‘One simple gesture says it all’: the world in black and white – in pictures

Photographer Marina Sersale has released a new monograph titled 'Liminal Space,' published by Gost, which compiles over a decade of monochrome photography. The collection features dramatic black-and-white images captured between 2013 and 2021 across diverse locations including Italy, Japan, Iran, and the United States. Sersale, a former documentary filmmaker, focuses on the interplay of light and shadow to document fleeting, everyday moments—from sunbathers in Positano to commuters in Naples.

Gilles Bloch: "The Museum needs 1.1 billion euros"

Gilles Bloch : « Le Muséum a besoin de 1,1 milliard d’euros »

Gilles Bloch, president of the Muséum national d’histoire naturelle in Paris, has issued an urgent call for €1.1 billion in funding to address the critical state of the institution's infrastructure. Ahead of its 400th anniversary in 2026, a diagnostic report reveals that 74% of the museum's 120 buildings are in poor condition, with several galleries currently closed to the public or suffering from inadequate climate control. The requested funds would cover €500 million in emergency repairs to stabilize decaying structures and a further €600 million for long-term modernization and energy efficiency upgrades.

A Sculptor’s Life, in Constant Motion

A major retrospective of Alexander Calder’s work has opened in Paris, offering a comprehensive look at the sculptor’s career-long obsession with movement and balance. The exhibition invites visitors to engage directly with his iconic mobiles and wire sculptures, emphasizing the physical and temporal experience of art that shifts with the surrounding air and light.

Honoring Frederic Church: Beyond the Hudson River School

Art historians and curators are re-evaluating the legacy of Frederic Church, arguing that his contributions extend far beyond his traditional classification as a Hudson River School landscape painter. New research highlights his sophisticated engagement with 19th-century science, his architectural achievements at his estate, Olana, and his role as a global traveler who captured the spirit of the Andes and the Arctic.

The Antwerp Six and the Problem of Now

A new exhibition at MoMu in Antwerp, guest-curated by Geert Bruloot, explores the enduring legacy of the 'Antwerp Six'—a group of visionary designers who graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in the 1980s. The show features dedicated rooms for members including Walter Van Beirendonck and Dirk Van Saene, showcasing their distinct aesthetics ranging from maximalist rave-wear to surrealist runway recreations. It traces their journey from a self-funded trip to a London trade fair in 1986 to becoming global icons who challenged the dominance of Parisian couture.

Genti Korini on Representing Albania at the 61st Venice Biennale

Artist Genti Korini will represent Albania at the 61st Venice Biennale with a new moving-image installation titled 'A Place in the Sun.' Curated by Małgorzata Ludwisiak, the project utilizes 'Zaum'—a transrational language from the Russian Futurist movement—to explore themes of performance, puppetry, and animation. The work investigates Albania’s historical position as a 'somewhere place' often defined by external exoticism and orientalist perceptions rather than its own internal voice.

Hampshire College, Alma Mater to Many in the Arts, Closing

Hampshire College, the experimental liberal arts institution in Massachusetts, has announced it will permanently close after nearly sixty years of operation. The college's board cited insurmountable financial pressures and a failure to meet regulatory requirements as the primary drivers behind the decision, noting that progress toward a stable financial foundation fell short of expectations.

Dream Win With a Catch

Traumgewinn mit Haken

A 58-year-old sales engineer from Paris has won a 1941 Pablo Picasso portrait titled "Tête de femme" through a charity raffle. The winner acquired the masterpiece, valued at approximately €1.45 million, by purchasing a single €100 ticket. Organized to benefit Alzheimer’s research, the international lottery sold 120,000 tickets across 152 countries, raising a total of €12 million.

A Frenchman wins a Picasso in a lottery

Un Français gagne un Picasso à la loterie

A Parisian resident has won a painting by Pablo Picasso valued at €1 million through a charity raffle. The winner acquired the masterpiece after purchasing a single lottery ticket for just €100.

The first edition of the Paris Internationale fair in Milan is a success: The report

La prima edizione della fiera Paris Internationale a Milano convince. Il report

The Parisian satellite fair Paris Internationale successfully launched its first international edition in Milan during the city's 2026 Art Week. Hosted in the modernist Palazzo Galbani, the fair distinguished itself from traditional models like miart through a non-hierarchical layout designed by Christ & Gantenbein and NM3. The event featured 34 carefully selected galleries, emphasizing solo and duo presentations from artists such as Leonora Carrington, Benni Bosetto, and Ibuki Inoue.

Harry Bertoia Gets His Moment

The city of Detroit is experiencing a significant Harry Bertoia revival, centered around the rediscovery and restoration of a massive 26-foot suspended sculpture. Originally commissioned in 1970 for a Michigan mall and long presumed lost or destroyed during building demolitions, the steel-wire and brass work was found languishing in a basement in 2017. Following an extensive restoration process, the monumental piece has been installed in General Motors' new global headquarters at the historic Hudson’s site, a feat that required complex engineering and a five-story opening in the building's facade.

Rare Medieval Seal Rediscovered After 40-Year Disappearance

A rare 11th-century wax seal belonging to the Anglo-Saxon king Edward the Confessor has been rediscovered in France’s National Archives after being missing for over 40 years. The artifact, known as the Saint-Denis seal, was not stolen but rather misplaced due to a clerical error during a conservation transfer decades ago. It was identified by doctoral student Guilhem Dorandeu, who noticed the misfiled item while conducting research.

Versailles Restores Royal Bedroom to Its 1789 Splendor

The Palace of Versailles has completed a multi-decade restoration of the King’s Private Bedroom, meticulously recreating the space as it appeared on October 6, 1789, the day the royal family fled the French Revolution. The project involved an intergenerational team of curators and master craftspeople who utilized archival descriptions and surviving fabric scraps to reconstruct the room's ornate Rocaille embellishments, silk tapestries from Lyon, and a central gilded bed carved from linden wood.

Cleveland Museum of Art reunites rare Himalayan paintings of the divine hero Rama

The Cleveland Museum of Art has opened "Epic of the Northwest Himalayas: Pahari Paintings from the ‘Shangri’ Ramayana," an exhibition featuring 40 rare paintings from a 1700s royal commission. These works, which depict the life of the Hindu deity Rama, have been reunited from 12 different lenders after being dispersed globally for centuries. The display is augmented by digital stations that animate over 100 additional paintings to illustrate the narrative's themes of virtue and heroism.

Week in art: 0417

The Boulder area is hosting a diverse array of art exhibitions and events across various local institutions and galleries. Highlights include Rodney Carswell’s lithographs at 15th Street Gallery, Jorge Vinent’s eco-conscious works at Ana’s Art Gallery, and the group exhibition "Yes &…" at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. Other notable shows include a historical examination of racism at the Lafayette Swimming Pool and a student showcase from the Boulder Valley School District at the Canyon Gallery.

Boulder County’s latest art exhibits

The Boulder County arts community is hosting a diverse array of exhibitions across its galleries and museums this spring. Key highlights include Jorge Vinent’s environmentally focused works at Ana’s Art Gallery, the group exhibition "Yes &…" at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, and a historical exploration of segregation at the Collective Community Arts Center. The region is also showcasing student work from the Boulder Valley School District and various solo presentations by local artists like Rodney Carswell and Jessica Rohrer.

Exhibition | Megan Jenkinson, 'Secateur / Sequitur' at Two Rooms, Auckland, New Zealand

Artist Megan Jenkinson presents her latest body of work, 'Secateur / Sequitur', at Two Rooms in Auckland. The exhibition features intricate photocollages that blend botanical elements with man-made materials like wire, drawing inspiration from classical philosophy and the Japanese art of ikebana. Jenkinson’s meticulously structured compositions explore the tension between the natural world and human systems of order.

Frame of Reference

Memphis is undergoing a significant transformation of its cultural landscape as the city's major art institutions evolve to meet modern community needs. The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is preparing for a landmark move to a new riverfront location where it will be renamed the Memphis Art Museum, offering 50 percent more gallery space. This expansion follows decades of growth for the city's "big three" institutions—the Brooks, the Dixon Gallery & Gardens, and the Metal Museum—which have anchored the local scene since the mid-1970s.

LA museums to check out this Earth Month

Los Angeles museums are marking Earth Month with a series of exhibitions and events focused on sustainability and environmental consciousness. Highlights include the Hammer Museum’s exhibition, "Several Eternities in a Day: Form in the Age of Living Materials," which features works by 22 artists using organic substances like avocado, cochineal dye, and volcanic rock. Meanwhile, the Fowler Museum is hosting an immersive look at the indigenous rice cultivation practices of the Ifugao people in the Philippines.

Elizabeth Blackadder exhibition to showcase 'meaningful' 50 year collaboration with Scottish studio

Edinburgh’s Dovecot Studios is launching a major exhibition titled "Elizabeth Blackadder: Her Life in Colour" to celebrate the late artist’s 50-year collaboration with the tapestry studio. The show features over 30 tapestries and hand-tufted rugs, headlined by the debut of a newly created rug based on Blackadder’s 1975 painting, "The Red Bouquet." The exhibition also incorporates works from the Royal Scottish Academy’s collection to provide a comprehensive look at her legacy.

New NYC exhibit highlights art of self-made artists

The American Folk Art Museum has launched "Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists," a new exhibition exploring how self-taught creators define their own identities. Spanning from the early 20th century to the present, the show features a diverse array of mediums including painting, photography, and sculpture. Key works include John Kane’s 1928 self-portrait, which reflects his immigrant experience, and Joe Coleman’s contemporary reflections on the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2026, DeviantArt Is Helping Artists Cut Through The Noise and Fuel Sustainable Careers

DeviantArt has undergone a significant resurgence, reaching over 108 million users by 2026 following a multi-year modernization effort. The platform has pivoted away from traditional advertising models to a creator-centric ecosystem that prioritizes artist monetization through subscriptions, digital tip jars, and low-fee sales. By removing third-party ads and implementing advanced image protection technology, the site has positioned itself as a secure alternative to mainstream social media for digital creators.

London's Southbank Centre to receive £10m government funding boost

The UK government has announced a £10 million funding boost for London’s Southbank Centre as part of a broader £128 million investment package for 130 cultural venues nationwide. Administered by Arts Council England, the grant is earmarked for urgent infrastructure repairs, including fixing leaking roofs and modernizing rigging systems, coinciding with the center's 75th anniversary. Other major beneficiaries of the Creative Foundations Fund include the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and Firstsite gallery.

Alex Carver at Miguel Abreu

Alex Carver presents a solo exhibition titled "The Knot" at Miguel Abreu Gallery in New York. The exhibition, running from March 12 to May 9, 2026, features a new body of work that continues the artist's exploration of complex painterly techniques and layered imagery.

Melik Ohanian at Galerie Chantal Crousel

Melik Ohanian’s solo exhibition, titled "ALTERATION, For a long time in Time," is currently on view at Galerie Chantal Crousel in Paris. The show features a series of new works that continue the artist's career-long investigation into the dimensions of time, space, and the shifting nature of perception. Through a minimalist and conceptual lens, Ohanian utilizes the gallery space to document temporal transitions and the physical manifestation of duration.

Recalling When Lower Manhattan Was New Amsterdam

The New-York Historical Society has launched a major exhibition exploring the 17th-century origins of New York City during its era as the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam. The show utilizes a diverse array of artifacts, maps, and historical documents to trace the colony's development from a fur-trading outpost to a diverse maritime hub, highlighting the complex interactions between Dutch settlers, Indigenous populations, and enslaved Africans.

In Its ‘Greater New York’ Show, MoMA PS1 Focuses on the Here and Now

MoMA PS1 has announced the artist list for the upcoming edition of 'Greater New York,' its signature survey of artists living and working in the New York City area. This iteration features 53 artists and collectives, maintaining the exhibition's long-standing tradition of serving as a critical launchpad for emerging talent while reflecting the current creative pulse of the city.

New MCASD exhibit of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys' personal collection showcases Black art

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) has launched "Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys," a major traveling exhibition showcasing the couple's extensive collection of Black diasporic art. The show features monumental works from 37 artists, including a 164-foot painting by Meleko Mokgosi and an 8,000-pound sculpture by Arthur Jafa that required structural reinforcement of the museum floor. To create a more inclusive atmosphere, the exhibition replaces traditional white gallery walls with bold colors and includes a curated musical playlist by Swizz Beatz.

Antony Gormley: ‘Put a sculpture on the moon? No, that would be a bad idea’

Renowned British sculptor Antony Gormley is preparing for a major creative season, marked by two upcoming exhibitions at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp and Galleria Continua in San Gimignano, alongside the release of a new book dedicated to his drawings. Speaking from his David Chipperfield-designed studio in London, the artist reflects on his rigorous daily practice and his background in art history, contrasting his own ascetic, industrial aesthetic with the fleshy opulence of Flemish masters like Rubens.

A Landmark Calder Exhibition with Over 300 of His Revolutionary Works Goes on View in Paris

The Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris has launched "Calder: rêver en équilibre," a massive retrospective featuring over 300 works by the American modernist Alexander Calder. The exhibition spans the artist's entire career, from his early engineering-influenced "Circus" performances and hand-wrought jewelry to his iconic suspended mobiles and monumental outdoor sculptures. Notably, the show marks the first time the Frank Gehry-designed institution has installed artworks on its exterior lawns, creating a dialogue between Calder’s geometric forms and the building's avant-garde architecture.