May art guide: Exhibitions in Dayton, Cincy, Columbus and more

May’s art guide highlights several exhibitions across Dayton, Cincinnati, and Columbus, including "The Future of Female" at the Dayton Society of Artists, a juried show exploring women-identifying artists' perspectives; "At This Moment" at the Main Library's 2nd Floor Gallery, reflecting on contemporary life; "Teresa Olavarria: Lichen" at The Contemporary Dayton, featuring works in vitreous enamel and bronze; and a color-themed collaborative exhibition at the Edward A. Dixon Gallery in partnership with Dayton Collaboratory. The guide also features a 35mm film series by photographer Jake Schneider documenting Greenville’s Swinging 8’s Square Dance Club.

7 ‘Body Types’ in the Met’s ‘Costume Art’ Fashion Exhibition

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute has announced its upcoming spring exhibition, titled '7 Body Types,' which will explore fashion through the lens of diverse physical forms. The show will feature garments designed for seven distinct body types, challenging traditional fashion norms and highlighting inclusivity in design. Curated by Andrew Bolton, the exhibition draws from the museum's extensive collection and includes works from contemporary designers.

Rocky Balboa statue takes up a new home inside Philly art museum

The iconic bronze statue of Rocky Balboa, the fictional boxer portrayed by Sylvester Stallone, is moving inside the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the first time starting Saturday, as part of the museum's new exhibition "Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments." The exhibition, which marks the 50th anniversary of the original film, features over 150 artworks and ancient artifacts, and explores how monuments are created and reinterpreted by artists and communities. The statue had stood outside the museum for more than 20 years and was originally a prop from the 1982 film "Rocky III."

How Native American Artists Redefined Contemporary Art in the United States

A generation of Native American artists, emerging from the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe from the 1960s onward, reclaimed Indigenous representation in American art. Figures like Fritz Scholder, T.C. Cannon, Kevin Red Star, and Earl Biss used modernism, irony, and cultural specificity to dismantle colonial stereotypes of Native peoples as romanticized relics, instead portraying them as contemporary individuals with agency and living traditions.

‘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.

Ron Nagle in Milan: at Gió Marconi the first Italian solo exhibition 'Phantom Banter'

Gió Marconi Gallery in Milan will host 'Phantom Banter', the first Italian solo exhibition of American sculptor Ron Nagle, from May 29 to July 24, 2026. The show features eleven ceramic sculptures created between 2024 and 2026, along with a selection of recent drawings, highlighting Nagle's process-oriented practice focused on material, surface, and language. Nagle, born in San Francisco in 1939, is a key figure in the California Clay Movement, having apprenticed with Peter Voulkos in the 1960s and influenced by Ken Price. His small-scale works, rarely exceeding 15 centimeters, explore reduction of scale and surface construction through cast and fired ceramics combined with resins and synthetic materials.

Coastal Bodies: Camille Guichard's exhibition at the Rachel Hardouin Gallery

Camille Guichard presents 'Corps littoral' (Coastal Bodies), her first solo exhibition in Paris, at the Rachel Hardouin Gallery from May 21 to June 21, 2026. The show blends contemporary photography, poetic texts, and the artist's own nude body against coastal landscapes, exploring themes of vulnerability, erosion, and the relationship between the body and the living world. Guichard, who also works as a filmmaker and writer, includes series such as 'Ces rivages perdus' documenting the Aquitaine coast and 'Pulsions, corps et figures' focusing on bodily fragments.

Emerging artist Charlie Gosling is being compared to Frank Auerbach. Discover his haunting portraits in London

Emerging artist Charlie Gosling, a 2023 graduate of Camberwell College of Arts, is gaining attention for his evocative portraits that draw comparisons to Frank Auerbach and Willem de Kooning. His second solo exhibition at London's Incubator gallery, titled "Good Luck with Me Here," features intimate portraits of friends and family, created through a process of layering and scraping paint to achieve an almost abstract quality. The show runs until 24 May.

World’s first museum of AI arts, Dataland, to open in June

Dataland, the world's first museum dedicated to AI arts, will open to the public on June 20 at The Grand LA complex in Los Angeles. Designed by Gensler, the museum's inaugural exhibition, 'Machine Dreams: Rainforest' by Refik Anadol Studio, runs through January 31, 2027, and uses a Large Nature Model (LNM) processing ecological and biofeedback data in real time to create an immersive, evolving sensory experience.

Masure Gallery Brings a Focused Lens to Local Fine Art Photography in Fort Worth

Masure Gallery of Photography has opened in Fort Worth, Texas, as the city's only gallery dedicated exclusively to fine art photography. Founded through a partnership between gallery manager Simone Fischer and the co-owners of Fort Worth Camera, Jeff and CJ Masure, the space transforms a former event room into a white-walled exhibition venue with gallery-quality lighting. The gallery launched with "RED – A Bold Photography Exhibition," selected from nearly 200 open-call submissions requiring the color red, and now represents six local photographers: Walt Burns, Brooks Burris, Caroline Hanson, Chris Ireland, Felix Schilling, and K.P. Wilska. The first solo show, "Modern Exposure" by Walt Burns, opens June 4.

‘Embrace of the Earth’: Rajib Ahasen’s debut solo exhibition opens at AFD

Rajib Ahasen's debut solo exhibition, 'Embrace of the Earth', opened on April 24, 2026, at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD). The show features around 36 works in watercolour and acrylic, rooted in the artist's memories of rural Bangladesh and his transition to urban life. Scenes of earthen roads, canals, riverbanks, and agrarian life dominate the collection, reflecting a personal narrative shaped by observation and recollection. Ahasen, who earned a Mawlana degree from a Qawmi madrasah in 2014 without formal fine arts training, has previously participated in national and international exhibitions including the Friendship Art Exhibition and Kahal International Art Fair.

Rika Nakajima: A New Book of the Dead, Part 3

連載 中島りか 新しい死者の書 第三回

Japanese artist Rika Nakajima reflects on the trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, who assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, weaving together her own experience running the project space "Datsuisho – (a) place to be naked" in Tokyo's Yanaka district. As the space faced demolition in late 2025, Nakajima draws parallels between the trial's timing and the closure of her venue, recalling earlier events at the space that discussed the state funeral controversy and the cult issues exposed by the assassination. She describes attending the trial in Nara, observing Yamagami's demeanor, and connecting the case to broader themes of political aesthetics, fascism, and the theatricality of the judicial system.

Qatar makes Venice Biennale debut with pavilion built on collaboration, food and live art

Qatar has made its debut at the Venice Biennale with an official national pavilion, marking a major cultural milestone as the first new national pavilion in the Giardini in 30 years. Led by artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, the project titled "Untitled 2026: A gathering of remarkable people" transforms the space into a living environment featuring live music, film screenings, shared meals, and ongoing performances. The pavilion brings together artists, musicians, and chefs from across the Arab world and its diasporas, emphasizing cultural exchange rather than a single national narrative.

Venice Biennale opens under shadow of protests over Russia and Israel

The 61st Venice Biennale opened under heavy protest as Russia returns to the event for the first time since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian feminist collective Femen and Russian punk band Pussy Riot demonstrated outside the Russian pavilion, with activists accusing Russia of using art as a weapon in a hybrid war. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside Israel's pavilion, holding banners reading 'No artwashing genocide' and demanding Israel's exclusion over the war in Gaza. The Biennale's international jury resigned last month, refusing to award prizes to countries led by figures subject to ICC arrest warrants, namely Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called Russia's participation 'morally wrong' and threatened to cut €2 million in funding, while culture ministers from 22 European countries urged organizers to reconsider.

Venice Biennale opens without a jury amid strife over Russian and Israeli participation

The Venice Biennale, one of the world's most prestigious contemporary art exhibitions, opens its most contested edition in memory without a jury after the jury resigned in protest over the participation of Israel and Russia, both under investigation by the International Criminal Court for human rights abuses. Protests have erupted outside the Israeli and Russian pavilions, with demonstrators clashing with police, while feminist groups from Ukraine and Russia converged on the Russian Pavilion and Palestinians remembered artists killed in Gaza. The Biennale has replaced the jury with a public vote via email, with winners announced at the close on November 22.

Art House Productions Unveils "In The Wind" Public Art Installation

Art House Productions has unveiled "In The Wind," a large-scale public art installation in Lincoln Park, Jersey City, featuring artist-designed flags with original works by Hudson County artists. Curated by Tina Maneca, the exhibition celebrates the organization's 25th anniversary and includes over 80 artists who live, work, or maintain studios in Hudson County. The flags are installed around Edgewood Lake, moving with the wind to create a dynamic, ever-changing exhibition. All flags are priced at $500 and available for purchase. The installation runs from June through November 2026, with an opening reception on June 5, 2026, during ACCESS JC Fridays.

Venice Family Clinic’s Art Exhibition + Auction

The 47th annual Venice Family Clinic Art Exhibition + Auction will take place May 8–17, 2026, at 910 Abbot Kinney in Venice, Los Angeles. Founded in 1979 as the Venice Art Walk, it is the city’s longest-running charity art exhibition, featuring Signature Artist Alison Saar and over 150 established and emerging Los Angeles artists. Proceeds support Venice Family Clinic’s health care services for more than 45,000 patients across the Westside, Inglewood, the South Bay, and beyond.

Lucas Museum Unveils `Star Wars’ Exhibition Details

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles has announced details for its inaugural exhibition "Star Wars in Motion," set to open on September 22. The show will feature props, costumes, and vehicle designs from the first six Star Wars films, including Luke's Landspeeder and General Grievous' Wheel Bike, as part of a broader lineup of about 20 inaugural exhibitions spanning visual storytelling from ancient art to modern film. The 300,000-square-foot museum, founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, will display over 1,200 artworks across 100,000 square feet of gallery space, with additional galleries dedicated to comic art, manga, children's literature, and works by artists such as Thomas Hart Benton, Beatrix Potter, Jack Kirby, Alison Bechdel, Frank Frazetta, Norman Rockwell, Diego Rivera, Dorothea Lange, and Gordon Parks.

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Sets Its First Star Wars Exhibit

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art has announced its first Star Wars-themed exhibition, titled *Star Wars in Motion*, which will focus on vehicles and transportation from the first six films of George Lucas's saga. The installation is part of the museum's inaugural *Cinema* exhibition, one of over thirty presentations opening on September 22, curated by Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson from the museum's founding collection.

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Unveils Inaugural Cinema Exhibition ‘Star Wars in Motion’

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open in Los Angeles on September 22, 2026, has announced its inaugural cinema exhibition titled 'Star Wars in Motion.' The exhibition will feature vehicle designs, props, costumes, and illustrations from the first six films of George Lucas's saga, including Luke's Landspeeder and General Grievous' Wheel Bike. It is one of over 30 installations opening with the museum, which also includes exhibitions on architecture, American life by Thomas Hart Benton, American and European comics, and works by illustrators such as Jessie Willcox Smith, Frank Frazetta, and Norman Rockwell.

Expo 86-themed events and ‘A Little Art Buzz’ at Surrey Art Gallery in May

Surrey Art Gallery in British Columbia is hosting a series of events throughout May 2026, centered on the exhibition "In the Shadow of the Pavilions: Expo 86 and Contemporary Art." Highlights include a Family Art Jam on May 3, an artist talk with Leah Murray on May 7, a symposium titled "Expo Lines: Expo 86 and Contemporary Art" on May 9, and a curator’s tour with Jordan Strom on May 28. The events explore the artistic legacy of Vancouver’s 1986 world’s fair, which drew 22 million visitors, and feature works by over 50 artists including Bill Reid, Robert Davidson, Debra Sparrow, and Paul Wong.

In Milan there is an exhibition where color fascinates because it is mystical and changeable

A Milano c’è una mostra dove il colore affascina perché è mistico e mutevole

The article reports on Jason Martin's second solo exhibition at Christian Stein gallery in Milan, titled "Vertex," curated by Sergio Risaliti. Eight new large-scale works fill the Palazzo Cicogna space, showcasing Martin's signature thick oil paint surfaces that shift in color and texture, evoking the changing appearance of a wheat field. The exhibition runs until May 23, 2025.

'Slime family portrait' shown at top exhibition

Kutub Uddin, a photographer from West Sussex, is one of only two UK photographers selected for the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. His image, described as a "slime family portrait," captures the reproductive parts of a slime mold—tiny blue spheres on stalks—on a fallen tree in Slindon Wood, magnified many times using a specialist lens. The exhibition recently opened at Brighton Museum and Art Gallery and runs until September 6.

Opening Conversation: International Surrealism from Tate

The Frist Art Museum in Nashville will host "Opening Conversation: International Surrealism from Tate" on May 21, 2026, from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. The event features a discussion with Dr. Matthew Gale, exhibition curator; Michael J. Ewing, Frist Art Museum associate curator; and Caroline Yates, Susan H. Edwards Curatorial Fellow, focusing on the exhibition "International Surrealism from Tate: Fifty Years of Dreams." The exhibition, drawn from the Tate's collection in the United Kingdom, presents a broad selection of paintings, photographs, sculptures, publications, and archival material that traces the long trajectory and global reach of surrealism. A live musical performance in the Grand Lobby precedes the conversation from 5:15 to 6:15 PM, and the museum remains open until 9:00 PM for gallery visits.

Ohio State’s Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum to reopen Saturday with new exhibitions

Ohio State University's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, home to the world's largest cartoon and comic collection, will reopen on Saturday after being closed since November 10, 2025. The reopening features renovated galleries, a new permanent exhibition titled "Story of Comics" that traces 400 years of cartoon art, and the U.S. debut of cartoonist Chris Ware's major international exhibition "Life Is Complicated," on display until January 3, 2027. The museum houses 300,000 original cartoons and 2.5 million newspaper comic strip pages and clippings.

The Kurators’ Art Dubai 2026 Highlights: Breaking Open the Art Fair Model

The 20th anniversary edition of Art Dubai 2026, held at Madinat Jumeirah, signaled a shift from a traditional art fair model toward an expanded cultural platform integrating exhibitions, institutional presentations, gallery booths, and public programming. Key highlights include the Dubai Collection's 'Made Forward' exhibition, which drew from over 20 private collections across the UAE to present works from West Asia, North Africa, and South Asia, and gallery presentations such as Adrian Pepe and Omar Al Gurg's sculptural systems using Awassi sheep wool at SOLO Bucharest, Lana Khayat's textile-based abstraction at Hafez Gallery, and Alisa Bagdonaite's digital art showcase at Dom Art Projects featuring artists Sofya Skidan, Michiko Tsuda, and Kirill Makarov.

Ronald Rose-Antoinette is the new Max Stern Curator at the Ellen Art Gallery

Ronald Rose-Antoinette has been appointed the new Max Stern Curator at Concordia University’s Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery. A Concordia graduate with a BFA, MA in film studies, and PhD in humanities, Rose-Antoinette has over 20 years of experience studying, working, and collaborating at the university. His role includes curating the SIGHTINGS exhibition series, developing public programming, and overseeing the gallery’s permanent collection of more than 1,800 works, primarily by Canadian artists. He describes his return as a "homecoming" and emphasizes a curatorial vision focused on decolonial practices, cross-cultural work, and intersectional approaches.

First Zurbarán exhibition at the National Gallery

The National Gallery in London has opened the first monographic exhibition in the UK dedicated to Francisco de Zurbarán, a leading 17th-century Spanish painter. The show brings together exceptional loans from public and private collections across the UK, Europe, and the United States, including works displayed together for the first time in over a century. Highlights include life-size depictions of saints, soaring altarpieces, and contemplative still lifes, with the exhibition running until 23 August.

Indigenous Artist Honors Grandmothers at All My Relations Arts

Danielle SeeWalker, a Húŋkpapȟa Lakȟóta artist from the Standing Rock Sioux Nation, presents her solo exhibition *Uŋči Said So* at All My Relations Arts in Minneapolis, running through June 6. The show features vibrant expressionist portraits of grandmothers and matriarchs, neon signs with Lakȟóta words, and painted buffalo-hide drum heads, all inspired by memories, stories, and the artist's own heritage. SeeWalker incorporates distinctive motifs such as obscured faces with one realistic eye, braided hair symbolizing Native identity, and censored sections representing the repression of Native voices.

The largest U.S. showcase of ancient Italy's fascinating Etruscan culture debuts at Legion of Honor.

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco have opened "The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy" at the Legion of Honor, the largest U.S. exhibition dedicated to the ancient Etruscan civilization. Curated by Renée Dreyfus, the show brings together approximately 150 objects borrowed from 28 institutions, including the Vatican, the British Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It explores Etruscan engineering, architecture, art, and social customs, including the elevated status of women, and features highlights such as a granulated gold drinking bowl and the bronze Liver of Piacenza.