Ancient Gaza artefacts meet contemporary Palestinian stories in Turin exhibition

A new exhibition in Turin, Italy, titled "Gaza, The Future Has an Ancient Heart," brings together over 80 ancient artefacts from Palestine with contemporary works by Levantine artists. Organized by Fondazione Merz in collaboration with the Egizio archaeology museum and the MAH – Museum of Art and History Geneva, the show features objects dating from the Bronze Age to the Ottoman period, originally intended for a museum in Palestine but held in Geneva since 2007 due to conflict. Contemporary artists including Mirna Bamieh, Samaa Emad, Khalil Rabah, Vivien Sansour, Wael Shawky, Dima Srouji, and Akram Zaatari contribute works that explore archaeology, history, and memory, with Emad's "Genocide Kitchen" documenting recipes created amid war and shortages in Gaza.

Who’s Showing What—and What They Love—at Market Art Fair

Market Art Fair in Stockholm celebrated its 20th edition, the largest to date with 150 exhibitors, after moving from Liljevalch’s to Magasin 9, a former warehouse at the city’s port. The fair, founded in 2006 as a joint Nordic initiative, expanded its scope in 2025 to include international presentations. During the preview day, Malin Ebbing captured exhibiting artists, gallerists, and notables with her Polaroid, asking about their work and favorite booths. Artists such as Arvida Byström, Hans Berg, Sigrid Soomus, and Gabriel Karlsson discussed their artistic expressions and discoveries at the fair, with many gallerists reporting significant sales.

Last chance: hurry to see these Parisian exhibitions before they close in May 2026.

A roundup article lists numerous exhibitions closing in May 2026 across Paris and the Île-de-France region, including shows at the Fondation Louis Vuitton (Nocturne Calder #1) and Perrotin Gallery (Soulages–Hartung: Elective Affinities, Lee Mingwei's When Beauty Appears, and Susumu Kamijo's When I Think of You in Spring). The piece also highlights free-entry days at castles and museums in Yvelines and Seine-et-Marne, and the Parcours d’art de la Boucle de Seine open-studio event.

The Divine Powers of “Chicken Linda”

Performance artist Linda Mary Montano, now in her 80s, invited writer Taliesin Thomas into her home in Saugerties, New York, which functions as a living shrine filled with altars, experimental sculptures, and religious iconography. Montano, who calls herself “Chicken Linda” to connect with the Holy Spirit, discussed her six-decade career as an endurance performance artist, her Catholic faith, her studies with guru Shri Bhramananda Saraswati, and her influential early years in San Francisco during the First Wave feminist art movement. She also recounted personal tragedies, including the murder of her former husband Mitchell Payne, which led to her video work “Mitchell’s Death,” now in the collections of MoMA and the Museum of Conceptual Art, Los Angeles.

The Painted Book Cover Is Back

The article reports on a growing trend in book cover design: the use of painted, figurative artwork instead of stock photos or digital renderings. Publishers are increasingly licensing paintings by artists from Hilma af Klint to Shannon Cartier Lucy, seeing them as a way to signal cultural authority and intellectual rigor. The trend is discussed through examples like Victoria Redel's *I Am You* (2025) and Kyung-Ran Jo's *Blowfish* (2025), with insights from LiteraryHub Managing Editor Emily Temple and Astra House publisher Benjamin Schrank.

‘Her crotchless trousers are etched in my brain for ever’: Valie Export remembered by the artists she influenced

Valie Export, the pioneering Austrian feminist artist known for provocative performances like *Tapp-und-Tastkino* (1968) and *Genital Panic* (1969), is remembered by four artists she influenced: Peaches, Florentina Holzinger, Joan Jonas, and Candice Breitz. Each shares personal reflections on Export's radical use of the female body as a political weapon, her confrontational public interventions, and her legacy of civil disobedience against patriarchal structures.

15 Artists Share the Best Advice They Got From Their Mother

Hyperallergic asked 15 artists to share the best advice they received from their mother or a maternal figure, in honor of Mother's Day. The article features reflections from artists including Pat Oleszko, Maddy Inez, Nathaniel Mary Quinn, and Shahzia Sikander, who recount maternal wisdom ranging from encouragement to pursue art to life lessons about empathy and resilience. Each anecdote is accompanied by images of the artists' works or personal photos.

The Kyrgyzstan Pavilion at the Venice Biennale Builds a Bridge Between Two Cultures

Il Padiglione del Kirghizistan alla Biennale di Venezia getta un ponte tra due culture

Alexey Morosov presents "BELEK" at the Kyrgyzstan Pavilion of the 61st Venice Biennale, a project inspired by the mountainous landscapes, glaciers, and brutalist dams of Kyrgyzstan. Combining video, sculpture, painting, and sound, Morosov explores water as a key resource for the future and a deep cultural memory of Central Asia, linking the region's hydro-engineering transformations with the nomadic heritage of the Kyrgyz people. The project centers on the traditional equestrian game Kok-Börü, which Morosov describes as constitutive of Kyrgyz identity, and features centaur-like figures made from raw earth used in local dwellings.

American Folk Art Museum Workers Picket Gala, Calling for Higher Wages

Workers at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City, represented by UAW Local 2110, picketed the museum's annual gala at the Mandarin Oriental in Manhattan on May 6, 2026. They demanded higher wages and better benefits after contract negotiations stalled for nearly two years. Frontline workers earn $19 per hour, about $12,000 below the city's living wage, while the museum's CEO Jason Busch earned $321,882 in 2024. The union requested a three-year contract raising wages to $30 per hour, but management offered only $21.50 and refused to guarantee existing benefits, leading to the protest.

Met Gala Memes That Ate the Rich and Left No Crumbs

The article covers the 2026 Met Gala, sponsored by Jeff and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, and the intense online backlash it generated. Despite a dress code of "Fashion is Art," celebrities faced merciless mockery on social media for their looks, with particular scorn directed at Lauren Sánchez Bezos's Schiaparelli gown inspired by John Singer Sargent's "Madame X." The criticism was amplified by weeks-long protests against Amazon's labor practices and Bezos's involvement, as well as the museum's own unionized employees speaking out. The piece compiles the most inventive and cutting memes from X (formerly Twitter), targeting everything from fashion fails to political hypocrisy.

At 90, Printmaker Mohammad Omer Khalil Gets His Due

Mohammad Omer Khalil, the 90-year-old Sudanese-born printmaker based in New York, is the subject of a multi-city retrospective titled "Common Ground." The anchor exhibition runs through May 31 at the Blackburn Study Center in Manhattan, with satellite events at venues including Twelve Gates Arts in Philadelphia, the Arab American National Museum in Michigan, the New York Public Library, and Anthology Film Archives. Curated by Amina Ahmed and Jenna Hamed, the show spans Khalil's entire career, from his first etching made in Florence in 1964 to large-scale works inspired by Bob Dylan songs, poetry by Adonis, and films such as "The Chalk Garden."

In Minor Keys: how Venice's international exhibition was brought to life after the death of artistic director Koyo Kouoh

The 61st Venice Biennale's international exhibition, titled "In Minor Keys," was realized after the sudden death of its artistic director, Koyo Kouoh, in May 2025. A team of five of Kouoh's collaborators, known as "la squadra di Koyo Kouoh," worked with her before her death and finalized the exhibition's themes, artist list, and scenography. The exhibition features 111 invited artists, duos, collectives, and artist-led organizations, with the team emphasizing that this remains Kouoh's vision rather than a replacement.

Is This What “Made in America” Looks Like?

Christopher Payne's exhibition "Made in America: The Industrial Photography of Christopher Payne" at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum showcases 72 large-format photographs documenting active American factories and manufacturing processes. The trained architect turned photographer spent a decade visiting dozens of production sites across the United States, from the New York Times printing plant in Queens to the Bollman Hat Company in Pennsylvania, capturing workers' craftsmanship and the intricate steps involved in making everything from Peeps candies to jet engines. The exhibition is organized into three sections—traditional handcraft, large-scale production, and cutting-edge technologies—and coincides with the Smithsonian's celebration of the nation's 250th anniversary.

I’ve Got the Post-Duchamp Blues

The article is a review of the Marcel Duchamp retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the first such show since 1973. Featuring around 300 works from Duchamp's six-decade career, the exhibition includes his iconic readymades like "Fountain" (1917) and early paintings such as "Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2" (1912). Co-curated by MoMA's Ann Temkin and Michelle Kuo along with Matthew Affron of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the show runs through August 22, 2026, before traveling to Philadelphia.

Reclaiming the Self-Taught Artist’s Creative Identity

The American Folk Art Museum (AFAM) in New York will present "Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists" this spring, a major exhibition examining the historical definition of the "self-taught artist" through authorship, agency, and self-representation. Featuring over 90 works spanning the early 20th century to today, the show is organized around three strategies—self-portraiture, alter egos, and autobiography—and includes pieces by Henry Darger, Clémentine Hunter, Martín Ramírez, Aloïse Corbaz, Adolf Wölfli, Nicole Appel, Susan Janow, and Joe Coleman, many on view for the first time.

Künstler Harald Metzkes ist tot

German painter Harald Metzkes has died at the age of 97 in Wegendorf, Brandenburg, surrounded by his family. His son, sculptor Robert Metzkes, confirmed the news to the German Press Agency. Metzkes, who grew up in East Germany, was a leading figure of the Berlin School of painting and resisted the official doctrine of socialist realism, instead creating a personal "world theatre" of harlequins, circus scenes, and theatrical figures inspired by Rembrandt, Velázquez, and Paul Cézanne. His best-known work includes "Der Abtransport der sechsarmigen Göttin." After training as a stonemason and studying at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts, he worked as a freelance artist in Berlin, supporting himself with book illustrations. His work gained international attention when one of his paintings was sent to the Venice Biennale in 1984, and after the fall of the Berlin Wall he built connections with Western collectors.

Christie's and the Arts Council Collection to present Close Encounters celebrating 80 years of the Arts Council Collection - Christie's

Christie's London will host 'Close Encounters: Figuration, Painting and Landscape in the Arts Council Collection' from 3 to 23 June 2026, in partnership with the Arts Council Collection to mark its 80th anniversary. The exhibition brings together historical works by artists such as David Hockney, Sonia Boyce, Peter Doig, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Michael Armitage, and Claudette Johnson alongside new acquisitions by Christina Kimeze and Vanessa Raw, exploring themes of gender, sexuality, landscape, and Black British women's representation.

Sarah Lucas Unveils VENUS VICTORIA at the New Museum’s Bowery Plaza

The New Museum has unveiled "VENUS VICTORIA," a new public sculpture by British artist Sarah Lucas, inaugurating the museum's outdoor plaza at the junction of Bowery and Prince Street in downtown Manhattan. The sculpture, which features Lucas's signature Bunny figure seated atop a giant washing machine, was selected by an all-artist jury including Teresita Fernández, Joan Jonas, Julie Mehretu, Cindy Sherman, and Kiki Smith. It opens on May 12, 2026, and will remain on view for two years as the first of five commissions dedicated to public sculpture by women artists.

Überraschende Begegnungen

The ninth edition of the "Various Others" festival in Munich brings together institutions, off-spaces, and galleries for a city-wide series of exhibitions in May. Highlights include Walter Storms Galerie presenting Anselm Reyle's first Munich solo show with Istanbul's Dirimart; Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler collaborating with Rome's T293 to show Simon Denny's tech-critical works; Max Goelitz pairing Lukas Heerich and Rindon Johnson with Eva Hesse in dialogue with Hauser & Wirth; Lohaus Sominsky and Paris's Mennour featuring Ilit Azoulay and Alicja Kwade; and Rüdiger Schöttle hosting Milena Muzquiz and Elif Saydam. A new parcours exhibition, "Vectors," inspired by Jan Hoet's "Chambres d'Amis," places contemporary art in tech company offices across Munich.

How Tech Billionaires Turn Couture into Content

Wie Tech-Milliardäre Couture zu Content machen

The Met Gala, long considered the premier event for fashion and cultural influence, has become increasingly dominated by tech billionaires. This year, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos purchased their role as co-hosts, sparking protests in New York and raising questions about whether money alone now buys entry into the highest echelons of fashion. Individual tickets cost $10,000 and a table $350,000, with sponsors including OpenAI, Snapchat, and Meta. The event, organized by Anna Wintour to raise funds for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, raised $31 million last year but has transformed from a benefit into a spectacle optimized for viral moments and algorithmic appeal.

Master of Madonnas and the Market

Meister der Madonnen und des Marktes

A major exhibition titled "Raphael: Sublime Poetry" has opened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, exploring how the Renaissance master Raphael's work was deeply intertwined with money, prestige, and patronage. The show traces his career from early mentorship under his father and influences from Leonardo da Vinci to his rivalry with Michelangelo, highlighting commissions from wealthy supporters like the aristocrat Elena Duglioli and Pope Leo X, who commissioned Raphael's extravagant tapestries for the Sistine Chapel.

In 1955, Calder brings his famous 'Cirque' to life in front of Jean Painlevé's camera

En 1955, Calder active son célèbre « Cirque » face à la caméra de Jean Painlevé

A 1955 film by Jean Painlevé captures Alexander Calder performing his famous "Cirque" (Circus), a handmade miniature circus he created between 1926 and 1931 in Paris. The film shows Calder manipulating fragile wire-and-wood figures—weightlifters, trapeze artists, clowns, and dancers—while a gramophone plays. The work, now preserved at the Whitney Museum of New York, is on loan for a major Calder retrospective at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris (April 15–August 16, 2026). Painlevé's film is also the subject of a concurrent exhibition at the Musée de Pont-Aven (February 7–May 31, 2026).

The fate of 'Guernica', a political icon born under bombs, traced in virtual reality at the Musée Picasso

Le destin de « Guernica », icône politique née sous les bombes, retracé en réalité virtuelle au musée Picasso

The Musée Picasso-Paris is launching a virtual reality experience that traces the epic journey of Pablo Picasso's "Guernica," one of the most iconic political paintings of the 20th century. Guided by the voices of writer Juan Larrea and photographer Dora Maar, visitors are transported to Picasso's Paris studio and the bombed ruins of Gernika, reliving the creation of the masterpiece commissioned for the Spanish Republic's pavilion at the 1937 International Exposition in Paris. The VR experience covers the painting's genesis, its global tour, and its eventual exile at MoMA in New York until 1981.

6 musées incontournables à visiter à Venise

Beaux Arts Magazine highlights six must-visit museums in Venice, including the Palazzo Ducale, Gallerie dell'Accademia, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, and the Pinault Collection venues Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana. The article notes that during the Biennale, the city is filled with free pavilions, but the main museums have high entry fees, offset by passes like the Venice Museum Pass (€59) and Venice City Pass (€119). It also mentions a current Marina Abramović exhibition at the Gallerie dell'Accademia, marking her as the first living female artist honored there.

« Les artistes sont des fous, des enfants » : rencontre avec Annette Messager au cœur du bric-à-brac poétique de son atelier

French artist Annette Messager, 82, welcomes Beaux Arts Magazine into her Malakoff studio and home ahead of her exhibition at the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature in Paris. The studio is a chaotic, poetic bric-à-brac filled with hybrid creatures, stuffed toys, anatomical objects, and textile works, including her iconic piece "Les Piques" (1992–1993). Messager, who won the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale in 2005, discusses her playful yet serious approach to art, describing artists as "mad, like children" who play constantly, sometimes very seriously. Her upcoming shows include presentations at Centre Pompidou Málaga, Galería Albarrán Bourdais in Madrid, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, and the Kunsthalle Prague.

The Best and Worst of the Stars at the 2026 Met Gala Inspired by Art History

Le meilleur et le pire des stars au Met Gala 2026 inspiré par l’histoire de l’art

On May 4, 2026, the Met Gala brought together 450 guests at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York under the theme "Fashion is Art," tied to the exhibition "Costume Art." Attendees were asked to draw inspiration from specific artworks, resulting in standout looks: Madonna channeled Leonora Carrington's "The Temptation of Saint Anthony" (1945) in a Saint Laurent gown, Kim Kardashian wore a custom piece by Allen Jones extending his "Cover Story 4/4" (2021), Hunter Schafer embodied Gustav Klimt's portrait "Mäda Primavesi" (1912-1913) in Prada, and Tessa Thompson referenced Yves Klein's "Anthropométries" in Valentino. Gracie Abrams also paid homage to Klimt's "The Kiss."

From the beaches of Valencia to the gardens of Andalusia, the virtuoso Joaquín Sorolla celebrated by a luminous exhibition in Toulouse

Des plages de Valence aux jardins andalous, le virtuose Joaquín Sorolla célébré par une exposition lumineuse à Toulouse

The article announces a luminous exhibition in Toulouse celebrating the Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla (1863–1923), known for his radiant beach scenes and masterful use of light. Co-curated by Ana Debenedetti of the Bemberg collection and Enrique Varela Agüí, director of the Museo Sorolla in Madrid, the show features iconic works such as *Contre-jour, Maria à Biarritz* (1906) and *Sur le sable, plage de Zarautz* (1910), alongside a reconstruction of Sorolla’s studio. The exhibition highlights his unique style blending realism, impressionism, and luminism, with energetic brushwork, bold compositions, and photographic framing.

Which exhibitions and museums to visit in the evening this May in Paris?

Quels expos et musées voir en nocturne en ce mois de mai à Paris ?

Paris museums and galleries are extending their hours for evening visits in May, with many offering late-night openings on specific weekdays. The Palais de Tokyo is open until 10pm daily except Tuesday, the Musée du Luxembourg stays open until 10pm on Mondays, and the BnF Richelieu site is open until 8pm on Tuesdays. The Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, newly relocated near the Louvre, welcomes visitors until 10pm on Tuesdays, while the Jeu de Paume stays open until 9pm on Tuesdays. On Wednesdays, the Musée du Louvre extends its hours until 9pm, alongside other museums. Current exhibitions include shows dedicated to Leonora Carrington, Martin Parr, and Nan Goldin, among others.

The Met Gala, an Institution within the Institution

Le Met Gala, une institution dans l’institution

Le Met Gala 2026 took place on Monday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams. The event raised a record $42 million for the Costume Institute, with celebrities like Madonna and Kendall Jenner attending under the dress code 'Fashion is Art'. The gala also opened the exhibition 'Costume Art', curated by Andrew Bolton, featuring 25 new mannequins with diverse body types.

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.