It’s the Most Controversial Venice Biennale in Years. Can the Art Stand Up to the Noise?

The 2026 Venice Biennale is embroiled in controversy, with the US Pavilion at the center of a political storm. The Trump administration's State Department overhauled the selection process, bypassing the usual NEA panel and commissioning a nonprofit, the American Arts Conservancy, to organize the pavilion. Artist Alma Allen, who accepted the invitation despite threats from galleries and curators, presents a show that critics find politically muted. The Biennale's jury resigned days before the opening, and annual prizes were canceled, adding to the turmoil.

London art exhibitions to see in April

London’s cultural landscape sees a significant surge of activity this April with a diverse array of exhibitions spanning major institutions and commercial galleries. Key highlights include a recreation of Keith Haring’s 1980s subway chalk drawings at the Moco Museum, a retrospective of surrealist couturier Elsa Schiaparelli at the V&A, and a deep dive into the sculptural legacy of Guyanese-British artist Donald Locke at Camden Art Centre.

This Spring’s Must-See Contemporary Art Exhibitions in London

London's spring art season is anchored by several major institutional surveys, most notably Tracey Emin’s comprehensive exhibition "A Second Life" at Tate Modern. Other significant showcases include Hurvin Anderson’s exploration of Caribbean diaspora at Tate Britain, David Hockney’s new works at Serpentine North, and Cecily Brown’s long-awaited institutional homecoming at Serpentine South. The season also features diverse media, from Chiharu Shiota’s immersive yarn installations at the Hayward Gallery to Isaac Julien’s filmic explorations at the Cosmic House.

Meet 14 Women Shaping India’s Booming Art Scene

Artsy profiles 14 influential women who are shaping India's rapidly evolving art market, including Nita Mukesh Ambani, Jaya Asokan, Shireen Gandhy, and others. The article highlights their roles as founders, directors, collectors, and patrons, with a focus on the upcoming 17th edition of the India Art Fair, which will feature a record 135 exhibitors. Each woman is described as contributing to the growth of galleries, auction houses, biennales, and cultural institutions across the country.

London Art Exhibitions 2026 An Artlyst Month by Month Guide

Artlyst has published a comprehensive month-by-month guide to art exhibitions opening in London throughout 2026. Highlights include solo shows by Lucian Freud, David Hockney, and Anish Kapoor; surveys of women artists such as Tracey Emin, Frida Kahlo, Rose Wylie, Cecily Brown, and Chiharu Shiota; and historical exhibitions featuring Stubbs, Whistler, and Renoir. The guide also covers the opening of the new V&A East, a major samurai exhibition at the British Museum, a Freud drawing show at the National Portrait Gallery, an Aardman animation exhibition at Young V&A, a Lynda Benglis and Giacometti encounter at the Barbican Centre, and a Seurat seascape exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery.

All we want for Christmas: The Art Newspaper 2025 gift guide

The Art Newspaper has published its 2025 Christmas gift guide, featuring a curated selection of art-related presents. Suggestions include art supplies from London's historic L. Cornelissen & Son, Japanese Irojiten color pencils, and cookbooks like "The Kitchen Studio: Culinary Creations by Artists" and the out-of-print "The Museum of Modern Art Artists' Cookbook." The guide also includes fantasy gift lists from Frieze and Art UK, with items such as Alexander Calder playing cards and a Tom of Finland cushion from House of Voltaire, alongside more unusual ideas like a sponsorship deal for a Victorian loo or a Lego Louvre heist set.

City Gallery back with a bang

City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi has announced a major retrospective of British artist Cornelia Parker, set to open on 10 October 2026 and run through 7 March 2027. The exhibition, which director Charlotte Davy describes as a lifelong ambition, will feature Parker's large-scale immersive installations known for themes of destruction, reconstruction, and transformation—including works that involve exploded and suspended objects. The show follows the gallery's history of presenting landmark exhibitions by female artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Cindy Sherman, and Hilma af Klint. The exhibition is curated by City Gallery Wellington's Senior Curator Aaron Lister and UK-based Andrea Schlieker, former Director of Exhibitions and Displays at Tate Britain and Director at White Cube London.

‘There is always something else to discover’: Glenn Brown on the art he collects and why

Artist Glenn Brown discusses his personal art collection in an interview with The Art Newspaper, revealing his first purchase was a 1964 David Hockney drawing of Renée McDougal and his most recent acquisition was a group of Ann Churchill's Daily Drawings from 1974. Brown, who opened The Brown Collection in Marylebone three years ago, is extending its hours during Frieze Week for the exhibition 'Hoi Polloi,' which examines depictions of ordinary people from the 16th century onward. He also has an installation at Gagosian's Frieze Masters booth and a concurrent show at the Freud Museum.

Jenny Saville: ‘You are having a conversation with the paint, as well as with the sitter’

British artist Jenny Saville, known for her monumental paintings of the female form, is the subject of a major survey exhibition titled "The Anatomy of Painting" at the National Portrait Gallery in London, which opened in June. The show traces her practice from the 1990s to the present day, featuring portrait heads and figures that push the boundaries of portraiture. Saville, who broke the auction record for a living female artist in 2018 when her self-portrait "Propped" (1992) sold for £9.5m at Sotheby's, discusses her influences—including Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon, and Frank Auerbach—and her ongoing exploration of corporeality and painterliness in an interview with The Art Newspaper.

Victoria Miro: ‘Art should open your eyes to something you don’t know’

Victoria Miro, the influential London art dealer, reflects on her 40-year career as her eponymous gallery celebrates its anniversary. In a rare interview, she discusses her humble beginnings—displaying art in her husband's office window and hosting pop-ups—and her rise to prominence representing acclaimed artists such as Chris Ofili, Isaac Julien, Do Ho Suh, and Chantal Joffe. The gallery's birthday exhibition, "Victoria Miro: 40 Years," features works by its roster, including pieces by Kudzanai-Violet Hwami, Stan Douglas, and Grayson Perry.

Huge Paris exhibition reveals David Hockney’s love of Van Gogh

A major exhibition at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, titled "David Hockney 25," showcases 400 works by the British artist, with a focus on the past 25 years of his career. The show highlights Hockney’s deep admiration for Vincent van Gogh, featuring a section called "The Great Wall" that includes 29 Van Gogh reproductions alongside works by other artists. Key pieces on display include Hockney’s portrait of his partner Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima, inspired by Van Gogh’s "Sorrowing Old Man," and iPad drawings echoing Van Gogh’s sunflower still lifes. The exhibition runs until 31 August.

National Portrait Gallery

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Tate announces 2026 Turner Prize shortlist.

Tate Britain has announced the shortlist for the 2026 Turner Prize, featuring artists Simeon Barclay, Kira Freije, Marguerite Humeau, and Tanoa Sasraku. Each shortlisted artist receives £10,000 ($13,500), and their work will be exhibited at Teesside University’s Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) in North England from September 26, 2026 to March 29, 2027. The winner, to be announced at an awards ceremony at MIMA on December 10, 2026, will receive £25,000 ($33,760).

Desmond Morris, zoologist, presenter and surrealist painter, 1928–2026

Desmond Morris, the zoologist, author, television presenter, and surrealist painter, has died at the age of 98. He was best known for his 1967 book *The Naked Ape* and the television program *Zoo Time*, but maintained a parallel, influential career in the visual arts as a painter and curator.

Glen Baxter obituary

Cartoonist and surrealist Glen Baxter has died at the age of 82. He was celebrated for his distinctive style, which blended deadpan captions with pop art-inspired scenes featuring characters like cowboys and spacemen in bizarre situations. His work appeared in major publications like the New Yorker and the Observer, and he was also a staple of humorous greeting cards.

Remembering Raghu Rai, Jack Thornell, and Jarvis Rockwell

Hyperallergic's weekly 'In Memoriam' column honors eight recently deceased figures from the art world, including Indian photojournalist Raghu Rai (1942–2026), Argentine abstract painter Ides Kihlen (1917–2026), Israeli painter and activist Yair Garbuz (1945–2026), British photographer Mark Gerson (1921–2026), Japanese art collector Kurt Gitter (1937–2026), Danish antiquities dealer Ittai Gradel (1965–2026), indigo textile artist Leigh Magar (1968–2026), and Kenyan muralist Patrick Mukabi (1967–2026). Each entry summarizes their life, career highlights, and contributions to visual art and photography.

Tracey Emin’s Cult of the Self

A major retrospective of Tracey Emin's work, "A Second Life," is on view at Tate Modern in London. The exhibition presents the artist's deeply personal and confessional body of work, including iconic pieces like "My Bed" and "Exorcism of the Last Painting I Ever Made," which chronicle intimate experiences of love, trauma, and self-exploration through text, objects, and raw imagery.

Gainsborough’s Powdered Wig Portraits Are Suddenly Hot in New York

A new exhibition at the Frick Collection in New York has assembled 25 portraits by the 18th-century British painter Thomas Gainsborough. The show focuses on his depictions of the era's elite, showcasing the powdered wigs, lavish fabrics, and social stature of his sitters.

A Painter Faces His Biggest Show, and the Truth About Success

Hurvin Anderson is preparing for a major retrospective of his work at Tate Britain, a significant milestone in his career. Despite this achievement, the artist expresses a complex and uncertain relationship with his own success, reflecting on his journey and the meaning of recognition.

At the Tate Modern, the Moving Renaissance of Tracey Emin

À la Tate Modern, la bouleversante renaissance de Tracey Emin

Tracey Emin has returned to the Tate Modern for a major retrospective titled "A Second Life," marking a poignant milestone in her career. The exhibition features over a hundred works, including the iconic and once-scandalous "My Bed," which first catapulted her to international fame during the 1999 Turner Prize. This survey explores her evolution from the "enfant terrible" of the Young British Artists to a Dame of the British Empire, showcasing her multidisciplinary practice across painting, sculpture, and installation.

Rare Portraits Reveal How Elizabeth I Turned Image Into Power

Philip Mould & Company in London is hosting a new exhibition titled "Elizabeth I: Queen and Court," featuring four rare portraits of the Tudor monarch alongside depictions of her closest advisors and political rivals. The show traces Elizabeth's visual evolution from a pious young princess to a formidable, iconographic ruler, highlighting how she utilized fashion and symbolism to solidify her authority and manage public perception during a period of immense political and religious transition.

Peter Doig | Peter Doig - Courtauld Gallery Exhibition poster, 20… (2024) | For Sale

A hand-signed offset lithograph poster by Peter Doig, created for his 2023 exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery in London, is being offered for sale by Alpha 137 Gallery in New York. The poster, signed by the artist in marker and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, is priced at $5,500. The listing includes a detailed biography of Doig, noting his birth in Edinburgh in 1959, his upbringing in Trinidad and Canada, his studies at Wimbledon School of Art, Saint Martin's, and Chelsea School of Art, and his rise to international prominence as a painter who reinvigorated the medium. It also highlights his major museum exhibitions and auction record of $39.9 million at Christie's in 2021.

Exhibition | William Turnbull, 'Origins (1946–1959)' at Karma, Chelsea, New York, United States

Scottish artist William Turnbull (1922–2012) is the subject of a new exhibition titled 'Origins (1946–1959)' at Karma gallery in Chelsea, New York. The show surveys Turnbull's early career, focusing on the transformative period after World War II when he moved between Surrealist Paris and Abstract Expressionist New York. It features key works such as the sculpture 'Horse' (1946), inspired by a Parthenon marble at the British Museum, and 'Playground (Game)' (1949), reflecting his interest in phenomenology and movement. The exhibition traces his evolution from an illustrator and Slade School student to a sculptor and painter who engaged elemental forms like the horse, standing figure, and human head.

SWANSEA: British Art Show 10 confirmed for Glynn Vivian next year — the only Welsh stop on a national tour featuring artists from Tracey Emin to Grayson Perry

Swansea has been confirmed as the only Welsh stop on the British Art Show 10 national tour, with the exhibition taking place at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery from February 12 to May 16, 2027. Titled 'A Chorus of Strangers,' the show will also feature venues including the new home for Elysium Gallery and potentially Y Storfa, and will explore themes of Moments of Being, Ways of Living, and States of Nature across various media. Curated by Ekow Eshun, the tour launches in Coventry in October 2026 before visiting Swansea, Bristol, Sheffield, and Newcastle-Gateshead.

From YBAs to McQueen: Tate Britain’s New Exhibition Reframes the Creative Explosion of the 1990s

Tate Britain has announced a major new exhibition, *The 90s: Art and Fashion*, opening in autumn 2026, which will be the first to examine the intersection of contemporary art, photography, and fashion during the 1990s in Britain. Featuring over 100 works by nearly 70 artists, photographers, and designers—including Sarah Lucas, Alexander McQueen, Tracey Emin, and Steve McQueen—the show explores the decade's raw experimentation, anti-establishment energy, and the rise of the Young British Artists. Curated with input from Edward Enninful, the exhibition also highlights subcultures, nightlife, and the work of figures who challenged dominant narratives around race, identity, and class.

5 Artists on Our Radar in December 2025

Artsy's December 2025 edition of "Artists on Our Radar" highlights five emerging visual artists who have gained attention through new gallery representation, exhibitions, auctions, or art fairs. Featured artists include British painter Imogen Allen, known for gauzy, nature-inspired works with a Gerhard Richter-like blur effect; Brazilian painter Elian Almeida, who reimagines marginalized figures in Brazilian visual culture through vibrant, narrative paintings; and nomadic American artist ektor garcia, who works with unconventional materials like wire, clay, and leather. The article details their recent exhibitions, gallery affiliations, and career milestones.

Frieze London diary: art historical speed dating and frozen faeces

During Frieze week in London, the National Gallery hosted its 'Unexpected Views' talk series, where eight contemporary artists including Grayson Perry, Shirazeh Houshiary, and Haegue Yang gave ten-minute talks on their favorite works. Tracey Emin and British Museum director Nicholas Cullinan held a candid discussion titled 'Confessions in the Museum,' and the art collective Konn Artiss placed ice blocks containing frozen feces outside major galleries and auction houses as a protest against the art market. The week also featured a lavish Frieze Collectors' Dinner with guests including Ari Emanuel, Sadie Coles, and Christian Levett, and a secret performance by musician Sampha.

Serpentine Galleries announces its first-ever Hockney exhibition

Serpentine Galleries has announced its first-ever exhibition dedicated to David Hockney, set to open at Serpentine North from 12 March to 23 August 2026. The show will feature the monumental 90-metre-long frieze *A Year in Normandy* (2020-21), inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry and depicting seasonal changes at the artist’s former Normandy studio, alongside iPad images created during the pandemic, the *Moon Room* series, and digital paintings from his *Sunrise* body of work. Separately, Annely Juda Fine Art will inaugurate its new London gallery in Hanover Square with a Hockney exhibition opening 7 November, showcasing recent paintings exploring reverse perspective.

Meet 6 Visionary Women Shaping the Art World in 2025

This article profiles six visionary women shaping the art world in 2025, beginning with British designer Es Devlin, known for her immersive stagecraft and large-scale installations. It highlights her recent role as global artistic lead of the Women’s Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, where she created a participatory sound installation. The piece also features Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, founder of ART X Lagos, West Africa's leading international art fair, which celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2025. Peterside-Schwebig is a cultural entrepreneur and collector who has expanded the fair into initiatives like ART X Live!, the Access ART X Prize, and a school program for underprivileged children.

The galleries on Cork Street join forces for group exhibition celebrating 100 years as a landmark art destination.

Fifteen galleries on London's historic Cork Street have united for a first-of-its-kind group exhibition titled "Fear Gives Wings To Courage" to mark the street's centennial as a landmark art destination. Curated by Tarini Malik, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Royal Academy of Arts, the exhibition unfolds in three parts: an outdoor banners commission, presentations within each participating gallery from 11 to 25 July 2025, and a special catalogue issue launching during Frieze London 2025. The title references Jean Cocteau's 1938 painting of the same name, which caused controversy when shown at Peggy Guggenheim's gallery Guggenheim Jeune on Cork Street in 1938 and was confiscated by British customs.