Gallery Conversation: Ideal Landscapes in Painting and Photography

The Art Institute of Chicago is hosting a gallery conversation on June 1 titled "Ideal Landscapes in Painting and Photography." The program, led by curators Yechen Zhao and Felice Graciela Robles, will examine idealized representations of nature in East Asian art, comparing painted landscapes from the Korean National Treasures exhibition with a 1938 photograph by Chinese artist Lang Jingshan. The discussion will explore the blurred boundaries between ideal and real, as well as between painting and photography.

Bonner David Galleries to open Francis Livingston exhibition in New York

Bonner David Galleries will open 'Reverie in Paint,' a new exhibition by artist Francis Livingston, on May 14 at its New York City location. The show features Livingston's abstract, memory-infused interpretations of New York City architecture, including bridges like the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queensboro Bridges, rendered in a restrained palette of blues and greens with expressive paint application.

Art and Design seniors exhibit their work at Krannert Art Museum

More than 100 seniors from the School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will showcase their final projects at Krannert Art Museum from May 9 to May 16. The Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition features work across all disciplines, including art education, art history, graphic design, industrial design, and studio art. Graphic design students Rinnell Borges and Natalie Mora created the exhibition's branding and catalog under the theme "Myth of Originality," drawing inspiration from fellow students' work and university archives. Individual projects include Borges's syrup packaging concept, Mora's communication guide for Latino communities, Caroline Dorion's charcoal drawings of draped female figures, and Sylvie Leyerle's children's book about her adoption from China.

Met Gala 2026: Stars Bring Art-Inspired Looks to the Met Stairs

The 2026 Met Gala took place on May 4 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, celebrating the opening of the "Costume Art" exhibition. A host of celebrities including Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Blue Ivy Carter, Serena Williams, Janelle Monáe, Venus Williams, Ciara, Anderson .Paak, Naomi Osaka, Yseult, Anok Yai, Jon Batiste, and Suleika Jaouad arrived at the museum's iconic stairs wearing art-inspired looks. The event was covered by photographers Evan Agostini and Charles Sykes for the Associated Press.

‘Still Breathing’ showcases Koh Sang-woo's artistic journey through the lives of wounded, abused animals

Artist Koh Sang-woo's solo exhibition "Still Breathing" opened at the Savina Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, featuring paintings of wounded, abused, and endangered animals. The show includes portraits of spotted seals from a project with WWF Korea, works from a partnership with Cheongju Zoo (including a vulture named Hana and a zebra named Sero), and a rabbit blinded in cosmetic testing. Koh uses a signature blue-inversion technique, and the exhibition is curated by museum director Lee Myung-ok.

You Need To See This Queensland Artist’s New Solo Exhibition

Mitchell Fine Art in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley is hosting a free solo exhibition titled 'Unbound' by Sunshine Coast-based artist Odessa Mahony-de Vries, running from May 5 to May 16, 2026. The show features large-scale abstract expressionist oil paintings, with a launch event on May 8 offering the public a chance to meet the artist. Mahony-de Vries, a finalist in the 2025 Redland Art and 2024 Stanthorpe Art Prize, creates works that balance control and unpredictability, leaving earlier brushstrokes visible to embed the history of each piece.

THE ART OF SCALE: LARGE WORKS | An Online Exclusive Exhibition

JoAnne Artman Gallery presents 'The Art of Scale: Large Works,' an online exclusive exhibition running from April 27 to June 1, 2026. The show features 11 large-scale artworks by artists including America Martin, Mandy Racine, Martin Adalian, Mary Finlayson, Greg Miller, Anja Van Herle, CRASH (John "Crash" Matos), and Chris Watts, with prices ranging from $9,500 to $72,000.

Gallery: New Tallinn art show explores illusions of safety and control

A new international group exhibition titled "Safe Traps" opened at Tütar Gallery in Tallinn, exploring the dual nature of control as both a source of safety and a restrictive cage. Curated by Maria Helen Känd, the show features works by French artist Anaïs Goupy, Latvian artist Līga Spunde, and Estonian artists Ruudu Ulas and Madlen Hirtentreu, examining how contemporary Western society's pursuit of control can become a trap that confines rather than liberates.

Painted Up: This vibrant exhibition challenges colonial perceptions of Aboriginal art

Artist and cultural practitioner Dean Biŋkin Tyson presents "CREATE EXCHANGE: Painted Up," a dual-venue exhibition at Redland Art Gallery that showcases his multidisciplinary approach to Quandamooka and Gurang traditions. Moving beyond stereotypical "dot art," Tyson utilizes canvas, animal skins, and carved artifacts to translate his background as a dancer and songman into visual form. The exhibition features large-scale murals, traditional tools like boomerangs, and "shadow boxes"—a unique craft form developed in Aboriginal missions during the 1970s.

Nature photography exhibit now open at Mason City art museum

The Charles H. MacNider Art Museum in Mason City has opened a solo exhibition titled "Ray Colby: Nature Photographer" in its Kinney-Lindstrom Gallery. The show features digital photographs printed on canvas, focusing on three specific themes: backyard insects and arachnids of the Midwest, urban birds from Minneapolis, and migrating Sandhill Cranes in Wisconsin. The works on display will be sold via auction to benefit the museum's programming.

The Museums That Helped Power Atlanta’s Rise Are Still Pushing Ahead

Atlanta’s cultural landscape is undergoing a significant transformation as its major museums spearhead ambitious expansions and programming shifts. Institutions like the High Museum of Art, the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, and the Atlanta Contemporary are leveraging the city's economic growth and its status as a hub for Black culture to redefine their roles within the community. These developments include physical renovations, record-breaking acquisitions, and a renewed focus on local and diverse artistic voices.

Fairbanks Arts Association seeks original work for juried exhibition

The Fairbanks Arts Association has issued a call for entries for its upcoming juried exhibition, "Interdependence," scheduled to run from May 1 to May 30 at the Bear Gallery in Pioneer Park. Open to artists aged 18 and older living in Interior Alaska, the show will kick off with a First Friday opening reception and an awards ceremony on May 1.

Seven new brands open at The Whiteley, Bayswater

The Whiteley, a £1.5 billion restoration of London’s first department store in Bayswater, has reached a major milestone with the opening of seven new retail and cultural brands. Among the new tenants is 3812 Gallery, which has relocated its program of contemporary Chinese art to a 2,800-square-foot space within the development. The broader £3 billion regeneration of Queensway includes luxury fitness, dining, and cinema concepts alongside the new gallery space.

Seven emerging Tampa Bay artists to watch in 2026 and beyond

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's 2026 Spring Arts Issue highlights seven emerging visual artists from the Tampa Bay area, identified through recommendations from local curators. The artists include Clancy Riehm, Zack Wittman, Jesi Cason, Patrick Carew, Mary-Helen Horne, Tatiana Mesa Paján, and Fary Charles (aka Junkyrd), each with distinct practices and upcoming projects.

Slawn’s Studio Opens It's Doors To A Living Exhibition at Saatchi Yates

Slawn’s studio opens its doors to a living exhibition at Saatchi Yates, transforming the gallery space into an immersive environment where the artist’s creative process becomes part of the display. The exhibition invites visitors to witness Slawn at work, blurring the line between studio and gallery, and offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at his practice.

The Phoenix and Hesterly Black galleries host art openings Jan. 16 & 23

The Phoenix Gallery and Music Hall in Burlington, Vermont, will host the exhibition “Sensual Turns” opening January 23, with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. The show features new work by guest curator and featured artist Elizabeth Powell, alongside pieces by artists Jenny Kemp and Bonnie Morano. Powell, a painter and printmaker, holds an MA and MFA from the University of Iowa and has exhibited at Kishka Gallery and Hexum Gallery. Morano, based in Brooklyn, earned an MFA from Hunter College and has been selected for the XL Catlin Artist Prize. Kemp, a 2015 NYFA Fellowship recipient, has shown work nationally and internationally.

Art Galleries Emanate a Warm Glow in Winter

Winter on Cape Cod presents a challenge for local artists and galleries, as off-season landscapes often go unsold. However, several gallery owners are embracing the season with experimental programming: Liz Carney of Four Eleven Gallery in Provincetown is hosting a group show titled "Long Blue Shadow" and planning artist residencies and a "Knitney Biennial." Gary Marotta Fine Art and Schoolhouse Gallery remain open on weekends, while Susie Nielsen's Farm Projects in Wellfleet features a group exhibition of works on paper. These gallerists find that winter visitors are more engaged, fostering richer conversations and a stronger sense of community.

Spanish Joy Illuminates Paintings By Danish Artist Anders SCRMN Meisner In First Solo New York Show At Isabel Sullivan Gallery

Danish artist Anders SCRMN Meisner presents his first solo exhibition in New York at Isabel Sullivan Gallery, featuring 14 new paintings inspired by what he calls a "European lust for life." The show, on view through November 29, includes works such as *Blue Flamenco Shoes and Portrait* (2025), *Orange Blossom Water (Like Wild Horses)*, and *The Flower Picker* (2025), which draw on flamenco motifs, Sevillian culture, and folk-inspired imagery. Meisner, who lived in Seville in his 20s, infuses his canvases with vivid blues, reds, and yellows, often depicting his wife Carolina and using pointillist dots and poetic titles painted directly on the canvas.

Absa L’Atelier ambassador opens Solo Exhibition in Uganda, challenges hair bias

Absa Group has announced that Eric Joe Gayi, an Absa L’Atelier 2023 Ambassador, will open his solo exhibition *Breaking the Norm* on November 1, 2025, at The Summit Residences in Naguru, Kampala, in collaboration with Amasaka Gallery. The show features intricate ballpoint pen drawings exploring Afro hair as a symbol of identity, resistance, and cultural pride, using blue figures to represent conformity and black figures with honeycomb textures to symbolize authenticity and resilience against Eurocentric beauty standards.

Artist Eric Joe Gayi challenges beauty standards in new exhibition

Ugandan artist Eric Joe Gayi, an Absa L’Atelier 2023 Ambassador, is presenting his solo exhibition "Breaking the Norm" at The Summit Residences in Naguru, in collaboration with Amasaka Gallery. The show features intricate ballpoint pen drawings in blue and black ink, exploring Afro hair as a symbol of identity, resistance, and cultural pride, while challenging colonial and Eurocentric beauty standards. Blue figures represent conformity, while black figures with honeycomb-textured faces symbolize authenticity and resilience.

These artists want your help distracting fossil fuel executives

The Brooklyn non-profit space Pioneer Works is hosting an exhibition titled "How to Get to Zero" by artists Tega Brain and Sam Lavigne, featuring climate-focused interactive installations. The centerpiece, "Cold Call" (2023), invites visitors to don headsets and call fossil fuel executives, following a script designed to keep them on the line as long as possible to disrupt their productivity. Another work, "Offset" (2023-25), parodies carbon offset markets by allowing visitors to purchase credits for dissident acts like deflating SUV tires, with proceeds going to activists. The exhibition also includes "Perfect Sleep" (2021), an anti-productivity phone app that encourages rest to reduce carbon footprints, and "Synthetic Messenger" (2021), where cell phones click on climate news ads to boost journalism engagement.

Putting young galleries at the front: Frieze London’s bold strategy holds

Frieze London's 22nd edition in October 2025 will retain a bold floor plan debuted in 2024 that places emerging galleries near the main entrance, pushing blue-chip heavyweights like Gagosian and David Zwirner further inside. Fair director Eva Langret confirms the layout is permanent, citing overwhelmingly positive feedback and renewed energy. The Focus section for galleries under 12 years old gets a boost, with a rotating system ensuring fresh stands near the entrance each year. A new curated section, Echoes in the Present, explores artistic links between West Africa, Brazil, and their diasporas. Meanwhile, Frieze Masters, dedicated to pre-20th-century art, will be run by new director Emanuela Tarizzo.

Two fabulous art exhibitions opening in Mayo this month

Custom House Studios + Gallery in Westport, County Mayo, is presenting two art exhibitions opening July 24, 2025: a solo show by artist Sarah Wren Wilson and a group exhibition titled 'InHouse25'. Wilson's exhibition features abstract paintings that explore psychological space, perception, and the interplay between inner and outer worlds, using motifs like nets and the color blue to create an immersive, liminal experience. The exhibitions are supported by The Arts Council, Mayo County Council, and Pobal, and will run through August 17.

Shellburne Thurber: Full Circle

Shellburne Thurber's retrospective exhibition "Full Circle" runs from October 24, 2025 to March 21, 2026 at the Bates Museum of Art. The show surveys Thurber's decades-long photographic investigation of interior spaces—from her grandmother's home in southern Indiana in the 1970s to psychoanalytic offices published as a book in 2023 by Kehrer Verlag. Curated by Bates curator Samantha Sigmon, the exhibition traces how Thurber has consistently explored the relationship between constructed space and human energy, focusing on private, domestic, and psychological interiors that blur the line between public and private.

Sámi art has gained visibility in Norway—but when will it get a museum of its own?

Sámi artists from Norway are gaining international recognition, with milestones including the rebranding of the Nordic Pavilion as the Sámi Pavilion at the 2022 Venice Biennale, a major mural by Outi Pieski in Oslo, and a forthcoming Hyundai commission by Maret Anne Sara at Tate Modern. Despite this visibility, decades of advocacy have failed to establish a dedicated Sámi art museum; thousands of works purchased with government funds remain in storage. The Norwegian parliament's recent truth and reconciliation report acknowledged historical injustices, but activists like Synnøve Persen and scholars like Katrine Rugeldal argue that existing institutions are insufficient and that a museum must be built on Sámi terms, potentially nomadic or pan-Nordic.

A New Generation of Gallerists Is Redefining Artist Representation

A new generation of gallerists is rethinking traditional artist representation models, moving away from rigid exclusivity clauses and transactional relationships. Figures like Bryce Watanasoponwong of The Charoen AArt in Bangkok, Storm Ascher of Superposition, and Lorraine Han of Unveil Gallery are adopting flexible, collaborative approaches that reflect the realities of contemporary artists, who often juggle multiple roles and prefer non-exclusive arrangements. These gallerists emphasize open dialogue, shared responsibility, and long-term relationship-building over strict contracts, as seen in Ascher's seven-year support of artist Haleigh Nickerson, which culminated in a solo show at NADA New York 2025.

Young artists, Mia exhibit, shine uncomfortable light on American racism

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) opened its fourth annual Teen Perspectives exhibition on May 10, titled “Minneapolis as Monument,” featuring works by high school students addressing health and racial equity. The show, running through July 20, includes paintings, photos, sculptures, and video installations inspired by the murder of George Floyd five years ago and the concurrent “Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys” exhibition. Speakers included Virajita Singh, Mia’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, and Bukata Hayes of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, the program’s sponsor. Student artists like Lydia Nobrega and Joseph Willie created pieces that explore personal stories, community, and systemic racism.

The Berlin art legend who found his calling in sneaking into other artists’ shows

Patrick Jambon, a 58-year-old French performance artist living in Berlin, has spent the past 25 years attending gallery openings as a continuous performance piece he calls his 'gallery project.' Dressed in a bright red T-shirt, cartoonish metal-framed glasses, and carrying a yellow bike helmet, he visits dozens of galleries daily, compiling opening lists from websites and social media. His project has become so embedded in the city's art scene that his handwritten lists are now exhibited in spaces like Berlin-Weekly, and artists such as Ae Hee Lee note that 'you aren't a real Berlin artist if you don't know him.'

At the Grand Palais, the Paris Book Festival Puts Comics in the Spotlight

Au Grand Palais, le Festival du livre de Paris met la bande dessinée à l’honneur

The Festival du livre de Paris returns to the Grand Palais from April 17 to 19, 2026, marking a continued transformation from a massive trade fair into a curated cultural event. This year’s edition features 450 publishers and places a significant emphasis on comic books (BD), highlighted by two thematic exhibitions on the Balcon d’Honneur and a dedicated youth village. The program also includes a culinary-themed nocturne and the "Cabaret Extra!" performance series produced in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou.

Man Can’t Tell if Friend’s Art Show Surrealist or Bad

Local man Brian Jacobs attends a friend's high-profile surrealist art show in New York but cannot determine whether the works are genuinely surrealist or simply poorly executed. He describes a painting of a five-eyed fisherman holding a melting bowling ball as looking like it was painted by a first grader. The artist, Gavin McCloud, interprets Jacobs's bewildered reactions as impressed awe and plans to gift him the melting bowling ball painting. Gallery owner Christine Morgan admits she sometimes hosts derivative work from donors' children in exchange for large checks, and advises artists to claim ambiguity as the real art if questioned.