As Art X Lagos opens, Nigeria's next generation of artists emerges

Art X Lagos, the art fair founded by Tokini Peterside-Schwebig in 2016, opens for its tenth edition from November 6-9, anchoring Lagos Art Week. The fair features a group show at Kó Art Space spotlighting artists inspired by the Oshogbo School, a 1960s Nigerian movement, and Tiwani Contemporary presents sculptural works by Lagos-based designer Nifemi Marcus-Bello, his first exhibition in Nigeria. The Guest Artists Space (GAS) Foundation, established by British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare, adds talks, workshops, and cultural exchange programs, contributing to a vibrant, sprawling art week across the city.

Tara Anne Dalbow

Tara Anne Dalbow has been appointed as the new director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, succeeding Madeleine Grynsztejn. Dalbow previously served as deputy director at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, where she oversaw strategic planning and institutional operations. Her appointment marks a significant leadership transition for one of the United States' leading contemporary art institutions.

25 of 2025: 5 Painters Who’ve Been Catching Our Eye

Artnet News has spotlighted five painters in its '25 of 2025' series, highlighting emerging talents defining the year. Among them are Pol Taburet, a Parisian painter known for bold color palettes and a rising market presence, with works selling above estimates at Sotheby's and Artcurial, and Maja Ruznic, a Bosnian-born artist whose haunting, jewel-toned works earned comparisons to Klimt and Rothko and a standout at the 2024 Whitney Biennial. Taburet is set to feature in the 36th Bienal de São Paulo, while Ruznic recently opened a solo exhibition at Karma Gallery and is included in Site Santa Fe International.

25 of 2025: 5 Trailblazing Performance Artists to Know

Artnet News spotlights five trailblazing performance artists defining 2025, including Geumhyung Jeong, whose work "Toys, Selected" (2025) at Canal Projects in New York explores the uncanny relationship between humans and robots through intimate, choreographed interactions with machine parts she built herself. Jeong, who studied acting, dance, and film animation in South Korea, has performed at Kunsthalle Basel, the 2022 Venice Biennale, and London's ICA, and is currently unrepresented by a gallery. The article also profiles Maja Malou Lyse, who was tapped to represent her country at the Venice Biennale.

On View: 'Danielle McKinney: Tell Me More' at Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University is Painter's First U.S. Solo Museum Exhibition

Danielle McKinney's first solo museum exhibition in the United States, 'Danielle McKinney: Tell Me More,' has opened at the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. The show features 13 intimately scaled paintings created between 2021 and 2025, depicting Black women in dimly lit domestic interiors—lounging, reading, or smoking—often nude or in robes, with saturated colors and cinematic compositions. McKinney, born in Montgomery, Alabama, and based in Jersey City, began her career as a photographer and earned an MFA from Parsons School of Design before turning to painting in 2020 during the pandemic. The exhibition is curated by Gannit Ankori, the museum's director and chief curator, and runs from August 20, 2025, to January 4, 2026.

Shara Hughes - Weather Report - Exhibitions

David Kordansky Gallery presents "Weather Report," an exhibition of new paintings by Shara Hughes, opening September 4 through October 18, 2025, at its 520 W. 20th St. location in New York. This marks the artist's first solo show in New York in six years, featuring works such as "Rift" (2025), "Bigger Person" (2024), "Find My Way" (2025), "Niagara" (2024), "Only Slightly Rare" (2025), "The Good Light" (2025), "Pearly Gates" (2025), "Gossip" (2025), and "MaMa" (2025), all created in oil, acrylic, and dye on canvas or linen.

Culture Type | The Month in Black Art: Here’s What Happened in August 2025

The Studio Museum in Harlem announced it will reopen on November 15, 2025, after being closed since 2018 for construction of its new building on 125th Street. The museum shared details about opening celebrations, community day, suggested admission prices, and hours. In other August 2025 news, Brazilian artist Ana Cláudia Almeida joined Stephen Friedman Gallery (London/New York) alongside Quadra and Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel; Ekow Eshun was named curator of British Art Show 10, opening in September 2026 across five UK cities; and Vanity Fair previewed the new Studio Museum building in its September issue, featuring interviews with Director Thelma Golden and artists Karon Davis and Tshabalala Self.

From the streets to the parks and beyond: the pick of this season's public art in New York

This season's public art in New York City features a diverse array of outdoor exhibitions across parks and streets. Highlights include Thaddeus Mosley's towering bronze sculptures at City Hall Park, Lady Pink's mural "Foundations" at MoMA PS1, Tai Shani's candle-like sculptures on the High Line, Alma Allen's organic forms along Park Avenue, Torkwase Dyson's pavilion at Brooklyn Bridge Park, and the Socrates Annual at Socrates Sculpture Park featuring artists like Natalia Nakazawa and Rowan Renee.

Seoul According to Artist Etsu Egami

Japanese-born artist Etsu Egami, known for large-scale abstract paintings exploring language and communication barriers, has been chosen to inaugurate Korea's new OAR Contemporary Museum in Gyeongju with a solo exhibition titled "Egami Etsu: Echoes of the Earth." The show, running until September 21, features site-specific works inspired by the city's ancient tombs and the museum's architecture. Egami, who was raised across Washington, DC, Paris, and Japan and studied in Germany, Beijing, and New York, has previously exhibited at the Guggenheim in New York, Grand Palais in Paris, and Mori Art Museum. She first showed in South Korea in 2022 at Tang Contemporary in Seoul, and her work has gained recognition among Korean curators and collectors.

‘I paint extreme emotions’: Rachel Jones on her riotously colourful paintings – and her obsession with mouths

Rachel Jones, a 34-year-old British artist, is preparing for a major retrospective at Dulwich Picture Gallery, her first institutional solo show in the UK and the museum's first solo exhibition of a contemporary artist in its main space. After graduating from the Royal Academy Schools in 2019, Jones was quickly represented by Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, had work acquired by the Tate, and exhibited at Chisenhale Gallery, the Hayward Gallery, and the Hepworth Wakefield. She has since left gallery representation, expanded into sound and performance, and created a short opera titled 'Hey Maudie' (2023), now being developed into a full-length opera. Her upcoming show at Dulwich, 'Gated Canyons', will pair her large-scale abstract paintings with works from the museum's collection, and she also has a site-specific commission at the Courtauld Gallery opening in September.

30 Artists Defining Queer Art Now

Artsy has published its annual Pride Month feature 'Queer Art Now,' spotlighting 30 LGBTQ+ artists who are shaping contemporary art. The artists were nominated by leading art-world figures including curator Legacy Russell, photographer Catherine Opie, and art advisor Racquel Chevremont. The cohort spans painters, photographers, performers, and sculptors, with profiles detailing their practices and recent exhibitions. The feature also includes a reflective essay by curator Gemma Rolls-Bentley on major themes in queer art today.

Mary Weatherford - The Surrealist - Exhibitions

Mary Weatherford presents a new body of work in her exhibition "The Surrealist," featuring large-scale abstract paintings that incorporate unconventional materials such as neon, coral, and starfish. The show includes works like "A Rose Tree" (2025), "Bonfire" (2025), and the titular "The Surrealist" (2024–2025), all executed in flashe on linen with mixed media elements.

What not to miss at Frieze New York 2025

Frieze New York 2025 will take place from 7 to 11 May at The Shed, featuring over 65 leading contemporary art galleries from more than 25 countries. The fair offers collectors access to blue-chip works by major artists and pieces by emerging talents, alongside amenities such as the US debut of Korean luxury beauty brand The Whoo showcasing three South Korean female artists, and a Ruinart champagne bar with a commissioned installation by artist Sam Falls. Notable booths include Mendes Wood DM presenting a new sculpture by Sonia Gomes and works by Kishio Suga, a joint presentation by Apalazzogallery and Emalin featuring Augustas Serapinas, and Tina Kim Gallery highlighting a multigenerational selection of women artists including Maia Ruth Lee.

Don’t miss these 7 fantastic new London art exhibitions arriving in May 2025

Seven new art exhibitions opening in London in May 2025 are highlighted, including Do Ho Suh's 'Walk the House' at Tate Modern, the reopening of the National Gallery's Sainsbury Wing, and the V&A East Storehouse opening. Other shows include 'Fake Barn Country' at Raven Row, 'Encounters: Giacometti' at Barbican, and 'Hiroshige: Artist of the Open Road' at the British Museum, alongside a photography takeover at Somerset House.

istanbul biennial ends early curator resigns

The current Istanbul Biennial, titled "The Three-Legged Cat," will end prematurely after its first leg because curator Christine Tohmé resigned due to personal circumstances. The biennial was conceived as a three-part show spanning three years, with an academic program planned for 2026 and a second exhibition set for 2027. The first exhibition ran from September 20 to November 23 across eight venues in Istanbul, attracting over 600,000 visitors. The Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV), which manages the event, announced the conclusion and stated that planning for the 19th Istanbul Biennial in 2027 will begin soon, with a curator announcement expected in 2026.

pace closes hong kong gallery h queens 2025

Pace Gallery is closing its exhibition space at H Queen’s in Hong Kong later this month, with its final show—featuring Alejandro Piñeiro Bello—ending on October 18. The gallery chose not to renew its lease, citing that the location was no longer serving its needs. Pace will maintain its Hong Kong and Beijing offices and remains open to finding new spaces, signaling it is not fully exiting the city.

Who’s That Nude Figure on a Washing Machine Outside the New Museum?

British artist Sarah Lucas has unveiled a new public sculpture titled "VENUS VICTORIA" (2026) at the New Museum's entrance plaza on the Bowery in Lower Manhattan. The work, which will remain on view for two years, features a monumental nude female figure with flailing arms and large pink breasts perched atop a dusty washing machine, wearing bright yellow high heels. Lucas adapted the figure from her ongoing "Bunnies" series (1997–present), which uses knotted pantyhose and found objects. The sculpture was unveiled on May 12, 2026, inaugurating a decade-long series of public commissions by women artists at the museum.

Art Busan Bets on Sustainability Over Speculation

Art Busan's 15th edition, taking place May 21–24, 2026 at BEXCO Exhibition Center, will feature over 110 galleries from 18 countries, with expanded programming including craft and design sections, curated exhibitions, and a new section called LIGHTHAUS that reframes gallery booths as curated environments. Data from the 2025 edition indicates an art market reorganization rather than contraction, with increased pre-sale activity, repeat attendance, and purchases across a wide price spectrum, suggesting a shift away from speculation toward sustained engagement.

Maia Chao Performs the Museum

Artist Maia Chao will activate the seventh-floor galleries of the Whitney Museum of American Art with her performance "Being Moved" as part of the 2026 Whitney Biennial programming. The work explores the theatricality and choreography of a museum visit, examining the gap between the fantasy of profound encounter and the ambivalence of spectatorship. Chao, who studied cultural anthropology at Brown University and grew up with artist parents in Providence, Rhode Island, approaches the museum as a structure that quietly trains behavior and participation. Her earlier projects include "My Business (Cards)" (2017), which invokes Adrian Piper's work, and "Look at Art, Get Paid" (2015–20), which paid non-museum-goers to serve as guest critics.

If you show up in a swimsuit, you get free entry to the Cézanne exhibition. It happens in one of Switzerland's most serious institutions.

Se ti presenti in costume da bagno entri gratis alla mostra di Cézanne. Succede in una delle istituzioni più serie della Svizzera

The Fondation Beyeler in Basel, Switzerland, is hosting a major monographic exhibition dedicated to Paul Cézanne, running until May 25, 2026. Curated by Ulf Küster, the show brings together around 80 works focusing on the artist's late career, including portraits, landscapes, variations on Mont Sainte-Victoire, and bather scenes. On May 1, 2026, the museum held a "Bathers Day" promotion inspired by Cézanne's bathers and Maurizio Cattelan's playful approach, offering free entry to visitors who came in swimwear. The event attracted families and individuals, with some even swimming in the foundation's garden pond afterward.

Roses and Thorns of Greater New York

The article is a digest of recent art news, with a primary focus on critical reviews of the 2026 "Greater New York" exhibition at MoMA PS1. Hyperallergic's editorial team provides mixed assessments of the works in the massive quinquennial survey of local artists. The piece also covers American-French sculptor Barbara Chase-Riboud's decision to decline an invitation to represent the United States at the 61st Venice Biennale, citing the problematic nature of the pavilion's commissioning entity.

A Blockbuster Take on Ovid’s “Metamorphosis”

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has opened a major exhibition titled 'Metamorphoses,' inspired by Ovid's poem. The show brings together Renaissance masterpieces, antiquities, and contemporary works, grouping them by the myths they depict to explore themes of transformation, desire, and gender through striking visual juxtapositions.

Internet Goes Wild for The Met’s Newly Acquired Mannerist Painting

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's acquisition of a newly identified Mannerist painting, Rosso Fiorentino's "Madonna and Child with Saint John the Evangelist" (1512–13), has sparked a viral, irreverent reaction on social media. Commenters on the museum's Instagram post have described the muscular infant Jesus using contemporary slang like "baddie," "yasssified," and "caked up," drawing parallels to modern beauty trends.

"Du bist nun in die ewigen Jagdgründe der Kunst entschwunden"

This week's art news roundup covers several stories: Jonathan Meese publishes an obituary for his mother Brigitte Meese in Der Spiegel, describing her as a central figure in his life and work. Pussy Riot seeks to take over the Russian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The European Media Art Festival (EMAF) in Osnabrück faces controversy over antisemitism allegations linked to Palestinian-American filmmaker Basma al-Sharif, leading the city and state government to distance themselves from the festival. In the NZZ, Christian Wildhagen reports on conflicts over official political portraits, citing examples like Swiss councilor Martin Neukom rejecting paintings and Donald Trump criticizing his portrait. Art historian Horst Bredekamp pays tribute to Italian philosopher Federico Vercellone (1955–2026) in the FAZ, highlighting his theory of the 'self-activity of form.'

Vanités contemporaines

The article explores the enduring relevance of still life and vanitas in contemporary art, tracing their evolution from the biblical proclamation "Vanity of vanities; all is vanity" through modern masters like Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, and Giorgio Morandi to contemporary practitioners such as Claudio Parmiggiani. It highlights how artists continue to use everyday objects—compotes, skulls, pitchers, apples—as vehicles for formal experimentation and philosophical reflection, with still life serving as a minimalist device that allows infinite plastic research.

La galerie contemporaine de la cathédrale d’Angers plaît

The article reports that the contemporary art gallery at the Cathedral of Angers has been well received. It highlights the cathedral's new exhibition space dedicated to contemporary works, marking a notable integration of modern art within a historic religious site.

Orientalism, Tales and History at the Louvre-Lens

L’orientalisme, contes et histoire au Louvre-Lens

The Louvre-Lens has launched "Beyond the Arabian Nights," an ambitious exhibition exploring the evolution of Orientalism in France. Moving past simple clichés of odalisques and flying carpets, the show features over 300 items, including masterpieces by Delacroix, Ingres, and Gérôme, alongside popular culture objects like porcelain figurines and film clips. The exhibition traces cultural exchanges from medieval trade and the Crusades to the 19th-century obsession with Islamic art, utilizing a scenography that emphasizes the construction of fictional narratives.

Art Paris: A Better Result Than Expected

Art Paris, un bilan meilleur que prévu

The 28th edition of Art Paris concluded with stronger-than-expected sales despite a sluggish start and a volatile global climate. Featuring 165 galleries, the fair solidified its position as a key regional event for French collectors, offering a price range typically between €10,000 and €40,000. While mega-galleries like Almine Rech participated with accessible works, the fair also welcomed newcomers like Esther Schipper and In Situ-Fabienne Leclerc, who reported positive results across various media including ceramics, photography, and painting.

Reopening of the Palais de la Découverte

Réouverture du Palais de la Découverte

The Palais de la Découverte in Paris has officially reopened its doors to the public following an extensive renovation period. The institution returns with a refreshed program that bridges the gap between scientific inquiry and artistic expression, featuring a series of new installations and collaborative projects.

Gallery Openings This Week in Paris

Les vernissages cette semaine dans les galeries parisiennes

The Paris gallery scene is experiencing a surge of new activity this week with several high-profile openings across the city's major art districts. Highlights include Rosson Crow’s vibrant, chaotic landscapes at Galerie Nathalie Obadia, the inauguration of Galerie Sator’s new Marais space with sculptures by Kokou Ferdinand Makouvia, and a curated dialogue between historical avant-gardes and contemporary abstraction at Galerie Le Minotaure. Additionally, Gagosian is showcasing late works by Francis Bacon, while Esther Schipper presents the first Paris solo exhibition for Sojourner Truth Parsons.