Alchemist of Colors

Annina Roescheisen, a German-born artist now based in New York, presents her work in Venice during the opening days of the Venice Biennale. Her paintings are created through an alchemical ritual where she mixes pigments, charcoal, ash, ink, herbs, and salts, producing pulsating fields of color that blur the line between the visible and invisible. A self-taught artist who never attended art school, Roescheisen draws on art history and philosophy, with a particular passion for medieval art. Her series "Flying Dragons" references the ancient Physiologus, and she has also produced watercolors based on drawings made with her eyes closed to explore how visual perception changes from childhood to adulthood.

Venice Biennale chief under pressure

Venedig-Biennale-Chef unter Druck

Just before the opening of the Venice Art Biennale, its president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco is facing mounting criticism after the entire jury resigned. Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli accused Buttafuoco of pursuing a form of "parallel foreign policy" by readmitting Russia to the six-month exhibition, calling him a "victim of a pacifist fantasy." The opening ceremony and the traditional Golden Lion awards have been canceled; prizes will now be decided by visitor vote at the end of the Biennale in November.

New gallery celebrating craftmanship and art opens

The historic Hopton Hall Estate has opened a new gallery in Ashbourne, England, called the Hopton Hall Gallery. The gallery, housed in an 18th-century building that previously served as a butcher's, clockmaker's, and draper's shop, is the creation of estate owners Chris and Andi Harvey. Its inaugural exhibition, 'Brushed Light: Atmospheric Watercolours,' features works by local artists, and the gallery will host a rotating program of exhibitions and events through at least May 2027.

Kettle Art Gallery presents "OG’s Return to Deep Ellum" opening reception

Kettle Art Gallery in Dallas is hosting "OG's Return to Deep Ellum," an exhibition reuniting eight pioneering visual artists who helped shape the creative identity of the Deep Ellum district. The show features works by Bill Haveron, Brad Ellis, Brad Smith, Clay Austin, Dwayne Carter, Frank Campagna, Greg "Ozone" Contestabile, and Thor Johnson, alongside tributes to the late Albert Scherbarth and David "Mosquito" Hawley. The opening reception precedes a run through August 16.

‘A nuclear explosion of happiness’: Graphic artist Jim Phillips opens first solo gallery in Santa Cruz

Graphic artist Jim Phillips, the 81-year-old creator of the iconic "Screaming Hand" logo for Santa Cruz Skateboards, has opened his first solo gallery in his hometown of Santa Cruz, California. The exhibition, titled "Jim Phillips: New Fine Art Prints and Classic ’70s and ’80s Pen and Ink Drawings," runs at the R. Blitzer Gallery and features 15 new large-scale art prints and 30 hand-drawn pen-and-ink works from 1971 to 2026. The show includes his famous "Screaming Hand" and "Hand Wave" pieces, alongside surf, skate, and rock poster art from his career, which includes work for The Doors, James Brown, and Neil Young.

Public Images Gallery opens on Route 66

Public Images Gallery, a new art space owned by Larry White, opens on Route 66 in Tulsa at 1507 E. 11th Street, next to Ike’s Chili. Its inaugural exhibition, “Roots, Rock, and Rebels ... The Photography of Henry Diltz,” features the work of renowned rock photographer Henry Diltz. An abridged version of this show was previously held at the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa in 2019 but was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The grand opening takes place on May 1 from 4 to 10 p.m., with Diltz appearing in person during First Friday festivities.

DO Savannah: Ella Langley, TEDxSavannah, and more

This article is a local events calendar for Savannah, Georgia, covering the week of May 12–21, 2026. Highlights include a SCAD Jewelry Trunk Show, a Telfair Museums anniversary preview of Impressionism and Modernity: French and American Painting with a lecture by National Gallery of Art curator Mary Morton, the opening of the Seven Ladies Exhibit at the Davenport House Museum, the 15th annual TEDxSavannah, a country concert by Ella Langley, a brewery anniversary party, a jazz fundraiser, and several preservation-focused lectures including one by National Preservation Partners Network CEO Kim Trent and a talk on landscape architect Clermont Lee. The Courtyard Concert Series at SCAD MOA concludes with local bluegrass band Swamptooth.

Atlanta gallery turns political tension into art with ‘Politically inCorrect’ exhibition

EuGene V Byrd III has curated the 'Politically inCorrect' group fine art exhibition, now open at Railroad ATL inside the Future Gallery in Atlanta. Featuring over 50 artists and 110 to 120 works across painting, photography, sculpture, and collage, the show addresses what Byrd calls an overdue conversation about art and social responsibility. Inspired by W.E.B. Du Bois, the open-call exhibition asks artists to speak their truth on political and social issues, with pieces like Faif Quin's photograph referencing the killing of Charlie Kirk and Naylon D. Mitchell's portrait 'Mama Rosa' among the highlights. The exhibition runs through May 30.

The Exhibition Before The Exhibition: Art In The Making

Puke Ariki museum in New Plymouth, New Zealand, is hosting TUKU: Open Studio | Emerging Māori Artists, a collaborative project where senior artist Wharehoka Smith mentors early-career artists Jodie Tipa and Dwayne Duthie in creating eight manaia (spiritual guardian figures) in a public studio setting. Running from today through 12 July, the open studio prepares the museum's Temporary Gallery for the upcoming Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award exhibition, which opens on 25 July and features 40 tūpuna portraits. Visitors can watch the artists at work, engage with their creative process, and participate in free public events including workshops and talks.

South Coast Artists exhibition brings 112 works to Gallery X

The 2026 Members’ Invitational Exhibition organized by South Coast Artists Inc. is now on view at Gallery X in New Bedford, Massachusetts, through May 16. The show features 112 works by 61 artists selected from nearly 200 active members, spanning media such as photography, fiber, encaustic, porcelain, cyanotype, pastel, acrylic, oil, watercolor, mixed media, printmaking, digital art on metal, and found-object assemblages. Awards were presented at the opening reception on April 25, with first place going to Dot Bergen, second to Serena Parente Charlebois, and third to Robert Abele; juror’s choice awards were given to Diana Azevedo-Carns, Lindsey Epstein, and Heather Stivison, selected by independent juror Catherine Carter.

Iran has not withdrawn from 2026 Venice Biennale, pavilion commissioner says

Iran has denied withdrawing from the 2026 Venice Biennale, despite the Biennale's announcement that the country would not participate. Aydin Mahdizadeh Tehrani, director-general of visual arts at Iran's ministry of culture and Islamic guidance and the country's pavilion commissioner, stated that Iran requested more time rather than submitting a withdrawal. He cited the US-Israel war with Iran, political and economic challenges, and a sharp currency devaluation that tripled projected costs as reasons for the delay. Iran proposed a shorter two-to-three-month participation, which was rejected, but has since sent a letter insisting on opening its pavilion even after the opening. The foreign ministry has intervened to support Iran's participation, and a final response from the Biennale is expected soon.

Fort Worth African American Museum to officially open in June with joint exhibition

The Fort Worth African American Museum and Cultural Center will officially open on June 12 with its inaugural exhibition, "All ’N All: Artists Embracing Community," in partnership with Kinfolk House and the National Juneteenth Museum. The show features paintings, photographs, and mixed-media works by 11 North Texas artists exploring memory, culture, and the Black experience, and is part of the larger Freedom Vibes festival running June 11-20. The museum, which has been in development since 2020, secured its final funding from the Fort Worth City Council in January and purchased a 5,000-square-foot building on East Rosedale Street last summer.

Photo gallery: Fine Arts Fiesta opens in Wilkes-Barre

The 70th annual Fine Arts Fiesta opened on Thursday, May 14, 2026, on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and runs through Sunday. The event features artists, crafts, entertainment, and music, with headliners including the Phil Giordano Jazz Orchestra and Doug Smith & The Dixieland Band. A tribute to the late trumpeter Bobby Baird Jr. is scheduled, and eight local dance companies will perform at the F.M. Kirby Center. During the opening ceremony, Wilkes-Barre official George Brown presented a proclamation and key to the city to Fine Arts Fiesta board president Ann Saxton, executive director Brian Benedetti, and second vice president Gina Malsky.

Collagraph prints exhibition begins at Kaalnee Art Studio

A ten-day collagraph printmaking exhibition opened on Wednesday at Kaalnee Art Studio in Rayer Bazar, Dhaka. The exhibition features 19 prints by 14 artists, created during a four-day workshop led by UK-based Bangladeshi artist Zaman Md Fakruzzaman and coordinated by Tarek Amin, jointly organized by Kaalnee Art Studio and the East London Academy of Art. Notable artists including Abul Barq Alvi, Nisar Hossain, Shishir Bhattacharya, Saifuddin Ahmed, Rashid Amin, and Tarek Amin attended the opening ceremony.

‘Sampriti’: Dhaka exhibition celebrates artistic ties between Bangladesh and India

The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) in Dhaka inaugurated the art exhibition “Sampriti” on May 7, bringing together artists, scholars, and diplomats from Bangladesh and India. The exhibition, which follows a two-day art camp held in April, features works by 33 contemporary Bangladeshi artists and ICCR scholars, and was curated by Prof Sanjoy Chakraborty. The opening coincided with the 165th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore and included a lamp-lighting ceremony, speeches by High Commissioner Pranay Verma, and a performance of Rabindra Sangeet by Prof Shahnaz Nasrin Ila.

Cerritos College Opens 2026 Student Art Exhibition with Night of Awards and Celebration

Cerritos College opened its 2026 annual Student Art Exhibition on April 23 at the Cerritos College Art Gallery, featuring over 150 student artworks selected by faculty from the college's art, design, and photography programs. The opening night included an award ceremony introduced by Gallery Director James Mac Devitt and a speech by Dr. Jose Fierro. Juror Kim Abeles, an established L.A. artist, presented five awards across seven categories including Ceramics/3D Design, Painting/Life Drawing, Freehand Drawing, Printmaking/2D Design, Graphic Design/Digital Illustration, Photography, and 3D Modeling/Motion Picture Editing. Faculty also gave honorable mentions in each category. Approximately $7,000 in awards was distributed, supported by the Associated Students of Cerritos College, the Cerritos Foundation, and donors including former student John DeMott.

Venice Biennale jury resigns amid row over Russian entry

The international jury of the Venice Biennale resigned en masse just nine days before the opening of the world's oldest contemporary art fair, amid a dispute over Russia's participation and the panel's decision to bar prizes for countries accused of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. The jury, comprising president Solange Farkas and members Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi, stepped down without explanation, following tensions that also involved Italy's Culture Ministry cutting €2 million in EU funding over Russia's presence and sending inspectors to the Russian Pavilion.

L.A.'s $1 Billion Lucas Museum Has Revealed Inaugural Exhibitions For This Year's Opening — Curated By George Lucas Himself

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles has announced its 18 inaugural exhibitions ahead of its September 22, 2026 opening. The $1 billion, 100,000-square-foot museum in Exposition Park will feature 32 galleries curated personally by George Lucas, including a dedicated Cinema space showcasing the Lucas Archives with original concept art, costumes, and props from Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Unlike traditional museums, the exhibitions are organized by emotion and storytelling themes such as Adventure, Childhood, Fantasy, and Romance, rather than by time period or artist.

Lake Effect Community Arts to present ‘Vibrant Rebellion’ in May

Lake Effect Community Arts Center in Manistique, Michigan, will present 'Vibrant Rebellion,' a solo exhibition by local artist Jamie John Hider, opening May 1. The show features Hider's intricate paintings of famous musicians like The Beatles and Prince, incorporating hidden clues and Easter eggs that reflect his own background as a musician. A public reception will kick off the exhibit, which runs through May 27.

McRae Art Studios kicks off 40th anniversary with open house this weekend

McRae Art Studios, Orlando's oldest and largest professional artist collective, is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a spring open house on April 25 at its 10,000-square-foot converted garage space in urban Orlando. Founded in 1986 by George and Marty Whipple, the studio has hosted over 100 award-winning artists across five locations. The event features studio visits, original artwork sales, live music, and a cash bar, along with a new exhibition of self-portraits titled "The Faces of McRae" created by the current 22 member artists. The collective is also reorganizing as a nonprofit to strengthen the local arts community.

Tiny Gallery Trail in Elmwood opens this Saturday

The ElmArt Collective is launching the Tiny Gallery Trail in Elmwood this Saturday, April 25. The one-mile trail features five custom-built boxes hosting rotating exhibitions, with the inaugural show titled 'Elmwood!' featuring work by five local artists. The opening event includes a beer garden kickoff, an art bike parade, artist meet-and-greets, and family-friendly activities.

New Gallery Exhibit at CU Anschutz Honors Son's Legacy

A new photo exhibition and speaker series titled "Love, Anything: 28 Expressions for 28 Luminous Years" has opened at the Fulginiti Pavilion for Bioethics and Humanities on the University of Colorado Anschutz campus. The show features 28 photographs and journal entries by the late photographer Ryyan Chacra, who died by suicide in May 2024 at age 28 while struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The opening reception on April 10 drew over 120 attendees, including family, friends, and university faculty.

Exhibition celebrating local artists to be unveiled

Five artists on the Isle of Portland will open their studios to the public as part of Dorset Art Weeks, running from May 23 to June 7 at St George’s Art Studios. The event features encaustic wax artist Lyn Kirkland, printmaker Caro Lester, jeweller Kate Arbon, mixed-media artist Georgie Moore, and multimedia artist Yollande Posthumus. Visitors can view finished works, explore workspaces, and participate in taster workshops on May 30.

Photo exhibition 'Eternity of a Moment' opens at D'ART Gallery [PHOTOS]

On May 13, 2026, D'ART Gallery in Baku opened the solo photography exhibition 'The Eternity of a Moment' by fine art photographer Anna Ibrahimbayova. The show is the first installment of the gallery's new project 'Homes Warmed by Love and Art,' which explores how creative partnerships shape shared lives and artistic growth. The opening featured remarks by gallery founder Dilara Muzaffarli, an interview with the artist conducted by art producer Sofiko Dvalishvili, and tributes to Ibrahimbayova's late husband, Azerbaijani playwright Maksud Ibrahimbayov, from People's Artist Omar Eldarov and MP Ulviyya Hamzayeva. The exhibition runs through May 15.

61st Venice Biennale: Cultural workers and artists strike and protest against the Israeli genocide in Gaza

Thousands of artists, cultural workers, and protesters marched through Venice on May 8, 2026, one day before the opening of the 61st Venice Biennale, to protest the Israeli genocide in Gaza and Lebanon. The strike, organized by the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA), led to the closure of approximately 27 of the Biennale's 100 national pavilions, with signs reading "We Stand with Palestine." The Israeli pavilion remained closed and guarded by armed police, who clashed with protesters. Meanwhile, the European Commission threatened to suspend €2 million in EU grants to the Biennale Foundation over its decision to allow Russia to participate, citing incompatibility with EU sanctions and the invasion of Ukraine.

Studio 34 Announces Open Studio Weekend + Opening of Collective Pulse Art Exhibition in LIC

Studio 34 Gallery in Long Island City, New York, announces its annual Open Studio Weekend on May 16–17, 2026, from 12:00–6:00 PM, alongside the opening reception of a group exhibition titled 'Collective Pulse' on May 16 from 6:30–9:30 PM. The free event invites the public to explore working artist studios, meet the creators, and experience the artistic process, with live music by Sunshine Music. The exhibition, curated by Alice Lipping and Tina Glavan, features 14 Studio 34 artists and 11 guest artists, and runs through June 7, 2026.

‘Layers of Us’ show examines culture through art

Mothership Studios is hosting the opening reception and a brunch for the "Layers of Us" exhibition, featuring nine artists from Texas State University. The show explores the concept of culture through individual representation and community, using diverse media like video, painting, photography, and sculpture.

A new art exhibit is set to open at the Cooperative Gallery 213

Local artist Regina Losinger, a retired SUNY Broome administrator, opens her exhibition "Follow the Water" at Cooperative Gallery 213 in Binghamton, New York, on First Friday. The show features 50 works of painting and photography inspired by her kayaking and canoeing trips in the Adirondacks, Florida, and Canada, alongside her boat and paddling maps. Losinger, who returned to art after retiring a decade ago, will greet visitors during the opening reception from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Aldine ISD Student Artists to Featured in Contemporary Arts Museum Houston Exhibition

Aldine Independent School District (ISD) student artists from Hall Success Academy and Eisenhower High School will have their work featured in an exhibition titled "The Sequence Is Yours," hosted by the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. The opening reception is scheduled for May 8, 2025, at ARTECHOUSE Houston, and the promotional image features a photograph by an Eisenhower High School artist. The students were guided by art educators Ketsia Hamilton of Hall Success Academy and Óscar Medina of Eisenhower High School, with Hamilton also serving on the museum's Teacher Advisory Group.

Beloved Arts Gallery In The Woodlands Wants You To Look Through Glass — Showcasing a Vital Material

Ardest Gallery in The Woodlands, Texas, is presenting "Thresholds," a juried exhibition curated by Austin-based glass artist Malina Cipleu, running through May 30. The show features kiln-formed glass works from Texas artists, with first place awarded to Deborah Ellington for "Encased in Time III," second place to Mary Torres for "Polka Dot Jungle," and third place to Sandi Neiman for "River Dreams." Gallery owner Julie Verville hosted the opening and awarded ribbons, while Cipleu's curatorial statement explores glass as a material of transition and connection.