Golnar Adili’s Family Archive

Artist Golnar Adili presents a solo exhibition at Smack Mellon in New York, centered on her family's archive of letters. The show features large-scale text-based sculptures and installations, such as 'Ye Harvest From the Eleven-Page Letter–Installation,' which transforms Persian script from her father's letters into architectural forms, alongside new plaster casts of her body. These works explore the aftermath of her parents' separation due to political exile following the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

The New Entrance of the Louvre

La nouvelle entrée du Louvre

The article, titled "La nouvelle entrée du Louvre," reports on the upcoming redesign of the main entrance to the Louvre Museum in Paris. It also covers several other art-world stories: the return of American Rousseau works to Paris, the growing trend of outsourcing museum reception services, the New Museum's expansion, the troubled Musée des Tissus project, and Art Brussels adapting to contemporary trends.

In Venice, the Wagner Museum changes status

À Venise, le Musée Wagner change de statut

The Wagner Museum in Venice, currently a discreet institution housed within the Casino di Venezia in the Ca' Vendramin Calergi palace on the Grand Canal, is set to join the network of the Fondazione dei Musei Civici di Venezia (MUVE) by 2027. An agreement signed in March 2025, after thirty years of discussions, between MUVE, the Casino, and the Richard Wagner Association will make the museum the fourteenth institution under MUVE's management, alongside the Museo Correr, Ca' Pesaro, and the Museo Fortuny. The museum, established in 1995 in the rooms where Richard Wagner stayed and died in 1883, holds significant collections including the Josef Lienhart and Walter Just collections, making it one of the most important private Wagnerian collections outside Bayreuth, Germany.

Reopening of the Catacombs

Réouverture des Catacombes

The Catacombs of Paris have officially reopened to the public following a five-month renovation project. These extensive works were primarily focused on upgrading the site's infrastructure to enhance the overall visitor experience and improve the flow of traffic through the historic underground ossuary.

Vittoria Matarrese new director of the Magasin in Grenoble

Vittoria Matarrese nouvelle directrice du Magasin de Grenoble

Vittoria Matarrese has been appointed as the new director of the Magasin, the National Center for Contemporary Art in Grenoble. The Italian architect and curator, who previously held positions at the Villa Medici in Rome, the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, and the Bally Foundation in Lugano, and most recently led the first Art Week Riyadh, succeeds Céline Kopp. Her appointment comes as the institution seeks a new direction after a prolonged period of crisis.

Lauren Laz Appointed to the Works Department of the Beaux-Arts de Paris

Lauren Laz nommée au département des œuvres des Beaux-Arts de Paris

Lauren Laz, a 47-year-old art historian specializing in prints and director of the Musée Angladon in Avignon since 2015, has been appointed director of the collections department at the Beaux-Arts de Paris. She succeeds Kathy Alliou in overseeing the school's vast holdings of nearly 450,000 works and volumes, which carry the prestigious "Musée de France" designation.

A big moment for a city that loves art

Geelong Gallery in Australia is preparing to host "Discovering the Impressionists: Paul Durand-Ruel, art dealer among the artists," its most ambitious international exhibition ever, running from 20 June to 11 October. The show features over 70 paintings by Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, and second-generation Impressionists, with most works from a private French collection never before seen in Australia. The exhibition marks the gallery's 130th anniversary and is supported by the Geelong Major Events committee. Separately, the genU artX Regional 2026 exhibition at Rachinger Gallery showcases over 130 works by artists with disabilities or mental illness, on view until 22 May.

Beyond the Mona Lisa: MOSI’s Leonardo da Vinci exhibit showcases the ‘original innovator’ in Tampa

MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry) in Tampa, Florida, is hosting an exhibition titled "Machines in Motion" that features 20 working machines built from Leonardo da Vinci's 15th-century designs. Created by Italian engineers using period-appropriate materials, the interactive display includes inventions such as ball bearings, an olive oil press, a printing press, and wartime weapons. MOSI President & CEO John Graydon Smith describes da Vinci as "the original innovator" and notes the exhibit aims to inspire creativity in both children and adults. The temporary exhibition runs until May 3.

The Vatican brings Hildegard of Bingen to the Biennale. "The ear is the eye of the soul", by Brian Eno and Patti Smith

The Holy See Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, titled "The Ear is the Eye of the Soul," centers on the 12th-century Benedictine abbess and visionary Hildegard of Bingen. Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Ben Vickers in collaboration with Soundwalk Collective, the pavilion spans two Venetian venues—the Mystical Garden of the Discalced Carmelites and the Complesso di Santa Maria Ausiliatrice—and features new sound works by 24 artists, musicians, and poets including Brian Eno, Patti Smith, FKA Twigs, Meredith Monk, and Jim Jarmusch. The title is borrowed from the final work of German director Alexander Kluge, who died in March 2026, and his monumental film installation forms a core part of the exhibition.

Muzeu Braga, Portugal’s newest art museum bridging art and critical thought

Portuguese construction and engineering group DST has opened Muzeu, a contemporary art museum in Braga's historic center, housed in a former courthouse redesigned by architect José Carvalho Araújo. The inaugural exhibition, 'Sejamos realistas, exijamos o impossível' (Let us be realistic, let us demand the impossible), features works by international artists Alex Katz, Nan Goldin, Annie Leibovitz, and Anselm Kiefer alongside leading Portuguese artists such as Ângela Ferreira, Pedro Calapez, and Ana Vidigal. DST CEO José Teixeira, who has built one of Portugal's most significant private art collections, aims to position the museum as a cultural anchor for the city.

Turner Prize: Mythical shapes and the impact of oil explored in 2026 shortlist

The Turner Prize 2026 shortlist has been announced, featuring four artists: Simeon Barclay, Kira Freije, Marguerite Humeau, and Tanoa Sasraku. Their works include a spoken-word performance about industrial northern England, sculptures exploring human emotions, mythical ecological forms, and installations examining the political history of oil. The shortlisted works will be exhibited at the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, with the winner revealed on December 10. Each shortlisted artist receives £10,000, and the winner gets £25,000.

Meijer Gardens Chihuly exhibit to bring art, nature and light together ‘on a grand scale’

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids will host its largest exhibition of Dale Chihuly's work from May 2 to November 1. The show will feature outdoor installations at twelve locations across the 158-acre campus, with additional indoor works in the sculpture galleries, allowing visitors to experience the large-scale glass pieces within natural landscapes.

Soyinka, others to grace Onobrakpeya art exhibition in Lagos

The St. Gregory’s College Old Boys Association is set to host 'The Gregorian Art Exhibition' in Lagos, a landmark event honoring the legendary Nigerian master artist Bruce Onobrakpeya. Running from April 25 to 27, 2026, the showcase will feature a high-profile opening ceremony attended by Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, the Obi of Onitsha, and various prominent traditional rulers and political figures.

Teresa Vall Palou's chromatic experimentation seduces the south of Madrid

The Tomás y Valiente Art Center (CEART) in Fuenlabrada is hosting a major exhibition of Catalan artist Teresa Vall Palou titled "Chromatic Atmospheres." Featuring over sixty large-format works produced over the last decade, the show highlights Vall Palou’s experimentation with color, form, and "conscious unconsciousness" through expansive canvases and diluted glazes. Despite a sixty-year career largely spent in "opacity," this exhibition marks a significant moment of public recognition for the artist, whose abstract style draws comparisons to Pollock and Rothko.

Saginaw Art Museum announces ‘Warhol and the Image Machine’ exhibition

The Saginaw Art Museum & Gardens has announced the upcoming exhibition "Warhol and the Image Machine," set to open on May 20. The show explores Andy Warhol’s fascination with the manufacturing of icons through repetition and mass production, featuring celebrity portraits and appropriated imagery. The exhibition aims to demonstrate how Warhol’s work predicted a modern era where digital images and recognition serve as a primary form of cultural currency.

Vanderbilt Artists Showcased at Prestigious Venice Biennale

Vanderbilt University has announced its inaugural participation in the Venice Biennale, marking a major milestone for the institution's arts program. Faculty artists Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons and Kamaal Malak have been selected to present works in the 61st International Art Exhibition, curated by the late Koyo Kouoh. To complement the exhibition, the university will launch "Resonance: Vanderbilt University in Venice," a two-month public program series featuring sonic inquiries, performances, and scholarly convenings.

New York's New Museum Unveils $82 Million Expansion

The New Museum in Manhattan has officially unveiled its $82 million expansion, a transformative project designed by architects Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematsu. The renovation has doubled the institution's footprint, adding three levels of gallery space and a new 'public spine' featuring an atrium staircase. To mark the reopening, the museum launched 'New Humans: Memories of the Future,' a massive 732-object survey curated by Massimiliano Gioni that explores the intersection of art, visual culture, and emerging technologies like AI.

Raja Ravi Varma Becomes The Highest Value Modern Indian Artwork At Auction

Raja Ravi Varma’s 1890s masterpiece "Yashoda and Krishna" has set a new record for the most expensive Indian artwork ever sold at auction. During Saffronart’s Spring Live Auction, the painting fetched Rs 167.2 crore (approximately $18 million), far exceeding its pre-sale estimate of Rs 80–120 crore. The work was acquired by billionaire Dr. Cyrus S. Poonawalla, chairman of the Serum Institute of India, who has pledged to make the national treasure available for periodic public viewing.

Open Studio #4 ARNALDO POMODORO. Places, Memories and Visions

Open Studio #4 ARNALDO POMODORO. Luoghi, memorie e visioni

Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro has launched the fourth edition of its "Open Studio" exhibition series, titled "Luoghi, memorie e visioni." This recurring program, initiated in 2022, provides the public with intimate access to the sculptor’s creative process by showcasing lesser-known themes and archival materials from his long career. The current iteration focuses on the intersection of memory and physical space within Pomodoro's monumental practice.

‘He always had spirituality’: Spanish exhibition unpicks Picasso's religious influences

The cathedral of Burgos in Spain is hosting "Picasso: Biblical Roots," the first-ever exhibition of Pablo Picasso’s work to be held within a cathedral setting. Featuring 44 works, the show explores how the artist’s Catholic upbringing and religious iconography influenced his oeuvre, despite his self-proclaimed atheism. The exhibition includes early devotional paintings, Renaissance-inspired depictions of the Crucifixion, and secular adaptations of the Virgin and Child and the Good Shepherd.

LAMA: Post War & Contemporary Art featuring the Collection of Roberta & Fletcher Benton

Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) held a Post-War & Contemporary Art sale featuring the private collection of Roberta and Fletcher Benton. The auction, hosted in partnership with Artsy, showcased 121 lots including significant works by California-centric artists such as John Mason, Claire Falkenstein, Peter Alexander, and Mel Ramos. Notable items included Bernar Venet’s steel sculptures, Judy Kensley McKie’s design pieces, and a series of artist-made jewelry by figures like Sonia Delaunay and Billy Al Bengston.

Venice Biennale curatorial team reveal how they are bringing the late Koyo Kouoh's vision to life

The curatorial team for the 61st Venice Biennale has unveiled the details for the 2026 exhibition, titled "In Minor Keys." The project follows the vision of the late Koyo Kouoh, the first African woman appointed to curate the Biennale, who passed away in May 2024. The exhibition will feature 111 artists and collectives, with a significant focus on the Global South and themes such as Shrines, Schools, and the Creole Garden. The team emphasized that the show is designed as a "collective score" rather than a traditional commentary on world events, prioritizing spiritual rest and radical social connection.

A selective history of the moving image comes to downtown Los Angeles

The Julia Stoschek Foundation has launched its first major U.S. exhibition at the historic Variety Arts Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Curated by Udo Kittelmann, the show features over 40 time-based works ranging from early cinematic pioneers like Georges Méliès and Alice Guy-Blaché to contemporary icons such as Arthur Jafa and Doug Aitken. The exhibition utilizes the labyrinthine spaces of the 1924 Italianate theater to create a dialogue between the history of Hollywood and the evolution of media art.

MUNCH presents Kim Hankyul’s Shore, a new SOLO OSLO exhibition

South Korean artist Kim Hankyul has unveiled a major immersive installation titled 'Shore' at MUNCH in Oslo. The exhibition, which serves as the fifth edition of the museum’s SOLO OSLO series, features a subaquatic landscape constructed from motorized sculptures, holograms, and Foley-inspired soundscapes. Hankyul’s work draws on the personal testimonies of North Korean defectors, female free divers, and rescue teams to explore the ocean as a site of both survival and memory for those marginalized by land-based social structures.

New documentary provides an inside look at the Harlem Renaissance

A new documentary, *Once Upon a Time in Harlem*, is screening at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, offering an intimate look at the Harlem Renaissance. The film is assembled from 28 hours of 16mm footage shot in 1972 by the late filmmaker William Greaves at Duke Ellington's home in Harlem, capturing a gathering of key figures from the movement. Greaves's son David, who was one of the original cameramen, completed the film after his father's death. The footage includes interviews and reflections from artists, writers, musicians, and activists such as Romare Bearden, Aaron Douglas, James Van Der Zee, Eubie Blake, and Arna Bontemps.

Amoako Boafo solo exhibition to open in Venice during 2026 Biennale

Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo will open his first solo exhibition in Italy at the Museo di Palazzo Grimani in Venice this spring, timed to coincide with the 61st Venice Biennale (9 May–22 November 2026). The show, co-organized by Gagosian Gallery, will feature new and recent works inspired by the Renaissance atmosphere of the palazzo and the Venetian portrait tradition. Boafo is creating a series of new pieces specifically for the exhibition, directly referencing the historical context and unique architecture of the museum.

Kochi Biennale co-founder Bose Krishnamachari steps down as president

Bose Krishnamachari, co-founder of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in India, has stepped down as president of the Kochi Biennale Foundation and as a board trustee after 14 years, citing pressing family reasons. His departure will not affect the ongoing sixth edition, titled "For the Time Being," which opened last month and runs until March 31. Krishnamachari founded the biennial in 2012 in Fort Kochi, Kerala, alongside fellow artist Riyas Komu, who left in 2018 amid sexual harassment allegations.

Model masterpieces by Eduardo Paolozzi to be auctioned this week

Several works by Scottish-Italian artist Eduardo Paolozzi, gifted to his longtime collaborator and model maker Ray Hardinge Campbell Watson, are being auctioned at Lyon & Turnbull in Edinburgh. The collection includes a bronze statue titled *Hermes/Mondrian Head – 1996* (estimate £10,000–£15,000), along with plaster sculptures, prints, and folio sets, many bearing personal inscriptions. The sale reflects a creative partnership that spanned over thirty years, during which Paolozzi and Watson collaborated on major projects such as the Tottenham Court Road murals for London Underground and a Pizza Express mural in the late 1960s.

‘Hippopotame Bar’ Shatters Design Auction Records, Sells for $31.4 Million

François-Xavier Lalanne's 1976 'Hippopotame Bar,' a whimsical copper, steel, and wood cabinet shaped like a hippopotamus with hidden compartments, sold for $31.4 million at a Sotheby's auction on December 10, 2025. Originally commissioned by the late oil heiress and philanthropist Anne Schlumberger, the piece sparked a 26-minute bidding war that far exceeded its $7–10 million estimate, making it the most valuable design object ever sold at auction and shattering Lalanne's previous auction record.

Philadelphia Art Museum Announces 2026 Exhibitions

The Philadelphia Art Museum has announced its slate of exhibitions for 2026, prominently featuring Marcel Duchamp's iconic mixed-media work "Étant donnés: 1° la chute d'eau, 2° le gaz d'éclairage . . . (Given: 1. The Waterfall, 2. The Illuminating Gas . . . ), 1946-1966." The announcement includes details about the work's complex media assemblage and its acquisition history as a gift from the Cassandra Foundation in 1969.