Venice exhibition of site-specific films aims to capture the hyper stimulating times we are living in

The Fondazione In Between Art Film presents "Canicula," the third and final exhibition in its Trilogy of Uncertainties, opening on 6 May at the Complesso dell’Ospedaletto in Venice. Curated by Leonardo Bigazzi, the show features eight newly commissioned site-specific films that explore themes of excess, sensory overload, and geopolitical tension. Works include Roman Khimei and Yarema Malashchuk's "Affirmations" (2026), depicting fictional deathbed testimonies of Russian soldiers, Lawrence Abu Hamdan's "450XL: The Story of a Fugitive Sound" (2026) about a sonic attack in Belgrade, and Maya Watanabe's "Jarkov" (2025-26) reflecting on Arctic ice melt and Pleistocene remains.

From men on dog leads to public breast-fondling, Valie Export’s art demanded a total feminist revolution

Valie Export, the pioneering Austrian feminist artist known for her provocative and confrontational performances from the 1960s onward, is the subject of a reflective essay by writer and academic Hettie Judah. The article revisits Export's radical works such as *Hyperbulia* (1973), where she crawled naked through electrified wires; *From the Portfolio of Doggedness* (1968), in which she led a man on a dog lead through Vienna; and *Action Pants: Genital Panic* (1969), where she walked through a cinema with exposed genitals. Judah draws on her own interviews with Export, who died in 2023, and discusses the artist's manifesto demanding that women use art to reshape consciousness and achieve liberation.

Rose Finn-Kelcey review – flying puns, smart pranks and prayers for 20p

The Guardian reviews "Rose Finn-Kelcey: House Rules," a posthumous exhibition at the new Arts Collective in Northampton, UK. The show features works by the British conceptual artist (1945–2014), including her 1972 flag installation "Power for the People" at Battersea Power Station, a prayer vending machine titled "It Pays to Pray," and pieces exploring permission, spirituality, and societal restrictions. The exhibition is presented as a homecoming for Finn-Kelcey, who was born in Northampton.

World Press Photo 2026 winners – in pictures

The World Press Photo 2026 winners have been announced, with Carol Guzy awarded the top honor for her image of distraught girls clinging to their father as ICE agents detain him after an immigration hearing in New York City. Finalists include Saber Nuraldin’s photograph of Palestinians scrambling for aid in Gaza, Victor J Blue’s image of Achi women outside a Guatemala City court, and other powerful works documenting climate displacement in Mexico, a wedding during a typhoon in the Philippines, police detaining a priest at a pensioners’ protest in Argentina, and a social robot in Europe.

‘We’re attached to this land like a tree is rooted in soil’: unexpectedly timely exhibition speaks up for the people of south Lebanon

An exhibition titled 'Forget Me Not: South Lebanon in Memory and Motion' was held at London's Palestine House earlier this month. It featured archival news footage from 2000, photographs, audiovisual materials, and children's drawings to document the history, culture, and resilience of southern Lebanon, a region experiencing renewed conflict.

Sung Tieu on Representing Germany at the 61st Venice Biennale

Sung Tieu, who is co-representing Germany at the 61st Venice Biennale alongside Henrike Naumann, responds to a questionnaire from ArtReview about her plans for the German Pavilion. She describes her inspiration as her mother and childhood home, a site built for foreign contract workers in the GDR that later became a refuge for the diaspora. Tieu states that her work relates to the Biennale theme "In Minor Keys" through the lens of Gehrenseestrasse, a concrete record of collective memory. She also expresses skepticism about the Biennale's importance, noting that the German Pavilion's fascist architecture compels artists to work against it, and that national pavilions reveal how much work remains in undoing nationalism.

This illustrator is the best Nova Scotian folk artist you’ve never heard of

The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (AGNS) has opened "On the Matter of Memory: The Drawings of Harold Cromwell," the first solo exhibition dedicated to the late African Nova Scotian folk artist. Cromwell (1919–2008) created intricate ballpoint-pen drawings on everyday surfaces like cupboard doors and paper plates, chronicling working-class rural life. His works were sold for a few dollars at the Annapolis Farmer’s Market and were largely overlooked during his lifetime, despite his regional popularity. The exhibition runs until September 13, 2026, and aims to elevate his legacy alongside better-known Nova Scotian folk artists like Maud Lewis.

'To Paint Is To Love Again' at Crèvecoeur, Paris–Cascades, France on 9 Apr–27 May 2026

The group exhibition 'To Paint Is To Love Again' at Crèvecoeur gallery in Paris explores the theme of artistic freedom, play, and a childlike approach to creation. The article examines this through the lens of Henry Miller's writings on painting, the influence of Jean Dubuffet's Art Brut, and the practices of contemporary artists Whitney Clafin, Sadie Benning, and Françoise Lapeyre, who incorporate found objects, toys, and a 'Sunday painter' ethos into their work.

Guatemala stakes claim to stone lintel by 'the Michelangelo of the pre-Columbian era' that was repatriated to Mexico

A Maya stone lintel, dating from AD600-AD900 and depicting a ritual scene associated with the ruler Cheleew Chan K'inich, was repatriated to Mexico on April 16 after being turned over to the Mexican consulate in New York by an unnamed US businessman. However, hours after the ceremony, experts determined the lintel actually originated from Guatemala's Petén Basin. Guatemala's cultural ministry, led by minister Luis Méndez Salinas, has formally requested the object's return through diplomatic channels, citing technical analysis and consultations with archaeologists.

Rollstone Bank commits $100K to Fitchburg Art Museum

Rollstone Bank & Trust has committed $100,000 to sponsor free admission at the Fitchburg Art Museum (FAM) through 2029, the final year of the museum's Centennial celebration. The gift eliminates all admission fees, replacing previous categorical free programs with universal access, and is expected to significantly increase the museum's annual attendance of 14,000 visitors.

Who Owns These Artworks? Musée d’Orsay Hopes Visitors Can Help Find Out.

The Musée d’Orsay in Paris has opened a new room in its permanent display featuring 13 artworks recovered from Germany and Austria after World War II, whose provenance remains unknown. The museum is inviting visitors to help identify the original owners of these pieces, which were looted or displaced during the war and later restituted to France.

Due giovani artisti in una mostra a Matera si confrontano sulle tracce della memoria

The article reports on "Remain(s)," a dual exhibition at Momart Gallery in Matera, Italy, featuring young artists Luca Granato and Michela Rondinone. Curated by Antonella Marino, the show explores the aesthetics of fragments and memory through installations, sculptures, and video works. Granato's pieces address loss, migration, and climate change, while Rondinone's works focus on childhood, play, and relational practices. The exhibition runs until May 26, 2026.

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.

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.

The Myth of Sandokan on Display in Monza Between History and Imagination. The Curators Speak

Il mito di Sandokan in mostra a Monza tra storia e immaginario. Parola ai curatori

A new exhibition titled "Sandokan. La Tigre ruggisce ancora" has opened at the Reggia di Monza, exploring the enduring myth of the fictional pirate Sandokan, who first appeared in Italian serialized fiction in 1883. Curated by Francesco Aquilanti and Loretta Paderni, the show brings together ethnographic materials, costumes from the 1970s television series, weapons, books, illustrations, and archival items, including the original Dayak collection donated by Sir Charles Brooke to the King of Italy. The exhibition traces Sandokan's evolution across literature, comics, film, and television, presenting him as a layered, ambivalent hero—both ruthless pirate and justice fighter—whose story remains relevant today.

Exciting evolution for SJIMA

Blake DeYoung is stepping down as Executive Director of the San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA) at the end of May to become Executive Director of the Skagit Valley College San Juan Center branch, replacing Randy Martin. Deputy Director Wendy Smith will serve as Acting Director during the transition. The museum board remains unchanged, and the institution views this as an opportunity to realign its structure and build on recent successes, including record attendance in 2025.

Since 1968, Protests Have Revealed the Real Impact of the Venice Biennale

The article recounts the 1968 protests at the Venice Biennale, where artists, students, and activists clashed with police over the event's perceived ties to bourgeois power and capitalist commodification. It draws parallels to the 2024 Biennale, where groups like Art Not Genocide Alliance, Pussy Riot, and Femen demonstrated against the participation of Russia and Israel, while artists staged strikes and performances like the Solidarity Drone Chorus to highlight the Gaza conflict.

Suman Dey’s new solo in Kolkata gives form to the abstract notions around us

Artist Suman Dey presents his second solo exhibition, titled *Chance, Remains of Another Time*, at Emami Art in Kolkata. The show features large-scale works on wood and other materials that explore abstract notions of memory, time, and nature through fragmented forms, textures, and narrative. Key pieces include a series of frames capturing everyday surface textures and a work titled *Journey* that uses boat shapes to depict transformation. The exhibition runs until May 9.

Yves Klein Research Grant 2026: A Funded Residency for Emerging Scholars

The Yves Klein Foundation has launched its first Research Grant for 2026, offering a CHF 6,000 stipend and a one-week funded residency in Paris to emerging scholars under 35 who hold a PhD or postdoctoral degree. The program invites original research projects that deepen understanding of Yves Klein’s work, ideas, and legacy, with access to archives and scholarly guidance provided. Applications are due by 15 June 2026, with selection based on originality, scientific quality, and feasibility.

Sharjah Biennial 17 Assembles 109 Artists Across a Restless Global Landscape.

19th-century European weapons found in cenote in Mexico

Archaeologists from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have discovered 153 Spanish and British muskets and rifles, along with an iron cannon, in the Síis Já cenote beneath the 16th-century former convent San Bernardino de Siena in Valladolid, Mexico. The weapons were likely discarded by the Yucatecan government during the early years of the Caste War of Yucatán (1847-1901) to prevent them from falling into Maya rebels' hands. The site also yielded Maya ceramic pieces and 18th-century Chinese porcelain, and INAH reported debris and pollution affecting the cenote.

Iran Abruptly Drops Out of Venice Biennale as US and Israel’s War Continues

Iran has abruptly withdrawn from the 61st Venice Biennale, scheduled for May 9–November 22, 2026, reducing the number of participating nations from 101 to 100. The Biennale confirmed the withdrawal in a statement but did not provide a reason; Iran is now the only country listed without any artist representatives, though Aydin Mahdizadeh Tehrani remains listed as the pavilion's commissioner. The announcement comes as the Biennale opens to press amid ongoing controversy over the participation of Israel and Russia, whose pavilions have drawn protests from artists and politicians.

Co-Working Meets Art at Brooklyn’s Newest Experimental Space

Brooklyn’s newest experimental art space, The Gallery (stylized as “The Gallry”), has opened on the fourth floor of a former automobile service station in Prospect Heights, now converted into creative offices. Curated by artist Florian Meisenberg, the exhibition features site-specific works by over 40 artists installed throughout a former guitar-string manufacturer’s office, including cubicle walls, utility closets, and HVAC systems. The space also functions as a co-working hub, with free daily spots for subscribers. The show runs through May 24 and includes events like screenings, poetry readings, and satirical corporate-themed programming.

A new gallery opens in Milan: Ghiringhelli Art Gallery. It starts with Japanese art

A new pop-up gallery, Ghiringhelli Art Gallery, opens in Milan on May 8, 2026, with its inaugural exhibition "Refracted Worlds. Contemporary Japan Through Multiple Lenses" at Via Tortona 20. Founded by Nicola Ghiringhelli Forlani, the gallery specializes in contemporary Japanese art and will feature works by seven Japanese artists—Kohei Nawa, Yukie Ishikawa, Kenjiro Okazaki, Mr., Ayako Rokkaku, Yuji Ueda, and Noritaka Tatehana—alongside the Chim↑Pom collective from Smappa!Group. The temporary format allows the gallery to maintain a flexible presence in Milan while the founder travels frequently to Japan to follow artists and market dynamics.

Summer at the Pearl Fincher Museum: Fun for the whole family starts June 13

The Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts announces its 2026 summer programming, including Summer Art Camps for ages 5 to 13 running June 16 through July 31, with weekly themes such as "Color World" and "Kinetic Canvas." The museum will also open two exhibitions on June 13: "Chromatica: A World in Color" in the Main Gallery, organized like a color wheel with works from Texas and beyond, and "Fragments, Remnants, and Remains" by artist Curtis Gannon in the Cole Gallery. Additional activities include a Maker Space, Wild Art Wednesdays, and a free artist talk by children's author and illustrator Steven Weinberg on June 19.

Authentic Michelangelo

Michel-Ange authentique

Jean-René Gaborit, former head of Sculptures at the Louvre, has published a major new book, "Les Sculptures de Michel-Ange. Le vrai, l'incertain et le faux," which rigorously examines the authenticity of works attributed to Michelangelo. The 500-page volume, based on fifty years of study, categorizes the master's sculptural corpus into works of certain authenticity, lost-and-found pieces that spark debate, sculptures executed by others after his designs, and works mistakenly attributed due to stylistic similarities.

The Art of Performing Maintenance

This article explores the work of artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles, who in 1969 wrote her "Manifesto for Maintenance Art" after experiencing a crisis of meaning following the birth of her first child. She proposed that routine maintenance tasks—like cleaning, cooking, and laundry—could be redefined as art when performed in public, particularly in museums. The article traces her early exhibitions at the Wadsworth Athenaeum, where she swept and mopped as performance, and her later projects interviewing passersby on New York City sidewalks and embedding herself in a Manhattan office building, where she invited workers to declare their maintenance tasks art.

George Herms Dies at 90; Turned Castoff Objects Into Art

George Herms, the California artist who transformed discarded objects into evocative assemblages, has died at age 90. Known for his poetic, often whimsical sculptures made from rusted tools, old photographs, and other found materials, Herms was a central figure in the West Coast assemblage movement that emerged in the 1960s. His work bridged Beat-era spontaneity with a deeply personal, tactile approach to art-making, earning him a devoted following and exhibitions at major institutions.

Amy Sherald is branching out. But don’t worry. She’s still painting.

Amy Sherald, the acclaimed portraitist known for her official portrait of Michelle Obama, is expanding her practice beyond painting. The article reports that she is branching out into new creative territories, though she reassures audiences that painting remains central to her work. Details of her new projects or media are not specified in the provided text, but the headline signals a shift in her artistic output.

See yourself within Andy Warhol's 'On Repeat' at Zimmerli Art Museum

The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University's College Avenue campus is hosting 'Andy Warhol: On Repeat,' an exhibition running through July 31st. The show features Warhol's Polaroids, Polacolor prints, 'Crosses' series (1982), and 'Screen Tests'—silent, looping film portraits that place visitors in an immersive, repetitive visual environment. An interactive element allows guests to sit before a camera and become part of the artwork, echoing Warhol's exploration of identity under observation.