Aichi Triennale confronts war, memory and environmental collapse

The sixth edition of the Aichi Triennale, titled "A Time Between Ashes and Roses," opened in Japan in September and runs until 30 November. Curated by Hoor Al Qasimi, the first non-Japanese artistic director of the triennial, the exhibition confronts themes of war, displacement, memory, and environmental collapse. Works include Kubo Hiroko's tapestry marking the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing and a video installation by Palestinian duo Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme. Al Qasimi explicitly linked the triennial to the situation in Gaza, stating, "Free Palestine," during a press conference. Controversy erupted over the Aichi-Israel Matching Program, a separate prefectural initiative pairing Israeli startups with local companies, leading to protests and the resignation of vice chairman Hideyuki Tomita from the organizing committee.

‘From Gaza to the World’: A Devastating Art Show Arrives in Brooklyn

A devastating exhibition titled 'From Gaza to the World' has opened at Recess, a nonprofit art venue in Brooklyn, as the first North American pavilion of the Gaza Biennale. Organized by the Forbidden Museum of Jabal Al Risan and launched in 2024, the show features 25 Palestinian artists, many still in Gaza or displaced. Due to the ongoing Israel-Gaza War, most works are documentation—printouts, facsimiles, and video—rather than original objects. Highlights include Malaka Abu Owda's 'When the Body Became a Message' (2024), Firas Thabet's tapestry 'Gaznica' (2025) adapting Picasso's Guernica, and Emad Badwan's docudrama 'Live Broadcast' (2024). The exhibition bears witness to life under bombardment, famine, and displacement, with wall labels including heartbreaking artist quotes.

Pro-Palestine mural boarded up overnight at University of North Carolina

A pro-Palestine mural at the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill was boarded over overnight on August 17 by university administration without warning to the art department. The mural, created by students and community members in a course taught by artist Hồng-An Trương, had been displayed in the Hanes Art Center lobby for over a year. It features collaged prints in the colors of the Palestinian flag and the text “I told you I loved you and I wanted genocide to stop.” University officials cited the need to remove the artwork after its one-year display period and to repair the wall, but faculty and students have condemned the action as censorship.

The Palestinian artist channelling ‘rage, love and hope’ into her paintings

Palestinian artist Malak Mattar presents her new solo show "Falasteen" at Central Saint Martins, featuring works created during her MFA that respond to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The exhibition marks a synthesis of her earlier vibrant style and the stark monochrome she adopted after Israel's latest assault, with colors cautiously returning alongside themes of hope, resilience, and freedom. The show includes large-scale paintings, a concertina book, and new techniques like photo transfer and collage, including her 2024 painting "No Words," a black-and-white mural recalling Picasso's "Guernica." This is the first solo show by a Palestinian artist ever held at Central Saint Martins.

Venice Biennale previews in chaos as war follows art into world's oldest exhibition

The Venice Biennale previewed its 61st edition in chaos on Tuesday, marked by the unprecedented resignation of its jury over the participation of Israel and Russia. Ukrainian artists displayed a statue of an origami deer from the war-torn eastern front, while Russian pavilion participants danced to house music and Palestinians marched wearing the names of artists killed in Gaza. The jury had stated it would not award prizes to countries under International Criminal Court investigation, singling out Russia and Israel, and its resignation has thrown the exhibition's structure into question.

An Italian Photographer Traveled to Palestine to Document the Growth of Two Bedouin Twins

Una fotografa italiana ha viaggiato in Palestina per documentare la crescita di due gemelle beduine

Italian photographer Monica Biancardi presents a nearly two-decade-long photographic project documenting the growth of two Bedouin twins, Sara and Sarah, in Palestine. The exhibition, titled 'Il capitale che cresce' (The Capital That Grows), opens at the MAN museum in Nuoro on April 24, 2026, and features black-and-white pigment prints from 2009 to 2023, alongside plexiglass maps and a travel video.

Rawya El Chab Tends to the Wounds of Lebanon's Civil War

Lebanese performance artist Rawya El Chab has debuted the second installment of her trilogy, "Crossing the Water," at The Brick in Brooklyn. The performance explores the collective trauma of the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon and her family's subsequent flight to the Ivory Coast, blending personal memory with political satire and mythology. By embodying various roles—from suspicious neighbors to puppet-like politicians—El Chab navigates the complexities of life under military occupation and the persistent feeling of surveillance.

Cannes 2026 Dispatch, Part 1: Breaking False Unities

On May 8, during the pre-opening of the Venice Biennale, the independent collective ANGA (Art Not Genocide Alliance) organized a strike protesting genocide and precarity in the art world. Pro-Palestinian activists entered the Arsenale, where part of the exhibition "In Minor Keys" curated by the late Koyo Kouoh was installed, and hung posters on artworks calling for the liberation of Palestine and denouncing what they described as the Biennale's "art-washing" of Israel's reputation. The disruption blurred the line between activist intervention and the exhibition itself, as many works already addressed Palestine directly, including a poem by Refaat Alareer placed at the entrance.

How Do You Curate an Exhibition on Genocide? Faisal Saleh and the Palestinian Question That Crosses the Venice Biennale

“Come si cura una mostra sul genocidio?”: Faisal Saleh e la domanda palestinese che attraversa la Biennale di Venezia

At the 2026 Venice Biennale, a collateral exhibition titled “Gaza – No Words – See the Exhibit” presents 100 embroidered works using the traditional Palestinian technique of Tatreez. Curated by artist Faisal Saleh, founder of the Palestine Museum US, the show transforms embroidery from decoration into political testimony, reconstructing scenes from Gaza over the past two and a half years: shrouded bodies, killed children, mothers bidding farewell, bombed hospitals. The exhibition is housed at Palazzo Mora and has been called by many visitors “the real Palestinian Pavilion” of the Biennale, though it is not an official national pavilion.

Israel Advances Bill Granting Sweeping Civilian Authority over West Bank Archaeological Sites

Israel advanced a bill on Tuesday that would grant sweeping civilian authority over antiquities and archaeology in the occupied West Bank, replacing the current military-run system. The Likud-backed legislation would create a "Judea and Samaria Heritage Authority" under the Israeli heritage minister, empowered to purchase and expropriate land, oversee excavations, and manage heritage sites across Areas B and C of the West Bank. The bill passed its first of three votes (23-14) and would be led by Amichai Eliyahu, a far-right politician who advocates for annexation. Human rights groups and the Israeli NGO Emek Shaveh warned the move amounts to de facto annexation and a violation of Palestinian rights.

Australia’s best photos of the month – March 2026

The article presents a collection of notable Australian cultural events and announcements from March 2026. It highlights the addition of the viral 'Succulent Chinese Meal' speech to the National Film and Sound Archive, a profile of 'Squid Game' composer Jung Jae-il, pianist Jayson Gillham's announced tour with a Palestinian-Jordanian musician ahead of a court case, and Kylie Minogue's scheduled performance at the AFL Grand Final.

Canadian foundation with ties to Israel’s biggest real-estate company ceases funding for Toronto Arts Foundation following protests

The Azrieli Foundation, a major Canadian philanthropic organization with ties to Israel's largest real-estate company, has ended its funding agreement with the Toronto Arts Foundation. The decision follows a sustained two-year protest campaign by the group Artists Against Artwashing, which included disruptions at a major Toronto arts event and an open letter signed by over 450 artists and cultural workers.

with new bill israel moves to expand control over ancient west bank sites

The Israeli Knesset's Ministerial Committee on Legislation approved a first reading of a bill that would grant Israel's Heritage Minister sweeping authority over antiquities in the West Bank. The legislation allows for the appointment of a governing council, the designation of antiquity sites, and the expropriation of land and artifacts across the occupied territory, including areas currently under Palestinian civil control.

Inside Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at the Venice Biennale

Saudi Arabia's national pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale features a new installation by Saudi-Palestinian artist Dana Awartani titled "May your tears never dry, you who weep over stones." Curated by Art Jameel's director Antonia Carver and assistant curator Hafsa Alkhudairi, the work comprises over 29,000 handmade clay bricks arranged in intricate mosaics referencing 23 threatened cultural heritage sites across the Arab world, including Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine. The installation, which took more than 30,000 labor hours with 32 artisans, has become a crowd favorite since the biennale opened on May 9.

Artists strike to protest Israeli participation ahead of Venice Biennale

A group of artists has announced a strike to protest Israel's participation in the upcoming Venice Biennale. The action is intended to draw attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to pressure the Biennale organizers to exclude Israel from the event, reflecting growing tensions around cultural boycotts in the art world.

As the South African Pavilion Sits Empty, Gabrielle Goliath Continues a ‘Life-Work of Mourning’

South African artist Gabrielle Goliath inaugurated an off-site Venice exhibition with a public poetry reading after her official presentation at the South African Pavilion was canceled. The performance, part of her ongoing series *Elegy* (2015), features seven singers sustaining a single tone for an hour as a mourning ritual. The work addresses femicide, rape culture, and the killing of Palestinian civilians, and includes new video and sound installations lamenting specific victims: South African teenager Ipeleng Christine Moholane, Nama women killed during Germany’s colonization of Namibia, and Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada. The South African Department of Sport, Arts and Culture rescinded Goliath’s invitation in January, deeming the work “related to an ongoing international conflict that is widely polarising.” Goliath unsuccessfully challenged the decision in South Africa’s high court, and the exhibition now runs throughout the Venice Biennale outside the official program before traveling to London in October.

Artworks by Palestinian artists killed in war displayed in Scottish exhibition

An exhibition at POD! community art gallery in Dundee, Scotland, features works by three Palestinian artists: Maysa Yousef, who is alive and exhibiting, and two others—Dorgham Qreaiqea and Heba Zaqout—who were killed in Israel's military campaign in Gaza. The display also includes artwork by children in Gaza who participated in art therapy workshops led by Yousef, who describes art as a means of survival and resistance amid ongoing violence and trauma.

Artist Gabrielle Goliath’s attempt to reinstate cancelled Venice Biennale pavilion dismissed by court

A South African high court has dismissed an urgent application by artist Gabrielle Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo to reinstate their cancelled pavilion for the 2026 Venice Biennale. The project was scrapped by Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie after Goliath refused to remove a segment of her work 'Elegy' that referenced Hiba Abu Nada, a Palestinian poet killed in an Israeli airstrike. The minister labeled the content "highly divisive" and "polarizing."

South African artist Gabrielle Goliath to approach high court over cancelled Venice Biennale pavilion

South African artist Gabrielle Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo are taking urgent legal action against South Africa's sport, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie after he cancelled their project for the country's Venice Biennale pavilion. The pair were selected in December 2025 to present a new iteration of Goliath's decade-long project *Elegy*, which addresses femicide and the murder of LGBTQI+ people, and was also set to include references to the Ovaherero and Nama genocide in Namibia and the death of Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada. McKenzie, leader of the right-wing Patriotic Alliance party, described the Abu Nada-related content as "highly divisive" and cancelled the project on 2 January, just days before the submission deadline. The legal team, led by Adila Hassim, will file an application at the high court in Pretoria by 22 January, arguing that McKenzie's interference is unconstitutional.

‘I want to haunt people’: Palestinian artist's London exhibition interrogates myth, history and the erasure of heritage

Palestinian artist Dima Srouji's exhibition *A Cosmogram of Holy Views* opens at London's Ab Anbar Gallery, presenting a decade of research into the built heritage of Palestinian Christians. The show juxtaposes European Renaissance depictions of the Holy Land with the reality of life under Israeli occupation, using media such as tinted glass collages, blown glass, carved stone, and mother-of-pearl objects. Works like *Return to Nazareth* overlay biblical scenes with personal childhood memories, while *Phantom Votives* offers wax votive forms as a response to the destruction in Gaza.

‘People power will overcome’: photographer in Gaza aid flotilla calls on arts workers to show solidarity

Dozens of arts and media professionals have set sail for Gaza aboard a flotilla called the Thousand Madleens, led by Bangladeshi photographer and curator Shahidul Alam. The group departed Otranto, Italy on 1 October and is currently in international waters, expecting to be apprehended by Israeli forces. Alam is traveling on the Conscience, the largest private vessel attempting to break the siege since October 2023, carrying 92 civilians from 26 countries, mostly medics and arts workers. The mission aims to challenge the legality of the siege and demonstrate solidarity with Palestinian journalists and medics, who Alam says have been specifically targeted by Israel.

Gaza Biennale, featuring works by artists from the war-torn strip, will come to New York City

The Gaza Biennale, a 60-artist exhibition featuring works by artists from Gaza, will debut in New York City from September 10-14 at Recess, a non-profit art space in Brooklyn, with a smaller iteration remaining on view through December 20. The biennale is a decentralized event taking place across 19 venues in 12 cities worldwide, including new pavilions in Toronto, Washington, DC, and New York. It builds on previous editions in London, Athens, Istanbul, Padua, Valencia, and elsewhere, showcasing art made from humble materials like garment scraps and old aid boxes, and includes works by 22 Gaza-based artists in its New York iteration.

Turkish artist Koray Kasap debuts 3D art exhibition in US | Daily Sabah

Turkish artist Koray Kasap has opened his first 3D art exhibition in the United States, held at an outdoor gallery in Morristown, New Jersey. The mixed-media show blends painting with everyday objects and features themes from Turkish culture, including works titled "Nefsini Terbiye Eden Derviş" ("The Dervish Who Trains His Soul"), "Ayasofya" ("Hagia Sophia"), and "Filistinli Anne" ("Palestinian Mother"). Kasap, a graduate of Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts and a former photographer known for album covers in the 1990s, uses charcoal and coffee instead of traditional paints. He has pledged to donate proceeds from the Palestinian Mother painting to Palestinian children.

Malak Mattar becomes first Palestinian artist to get solo show at London's prestigious Central Saint Martins

Malak Mattar, a 25-year-old self-taught Gazan artist, has become the first Palestinian to receive a solo exhibition at London's Central Saint Martins (CSM). After winning a scholarship for a Master's in Fine Art at CSM, she was trapped in Gaza until October 6, 2023, the day before the Hamas attack and subsequent Israeli invasion. Her show, opening May 15 at Window Galleries, features powerful works like 'No Words' (2024), a monochrome canvas likened to Picasso's Guernica, and 'Gaza's Phoenix' (2025), a colorful collage symbolizing resilience. Mattar has also faced institutional challenges, including a lack of public solidarity from the University of the Arts London (UAL) regarding Gaza and financial disparities compared to Ukrainian students.

IDF Soldiers Hide From Our Gaze

An opinion article on Hyperallergic analyzes official portraits of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers released in May 2025, in which the soldiers are depicted with their backs to the camera. The author argues that this pose is a deliberate tactic to avoid identification and potential prosecution for war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories, weaponizing surveillance technologies against the very people they surveil. The piece frames these images as "counter-portraits" that transform individual soldiers into a faceless, intimidating mass, contrasting them with traditional portraiture that invites intimate moral scrutiny.

Il Padiglione della Natura alla Biennale di Venezia. Ovvero due gabbiani che mettono in crisi il patriarcato

At the 2026 Venice Biennale, two seagulls built a nest in front of the Polish Pavilion in the Giardini. Organizers chose to protect the nest with a small fence and a sign, turning it into an unofficial "Nature Pavilion." The birds share incubation duties equally, drawing large crowds who pause to watch their cooperative behavior amid the Biennale's intense geopolitical tensions, including protests against the Russian Pavilion, pro-Palestinian actions, and debates over Israel's cultural role.

A Palestinian-American Photographer’s Intimate Gaze

Photographer Dean Majd presents his solo debut exhibition, "Hard Feelings," at BAXTER ST at the Camera Club of New York. The show compiles a decade of intimate photographs documenting his inner circle of skateboarders and graffiti writers in Queens, a community he joined after the death of his childhood friend James. The work captures communal joys, rites of passage, and the dangers of their lifestyle, while also serving as a dedication to his friend Suba, who died from an accidental overdose in 2020.

British Museum faces internal criticism over private Israel independence day event

The British Museum (BM) in London hosted a private event on 16 May marking the anniversary of the founding of Israel, organized by the Israeli embassy. Speakers included Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely and UK minister Maria Eagle, with attendees such as comedian Jimmy Carr and politicians Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage. The event has sparked anger among museum staff and external critics, who argue it is insensitive given the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has led to widespread famine and civilian deaths. Staff have organized a petition demanding the museum cease relations with Israeli cultural institutions, gathering 250 signatures.

An Artist Embraces the Metaphorical Cracks of Matzah

Artist Emily Drew Miller has created a series of collograph prints titled "Matzot" by running sheets of matzah through a printing press. The resulting black-and-white impressions capture the intricate textures and cracks of the unleavened bread, transforming the traditional Passover food into a medium for her grid-based painting practice. The series began as a personal ritual around the holiday and has evolved into a decade-long exploration.

Israel Reportedly Considers Banning Artist and NYC First Lady Rama Duwaji

Israel's Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism has reportedly moved to ban multimedia artist and New York City First Lady Rama Duwaji from entering the country. The ministry accuses the Syrian illustrator and ceramicist of antisemitism, citing her pro-Palestinian artwork, including the animation "Eyes on Jenin," and her past social media activity, such as liking a post describing Gaza as an "open-air prison."