Comment | The dissolution of Antwerp's museum of contemporary art should serve as a warning to all

The Flemish ministry of culture has ordered the closure of M HKA, the museum of contemporary art in Antwerp, Belgium, and the transfer of its collection to S.M.A.K. in Ghent. A planned €130m new building for M HKA, ready to break ground, has been cancelled. In response, artists and cultural workers have launched a "Museum at Risk" campaign, occupying the museum's entrance and pressuring city councillors, while international artists like Emilia Kabakov and the estate of Christian Boltanski are demanding the return of their works.

1+1. Relational Art: at MAXXI a major exhibition reflects on the legacy of Nicolas Bourriaud's critical revolution

The MAXXI museum in Rome has opened a major exhibition titled "1+1. Relational Art," which examines the legacy of Nicolas Bourriaud's influential 1998 book "Relational Aesthetics." The show brings together works by artists from the 1990s generation—including Maurizio Cattelan, Douglas Gordon, Pierre Huyghe, Philippe Parreno, Liam Gillick, and Dominique González-Foerster—who pioneered art based on human interactions and social contexts rather than traditional autonomous objects. The exhibition reflects on how Bourriaud's theory, developed from studio visits with these young artists, redefined art criticism by proposing that artworks be judged by the interhuman relations they produce or evoke.

Christie's 20/21 sales achieve $693 million

Christie's 20th and 21st Century Art sales in New York from 12-15 May 2025 achieved a total of $693 million across six sales, reaching 123% of the low estimate. The top lot was Piet Mondrian's 1922 painting *Composition with Large Red Plane, Bluish Gray, Yellow, Black and Blue*, which sold for $47.56 million. Other highlights included Claude Monet's *Peupliers au bord de l'Epte, crépuscule* (1891) at $42.96 million, and Marlene Dumas's *Miss January* (1997), which set a record for a living female artist. The Leonard & Louise Riggio collection alone brought $272 million, while the 20th Century Evening Sale achieved $217 million with a 100% sell-through rate. New artist records were set for Dorothea Tanning, Remedios Varo, Louis Fratino, Simone Leigh, and Emma McIntyre.

New Chilean president reverses predecessor’s policies, cutting culture budget

Chile's new president, José Antonio Kast, has implemented a 3% budget cut across all government ministries, including the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage. This reverses the trend of his predecessor, Gabriel Boric, who significantly increased cultural funding. The new Minister of Cultures, Francisco Undurraga, has stated there is "excessive spending on culture," and the government is seeking an additional $1bn in cuts, requiring ministries to identify alleged abuses in public fund usage.

Required Reading

Required Reading

Thousands marched in Buenos Aires on March 9 for a 24-hour women's strike, with one group staging a symbolic artwork by wrapping a continuous blindfold across their faces to protest patriarchal control. This followed a UN report urging Argentina's government to address gender-based violence. Separately, a *Guardian* investigation revealed UK museums hold over 260,000 human remains, many taken from former colonies, which MPs have condemned as a barbaric legacy of imperialism.

michael joo space zero one venice biennale

Artist Michael Joo has unveiled a major survey exhibition, "Sweat Models 1991–2026," at Space ZeroOne, a new institutional initiative by the Hanwha Foundation of Culture in Tribeca. The show features career-spanning works including "Concatenations," a massive architectural installation composed of century-old aluminum baking trays and personal ephemera, and salt-block sculptures that reference his background in biology and his family's history in cattle ranching.

The End-of-Term Grand Interview with Stefano Boeri After 8 Years as President of Triennale di Milano

La grande intervista di fine mandato a Stefano Boeri dopo 8 anni da presidente della Triennale di Milano

Stefano Boeri reflects on his eight-year tenure as president of Triennale Milano in a wide-ranging exit interview. He discusses the institution's transformation into a more international and accessible cultural hub, highlighting key achievements such as the three major International Exhibitions—"Broken Nature" (2019), "Unknown Unknowns" (2022), and "Inequalities" (2025)—and the physical reclamation of spaces like the "Cuore" hall and the garden-level floor, which were opened free to the public. Boeri also touches on financial management, governance challenges, and his hopes for the future leadership.

In Belgio inaugura BRUSK. A Bruges un nuovo museo ibrido dall’arte antica all’AI

A new hybrid cultural center called BRUSK has opened in Bruges, Belgium, designed by Robbrecht en Daem and Olivier Salens. Part of the Musea Brugge network, the venue blends ancient art with contemporary and AI-driven works, featuring two inaugural exhibitions: "Bigger Picture. Connected Worlds of Bruges 900–1550," a historical survey co-curated with historian Peter Frankopan, and "Latent City," the first Belgian solo show of digital artist Refik Anadol. The building offers free ground-floor public spaces, including a café and a permanent mural by Laure Prouvost, aiming to attract both tourists and locals.

Art and politics clash at Venice Biennale, as world conflicts upstage exhibition's opening

The 61st Venice Biennale, the world's most prestigious art exhibition, opens under unprecedented turmoil. For the first time, its vision was shaped by the late Cameroonian curator Koyo Kouoh, who centered artists from Africa and its diaspora. However, political conflicts over Russia and Israel have overshadowed the art. All five jurors resigned after the Italian culture minister investigated their decision to withhold prizes from Russia and Israel over alleged crimes against humanity. Protests erupted at the Russian pavilion, with Pussy Riot activists denouncing Russia's participation, while the Israeli pavilion artist threatened legal action over the jury's snub. The Biennale will proceed without a jury, with visitors voting for two awards, and the fate of the Golden Lion remains uncertain.

In Prague, the long-term future of Alphonse Mucha’s ‘Slav Epic’ hangs in the balance

Alphonse Mucha’s monumental 20-painting series *Slav Epic*, completed in 1928, has never received the permanent exhibition space in Prague that the artist demanded when he donated the work to the city. For decades the series has been displayed in Moravský Krumlov, and its current loan there was recently extended to 2031. Plans to install the Epic in a vaulted underground space designed by Thomas Heatherwick as part of Crestyl’s Savarin development have stalled due to permitting delays, though Crestyl now expects construction to begin in 2025 and open in 2029. Meanwhile, legal disputes persist: John Mucha (the artist’s grandson) had threatened to revoke the city’s ownership, and another granddaughter, Jarmila Mucha Plocková, has challenged the proposed location as unworthy.

designer analuisa corrigan actor pauline chalamet

Ceramicist and lighting designer Analuisa Corrigan and actor Pauline Chalamet meet at Corrigan's Los Angeles studio for a conversation about their creative practices, hosted by CULTURED and sponsored by Tory Burch. Corrigan discusses her shift from oil painting to working with materials like aluminum, while Chalamet reflects on her path from ballet to acting, including her roles in *The King of Staten Island* and *The Sex Lives of College Girls*.

10 exhibitions to look out for in May

Warren Feeney's article highlights 10 exhibitions opening in May 2026, primarily in Christchurch, New Zealand. Featured shows include Stone Maka's 'MONO' at Jonathan Smart Gallery, exploring Tongan tapa cloth traditions; Jess Nicholson's 'Ka maumahara te uku (the clay remembers)' at CoCA Toi Moroki, focusing on Ngāi Tahu culture and land connections; and a group exhibition 'Indigo' at Art on the Quay, featuring seven Central Otago artists. Other notable shows include Jane Barry, Sandra Hussey, and Laurie Roodt's 'Three Exhibitions' at Chambers Art Gallery, and Stephanie Postles' 'What These Walls Remember' at City Art Depot's new Up Stairs space.

Mexico City's art scene gravitates to Santa María la Ribera neighbourhood

The artistic center of gravity in Mexico City is shifting from established gallery districts like Condesa and Roma to the Santa María la Ribera neighborhood. Over the past five years, a wave of artists has moved there, drawn by affordable rents, large studio spaces, and a central location, transforming the area into a vibrant, organic hub for artistic production and new, non-traditional exhibition spaces.

Russian Pavilion Will Be Closed to the Public During Venice Biennale: Report

The Russian Pavilion will be closed to the public for most of the 2025 Venice Biennale, opening only during the pre-opening vernissage (May 5–8) for live performances tied to the exhibition “The Tree Is Rooted in the Sky.” After May 9, the pavilion will remain closed, with digital documentation displayed in the windows. The compromise follows weeks of pressure from European cultural and political figures—including Italy’s culture minister—to shutter the pavilion due to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Plans were confirmed via email correspondence between Biennale Foundation president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, general director Andrea Del Mercato, and Russian Pavilion commissioner Anastasia Karneeva, as reported by Italian outlets Open and La Repubblica.

Smithsonian’s American Art Museum Appoints New Director Amid Turbulent Moment

The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) has appointed Lynda Roscoe Hartigan as its new director, concluding a 17-month search. Hartigan, who is leaving her position as executive director and CEO of the Peabody Essex Museum, will begin her role in September, succeeding acting director Jane Carpenter-Rock. She previously worked at SAAM as a curator in the 1970s and has held senior leadership roles at the Peabody Essex Museum and the Royal Ontario Museum.

sudan national museum 60 percent looted

Officials from the National Museum of Sudan have revealed that over 60% of the institution's holdings were looted during the country's ongoing civil war. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) occupied the Khartoum-based museum for nearly a year, during which time ancient gold, jewelry, and approximately 8,000 pieces from exhibition halls were stolen. Satellite imagery confirmed trucks transporting artifacts away from the site, and several other regional museums, including the Sultan Ali Dinar Museum, have been reported as completely destroyed.

jack lang resigns institut de monde arabe jeffrey epstein

Jack Lang, the former French culture minister and president of the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, resigned from his position. His resignation came after his name, and that of his daughter Caroline Lang, appeared in newly released court documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. French prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation into the pair for alleged tax fraud and money laundering, leading to intense political pressure and Lang's decision to step down.

what to know about the smithsonian

President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” targeting the Smithsonian Institution. The order tasks Vice President J.D. Vance with removing “improper ideology” from Smithsonian museums, supported by Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and advisor Lindsey Halligan. Critics, including historian Raymond Arsenault, have described the move as totalitarian. The Smithsonian, a public-private partnership founded in 1846 with 21 museums and the National Zoo, faces potential loss of federal funding if it does not comply, echoing pressure applied to other institutions like Columbia University.

the hunt amarna letters diplomacy

The article explores the discovery and significance of the Amarna Letters, a collection of 382 clay tablets found in the ancient Egyptian city of Amarna. Initially dismissed as forgeries due to their unusual material (clay instead of papyrus) and language (cuneiform Akkadian, not Egyptian), the letters date to the 14th century B.C.E. and were written by vassal rulers and rival kings to the pharaoh, primarily Akhenaten. They document diplomatic correspondence, including reports on trade, governance, and military operations, as well as gift exchanges and marriage proposals between equal powers.

switzerland reject inheritance tax billionaires collectors

Swiss voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed inheritance tax on Sunday, with 78% voting no. The tax, introduced by the Social Democrats, would have applied a 50% rate to inheritances and gifts exceeding 50 million Swiss francs (about $62.3 million). Billionaire Peter Spuhler threatened to leave the country if the tax passed, and Swiss wealth managers warned that other ultra-wealthy individuals would follow, citing their mobility and options to optimize taxes.

unesco new chief gaza and ukraine us exit anti israel bias

UNESCO's executive board has nominated Khaled El-Enany Ezz as its sole candidate for the next director-general, following a decisive vote during the organization's meetings at United Nations High Week. El-Enany, a 54-year-old Egyptian professor of Egyptology and former minister of tourism and antiquities, previously oversaw the construction and renovation of more than 20 museums, including the Grand Egyptian Museum. He will be the first Arab to lead UNESCO, replacing outgoing director-general Audrey Azoulay.

kazimir malevich mnac bucharest yaniv cohen dispute

Yaniv Cohen, a Bucharest-based Israeli businessman, is threatening to sue the art publication e-flux and Ukrainian American art historian Konstantin Akinsha for defamation over an article questioning the authenticity of three paintings attributed to Kazimir Malevich. The works—'Suprematist Composition in Color' (ca. 1915), 'Cubo-Futurist Composition' (ca. 1912–13), and 'Linear Suprematism' (ca. 1916)—are currently on view at the National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC) in Bucharest as part of the exhibition 'Kazimir Malevich: Outliving History.' Akinsha accused MNAC of lacking expertise and challenged the provenance of the previously unseen works, prompting Cohen to demand the article's removal and an apology via a letter from the Tel Aviv–based law firm Rosen-Ben Gal.

right wing group great british pac block parthenon marbles

Former U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss and right-wing group Great British Pac have sent a letter to current Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, and British Museum trustees, threatening legal action against an alleged "covert" deal to return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. The letter, signed by 34 individuals including historian David Starkey, claims the British Museum is engaged in an "accelerating campaign" to remove the sculptures and warns of seeking an injunction to halt negotiations. The British Museum confirmed receipt of the letter but stated that discussions with Greece about a Parthenon partnership are "ongoing and constructive."

king tuts iconic death mask was intended for someone else researchers say

Researchers from the University of York have proposed that King Tutankhamun's iconic death mask, discovered in 1925 by Egyptologist Howard Carter, was not originally made for the young pharaoh. The theory, based on the mask's pierced ears—a feature typically found on female rulers and children—suggests it was intended for a regal female burial, possibly Queen Nefertiti. Analysis of the gold used on the face versus the rest of the mask indicates the face was added later, effectively grafted onto a pre-existing mask. This idea, first raised by British Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves in 2015, is supported by evidence that Tutankhamun's death at around age 19 was sudden, leading to a hurried burial with repurposed funerary objects.

king tut tomb clay troughs awakening osiris

A new study by Nicholas Brown, a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University, challenges the long-held interpretation of four clay troughs found in Tutankhamun's tomb. Discovered by Howard Carter in 1922, the troughs were previously dismissed as stands for gilded wooden staffs. Brown argues that the troughs' small bases could not have supported the staffs, and instead proposes they were used in the "Awakening of Osiris" ritual, holding libations of water for purification and rejuvenation in the afterlife. The study draws on material symbolism, including the Nile mud composition and the reed mats they rested on, to support this reinterpretation.

alison saar david c driskell prize 2

Alison Saar has been named the 2025 recipient of the David C. Driskell Prize by Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, recognizing her significant contributions to the African American art canon. The announcement was made in New York at a celebration held at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in partnership with CULTURED, with a formal gala planned for September featuring a performance by John Legend. Saar, a Los Angeles native known for her commanding sculptures and mixed-media works exploring race, gender, and spiritual identity, joins past honorees including Naomi Beckwith, Ebony G. Patterson, Amy Sherald, and Rashid Johnson.

Marian Goodman’s personal collection of Gerhard Richters

Christie's will auction seven paintings by Gerhard Richter from the personal collection of legendary gallerist Marian Goodman in May 2026, headlining a series of sales titled "Breaking Ground: The Private Collection of Marian Goodman." The group includes the iconic 1982 work *Kerze (Candle)*, estimated at $35–50 million, and spans Richter's career from 1982 to 2009. Goodman, who died in 2024, began representing Richter in 1985 after writing him a letter, and her collection reflects their decades-long professional and personal relationship.

When Shells Become Weapons

Wenn Muscheln zu Waffen werden

Swedish artist Lotta Antonsson, born in 1963, presents her exhibition "I am Everything" at Fotografiska in Stockholm, featuring around 50 works that repurpose found black-and-white photographs from 1960s and 1970s fashion and lifestyle magazines. She overlays these images of women in objectifying poses with shells, stones, and crystals, creating assemblages that obscure faces or add threatening details like crystal vampire teeth on actresses Ali MacGraw and Jane Fonda. The show opened during the Stockholm Art Fair and draws on Antonsson's extensive archive, including East German erotic magazines sourced from Berlin flea markets.

EU confirms Venice Biennale funding cut over Russia feud

The European Union has confirmed it will cut its funding to the Venice Biennale following the event's decision to allow Russia's return to the exhibition. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced the move, which was previously threatened, during a press conference focused on supporting Ukraine. Latvia and Finland have also stated they will not send government representatives if Russia's participation is maintained.

Gilles Bloch: "The Museum needs 1.1 billion euros"

Gilles Bloch : « Le Muséum a besoin de 1,1 milliard d’euros »

Gilles Bloch, president of the Muséum national d’histoire naturelle in Paris, has issued an urgent call for €1.1 billion in funding to address the critical state of the institution's infrastructure. Ahead of its 400th anniversary in 2026, a diagnostic report reveals that 74% of the museum's 120 buildings are in poor condition, with several galleries currently closed to the public or suffering from inadequate climate control. The requested funds would cover €500 million in emergency repairs to stabilize decaying structures and a further €600 million for long-term modernization and energy efficiency upgrades.