Inside Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at the Venice Biennale

Saudi Arabia's national pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale features a new installation by Saudi-Palestinian artist Dana Awartani titled "May your tears never dry, you who weep over stones." Curated by Art Jameel's director Antonia Carver and assistant curator Hafsa Alkhudairi, the work comprises over 29,000 handmade clay bricks arranged in intricate mosaics referencing 23 threatened cultural heritage sites across the Arab world, including Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine. The installation, which took more than 30,000 labor hours with 32 artisans, has become a crowd favorite since the biennale opened on May 9.

Casa Romantica Will Present THROUGH THE DECADES: ARTISTS THAT SHAPED THE FESTIVAL OF ARTS

Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens in San Clemente, California, will present an exhibition titled "Through the Decades: Artists That Shaped the Festival of Arts." The show highlights the work of artists who have participated in the Festival of Arts, a longstanding local art event, tracing its evolution across different decades. The exhibition aims to showcase the diverse artistic styles and contributions that have defined the festival over time.

Frieze New York Opens Strong, But the Real Test Is Just Beginning

Frieze New York has opened with strong early sales, particularly in the Focus section, which is dedicated to emerging and underrepresented artists. This year's Focus prize was awarded to W Galería for its presentation of Seba Calfuqueo, a Mapuche artist whose work addresses colonialism, environmentalism, and gender identity through ceramic sculptures and hair-based materials. Her pieces are priced between $8,000 and $40,000, reflecting the market's growing interest in politically engaged contemporary art.

The Flash

Artist and educator Diego Romero is opening a new gallery called Rayo del Alma in Santa Fe, located at 130 W Palace Avenue. The space, which has been in planning for decades, will feature works by local artists including Maggie Hanley, Donica Dominguez, Oriana Lee, and Marie Maez, alongside Romero's own multimedia photography. The gallery also offers vintage Western wear, jewelry, prints, and stickers, aiming to reflect the collaborative and artisanal spirit of New Mexico. Romero, a Las Vegas, New Mexico native with a background in multimedia and digital media, draws inspiration from his grandfather, who taught him photography with a 35mm Mamiya camera. His practice focuses on nighttime sky shots printed through an aluminum process, capturing the movement of the cosmos in still images.

Collagraph prints exhibition begins at Kaalnee Art Studio

A ten-day collagraph printmaking exhibition opened on Wednesday at Kaalnee Art Studio in Rayer Bazar, Dhaka. The exhibition features 19 prints by 14 artists, created during a four-day workshop led by UK-based Bangladeshi artist Zaman Md Fakruzzaman and coordinated by Tarek Amin, jointly organized by Kaalnee Art Studio and the East London Academy of Art. Notable artists including Abul Barq Alvi, Nisar Hossain, Shishir Bhattacharya, Saifuddin Ahmed, Rashid Amin, and Tarek Amin attended the opening ceremony.

Creativity as Curation

Yalin Hu, a Creative Director, has led several international exhibition projects over the past year, including "Infinite Weave" during New York Design Week (NYCxDESIGN Festival), the online exhibition "Unraveling" during London Design Festival, and "Touching the Void" at The Blanc Gallery in New York. In May 2026, she will lead "Becoming" at Artech Space in New York. Hu approaches each project as a complete creative system, focusing on theme development, spatial structure, audience journey, and cross-media integration, blending art, design, digital technology, and public experience.

SMC Emeritus Annual Student Art Exhibition 2026 – Part 1, Opening Celebration in Emeritus Gallery May 14

The Santa Monica College (SMC) Emeritus Art Gallery will host the SMC Emeritus Annual Student Art Exhibition 2026 – Part 1 from May 14 to June 19, with a free opening reception on May 14 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The exhibition features works by 47 student artists from SMC's noncredit Emeritus program for older adults, which was founded in 1975 and serves over 3,000 students annually. Due to high participation, the exhibition is split into two parts, with Part 1 displayed in the gallery and Part 2 opening online on June 11.

Muskegon Museum of Art Announces ‘HerStory of Animation: Mary Blair & Beyond’ Exhibit

The Muskegon Museum of Art has announced a new exhibition titled 'HerStory of Animation: Mary Blair & Beyond,' premiering June 6 through September 27. The show redefines animation history by highlighting the contributions of women animators and artists, from early pioneers like Helena Smith Dayton and Lotte Reiniger to contemporary figures. Curated by Mindy Johnson, the exhibition features production artwork, studio artifacts, rare imagery, films, and newly uncovered research spanning over a century of innovation.

Before We Knew Better or We Should All Know Better

The article reviews "Before We Knew Better," a group exhibition at Elise Seigenthaler Gallery featuring artists Sarah Bedford, Day Brièrre, Josiah Ellner, and Léa LeFloc'h. The critic reflects on the show's thematic framing around narrative, folklore, and personal mythology, while expressing frustration with its open-endedness and lack of clear intent. Specific works are discussed, including Ellner's psychedelic unicorn paintings, LeFloc'h's enigmatic works on paper, Bedford's nocturnal flowers, and Brièrre's intricate ceramics, though the critic notes the installation does not always serve the pieces well.

The Venice Biennale of Art has begun! The pavilions you should not miss this year

The Venice Biennale of Art has officially opened, showcasing national pavilions and exhibitions from around the world. The article highlights key pavilions that visitors should prioritize this year, offering a curated guide to the most notable presentations at the prestigious international art event.

Sehwa Museum of Art Launches Artist-Led Hands-On Programs Open to Families and Professionals

The Sehwa Museum of Art in Seoul, operated by the Taekwang Group Sehwa Arts and Culture Foundation, has launched a series of artist-led participatory programs tied to its current exhibitions. On May 17, artist Yesol Kim will lead "Perhaps Scribbling on the World Crookedly," where participants draw and view their work through a kaleidoscope. On May 23, artist Jeong Manyoung will host "Sound Exploration: Finding My Own Sound Space," involving outdoor sound recording. Every Tuesday and Sunday at 3 p.m., visitors can enjoy a performance while holding cotton candy, linked to Lee Wonwoo's work "Gentle Prince." Additional ongoing activities include a handmade zine-making station and a social media review giveaway offering an "Artist Puzzle" from the museum shop.

Hong Kong wows the crowds to sleep at the 2026 Venice Biennale

The 2026 Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys" by its late artistic director Koyo Kouoh, has been marked by loud protests and urgent environmental alarms, notably at Florentina Holzinger's Austria pavilion. Amid this chaos, the Hong Kong collateral exhibition "Fermata" at Campo della Tana offers a quiet counterpoint, featuring Kingsley Ng Siu-king's installation *Laundry Nocturne (2026)*, a rest lounge with padded floors and cushions that has caused visitors to doze off. The exhibition follows Kouoh's curatorial vision of creating space for silenced voices and convivial collectivity.

Art: UOB Painting of the Year set to elevate artistic excellence in its 45th edition with a festival and more

The UOB Painting of the Year competition, now in its 45th edition, is expanding beyond its traditional awards format to launch its first-ever arts festival in Singapore. Running from late August to early September, the festival will feature exhibitions, workshops, and artist talks, showcasing semi-finalists from the Emerging Artist category alongside veteran winners. The competition, established in 1982, has grown into one of Southeast Asia's most recognized art awards, with editions in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, and has launched over 1,000 artists' careers. This year also introduces stricter criteria for the Established Artist category, requiring a stronger professional track record.

Israeli Artists Slam Venice Biennale Participation: 'Again, Israel as a Victim'

The 61st Venice Biennale opened on Saturday amid significant upheaval, including the unexpected death of its curator Koyo Kouoh and the passing of German artist Henrike Naumann. Israeli artists have publicly criticized their country's participation in the event, with one artist quoted as saying, 'Again, Israel as a victim,' reflecting ongoing anti-Israel protests and the resignation of the Biennale's judges.

‘Sampriti’: Dhaka exhibition celebrates artistic ties between Bangladesh and India

The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) in Dhaka inaugurated the art exhibition “Sampriti” on May 7, bringing together artists, scholars, and diplomats from Bangladesh and India. The exhibition, which follows a two-day art camp held in April, features works by 33 contemporary Bangladeshi artists and ICCR scholars, and was curated by Prof Sanjoy Chakraborty. The opening coincided with the 165th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore and included a lamp-lighting ceremony, speeches by High Commissioner Pranay Verma, and a performance of Rabindra Sangeet by Prof Shahnaz Nasrin Ila.

Bowen artist behind 'Above the Flood, Watching for the Light'

Bowen Island artist Corey Bulpitt presents his new series "Above the Flood, Watching for the Light" at the Hearth Gallery Community Centre, on view until July 28. The six-painting series follows his earlier "Daalkaatlii Diaries" works, which depicted the great flood of Haida territories and are now held in collections including Paris’ Musée du Quai Branly–Jacques Chirac and Gallery Jones in Vancouver. This new body of work shifts from historical catastrophe to speculative imagination, drawing on Haida cosmology while embracing invention and exploring unseen energies, microscopic spaces, and ephemeral light.

Artist Jessica Smith Says Do What You Love, Even if it Takes You 35 Years

Artist Jessica Smith, originally from Texas, is opening her first solo exhibition in Salt Lake City titled "35 Years of Not Painting" at the Salt Lake City Public Library's Lower Urban Room Gallery from May 11 to June 21. After a high school art teacher censored her work, Smith abandoned painting for decades, turning to theater and later creating personalized picture books for her son with autism. She returned to art during the COVID-19 pandemic, painting portraits of admired figures like Mr. Rogers, Tupac Shakur, and Stevie Nicks. Smith is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation and has become TERO Certified, allowing her to be listed as a potential artist for tribal commissions. She credits the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake as a key support system.

Afton's Third Friday Night Art Exhibits Run From May To November

Afton's Third Friday Night Art Exhibits return for the 2025 season, running from May 15 through November at 146 Main Street in Afton, New York. The monthly events, held in the HUG/HALos building (formerly the Great American Food Store), feature rotating selections of artwork from local artists, with the first exhibit showcasing youth art from Afton students. Gallery curator and artist Michael Bolde, who launched the series three years ago, organizes the shows in a community room provided free of charge by Joyce Humphrey, founder of the HALos grief counseling program. Artists who sell work contribute a 20% commission to HALos, far below the typical 50% gallery split, supporting both creators and local programming.

On the Somalia Pavillion

At the 2026 Venice Biennale, Somalia has established its first-ever national pavilion, commissioned by the Somali government to showcase the richness of Somali culture through the theme of Saddaxleey, a triadic form of Somali poetry and proverbs. The pavilion features works by Somali Swedish artist Ayan Farah, UK-based Somali Danish multidisciplinary artist Asmaa Jama, and Somali British poet Warsan Shire. However, a collective of queer Somali artists, curators, and culture workers called Warbixinta Cidda has publicly criticized the pavilion for overrepresenting the diaspora, selecting an all-male advisory board, and appointing an Italian co-curator instead of Somali curators, raising concerns about representation and neocolonialism.

Dana Awartani’s art of remembrance in Venice

The article covers multiple art events and opportunities across the Gulf region and beyond. It highlights Saudi artists participating in the exhibition "What’s between, between?" at Doha's Media Majlis Museum, curated by Jack Thomas Taylor and Amal Zeyad Ali, which explores Gulf Futurism. Additionally, it announces a two-part group exhibition "Global Positioning System" opening at Hayy Jameel in Jeddah, featuring over 40 artists from more than 20 countries. The article also reports on an internship opportunity for Saudi architects and designers at Rome's MAXXI Museum, offered by Saudi Arabia’s Misk Art Institute.

Saudi pavilion at Venice Biennale turns fractured heritage into monumental art installation

Saudi Arabia has unveiled a large-scale installation by artist Dana Awartani at the 61st Venice Biennale, held at the Arsenale. Titled "May your tears never dry, you who weep over stones," the work covers the entire floor of the Saudi national pavilion and incorporates over 29,000 sunbaked clay bricks and mosaic patterns inspired by Islamic geometric art. The installation references 23 heritage sites across the Arab world that have been damaged or destroyed by conflict, and was produced over nearly 30,000 artisan hours with 32 craftspeople at a studio outside Riyadh. Curated by Antonia Carver with assistant curator Hafsa Alkhudairi, the piece emphasizes traditional craftsmanship and collective skill-sharing.

Arts Council News – Fine Art Exhibition Awards

OCU exhibit turns old discs into immersive art

Artist Leticia R. Bajuyo presents "Signal Convergence," a large-scale installation at Oklahoma City University's Nona Jean Hulsey Art Gallery that transforms discarded CDs and DVDs into immersive sculptural works. The exhibition runs from May 15 through Sept. 18, featuring horn-like structures built from thousands of discs, and includes a special collaborative performance on Sept. 10 with OCU music theory professor Kate Sekula using a theremin to direct sound through the installation.

Inside the UAE Pavilion at Venice Biennale, a whisper becomes a portrait of a nation

The UAE Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale presents 'Washwasha,' an exhibition curated by Bana Kattan with assistant curator Tala Nassar. The show features six artists—Mays Albaik, Jawad Al Malhi, Farah Al Qasimi, Alaa Edris, Lamya Gargash, and Taus Makhacheva—whose works explore the concept of whispering in Arabic, encompassing oral history, language, rumor, and daily noise. Installations include glass sculptures, sound-based pieces from barbershops and farms, and a reconstructed hammam installation by Al Malhi that plays recordings of wedding rituals. The exhibition runs until November 22.

Venice Biennale previews in chaos, overshadowed by Israeli and Russian participation

The Venice Biennale previews have descended into chaos, with the event overshadowed by controversies surrounding Israeli and Russian participation. Protests and disruptions have marked the lead-up to the prestigious international art exhibition, as demonstrators voice opposition to the inclusion of Israel amid the Gaza conflict and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. The situation has created a tense atmosphere, drawing significant media attention and complicating the Biennale's usual celebratory preview period.

How the Venice Biennale imploded over Israel

The 61st Venice Biennale, scheduled to open on May 9, has been thrown into turmoil after its International Jury announced that national pavilions and artists representing countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court will not be eligible for prizes. This excludes Israel, represented by sculptor Belu-Simion Fainaru, and Russia from competing for the Golden Lion. The decision follows an open letter signed by hundreds of artists and curators demanding Israel's exclusion over the war in Gaza, and comes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, including Russia's absence from previous editions after its invasion of Ukraine. The Biennale's theme, 'In Minor Keys,' curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, aimed to focus on dignity and listening to marginalized voices, but the prize ban has sparked accusations that identity politics are overshadowing artistic merit.

After the firestorm: First look at Australian artist’s Venice Biennale works

Australia has opened its pavilion at the Venice Biennale featuring artist Khaled Sabsabi's multimedia installation "conference of one's self," a vivid work inspired by a 12th-century Sufi poem. The exhibition follows a political firestorm: Creative Australia initially selected Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostini to represent the country, then rescinded the invitation after controversy over a 2007 video featuring Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The decision was later reinstated, and Sabsabi also has a companion work in the main Biennale exhibition curated by Koyo Kouoh. The pavilion is funded by the federal government and private donors including Simon Mordant and the Turnbull Foundation.

Labour, connection on display at Sarnia gallery exhibitions

Two exhibitions have opened at the Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery in Sarnia, Ontario. Mark Stebbins's solo show 'The Lingering Instant' features 27 meticulously hand-crafted paintings, each requiring at least 100 hours of labor using syringe-extruded paint, dip pens, and tiny brushes on burlap and wood panels. The companion exhibition 'Together Apart | Under One Roof' presents works by Winnipeg studio neighbours Aganetha Dyck, Diana Thorneycroft, and Reva Stone, exploring feminist art practice, collaboration, and human-nature connections. Both exhibitions opened April 17 and run until August 30, with Stebbins also hosting a free artist talk on June 6 and a paid workshop on June 7.

Gallery 50 hosts opening reception for “Here Comes the Sun” art show on May 8

Gallery 50 in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, will host an opening reception for its new exhibition “Here Comes the Sun” on Friday, May 8, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The show features 11 local artists—Jonathan Frazier, Robyn Jacobs, Sarah Maclay, Pat McCleary, Mary Moores, Judy Pyle, Jayne Shord, Anne St. John, Lindsay Tozier-School, Anita Williams, and Marti Yeager (also the gallery’s curator)—with works in oil, acrylic, pastel, photography, watercolor, and enamel on copper. The evening includes free refreshments, live music from Sons of Pitches, and the unveiling of a new mural by California-based artist Nigel Sussman, whose large-scale, hand-drawn murals feature fantasy architecture and imaginary machines.

Cerritos College Opens 2026 Student Art Exhibition with Night of Awards and Celebration

Cerritos College opened its 2026 annual Student Art Exhibition on April 23 at the Cerritos College Art Gallery, featuring over 150 student artworks selected by faculty from the college's art, design, and photography programs. The opening night included an award ceremony introduced by Gallery Director James Mac Devitt and a speech by Dr. Jose Fierro. Juror Kim Abeles, an established L.A. artist, presented five awards across seven categories including Ceramics/3D Design, Painting/Life Drawing, Freehand Drawing, Printmaking/2D Design, Graphic Design/Digital Illustration, Photography, and 3D Modeling/Motion Picture Editing. Faculty also gave honorable mentions in each category. Approximately $7,000 in awards was distributed, supported by the Associated Students of Cerritos College, the Cerritos Foundation, and donors including former student John DeMott.