A Short Film Joins In the Timeless Swiss Masked Tradition of Silvesterchlausen

A new short film titled 'Silvesterchlausen' by writer and director Andrew Norman Wilson documents the centuries-old Swiss New Year's tradition of the same name. The film captures groups of men and boys in the Appenzell regions who don elaborate, handmade masks and headdresses made from natural materials like pinecones and moss, forming groups to yodel, ring bells, and visit homes over 18-hour days to mark the turn of the year on both the Gregorian and Julian calendars.

Kellogg Gallery spotlights unconventional, colorful artists

Cal Poly Pomona's W. Keith and Janet Kellogg University Art Gallery is presenting "Color & Quirk," an exhibition running from August 25 to November 18, 2025, curated by Michele Cairella Fillmore. The show features unconventional, colorful artists who avoid white, black, and gray, including Megan Geckler, known for immersive flagging tape installations like "You can never quarantine the past," Colin Roberts, who creates plexiglass sculptures inspired by glass architecture, and Seda Saar, whose work explores perception, light, and color through interior architecture and themed entertainment design.

Printing the Unprinted: The Reversal of World Discovery

The Indonesian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale presents "Printing the Unprinted: The Reversal of World Discovery," a project that reimagines global history by casting an Indonesian kingdom as the explorer who discovers the West. Seven Indonesian artists—Agus Suwage, Syahrizal Pahlevi, Nurdian Ichsan, R.E. Hartanto, Theresia Agustina Sitompul, Mariam Sofrina, and Rusyan Yasin—participated in a two-month residency at the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica in Venice, collaboratively creating works through printmaking and expanded forms. The pavilion includes exhibitions, workshops, and symposiums that challenge dominant narratives and highlight Indonesia's contributions to maritime technology, commerce, arts, and knowledge.

Korea and Japan to Collaborate on Pavilions at Venice Biennale

Arts Council Korea has revealed the program for its national pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale. Curated by Binna Choi and titled "Liberation Space: Fortress/Nest," the exhibition will feature artists Goen Choi and Hyeree Ro, exploring the historical period between the end of Japanese colonial rule and the establishment of separate Korean governments. A key feature is artist Goen Choi's work *Meridian*, which will physically extend copper pipes from the Korean Pavilion into the adjacent Japanese Pavilion, marking the first formal collaboration between the two nations' presentations at the Biennale.

Poly Auction Hong Kong Spring Auctions 2026 concluded on a high note

Poly Auction Hong Kong's Spring 2026 season concluded with a total of HKD 255 million in sales, representing a 23% increase over the previous autumn cycle. The auction was headlined by Liu Wei’s 1995 painting "You Like Pork?", which fetched HKD 27.6 million, followed by a Ming Dynasty 'Grapes' foliate-rim dish that sold for HKD 24.6 million. The event saw participation from collectors across 17 countries, with significant growth in the Modern and Contemporary Art and Jewels and Watches sectors.

New Exhibition Explores Albuquerque’s “Big I” as a Crossroads of Culture, Memory, and Movement

A new group exhibition titled 'At the East of My Past and the West of My Future' opens at the South Broadway Cultural Center Gallery in Albuquerque, running from May 28 to July 17. Curated by multidisciplinary artist Watermelon7, the show features 14 artists who reinterpret the city's iconic Big I interchange as a symbol of movement, identity, and transformation. Inspired by Jack Kerouac's 'On the Road' and Route 66, the works explore personal and collective journeys through paintings, mixed-media pieces, and installations.

JoEllen Brydon explores her late mother’s work as an advice columnist in Art Gallery of Peterborough exhibition

The Art Gallery of Peterborough is set to host "Elizabeth Thompson Advises," a multimedia exhibition by Cavan-based artist JoEllen Brydon running from April to June 2026. The show centers on the work of Brydon’s late mother, Jean Armstrong Brydon, who wrote a progressive advice column for The Globe and Mail under the pseudonym Elizabeth Thompson between 1966 and 1978. The exhibition integrates original letters and columns with JoEllen’s bold paintings, audio recordings, and short films to bring these mid-century narratives to life.

In Penang, the Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery is set to be a new cultural beacon

The Lin Xiang Xiong (LXX) Art Gallery at The Light Waterfront in Gelugor, George Town, Penang, is set to open on December 14. The eight-storey, RM100 million gallery will feature over 300 original artworks by founder Prof Lin Xiang Xiong, an 80-year-old artist and entrepreneur, alongside a rotating collection of more than 1,000 pieces he amassed over six decades across Asia and Europe. The gallery's design is inspired by a turtle, symbolizing longevity and peace, and will host international symposiums, artist exchange programmes, and cross-cultural dialogues.

How Much Did It Cost to Paint a Pompeii Room Egyptian Blue?

How Much Did It Cost to Paint a Pompeii Room Egyptian Blue?

A new study has calculated the staggering cost of painting a room in Pompeii with Egyptian blue pigment. Researchers determined that covering the walls of a recently discovered "Blue Room," a sacred shrine, would have required between 2.7 and 4.9 kilograms of the prized synthetic pigment. Based on prices recorded by Pliny the Elder, this quantity of high-grade pigment would have cost between 50% and 90% of a Roman legionary's annual salary, highlighting it as an extreme luxury.

ENTERTAINMENT: AMFA opens Young Arkansas Artists exhibition; UCA Public Appearances sets 2026-27 season

The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA) in Little Rock opens the 65th Young Arkansas Artists exhibition on Saturday, featuring 52 artworks selected by a panel of museum and art professionals. The exhibition expands to four works per grade, K-12, and includes a "Best in Class" award chosen by grand juror Celeste Alexander. The show runs through July 26 in the Robyn and John Horn Gallery, with free admission and related activities at the museum's Windgate Art School.

Art Museum of Southeast Texas opens two new exhibitions tonight exploring Texas waterways and history

The Art Museum of Southeast Texas (AMSET) opens two new exhibitions today: "Julius Stockfleth: Dawn of a Century" and "Bill Pangburn: Printed Traces - A Neches River Journal." The Stockfleth exhibition features early Texas artist Julius Stockfleth's paintings of the 1900 Galveston hurricane and Texas coastal history, marking a homecoming as his work was first shown at AMSET in 1987. The Pangburn exhibition presents a new series of large-scale abstract woodcut prints inspired by the Neches River. Both run through July 5, with a free public reception tonight and a musical performance by composer Nathan Felix on May 30.

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.

Rocky statue gets its own exhibition in museum after years of tension

The iconic Rocky statue, a symbol of Philadelphia and the beloved film franchise, is now the subject of its own dedicated exhibition at a museum after years of tension between the city, the film's creators, and local institutions. The statue, originally created as a prop for the 1976 film 'Rocky' starring Sylvester Stallone, has had a complicated history, moving from the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps to the Spectrum arena and back, with debates over its artistic merit and placement.

Banksy’s Girl and Balloon on Found Landscape Sells for $18 Million

Banksy's painting *Girl and Balloon on Found Landscape* sold for $18 million (£13.3 million) at a Fair Warning auction held at Tiffany & Co.'s Landmark store in New York. The 2012 work, which reimagines a traditional pastoral landscape with the artist's iconic balloon motif, was purchased by an anonymous US bidder after a phone battle. The result places it among the three highest auction prices ever achieved for a Banksy artwork, surpassing *Sunflowers From Petrol Station* and trailing only *Game Changer* and *Love Is in the Bin*.

Running from one image to another, from one time to another, from one hope to another: at Circolo, in Milan, an exhibition on the contemporary Lebanese scene

The article reviews "Shifting Crossroads. Beirut Contemporary," an exhibition at Circolo in Milan that surveys the contemporary Lebanese art scene. It features internationally recognized artists like Mona Hatoum and Simone Fattal alongside emerging talents, including works from the Saikalis Bay Foundation, founded in 2024 by Nicole Saikalis and Matteo Bay. The show spans historical-archival investigation, photography, installation, painting, and sculpture, with pieces such as Stéphanie Saadé's "Stage of Life" (2021), Catherine Cattaruzza's "I am Folding the Land" (2022), and Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige's "Waiting for the Barbarians" (2013) exploring themes of memory, fragility, and geopolitical instability.

The art of unlearning

Quddus Mirza’s latest exhibition, "New Works" at Canvas Gallery in Karachi, marks a significant stylistic shift as the veteran artist, critic, and educator embraces the concept of "unlearning." Drawing inspiration from the raw honesty of children's drawings, Mirza presents twelve striking paintings that shed academic discipline in favor of blunt expression and intuitive mark-making. The works frequently utilize a dominant red palette to signal urgency, revolution, and bloodshed, juxtaposing domestic imagery with symbols of global unrest.

Art a path to conservation

Art a path to conservation

Dunedin-based artist Clare Reilly is celebrating her 50th year of exhibiting with a practice that merges vibrant depictions of New Zealand’s native flora and fauna with active environmental advocacy. Her work, which frequently features birds in flight as symbols of spiritual uplift, serves as both a tribute to the natural world and a warning about habitat loss. Through her career, she has collaborated with her late husband Max Podstolski under the Primitive Bird Group banner and participated in hands-on conservation efforts, such as the tūī relocation project to Banks Peninsula.

A new home for Asian contemporary art opens in landmarked building in Manhattan's Chinatown

The Wang Contemporary has officially opened its doors in a landmarked Beaux Arts building at 58 Bowery in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Founded by fashion designer Alexander Wang and his mother, Ying Wang, the cultural organization debuted with a site-specific installation by the Brooklyn-based conceptual collective MSCHF titled '20,000 Variations On A Paper Plane In Flight.' The performance featured red and gold paper planes launched from the building's central oculus, blending traditional Lunar New Year symbolism with conceptual art in a space that formerly served as a bank.

Daniel Sackheim Traverses Los Angeles’ Noir Side in ‘The City Unseen’

Emmy Award-winning director and photographer Daniel Sackheim is set to release a new photography book titled 'The City Unseen,' which explores the noir aesthetic of Los Angeles. Moving away from the city's sunny stereotypes, Sackheim utilizes high-contrast black-and-white photography to capture a gritty, cinematic underbelly inspired by hardboiled detective novels and historic urban architecture. The project features dramatic silhouettes and deep shadows that create a sense of timeless mystery across iconic L.A. locales.

This Massive Collection of More Than a Million Tools Tells the Striking History of Jewelry Making in America

Kevin Potter, a jeweler based in Tucson, Arizona, has assembled the world's largest collection of artifacts from America's industrial jewelry manufacturing era. His collection, housed in two warehouses, contains an estimated 1.2 million hubs and dies—the hand-carved steel tools used to mass-produce jewelry through die-striking—along with related machinery and ephemera, preserving a vast physical archive of a vanished craft.

Get Your Red-Hot History Lesson! How the Hot Dog Rose From Coney Island Carts to Platters at Presidential Picnics

The hot dog ascended from a humble street food sold by German immigrants in 19th-century New York to a symbol of American culture, famously served to King George VI at a 1939 presidential picnic. Its journey was propelled by vendors on Coney Island's boardwalk and its introduction to massive crowds at events like the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, eventually becoming a staple at ballparks and backyard gatherings.

Peruvian artist's solo exhibition opens at Heydar Aliyev Center [PHOTOS]

On May 21, a solo exhibition of Peruvian artist Ronald Companoca titled "The Theater of Dreams" opened at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan. The ceremony was attended by Leyla Aliyeva, Alena Aliyeva, Minister of Culture Adil Karimli, and other dignitaries. The exhibition features many works shown for the first time, including pieces inspired by Azerbaijani culture, such as carpet elements and national motifs. Companoca described his style as a synthesis of realistic and mystical elements, rooted in magical surrealism. An artistic performance with live characters mirroring the artwork accompanied the opening. The exhibition runs until March 1, 2027.

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.

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.

More UNESCO-Listed Sites Damaged by Airstrikes in Iran

Multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites in Iran, including the 17th-century Chehel Sotoun palace in Isfahan, have sustained significant damage from recent US-Israeli airstrikes. The attacks shattered historic windows, doors, and decorative tiles at several monuments in Isfahan's historic center, and also damaged the third-century Falak-ol-Aflak Citadel, despite the display of protective Blue Shield emblems.

elizabeth king louise bonnet swiss institute show interview

The Swiss Institute in New York has opened a new exhibition titled “De Anima,” pairing sculptor Elizabeth King and painter Louise Bonnet. Curated by director Stefanie Hessler, the show explores the boundaries between the living and the lifelike, featuring King's intricate automata and stop-motion films alongside Bonnet's large-scale oil paintings of fleshy, gestural figures. The artists, introduced by Hessler at an opening last year, discovered a shared fascination with involuntary bodily movements—twitching eyes, clenched jaws—and the invisible labor of artistic craftsmanship.

Catalonia Sues Aragón for €791,000 for Repayment Over Restitution of 56 Artworks

The Catalan government has formally demanded €791,000 (approximately $920,000) from the Aragonese government to recoup costs related to the value and upkeep of 56 artworks from the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Sigena. The works were removed from the monastery in 1936 for safekeeping during the Spanish Civil War, and Spain's Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that they must be returned to Aragón. Of the 56 pieces, 12 were held at the National Art Museum of Catalonia and 44 at the Diocesan Museum of Lleida. The Catalan government has given Aragón 30 days to negotiate a settlement before returning to court.

A Grandmother’s Keepsake Turns Out to Be an Imperial Chinese Robe Worth Thousands

A collection of Chinese antiques, including an Imperial robe from the 19th century, was discovered in a chest in London after being kept as family mementos for decades. The items were acquired by Nan Brake, a British translator living in Beijing during the 1950s, who purchased them on excursions around the city. The collection, which features Ming dynasty paintings, Qing dynasty embroidered robes, and jade ornaments, will be auctioned by Roseberys on May 12 with an estimated total value of £40,000 ($54,100). The standout piece is a turquoise silk Imperial robe embroidered with nine five-clawed dragons, likely made for a male member of the emperor's family.

Comment | Inside the preservation of the largest fortress in the Americas

A major 25-year conservation project at Haiti's Citadelle Laferrière, the largest fortress in the Americas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is nearing completion. The project, involving the World Monuments Fund, UNESCO, and the Haitian Institute for the Protection of National Heritage, has focused on earthquake reinforcement, waterproofing, and improving visitor access, using traditional 19th-century techniques and local labor.

Member's Spotlight Exhibition Opening Reception: Simon Robins: Sociable

The Contemporary Dayton is hosting a Member's Spotlight Exhibition titled "Simon Robins: Sociable," running from June 5 to June 27, 2026, with an opening reception on June 5 from 6-8 PM. The exhibition features paintings by Simon Robins that draw from public domain and found photographs sourced from digital archives, which he crops, recolors, and recontextualizes to create works that feel both familiar and elusive. Robins, a collections librarian and faculty member at the University of Dayton, uses his archival expertise to explore themes of social alienation, belonging, and the power dynamics embedded in historical image collections.