Art News. Vasari Codex

gavel restitution schedule Jul 3, 2025 visibility 14 link 4 artists

mfa boston returns benin bronze robert owen lehman

The Museum of Fine Arts Boston has returned two Benin Bronzes—a 16th/17th-century terracotta and iron Commemorative Head and a 16th-century bronze Relief Plaque—to the Kingdom of Benin. The works were looted by British soldiers during the 1897 attack on Benin City, later acquired by collector Robert Owen Lehman Jr., and donated to the MFA in 2013 and 2018. The repatriation ceremony took place on June 27 at Nigeria House in New York, with the items handed over to Prince Aghatise Erediauwa and Ambassador Samson Itegboje. The MFA closed its Benin Kingdom Gallery in April and noted that three other Benin works donated by Lehman remain in its collection pending further provenance research.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article news schedule May 28, 2025 visibility 10 link 3 artists

lilo and stitch galleria dell accademia graceland

Disney has placed a white statue of the character Stitch from "Lilo & Stitch" inside the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, Italy, where it sits on a plinth near Michelangelo's David. The installation, part of a partnership between Disney and the Italian Ministry of Culture, promotes the upcoming live-action remake of the 2002 animated film. A promotional video shows Stitch causing mischief in the museum before carving its own marble likeness. The statue will be on view through June 20. Separately, Stitch also made an appearance at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, where it posed with Elvis Presley memorabilia and a pink Cadillac.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

gavel restitution schedule May 13, 2025 visibility 14 link 3 artists

germany settles century long restitution over royal artifacts

Germany’s federal government, along with the states of Berlin and Brandenburg, has reached a settlement with the descendants of the House of Hohenzollern, ending a nearly century-long legal dispute over ownership of 27,000 artworks. The collection includes a portrait by Lucas Cranach the Elder and an 18th-century table service commissioned by Emperor Frederick II. Wolfram Weimer, Germany’s new Minister of State for Culture, announced the deal in Berlin, confirming the works will remain in public museums such as the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the German Historical Museum.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 16, 2026 visibility 18 link 8 artists, 2 galleries

Pre-Raphaelite exhibition explores LGBT+ stories

Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Bradford has launched a new exhibition of Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces paired with contemporary reflections from the local LGBT+ community. Members of the Equity Partnership charity collaborated with museum staff to reinterpret 19th-century works by artists such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Ford Madox Brown, and John Collier through the lens of lived queer experience.

newspaper BBC open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Jan 6, 2026 visibility 12 link 6 artists, 1 gallery

Must-See Museum Exhibits Opening in Colorado in 2026

Several Colorado museums are launching new exhibitions in 2026. The Museum of Boulder presents "Blazing Trail for 150 Years at CU Boulder" (Jan 16–Mar 1), celebrating the university's sesquicentennial. The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) opens "Yes &…" (Jan 29–May 3), featuring 18 artists exploring human-made art in the age of AI. History Colorado Center mounts "Mountains Majesty: On the Summit With John Fielder" (Jan 24, 2026–Jan 10, 2027), showcasing landscape photographs by the late John Fielder. MCA Denver hosts Ana María Hernando's solo exhibition "Seguir Cantando (Keep Singing)" (Mar 5–Jul 5), featuring tulle sculptures.

newspaper Travel Boulder open_in_new Read original

article local schedule Sep 25, 2025 visibility 11 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

Annual Open Art Exhibition to be held at Beverley Art Gallery

Beverley Art Gallery in the East Riding of Yorkshire will launch its 24th annual Open Art Exhibition on 27 September 2025. A record 300+ artists submitted works, with 126 pieces selected by jurors Sarah Howard of Hull Museums and Ferens Art Gallery and Andrea Martin of Lincoln Museum and Usher Gallery. The show features a range of mediums from professional and amateur artists, with prizes awarded by the Friends of Beverley Art Gallery and a People's Choice Award voted by visitors. Many works are available for purchase, and the exhibition runs until 18 December.

newspaper East Riding of Yorkshire Council open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule May 23, 2025 visibility 14 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

Zóbel pieces headline Leon Gallery’s ‘The Spectacular Mid-Year Auction’

Leon Gallery's 'The Spectacular Mid-Year Auction' in Makati City features several key artworks from the Zóbel de Ayala family collection, including Fernando Amorsolo's 'The Burning of Manila'—one of the largest Amorsolo paintings ever auctioned—and multiple pieces by Fernando Zóbel, such as 'Versión en Toledo', 'Variante Sobre Un Tema de Cassatt', 'Talgo', and 'Pequeño homenaje a Stravinski'. Other notable lots include Anita Magsaysay-Ho's 'Water Carriers', Vicente Manansala's 'From the Market', and Hernando R. Ocampo's 'Miners'. The auction, scheduled for June 7, 2025, marks Leon Gallery's 15th anniversary in the art business.

newspaper Lifestyle.INQ open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 22, 2026 visibility 13 link 4 artists

The Haas Brothers’ Creative Creations Are on Tour

The Haas Brothers, twin artists Simon Haas and Nikolai Haas, are the subject of a midcareer survey exhibition that is currently touring the United States. The show highlights their whimsical, colorful, and often functional sculptures and furniture pieces that blend craft, design, and fine art.

newspaper New York Times Art open_in_new Read original

person people schedule Apr 21, 2026 source 3 sources visibility 17

Smithsonian American Art Museum Names a New Director

Lynda Roscoe Hartigan has been appointed as the new director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. She is a former chief curator of the museum and most recently served as executive director of the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.

newspaper New York Times Art Also: Google News, Hyperallergic open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Feb 5, 2026 visibility 12 link 1 gallery

buffalo akg director museum loan buy home state report

Janne Sirén, director of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum (formerly the Albright-Knox Art Gallery), received a $335,000 museum loan at a 0.18% interest rate in 2013 to help finance a $710,000 home. A review by the Erie County Comptroller's Office found that Sirén has not repaid any principal or interest, and the loan was later converted into a 30-year mortgage without being recorded with the county. The loan appears to violate New York's Not-For-Profit Corporation Law, which prohibits loans to directors or key officers, though the law was enacted a year after the initial bridge loan was issued.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule May 22, 2026 visibility 3 link 1 artist, 1 gallery

The exhibition "The Charm of Flowers" will open in honor of the 290th anniversary of the Rundāle Palace

An exhibition titled "The Charm of Flowers" will open at Rundāle Palace in Latvia to mark the palace's 290th anniversary. It explores the history of exotic garden flowers in Europe, their popularity in the Duchy of Courland-Semigallia, and the symbolic meaning of flowers in 17th- and 18th-century art. The show features works from major European museums including the National Art Gallery named after Boris Voznyatsky in Lviv, Het Loo Palace Museum, the Rijksmuseum, and the National Art Museum named after M. K. Čiurlionis. A key highlight is the multimedia installation "Tulipomania" by Dutch artist Joost Agassi, which offers a contemporary take on the 17th-century Dutch tulip mania.

newspaper Inbox.eu open_in_new Read original

article local schedule May 13, 2026 visibility 8 link 6 artists, 1 gallery

Memorial Art Gallery raises $9 million to make admission free in 2027

The Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) at the University of Rochester has raised over $9 million through its "Free for All, Forever" fundraising initiative, surpassing its original goal and timeline. The museum will now open its doors free of charge to all visitors sometime in 2027, much sooner than anticipated. Key donors include Alexander and Lucy Levitan, who contributed a $1 million capstone gift; Doug and Abby Bennett and the Sands Family Foundation, who gave a $3 million leadership gift; and Mary Ellen Burris, who donated $2 million. The announcement was celebrated at MAG's Flourish For All, Forever gala on May 9, 2026.

newspaper University of Rochester open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule May 4, 2026 visibility 15 link 7 artists, 1 gallery

Who Are the Custom Mannequins in “Costume Art” Based On? We’re So Glad You Asked

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's 2025 Costume Institute exhibition, "Costume Art," features 25 mannequins modeled after nine real people with diverse body types and mobilities. Curator Andrew Bolton collaborated with artist Samar Hejazi, who created mirrored faceless heads for the mannequins, and artist Tanda Francis, who modeled features after historical figures like André Grenard Matswa. The mannequins are distributed across two thematic sections: "Disabled Body," featuring individuals such as writer Sinéad Burke, athlete Aimee Mullins, and models Aariana Rose Philip, Antwan Tolliver, and Sonia Vera, along with imagery of the late drag performer Goddess Bunny; and "Corpulent Body," featuring models Jade O'Belle, Charlie Reynolds, artist Michaela Stark, and singer Yseult. The living subjects underwent 3D photogrammetry scanning to recreate their likenesses.

newspaper Vogue open_in_new Read original

article local schedule Apr 19, 2026 visibility 14 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

Looking for art, culture? See the latest Central Illinois exhibits

Central Illinois is hosting a diverse array of art exhibitions and cultural displays across several regional institutions. Key highlights include the 18th Annual Peoria Area Juried High School Art Exhibition at the Contemporary Art Center of Peoria and a showcase of works by Richard Kirchgessner. Local galleries and museums, such as the Eaton Studio Gallery and the McLean County Arts Center, are actively engaging the community through student tours and rotating exhibits of area artists.

newspaper The Pantagraph open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 9, 2026 visibility 10 link 2 artists, 2 galleries

Exhibition | Nyakallo Maleke, 'A Soft Language of Distance' at Bode, Berlin, Germany

Johannesburg-based artist Nyakallo Maleke presents her solo exhibition, 'A Soft Language of Distance,' at Bode in Berlin. The show features an expanded practice of drawing that incorporates textiles, wax paper, and intricate stitching to explore themes of movement, memory, and spatial experience. Maleke, who was recently named the recipient of the 2025 Standard Bank Young Artist Award, utilizes these unconventional materials to create a tactile vocabulary that bridges the gap between intimate gesture and architectural form.

newspaper Ocula open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 7, 2026 visibility 19 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

New Henry Art Gallery Exhibition ‘ojo|-|ólǫ́’ invites conversation about Indigenous knowledge preservation

Diné artist Eric-Paul Riege has launched his largest exhibition to date, titled “ojo|-|ólǫ́,” at the Henry Art Gallery. The show features large-scale soft sculptures, wearable art, and multimedia installations that reinterpret traditional Navajo symbols like the weaving comb and the hogan. Central to the exhibition is Riege’s rejection of traditional museum barriers; he encourages visitors to touch the tactile, plush works to honor the many hands involved in the production of his materials.

newspaper dailyuw.com open_in_new Read original

article policy schedule Mar 20, 2026 visibility 14 link 1 artist, 1 gallery

DePaul Faculty, Artists Put Pressure On University To Save Art Museum

DePaul University faculty, students, and community members are mounting a public campaign to reverse the university's abrupt decision to close the DePaul Art Museum (DPAM) on June 30. An open letter led by philosophy professor Sean Kirkland has garnered nearly 3,800 signatures, while the museum's advisory board issued a separate statement condemning the closure as "egregious." Critics argue the decision was made without faculty consultation and undermines the institution's academic mission.

newspaper Block Club Chicago open_in_new Read original

article local schedule Oct 31, 2025 visibility 18 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

Untitled: Artist Takeover Oct 2025

The Denver Art Museum hosted "Untitled: Artist Takeover Oct 2025," a Halloween-themed evening event featuring performances, art installations, and interactive activities across its Hamilton Building, Martin Building, and Sturm Grand Pavilion. Highlights included a memorial installation series "Death of Baddy" by artist Moe Gram, classic horror film screenings, tarot readings, shadow puppet theater, mask-making, and a dance party with DJ 2AND2. Participating artists and performers included Justy Robinson, Miguel Garcia, Kendall Bennett, Patty McCrystal, Zora Beglarian, Lisa Frank 666, Karma Leigh, Joe Oliver, Medicine Mama Kia, Shaunie Berry, Elle Hong, and Rafael & Kristina Maldonado Bad Hand.

newspaper Denver Art Museum open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 29, 2025 visibility 18 link 9 artists, 1 gallery

Immersive experience featuring ‘costumed folk’ shortlisted for world's biggest museum prize

Five British museums have been shortlisted for the 2025 Art Fund Museum of the Year, the world's largest museum prize. The finalists are Beamish, The Living Museum of the North in County Durham; Chapter arts centre in Cardiff; Compton Verney gallery in Warwickshire; Golden Thread Gallery in Belfast; and Perth Museum in Scotland. Beamish, a 55-year-old open-air museum, recently completed its "Remaking Beamish" project recreating a 1950s town with 32,000 community members. Perth Museum opened in March 2024 after a £27m renovation and houses the Stone of Destiny. The winner will be announced on 26 June at the Museum of Liverpool, receiving £120,000, while each of the other finalists gets £15,000.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

person people schedule Dec 2, 2025 visibility 26 link 6 artists, 1 gallery

art kye christensen knowles young artist

Kye Christensen-Knowles, a 32-year-old figurative painter based in New York, is featured in Cultured's 2025 Young Artists list. A recent solo exhibition at Lomex in New York showcased his range, from unnerving contemporary society portraits to epic science-fiction scenes. His work is also on view in a group show at the Warehouse, a private museum in Dallas. In an interview, he discusses his readymade work "Painting" (2019–23), a studio rug covered in accumulated paint, and cites influences such as Vito Acconci and Louise Bourgeois.

newspaper Cultured open_in_new Read original

candle obituary schedule Apr 29, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 29

Ittai Gradel, gems expert who uncovered British Museum thefts, dies aged 61

Ittai Gradel, a Danish classical gems specialist, has died at age 61. His investigations revealed that hundreds of objects had been stolen from the British Museum, leading to the resignation of director Hartwig Fischer in 2023. Gradel first alerted the museum in 2021 after finding proof that precious objects were being sold on eBay, naming senior curator Peter Higgs as the suspected seller. After initial concerns were ignored, Gradel wrote again in 2022, eventually prompting a police investigation. Higgs was dismissed in July 2023, and Fischer resigned the following month. Of the 2,000 items affected, 626 have been recovered, many bought in good faith by Gradel and returned. Earlier this month, Gradel received a special British Museum award from current director Nicholas Cullinan.

newspaper The Art Newspaper Also: ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article policy schedule Apr 3, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 38

Smithsonian’s governing body quietly losing members

The Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents is shrinking, with two members' terms expiring in March and no replacements announced. A third regent's term expires next week, with three more set to end in the autumn, and there are no concrete plans to fill these vacancies. The delay stems from a requirement for both Congress and the President to approve new members.

newspaper The Art Newspaper Also: New York Times Art open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Oct 9, 2025 source 2 sources visibility 17

philadelphia museum of art rebrands philadelphia art museum

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has rebranded itself as the Philadelphia Art Museum, a change announced on Wednesday. The museum worked with branding studio Gretel, known for clients like the Museum of Modern Art and Crystal Bridges Museum, to develop a new name, logo, custom typography, website, and visual identity. Director and CEO Sasha Suda stated the rebrand aims to place Philadelphia front and center and make the institution more collaborative and future-focused.

newspaper ARTnews Also: Google News open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule May 6, 2026 visibility 21 link 1 artist

4 artistes sami, peuple autochtone d’Europe du Nord, à découvrir avant tout le monde

Four Sámi artists, representing the Indigenous people of Northern Europe, are being highlighted in Finnish museums as Oulu, the European Capital of Culture, hosts exhibitions showcasing their work. The article introduces these artists and their practices, emphasizing their unique perspectives rooted in Sámi culture and traditions.

newspaper Beaux Arts Magazine open_in_new Read original

article local schedule May 21, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 5 link 5 artists, 2 galleries

Get to know these 5 unconventional galleries driving art forward in North Texas

A wave of independent, artist-run galleries is emerging across North Texas, operating out of unconventional spaces like houses, lofts, and apartments. Notable examples include PRP (Permanent Research Project) in a little white house in Trinity Groves, Nature of Things in a Deep Ellum loft, and 2 BED 1 BATH in an Oak Cliff apartment. These venues often face precarious funding and zoning issues, yet they persist, with some like 500X operating since 1978 and PRP for a decade. Recent exhibitions have addressed themes such as the treatment of bodies in visual culture and political commentary, including a protest show after the University of North Texas shut down an exhibition critical of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

newspaper KERA News open_in_new Read original

article local schedule May 7, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 16 link 1 artist

Eye on Art: Take Mom to a museum for Mother’s Day and feel the love

The article promotes taking mothers to art museums and galleries for Mother's Day weekend, highlighting several venues in the Lowell, Massachusetts area. It features the Fitchburg Art Museum's centennial free admission, with events including a curator talk, a members' mixer with artist Tara Sellios, and a drumming workshop. The New England Quilt Museum in Lowell offers a storytelling event with An Marshal and Luana Rubin tied to its exhibition "Soul Stories: Threads of Existence." The Whistler House Museum of Art is noted for being featured in Artscope Magazine, and the 21st annual Doors Open Lowell event provides access to historic buildings, alongside an opening reception at the Arts League of Lowell Arts Gallery.

newspaper Sentinel and Enterprise open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 16, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 19 link 6 artists

LA museums to check out this Earth Month

Los Angeles museums are marking Earth Month with a series of exhibitions and events focused on sustainability and environmental consciousness. Highlights include the Hammer Museum’s exhibition, "Several Eternities in a Day: Form in the Age of Living Materials," which features works by 22 artists using organic substances like avocado, cochineal dye, and volcanic rock. Meanwhile, the Fowler Museum is hosting an immersive look at the indigenous rice cultivation practices of the Ifugao people in the Philippines.

newspaper LAist open_in_new Read original

gavel restitution schedule Mar 18, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 19

UK Museums Face Criticism For Collections Of Human Remains

A Guardian investigation revealed that 241 UK museums, universities, and councils collectively hold over 263,000 items of human remains, with at least 37,000 originating from overseas, including former British colonies. The Natural History Museum in London houses the largest collection of non-European remains, followed by the University of Cambridge and the British Museum. Records are often incomplete, with the origins of 16,000 items unconfirmed and many institutions unable to provide exact figures due to poor documentation.

newspaper Artforum Also: Hyperallergic open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Mar 12, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 20

Researchers Link Two Unattributed Works To Michelangelo

Researchers have attributed two previously unattributed works to Michelangelo. The Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage of Belgium used radiocarbon dating, pigment analysis, and infrared reflectography to link a 16th-century oil-on-canvas Pietà to the master, finding monograms and a date consistent with his work. Separately, Italian researcher Valentina Salerno published a decade-long study using archival documents and stylistic analysis to attribute a marble bust of Christ in a Roman basilica to Michelangelo.

newspaper Artforum Also: The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule May 18, 2026 visibility 8 link 7 artists, 1 gallery

Phoenix Airport Museum Celebrates Museum Month

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is celebrating Museum Month and International Museum Day (May 18) by highlighting the Phoenix Airport Museum's exhibitions. The museum, which began as an art program in the 1960s with Paul Coze's mural "The Phoenix" and officially became a museum 38 years ago, has presented over 500 exhibitions focusing on Arizona's culture. It now houses more than 1,000 artworks across 40 display areas, including architecturally integrated pieces and portable works. Current exhibitions include "Spectral Alchemy" (15 local artists exploring light), "Fluoresce" (blacklight paintings), "Time & Place" (paintings by Martin Dimitrov), "Runway Fashion" (vintage flight attendant uniforms), and several others in Terminals 3 and 4, both pre- and post-security.

newspaper Signals AZ open_in_new Read original