What’s on now at San Francisco museums, November 2025

San Francisco museums are presenting a wide array of exhibitions in November 2025, with several closing soon and others opening in the coming months. At SFMOMA, major shows include "Alejandro Cartagena: Ground Rules" (through April 19), "KAWS: Family" (through May 3, 2026), the photography exhibition "(Re)Constructing History" featuring Carrie Mae Weems, Nona Faustine, Carla Williams, and Dawoud Bey, and "Suzanne Jackson: What is Love," the artist's first retrospective. The Institute for Contemporary Art hosts "Midnight March" by Masako Miki and "stay, take your time, my love" by David Antonio Cruz, both closing Dec. 7. The Asian Art Museum presents "Rave into the Future: Art in Motion" closing Jan. 12, and the Legion of Honor will open "Drawn to Venice" from Jan. 24 to Aug. 2, 2026. The Murphy and Cadogan Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition, a collaboration with the San Francisco Foundation and SOMarts, closes Dec. 7.

Theaster Gates’ Smart Museum Show Marks a Historic Moment for His Hometown Legacy

Theaster Gates is presenting a major exhibition at the Smart Museum of Art in Chicago, marking a historic moment for the artist’s legacy in his hometown. The show brings together his multidisciplinary practice spanning sculpture, installation, performance, and urban intervention, reflecting his deep engagement with Chicago’s South Side communities and histories of race, labor, and urban renewal.

Frieze London diary: a Mick Jagger meeting, a movie night and punk fair style

Frieze London 2025 is underway with a series of off-site events and colorful encounters. Highlights include a Prada Mode installation by Elmgreen & Dragset at Camden Town Hall, where the duo transforms a former council chamber into an auditorium filled with mannequins and a looping abstract film. At Nahmad Projects, artist Michelangelo Pistoletto met Mick Jagger at an exhibition pairing his new Mirror Paintings with Cubist works by Picasso. Belgian collector Alain Servais turned heads in a blazer emblazoned with British rock band names and the slogan "Anarchy in the UK." Russian performance artist Petr Davydtchenko displayed his Pfizer-forehead tattoo as part of his archive piece "Skin in the Game" (2025), acquired by the A/POLITICAL collection. Meanwhile, Victoria and Albert Museum director Tristram Hunt published a Financial Times op-ed defending London and the UK as a cultural destination.

Primary talks about their new open exhibition and visual arts in the Lenton and Radford community

Primary, an artist-led contemporary visual arts organization and charity in Nottingham, has opened a new exhibition and visual arts program at its Seely Road location in the Lenton and Radford community. Housed in a repurposed school building, the venue includes a community garden, bakery, coffee shop, bookseller, and art studios, supporting over fifty artists. The program offers residencies and exhibition opportunities for emerging talent from the global ethnic majority and underrepresented groups, aiming to make contemporary art more accessible.

London’s Hayward Gallery director Ralph Rugoff to step down after 20 years in role

Ralph Rugoff, director of London's Hayward Gallery for nearly 20 years, will step down in spring 2026. The gallery declined to provide a reason for his departure, but Rugoff, 68, plans to continue working as an independent curator and writer. During his tenure, he curated 23 major exhibitions, commissioned public works by artists including Tracey Emin, Yinka Shonibare, and Phyllida Barlow, and oversaw the Hayward Gallery Touring program, which produced exhibitions like the British Art Show across the UK. He also served as artistic director of the 58th Venice Biennale in 2019 and received an OBE for services to the arts.

Taipei's new art exhibitions highlight diversity and cultural power

Taipei's art scene presents a diverse fall lineup of exhibitions in September and October, featuring internationally recognized figures such as Anthony McCall, whose 'Solid Light' series debuts in Taiwan at the Fubon Art Museum, and a major retrospective of Finnish architect Alvar Aalto at the Jut Museum of Art. Local galleries also shine, with shows by Taiwanese artists Michael Lin, Shi Jin-hua (posthumous tribute), and Jenny Chen, alongside German artist Michael Muller at Gdm Gallery and Swiss artist Thierry Feuz at Bluerider Art. The season includes technology-focused exhibitions, pop culture offerings like a 'Ghost in the Shell' metal art show, and group shows exploring travel, memory, and contemporary Asian aesthetics.

The Getty hires Justine Ludwig of Creative Time to run PST Art

The Getty has hired Justine Ludwig, currently the executive director of Creative Time in New York, as the creative director of PST Art, a newly created position. Ludwig will relocate to California and start on October 27, leading a team that includes Zachary Kaplan and Tina Lee, with plans to expand the department. The Getty has spent around $50 million on PST Art over two decades but previously lacked a dedicated team for the event. Ludwig's appointment comes as the Getty prepares for the 2030 edition and aims to refine the program, including working closely with smaller partner museums and non-profits.

A brush with… Tai Shani—podcast

Tai Shani, a London-based artist born in 1976, is the subject of a podcast episode in the "A brush with…" series. She discusses her multidisciplinary practice, which draws on cultural forms, historical events, and theoretical ideas to create fantastical, utopian worlds infused with contemporary political and social themes. Shani reflects on the gendered nature of her mediums, the influence of works like John Everett Millais's *Ophelia* and Valie Export's exhibition at Camden Art Centre, and the revolutionary potential of art in an era of right-wing politics. The episode also covers her upcoming exhibitions: *The Spell or The Dream* at Somerset House (August–September 2025), *Gathering* in London (September–November 2025), a sculpture at Dulwich Picture Gallery's new sculpture park, and her High Line commission in New York, on view through March 2026.

Introducing Julia Day, the Frick’s new chief conservator

The Frick Collection in New York has appointed Julia Day as its new chief conservator, a role she assumed upon the retirement of Joseph Godla, who had held the position since 2005. Day, a Frick veteran who left in 2022 to become a senior conservator at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, returned this spring to lead the museum's expanded conservation efforts. Her appointment coincides with the reopening of the Frick's renovated 1914 mansion, which now features a new 1,200-square-foot conservation studio—the Sherman Fairchild Center for Art Conservation—designed by Samuel Anderson Architects, along with a radiography room and exhibition preparation spaces.

Miss Subway NYC is a landmark solo exhibition by trailblazing artist Lady Pink.

D'Stassi Art has opened "Miss Subway NYC," a landmark solo exhibition by trailblazing graffiti artist Lady Pink in Shoreditch, London. The show features a full-scale recreation of a graffiti-covered NYC subway station, displaying original works, new commissions, archival pieces, sketches, and ephemera from her early career. Lady Pink, one of the first women to break into New York's graffiti scene, began tagging trains at 17 and exhibited at MoMA PS1's landmark 1981 show "New York/New Wave" alongside Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. The exhibition's title references the historic Miss Subways beauty pageant, and includes a self-portrait of Lady Pink as Miss Subways 2025.

Remembering John Sailer, the gallerist and champion of Austrian art, who has died, aged 87

John Sailer, the founder of Vienna's Galerie Ulysses and a key champion of Austrian avant-garde art, has died at age 87. Sailer opened the gallery in 1974 with Gabriele Wimmer in a garage space before moving to its permanent location at Opernring 21. Over five decades, the gallery showcased Austrian artists such as Hans Hollein, Maria Lassnig, Walter Pichler, Arnulf Rainer, and Fritz Wotruba, alongside American greats like Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, and Helen Frankenthaler. Sailer also worked to promote Austrian and German artists in US museums, notably organizing a Rainer exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum and the Menil Collection, and successfully introducing Lassnig to the New York market at age 70.

Weekly News Roundup: July 7, 2025

The Sharjah Architecture Triennial announced its third edition theme, "Architecture Otherwise: Building Civic Infrastructure for Collective Futures," opening in November 2026, curated by Vyjayanthi Rao and Tau Tavengwa. The Noguchi Museum appointed Hitomi Iwasaki as head curator, while London nonprofit YDP announced an inaugural Duan Jianyu exhibition and permanent commissions by Christine Sun Kim and Danh Võ. Australia's Mordant family gifted major artworks to the Newcastle Art Gallery.

Blanc gallery celebrates 15 years in Chicago's historic centre of Black enterprise

Blanc gallery in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood celebrates its 15th anniversary with the exhibition 'In Retrospect' (1-29 March), featuring works from its earliest years alongside new pieces. Founded by chef Cliff Rome and real estate developer Eileen Rhodes, the gallery opened on a historic block of Black enterprise, initially showcasing artists like Olalekan Jeyifous and Amanda Williams. Over the years, it has exhibited influential Black artists, architects, and designers including Norman Teague and Faheem Majeed, while also serving as a community hub with outdoor film screenings, music, and partnerships with institutions like the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) and Expo Chicago.

Art from the Bass House by Paul Rudolph

Christie's will offer exceptional works from the Bass House in Fort Worth, Texas, designed by architect Paul Rudolph for Anne and Sid Bass in 1970. The single-owner sale, titled "Art from the Bass House," will be held on 12 May 2025, headlined by a rare Mark Rothko painting from 1950-1951, along with works by Ellsworth Kelly, Alexander Calder, and Frank Stella. The collection will be presented within the 20th Century Evening Sale and the Post-War & Contemporary Art Day Sale, continuing the Bass collection's presence at Christie's after the record-breaking 2022 sale of The Collection of Anne H. Bass.

Kehinde Wiley responds to woman's lawsuit alleging sexual assault

Artist Kehinde Wiley is facing a lawsuit in New York from a woman named Ogechi Chieke, who alleges that he sexually assaulted her at a restaurant in 2007. The suit, filed under New York's Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, claims Wiley forcibly groped her after a gallery opening. Wiley denies the allegations, stating he has never met Chieke and calling the lawsuit a "blatant money-grab." This is the first time an accusation against Wiley has been filed in court, following four separate allegations of sexual misconduct made against him last year by other individuals, including artist Joseph Awuah-Darko, historian Terrell Armistead, and activist Derrick Ingram.

Exploring the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum: Curves, Culture, and Creativity in Lansing

A visitor recounts their experience at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum on the Michigan State University campus in Lansing, Michigan. The article describes the museum's striking architecture designed by Zaha Hadid, noting its curved, geometric form and use of glass and light. Inside, the visitor highlights several current exhibitions: "Nabil Kanso: Echoes of War" (on view through June 29, 2025), "Farmland" (through July 27, 2025), and the 2025 MFA Exhibition featuring works by graduating students Claire E. Heiney, Morgan Reneé Hill, and Megan Weaver. The author reflects on the emotional impact of the art and the educational value of the visit.

Diego Rivera’s grandson donates more than 150,000 objects to Mexico City’s Museo Anahuacalli

Juan Rafael Coronel Rivera, grandson of Diego Rivera, has donated his private collection of 157,300 objects to Mexico City's Museo Anahuacalli. The vast donation spans ceramics, textiles, prints, photographs, archives, and a research library, with works dating from the 16th century to the present. It will be transferred in stages and is expected to be fully integrated by the end of the year.

Santiago museum, set on fire during 2020 protests, reopens

The Violeta Parra Museum in Santiago, Chile, has reopened after being closed for over six years due to arson attacks during the countrywide social protests of February 2020. The museum, dedicated to the multifaceted artist and musician, suffered three fires but its distinctive guitar-shaped building, designed by architect Cristián Undurraga, did not sustain major structural damage. A $1 million restoration, funded by the museum's fire insurance and overseen by director Denise Elphick, focused on cleaning soot and rehabilitating the concrete, while adding heat-resistant windows and enhanced security.

Pinakothek in Munich Returns Nazi-Looted Painting by Lesser Ury to Jewish Heirs

The Pinakothek museums in Munich have restituted a painting by German-Jewish Impressionist Lesser Ury to the heirs of its original owner, Berlin banker Curt Goldschmidt. The work, 'Interior with Children (The Siblings),' was sold at a forced auction in the 1930s after the Goldschmidt family bank collapsed under Nazi economic policies.

Before He Stole the Oscars, Timothée Chalamet Stole Ballet and Opera

Actor Timothée Chalamet sparked controversy by stating in an interview that he doesn't want to work in ballet or opera, describing them as artforms where the goal is to "keep this thing alive." The comment prompted swift backlash from the dance community, with institutions extending personal invitations and op-eds criticizing his remarks.

Heading for Brittany! 5 art galleries to visit in Rennes

Cap sur la Bretagne ! 5 galeries d’art à visiter à Rennes

Beaux Arts Magazine highlights five art galleries to visit in Rennes, France, a city already known for its Musée des Beaux-Arts, art centers 40mcube and La Criée, and a spectacular Frac designed by architect Odile Decq. The featured galleries include Oniris, which celebrates 40 years and the centenary of artist François Morellet in 2026; Jonathan Roze, a newcomer from Paris now located on Place du Parlement; Mica, a gallery in Saint-Grégoire run by former cabinetmaker Michaël Chéneau; and Divet, an even older gallery with a strong Breton identity.

Francois Boisrond prend de la hauteur

French artist François Boisrond, a key figure of the 1980s Figuration libre movement, presents his new series "Ouvrages d'art" at Galerie Maïa Muller in Paris. The series reinterprets monumental architecture—including the Millau Viaduct, the Pont de Normandie, Mont Saint-Michel, Notre-Dame, and the Eiffel Tower—using drone-sourced images. Boisrond employs a new liquid acrylic technique that creates a matte, flat finish, producing works that appear hyperrealistic from a distance but dissolve into impressionistic or pixelated abstraction up close. The exhibition, extended through May 16, 2026, features large-format paintings priced between €25,000 and €50,000.

Manifesta 16 Ruhr announces list of artists

Manifesta 16, the nomadic European biennial, has revealed the full list of 106 artists from 30 countries who will participate in its 2026 edition. The event will open on 21 June and take place across 12 decommissioned modernist churches in four cities in Germany's Ruhr region: Bochum, Essen, Duisburg, and Gelsenkirchen. The program includes 64 new commissions.

5 Standout Shows to See at Small Galleries This March

art whitney biennial emilie louise gossiaux

Artist Emilie Louise Gossiaux, who lost their sight in their early 20s, is featured in the 2025 Whitney Biennial with works honoring their late guide dog, London. Through drawings and sculptures created by touch, Gossiaux imagines a dog's heaven filled with Kong toys and spiritual reunions, exploring themes of interdependence, grief, and liberation. The works include pieces like "In Dreams We'll See Again" (2025) and the installation "Kong Play."

art shaker museum ica philadelphia hauser wirth

The Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia will present the exhibition “A World in the Making: The Shakers” starting January 31, co-organized with the Vitra Design Museum, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Wüstenrot Foundation, and the Shaker Museum. The show explores the design legacy of the Shakers, a religious sect founded by Ann Lee that built egalitarian communes across the American Northeast and Midwest, through furniture, clothing, tools, architectural pieces, gift drawings, and a dance performance choreographed by Reggie Wilson. The Shaker Museum is also planning a new campus in Chatham, New York, designed by Selldorf Architects, set to open in 2028, and artist Suzanne Bocanegra and actor Frances McDormand will open a related show at Hauser & Wirth Downtown Los Angeles on November 20.

Julia Dault at Bradley Ertaskiran

Julia Dault has opened a new solo exhibition at Bradley Ertaskiran in Montréal, featuring a series of her recent abstract paintings and sculptures. The exhibition, running from January 22 to March 7, 2026, showcases her continued exploration of materiality and process, with works that emphasize the physical act of their own creation through layered pigments and constructed forms.

Come for the Jeff Koons living sculpture, stay for the wine: A map of LACMA's David Geffen Galleries

The Los Angeles Times has published a guide to the new public park surrounding LACMA's David Geffen Galleries, designed by architect Peter Zumthor. The 3.5-acre campus features outdoor dining, a sculpture garden, and a 300-seat theater, with free public art including Jeff Koons' topiary "Split-Rocker," Chris Burden's "Urban Light," and works by Alexander Calder, Pedro Reyes, and Shio Kusaka. The article provides a detailed map of installations, amenities, and nearby attractions like the La Brea Tar Pits.

May 2026 Opportunities: Open Calls, Residencies, and Grants for Artists

Colossal's May 2026 opportunities roundup lists multiple open calls, residencies, and grants for artists worldwide. Featured opportunities include the Scenerium 2026 Art Award (deadline May 7), the Hopper Prize offering $4,500 and $1,000 artist grants (deadline May 12), and the SaveArtSpace Billboard Art Open Call curated by Gigi Chen (deadline May 7). Other listings include the YICCA Art Prize, CIFRA Award, Cass Art Prize for the U.K. and Ireland, Sunshine Coast National Art Prize in Australia, an opportunity to get published in Artistonish magazine, and the Abbey Mural Prize.

Anarchic Cats Are Ensnared in Chaos in Léo Forest’s Dynamic Drawings

Paris-based artist Léo Forest creates high-energy pencil drawings that capture the chaotic and dramatic nature of domestic cats. Drawing inspiration from the feline's predatory instincts and internet meme culture, Forest utilizes blurred motion and flailing limbs to depict cats in various states of action, from grooming to brawling.