Confronting audiences with the real history

Carla Hemlock, a Kanien’keha:ka artist, has seen a surge in interest from curators and institutions, allowing her to work at her own pace. Her collaborative installation with her son, filmmaker Raohserahawi Hemlock, titled *In the Arms of the Natural World*, has been donated to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) and is now on view in the exhibition *Rising Suns: Art from the Confederacies of the Great Lakes and Rivers*. The piece, featuring three quilts and two films, explores the legacy of residential schools with what the artists describe as absolute delicacy and care.

New Kickernick Gallery Exhibition Celebrates 50 Years of a Women’s Art Collective

The article reports on a new exhibition at the Kickernick Gallery in Minneapolis celebrating the 50th anniversary of WARM (Women's Art Registry of Minnesota), a pioneering women's art collective founded in 1976. The show features works by founding members including Harriet Bart, whose textile piece "Concrete Poem" (1985) is made from discarded garment labels she collected from her studio floor. The exhibition is curated by Christy Frank and runs until mid-June, highlighting the collective's history of mentorship, activism, and advocacy for gender equity in the arts.

Threshold Art Gallery and the Hermitage Museum Present Landmark Exhibition of Contemporary Indian Art

Threshold Art Gallery and the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, are presenting a landmark exhibition of contemporary Indian art titled "Sediments of Becoming: Fossilised Present, Summoned Pasts." Opening on 4 June 2026 and running until 4 October 2026, it is the first dedicated presentation of contemporary Indian art in the Hermitage's 260-year history. The exhibition features works by eleven Indian artists—including Afrah Shafiq, Anindita Bhattacharya, Debashish Mukherjee, Gargi Raina, Lakshmi Madhavan, Manjunath Kamath, Maya Krishna Rao, Pushpamala N., Ravinder Reddy, Sumakshi Singh, and V. Ramesh—several of whom created new commissions after a 2025 residency at the Hermitage. Curated by Marina Schulz and Tunty Chauhan, the show places contemporary works alongside historical objects from the museum's vast collections, fostering a dialogue across time and geography.

Open Call for Artists: Gallery A3’s 11th Annual Juried Show

Gallery A3 in Amherst, Massachusetts, has announced an open call for its 11th Annual Juried Show, scheduled for August 6–29, 2026. Submissions will be accepted online from May 10 to June 7, 2026, with an entry fee of $38 for three entries. The theme for this year's show is 'Everyday Sublime,' inviting artists to explore how awe and wonder manifest in daily life. The juror is Andrew S. Yang, a professor at the School of the Art Institute Chicago whose work has been exhibited internationally, including at the 14th Istanbul Biennial and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

Peterson Rich Office designs Condé M Nast Galleries at The Met in time for yearly gala exhibition

Brooklyn-based architecture studio Peterson Rich Office has completed the redesign of five gallery spaces at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, known as the Condé M Nast Galleries. The project transformed 12,000 square feet of a former courtyard into gallery and auxiliary rooms, revealing historic brickwork and facades from the 19th-century buildings by architects Richard Morris Hunt, Arthur Lyman Tuckerman, and Calvert Vaux. The spaces include the Orientation Gallery, High Gallery, Low Gallery, and Finale Gallery, each blending contemporary design with exposed historic materials. The first exhibition in the High Gallery is the Costume Art show, timed to coincide with the annual Met Gala.

Art Beat

A roundup of current art exhibitions and calls for work in Taos, New Mexico, highlights shows such as "Nicolai Fechin: Figures, Nature, and Expression" at the Taos Art Museum, "Taos Reimagined: Modernist Experiments in the High Desert," and "Rag Made Quilts" at the Taos Public Library. Other featured venues include 203 Fine Art, Stables Gallery, Revolt Gallery, and the Wheaton Museum of World Artifacts, with openings and deadlines spanning through fall 2026.

Museum Moves 24 – 30 April 2026

This article is a weekly roundup of museum news from 24–30 April 2026, covering openings, closures, and exhibitions across the UK. Highlights include the permanent closure of Blackpool's Tramtown museum due to structural unsafety, the reopening of Sibsey Trader Windmill after a five-year restoration, and several new exhibitions: 'Vennels: Perth’s Little Streets' at Perth Museum, 'The 90s: Art and Fashion' at Tate Britain, 'Regeneration' at Hull's Streetlife Museum, 'Inspiration' at Stockport Station, 'Our Story with David Attenborough' at Outernet London, and 'Lynn Chadwick at Houghton Hall' in Norfolk.

New show Art Spectrum opens door for San Diego’s LGBTQ+ artists in Balboa Park

Art Spectrum, a new exhibition in Balboa Park’s Village to Gallery 21, showcases the work of twelve professional San Diego LGBTQ+ artists throughout May. Curated by painter RD Riccoboni and produced by gallerist Patric Stillman, the show was initiated by the Village Arts and Education Foundation, which lacked community connections to organize an LGBTQ+ exhibition. The selected artists, including Carole Kuck, Miguel Camacho-Padilla, and Stefan Talian, are mature professionals whose practices span painting, pottery, and stained glass.

Chalk Horse opens new BKK exhibit space

Sydney-based contemporary art gallery Chalk Horse has announced the opening of a new exhibition space in Bangkok, Thailand. This expansion marks a significant move for the gallery as it seeks to establish a permanent physical presence in the Southeast Asian art hub, building on its history of representing Australian and international contemporary artists.

Sea change

The William Havu Gallery in Denver is hosting "Sea Change," the 11th solo exhibition by artist Amy Metier. The show features a new body of work consisting of paintings on panel and works on paper that utilize abstraction to reference landscapes, still lifes, and architectural forms. Metier, a seasoned artist with a significant international residency history, continues her long-standing relationship with the gallery through this latest collection.

[Interview] Scenes of Memory and Modern Life: Sun Yitian x Samsung Art Store

Chinese artist Sun Yitian has partnered with the Samsung Art Store to feature her large-scale painting "Ken" (2023) as part of the Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 digital collection. The work, which depicts Barbie’s male counterpart at a massive three-meter scale, explores themes of mass production, the male gaze, and the hollow nature of modern plastic icons. The collaboration marks a bridge between Sun's physical painterly practice and the digital accessibility of contemporary art on domestic screens.

16 artists are paying tribute to Charleston's most iconic ironworker in new exhibit

Sixteen artists have been commissioned to create original works for "Forged," a group exhibition at Drummond Studio Gallery honoring the legacy of Philip Simmons. Simmons was a master ironworker and blacksmith whose ornamental gates and balconies are definitive features of Charleston’s architectural landscape. The exhibition, which opens March 6, features local artists including Demetrius Bing, Riivo Kruuk, and Jonathan Green, and aims to highlight the cultural significance of the Simmons home and workshop.

‘Taking Flight’: Joe Overstreet’s Art Exhibits Encapsulate Geometry and Immersion

The Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson is presenting 'Joe Overstreet: Taking Flight,' a major exhibition featuring three collections of the late artist's work, including his 'Flight Patterns' series. The show, organized by The Menil Collection in Houston and running through Jan. 25, 2026, highlights Overstreet's abstract phase with works from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1990s that use ropes and metal grommets to create multi-dimensional pieces exploring themes of flight and movement. The exhibition includes loans from private collections, other museums, and the Eric Firestone Gallery, which represents Overstreet's estate.

Tanoa Sasraku: ‘I don’t see that the work needs to live forever’

The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London has opened "Morale Patch," an exhibition of new work by Plymouth-born multimedia artist Tanoa Sasraku. The show centers on "Watchlist," a commission featuring a collection of branded trinkets from oil companies, and "Subdued Morale Patch," a series of experimental works on paper created using a novel printing technique with water and ultraviolet light. Sasraku's work explores raw materials, particularly crude oil, as a vehicle to examine themes of national identity and conflict, drawing on her collection of military ephemera and corporate oil-industry mementos.

Tirzah Garwood's archive of work worth £30,0000 to be sold at auction

Cheffins auction house in Cambridge, UK, will sell the first archive of work by artist Tirzah Garwood to come to the market, in its Art & Design Sale on 22 May. The archive, estimated to fetch around £30,000, includes wood engravings, pencil sketches, and a sketchbook, and has been consigned by the granddaughter of artist Frederick Austin, a friend of Garwood and her husband Eric Ravilious. The sale coincides with the first major retrospective of Garwood's work, "Tirzah Garwood: Beyond Ravilious" at Dulwich Picture Gallery, which has helped revive interest in her career.

Governor Healey Unveils Art Exhibition for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Governor Maura Healey of Massachusetts has unveiled a temporary art exhibition in the Governor's office reception area to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The display features works by four Asian American artists living in Massachusetts—Yu Cheng, Tira Khan, Timothy Hyunsoo Lee, and On Kyeong Seong—spanning photography, embroidery, and paintings. The exhibition, organized in partnership with the Mass Cultural Council, runs through May 16 and is part of Healey's broader effort to diversify the art displayed in the State House.

On Arte and France Culture, all the secrets of the unicorn

Sur Arte et France Culture, tous les secrets de la licorne

The article discusses the enduring cultural presence of the unicorn, from churches to toy stores and LGBTQIA+ parades, coinciding with the exhibition "Licornes!" at the Musée de Cluny (through July 12, 2026), which centers on the museum's famed tapestry *La Dame à la licorne*. It highlights two complementary media programs: an episode of the radio show *Le Cours de l'histoire* on France Culture and a documentary on Arte, both exploring the mythical animal's many transformations across history.

US artist takes stage in Venice exhibition

U.S. artist Alma Allen, a self-taught sculptor based in Mexico, has mounted an exhibition titled "Call Me the Breeze" at the U.S. Pavilion for the Venice Biennale after a fraught selection process. The process, which removed language on diversity, equity, and inclusion in favor of promoting "American values," caused several institutions to withdraw from vying for the commission. Allen created a bronze evil eye for the pavilion's exterior to ward off bad vibes, and his show includes a dozen new works alongside pieces from the last 20 years. The prior proposal for artist Robert Lazzarini fell apart after its institutional sponsor backed out, leading to a new project with the American Arts Conservancy as sponsor and Jeffrey Uslip as curator.

All the new exhibits to see at these 4 Louisville museums

Four Louisville museums have opened new exhibits. The Frazier Kentucky History Museum launched four exhibits as part of its America250 initiative, including 'Pursuit of Happiness,' 'Louisville to Liberty: The Blackburns’ Journey,' 'I Too Am a Kentuckian,' and 'Revolutionary Threads.' The Kentucky Derby Museum added a fashion display from the Hallmark Channel movie 'Kentucky Roses,' featuring costumes worn by actors Andrew Walker and Odette Annable. KMAC Contemporary Art Museum and the Speed Museum are also featuring new art exhibits, including works by female Abstract Expressionists.

The Colorful History of the Van Gogh Museum and the Highlights You Must Not Miss

The article traces the history of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, from its origins in the efforts of Johanna van Gogh-Bonger—who preserved Vincent van Gogh's works after his death—to its official opening in 1973 by Queen Juliana. It describes the museum's location on Museum Square, its two-part building designed by Gerrit Rietveld and Kisho Kurokawa, and its role as a major tourist attraction that drew nearly two million visitors in 2024.

Panel Discussion: Regeneration — Long Island’s History of Ecological Care at Parrish Art Museum

The Parrish Art Museum is hosting a panel discussion on May 24, 2026, featuring artist Sara Siestreem and members of the Shinnecock Kelp Farmers, moderated by Associate Curator Scout Hutchinson. The conversation celebrates their collaborative work in the exhibition "Regeneration: Long Island’s History of Ecological Art and Care," which runs through June 14, 2026. The Shinnecock Kelp Farmers, an intergenerational collective of Indigenous women, restore ancestral seaweed harvesting traditions to address water pollution, while Siestreem’s artistic practice incorporates abstract mark making, basket weaving, and Xerox transfers to highlight Indigenous land rights and ecological restoration.

Isamu Noguchi was never a designer, affirms High Museum of Art, Atlanta

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta presents "Isamu Noguchi: 'I am not a designer'," the first design retrospective of the Japanese-American sculptor in 25 years. Co-curated by Monica Obniski and Marin R. Sullivan, the exhibition features nearly 200 objects, including sculptural models, furniture for Herman Miller and Knoll, Akari light fixtures, and large-scale installations like Martha Graham's stage set for "Seraphic Dialogue" (1955). The show challenges Noguchi's own resistance to categorization by framing his multidisciplinary practice—spanning sculpture, design, architecture, and public art—through a design lens.

‘I will always fight against fascism’: Zineb Sedira on her Tate Britain commission

Zineb Sedira has been selected for the Tate Britain commission, creating her largest UK installation to date, titled *When Words Fall Silent, Cinema Speaks…*, on view until January 2027. The site-specific work in the museum's Duveen Galleries pays tribute to radical African cinema of the 1960s and 1970s, highlighting Algeria's role as a revolutionary hub. Sedira recreates the Parisian cafes of her childhood, featuring Scopitone machines that play short music films, and draws on the legacy of the Cinémathèque Algérienne and the 1969 Pan-African Festival.

Maine Institutions Dissect the American Semiquincentennial

Boston Art Review (BAR) has published an article examining how Maine-based cultural institutions are approaching the American Semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. The piece explores the programming, exhibitions, and institutional strategies being developed by museums and art centers across Maine to mark this milestone, focusing on how they interpret American history and identity through contemporary art.

Tang Museum presents Pursuing Possibilities: Explorations in Glaze

The Tang Museum at Skidmore College will present 'Pursuing Possibilities: Explorations in Glaze,' a student-curated exhibition running from May 30 to September 12, 2026. Organized by Emily Lin, the 2025–26 Charina Endowment Fund Endowed Intern, the show features works from the Tang collection that examine the chemical composition of ceramic glazes and their expressive possibilities. Lin used X-ray fluorescence to analyze glazes and consulted with ceramics professor Matt Wilt, bringing together art history, chemistry, and studio practice.

From Obama Presidential Center opening to Anne Frank to Pokemon: Chicago museums unveil ambitious summer exhibitions

Chicago museums have announced a slate of ambitious summer exhibitions, including the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, an Anne Frank exhibition, and a Pokemon-themed show. These exhibits span a range of cultural and historical topics, aiming to attract diverse audiences to the city's major cultural institutions.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts receives major gift of photography

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) announced a major gift of 1,986 photographs from Joy of Giving Something, Inc. (JGS), a nonprofit founded by financier Howard Stein. The donation includes works by over 450 artists, spanning the 19th century to the present, with highlights such as rare daguerreotypes by Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey, prints by Gustave Le Gray and Eugène Atget, and significant holdings in American documentary photography from figures like Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans. The gift follows an earlier 2023 donation of portfolios and series, and positions VMFA to open five new photography galleries in 2027 as part of its expansion.

Zurbarán: a ‘magnificently choreographed’ showing of the Spanish ‘genius’

The article reviews the first-ever British exhibition dedicated to Spanish Baroque painter Francisco de Zurbarán, held at the National Gallery in London. The show brings together 40 works from collections spanning Seville to San Diego, featuring his hyper-real religious paintings and radiant still lifes, described as a 'magnificently choreographed' trawl through his oeuvre. Critics praise the exhibition for its dramatic lighting and revelatory presentation, though some note uneven quality in his later works.

Peter Frankopan unveils BRUSK museum's inaugural exhibition exploring Bruges history

Historian and author Peter Frankopan has curated the inaugural exhibition at BRUSK, a new museum in Bruges, Belgium. Titled "Bigger Picture: Connected worlds of Bruges 900-1550," the show explores the city's medieval role as a global hub for trade, culture, and politics, featuring over 250 objects from 90 lenders worldwide. A rare loan from the Vatican Library—a portrait of Byzantine Emperor Alexios I—is a highlight. The exhibition opens alongside a digital work by Refik Anadol and a fresco by Laure Prouvost.

Arshile Gorky Exhibition at Armenian Museum of America Extended through September

The Armenian Museum of America in Watertown has extended the exhibition “Arshile Gorky: Redrawing Community and Connections” through September 27 due to overwhelming interest and positive reviews from publications including Boston Art Review and Artscope magazine. Curated by Kim S. Theriault and sponsored by the JHM Charitable Foundation, the show brings together works from private collectors and institutions such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Housatonic Museum of Art, and Yale University Art Gallery, and was highlighted as a top pick by the Boston Globe and GBH Arts Editor Jared Bowen.