NEXT in the Gallery: Pittsburgh in December is a sprawling winter carnival of art

Pittsburgh's visual artists are transforming the city into a sprawling winter carnival throughout December 2025, with a packed calendar of exhibitions and events. Highlights include Sharmistha Ray's three-channel animation "Emergent Realities" at Wood Street Galleries (Dec. 12–July 5, 2026), featuring a commissioned soundtrack by Grammy-winning composer Arooj Aftab; Mary Mazziotti's satirical textile series "Thank You for Your Attention to This Matter" at BE Galleries (Dec. 6–Jan. 31, 2026); and Offroute Art's "Crisis of Empathy // Limit of Empathy" showcasing eight young artists. Wood Street Galleries also partners with Visual AIDS for Day With(out) Art 2025 on Dec. 3, presenting videos exploring drug users and HIV crisis. The month kicks off with holiday markets and arcades, and includes a Neapolitan nativity scene exhibit and an art battle in Sharpsburg.

Editorsʼ picks: 6 projects not to miss at Art Basel Miami Beach 2025

Six notable projects at Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 are highlighted, including presentations by Chicago-based galleries Document, Gray, moniquemeloche, and Patron, which showcase artists who experiment with material form and lived experience. Other featured works include Aleksandra Waliszewska's cat-centered paintings at Dawid Radziszewski, Myungmi Lee's vibrant game-inspired works at Wooson, Etel Adnan's rare 1960s drawings at Galerie Lelong, and Mary Bauermeister's newly discovered 1950s works on paper at Michael Rosenfeld Gallery.

Stephen Friedman to close New York gallery, two years after opening the Tribeca space

Stephen Friedman, the Canadian-born, London-based dealer, will close his New York gallery in Tribeca at the end of February 2026, less than three years after opening the space in October 2023. The decision is described as a strategic evolution to consolidate operations in London, where several new directors have been hired. The gallery's artist roster will remain unchanged, and Friedman plans to stay active in the US art scene through major fairs. The closure follows a challenging period marked by a £1.7m loss in 2023 due to renovation costs and a downturn in the art market, with cash flow currently tight after slow exhibition sales.

Rock star’s first art exhibit a bright, brash pop culture provocation at CT gallery

Rob Zombie, the heavy metal musician and filmmaker, is holding his first-ever visual art exhibition, "What Lurks on Channel X?", at the Morrison Gallery in Kent, Connecticut, through November 16. The show features 18 large-scale paintings created between 2012 and 2020, drawing on pop culture, horror, and crime iconography. Zombie briefly studied at the Parsons School of Design before leaving to pursue music and film.

Tania Willard wins Canada’s top contemporary art prize

Tania Willard, a member of the Secwépemc First Nation, has won the 2025 Sobey Art Award, Canada’s top contemporary art prize, at a ceremony at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. The award, announced by last year’s winner Nico Williams, comes with C$100,000 ($71,200). Willard’s multidisciplinary practice spans basketry, sculpture, public art, and land-based projects, and she is also a prominent curator. The five other finalists each received C$25,000. Works by all finalists are on view at the NGC until February 2026.

Heavy in more ways than one: Confederate statues hit the road for Los Angeles exhibition

The exhibition "Monuments" opens this week at the Museum of Contemporary Art (Moca) and the Brick in Los Angeles, featuring decommissioned Confederate statues alongside contemporary artworks. The show includes a double monument of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson on loan from Baltimore, which required road closures and careful logistics to install, as well as works by Kara Walker, Hank Willis Thomas, and Karon Davis that recontextualize these symbols of white supremacy. Curators Hamza Walker, Bennett Simpson, and Kara Walker collaborated on the exhibition, which runs from October 23 through May 3, 2026.

Inside Clarissa, the Hottest Art Show of Frieze Week

Clarissa, a new curatorial platform from Émergent Magazine, launched its first group exhibition during Frieze Week in London. Staged across three levels of a former club and sex shop in King’s Cross, the show features a mix of established and emerging artists—including Michael Dean, Hilary Lloyd, Tobias Spichtig, Joel Wycherley, Remi Ajani, and Tiago Francez—alongside works by Patricia L Boyd, Oscar Enberg, Hamish Pearch, and others. Curated by Reuben Beren James and Albert Riera Galceran in collaboration with the nomadic collective Soft Commodity, the exhibition aims to ignore art-world hierarchies and focus on intuitive dialogues between artists across generations and geographies.

Local artists transform waste into striking art at the Melrose Gallery

The Melrose Gallery in Johannesburg is hosting "Junkyard Dogs," an exhibition featuring South African artists Dr. Willie Bester and Prof Pitika Ntuli, running until October 31. The show transforms discarded materials into sculptures, paintings, and installations that address social and political issues, including apartheid and post-colonial identity. Curated by Ashraf Jamal and Tumelo 'Tumi' Moloi, the exhibition includes a soundscape, children's workshops, poetry sessions, and guided walkabouts, all free to the public.

The Slow Death of the Contemporary Art Gallery

The article reports on the decline of the traditional contemporary art gallery model, driven by rising rents, changing collector behavior, and the rise of new artist categories. Tim Blum closed his Blum & Poe galleries in Los Angeles and Tokyo, citing systemic issues rather than market conditions. Art Basel and UBS data show the art market shrank overall but the number of sales increased, indicating a shift toward mid-priced works. Collectors are moving away from "blue-chip" artists toward "red-chip" artists who gain value through viral hype and cultural relevance, exemplified by Olaolu Slawn's accessible solo show at Saatchi Yates. Celebrities like actor Adrien Brody are also entering the market, though his work has been criticized as derivative. Meanwhile, smaller galleries like Tiwa Gallery, Landdd, and Marta are thriving by focusing on genuine connection, and retail spaces like Gentle Monster and Dover Street Market are blending art with commerce.

Three artists, three questions: Contemporary art

Three Israeli artists—Ronit Porat, an evacuated photographer working with archival materials; an emerging artist using shrapnel from rocket shells as art material while serving as an IDF reservist; and a young artist opening a new exhibition after a break—are profiled in this column by Basia Monkaj. Each answers three questions about inspiration, the definition of art, and what makes their work unique, set against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Israel and the centenary of Surrealism.

A hundred years on, Cork Street is the beating heart of London’s art scene once more

Cork Street in London's Mayfair district, a historic hub for commercial art, is celebrating its centenary with a collaborative group show involving 15 galleries. The exhibition is inspired by a controversial 1938 Jean Cocteau work, "La peur donnant des ailes au courage," which was deemed obscene by British authorities and only shown in a back office at Peggy Guggenheim's gallery, Guggenheim Jeune, after her petitions. Participating galleries include Stephen Friedman Gallery, Alon Zakaim Fine Art, and Goodman Gallery, with works by artists like Caroline Coon, Shirin Neshat, and others, curated by Tarini Malik.

Highlights from New York’s Upstate Art Weekend 2025

Upstate Art Weekend (UAW) returns for its sixth edition, running until July 21, 2025, with over 155 participants across galleries, studios, museums, and art centers in New York's Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains. Founded in 2020 by Helen Toomer as a pandemic-era initiative, the event now supported by Space Design + Production and Bloomberg Connects offers highlights such as 'Eclectic Cream' at Army of Frogs Studio, 'Muskeg and Collateral Magic' at Mother-in-Law's Gallery, 'The Rose' at the Center for Photography at Woodstock, tours at Hessel Museum of Art, and 'Peculiar Manufactures' at Jesse Bransford House.

Sculptural works by emerging artists win Baloise Art Prize

The Baloise Art Prize has been awarded to London-based artist Rhea Dillon and Lebanese Canadian artist Joyce Joumaa for their presentations in the Statements section of Art Basel. Dillon, represented by Soft Opening gallery, exhibited *Leaning Figures*, a series of wall-mounted sculptures made from resin mixed with molasses and Jamaican soil, replicating cut-crystal plates. Joumaa, shown with Montreal’s Galerie Eli Kerr, presented *Periodic Sights*, an installation of repurposed fuse boxes illuminated with photographs of everyday scenes from Beirut and Tripoli, addressing Lebanon’s energy crisis. As part of the prize, Dillon’s work was acquired by the Museum für Moderne Kunst (MMK) in Frankfurt, and Joumaa’s by Mudam Luxembourg.

New dealer-run fair aims to fill gap left by Design Miami

A group of 11 mostly French galleries, led by Charlotte Ketabi-Lebard of Parisian gallery Ketabi Bourdet, have launched Maze Design Basel, a new dealer-run design fair to fill the gap left by the cancellation of Design Miami Basel. The fair is held in the 19th-century Elisabethenkirche church next to Basel's Kunsthalle, with stands arranged throughout the nave, mezzanines, chancel, pulpit, and clerestory. The vernissage on June 16 was playful and relaxed, with sales reported by all exhibitors and about 1,000 guests attending the preview.

‘Maintenance Artist’ Highlights Mierle Laderman Ukeles’ Radical, Caring Approach to Public Art

A new documentary titled 'Maintenance Artist,' premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival, profiles New York City artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles, who has served as artist-in-residence at the city's Department of Sanitation since 1977. The film traces her radical practice, which began with her 1969 'Manifesto for Maintenance Art' and includes performances like 'Touch Sanitation Performance' (1980), where she shook hands with all 8,500 sanitation workers, thanking each for keeping the city alive. Ukeles' work elevates overlooked labor—trash collection, street-cleaning—as a form of public art.

Christie’s Third Arab Art Summer Exhibition Marwan: A Soul in Exile 16 July – 22 August - Christie's

Christie’s will host its third annual Arab Art Exhibition, titled "Marwan: A Soul in Exile," at its London headquarters from 16 July to 22 August 2025. The non-selling retrospective features over 150 works on loan from museums, institutions, and private collections across Europe and the Middle East, spanning paintings, drawings, works on paper, and editions. Curated by Dr. Ridha Moumni, Chairman of Christie’s Middle East & Africa, the exhibition traces the six-decade career of Syrian-born artist Marwan Kassab Bachi (1934–2016), known for his facial landscapes that blend German expressionism with Syrian identity and Arab political themes.

Together in doom: tense paintings of social ills feature at Tefaf New York

VIPs attended the opening of Tefaf New York at the Park Avenue Armory on 8 May, where a surprising number of dark, oppressive works stood out amid the usual luxury offerings. Highlights include Anne Imhof's entire stand at Sprüth Magers, featuring her painting *Untitled* (2024) showing figures holding hands before an atomic bomb (sold for €250,000), Fernando Botero's *El Nuncio* (1987) critiquing clerical power, Paula Rego's *The Bullfighter's Godmother* (1990-91) exploring dominance and loss, and George Grosz's interwar depictions of Berlin's social decay.

Hollis Taggart to open gallery on New York’s Lower East Side for emerging artists

New York dealer Hollis Taggart is opening a second gallery location on the Lower East Side, named Hollis Taggart Downtown, dedicated to emerging and mid-career contemporary artists. The inaugural exhibition, "Boundless," opens May 17 and features ten artists including Osamu Kobayashi, Katherine Boxall, Kelly Worman, and Joanne Greenbaum. The space, at 109 Norfolk Street, is a partnership with longtime employees Paul Efstathiou and Eleanor Flatow. The move comes as the gallery nearly doubled its Chelsea space in 2023, despite a market downturn.

Local art advisors launch pop up art exhibit in Rancho Santa Fe village

A pop-up art exhibition titled 'This is Now' has opened in a long-vacant storefront in Rancho Santa Fe village, curated by the Ryan Campbell Garrett Art Advisory. The show features works by notable artists including Ed Ruscha, Hugo McCloud, Lynne Drexler, and Sam Gilliam, and will run through April 25. The exhibition aims to revitalize the space and engage the local community, with a successful opening reception held on March 29.

"Geschichtspolitisch fatal und realitätsblind"

A German media roundup reports on a planned restructuring of the Stiftung Flucht, Vertreibung, Versöhnung (Foundation Flight, Expulsion, Reconciliation), which would shift its focus toward German expellees and reduce the influence of the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. The reform, criticized by FAZ commentator Andreas Kilb as a fundamental cultural-political intervention, would detach the foundation from the German Historical Museum and give greater weight to the Federation of Expellees in its board. Separately, the roundup covers a review of a legal study on artistic freedom sparked by the antisemitism debate around Documenta Fifteen, and a speech by Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer warning of democratic backsliding and rising antisemitism.

Building Worlds

Welten bauen

Lina Lapelytė has transformed the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin into a mutable landscape of wooden blocks for her second Chanel Commission. The installation, titled "Welten bauen" (Building Worlds), invites visitors to actively shape the space, incorporating elements of poetry, song, and community. The work draws inspiration from Paul Hindemith's 1930s children's singspiel "Wir bauen eine Stadt," which was banned by the Nazis and led to Hindemith's emigration.

Anne-Claire Legendre: 'Restoring serenity and transparency to the institution'

Anne-Claire Legendre : « Redonner de la sérénité et de la transparence à l’institution »

Anne-Claire Legendre has been appointed to succeed Jack Lang as president of the Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA) in Paris. A French diplomat, Legendre aims to restore confidence in the institution through governance reform, increased transparency, and a new strategic plan following an external financial audit.

Outsourcing Museum Reception: A Booming Model

Externaliser l’accueil dans les musées, un modèle en plein essor

French museums are increasingly outsourcing front-of-house services, including ticketing, reception, and crowd management, to specialized private firms. This trend, which gained momentum with the opening of the Musée du quai Branly in 2006, allows public institutions to focus internal resources on core missions like conservation and curation while utilizing flexible, external labor for high-traffic operations. The market for these cultural services in France is projected to reach approximately €50 million by 2025.

A young but already highly competitive profession

Un métier jeune mais déjà très concurrentiel

The museum visitor services sector in France is undergoing rapid professionalization as specialized outsourcing firms compete for lucrative contracts. Companies like Marianne International, Pénélope, and City One—originally rooted in corporate reception and event management—are now managing front-of-house operations for major institutions including the Palais de Tokyo, MuCEM, and the Musée d'Orsay. This shift reflects a broader trend of museums treating visitors as customers and seeking the high-volume staffing expertise found in the corporate world.

In love with trees, sculptor Lélia Demoisy elevates nature through hybridization

Amoureuse des arbres, la sculptrice Lélia Demoisy sublime la nature par l’hybridation

Lélia Demoisy, a French sculptor born in 1991, creates hybrid works that blend wood with animal elements, such as a yew wood sculpture covered in fox fur or a suspended skeleton made from naturally curved thuya branches. She lives in a small village in the Yvelines region, where she works with wood and metal herself, often sourcing materials locally, and recently participated in the Maif pour le vivant committee as the only artist on the jury.

Required Reading

This week's Required Reading roundup from Hyperallergic covers a diverse range of art-world stories. French photographer JR has unveiled "La Caverne du Pont Neuf Paris" (2026), an optical illusion installation that transforms the pathway across the Seine into a black-and-white mountain range cave, paying homage to Christo and Jeanne-Claude's 1985 wrapping of the same bridge. Other highlights include architecture scholar Karrie Jacobs investigating a New York waterfront walking initiative for The Nation, curator Tara Contractor writing in Apollo about James McNeill Whistler's use of metallic pigments influenced by Japanese traditions, and Rob Corsini interviewing Amelia Abraham about their new book celebrating photography of queer nightlife for Dazed.

A New Richard Avedon Documentary Lets Him Down

A new documentary titled "Avedon" (2026), directed by Ron Howard, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The film offers a conventional tour of the life of famed photographer Richard Avedon, relying on talking-head interviews and behind-the-scenes anecdotes rather than delving into the artistic process or the deeper implications of his work. The review criticizes Howard's approach as hackwork, noting that the documentary misses opportunities to explore Avedon's insights on image culture, his influence on cinema, and the technical evolution of his photography.

"In Minor Keys" Hits All the Right Notes

The 61st Venice Biennale's international exhibition, titled "In Minor Keys," opened with a somber curatorial press conference, as artistic director Koyo Kouoh, who died in May 2024 at age 57, was not physically present. The exhibition features 110 invited participants across the Arsenale and Giardini, including works by Buhlebezwe Siwani, Johannes Phokela, Wangechi Mutu, Ebony G. Patterson, and Kambui Olujimi. Protests marked the opening, with gatherings at the temporary Israeli pavilion and Pussy Riot's presence at the Russian pavilion, while the exhibition itself asks viewers to look closer at overlooked forms of representation and consider innovative models of measuring the world.

Artists Pay Tribute to Koyo Kouoh in Poetry Caravan at Venice Biennale

At the Venice Biennale on May 7, 2026, Cuban artist María Magdalena Campos-Pons led a poetry caravan across seven locations in the Giardini to honor Koyo Kouoh, the late curator of the Biennale's main exhibition "In Minor Keys," who died of cancer at age 57 in 2025. The procession, inspired by a 1999 voyage Kouoh took with nine African poets from Dakar to Timbuktu, featured performances by poets Natalie Diaz, Robin Coste Lewis, Batool Abu Akleen, and Anne Waldman, kora player Saliou Cissokho, and Kouoh's husband, Swiss saxophonist Philippe Mall, who played a composition dedicated to her. The event was organized by a team of Kouoh's assistants and advisers, including Marie Hélène Pereira, who served as stand-in lead of the 2026 Biennale.

Steven Durland, Champion of Performance Art, Dies at 75

Steven Durland, a longtime editor of *High Performance* magazine and a champion of performance art, died on March 11 at age 75 after a brief illness. His life partner, Linda Frye Burnham, confirmed his death in Saxapahaw, North Carolina. Durland was born in Long Beach, California, raised in South Dakota, and trained as a ceramic artist with a BFA from the University of South Dakota and an MFA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He became deeply involved in performance and mail art, and from 1986 to 1994 served as editor of *High Performance*, a magazine founded by Burnham that featured thousands of artists including Nancy Buchanan, Carolee Schneemann, Paul McCarthy, Suzanne Lacy, and Ulysses Jenkins. Durland also maintained his own artistic practice, creating performances such as "Win Defeat/BID FOR POWER" (1978) and "Death and Taxis" (1982), and produced the micro-newspaper *Tacit*.