SOLO CSV Is a New Madrid Art Venue That Should Be On Your Radar

SOLO CSV, a new art venue in Madrid, Spain, has opened as part of the international SOLO arts project led by Ana Gervás and David Cantolla. The space, located near Parque del Oeste, was transformed from a 4,000-square-meter former printworks by Spanish architecture firm Estudio Herreros into an unconventional art labyrinth. Its inaugural exhibition at the Bowman Hal gallery featured William Mackinnon, followed by Aaron Johnson's current show 'WE ALL SHINE ON.' The venue also houses the SOLO arts incubator, including the ONKAOS digital arts initiative, a conservation lab, and the newly announced Movimiento 37 program.

Furniture gets a performative boost at Collectible design fair

Collectible design fair returned for its second edition in New York, taking over the entire 39th floor of the WSA building in Manhattan’s Financial District. The fair featured 123 exhibitors, many local, presenting limited-edition and unique design objects. Highlights included Tuleste Factory's lighting-heavy stand 'Afterglow' with ceramic lamps by Ethan Streicher, a collaborative living-room set by Streicher and Ian Love called the Kindred Collection, and a special-projects section with a performance dinner and a piercing station. Co-founder Liv Vaisberg emphasized the fair's curated, designer-centered approach and experimental spirit.

Gitte Zschoch wird Generalsekretärin des Goethe-Instituts

Gitte Zschoch has been appointed as the new Secretary General of the Goethe-Institut, taking over the role and chairmanship of the board on July 18. She succeeds Johannes Ebert, who has held the position since 2012 and will now lead the institute's regional office in Athens. Zschoch, currently Secretary General of the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (ifa), previously worked for the Goethe-Institut in various roles, including founding director of its branch in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The appointment was confirmed by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and approved by the institute's presidium.

The Most Important Thing is That Art Remains Accessible

"Das Wichtigste ist, dass die Kunst zugänglich bleibt"

Gilles Neiens has been appointed as the first-ever artistic director of Art Düsseldorf, marking a strategic shift for the eight-year-old regional art fair. In his new role, Neiens aims to elevate the fair's profile by focusing on high-quality curation, thematic depth, and fostering closer collaborative relationships with participating galleries. This structural change signals a move away from purely organizational management toward a more distinct, content-driven identity.

La tour Perret, premier gratte-ciel en béton armé d’Europe, renaît à Grenoble après 60 ans de fermeture

The Tour Perret in Grenoble, Europe's first reinforced concrete skyscraper, will reopen to the public on July 11, 2026, after being closed since the 1960s. Designed by Auguste Perret in 1925 for the International Exhibition of White Coal and Tourism, the 95-meter tower has undergone a complex restoration led by heritage architect François Botton, addressing water infiltration and corrosion while preserving its original character.

Ella Maillart, intrepid photographer of the 1930s, highlighted in an exhibition in Lausanne

Ella Maillart, photographe baroudeuse des années 30 mise en lumière dans une exposition à Lausanne

Ella Maillart, a Swiss photographer and adventurer from the 1930s, is the subject of a new exhibition in Lausanne. Born in Geneva in 1903, Maillart was an Olympic sailor and champion skier before turning to travel and photography. She journeyed across the Soviet Union, Central Asia, and China, often by train, ski, or camel, documenting remote cultures and political landscapes. Her travels included a 6,000-kilometer trek from Beijing to Kashmir with British writer Peter Fleming, and a road trip from Geneva to Kabul with friend Annemarie Schwarzenbach. The exhibition highlights her photographs and writings, which blend geographical exploration, political chronicle, and personal meditation.

Under pressure, the Venice Biennale jury resigns and is replaced by a public vote

Sous pression, le jury de la Biennale de Venise démissionne et est remplacé par un vote du public

On April 30, just days before the Venice Biennale's public opening on May 9, the entire international jury responsible for awarding the Golden and Silver Lions resigned. The jury—comprising Solange Farkas, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi—had been caught in a escalating controversy after Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco reinstated Russia, which had been excluded since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The European Union threatened to suspend or cancel its €2 million subsidy if Russia remained included. The jury attempted to exclude countries whose leaders face International Criminal Court arrest warrants, effectively targeting Russia and Israel, but ultimately resigned under pressure from both external diplomatic turmoil and internal institutional opposition to any discrimination between pavilions.

A New "Creative" Campus in Rennes

Un nouveau campus « créatif » à Rennes

The private higher education group Icônes is investing €33 million to construct a new 16,000-square-meter "creative campus" in the EuroRennes district of Rennes, France. Scheduled to open in 2027, the complex will feature three buildings designed by architect Philippe Dubus, including a new home for the ESMA 3D animation school, a 300-studio student residence, and coworking spaces dedicated to creative startups.

The Journal of Antiquarians and Galleries No. 10 Has Just Been Published

Le Journal des Antiquaires et Galeries n°10 vient de paraître

The tenth issue of Le Journal des Antiquaires et Galeries has been released, focusing on the resilience of the art market amidst geopolitical and economic headwinds. The publication highlights major spring events including Art Paris, Art Brussels, and the Paris Gallery Weekend, while introducing the newly formed Federation of Art Market Actors (FAM’Art).

See Norwich artist Dan Topalis' new exhibition at Dada Post

An exhibition featuring the work of Norwich artist Dan Topalis has opened at Dada Post in Norwich, Connecticut. Titled "Dan Topalis: Interchanges & Intersections," the show runs every Saturday through July 1 and presents two series: the "Crazy Clown Series" from 2022, depicting clowns performing feats of agility, and the ongoing "Dots" series of 2026, featuring colorful, two-color patterned compositions. Topalis, a Norwich native and 1973 graduate of Norwich Free Academy who also studied at the Philadelphia College of Art, works primarily in acrylic on canvas.

Maia Taber Ayerza at Tureen

Tureen gallery in Dallas is presenting "Compositions, 1950-2026," a solo exhibition of works by artist Maia Taber Ayerza, running from April 25 to May 30, 2026. The show spans over seven decades of the artist's practice, from 1950 through 2026, and is documented with 74 images on the Contemporary Art Daily platform.

Bespoke Glass Studio’s Sculptures Challenge Traditional Conventions of Stained Glass

Lesley Green, founder of Bespoke Glass Studio, creates stained glass sculptures that break from traditional window-mounted forms. Her work includes three-dimensional pieces that project colored light onto walls, functional room dividers, and sculptural objects made using hand-cut copper foil techniques. Green aims to shift perception of stained glass from architectural feature to standalone art object, emphasizing pure color and texture.

Daniel Sackheim Traverses Los Angeles’ Noir Side in ‘The City Unseen’

Emmy Award-winning director and photographer Daniel Sackheim is set to release a new photography book titled 'The City Unseen,' which explores the noir aesthetic of Los Angeles. Moving away from the city's sunny stereotypes, Sackheim utilizes high-contrast black-and-white photography to capture a gritty, cinematic underbelly inspired by hardboiled detective novels and historic urban architecture. The project features dramatic silhouettes and deep shadows that create a sense of timeless mystery across iconic L.A. locales.

Hillary Waters Fayle Creates ‘Portraits of Place’ from Seeds, Foliage, and Petals

Artist Hillary Waters Fayle has developed a unique series titled 'Portraits of Place,' which utilizes foraged botanicals to create intricate cyanotypes. By collecting and drying seeds, petals, and foliage from specific locations like Grace Farms and Maymont Park, Fayle arranges them into symmetrical, mandala-like compositions on UV-sensitive paper. The resulting bright blue prints serve as a botanical record of a specific geography and moment in time.

Ndidi Dike “Rare Earth Rare Justice” at Secession, Vienna

Ndidi Dike, a British-Nigerian sculptor and multi-disciplinary artist, presents her first major solo exhibition at an Austrian institution, titled "Rare Earth Rare Justice," at Secession in Vienna. The show features works across mixed media, painting, sculpture, collage, photography, video, and installation, addressing social, political, and economic conditions of the modern world.

Daniel Hopp “Fictional Healing” at Kunsthaus Hamburg

Daniel Hopp's exhibition "Fictional Healing" at Kunsthaus Hamburg explores how transit spaces like train stations and public squares reveal social divisions, focusing on sites such as Berlin's Leopoldplatz and Hamburg's Drob Inn, a drug consumption counseling center. The show examines the collision of addiction, homelessness, and survival strategies in these urban environments.

Ivan Cheng “Casemates” at Mudam, Luxembourg

Mudam Luxembourg—Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean will present "A Journey," a performance program running throughout 2026. The series features artist Ivan Cheng with his work "Casemates," which explores cultural memory, technological progress, and embodied interpretation through the concept of a journey as both method and metaphor.

Even More Drawings for Versailles

Encore d'autres dessins pour Versailles

The Palace of Versailles has acquired several drawings during the Paris Drawing Week sales in March 2026, including a rare study by Charles de La Fosse for the royal chapel's dome decoration. The drawing, depicting a reclining nude man for "The Resurrection of Christ," was purchased at the Rossini auction of Paul and Florence Vercier's collection for €3,800. This acquisition adds to Versailles' growing collection of La Fosse works, following earlier purchases of an angel study in 2016 and a ceiling project in 2023.

Salomé: Henner and Moreau Confront the Myth

Salomé. Henner et Moreau face au mythe

The Musée National Jean-Jacques Henner in Paris is hosting a focused exhibition exploring the iconographic myth of Salomé through the lenses of Jean-Jacques Henner and Gustave Moreau. The show examines how these two 19th-century masters interpreted the biblical figure who demanded the head of John the Baptist, contrasting their stylistic approaches to her seductive and fatal power. While the Gospels provide no physical description of Salomé, the exhibition highlights how these artists moved away from traditional fleshy depictions to create more ethereal, haunting versions of the femme fatale.

M’barek Bouhchichi: Hands That Remember

Moroccan artist M’barek Bouhchichi presents 'Les mains des poètes' at Foundation H in Antananarivo, Madagascar, running until 17 October 2026. The exhibition stems from a residency in Madagascar where Bouhchichi collaborated with local artisans—blacksmiths, weavers, ceramists, and musicians—to create works that resist singular authorship. Central to the show is the revival of sorabe, the Arabico-Malagasy script, treated as an embodied, gestural practice rather than fixed writing.

‘Rostos da Imigração’: Faces That Refuse Silence

Photographer Alfredo Cunha presents 'Rostos da Imigração' at the UCCLA gallery in Lisbon, a photographic exhibition featuring portraits of individuals from lusophone communities. The series resists anonymity and aestheticization, instead focusing on the lived experiences of migrants in contemporary Portugal. The exhibition is on view until 20 May 2026.

‘Apoi’ and Weaving What Remains

Ugandan artist Acaye Kerunen presents her first solo museum exhibition in Germany, titled 'Apoi,' at the Kunstmuseen Krefeld. The show, installed across the modernist spaces of Haus Lange and Haus Esters, features handwoven textiles, sculpture, sound, and film that draw on Indigenous knowledge systems and intergenerational exchange. It is part of the museum's ongoing 'HL HE Dialog: What Comes After Art' series.

The Practice of Liberation and Sanctuaries of Becoming.

Michaela Yearwood-Dan has unveiled her first major UK institutional exhibition, 'The Practice of Liberation,' at the Whitworth. The immersive installation integrates fourteen new paintings with ceramic vessels and soundscapes, reimagining traditional religious motifs through a contemporary, secular lens. By deconstructing elements like stained glass and the Stations of the Cross into abstract forms, the artist creates a sanctuary that explores themes of ritual, memory, and personal identity.

The Order of Symbolism, Signs and Sensibility

The Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro (MAM Rio) is hosting a major retrospective titled 'Rubem Valentim: a ordem do sensível,' featuring approximately 180 works spanning four decades. Curated by Raquel Barreto and Phelipe Rezende, the exhibition showcases Valentim’s unique fusion of modernist abstraction with the spiritual symbols of Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous cosmologies. The presentation includes paintings, reliefs, and sculptures, culminating in monumental works like 'Templo de Oxalá.'

Fragments of Belonging in ‘Black Bricolage’.

Photographer and writer Johny Pitts presents 'Black Bricolage' at MEP Studio, a visual essay spanning two decades of work documenting Black life across European cities like Paris, Lisbon, and Berlin. The exhibition utilizes a mix of photography, personal notes, and lived encounters to map the 'Afropean' experience, focusing on the quiet textures of daily life rather than grand spectacles.

Sortilégios de desvio and the Politics of Image-Making

The Museu de Arte do Rio has launched 'Sortilégios de desvio,' the first solo institutional exhibition by Brazilian artist No Martins. Produced in collaboration with Galeria Almeida & Dale and curated by a five-person team led by Marcelo Campos, the show features a significant selection of Martins’ recent works that explore the intersections of urban experience and Afro-Brazilian cultural imaginaries. Through a variety of media, the exhibition highlights the artist's focus on gesture, memory, and the reconfiguration of traditional visual narratives.

art brick hamza walker curator

Hamza Walker, the renowned curator and director of the Los Angeles nonprofit art space the Brick, is featured as a 2026 CULT100 honoree. He was a key driver behind the ambitious exhibition “Monuments,” which places decommissioned Confederate monuments alongside contemporary art at a time when American cultural history is increasingly politicized. The article includes a brief Q&A with Walker, touching on his personal tastes, work philosophy, and reflections on his career.

parties tropa tequila haas brothers carvingblock

Tropa Tequila launched its limited-edition Añejo Artist Series bottle, designed by artist Nikolai Haas of the Haas Brothers and produced by Max Block and Cam Saffle of CARVINGBLOCK. The launch event was held at the Haas Brothers’ new studio in North Hollywood, featuring an intimate dinner for Los Angeles artists, designers, and collaborators. Only 300 individually numbered bottles were released, with caps hand-beaded by artisans in South Africa.

design matter and shape paris fair

Matter and Shape, a design salon held concurrently with Paris Fashion Week, returns for its third edition from March 6–9 at the Jardin des Tuileries. Curated by artistic director Dan Thawley and founder Matthieu Pinet, the fair transforms two pavilions into a temporary city of objects, featuring collectible design, practical luxury, and emerging studios. This year's theme, “scale,” prompts visitors to consider both micro craft gestures and macro production systems, with a focus on ethical and sustainable practices. Exhibitors include Lindsey Adelman Studio, a reading room with Villa Hegra, a collaboration with Byredo, and the return of the Zara Home x Dreamin’ Man café, alongside a new restaurant concept from Balbosté.

film mohamad abdouni michael bailey gates cold cuts

Lebanese photographer, filmmaker, and Cold Cuts magazine creative director Mohamad Abdouni has released a new documentary titled "Treat Me Like Your Mother," which documents the lives of trans women in Lebanon. The film, drawn from an Arabic expression asking for mercy, reframes motherhood as an ethical position rooted in responsibility for the trans community. Rather than extracting trauma, Abdouni allows the women to tell their own histories in personal, nonlinear, and surprising forms. The documentary evolved from a book project featuring oral histories of ten women, and the film centers Abdouni's own reflections on what these women represented to him growing up. In a dialogue with photographer Michael Bailey-Gates for CULTURED, Abdouni discusses the importance of letting trans women define the terms of their own visibility.