The article highlights eight standout national pavilions at the Venice Biennale, the world's premier contemporary art event. These include a doll-focused exhibition, a contemplative garden, and a sizzling hothouse, each generating significant buzz among attendees and critics.
A new immersive experience called The Ministry of Awe has opened in a former bank building in Philadelphia. The project aims to help visitors find wonder in everyday life through a blend of art, theater, and interactive installations.
Iran’s participation in the 61st Venice Biennale remains uncertain after a public contradiction emerged between the Biennale Foundation and Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance (MCIG). The Biennale Foundation had announced that Iran would not participate in the 2026 edition, curated by Koyo Kouoh, but Aydin Mahdizadeh Tehrani, director general of visual arts at the MCIG and commissioner of the Iranian Pavilion, stated in an interview with the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) that Iran never submitted a withdrawal letter. Instead, Iran requested more time and sent a letter on May 10 asking for the pavilion to open even if ineligible for prizes. Mahdizadeh Tehrani cited the US-Israel war with Iran as causing currency fluctuations that nearly tripled projected costs, complicating prior agreements, and noted that Iran had proposed a shorter exhibition period, which the Biennale rejected.
Martha Ortiz has stepped down as director of Bogotá’s Museo de Arte Moderno (MAMBO) amid allegations of harassing staff and fostering a toxic work environment. The museum announced her retirement and will begin a search for a successor, with board president Ángela Royo and financial manager Francy Hernández assuming interim leadership. Ortiz, who had no prior museum management experience, took the role in March 2024. Her departure follows the ousting of artistic director Eugenio Viola less than three months earlier, after he raised concerns about deteriorating working conditions.
Nikki Brovold has opened Luckygirl Gourmet Gallery in Portland's Pearl District, a hybrid space where art takes precedence over food. The gallery's inaugural exhibition, "Who's That Girl," features nine artists including Tom Relth, Eric Rue, Paul Solevad, Michelle Yamamoto, Richard Cutshall, and Paula Bullwinkel, with a focus on abstractive figuration and feminine perspectives. Brovold, who previously worked at a global consulting firm in New York and as a gallerist at the Portland Art Museum, curates the art while also offering a small selection of elevated snacks and drinks, such as Makabi & Sons cookies and Puff Coffee cold brew. The space is co-owned by Brovold's husband, Shawn Przybilla.
A Milano la sorprendente natura selvaggia del disegno cieco di Luciana Meazza
The article reviews Luciana Meazza's exhibition 'Wild Thoughts' at Tipografia Fratelli Bonvini in Milan, showcasing her vibrant, spontaneous paintings and works on paper. The show features two series: studio paintings on canvas and outdoor works on paper, including blind drawing and leporellos, all inspired by nature and executed with a free, childlike hand.
L’arte urbana e la musica uniscono Amsterdam e Milano per tre giorni
MUROMi, an independent Milan-based company, is launching a special Milan edition of Here&Now, a cultural event originally created in Amsterdam by Tony Ant and Chinny Bond. Taking place May 21–23, 2026, at Spazio Diaz in Milan, the event combines live painting, music, and contemporary urban art, aiming to bring together creatives, brands, and key figures from the Milanese scene. The project is born from a collaboration between MUROMi and the Here&Now community, which is rooted in international street culture and music.
Una recensione della Biennale di Venezia 2026 senza nominare neppure un artista
This review of the 2026 Venice Biennale describes an exhibition that overcame dire circumstances—the death of curator Koyo Kouoh early in preparations, losses of key artists, and international political controversies—to deliver a surprisingly joyful and engaging show. Titled "In Minor Keys," the Biennale features a well-conceived, flowing presentation across the Giardini and Arsenale that prioritizes beauty, craftsmanship, and hope over a punitive or documentary tone.
Per la Biennale Arte 2026 il duo RojoNegro porta nel Padiglione del Messico un rituale collettivo
The article announces that the RojoNegro collective, formed by María Sosa and Noé Martínez, will represent Mexico at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026 with a project titled "Actos invisibles para sostener el universo." Curated by Jessica Berlanga Taylor, the installation combines organic materials, sound, video, and performance to create a ritualistic space that invokes invisible presences, memories, and energies. The work draws on decolonial perspectives, centering Indigenous and Afro-descendant cosmogonies as living knowledge systems, and aims to activate a dialogue between situated ritual practices and the global context of the Biennale.
Father-and-son artists William and Hugh Jennings have closed the Hitching Post Gallery in Buffalo, Wyoming, after 30 years of operation. The gallery, which opened in November 1993 on Main Street, was a longstanding fixture in the community, showcasing works from many area artists alongside gifts, books, and tobacco products. William stepped away about seven years ago, and Hugh recently decided to retire, locking the doors for the last time at the beginning of May. Hugh expressed no regrets, saying he wanted to focus more on his own art.
Yoann Cormier curates 'In Mali, When Animals Dance' at the Musée des Confluences, an exhibition dedicated to sogo bò, a Malian performance tradition blending theater, dance, music, and community. Rejecting static displays, Cormier uses immersive scenography—light, sound, film footage from the early 2000s by Sonia and Albert Loeb, and reconstructed masks made with the Lyon Opera costume workshop—to evoke the festive atmosphere of sogo bò, moving visitors through a simulated Malian day from afternoon to night.
Puke Ariki museum in New Plymouth, New Zealand, is hosting TUKU: Open Studio | Emerging Māori Artists, a collaborative project where senior artist Wharehoka Smith mentors early-career artists Jodie Tipa and Dwayne Duthie in creating eight manaia (spiritual guardian figures) in a public studio setting. Running from today through 12 July, the open studio prepares the museum's Temporary Gallery for the upcoming Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award exhibition, which opens on 25 July and features 40 tūpuna portraits. Visitors can watch the artists at work, engage with their creative process, and participate in free public events including workshops and talks.
The five-member international jury of the 61st Venice Biennale, led by Brazilian curator Solange Farkas, has resigned effective April 30, 2026. The jury—comprising Solange Oliveira Farkas, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi—announced their resignation in a written statement, referencing a prior Statement of Intention issued on April 22. In response, La Biennale di Venezia postponed the Awards Ceremony from May 9 to November 22, the final public day, and introduced two new "Visitors' Lions" awards—one for the Best Participant in the main exhibition "In Minor Keys" by Koyo Kouoh, and one for the Best National Participation—to be decided by ticket-holder vote.
The Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael, California, is hosting an exhibition titled "The Art of Public Service," featuring self-portraits created by 21 county employees. The works were produced during lunchtime art workshops organized by employment analyst Erika Powell and library administrator Juliet Schiller, who aimed to help participants let go of perfectionism and explore creativity. The exhibit, which runs through September 24, 2026, includes portraits made from diverse materials such as dried chili peppers, burlap, and embroidered saree fabric, reflecting the employees' personal stories and cultural heritage.
Lighthouse Poole in Dorset has issued an open call for visual artists with a local connection to submit work for its seasonal exhibition themed "BURROW," running from November 12, 2025 to February 27, 2026. The exhibition aims to create a peaceful, reflective space during the winter months, following last year's installation "The Wintering" by self-taught artist Carmel De’Lisser. Submissions are free, must use sustainable materials, and can explore concepts such as hibernation, searching, and comfort. The selection panel includes De’Lisser, curator Mille Lake, creative director Paul Newman, and co-founder Tom Pouncy.
The eighteenth edition of the international art symposium Arte in Situ is taking place from 25 to 28 May 2026 at Casa Rosina in Vodnjan, Croatia. Organized by artist Solidea Guerra and co-organized by the Tourist Board of the Town of Vodnjan, the event brings together artists from Croatia and Austria, including Elisabeth Melkonyan, Boris Kačić, Snježana Pokos-Vujec, Nela Marušić, Dunja De Martini, Vesna Kuharić-Ternovec, Solidea Guerra, and Boris Roce. The symposium concludes on 28 May with a vernissage at 6 p.m., presenting works created during the residency. Founded in 2004 as a ceramics meeting, Arte in Situ has expanded to include painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, and mixed media, hosting over 200 artists over the years.
Der Auktionsmarkt atmet auf – aber nicht überall
The article reports that the auction market is showing signs of fragile recovery in 2025, with Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips all posting mid-double-digit percentage increases at their London sales in March compared to the previous year. However, the article notes that the prior year was exceptionally weak, and underlying issues such as high debt levels, aggressive commission models, and unresolved succession questions continue to threaten the stability of the major auction houses.
Jess Self, a Decatur-based sculptor and educator, presents *Celestial Perspectives* at the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, an immersive textile environment that explores autobiography through figurative form. The exhibition features works in resin, plaster, felted wool, fiber, and rope, including the large-scale installation *The Veil* and the compelling *She Who Ties Magic Knots*, a resin and plaster cast of the artist's pregnant torso. Self's practice draws on Jungian archetypes and spiritual traditions, and the show communicates themes of connectivity, motherhood, bodily experience, and transcendence without relying on wall text.
A landmark £5.36 million UK touring art exhibition, "Earthly Paradise: Radical Living in the UK," part of the Going Places scheme coordinated by Art Fund, will conclude at Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh from March to September 2028. The exhibition is one of several initiatives under Going Places, which also includes "Making Her Mark: A Celebration of Women in Art" launching April 30, 2026 at Penlee House Gallery & Museum in Penzance, touring to Kirkcaldy Galleries in 2027, and "Communities of Making" at Inverness Museum & Art Gallery exploring Scottish wool traditions, plus "New Faces New Focus" at Aberdeenshire Farming Museum.
Residents of Surrey Heights Dementia Care Centre, part of CHD Living, visited a dementia-friendly art exhibition and sculpture trail hosted by King Edward School, Witley, in partnership with appART. Wellbeing Coordinator Karen accompanied residents on short walks to the school, where they engaged with artworks including Beatles-themed pieces and a tiger sculpture. One resident, Nick, was encouraged to apply to exhibit his own work at next year's event, while another resident, Karen, who had previously declined outings, participated calmly and enthusiastically.
A new art gallery called Dirkse/Prim has opened in Seattle's Madrona neighborhood, founded by married couple Michelle and Jeremy. Michelle works as an interior designer, while Jeremy is a painter of seascapes. Their debut exhibition features the work of another husband-and-wife duo, Mya Kerner and Zach Helenske, whose art is inspired by their 40-acre farm in Pennsylvania. The gallery aims to offer a warm, welcoming alternative to traditional white-box spaces, emphasizing community and approachability.
The Alex Dufresne Gallery in Callander, Ontario, is presenting 'Anyflatsurface', a solo exhibition by self-taught Northern Ontario visual artist Joyce Effinger, opening on May 9, 2026. The show features paintings on both traditional canvas and unconventional materials such as paddles, saws, rocks, cloth, and found objects, transforming everyday items into vibrant celebrations of color and place.
The article profiles a minimally designed art gallery located in South Delhi, highlighting its architectural and interior design approach. The gallery emphasizes clean lines, sparse decoration, and a focus on the artwork itself, creating a serene environment for viewing contemporary art.
The third annual Affordable Art Fair Austin will take place from May 14 to 17 at the Palmer Events Center, featuring 28 Texas galleries and a total of 55 galleries from locations as far as Sydney, Australia. Artworks are priced between $100 and $12,000, and the fair includes live painting, an interactive mural, family programming, and a raffle benefiting Dell Children’s Medical Center. Over 30% of participating galleries are Austin-based, with local names such as Art From the Streets, Davis Gallery & Framing, and Wally Workman among them.
Ragionare oltre la contabilità: ecco il primo step per una valutazione del patrimonio culturale
Angelo Argento recently published an article examining the valuation of cultural heritage in light of ongoing public accounting reforms in Italy. The piece moves beyond iconic landmarks like the Colosseum or Uffizi to focus on smaller, territorial assets such as archives, civic museums, and lesser-known archaeological sites, questioning how and whether a specific economic value can be assigned to them. It explores different international approaches—from market-based valuations in Australia and France to symbolic €1 entries in the U.S.—highlighting the global trend toward quantifying cultural heritage.
La storia di Alexey Shor: da matematico a compositore classico contemporaneo. L’intervista
Alexey Shor, a 1970-born Ukrainian-American composer who originally earned a PhD in mathematics and worked in finance, has transitioned to a full-time career in contemporary classical music. From April 28 to 30, 2026, his neo-romantic compositions were performed at the Auditorium RAI "Arturo Toscanini" in Turin, Italy, by the RAI National Symphony Orchestra under Estonian conductor Anu Tali, alongside works by Rachmaninoff, Schubert, and Grieg. The concerts featured renowned musicians including Russian conductor Mikhail Pletnev, violinist Giuseppe Gibboni, violinist Daniel Lozakovich, and pianist Arsenii Moon. In an interview with Artribune, Shor discussed his dual career, his emotional connection to audiences, and his openness to having his music used in films.
L’Agendissima di Artribune in occasione della Biennale Arte 2026. La guida completa agli eventi da scaricare
Artribune has released its "Agendissima" guide for the 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, running from May 9 to November 22, 2026, across the Giardini, Arsenale, and various venues in Venice. The guide provides schedules, addresses, and recommendations for openings, pavilions, exhibitions, and evening events during the preview days, available for online consultation, download, and printing.
Raven's Wish, a downtown Janesville art gallery and maker space, is relocating from its current 4,000-square-foot location at 101 W. Milwaukee St. to a smaller downtown space. Owner Kegane Rynes, who bought the business from former owner Alicia Reed two years ago, says the move is driven by a need for a layout that better suits the shop's evolving focus on art classes and creative workspace. The business, which includes a pottery studio called Pottery By Five run by partner Heather Hansen, has seen growing demand for classes and aims to separate retail, framing, and workshop areas more intentionally.
The Heilongjiang Provincial Artists Association held its 2026 annual work meeting and the 7th 9th Presidium (Expanded) Meeting on April 29, 2026, via a hybrid online-offline format. Over 100 participants attended, including presidium members, council members, heads of municipal and industry artists associations, and committee members. The meeting conveyed directives from the China Artists Association's study and implementation of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, as well as the provincial文联's work arrangements. It summarized 2025 work and outlined key tasks for 2026, emphasizing ideological guidance through Xi Jinping's cultural thought, people-centered creative direction focusing on local themes like black soil culture and borderland heritage, and strengthening of traditional art forms such as Heilongjiang printmaking and watercolor. The meeting also approved new council member additions, first-batch 2026 membership applications, and committee adjustments.
Hannah Powell, a University of Pittsburgh alumna, has been appointed as the first official coordinator of the University Art Gallery (UAG) at Pitt. After earning a degree in anthropology and a minor in museum studies from Pitt in 2016, she pursued a master's in museum studies from the University of Glasgow, then worked at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and later at Pittsburgh institutions like the Heinz History Center and Carnegie Science Center. Since starting her role at the UAG in 2024, Powell coordinates exhibitions, plans educational programming, and improves accessibility to a collection of over 3,000 pieces, working alongside one other full-time employee.