Tenorio defies the stereotypical with monochrome art exhibition

Merc Tenorio, a self-taught artist, poet, former teacher, and veteran, presents her eighth solo exhibition titled “/liminal/” at the Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency (CAHA) Gallery. The show features acrylic paintings exclusively in monochrome, stripping away color to challenge both herself and viewers to focus on texture, shape, light, and shadow. Tenorio draws inspiration from Vincent van Gogh and describes her limited palette as emancipating, emphasizing that her intent is not commercial viability but emotional expression and personal evolution.

Art and Soul: Inside Madagascar’s Burgeoning Creative Scene

The article explores Madagascar's burgeoning contemporary art scene, centered on Hakanto Contemporary, a non-profit art space in Antananarivo founded by artist Joël Andrianomearisoa. It highlights the group exhibition "Lamba Forever Mandrakizay," featuring 21 Malagasy artists reflecting on the traditional lamba textile, and the innovative culinary-art fusion by chef Lalaina Ravelomanana. The piece also mentions the Musée de la Photo, founded in 2018, which preserves Malagasy photographic heritage.

The Sky High Farm Biennial Cultivates Something Special

The Sky High Farm Biennial, curated by former Downtown art star Dan Colen, opened in a cold storage warehouse in Germantown, N.Y., featuring over 160 works by 50 artists across two floors. The exhibition is loosely themed around humanity's relationship with the natural world, with immersive installations by Anne Imhof (a maze of cider crates) and Rudolf Stingel (a mirrored floor requiring paper booties). Highlights include works by Nan Goldin, Thiago Rocha Pitta, Stephen Lichty, Carrol Dunham, Pia Camil, and Ann Craven. The show balances informal and polished elements, offering a breezy summer experience while serving as a thesis on artist community.

“Art Macao 2025” opens today (18 July) Dedicated spaces in the Macao Museum of Art offer a new multidimensional visiting experience

Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2025 opened on July 18 with an inauguration ceremony at the Macao Cultural Centre Small Auditorium, featuring nearly 30 exhibitions across the city in six sections including Main Exhibition, Public Art Exhibition, City Pavilion, Special Exhibition, Local Curatorial Project, and Collateral Exhibition. The Main Exhibition at the Macao Museum of Art showcases nearly 80 artworks by 46 artists from 13 countries, curated by Feng Boyi under the theme "Hey, what brings you here?" The event runs through October and was officiated by government officials and casino executives.

The art market bites back as estimates fail to score

Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips raised a combined $1.27bn from their May 2025 marquee auctions of Modern and contemporary art in New York, an 8% decline from the same period last year, according to data from London-based auction analysts Pi-eX. The highest-priced lot, Alberto Giacometti’s 1955 bronze bust *Grande tête mince (Grande tête de Diego)*, estimated at $70m, failed to sell, while Andy Warhol’s *Big Electric Chair* (1967), valued at $30m, was withdrawn before Christie’s auction to avoid a similar fate. The downturn is attributed to geopolitical uncertainty under Donald Trump’s presidency, including tariffs announced on April 2, which have unsettled buyer confidence.

Art Meets Acne: The Opening Of The Acne Paper Gallery

Swedish fashion brand Acne Studios has opened a permanent art gallery called the Acne Paper Palais Royal in its original Paris location, which first opened in 2008. The inaugural exhibition features Dutch photographer Paul Kooiker, who photographed 42 art students from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam in black-and-white portraits reminiscent of classic school photos. The gallery will host a cross-disciplinary program including exhibitions, artist talks, magazine launches, and book signings.

This NY Art Exhibit Is Inspired by Lana Del Rey

Curator Eden Deering has organized a group exhibition titled “Hope is a dangerous thing” at P·P·O·W Gallery in New York, inspired by the final track of Lana Del Rey’s 2019 album *Norman F-cking Rockwell!*. The show features artists Kyle Dunn, Raque Ford, Paul Kopkau, Diane Severin Nguyen, Kayode Ojo, Marianna Simnett, and Robin F. Williams, who were encouraged to channel their most exaggerated, ambitious, and passionate selves. On view until July 11, the exhibition blends camp humor with emotive paintings, installations, and videos, exploring themes of vulnerability, performance, and the tension between genuine emotion and theatrical self-invention.

Exhibition in Abu Dhabi marks collaboration between Korean and Emirati institutions

A partnership exhibition titled "Layered Medium: We Are in Open Circuits" has opened at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi, featuring 29 Korean contemporary artists from the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) collection. Organized with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), the show includes works by Nam June Paik, Haegue Yang, Lee Bul, and others, and runs until 30 June. A reciprocal exhibition of Emirati artists, "Intense Proximities," will open at SeMA in December 2025. The curators, Maya El Khalil and Kyung-hwan Yeo, chose to present each country's art scene separately to allow full appreciation on its own terms.

SLEEK Art Space: Ingeborg Lüscher

Visual artist Ingeborg Lüscher, celebrated as the grand dame of contemporary art, opens an exhibition at SLEEK Art Space on 26 June. In an interview with art historian Sebastian C. Strenger, she discusses her career trajectory from actress to artist, her influences from Fluxus and Nouveau Réalistes, and pivotal moments such as the Prague Spring in 1968 and encountering Joseph Beuys's work. Lüscher was featured at Documenta in 1972 and 1992, the Venice Biennale in 2001, and recently received the Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing. Her current exhibition, The Magnificent Seven⁺, is also on view at Galerie BASTIAN Paris, with a forthcoming show at the Centre Culturel Suisse.

Italian art convinces, international art surprises

Sotheby's and Il Ponte held Modern and Contemporary art auctions in Milan at the end of May, achieving strong results for Italian 20th-century icons and international art. Sotheby's sale on 28 May featured 93 lots, 80 of which were auction debuts, and closed at approximately €11.4 million with a 90% sell-through rate. Top lots included Lucio Fontana's 'Concetto Spaziale, Attese' (1968), which sold for €1.56 million, and works by Giorgio de Chirico, Emilio Vedova, and Alighiero Boetti that far exceeded their high estimates. International highlights included Robert Indiana's 'Decade Autoportrait' selling for €245,000 and Willis Baumeister's 'Moby Dick' setting a record for the artist in Italy.

Is Banksy getting personal? New lighthouse mural prompts speculation over its philosophical meaning

Banksy has unveiled a new mural on Instagram after a six-month hiatus, depicting a black lighthouse with the stenciled phrase “I want to be what you saw in me.” The work, located in Marseille’s Rue Félix Fregier, marks the first time the artist has referred to himself in the first person in a public mural. Speculation about its meaning ranges from a tribute to a deceased artist known as Lonely Farmer to a moment of rare self-reflection, though Banksy’s studio Pest Control declined to comment.

'Ryan Gander: You Complete Me' at The Pola Museum of Art, Japan

The Pola Museum of Art in Japan will host 'Ryan Gander: You Complete Me' from 31 May to 30 November 2025, showcasing the latest works of British artist Ryan Gander. The exhibition features pieces such as 'You Complete Me, or I see things you can’t see (A Frogs Tale)' (2025), an animatronic installation with audio and artificial plants, alongside other works exploring themes of absence, invisibility, death, and potential through intellectual playfulness and humor.

Artist's exhibition to showcase his journey from 'outsider' to 'master'

Local artist Steve Harrington-Ellsmore presents his exhibition "Phantasmagorical Experience" at Unity Art Studio in Andover, running from May 13 to June 7. The show traces his journey from a self-taught "outsider artist" to a formally trained practitioner, featuring surreal paintings, installations, and collages that have drawn comparisons to Bosch and Dali. Harrington-Ellsmore, who graduated from Winchester School of Art in 2006 with a degree in fine art sculpture, is known for vibrant collages and oil paintings that conjure dreamlike landscapes, often incorporating prominent figures for cultural commentary.

Boston Public Art Triennial launches with more than a dozen projects across the city

The inaugural Boston Public Art Triennial launches on 22 May, bringing over a dozen site-specific installations, performances, and community-led activities to public spaces and cultural institutions across Boston through October. With a projected cost of $8 million, the free event features newly commissioned works by artists including Stephen Hamilton, Swoon, Nicholas Galanin, Beatriz Cortez, and Ekene Ijeoma, exploring themes such as Indigenous experience, trauma and healing, social justice, and humanity's relationship with nature.

Grace Kotze exhibit at Art in the Country

Renowned Durban artist Grace Kotze will present a self-curated stand of her work, including her favorite piece 'Darwin's Perch', at the Art in the Country 2025 fair in Hilton from May 22 to 25. The fair, held at Harrington House, features 62 of South Africa's top artists and includes live music. Kotze, who recently showed at the Clarens Arts Festival, draws inspiration from everyday life and cites influences such as William Kentridge and Rembrandt.

Folk is having a revival—in the art world too

The article reports on the growing revival of folk culture in the visual arts, centered on the Neo Ancients festival in Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK. The second edition of the festival, held over May Day weekend, featured an eclectic mix of music, Morris dancing, talks, film screenings, and exhibitions celebrating British folklore. Art dealer James Elwes organized a show at the local gallery Rattle and Brash, featuring artists like Sue Webster, Jeremy Deller, and Stanley Donwood, who presented works outside their usual practices. Exhibitions included Donwood's 'Floralia' and Webster's new self-portraits exploring pregnancy and reinvention.

‘All the electrifying paintings I wish I’d bought’: New York restauranteur Keith McNally recalls his art wins and regrets as memoir debuts

New York restaurateur Keith McNally, known for founding Balthazar and the Odeon, discusses his art-buying habits and regrets in a new memoir titled *I Regret Almost Everything*. In an interview with The Art Newspaper, McNally recounts his first serious purchase—a $500 painting by Albert Montmerot in 1989—and his most recent acquisitions, including works by Élisabeth Ronget and Walter Steggles. He describes his instant attraction to paintings, his tendency to agonize over purchases just beyond his budget, and the persistent regret of not buying certain works he now covets.

Let him entertain you: Robbie Williams gets honest in latest Moco exhibition

Pop star Robbie Williams opened his new exhibition "Radical Honesty" at the Moco Museum in London on May 2, 2025, featuring his latest sculptures and paintings. The show was attended by celebrities including documentary maker Louis Theroux, artists Chris Levine and Daniel Lismore, and comedian Leigh Francis. Williams's works incorporate his trademark sarcastic and self-deprecating humor, with one painting bearing the text: "To be completely honest I’m not sure if we are friends or we’ve just been in the same room a lot in the last 15 years." This is not Williams's first art venture; in 2022 he presented 14 large-scale works at Sotheby's London co-created with Ed Godrich under the name Williams Godrich, and he is also an art collector with pieces by Banksy, Peter Blake, Christopher Page, and Morris Wade.

Lucas Museum unveils inaugural exhibitions curated by George Lucas himself

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles will open to the public on September 22, 2026, with about 20 inaugural exhibitions curated by George Lucas himself across more than 30 galleries. The $1-billion, 300,000-square-foot museum in Exposition Park, designed by Ma Yansong of Mad Architects, will display over 1,200 objects from Lucas's collection of more than 40,000 works, including manga, comics, children's illustrations, and narrative art by artists such as Norman Rockwell, Beatrix Potter, and Dorothea Lange, with only one exhibition focused on "Star Wars" memorabilia.

Vânia Quintão | Cold Afternoon (2023) | For Sale

Brazilian artist Vânia Quintão is offering her 2023 painting "Cold Afternoon" for sale through Inn Gallery. The acrylic-on-canvas work, sized 70 × 100 cm, depicts a suspended, cool-toned landscape under a diffuse blue sky. Quintão, a self-described cultural producer and fundraiser based in Belo Horizonte, has exhibited internationally including at the Louvre Museum in Paris and won prizes at The Holly Art Exhibition (London) and Art Connects Women (Dubai). The work is hand-signed, includes a certificate of authenticity, and is priced at US$1,500.

TWO GENERATIONS OF KAQCHIKEL ARTISTS ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE IN GUATEMALA

An exhibition titled 'Xa jun ruk’oxomal qanima—A Shared Heartbeat' at La Nueva Fábrica in Guatemala brings together the work of two Kaqchikel Maya artists, Rosa Elena Curruchich and Angélica Serech, for the first time in their homeland. It features over 100 paintings by the late Curruchich, a pioneering self-taught painter, alongside recent and newly commissioned textile sculptures by Serech, creating a dialogue between painting and weaving.

Kazuhito Kawai & Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka "Tsuitayo: Becoming by Making" @ KOTARO NUKAGA (Roppongi)

川井雄仁&アレクサ・クミコ・ハタナカ「ついたよ：Becoming by Making」@ KOTARO NUKAGA（六本木）

Artists Kazuhito Kawai and Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka are presenting a joint exhibition titled "Tsuitayo: Becoming by Making" at KOTARO NUKAGA in Roppongi, Tokyo. Running from March 14 to April 10, 2026, the show features Kawai’s expressive ceramic sculptures alongside Hatanaka’s textile-based works, including her signature "Noren" and "Tabi" pieces. The exhibition highlights a dialogue between Kawai’s tactile, often grotesque ceramic forms and Hatanaka’s exploration of heritage and craft through traditional Japanese materials.

And the (Senior Show and URECA Art Exhibition) Winners Are …

The Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery at Stony Brook University hosted the opening reception of the ninth annual combined Senior Show and URECA Arts Exhibition on April 29, drawing about 300 attendees including students, faculty, staff, university leaders, and local museum curators. The Senior Show, a nearly 50-year tradition, features works by senior studio art majors and minors, while the URECA exhibition highlights undergraduate research-based art selected by faculty. This year's exhibition is noted for its diversity in subject matter and materials, from chalk painting to digital media, and runs through May 22.

INTERTWINED NARRATIVES CASSANDRA MAYELA ALLEN EXHIBITS IN NEW YORK

The Instituto Cervantes in New York presents *Aquel Amplex*, the first institutional exhibition of Venezuelan artist Cassandra Mayela Allen, on view until June 28, 2026. Curated by Fabiola R. Delgado and Carlos Núñez, the show features braided textile sculptures, paintings, and drawings that examine Allen's process-driven practice within the legacies of Venezuelan and Latin American modernism and informalism. The title, meaning "that embrace," references a 1969 letter from Hélio Oiticica to Lygia Clark, evoking longing and forced migration. Allen, a self-taught artist who migrated from Venezuela in 2014, uses communal braiding gatherings to transform found fabrics and garments into architectural works that deconstruct national and artistic heritage.

The Artists' Foundation Celebrates its 50th Anniversary

La Fondation des artistes célèbre ses 50 ans

The Fondation des artistes, a major independent French organization supporting visual artists, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Founded in 1976, it operates from the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild and the Nogent-sur-Marne estate, providing production grants, residencies, and support for elderly artists at the Maison nationale des artistes. Its anniversary program includes exhibitions, performances, and public events, with a key date on June 27 in Nogent-sur-Marne.

Stay Connected: Supplying the Globe @ Tai Kwun

Stay Connected: Supplying the Globe @ 大館

Tai Kwun in Hong Kong is set to host "Stay Connected: Supplying the Globe," a major group exhibition running from February 28 to May 31, 2026. Curated by Pi Li and Yan Kwok, the exhibition features a diverse array of contemporary artists including Musquiqui Chihying, Ho Rui An, Lap-See Lam, and Li Shuang. The works span various media, from video installations like "The Smart City" to sculptural interventions and performance-based projects, focusing on themes of global infrastructure, labor, and technological connectivity.

Who Are These People? A Conversation with Kai Althoff by Carlo Antonelli

In an intimate interview with Carlo Antonelli, German artist Kai Althoff discusses the psychological origins of the figures that populate his paintings and his collaborative history with Isa Genzken. Althoff describes his characters as a mix of imagined friends, despicable archetypes, and spirits that emerge subconsciously to outshine his own perceived mediocrity. He also reflects on his early influences, ranging from German-localized Marvel horror comics to the improvisational 'home video' skits he produced with Genzken, which he characterizes as a film about love.

“Not for Sale”: Jingyi Yu’s New Exhibition Questions What Happens When Art Stops Trying to Be Useful

Photographer and curator Jingyi Yu, who earlier this year served as sole juror for the group exhibition "New Year, New [Me]ntal Issues" at A Space Gallery, now presents a new exhibition titled "Not for Sale," co-curated with Qi Ling and opening May 24. The show features work selected from an international open call that received nearly one hundred submissions from artists across the United States, China, Korea, and Europe, including London-based artist and animator Marian Obando. The exhibition centers on pieces made without strategic intention or commercial ambition—private, impulsive, or emotionally driven works that were never intended for public circulation.

Exhibits feature local artists, including youth

The Public Works Art Center in downtown Summerville is currently hosting four concurrent exhibitions featuring local artists, including Tom Stanley, Paul Matheny, Karyn Healey, and the late Gene Merritt, as well as a showcase for student artists. The shows, which run through May 16, present a range of works from paintings reflecting Southern culture to documentary photography of the town and youth art.

Husband-and-wife artist team behind new Collingwood gallery

Ryan Sobkovich, who began painting at age nine and sold his first work at 11, has opened Nōma Gallery in Collingwood, Ontario, with his wife and fellow artist Colleen. The gallery, which launched on September 20 on Huron Street, represents 11 Canadian artists and plans to expand while exclusively featuring Canadian talent. Sobkovich insists on framing every artwork displayed and offers client services like a trial program and digital wall superimposition to help buyers decide.