cinema.

Intervista all’artista italiano che ha riempito la città di Stoccolma di sculture-animali

Italian artist Davide Rivalta has installed thirteen monumental bronze sculptures of lions, buffalo, and rhinoceroses across Stockholm, Sweden, in a project titled "Blowing Figures into Space." Organized by the Italian Cultural Institute of Stockholm, the works are placed in strategic locations including Mynttorget, Gamla Stan, Ladugårdsgärdet, and Hagaparken, with installations rolling out from April 2025 through summer 2027. The first sculpture was unveiled near the Swedish Parliament during Stockholm Art Week, and additional animals will appear in public parks on August 29.

In her Venice exhibition, Hanna Rochereau wants to archive the archive

Nella sua mostra a Venezia, Hanna Rochereau vuole archiviare l’archivio

Hanna Rochereau (Paris, 1995) presents her first solo exhibition in Italy, titled "Data Divas," at Mare Karina gallery in Venice. The show explores archival systems through a dialogue between painting and sculpture: canvases depict orderly shelves and filing cabinets filled with impenetrable boxes, while sculptural elements—tailor's mannequins, scattered papers, open drawers—introduce disorder. Rochereau uses a restrained palette of white and wood tones, referencing early 20th-century cubist and metaphysical art, particularly Morandi. The exhibition runs until July 18, 2026.

At the 2026 Venice Biennale, pavilions shut down for pro-Palestine strike. The map of protests

Alla Biennale di Venezia 2026 serrata dei padiglioni per sciopero pro Palestina. La mappa delle proteste

On May 8, 2026, the third VIP preview day of the 61st Venice Biennale, a massive strike shut down numerous national pavilions and disrupted the exhibition. Led by the Art Not Genocide Alliance (Anga), the protest demands Israel's exclusion from the Biennale over allegations of genocide in Palestine, and also targets poor labor conditions in the cultural sector. Pavilions closed one after another due to staff shortages, and protest posters appeared around artworks at the Giardini and Arsenale. The strike involved the Biennale Foundation itself, along with about twenty contractors managing services and national pavilions, with unions Adl Cobas, USB Lavoro privato, and Cub supporting the action. Tensions rose when the UK Pavilion reportedly replaced striking staff to remain open, and the Foundation issued a statement falsely denying that its employees were covered by the strike.

Ville Aperte in Brianza. Tornano i weekend di visita nel patrimonio lombardo tra storia e verde

The 24th edition of Ville Aperte in Brianza returns in 2026 with the theme "Storie che restano" (Stories That Remain), highlighting the ability of Lombardy's historic villas and gardens to preserve centuries of memories. The spring edition runs from May 9–17, and the autumn edition from September 19–October 4, featuring 48 cultural sites across 35 municipalities in the provinces of Monza and Brianza, Milan, Lecco, and Como. The symbol of this year is Villa Tittoni (Villa Cusani Traversi Antona Tittoni) in Desio, designed by architect Giuseppe Piermarini and later expanded by Pelagio Palagi. Special programs include guided tours by three associations of licensed guides, children's activities, and a school contest exhibition on the 80th anniversary of the Liberation.

The 2026 Venice Biennale is light and conscious

Quella del 2026 è una Biennale di Venezia leggera e consapevole

The 2026 Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys" and curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, has opened with a focus on ecology and humanity's relationship with nature. The central pavilion at the Giardini presents a festive, craft-heavy exhibition that emphasizes connections with plants and animals, while the Arsenale offers a more spacious, symphonic experience featuring standout works such as Alfredo Jaar's "End of the World" (2023-2024) and Kader Attia's "Whisper of Traces" (2026). National pavilions, including those of Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, and Spain, explore themes of the body, memory, and ruin with notable installations.

The Claire Fontaine collective and Ugo La Pietra open the new season of the Fondazione La Rocca in Pescara

Il collettivo Claire Fontaine e Ugo la Pietra aprono la nuova stagione della Fondazione La Rocca di Pescara

The Fondazione La Rocca in Pescara has announced its upcoming exhibition program for 2026-2027, including a solo show by Ugo La Pietra (June–October 2026) and a solo exhibition by the feminist conceptual collective Claire Fontaine (December 2026–March 2027). The foundation has also appointed Simone Ciglia as its new Chief Curator, who will work alongside the presidency to shape future artistic research. The season opens with La Pietra's 'Alla finestra,' curated by Giacinto Di Pietrantonio, featuring around seventy works exploring the window as a threshold. Claire Fontaine's 'Manuale d’uso,' curated by Ciglia, is conceived as an exhibition-essay based on Anita Chari's monograph. Additionally, the foundation launches 'FLR Incontra,' a public program of interdisciplinary talks and performances.

Art and politics: to take a stand or not? Nine artists and curators respond

Arte e politica: bisogna esporsi o no? Rispondono in 9 tra artisti e curatori

Nove tra artisti e curatori italiani rispondono alla domanda se l'arte debba esporsi politicamente, in un articolo pubblicato su Artribune. Marco Trulli, responsabile Cultura Arci e curatore, sostiene che l'arte non possa prescindere dal contesto storico e geopolitico, e che il mondo dell'arte debba mettere in discussione le connessioni tra istituzioni culturali, guerre e violenze sistemiche. Gabi Scardi, curatrice, rifiuta la categoria di 'arte politica' e invita gli artisti ad agire politicamente, citando esempi di padiglioni nazionali alla Biennale di Venezia (Turchia 2017, Israele 2015) come modelli di critica radicale dall'interno. Un altro contributo, legato al progetto 'Francesco 2026' per il Padiglione Internet a Venezia, propone una regola etica: l'arte deve minimizzare il danno alle persone più vulnerabili.

The ironic and intellectual painting of Renato Varese. The exhibition in Conegliano

La pittura ironica e intellettuale di Renato Varese. La mostra a Conegliano

Palazzo Sarcinelli in Conegliano is hosting a retrospective exhibition dedicated to Renato Varese (1926–2024), a versatile Italian painter, graphic artist, engraver, sculptor, and ceramist. Curated by Lorena Gava, the show marks the centenary of Varese's birth and features around fifty works spanning painting and graphic art, highlighting his ironic, intellectual, and visionary style often described as "Gothic." Concurrently, the artist's heirs have donated thirteen works to the city's civic collections, including the large canvas "Beati gli ultimi" (1997), now housed in a dedicated room named Sala L.R. Varese.

Pussy Riot and FEMEN protest at the Russian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. "Blood is the true language of Russia"

Le Pussy Riot e le FEMEN in protesta al Padiglione russo alla Biennale di Venezia. “Il sangue è il vero linguaggio della Russia”

On May 6, 2026, during the preview days of the 61st Venice Biennale, Pussy Riot and FEMEN staged a joint protest outside the Russian Pavilion. Led by Nadya Tolokonnikova, the activists denounced Russia's participation in the Biennale as a form of political normalization while the war in Ukraine continues. The action included chants and slogans such as "Russia kills, Biennale exhibits. Blood is Russia's art," and targeted the Russian ambassador present inside the pavilion. The protest was unannounced and caught Biennale security off guard, drawing a crowd of journalists, visitors, and art professionals.

Un’importante collezione tedesca d’arte per la prima volta in mostra in Italia a Venezia

The Kelterborn Collection, a German private collection focused on video art and experimental installations, will be exhibited in Italy for the first time at Venice's Contemporary Forces platform from May 7 to September 27, 2026. The exhibition, titled "Who’s a good boy??," is curated by Anastasia Stravinsky and Mario von Kelterborn in collaboration with IKT – International Association of Curators of Contemporary Art, and features works by twelve artists including Joseph Beuys, Gary Hill, Laure Prouvost, and Ulay. The show aligns with the theme of the 61st Venice Biennale, exploring power "in minor keys."

Il Padiglione Italia alla Biennale è il più internazionale di sempre

Chiara Camoni presents the Italian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale with her exhibition "Con Te Con Tutto" in the Arsenale. The show is divided into two sections: the first features monumental yet intimate sculptures, including her signature "sister" figures made from necklaces and terracotta fragments, while the second section continues the installation with a focus on circular production and zero waste. Camoni emphasizes a return to front-facing statuary, avoiding the gigantism of past editions, and works with sustainable, handmade processes.

What is the international exhibition of the Venice Biennale like? Review of "In minor keys" by Koyo Kouoh

Com’è la mostra internazionale della Biennale di Venezia? Recensione di “In minor keys” di Koyo Kouoh

The 2026 Venice Biennale, titled "In minor keys" and curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, opens to the public on May 9 amid controversies including the absence of the president's name in the colophon at the Arsenale entrance. The exhibition, organized by Kouoh's team (Rory Tsapayi, Siddharta Mitter, Marie Helene Pereira, Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, and Rasha Salty), unfolds across the Giardini and the Arsenale's Corderie, featuring works that balance strength and beauty with a harmonious mix of voices and themes. The Giardini section is particularly compelling, with a non-linear, polycentric layout that feels like a living organism, while the Arsenale offers further depth.

Are the Visitors' Lions at the Venice Biennale an Opportunity for Art Criticism? Let's Seize It?

I Leoni dei Visitatori alla Biennale di Venezia sono un’opportunità per la critica d’arte. Cerchiamo di coglierla?

The article discusses the newly instituted "Leoni dei Visitatori" (Visitors' Lions) at the Venice Biennale, established after the resignation of the International Jury. The author, Alberto Villa, argues that this change shifts significant influence to art media and critics, as visitors will rely on reviews and recommendations from specialized magazines, websites, and social media to decide which pavilions to prioritize. Villa calls on critics to embrace this responsibility with heightened critical rigor, seeing it as an opportunity to revive the mediating role of art criticism.

Un ciclo di mostre è allestito sotto terra in un ipogeo del quartiere Pigneto a Roma

A family of entrepreneurs acquired an ancient bar in Rome's Pigneto neighborhood in 2020, inheriting a Roman-era hypogeum dating back to the 1st century BC. Originally a pozzolana quarry, later a wine cellar and WWII air-raid shelter, the space beneath the historic bar Necci dal 1924 reopened to the public on March 12 as an exhibition venue. It now hosts "Sottoforma," a cycle of three exhibitions curated by Donatella Giordano and Agatha Jaubourg that explore the theme of the invisible through contemporary art. The first exhibition features works by Eva Marisaldi, Enrico Serotti, and Luca Vitone, running until March 31, followed by shows with Iginio De Luca and Liliana Moro in April, and José Angelino and Elena Bellantoni in May 2026.