When Gagosian Goes So Do His Galleries, How Hockney’s Swimmer Swam Away, and Green Shoots in the Gallery World

Kenny Schachter's article opens with a broad critique of the political climate under the Trump administration, linking it to a chilling effect on free speech and democracy, before pivoting to the art world. He notes the absence of a U.S. representative for the 61st Venice Biennale, mentions Marilyn Minter's protest piece, and references David Hockney's *Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)* at Christie's. The piece also touches on market negativity, the resilience of art, and skepticism about the Middle East as a market savior.

Portland Art Museum announces major gift to endow Museum’s top position from Portland’s “First Family of the Arts”

The Portland Art Museum announced a $13.5 million gift from the late Arlene Schnitzer and the Schnitzer family, the largest individual donation in the museum's 132-year history. The endowment names the museum's director position, currently held by Brian Ferriso, as the Arlene & Harold Schnitzer Director. The Schnitzers, known as Portland's 'First Family of the Arts,' have supported the museum for nearly half a century through acquisitions, exhibitions, capital campaigns, and the creation of the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Center for Northwest Art and the Schnitzer Sculpture Court. The gift is part of the museum's Connection Campaign, which will culminate in a transformed campus opening November 20.

Minneapolis Institute of Art announces artists for its first juried crop art exhibition

Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) has announced the artists for its first juried crop art exhibition, "Cream of the Crop," opening September 6, 2025. The exhibition features winners and honorable mentions selected from crop art entries at the Minnesota State Fair. Jeanne Morales won best interpretation of a Minnesota landmark, story or tradition with "My Chagall Dream," while Amy and Steve Saupe won best interpretation of an artwork at Mia with "The Treachery of a Pronto Pup." The selections were made by Mia director Katie Luber, associate curator Galina Olmsted, and associate curator Leslie Ureña. Honorable mentions include works by Jill Osiecki, Jill Moe, Amanda Cashman, and Ursula Murray Husted.

The 7 Best Art Shows to See This Fall, From N.Y.C. to San Francisco

The article previews seven major art exhibitions opening across the United States this fall, from New York City to San Francisco. Highlights include a rare U.S. retrospective of Finnish painter Helene Schjerfbeck at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the first comprehensive U.S. survey of Afro-Cuban surrealist Wifredo Lam at the Museum of Modern Art, and a long-overdue museum retrospective for multimedia artist Suzanne Jackson at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Other featured shows include Yoko Ono's traveling retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

Meet the Lawyer-Turned-Dealer Opening a Jewel-Box Gallery Uptown—and More Juicy Art World Gossip

Artnet News's Wet Paint column reports that former David Zwirner director Felix Rödder is opening his own gallery, Rodder (no umlaut), on September 18 at 22 East 80th Street on the Upper East Side, in the same building as Sprüth Magers. The jewel-box space, formerly Barbara Mathes Gallery, will debut with a solo show of sculptural paintings by Wyatt Kahn. Rödder, a lawyer-turned-dealer, plans to mix contemporary programming with historical exhibitions, keeping overhead low and avoiding art fairs for now. The column also teases a mention of Aby Rosen's involvement in the New York mayoral race.

Grand Rapids Art Museum’s big David Hockney exhibition is worth the day trip from Detroit

The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) has opened "David Hockney: Perspective Should Be Reversed," billed as the largest-ever retrospective of the British artist's prints. Featuring some 170 works across two floors, the exhibition spans six decades of Hockney's career, from early Xerox experiments to recent iPad drawings. The show is drawn from the collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer, a prominent Portland-based collector and philanthropist, and his Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation. It opened on May 31 and is organized into five thematic sections including "Portraits of Self and Others" and "Tradition and Innovation."

Artists Decry Centre Pompidou’s Cancellation of Caribbean Art Exhibition

Nearly 150 artists, curators, and cultural figures signed an open letter denouncing the Centre Pompidou-Metz's abrupt cancellation of an exhibition centering on contemporary Franco-Creole, Caribbean French, and Guyanese art. The survey, titled "Van Lévé: Sovereign Visions from the Maroon and Creole Americas and Amazonia," was slated to run from October 2026 to April 2027 and would have featured artists including Julien Creuzet, Gaëlle Choisne, and the late Hervé Télémaque. Guest curator Claire Tancons had raised concerns about a scheduling overlap with Maurizio Cattelan's ongoing exhibition, leading to tense exchanges with museum director Chiara Parisi before the museum formally canceled the show on June 10, citing a "particularly difficult budgetary context."

Gustave Caillebotte blockbuster that sparked controversy in France opens in Chicago—with one key difference

A major Gustave Caillebotte survey exhibition, originally titled *Gustave Caillebotte: Painting Men* (in French, *Caillebotte: Peindre Les Hommes*), has opened at the Art Institute of Chicago with a revised title: *Gustave Caillebotte: Painting His World*. The change was made after an internal focus group found the original title too narrow, and before the show even debuted in Paris. The exhibition, co-curated by Gloria Groom (AIC), Paul Perrin (Musée d’Orsay), and Scott Allan (Getty), explores Caillebotte’s preference for male subjects—such as rowers, soldiers, and card players—without asserting that the artist had same-sex relationships. It previously sparked controversy in France, where critics accused the curators of imposing an American-influenced, reductive queer reading on the artist.

A first glimpse (and listen) inside Lacma’s $720m new building

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma) opened its new $720 million David Geffen Galleries building to 2,000 members and guests for previews on June 27, 2025, before its official opening in April 2026. Designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, the elevated concrete structure spans Wilshire Boulevard with 110,000 square feet of gallery space, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a 300-seat theater. Musician Kamasi Washington organized a "sonic preview" with 100 jazz musicians performing his six-part suite *Harmony of Difference* throughout the empty space. The building sits adjacent to the preserved Japanese Pavilion (designed by Bruce Goff, 1988) and features Tony Smith's sculpture *Smoke* (1967) in a courtyard.

Lacma will plant towering, flowering Jeff Koons sculpture outside new building

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma) has acquired Jeff Koons's monumental floral sculpture *Split-Rocker* (2000), a 37-foot-tall work featuring two halves of children's rocking toys embedded with over 50,000 flowering plants. Donated by collectors Lynda and Stewart Resnick through their foundation, the sculpture will be installed outdoors later this year, ahead of the museum's $715 million David Geffen Galleries opening in 2025. The work has previously been displayed at the Palais des Papes in Avignon, Château de Versailles, Fondation Beyeler, Glenstone, and Rockefeller Center.

Taxidermists—prized by Damien Hirst—open museum in Amsterdam

Two artist-taxidermists, Ferry van Tongeren and Jaap Sinke, have opened the Art Zoo Museum in a restored canal house in Amsterdam, in partnership with the Vrije Academie cultural education institute. The museum, opening on 26 June, is described as a "modern wunderkammer"—a contemporary cabinet of curiosities—featuring taxidermied animals that died natural deaths, arranged in surreal poses alongside preserved flowers and ornate interiors. Van Tongeren, a former advertising agency owner who retrained as a taxidermist, gained international fame after he and Sinke sold their first collection to Damien Hirst in 2016. Their collective is named Darwin, Sinke & Van Tongeren, reflecting the influence of Charles Darwin.

John Middleton’s secret art collection is coming out of the shadows in a blockbuster two-museum show

John Middleton, managing partner of the Philadelphia Phillies, and his wife Leigh are revealing their previously secret art collection in a major two-museum exhibition titled "A Nation of Artists," opening in Philadelphia in 2026. About 120 paintings, furniture, and decorative arts from the Middleton Family Collection will be split between the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, surrounded by over a thousand other objects from both institutions. The show, billed as the most expansive presentation of American art ever mounted in Philadelphia, coincides with the nation's Semiquincentennial celebration and is being promoted as a cultural highlight of the anniversary.

Re-opening of Sainsbury Wing at National Gallery

The Sainsbury Wing at the National Gallery in London has reopened after a three-year refurbishment, inaugurated by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The wing now serves as the main entrance, featuring large windows that flood the foyer with natural light, a high-tech screen showcasing masterpieces, and a rehang of the collection that groups early Renaissance and early Christian art together in rooms 51-66. Notable highlights include Sir Richard Long's 'Mud Sun', Paula Rego's 'Crivelli's Garden', a new unsigned Netherlandish altarpiece, and the temporary display of the Coronation portraits of the King and Queen until June 5th.

Grand Rapids Art Museum celebrates the artistry of David Hockney in new exhibit

The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) has opened a new exhibition titled "David Hockney: Perspective Should Be Reversed," featuring over 160 works by the celebrated British artist David Hockney, spanning from 1954 to 2022. The prints on display come from the collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation. The exhibit runs from May 31 through November 2, with admission free for members and children under five, and $12 for adults. GRAM curator Jennifer Wcisel discussed the exhibition in a recent interview.

Japan’s art islands gain a new attraction with museum designed by Tadao Ando

The Benesse Art Site Naoshima, a globally acclaimed art destination across three Japanese islands, will open the Naoshima New Museum of Art (NNMA) on May 31. Designed by architect Tadao Ando, the one-story building with two underground floors sits on a hilltop near Honmura village. Its opening exhibition, centered on wellbeing, features works by 12 artists including Takashi Murakami, Aida Makoto, Do Ho Suh, Cai Guo-Qiang, and Martha Atienza. The museum shifts focus to contemporary art from Asia with rotating exhibitions, according to director Akiko Miki.

Empathy is in short supply today – artist Saya Woolfalk intends to change that

Saya Woolfalk's largest survey exhibition, 'Empathic Universe,' has opened at New York's Museum of Arts and Design. The show introduces visitors to the Empathics, a fictional plant-human hybrid species that embodies profound understanding and interconnection. Organized by curator Alexandra Schwartz, the exhibition spans two decades of Woolfalk's career and includes video, sculpture, installation, works on paper, and artist-fashioned clothing. It explores themes of empathy, hybridity, and utopia, drawing on Afrofuturist thinkers and science fiction, while addressing issues of racism and sexism in a polarized world.

Cleveland Museum of Art welcomes new exhibit: 'Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow'

The Cleveland Museum of Art is opening a new exhibition titled 'Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow,' featuring the work of Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami. The show runs from May 25 through September 7, with member previews from May 16 to 24. The exhibition explores Murakami's signature style blending anime, manga, and otaku culture with traditional Japanese art, and addresses themes such as trauma, healing, and the cultural impact of historical events including World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The colorful world of Takashi Murakami comes to Cleveland Museum of Art

The Cleveland Museum of Art has opened "Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow," a major exhibition of works by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. The show, which originated at the Broad Museum in Los Angeles, features vibrant paintings, sculptures, and an immersive recreation of the Yumedono (Dream Temple) from Nara, Japan, built in collaboration with designers from the TV series "Shōgun." The exhibition traces Murakami's career from early characters like Mr. DOB to large-scale works addressing grief and trauma, including the 82-foot-long painting inspired by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

BUSINESS MONDAY: Spotlight on Art in the Berkshires—now open on Castle Street

Art in the Berkshires, founded in 2024 as an online resource, has opened a physical gallery and studio space at 8 Castle Street in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The venture is led by Shany Porras, an abstract painter and founder who serves as gallery director, aiming to make Berkshire creativity more accessible through artist directories, venue listings, and a weekly newsletter.

Ha Chong-hyun's 6 decades of art head to San Francisco's Asian Art Museum

Korean artist Ha Chong-hyun, a key figure in the Dansaekhwa (monochrome painting) movement, will receive his first North American museum retrospective at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. The exhibition, opening in September, will feature approximately 50 works spanning six decades, including his recent paintings and his signature 'Conjunction' series.

10 Exhibitions to See in Chicago This Spring

A guide highlights ten notable art exhibitions opening in Chicago this spring, focusing on shows at smaller, community-focused, and artist-run spaces like Good Weather, Hyde Park Art Center, and the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art. Featured exhibitions include Hunter Foster's "Involition," which repurposes a Cold War siren to comment on infrastructure and threat, and Alison Ruttan's ceramic installation "The Paradox of Inaction," which visualizes climate disaster.

Marcel Duchamp Is Stripped Bare at MoMA

The Museum of Modern Art in New York has opened "Marcel Duchamp," the first retrospective of the artist on this continent in over 50 years. Curated by Ann Temkin, Michelle Kuo, and Matthew Affron, the exhibition is organized strictly chronologically and features Duchamp's most famous works—including his revolutionary readymades like *Fountain* (1917) and *Bicycle Wheel* (1913)—often shown only in photographic reproduction or as later refabricated copies, replicas, and miniatures from his *Box in a Valise* series. The show highlights how Duchamp's original objects have been lost or dematerialized, forcing viewers to confront the very definition of an artwork.

Previews: 61st Venice Biennale: In Minor Keys

The 61st Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys" and curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, opens amid global turmoil and internal controversy. Kouoh, who passed away in May 2025, conceived the exhibition around the metaphor of a "creole garden," emphasizing deep affinities between 111 artists from diverse locations such as Dakar, Beirut, and Salvador. The Biennale is overshadowed by recent geopolitical events, including US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran, and faces protests: over 70 participating artists signed an open letter opposing the participation of Israel, Russia, and the US, while the Australian pavilion saw the reinstatement of Khaled Sabsabi after being dropped, and South Africa withdrew its official pavilion over Gabrielle Goliath's femicide project, which she will still present independently.

bayeux tapestry british museum loan 2665313

The Bayeux Tapestry, a 230-foot-long medieval textile depicting the Norman Conquest of 1066, will be loaned to the British Museum in London for the first time in 950 years. The historic deal between Britain and France is set to be finalized on July 9, with the tapestry expected to appear in a blockbuster exhibition about the Norman Conquest opening in September 2026. In exchange, treasures from across the U.K.—including artifacts from Sutton Hoo and the Lewis chessmen—will travel to France. The agreement will be announced by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, and signed by British Museum director Nicholas Cullinan.

Lu Yang at Kunsthalle zu Kiel

Lu Yang's solo exhibition "Electromagnetic Brainology" opened at Kunsthalle zu Kiel, running from January 30 to March 15, 2026. Curated by Muriel Meyer, the show features a new body of work from the Shanghai-based multimedia artist, known for immersive installations blending digital avatars, neuroscience, and pop culture iconography.

Tourmaline at Australian Centre for Contemporary Art

A major solo exhibition of work by the celebrated artist and activist Tourmaline has opened at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art in Melbourne. Titled "Transcendent," the show is curated by Sophie Prince and runs from December 12, 2025, through March 15, 2026. It features new and existing works, including film, photography, and archival installations that explore themes of Black trans history, joy, and liberation.

Here is the first and for now only interview with the curators of the 2026 Venice Art Biennale

Ecco la prima e per ora unica intervista ai curatori della Biennale d’Arte di Venezia 2026

The team of the late curator Koyo Kouoh has completed the 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys," which opens to the public on May 9, 2026. In an exclusive interview, curators Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Marie Helene Pereira, Rasha Salti, Siddhartha Mitter, and Rory Tsapayia discuss the challenges of realizing Kouoh's vision after her death, including fundraising, installation design by Wolff Architects of Cape Town, and the use of cardboard as a non-invasive material to create thresholds between spaces.

In Perugia, Giotto and the Giotteschi to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis

A Perugia Giotto e i Giotteschi per celebrare gli 800 anni dalla morte di San Francesco

The Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria in Perugia has opened the exhibition "Giotto e san Francesco. Una rivoluzione nell'Umbria del Trecento" to mark the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. Curated by Veruska Picchiarelli and Emanuele Zappasodi, the show brings together major international loans to reunite works by Giotto and his Umbrian and Sienese followers, exploring the artistic revolution sparked by Francis's life and Giotto's break from Byzantine tradition toward naturalism.

According to Brian Eno, everything is political. And in Parma, his first exhibition in Italy opens, also speaking about Palestine

Secondo Brian Eno tutto è politica. E a Parma apre la sua prima mostra in Italia che parla anche della Palestina

Brian Eno, the internationally renowned British artist and musician, opens his first retrospective exhibition in Italy at the Complesso Monumentale di San Paolo in Parma, running from May 1 to August 2, 2026. The show features two complementary projects: SEED, a site-specific sound installation created with Turkish writer Ece Temelkuran in the garden, and My Light Years, a light-based work in the newly restored Ospedale Vecchio. Curated by Alessandro Albertini, the exhibition marks Eno's return to Italy after his Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at the 2023 Venice Biennale, and follows earlier interventions at Castello del Buonconsiglio, Palazzo Te, and Ara Pacis.

What does Giovanni Muciaccia do after Art Attack? He continues to spread culture and tells us all about it in this interview

Cosa fa Giovanni Muciaccia dopo Art Attack? Continua a divulgare cultura e ci racconta tutto in questa intervista

Giovanni Muciaccia, the beloved host of the children's art show "Art Attack" that aired in Italy from 1998 to 2004 and again from 2011 to 2014, continues his mission of art education through books, theater performances, and a new online series. Now also an artist and collector himself, Muciaccia discusses his journey from television presenter to full-time art communicator, explaining how his early passion for art was sparked by a middle school teacher and deepened during his time filming in London, where he visited the newly opened Tate Modern and began studying contemporary art.