Changes at Manifesta as Hedwig Fijen steps down

Hedwig Fijen, founding director of Manifesta, the European Nomadic Biennial, will step down on October 5. Emilia van Lynden and Catherine Nichols will succeed her as general director and artistic director respectively, as announced by the supervisory board of the International Foundation Manifesta. Fijen, who was commissioned by the Netherlands Office for Fine Arts in 1991 to develop a pan-European platform, has led Manifesta through editions in Palermo, Pristina, Barcelona, and the upcoming 2026 edition in the Ruhr region. Van Lynden has served as deputy director since 2019, while Nichols, a Berlin-based curator, contributed as creative mediator for the 2022 edition and artistic board member for 2026. The new leadership will begin with Manifesta 17 in Coimbra, Portugal, in 2028.

À la Biennale de Venise, le pavillon de l’Ouzbékistan fait revivre la mer d’Aral

The Uzbekistan Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, curated around the figure of author Allayar Darmenov, brings together artists including Vyacheslav Akhunov, Zi Kakhramonova, A. A. Murakami, Zulfiya Spowart, and Nguyen Phuong Linh to explore the ecological disaster of the Aral Sea. Once the world's fourth-largest lake, it was drained by Soviet irrigation projects for cotton farming; the pavilion's installations—such as Kakhramonova's participatory salt-fish molding piece and Spowart's cradle-like sculpture—imaginatively revive the vanished sea and its endemic species.

À Sars-Poteries, le MusVerre célèbre pour ses dix ans toutes les infinies possibilités de l’art verrier

The MusVerre in Sars-Poteries, France, celebrates its tenth anniversary with a new exhibition titled "Enchanté – La fabrique des histoires," curated by Laura Bouvard. The museum, which opened in 2016 in a distinctive blue beveled building, houses over 800 glass artworks and 3,000 ancient pottery pieces, originating from the passion of amateur collector Louis Mériaux. Under new director Laetitia Messager, the museum is forging collaborations with the Musée de Charleroi, Cirva Marseille, and Frac Normandie, and plans to host a symposium in autumn to mark the anniversary.

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.

The true story of the Caravaggio theft by the Sicilian Mafia behind the Arte series 'The Caravaggio Conspiracy'

La véritable histoire du vol du Caravage par la mafia sicilienne derrière la série « Le Complot Caravaggio » sur Arte

The theft of Caravaggio’s 'Nativity with Saint Francis and Saint Lawrence' from the Oratory of San Lorenzo in Palermo remains one of the world's most notorious unsolved art crimes. Stolen in October 1969 by professional thieves who cut the massive three-meter canvas from its frame, the masterpiece has been missing for over 50 years. Investigations have long pointed toward the Sicilian Mafia, with various theories suggesting the work was displayed at secret summits, hidden in Switzerland, or tragically destroyed.

Unusually Large, 2,000-Year-Old Hillfort Discovered in Estonia

Archaeologists from the University of Tartu have discovered a massive 2,000-year-old hillfort at Köstrimägi in Tartu County, Estonia. Utilizing high-resolution terrain mapping, the team identified a 4,800-square-meter Iron Age fortification featuring concentric ramparts and shallow ditches, a structural complexity rarely seen in the region. Radiocarbon dating suggests the site was active for a relatively short period, specifically between 41 BCE and 9 CE.

Knight Foundation Names 2026 Recipients of Its $50,000 Art + Tech Fellowships

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has announced the five recipients of its 2026 Arts + Tech Fellowships. Administered by United States Artists, the program awards $50,000 in unrestricted funds to artists LIZN’BOW, Miguel Novelo, Rhonda Holbertson, Taeyoon Choi, and Wesley Taylor. These creators, based in California, Detroit, and Miami, utilize diverse technologies including computer vision, game engines, and custom code to explore the intersection of digital systems and human experience.

EFG LATIN AMERICA ART AWARD PRESENTS THE NOMINATED ARTIST AT SP ARTE 2026

The EFG Latin America Art Award, in partnership with ArtNexus, has named Brazilian artist Cristiano Lenhardt as the nominated artist at SP-Arte 2026. Lenhardt, represented by Fortes D'Aloia & Gabriel, was selected for his work *Lieoe* (2025), a mixed-media piece combining ceramic and embroidery on cotton that responds to the devastating floods in Rio Grande do Sul in May 2024. The selection was made with input from Fernando Oliva, curator of MASP, and Celia Sredni de Birbragher, director and editor of ArtNexus.

EFG LATIN AMERICA ART AWARD PRESENTA AL ARTISTA NOMINADO EN SP ARTE 2026

The EFG Latin America Art Award, in partnership with ArtNexus, has named Brazilian artist Cristiano Lenhardt as its nominee from SP-Arte 2026. Lenhardt, represented by Fortes D'Aloia & Gabriel, was selected for his work *Lieoe* (2025), a mixed-media piece combining ceramic, embroidery, and cotton fabric dyed by floodwaters from the Guaíba River. The work responds to the environmental tragedy of the May 2024 floods in Rio Grande do Sul, transforming trauma into a tactile, intuitive object. The nomination was made with input from Fernando Oliva, curator of MASP, and Celia Sredni de Birbragher, director of ArtNexus.

At LACHSA, L.A.'s most important public arts school, the 'misfits' become superstars

The Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA), founded in 1984 and located on the Cal State L.A. campus, has become a premier public arts school offering conservatory-level training alongside college-prep academics. The article highlights alumni such as actor Anthony Anderson, musician Josh Groban, and visual artists Kehinde Wiley and Tomashi Jackson, who credit the school with nurturing their talents and providing a supportive, diverse environment for artistic growth.

A Parade of Floating Artworks Honors Hieronymus Bosch in the Netherlands

The 2026 Bosch Parade will return to the Dommel river in ’s-Hertogenbosch from June 18 to 21, featuring nineteen new floating artworks inspired by the theme "Powered by Defects." This biennial event pays tribute to the surrealist legacy of Hieronymus Bosch, the city's most famous son, by inviting international artists to create fantastical aquatic installations. The program includes the "Garden of Earthly Delights," an open-air studio at the Citadel where visitors can interact with artists as they develop their contemporary interpretations of Bosch’s fascination with human imperfection and the absurd.

A Short Film Joins In the Timeless Swiss Masked Tradition of Silvesterchlausen

A new short film titled 'Silvesterchlausen' by writer and director Andrew Norman Wilson documents the centuries-old Swiss New Year's tradition of the same name. The film captures groups of men and boys in the Appenzell regions who don elaborate, handmade masks and headdresses made from natural materials like pinecones and moss, forming groups to yodel, ring bells, and visit homes over 18-hour days to mark the turn of the year on both the Gregorian and Julian calendars.

“Porous Grounds, Sacred Codes” at Marres, Maastricht

Seven artists with roots in West Africa—Yacine Tilala Fall, Selly Raby Kane, Maguette Dieng, Ican Ramageli, Hamedine Kane, Eva Diallo, and Babacar Traoré Doli—have jointly created a multi-sensory total installation at Marres in Maastricht. Titled “Porous Grounds, Sacred Codes,” the exhibition incorporates sculpture, sound, textiles, and video, connecting Zikr chanting of mantras, daily life in the Medina, and the trees of the dry landscape.

Room 412 in Birmingham, Alabama

Chandler Jones founded Room 412, a small, appointment-only gallery in a Birmingham, Alabama loft, in March 2022. The space functions as an intimate, immersive exhibition environment, described as a cross between a gallery and a mystical hotel room, designed to showcase Alabama artists and foster community connection. Jones, a musician, was motivated by a desire to create a visually and energetically compelling gathering place after being inspired by the historic Chelsea Hotel in New York.

'Preserving the art of Utah culture': Utah-artist museum opens in Salt Lake City

A new art museum, the Salt Lake Art Museum, is opening in the historic B'nai Israel Temple in downtown Salt Lake City, dedicated to preserving and celebrating Utah culture through visual art. Founded by art historian Micah Christensen and led by executive director Chris Jensen, the museum is the first new art museum to open in the city in over 40 years. It has already begun programming, including an interactive 'Make Your Mark' installation and a Utah Master Series highlighting influential local artists such as Galina Perova, Stanley Wanlass, and Ben Hammond. Opening exhibitions will feature works by Albert Bierstadt, Pilar Pobil, and a show on Julia Reagan billboards, alongside a gallery on the temple's history.

Lucio Santiago | LA ESPERA (2015) | For Sale

Lucio Santiago's bronze sculpture "LA ESPERA" (2015) is listed for sale at US$3,400 through Bernardini Art Gallery & Auction House. The work measures 23 × 19 × 19 cm, is unique, and signed. Lucio Santiago, born in 1987 in Oaxaca de Juárez, is the son of artist Alejandro Santiago. His artistic training includes workshops in photography at the Manuel Álvarez Bravo center and with Katy McFadden, as well as graphic art at Gráfica Bambú and a three-year residency at La Ceiba in Xalapa. His first solo exhibition was in 2007, and he has since shown in Europe and the US. His work explores themes of life and death, incorporating wings, skeletons, mutilated bodies, and animals like eagles, fish, and coyotes.

January Exhibitions

The article lists January 2026 art exhibitions across multiple venues in Charlottesville, Virginia, including Ruffin Gallery at the University of Virginia, Crozet Artisan Depot, The Fralin Museum of Art, The Gallery at Studio IX, IX Art Park, Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, and Jefferson School African American Heritage Center. Highlights include the Ruffin Distinguished Artist-in-Residence exhibition “We Dream of Life” by Paula Wilson and iris yirei hu, featuring a monumental 56-foot textile; “Haiti’s Time” at The Fralin Museum; and “In the Beginning” at Kluge-Ruhe showcasing Spinifex Arts Project artists. Other shows include “INSTRUMENTAL” by Rich Tarbell, “The Looking Glass” immersive space, and “Finally Remembered: The Black Patriots of Central Virginia” at the Heritage Center.

Colnaghi, world's oldest gallery, to open Saudi Arabian outpost

Colnaghi, the world's oldest surviving art dealership founded in 1760, will open a new outpost in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, following a deal worth 10 million Saudi riyals (around £2 million) with the Saudi private equity firm Sarat Investment Holding. The gallery, which specializes in Old Masters, antiquities, and pre-20th century art, already has locations in London, New York, and Madrid. The opening date has not been announced, but the move marks the first time an Old Master gallery has entered the Saudi market, a surprising development given that most art sales in the kingdom focus on Modern and contemporary works.

May Exhibitions

The article lists May art exhibitions and events in Charlottesville, Virginia, including the grand opening of Milkweed Clay Studio, a new creative space offering pottery demonstrations and workshops. Other highlights include "Spring Bouquets in Oils" at Atlas Coffee, "Artful Gardens Bouquet Display" at The Center at Belvedere, and shows at Chroma Projects, Create Gallery, Crozet Artisan Depot, C’ville Arts Cooperative Gallery, and Fairhaven Guesthouse. The Fralin Museum of Art at UVA presents multiple exhibitions featuring works by Joan Mitchell, Jody Folwell, and African American artists, among others.

Gallery of Art 850 hosts ‘The Color Blue’ art exhibit

The Gallery of Art 850 in Panama City, Florida, hosted an opening reception for 'The Color Blue' art exhibit on Thursday evening. This is the second in a series of themed exhibitions, following last year's 'The Color Red' held in conjunction with the RedFish Film Festival. The show features 75 works in all media, from paintings to sculptures, all incorporating shades of blue, up from 63 entries last year.

Meet the artists behind the women’s Western art exhibition at Southwest Art Gallery and Science Center

The Southwest Art Gallery and Science Center in Dickinson, North Dakota, hosted a public artist reception on May 14 for its women’s Western art exhibition, featuring regional female artists whose work depicts the landscapes, wildlife, and culture of the Northern Plains and American West. The exhibition includes paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media works centered on ranching, farming, and rural life, and will remain on display through June 12. Featured artists include Daphne Clark, Afton Ray Rossol, Barb Kalenze Kraft, Oksana Zvyagelskiy, Trish Stevenson, and Kelsey Jacobson, each sharing personal stories of how art became a creative outlet and source of healing.

Steve La Riccia’s journey through Eugene’s art scene

Steve La Riccia, gallery coordinator for the New Zone Art Gallery in Eugene, Oregon, is profiled for his decades-long journey through the local art scene. After traveling the West Coast and settling in Eugene in the 1970s, he worked at a food processing plant and sold illegal fireworks to buy a home. In 1991, after the Mayor's Art Show rejected many artists, La Riccia helped organize Eugene's first 'Salon De Refusés,' a show for rejected works, which shifted his focus from promoting his own art to supporting other artists. He later co-ran the New Zone gallery and became known for his SX-70 Polaroid manipulations until the company ceased film production in 2009.

Pitt Meadows artist goes ‘Full Circle’ with new exhibit

An exhibition titled “Full Circle” opens May 2 at the Pitt Meadows Art Gallery, showcasing the work of local artist Liz Boulton. The show features her paintings in watercolour, acrylic, and mixed media, as well as hand-built art dolls, reflecting her decades-long artistic journey and her use of texture mediums, gels, and repurposed materials.

Gaby Hurtado-Ramos: Last Night and Tomorrow

Gaby Hurtado-Ramos presents "Last Night and Tomorrow" at BOX 13 ArtSpace in Houston from May 22 to June 27, 2026. The exhibition explores queer social spaces—dance parties, gay bars, karaoke—through layered drawings, photographs, and prints, imagining futures of acceptance and connection. Hurtado-Ramos is an artist and educator whose practice includes risograph publishing under Rear-View Press, and they have exhibited and taught widely across the U.S.

AT THE ART GALLERIES

Jag Gallery in Key West has announced an open call for its 7th annual "Poolside" juried exhibition, seeking 2D and 3D original artwork with swimming pools as the subject. The show opens with a reception on August 5, and selected artists will be notified by July 12, with an entry fee of $35 per artwork and a 50/50 commission split. The article also highlights current shows at other local Key West venues: Harrison Gallery is featuring vibrant paintings by Santa Fe artist Melinda K. Hall, Shade Ceramics and Shutter Photography is displaying pottery by Mark Klammer and landscape photography by Sarah Carleton, and it notes the legacy of the late textile artist Suzie dePoo.

Kasashima Gallery Announces 2026 Exhibition Plan for Europe and Asia

Osaka-based Kasashima Gallery has unveiled its comprehensive 2026 exhibition schedule, which features a strategic expansion across Europe and Asia. The program includes a January showcase in Rome, a rare collection exhibition in Osaka in April, a summer tour through Western Europe, and a year-end retrospective in Japan, collectively featuring over 110 artists.

Eye on Art: Whistler House hosts 200th Anniversary of Lowell Exhibition

The Whistler House Museum of Art is launching a special exhibition to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Lowell, Massachusetts. Running from April 18 to June 20, the show features a diverse array of media—including painting, sculpture, and photography—created by members of the Lowell Art Association, Inc. The works focus on the city’s identity as the cradle of the American Industrial Revolution, capturing its historic textile mills, urban landscapes, and cultural heritage.

Jones Walker of Taos: Where art feels like home

Interior designers Tony Walker and Max Jones have established Jones Walker of Taos, a gallery on Bent Street that emphasizes a welcoming, domestic atmosphere. After relocating from Dallas in 2018, the duo transitioned from award-winning interior design careers to gallerists, curating a diverse collection of local talent that includes descendants of Taos Pueblo and Spanish carving families. The gallery showcases a mix of modern and traditional paintings, carvings, pottery, and weaving, focusing on authentic regional craftsmanship that appeals to both local residents and international collectors.

Satellite Galleries with Gravitas

The Gallery at Hotel Willa and the Encore Gallery at the Taos Center for the Arts have emerged as vital "satellite" exhibition spaces in Taos, New Mexico. Managed by the nonprofit Paseo Project under Executive Director Matt Thomas, the Gallery at Hotel Willa has transformed 2,000 square feet of hospitality space into a hub for local talent, featuring high-profile fashion installations by Josh Tafoya and upcoming ecological exhibitions like "Disturbance." Meanwhile, the Encore Gallery leverages the high foot traffic of the Taos Center for the Arts to provide local artists with significant community exposure alongside film and theatrical programming.

Bolton's biggest showcase of local artistic talent is back

Bolton Museum has launched its annual Open Art Exhibition, running from February 14 to May 17. The free showcase features a wide range of media from artists, craftspeople, and students based in the borough, with three prizes to be awarded, including a Visitors' Choice Award and a Young Artist Award.