George Lucas reveals new details of Los Angeles museum at Comic-Con panel

George Lucas made his first-ever appearance at Comic-Con on July 27 to reveal new details about the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, a $1 billion institution set to open next year in Los Angeles. The panel, moderated by Queen Latifah and featuring Guillermo del Toro and Doug Chiang, included a video narrated by Samuel L. Jackson showcasing the 300,000 sq. ft building designed by Ma Yansong, along with highlights from Lucas and Mellody Hobson's collection of 40,000 objects, ranging from comic art to works by Frida Kahlo and Norman Rockwell.

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.

Here's what's happening for First Friday in May

Juneau's First Friday in May 2026 features a diverse array of events, including a storytelling project called "Tambayan at Kwentuhan" that shares oral histories from Filipino elders, an exhibition titled "Dizzy Hooligan" by Kiyana Fonua recalling Kava gatherings in Anchorage, and a retrospective of Indigenous fashion designer Dorothy Grant at the Alaska State Museum. Other offerings include a chamber music concert by Taku Winds, a "Critter Trek" exhibition at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum featuring local wildlife art, planetarium explorations, a book release by author Corinna Cook, and displays of woodworking by Phil Paramore and jewelry by Colleen Goldrich.

Martin Wong’s Vast Interests Go On View at Wrightwood 659

The Wrightwood 659 museum in Chicago has launched "Martin Wong: Chinatown USA," the first major monographic exhibition of the artist's work since 2017. Featuring over 100 paintings, sculptures, and drawings, the show explores Wong’s complex relationship with his Chinese-American identity, his life in New York’s Lower East Side, and his fascination with urban landscapes, sign language, and queer intimacy. The exhibition includes significant loans such as the triptych "Tai Ping Tien Kuo" and the record-breaking "Portrait of Mikey Piñero at Ridge Street and Stanton."

Exhibition Tour—Arts of Oceania | Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

Maia Nuku, Evelyn A. J. Hall and John A. Friede Curator for Oceanic Art, along with Max Hollein, Marina Kellen French Director and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and special guests Michael Mel and Arapata Hakiwai, lead an exhibition tour celebrating the renovation and reopening of the Arts of Oceania galleries in the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing. The tour highlights exceptional works from Oceania, including carved bisj poles from the Asmat region, towering slit drums from Vanuatu, and contemporary pieces by Aboriginal artist Noŋgirrŋa Marawili, as well as insights from artists from Mariwai village, Papua New Guinea, on the reconfiguration of panels from the Kwoma ceremonial ceiling.

The Met opens reimagined Arts of Oceania galleries showcasing works from the Pacific

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art is reopening its Galleries of the Arts of Oceania to the public for the first time since 2021, following a major renovation that allowed curators to reimagine the presentation of art from the vast Pacific region. The galleries feature more than 600 artworks from Melanesia, Polynesia, Micronesia, Australia, and New Zealand, including the iconic Kwoma ceiling installation from Papua New Guinea, which has been reconfigured with input from the artists' descendants to accurately reflect clan groupings. The renovation is part of a broader $70 million overhaul of the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, which also houses collections from the ancient Americas and Africa.

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.

Sands and Rituals from the Antipodes: To Be Discovered in a Former Church in Venice

Sabbie e riti dagli antipodi. Da scoprire in una ex chiesa di Venezia

The Church of San Lorenzo in Venice, home to Ocean Space, is hosting "Tide of Returns," an exhibition by the Repatriates Collective. The installation transforms the historic nave with sand dunes populated by thousands of decorated shells known as Dadikwakwa-kwa, or shell dolls, from the Anindilyakwa people of Australia. The show also features a tripartite installation of video, textiles, and braids by German-Bolivian artist Verena Melgarejo Weinandt, exploring themes of ancestral connection and the universal significance of water.

'Time in the Interstices' at Whitestone Gallery, Beijing, China on 25 Apr–6 Jun 2026

Whitestone Gallery in Beijing will present the group exhibition 'Time in the Interstices' from April 25 to June 6, 2026. The show features four Korean artists—Soonik Kwon, Seungtaik Jang, Kim Deok Han, and Lee Chae—whose painting practices explore time as an internal, structural element of the work, rather than a linear narrative or backdrop.

Adriano Goldschmied, ‘Godfather’ of Modern Denim, Dies at 82

Adriano Goldschmied, the visionary designer and entrepreneur widely regarded as the 'Godfather of Denim,' has died at the age of 82. Over a prolific career spanning several decades, Goldschmied revolutionized the fashion industry by launching more than 50 brands, including Diesel, Replay, and the premium label AG Jeans, as well as revitalizing lines like Gap 1969.

Lucas Museum Unveils `Star Wars’ Exhibition Details

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles has announced details for its inaugural exhibition "Star Wars in Motion," set to open on September 22. The show will feature props, costumes, and vehicle designs from the first six Star Wars films, including Luke's Landspeeder and General Grievous' Wheel Bike, as part of a broader lineup of about 20 inaugural exhibitions spanning visual storytelling from ancient art to modern film. The 300,000-square-foot museum, founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, will display over 1,200 artworks across 100,000 square feet of gallery space, with additional galleries dedicated to comic art, manga, children's literature, and works by artists such as Thomas Hart Benton, Beatrix Potter, Jack Kirby, Alison Bechdel, Frank Frazetta, Norman Rockwell, Diego Rivera, Dorothea Lange, and Gordon Parks.

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Unveils Inaugural Cinema Exhibition ‘Star Wars in Motion’

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open in Los Angeles on September 22, 2026, has announced its inaugural cinema exhibition titled 'Star Wars in Motion.' The exhibition will feature vehicle designs, props, costumes, and illustrations from the first six films of George Lucas's saga, including Luke's Landspeeder and General Grievous' Wheel Bike. It is one of over 30 installations opening with the museum, which also includes exhibitions on architecture, American life by Thomas Hart Benton, American and European comics, and works by illustrators such as Jessie Willcox Smith, Frank Frazetta, and Norman Rockwell.

Pride of place: the rise of LGBTQ+ art in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's art scene is witnessing a significant rise in the visibility and institutional embrace of LGBTQ+ art, particularly during its annual Art Week. Exhibitions like the Sunpride Foundation's 'Myth Makers—Spectrosynthesis III' at Tai Kwun Contemporary have acted as major accelerants, moving queer discourse from semi-private contexts into prominent public institutions.

Cinematic Painting Series

Cary Kwok's exhibition at Sessions Arts Club in London presents four new paintings created with support from Herald St, Cabin Studio, Jonny Gent, and David Southard. The works, rendered in acrylic and ink on paper, explore still lifes, silhouettes, and staged interiors inspired by 1980s visual culture, including interior design, cinematography, fashion editorials, and advertising. Featured pieces include *Eclipse* (2026) and *Anticipation* (2026), with the artist's signature subtly embedded in objects like jewelry and glassware. The show opens May 18 and is viewable by appointment or during dining hours, alongside a related wine label collaboration for the Sessions Arts Club Lost Wines Project.

Gold by Serakai Studio’s ‘Certainly’ exhibition leans into unpredictability

Gold by Serakai Studio has launched its inaugural exhibition, "Certainly," in Hong Kong’s Wong Chuk Hang district. Curated by Tobias Berger, the former head of art at Tai Kwun, the show features 50 works by 11 diverse artists that explore themes of unpredictability and experimentation. The exhibition takes its conceptual cue from La Monte Young’s 1960 Fluxus score, "Draw a straight line and follow it," using the impossibility of that task as a metaphor for navigating global instability.

Gold by Serakai Studio’s ‘Certainly’ exhibition leans into unpredictability

Serakai Studio has launched its inaugural exhibition, "Certainly," at its new Wong Chuk Hang space, Gold, in Hong Kong. Curated by Tobias Berger, the show features 50 works by 11 international artists and takes its conceptual cue from La Monte Young’s 1960 Fluxus score, "Draw a straight line and follow it." The exhibition explores the impossibility of perfection and the necessity of embracing unpredictability and experimentation in a volatile global climate.

In Kelantan, 'After Monsoon: Tera-Kota' project connects art with local community

The National Art Gallery of Malaysia, in collaboration with Art Matters Trading, launched the 'After Monsoon Project: Tera-Kota' exhibition series from October 24–30 at Pantai Pulau Kundur in Kota Baru, Kelantan. Themed 'Tanah, Tubuh, Tapak' (Land, Body, Site), the site-specific event featured clay sculptures, a community art feast (bekwoh), cultural performances, and a traditional ceramic firing facility (gok), engaging local residents—nearly 90% of whom practice traditional crafts like batik, pottery, and weaving—alongside students from Universiti Malaysia Kelantan.

‘A more complex picture’: Singapore marks 60th anniversary of independence from British rule with slew of cultural offerings

Singapore is celebrating its 60th anniversary of independence from British rule on 9 August with a series of cultural offerings under the banner SG60. National Gallery Singapore launched a signature exhibition, *Singapore Stories: Pathways and Detours in Art*, featuring over 400 works from the 19th century to the present, housed in the former supreme court and city hall buildings. The show, curated by Adele Tan, reduces colonial imagery and opens with John Turnbull Thomson's *The Esplanade from Scandal Point* (1951) to present a more complex, multicultural picture of Singapore's history.

Miniature art exhibit finds permanent home in downtown Provo

A miniature art exhibit called The Tiny Art Show, created by BYU alumna McKay Lenker Bayer in 2018, has found a permanent home in downtown Provo, Utah. The interactive exhibit is housed in a former stairwell between the Black Sheep Cafe and Rockwell Ice Cream on University Avenue, and is open every Saturday from 5-8 p.m. Visitors crawl inside to view tiny artworks, with the current installation featuring detailed insect paintings by local artist Nicole Parish, who uses specimens from her personal collection as reference. The gallery rotates exhibits monthly and offers tiny booklets explaining each piece.

Lucas Museum Announces "Star Wars in Motion" Inaugural Exhibition as Founding Members Can Now Sign Up

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open in Los Angeles on September 22, has announced its inaugural Cinema Exhibition will be "Star Wars in Motion," focusing on vehicle designs, props, costumes, and illustrations from the first six Star Wars films. The museum is now accepting founding member sign-ups at LucasMuseum.org, with four membership tiers ranging from $140 to $600, offering benefits such as priority access, preview events, limited-edition products, and lifetime recognition as a Founding Member. Founding memberships last one year from the museum's opening through September 2027.

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Announces First Exhibitions Curated by George Lucas

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open on September 22, 2026, in Los Angeles's Exposition Park, has announced its inaugural exhibition schedule curated by George Lucas. The museum will showcase a wide range of narrative art, from Americana works by Thomas Hart Benton and Norman Rockwell to documentary photography by Gordon Parks, Dorothea Lange, and Robert Capa, as well as public murals by Diego Rivera and Judith F. Baca. The collection also includes production designs, props, and costumes from the Lucas Archives, alongside illustrations by Frank Frazetta, Maxfield Parrish, and N.C. Wyeth, children's literature art by Beatrix Potter and Jacob Lawrence, and comics and manga by Jack Kirby, Alison Bechdel, and Mœbius.

Mexico City street market gallery makes art accessible

Artist Luis Valverde launched Galería Tianguis Neza in 2021 at Mexico City's La Lagunilla street market, selling artworks directly from artists at affordable street-market prices. The project, born during the pandemic to generate income for artists, operates every Sunday and features a rotating selection of artists, including Tania Candiani, Teresa Margolles, and photographer Pim Schalkwijk, who set up an improvised photo studio using a gelatin silver process.

Christie’s $700M Night, Trump’s $7.25M Rockwell & Bonhams’ Big Names

The article reports on major auction results from Christie's, Bonhams, and other houses, including a $700 million evening sale at Christie's and a Norman Rockwell painting sold for $7.25 million linked to former President Donald Trump. It also highlights notable consignments and bidding activity from high-profile collectors and estates.

August Book Bag: from a ‘behind-the-scenes’ studio book to artists joining in with the American Revolution

The article reviews four new art books released in August. It covers 'In the Studio: Jack Whitten' by Yinka Elujoba (Hauser & Wirth Publishers), a compact overview of the US artist's work and his Black Monoliths series; 'Selected Writings, Volume 1, Towards a New African Art Discourse' by the late Okwui Enwezor (Duke University Press), collecting his essays on decolonizing the art world; 'The Painter’s Fire: A Forgotten History of the Artists Who Championed the American Revolution' by Zara Anishanslin (Harvard University Press), examining three artists—Robert Edge Pine, Prince Demah, and Patience Wright—who contributed to the American War of Independence; and 'Beyond Blue and White: The Hidden History of Delftware and the Women Behind the Iconic Ceramic' by Genevieve Wheeler Brown (Pegasus Books), highlighting women like Barbara Rotteveel in the history of Delftware.

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.

'Black Gold: Stories Untold' art exhibit reclaims forgotten histories of Black Californians at Fort Point

A new immersive art exhibition titled 'Black Gold: Stories Untold' opens at Fort Point in San Francisco, featuring 25 commissioned works by 17 artists that uncover the overlooked histories of Black Californians from the Gold Rush through Reconstruction. Curated by FOR-SITE, a nonprofit focused on art and place, the exhibition transforms the Civil War-era military fort into a multi-sensory space with beaded portraits, video installations, sculptures, and a tent installation by artist Umar Rashid. Works include Cheryl Derricotte's tribute to Mary Ellen Pleasant, a formerly enslaved woman who became a wealthy abolitionist.

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.

Dubai's DIFC transforms into open-air art gallery with over 50 sculptures

Dubai's Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has been transformed into an open-air sculpture park featuring over 50 artworks placed across walkways, plazas, and open spaces. The exhibition, titled 'Enduring Forms,' includes notable pieces such as Jerzy Kędziora's 'Pearl’s Guardian,' Elena Rede's 'We The Future,' and works by Unus Safardiar, Anna Chekh, Mert Ege Kose, and Ayla Turan. The sculptures are integrated into the daily environment of offices, cafes, and restaurants, creating a seamless blend of art and urban life. The park is free to visit and will remain on display until May 2026.

Juried art exhibition opens at Surrey Art Gallery for a summer showcase of local talent

Surrey Art Gallery is hosting the Arts Council of Surrey's annual summer juried exhibition ARTS 2025 from May 3 to July 27, with free admission. The show features fifty works selected by a jury across five categories: painting; drawing, mixed media, and printmaking on paper; sculpture and fibre art; photography; and digital, performative, and new media art. The jury included photography-based artist Brian Howell, artist and Kwantlen Polytechnic University faculty member Jason Wright, and Surrey Art Gallery Curator of Art and Education Initiatives Alanna Edwards. Visitors can vote for the People's Choice Award, and the exhibition will conclude with a Summer Opening Art Party on July 5.

How the GDR apron became Italian luxury

Wie die DDR-Schürze zum Italo-Luxus wurde

Italian luxury label Miu Miu has released dresses for summer 2026 that resemble 1980s East German kitchen aprons, with prices reaching up to €12,000 for crystal-embroidered versions. The collection debuted on the Paris runway in October, where actress Sandra Hüller opened the show in robust workwear, evoking factory workers from the former GDR. Designer Miuccia Prada, a former member of the Italian Communist Party, drew inspiration from Helga Paris's 1984 photo series "Frauen bei der Arbeit" (Women at Work), which documented female laborers in East Berlin's VEB Treffmodelle textile factory.