The Art of Performing Maintenance

This article explores the work of artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles, who in 1969 wrote her "Manifesto for Maintenance Art" after experiencing a crisis of meaning following the birth of her first child. She proposed that routine maintenance tasks—like cleaning, cooking, and laundry—could be redefined as art when performed in public, particularly in museums. The article traces her early exhibitions at the Wadsworth Athenaeum, where she swept and mopped as performance, and her later projects interviewing passersby on New York City sidewalks and embedding herself in a Manhattan office building, where she invited workers to declare their maintenance tasks art.

Biennale, rules announced for Visitor's Lion. But dozens of artists withdraw

The Venice Biennale has announced the voting rules for the new Visitors' Lion awards, which replace the traditional Golden Lions after the original jury resigned before the opening. On the same day the popular voting opened, dozens of artists from the central exhibition 'In Minor Keys' and several National Pavilions announced their withdrawal from the competition in solidarity with the resigned jury, releasing a statement via e-flux on May 9, 2026. The voting system requires visitors to have attended both the Giardini and Arsenale venues, with anonymous voting open until November 22, 2026.

The Fabric Workshop and Museum presents Jesse Krimes: Elegy Quilts by Bucks County artist

The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) in Philadelphia, in partnership with Mural Arts Philadelphia, presents "Jesse Krimes: Elegy Quilts," an exhibition featuring works from the artist's ongoing Elegy Quilt series (2020-present). The show debuts a newly commissioned quilt, "Riverside" (2026), created from used clothing collected from incarcerated people. Krimes, a Bucks County-based multidisciplinary artist who experienced incarceration himself, gathers donated clothing and textile fragments from currently and formerly incarcerated individuals and reconstitutes them into patterned quilts that meditate on memory, loss, and resilience. The exhibition also includes collages made during workshops with graduates of Mural Arts' Restorative Justice reentry program, which informed both the quilt and a forthcoming public mural in Philadelphia's Spring Arts District, to be unveiled June 3.

‘Broadening access to contemporary art’: The best art-inspired stays in Europe

A Euronews Travel article highlights several European hotels that integrate contemporary art into the guest experience, positioning themselves as destinations for cultured travelers. Featured properties include the MACAM Hotel in Lisbon, which opened in March 2025 and shares a building with the Museu de Arte Contemporânea Armando Martins, offering guests access to a private collection spanning Portuguese and international art from the 19th century to the present. Other hotels mentioned are the Byblos Art Hotel Villa Amistà in Verona, blending Renaissance architecture with avant-garde works by artists like Andy Warhol, and the Elizabeth Arthotel in Ischgl, Austria, which has showcased art and sculpture since 1976 and recently added a rooftop commission by the artist duo NONOS.

georg baselitz dies at 88, pioneer of inverted painting and postwar german art

Georg Baselitz, the influential German painter known for his inverted figures and raw, expressive style, has died at age 88. A pioneer of postwar German art, Baselitz gained international fame in the 1960s by turning his canvases upside down, forcing viewers to focus on form and paint rather than narrative. His work often grappled with the trauma of Nazi Germany and the divided nation's identity, making him a central figure in the Neo-Expressionist movement.

Beyond the Mona Lisa: MOSI’s Leonardo da Vinci exhibit showcases the ‘original innovator’ in Tampa

MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry) in Tampa, Florida, is hosting an exhibition titled "Machines in Motion" that features 20 working machines built from Leonardo da Vinci's 15th-century designs. Created by Italian engineers using period-appropriate materials, the interactive display includes inventions such as ball bearings, an olive oil press, a printing press, and wartime weapons. MOSI President & CEO John Graydon Smith describes da Vinci as "the original innovator" and notes the exhibit aims to inspire creativity in both children and adults. The temporary exhibition runs until May 3.

The multimedia odyssey of Laurie Anderson: “All in Your Head” at SCAD MoA

The Savannah College of Art and Design Museum of Art (SCAD MoA) is presenting "All in Your Head," a comprehensive exhibition of multimedia works by pioneering artist Laurie Anderson. The show spans Anderson's five-decade career, featuring installations, performances, and interactive pieces that explore themes of language, technology, and perception.

Nelson Félix’s Desire for Ascent

Nelson Félix's exhibition "Pedra de Rumo" is on view at Galeria Almeida & Dale, featuring new sculptures in Carrara marble, bronze, and living plants. The show explores themes of orientation and boundary-breaking, drawing on the artist's long-standing practice of mapping extreme geographical points. The title references Portuguese sailors' navigation stones, and the exhibition extends beyond the gallery to include a metal tip and seedling planted at a point determined by lines drawn between the gallery and the Museum of Contemporary Art of USP, where Félix will have another solo show in May 2025.

Birthday-Celebrating Sculpture Exhibitions

Richard MacDonald, the internationally acclaimed figurative sculptor known for his bronze works of dancers, athletes, and performers, is celebrating his 80th birthday with a two-day event on June 5 and 6, 2026, in Monterey, California. The celebration takes place at his studio and foundry, featuring a private invitation-only evening on June 5 for close friends, family, and leading collectors, followed by a public cocktail event on June 6. Activities include live performances, guided studio and foundry tours, a live bronze pour demonstration, and the unveiling of new sculptures, including a commissioned piece for the Weaver of Change Foundation in Singapore.

The World’s First Museum Of AI Arts Is Finally Opening In L.A. This Summer — Here's How To Get Insider Access Before It Opens

Los Angeles will open DATALAND, the world's first Museum of AI Arts, on June 20, 2026. Co-founded by Refik Anadol and Efsun Erkılıç, the 35,000-square-foot museum is located in Frank Gehry's Grand LA complex within the Grand Avenue Cultural District. Its inaugural exhibition, "Machine Dreams: Rainforest," runs through January 31, 2027, and features the Large Nature Model—the first open-source generative AI model dedicated to nature. The exhibition uses real-time audience biofeedback and ecological datasets to create a shifting digital rainforest, including an Infinity Room that plays the extinct Kauaʻi ʻŌʻō bird's call. Pioneer Memberships are now on sale, offering exclusive pre-opening access and a generative print.

Caravaggio ‘Baroque Masterpieces’ on view in Charlotte

An exhibition titled 'Caravaggio | Revolution: Baroque Masterpieces from the Roberto Longhi Foundation' opens to the public on April 26 at Mint Museum Uptown in Charlotte, North Carolina. The show centers on Caravaggio's painting 'Boy Bitten by a Lizard' and includes 40 other works by leading Baroque masters from the Roberto Longhi Foundation. A section of the exhibition also explores Caravaggio's influence on modern visual storytelling through music videos, films, and photography, featuring works by artists such as David LaChapelle and Tom Hunter. Opening weekend includes a talk by Professor Cristina Acidini, president of the Roberto Longhi Foundation.

Pandolfini presents Julie Hamisky's "Alchemical Garden" at Design Week 2026

Pandolfini Auction House is hosting a solo exhibition titled "Giardino Alchemico" (Alchemical Garden) by French artist Julie Hamisky at its Milan office during Design Week 2026, from April 22 to 26. The exhibition, created in collaboration with Mitterrand gallery, features sculptures and botanical jewelry made through electroplating—a process that preserves organic matter like flowers and leaves in metal. Key works include "La Géante" (2024), an enlarged poppy sculpture, and "Aqua" (2024), a chandelier of galvanized plant elements, alongside wearable jewelry pieces.

Haiti’s Visionary: Edouard Duval-Carrié previews Venice-Bound work in Little Haiti

Haitian-American artist and curator Edouard Duval-Carrié has been selected to represent Haiti at the 61st Venice Biennale, titled "Smaller Keys." Ahead of the exhibition, he is opening his Little Haiti studio for a rare one-night preview on Friday, April 24, organized alongside the Tout-Monde Art Foundation. The preview includes a conversation with art historian Erica Moiah James and features works that were not sent to Venice but share the same themes of Haitian history, African connections, and diaspora. Duval-Carrié's Biennale theme centers on the question, "What did Africa bring to the world?" His selection was posthumously confirmed from the notes of chief curator Koyo Kouoh, the first African woman appointed to the role, who passed away last year.

Unpacking the Venice Biennale controversies and highlights

The 2026 Venice Art Biennale is proceeding with a posthumous main exhibition, "In Minor Keys," curated by the late Cameroonian-born artistic director Koyo Kouoh, who died in May 2025. The event features 100 national participations, including seven first-time countries, and has reinstated Russia's pavilion after its voluntary withdrawal following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Nam June Paik's 'TV Portrait' Goes on Sale at Seoul Auction

Seoul Auction is holding its 191st art auction on April 28th at its Gangnam Center, featuring 141 works of modern, contemporary, and antique art with a combined low estimate of approximately 8.8 billion won. The highlight is Nam June Paik's 1997 video portrait installation 'Helen Kim,' estimated between 150-300 million won, alongside significant works by Lee Bae, Lee Ufan, Yoo Youngkuk, and Chang Ucchin.

Soyinka, Obi of Onitsha for Onobrakpeya art exhibition

A major retrospective and group exhibition titled “The Gregorian Art Exhibition” is set to take place at St. Gregory’s College in Lagos, Nigeria, from April 25 to 27, 2026. The event honors the legendary Nigerian modernist Bruce Onobrakpeya and will feature works by him alongside other notable alumni and artists including the late Victor Uwaifo and David Dale. The opening is expected to draw high-profile figures such as Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe.

Magazzino Italian Art to feature works by pivotal figure of 1960s Arte Povera movement

Magazzino Italian Art in Cold Spring, New York, is launching a major exhibition titled “Tutto Boetti 1966–1993,” dedicated to the influential Arte Povera artist Alighiero Boetti. The show features approximately 30 works, including large-scale sculptures like the 1966 'Pavimento Luminoso' and his signature textiles, tracing his career from his 1967 debut in Turin to his final years. The museum will also host a symposium in collaboration with the Fondazione Alighiero e Boetti to discuss the artist's enduring legacy.

A Spring of Exhibitions in Bologna 2026

Bologna is set to host a diverse array of major art exhibitions throughout the spring 2026 season, spanning photography, street art, and contemporary installations. Key highlights include a photographic exploration of Frida Kahlo at Palazzo Pepoli, a retrospective of Italian Informal artist Mattia Moreni at MAMbo, and a significant showcase of Michelangelo Pistoletto’s Mirror Paintings at Palazzo Boncompagni. The city’s cultural institutions are also featuring international names like Banksy, Agnès Varda, and the influential German photography duo Bernd & Hilla Becher.

‘Bill Viola. Unspoken’: PSI Foundation presents exhibition of works by video art pioneer

The PSI Foundation in Limassol, Cyprus, has announced a major exhibition titled “Bill Viola. Unspoken,” set to open in April 2026. Organized in collaboration with Bill Viola Studio and curated by Dimitri Ozerkov, the show features seminal video works including "The Greeting," "The Dreamers," and "Martyrs." The exhibition focuses on Viola’s use of slow motion and cyclical time to explore universal themes of birth, death, and human consciousness.

[Interview] Framing Space Through the Human Experience: Michael Najjar x Samsung Art Store

German artist and future astronaut Michael Najjar has partnered with the Samsung Art Store to feature his work "europa" (2016) as part of the Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 Collection. Najjar, who is scheduled to become the first contemporary artist in space via a 2027 Virgin Galactic flight, uses his practice to explore the intersection of technology, space exploration, and human ambition. The collaboration allows his large-scale digital constructions to be displayed on Samsung Art TVs, bridging the gap between the physical art fair and domestic environments.

Women animation pioneers featured this summer in new Muskegon Museum exhibition

The Muskegon Museum of Art is set to premiere a landmark exhibition titled “HerStory of Animation: Mary Blair & Beyond,” running from June 6, 2025, through September 27, 2026. Curated by animation historian Mindy Johnson, the show features production artwork, rare films, and studio artifacts from over a century of female contributions to the field. Highlights include works by early pioneers like Helena Smith Dayton and Bessie Mae Kelley, alongside modern icons such as Mary Blair and Oscar-winner Brenda Chapman.

Piacenza, Klimt's Portrait of a Lady is back at the Ricci Oddi Gallery of Modern Art

Gustav Klimt’s "Portrait of a Lady" has returned to the Ricci Oddi Gallery of Modern Art in Piacenza following a successful loan exhibition at the My Art Museum in Seoul. The masterpiece resumes its permanent display just as the gallery prepares to unveil a comprehensive renovation of its 22 exhibition rooms. Designed by Lissoni & Partners, the redevelopment project has modernized over 1,000 square meters of the institution's floor space.

Artist shows agriculture droning forward

Chinese artist Cao Fei is set to debut her latest multimedia project, "Dash" (known as "Super Farms" in China), at the Fondazione Prada in Milan on April 9. The exhibition is the result of three years of field research across China and Southeast Asia, where Cao documented the rise of smart farming and the integration of AI, drones, and autonomous vehicles into traditional agricultural landscapes. Her work captures a unique cultural synthesis where modern technology is sometimes integrated into ancient rituals, such as the worship of drones as deities.

Open Studio #4 ARNALDO POMODORO. Places, Memories and Visions

Open Studio #4 ARNALDO POMODORO. Luoghi, memorie e visioni

Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro has launched the fourth edition of its "Open Studio" exhibition series, titled "Luoghi, memorie e visioni." This recurring program, initiated in 2022, provides the public with intimate access to the sculptor’s creative process by showcasing lesser-known themes and archival materials from his long career. The current iteration focuses on the intersection of memory and physical space within Pomodoro's monumental practice.

PRESS RELEASE: Christie’s First London-Based Middle Eastern Modern & Contemporary Art Evening Auction Builds On Dubai’s Success, Achieving £5,235,125 / $6,863,249 / €5,826,694 - Christie's

Christie’s successfully transitioned its Middle Eastern Modern & Contemporary Art evening auction from Dubai to London, achieving a total of £5.2 million ($6.8 million). The sale boasted high sell-through rates of 85% by lot and 88% by value, driven by bidders from 23 different countries. Significant highlights included world auction records for Iraqi artist Jewad Selim, whose painting "The Watermelon Seller" fetched over double its estimate, and Mahmoud Sabri, whose work "Grief" sold for more than ten times its high estimate.

Ruth Asawa’s family to open new San Francisco gallery for centennial celebration

The family of the late pioneering sculptor Ruth Asawa has announced the opening of a dedicated gallery space in San Francisco to coincide with the artist's centennial celebration in 2026. This new venue will serve as a permanent home for her legacy, featuring rotating exhibitions of her signature wire sculptures, drawings, and archival materials that have not been widely seen by the public.

New Light Art Charity to Auction Prestigious Northern Collection in Newcastle

The Northern England-based charity New Light Art has announced the forced sale of its prestigious permanent collection due to a critical lack of funding. Comprising over 80 works by prominent Northern artists such as Norman Ackroyd and Anne Desmet, the collection will be auctioned at Anderson & Garland in Newcastle on April 2, 2025. The decision follows the departure of a long-term patron and rising logistical costs, with proceeds intended to keep the charity’s exhibition and education programs operational.

Auctions of the week: Art, design, jewelry and comics

Auctions of the week: Art, design, jewelry and comics

The global auction calendar for the week of March 19–25, 2026, features a dense schedule of sales across major hubs including Milan, Rome, Paris, Hong Kong, and New York. Italian houses like Il Ponte, Wannenes, and Finarte are leading with diverse offerings in Modern and Contemporary art, design, and niche collectibles like European comics and militaria. Simultaneously, international giants Christie’s and Sotheby’s are hosting major sessions ranging from Modern British art in London to luxury spirits and private sales in Asia and the United States.

13 Open Calls To Apply for in Spring 2026. The Season To Be Seen.

A curated selection of international open calls and residencies for Spring 2026 offers diverse opportunities for emerging artists across visual arts, photography, and film. Key highlights include the Krupa Art Foundation Young Prize, which has expanded its categories to painting, digital art, and sculpture with three major cash prizes, and the 14th edition of 'Wystaw się w CSW' for independent photographers in Poland. Other notable opportunities include 'Underneath the Floorboards,' a platform for avant-garde and experimental video work seeking to showcase non-traditional artistic languages.

A world of magic and monsters arrives at the CU Art Museum

The CU Art Museum at the University of Colorado Boulder has launched "Fairy Tales and the Power of Wonder," an exhibition that explores the dark and complex origins of folklore. Moving away from sanitized modern interpretations, the show features a diverse array of works including Jaro Hess’s "The Land of Make Believe," Don Ed Hardy’s "Sea Dragon," and rare illustrated books like William Wallace Denslow’s "Wonderful Wizard of Oz." The display utilizes early fantasy maps and historical artifacts to ground visitors in the "geography of the impossible."