pompeii discoveries

Archaeologists have uncovered a series of remarkable discoveries at Pompeii, the ancient Roman city buried by Mount Vesuvius in 79 C.E. Recent finds include life-sized statues of a priestess and a man from a tomb, frescoes depicting Dionysian rituals and mythological scenes, an extravagantly decorated 'tiny house' called the House of Phaedra, and evidence of aspirational interior design. These artifacts, unearthed in suburban villas and tombs, range from a bejeweled priestess statue to children's gladiator doodles and ancient fast-food counters, revealing new details about daily life in the Roman Republic.

trump nominates nea head mary anne carter

President Donald Trump has nominated Mary Anne Carter to return as head of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), a position she previously held from 2019 to 2021. The nomination comes after Trump’s 2026 budget proposed eliminating the agency, which distributes federal grants to arts organizations nationwide. Carter, who lacks extensive arts experience and previously served as chief policy adviser to Florida Governor Rick Scott, is currently listed as a senior adviser to the NEA. Her nomination follows a wave of resignations among senior NEA leaders and reports that over 350 organizations have had their grants canceled as the agency shifts its funding priorities.

trump fires biden appointees from holocaust museum board

President Donald Trump fired Biden-appointed members of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, which oversees the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. Those removed include former second gentleman Doug Emhoff, former Biden chief of staff Ron Klain, former labor secretary Tom Perez, former national security adviser Susan Rice, and Jill Biden’s senior adviser Anthony Bernal. The appointments had been announced in January 2025. Emhoff, who is Jewish, condemned the move as politicizing Holocaust remembrance, while the White House stated Trump will appoint new members who honor the Holocaust and support Israel. The museum issued a statement expressing commitment to its mission without directly addressing the firings.

new arrests drents museum heist romanian gold artifacts

Dutch police arrested two more suspects, a 20-year-old and an 18-year-old from Heerhugowaard, in connection with the January 2025 theft of Romanian gold artifacts from the Drents Museum in Assen. The stolen items include the golden helmet of Coțofenești and three gold bracelets from 450 BCE, valued at over €5.8 million. The suspects were identified via security camera footage from a hardware store where they purchased tools similar to those used in the heist. Police searched properties in Heerhugowaard and Opmeer, seizing digital evidence, but the artifacts remain missing.

Perna, Cruz-Diez, Otero, Barboza: Venezuelan Focus at ISLAA

PERNA, CRUZ-DIEZ, OTERO, BARBOZA: ENFOQUE VENEZOLANO EN ISLAA

The Institute for Studies on Latin American Art (ISLAA) in New York has launched its 2026 exhibition program with a major focus on Venezuelan modern and contemporary art. The season features a significant solo exhibition of Claudio Perna—his first in New York—alongside a showcase of Carlos Cruz-Diez and digital 'Spotlight' presentations on Diego Barboza and Alejandro Otero. The Perna retrospective, titled 'Idea como arte,' gathers over forty works including photography, photocopies, and conceptual cartography created between the 1960s and 1990s.

art shakers movement ica philadelphia religion

The article reviews "A World in the Making: The Shakers," an exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, running through August 9, 2026. It pairs Shaker material culture with works by seven contemporary artists, including Kameelah Janan Rasheed, who responds to the archive of Rebecca Cox Jackson, a Black Shaker leader. The exhibition explores how Shaker communal practices, craft traditions, and devotional art resonate in today's digital age, where handmade aesthetics often become lifestyle signals rather than shared experiences.

parties art21 chanel yana peel screening

Chanel and Art21 hosted a screening event at the Roxy Cinema in New York to celebrate the launch of their new docuseries "IRL/url," which premieres on TikTok. The evening featured remarks by Yana Peel, Chanel’s President of Arts, Culture & Heritage, and a screening of selected films from the series, followed by a conversation between Art21’s Executive Director Tina Kukielski and seven of the eight featured artists: Neïl Beloufa, Jacky Connolly, Julien Creuzet, Sara Cwynar, Xin Liu, Rachel Rossin, and Jacolby Satterwhite. The event also drew a crowd of notable artists, advisors, curators, and cultural figures.

fashion toteme swedish style interview

Elin Kling and Karl Lindman, the Swedish couple behind the womenswear brand Toteme, discuss their design philosophy and the opening of their first flagship store in mainland Europe, located on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. The article, accompanied by photography from Mikael Jansson, details how the brand has resisted trends like "quiet luxury" and minimalism labels, instead focusing on precision, restraint, and timeless essentials. The Paris store, designed by Stockholm-based Halleroed, features art-gallery-white walls, Italian limestone floors, and works by Marc Newson, Lucie Gottlieb, and Jansson, reflecting the brand's serene, uncluttered aesthetic.

design coolwater childs estate connecticut

The article profiles Coolwater, a historic estate in Norfolk, Connecticut, owned by the Childs family for over a century. Originally a colonial farmhouse built around 1803, it was purchased by Starling Winston Childs in 1909. The property features a later addition designed by architect Alfredo Taylor, a prolific local designer who created over 50 buildings in the area. The estate is filled with family heirlooms, including Currier & Ives lithographs, a Jubilee-era tapestry, and eclectic decor that blends Adirondack lodge style with Colonial Revival elements. Siblings Starling Winston Childs and Elisabeth Gill, now the family elders, share stories of the house's quirks, such as its poor insulation and a subterranean basketball court.

parties national academy of design morgan library

The National Academy of Design celebrated its 200th anniversary with a gala at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York. The event honored the 2025 class of Academicians, including artists Tacita Dean, Nanette Carter, Sheila Hicks, and Nina Yankowitz, as well as architects Trey Trahan, Julie Snow, and Kim Yao. The evening featured an induction ceremony where new members were invited to contribute works to the Academy’s ongoing collection.

ira sachs director peter hujars day interview

Ira Sachs's new film *Peter Hujar's Day* dramatizes a 1974 interview in which photographer Peter Hujar recounted his day to journalist Linda Rosenkrantz. The transcript, originally intended for a book project, was rediscovered and published by Magic Hour Press in 2021. Starring Ben Whishaw as Hujar and Rebecca Hall as Rosenkrantz, the film is set entirely in a Westbeth apartment, capturing the texture of New York's downtown art scene through Hujar's anecdotes about figures like Susan Sontag, William Burroughs, and Allen Ginsberg.

fashion dior lady art handbag

Dior has launched the 10th edition of its Lady Art initiative, inviting a new roster of artists to reimagine the iconic Lady Dior handbag. The project, which began nearly a decade ago, has previously featured artists like Judy Chicago, Jack Pierson, and Mickalene Thomas. This year's participants include Jessica Cannon and Ju Ting, who discuss their creative processes, material explorations, and the dialogue between their artistic practices and Dior's heritage. The handbags incorporate sculpted tulle, pleated silk, stones, glass beads, and pearlized elements, blending fine art with fashion.

quil lemons provincetown exhibition

Quil Lemons has organized a group exhibition titled "American Faggot Party" at Twenty Summers, a nonprofit arts space in a former schoolhouse in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The show, on view through September 28, features works by Lemons alongside peers and elders including Ryan McGinley, Ocean Vuong, and the late Felix Gonzalez-Torres. It reimagines James Montgomery Flagg's iconic wartime poster as a call to arms for queer community, blending protest, tenderness, and celebration. Contributing artists such as Diego Villarreal Vagujhelyi, Myles Loftin, and Slava Mogutin describe their works as intimate rallying cries for visibility and endurance.

Art at Bartlett Presents BARTLETT ART TALK: Janice Kasper

Maine-based environmental painter Janice Kasper will headline the first Bartlett Art Talk of the 2026 season at Bartlett Woods Retirement Community on April 22. The event coincides with the exhibition "Chickadees, Alligators and Stonehenge," which features Kasper’s work alongside pieces by Cicely Aikman and Dirk McDonnell, all on loan from the Caldbeck Gallery. Kasper, whose work is held in major collections like the Portland Museum of Art, is known for dramatic oils that explore the tension between wildlife and human technology.

Environmental painter Janice Kasper to speak at 'Bartlett Art Talk' series

Maine-based environmental painter Janice Kasper will headline the first 'Bartlett Art Talk' of the 2026 season on April 22 at the Bartlett Woods Retirement Community. The event coincides with the exhibition "Chickadees, Alligators, and Stonehenge," which showcases Kasper’s dramatic oil paintings alongside works by Cicely Aikman and Dirk McDonnell. Kasper’s practice focuses on the tension between human technology and the preservation of wildlife and natural landscapes.

Ubuntu hosts Fellowship for Black Artists exhibition for a third year

Mural Arts Philadelphia, in partnership with Ubuntu Art Gallery, has opened its sixth annual Fellowship for Black Artists exhibition, featuring 30 works by 11 emerging artists from the 2025 cohort. The opening reception drew a crowd of fellows, collaborators, and art lovers to the gallery, where speeches highlighted the program's impact and mission.

Photos: Art Gallery "2.16 Contemporary" Grand Opening

On January 21, 2026, the 2.16 Contemporary art gallery opened at 325 Constitución Street in Puerto Vallarta's Zona Romántica with a gala event featuring the exhibition “Liberatio” by Guadalajara-based artist Victor Haro, celebrating his 40-year career. The ribbon-cutting ceremony included owners and gallerists Orlando Santamaría and Abrajam Romero, Culture Councilwoman Laurel Carrillo, and Haro himself, with the show presenting hyperrealistic works in acrylic paste and airbrushing that explore human liberation.

Hastings Museum launches ‘Portraits in a Chinese Studio’ exhibition

Grace Lau's exhibition 'Portraits in a Chinese Studio' opens at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery on January 13, 2025. The show features photographs taken in Hastings and St Leonards between 2005 and 2025, depicting local people posed on mock traditional Chinese furniture with modern items like mobile phones and plastic bags, creating a contrast between past and present. The project was funded by Arts Council England and supported by John Hansard Gallery, and runs until March 29, 2026.

Nicht mal Engel sind frei von der Gewalt

Janiva Ellis presents a multifaceted exhibition at Kunsthalle Basel, exploring the history of violence in modernity through paintings that blend history painting, cartoon, and abstraction. Her works, including "Glint" and "Une nuit agitée," feature angels, hybrid creatures, and dystopian landscapes, questioning the origins and functions of violence in art history and society.

The Art of the Chosen Family

Die Kunst der Wahlfamilie

Mike D, co-founder of the Beastie Boys, has co-curated an exhibition titled "Mishpocha. The Art of Collaboration" at the Jewish Museum Frankfurt. The show explores the concept of family beyond biological ties, featuring works such as Ira Eduardovna's video installation "The Library Room," which depicts a family packing for emigration, and immersive audiovisual spaces evoking techno, hip-hop, punk, and Riot Grrrl subcultures. The exhibition includes contributions from artist Jan Ove Hennig, photographer Jan Zappner, design studio Atelier Markgraph, and hospitality group Ima Clique, with Mike D serving as artistic director and ambassador.

Industrial Dreams of the GDR

Industrieträume der DDR

The exhibition "Robotron – Arbeiterklasse und Intelligenz" has opened at the Hartware Medienkunstverein (HMKV) in Dortmund, following its initial run in Leipzig. Centered on the history of the GDR’s largest computer manufacturer, the show features 20 artistic positions including photography, film, and sculpture, alongside a significant five-meter oil sketch by Socialist Realist painter Werner Tübke. The presentation bridges East and West German industrial histories by juxtaposing state-commissioned propaganda with progressive, unofficial works by artists like Ruth Wolf-Rehfeldt and A.R. Penck.

Once a Year: Shock Trauma!

"Ein Mal im Jahr: Schock-Trauma!"

Artist Nik Nowak is exploring the "Sound Horeg" phenomenon in East Java, Indonesia, where massive DIY loudspeaker systems are mounted on trucks and boats for extreme mobile discos. These parades, characterized by towering walls of speakers and intense bass, represent a global evolution of sound culture influenced by social media rather than traditional folklore. Nowak's research into these unregulated, high-tech spectacles has culminated in a new body of work featuring sculptures and photographs.

Marcos Kueh in Turbulent Seas

Artist Marcos Kueh presents his solo exhibition 'Smooth Sailing' at ESEA Contemporary in Manchester. The show features new sculptures, tapestries, and a large-scale installation that reflect on the histories of Chinese labour and migration, particularly to northwest England, drawing inspiration from 19th-century trade union banners found in Manchester's People's History Museum.

The Musée d’Ixelles at the Crossroads of Different Perspectives

Le Musée d’Ixelles à la croisée de différents regards

The Musée d’Ixelles in Brussels, closed for eight years for expansion and renovation, is nearing completion of its architectural transformation with a reopening scheduled for spring 2027 (March 19). Founded in 1892 in a former slaughterhouse, the museum has grown through successive donations and a continuous acquisition policy, now holding over 15,000 works spanning Belgian art from the 19th century to the contemporary period. Director and curator Claire Leblanc, who has led the institution since 2006, emphasizes a participatory approach that integrates diverse public perspectives, including a project called "Musée comme chez soi" during the closure where locals hosted artworks in their homes.

Michel Bassompierre (1948-2026)

French sculptor Michel Bassompierre has died at age 78. Known for his monumental bronze and marble animal sculptures—polar bears, gorillas, elephants, pandas, and horses—he depicted them in moments of rest and balance, simplifying forms in the tradition of François Pompon. Bassompierre studied at the École des beaux arts de Rouen under René Leleu, taught applied arts, and later worked with foundries including Venturi Arte in Italy. His major exhibitions include "Fragiles colosses" at the Jardin des plantes in Paris (2019) and a show at the Musée Despiau Wlérick (2021). In February 2025, the municipality of Vertou announced plans for a Michel Bassompierre museum, slated to open in 2028. He was named a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2010, received the Légion d'honneur in January 2025, and was promoted to Officier des Arts et des Lettres on April 1, 2025.

Phillip Lai at Spike Island

The contemporary art space Spike Island in Bristol is hosting a solo exhibition by artist Phillip Lai titled "Rain / Ruin." Running from January 30 to May 10, 2026, the exhibition features a series of sculptural installations and works that engage with the architectural environment of the gallery. The presentation is documented through a comprehensive suite of installation photography by Rob Harris, capturing the spatial relationship between Lai's objects and the industrial character of the venue.

Aileen Murphy at Deborah Schamoni

Aileen Murphy at Deborah Schamoni

Aileen Murphy has opened a solo exhibition titled "We must go under the wallpaper" at the Deborah Schamoni gallery in Munich. The show, running from January 9 through March 21, 2026, features new works by the artist, documented extensively with twenty installation photographs.

Valentina Bartolini at Callirrhoë

Valentina Bartolini at Callirrhoë

Valentina Bartolini has opened a solo exhibition, "Belly of the Fish," at the Callirrhoë gallery in Athens. The show, which runs from January 22 through March 21, 2026, presents a new body of work from the artist, documented extensively with 24 images on the platform.

From Two Tons of Celadon, Jean Shin Sculpts a Metaphor for the Korean Diaspora

Artist Jean Shin has created "Celadon Landscape," a monumental installation at the Green-House at Green-Wood in New York, using nearly two tons of discarded celadon porcelain fragments donated by studios in Icheon, South Korea. The work features two large bulbous vessels covered in broken shards of cups, saucers, and pots, appearing to emerge from the earth as if unearthed in an archaeological dig. The installation is on view through January 17.

Faig Ahmed Weaves Mysticism, Science, Technology, and Craft into ‘The Attention’

Faig Ahmed, the Baku-based artist known for transforming traditional Azerbaijani carpets into melting, glitching textile sculptures, has opened a solo presentation at the 61st Venice Biennale, where he represents Azerbaijan. Titled 'The Attention,' the sprawling, maze-like installation curated by Gwendolyn Collaço explores science, alchemy, spirituality, and self-perception, weaving together digital processes with handcrafted techniques. Works include monumental machine-woven carpets like 'I Can Contain Both Worlds But I Do Not Fit Into This One,' a handwoven piece called 'Ancestors' that glows under black light, and 'Entropy Altar,' which uses a quantum random number generator to respond to visitors. The exhibition bridges 15th-century Hurufi mysticism with modern information theory, reflecting Ahmed's interest in consciousness, quantum physics, and the dialectic between measurable science and subjective experience.