art exhibition biennials this year curators

In 2026, a rare alignment of major biennial exhibitions will take place globally, including the Venice Biennale (opening May 9, curated by Koyo Kouoh), MoMA PS1's Greater New York, the Whitney Biennial, and the Bronx Museum's AIM Biennial, alongside events in Toronto, Pittsburgh, Gwangju, Sydney, Diriyah, and Busan. CULTURED interviewed curators from four of these shows—such as Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer of the Whitney Biennial—to explore how these sprawling group exhibitions come together, revealing a trend toward smaller, internally organized shows with less declarative themes.

Contrast Reigns in Austn Fischer’s Conspicuous Black-and-White Photos

Austn Fischer, a Wisconsin-born, London-based photographer, creates black-and-white images that explore fashion as performance and identity. His work features striking contrasts, such as lace ruffs paired with athletic wear, and he has collaborated with clients like The New Statesman and Crack Magazine, photographing subjects including Ai Weiwei and David Byrne. Fischer describes his process as working backwards, arranging scenes intuitively and later reflecting on their personal significance, especially regarding his sexuality and masculinity.

Animals Wander through Neighborhood Streets at Twilight in Nicholas Moegly’s Illustrations

Artist Nicholas Moegly creates illustrations and oil paintings depicting quiet American neighborhoods at twilight, where animals like deer and foxes wander through empty streets and yards. His work evokes a dreamy, timeless realism, drawing comparisons to photographer Todd Hido and illustrator Chris Van Allsburg.

A Visit to Tomás Saraceno’s Berlin Studio Delves into a Deeply Empathetic Practice

A Visit to Tomás Saraceno’s Berlin Studio Delves into a Deeply Empathetic Practice

A new documentary from Art21 offers an inside look into artist Tomás Saraceno's Berlin studio, highlighting his collaborative and interdisciplinary practice. The film explores several of his projects, from large-scale suspended installations to community-focused works, all centered on how humans inhabit space and relate to other species.

‘A Language We Share’ Traces a Photographic Lineage Between Gordon Parks and Beverly Price

‘A Language We Share’ Traces a Photographic Lineage Between Gordon Parks and Beverly Price

A new exhibition, "A Language We Share," opens this month at the Center for Art and Advocacy, placing the work of photographer Beverly Price in direct conversation with the legendary Gordon Parks. The show highlights their shared focus on social advocacy through imagery, particularly documenting the lives of children and communities in areas like Southeast Anacostia in Washington D.C., a location both photographers have captured across different eras.

“In the Presence of Others” at Nørrebro Teater, Copenhagen

Nørrebro Teater in Copenhagen is hosting its first major contemporary art exhibition, "In the Presence of Others," featuring works by Marina Abramović, Laurie Anderson, and Miranda July. The show focuses on the artists' engagement with sound and will be staged throughout the entire theatre building.

“Passages” at Kunsthalle Friart Fribourg

Kunsthalle Friart Fribourg presents "Passages," a group exhibition exploring the fluid boundaries of matter and form. The show investigates the existential transition points where materials coalesce into recognizable shapes and, conversely, where those forms begin to dissolve or mutate. By focusing on the inherent instability of physical objects, the curated selection of works challenges traditional perceptions of permanence in contemporary art.

“Feedback. The Environments of Franco Vaccari” at Museion, Bolzano

Museion in Bolzano has launched a major retrospective titled "Feedback. The Environments of Franco Vaccari," focusing on the influential Italian conceptual artist. The exhibition marks the first comprehensive institutional survey to prioritize Vaccari’s "environments"—immersive spaces that utilize photography, video, and archival materials to engage the viewer in a process of real-time feedback.

2026 Art Basel Award Winners Announced

Art Basel has unveiled the 33 medalists for its 2026 global honors program, recognizing a diverse group of artists, curators, and institutions. The selection highlights a strong Southeast Asian presence, including architect Kulapat Yantrasast and filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, alongside international figures like Laurie Anderson and Julie Mehretu. These awards celebrate practitioners across categories such as Emerging Artist, Established Artist, and Cross-Disciplinary Creator, with winners to be celebrated at the upcoming Basel fair in June.

Art Central Enters Its Second Decade with a Discovery‑Led 11th Edition

Art Central 2026, the Hong Kong art fair, is launching its 11th edition with a record 117 galleries and over 500 artists. The event, staged on the Central Harbourfront, emphasizes discovery through large-scale installations, performances, and moving-image works, transforming its architecture into an immersive arena. It solidifies its role as a key regional platform.

Dirty carpets to Palestinian skateboarders: a decade of Peckham 24 – in pictures

Peckham 24, a photography festival in south London, celebrates its 10th anniversary with a special edition titled "The Eras Edition," running from 15-17 May at Copeland Park and the Bussey Building. Founded a decade ago by artist-curator duo Jo Dennis and Vivienne Gamble as a fringe event of Photo London, the festival began as a 24-hour pop-up showcasing emerging talent. This year's edition explores the theme of time through works by artists including Kristina Yenza (documenting youth in wartime Ukraine), Vinca Petersen (rural community life on the Isle of Skye), Max Ferguson (the London College of Communication tower block), Julie F Hill (space telescope data visualizations), Mark Duffy (carpet detritus in the Houses of Parliament), and Maen Hammad (Palestinian skateboarders).

How the adoption of canvas in Venice changed the way artists painted

Art historian Cleo Nisse has published a new book, *Venetian Canvas and the Transformation of Painting*, examining how 16th-century Venetian painters such as Titian, Veronese, and Tintoretto pioneered the use of canvas as a painting support. Nisse reveals that canvas was not a uniform material—artists experimented with different weaves, including tabby and herringbone patterns, and even repurposed sailcloth and tablecloth-quality fabrics to achieve specific visual effects. The book argues that canvas was already familiar in the late Middle Ages for banners and alternatives to tapestry, and that Vittore Carpaccio was the first master of the medium, varying canvas types for expressive purposes in his *Legend of St Ursula* series.

Venice exhibition of site-specific films aims to capture the hyper stimulating times we are living in

The Fondazione In Between Art Film presents "Canicula," the third and final exhibition in its Trilogy of Uncertainties, opening on 6 May at the Complesso dell’Ospedaletto in Venice. Curated by Leonardo Bigazzi, the show features eight newly commissioned site-specific films that explore themes of excess, sensory overload, and geopolitical tension. Works include Roman Khimei and Yarema Malashchuk's "Affirmations" (2026), depicting fictional deathbed testimonies of Russian soldiers, Lawrence Abu Hamdan's "450XL: The Story of a Fugitive Sound" (2026) about a sonic attack in Belgrade, and Maya Watanabe's "Jarkov" (2025-26) reflecting on Arctic ice melt and Pleistocene remains.

Remembering Napoleon Jones-Henderson, an AfriCOBRA Founding Member Who Imbued Art and Life with Exuberant Energy

Napoleon Jones-Henderson, a founding member of the influential African American artist collective AfriCOBRA, has died. Born in Chicago in 1943, he studied at the Sorbonne and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he was mentored by Bauhaus textile artist Else Regensteiner. In 1969, he co-founded AfriCOBRA, becoming known as "the weaver" of the group for his vibrant textile works that incorporated metallic threads and found objects. He later moved to Boston, taught at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and maintained a prolific studio practice in Roxbury for over 50 years, creating works focused on empowerment, Pan-Africanism, and racial justice.

‘We’re attached to this land like a tree is rooted in soil’: unexpectedly timely exhibition speaks up for the people of south Lebanon

An exhibition titled 'Forget Me Not: South Lebanon in Memory and Motion' was held at London's Palestine House earlier this month. It featured archival news footage from 2000, photographs, audiovisual materials, and children's drawings to document the history, culture, and resilience of southern Lebanon, a region experiencing renewed conflict.

Grimes joining LinkedIn is artwashing at its most brazen. I should know – I released my new film on there

Artist Alan Warburton critiques the migration of creative professionals to LinkedIn, sparked by musician Grimes' recent pivot to the platform to promote her appearance at an Nvidia tech conference. Warburton, who recently released his AI-focused film 'Image Empire' on the site, describes the move as a desperate response to the 'enshittification' of traditional creative platforms like Twitter and Vimeo, which have been overrun by bots and AI-generated content.

One of the Art Market’s Biggest Secrets, Revealed

Global auction totals saw a significant rebound in 2025, rising 13.3 percent compared to the previous year after a prolonged period of decline. The latest Artnet Intelligence Report highlights this recovery while shifting focus toward the increasingly influential world of private auctions, where high-value masterpieces are traded in invitation-only, clandestine settings away from the public eye.

After Five Years of Community Building, Social Practice CUNY Initiative to End in 2027

The Social Practice CUNY (SPCUNY) initiative, a major program fostering the intersection of art and social justice across the City University of New York’s 25 campuses, will officially sunset in February 2027. Co-directed by artists Chloë Bass and Greg Sholette, the program will conclude following its final 2025–26 fellowship cohort. The decision to end the project stems from the directors' personal transitions, including Sholette’s upcoming retirement and Bass’s shift away from full-time teaching to focus on her studio practice.

Sarah Lee captures the wonders of spring – in pictures

Guardian photographer Sarah Lee has published a series of photographs capturing the arrival of spring in the UK. The images, taken as the clocks moved forward for British Summer Time, focus on natural details and scenes that signify the seasonal change.

Chile's leading art fair foregrounds affordable works, often with a political edge

The 16th edition of Chile Arte Contemporáneo (Chaco), Chile's only international contemporary art fair, is underway in Santiago, featuring over 50 galleries. The fair emphasizes representation of the entire country, from the Atacama Desert to Patagonia, and includes galleries from 11 countries, with a focus on Chilean contemporary artists. Notable presentations include immersive installations by artists like Fernando Andreo Castro and politically engaged displays, such as a composite flag by Brazilian gallery Hermès and a stand by Mnwal, a space for artists from the Palestinian diaspora.

All and Nothing review – inspiring tale of the Chinese artist who cultivated a grassroots scene in Cumbria

A new documentary film, 'All and Nothing,' profiles the life and legacy of Chinese artist Li Yuan-chia, who founded the influential LYC Museum and Art Gallery in rural Cumbria, England, in 1972. The film, directed by Liao I-ling and Chu Po-ying, uses his abstract art and archival materials to trace his journey from China and Taiwan to Italy and London, before he settled in Brampton.

technologies of relation mass moca

MASS MoCA has launched "Technologies of Relation," a group exhibition featuring 12 artists who explore the complex, non-binary relationship between humanity and artificial intelligence. Curated by Susan Cross, the show moves beyond dystopian narratives to investigate how artists can reclaim agency over corporate-produced technologies. Featured works range from Roopa Vasudevan’s hand-drawn QR codes that mimic textiles to Neema Githere’s hammock installations that literalize the concept of a digital network.

indira cesarine the untitled space

Indira Cesarine, the founder of The Untitled Space in Tribeca, reflects on a decade of operating her gallery as a platform for marginalized voices and feminist-driven programming. The gallery grew out of Cesarine’s work as an editor and curator, specifically following the success of her 2009 publication, The Untitled Magazine, and early exhibitions that highlighted the lack of representation for women in the art market.

affordable art fair new york city

The Affordable Art Fair New York returns for its spring 2026 edition at the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea, featuring a diverse array of local and international exhibitors. A central highlight of this year's fair is the curated exhibition "Sight Unseen: How Photography Shapes Perception," which showcases artists pushing the boundaries of photography through new technologies, sculptural elements, and alternative processes. All works at the fair are priced between $100 and $12,000, maintaining the event's commitment to price transparency and accessibility.

ludovic nkoth flag art foundation

Ludovic Nkoth is the latest artist featured in the FLAG Art Foundation’s “Spotlight” series, which showcases a single, previously unexhibited work paired with a commissioned text. The featured painting, "Stars under the border" (2026), depicts figures in a quiet, mundane moment of rest or labor, exploring the tension between aspiration and systemic limitation. Nkoth’s practice, rooted in his Cameroonian heritage and New York base, utilizes nuanced brushwork and color to investigate the psychological complexities of the Black diasporic experience.

Art Market Minute: March 2

art market minute mar 2

Frieze Los Angeles has concluded with reports of strong sales, with some dealers noting higher transaction volumes than at Art Basel Miami Beach. This surge in activity was accompanied by a record number of satellite events, signaling a growing interest in alternative fair models and a localized boost for the Southern California art scene.

plautilla bricci painter roman architect

The nonprofit organization Artemisia Gold has announced a major restoration project for Plautilla Bricci’s 17th-century altarpiece, 'Birth of the Virgin' (ca. 1660), located in Rome’s Church of Santa Maria in Campo Marzio. Bricci, a rare female polymath of the Baroque era, was Italy’s first professional female architect as well as a prolific painter and sculptor. The restoration team, led by Jane Adams, aims to clean the darkened canvas and conduct X-ray analysis to potentially uncover a hidden signature and more details regarding its commission by Abbess Anna Maria Mazzarino.

sagrada familia central tower completion

Construction on Barcelona’s Sagrada Família reached a historic milestone with the completion of the central Tower of Jesus Christ. The installation of a 56-foot cross atop the structure officially makes the basilica the tallest church in the world, fulfilling a key component of Antoni Gaudí’s original vision nearly a century after his death.

ukrainian pavilion venice biennale 2026 security guarantees

The Ukrainian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale will present a project titled "Security Guarantees," focusing on the failure of international promises to protect Ukraine, specifically referencing the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. Artist Zhanna Kadyrova will exhibit her concrete sculpture, Origami Deer, which was evacuated from eastern Ukraine as the Russian frontline advanced. The work will be suspended from a crane on a truck along the lagoon, and the pavilion will include archival material and a video installation tracing the sculpture's journey.

christies koch western art american art market

Christie’s two-part auction of William I. Koch’s Western art collection realized $84.1 million with fees, more than tripling the previous record for a single-owner Western art collection and setting five new artist records. The sale, reported by the Observer and covered by ARTnews, stands out in a category that has struggled since the 2008 financial crisis, as collectors have shifted focus to postwar, contemporary, and ultra-contemporary work. Specialists attribute the success to structural changes in how American art is presented, growing cultural interest in the American West fueled by popular culture like Yellowstone, and the rare concentration of masterworks in the Koch collection.