Artists come together to celebrate Black art at the Harn

Gainesville art enthusiasts gathered at the Harn Museum of Art for its free 'Silver Linings' Community Day, featuring line dancing, screen printing, notebook making, and a community mural activity titled 'Pieces of Us.' The event centered on the exhibition 'Silver Linings: Celebrating the Spelman Art Collection,' on loan from Spelman College, which includes 39 works by nearly 30 artists of African descent, such as Benny Andrews, Sam Gilliam, and Faith Ringgold. Artist-in-residence Jessica Clermont led the community mural project, inviting visitors to decorate abstract puzzle pieces reflecting personal 'silver linings.'

The Met to Reopen Its Arts of Africa Galleries on May 31, Following a Multiyear Renovation

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will reopen its Arts of Africa galleries on May 31, 2025, after a multiyear renovation that began in summer 2021. The redesigned Michael C. Rockefeller Wing features some 500 works spanning from the medieval period to the present, including a 12th-century fired clay figure from Mali and Abdoulaye Konaté's 'Bleu no. 1' (2014). A quarter of the works are recent acquisitions or gifts, displayed for the first time. The project was led by Kulapat Yantrasast of WHY Architecture with Beyer, Blinder, Belle Architects LLP and the Met's Design Department, and involved a network of international scholars and digital partnerships with the World Monuments Fund and filmmaker Sosena Solomon.

Jean Tinguely’s 100th anniversary, migration museum opens in Rotterdam, Ben Shahn's social security mural—podcast

This episode of The Art Newspaper's podcast 'The Week in Art' covers three major stories. First, a host of exhibitions and events celebrating the 100th anniversary of Swiss kinetic artist Jean Tinguely, including shows at the Tinguely Museum in Basel, Lehmbruck Museum in Duisburg, Hauser & Wirth Somerset, and the Grand Palais in Paris. Second, the newly opened Fenix museum in Rotterdam, a museum dedicated to migration, featuring a dramatic stainless steel tornado staircase. Third, the episode's Work of the Week focuses on Ben Shahn's 1941 study 'Harvesting Wheat' for his mural 'The Meaning of Social Security,' discussed in conjunction with a major exhibition of Shahn's work at the Jewish Museum in New York.

Sébastien Allard à la tête du département des Peintures du Louvre

Sébastien Allard has been appointed interim head of the Paintings Department at the Musée du Louvre, effective April 14. The 47-year-old specialist in 19th-century art previously served as deputy to Vincent Pomarède, who moved to a new role overseeing museum mediation. Allard's permanent appointment awaits confirmation by Culture Minister Aurélie Filippetti, on the recommendation of Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez. Meanwhile, the search for a director of the Research and Collections Support division continues, with recruitment expected to be external.

Outsourcing Museum Reception: A Booming Model

Externaliser l’accueil dans les musées, un modèle en plein essor

French museums are increasingly outsourcing front-of-house services, including ticketing, reception, and crowd management, to specialized private firms. This trend, which gained momentum with the opening of the Musée du quai Branly in 2006, allows public institutions to focus internal resources on core missions like conservation and curation while utilizing flexible, external labor for high-traffic operations. The market for these cultural services in France is projected to reach approximately €50 million by 2025.

Los Angeles’s Getty Center will close for renovations ahead of the 2028 Olympics.

The Getty Center in Los Angeles has announced a temporary closure beginning March 15, 2027, to undergo its most extensive renovation since opening in 1997. The modernization project aims to enhance the visitor experience across the campus through a series of facility upgrades and reimagined spaces.

Château-Chinon unveils the astonishing gifts of President François Mitterrand

Château-Chinon déballe les étonnants cadeaux du président François Mitterrand

The Cité des présents-François Mitterrand, formerly the Musée du Septennat, has reopened in Château-Chinon, France, after a renovation. The museum displays thousands of diplomatic gifts received by President François Mitterrand during his 14-year tenure (1981–1995), including a portrait of Prince Charles, a vermeil oasis from the king of Saudi Arabia, and taxidermy lions from the Central African Republic. The collection of 4,800 objects spans 80 countries, with one-third donated by French citizens. The site also houses a fashion museum featuring 5,000 pieces from the 17th century to contemporary designers like Alexis Mabille and Yves Saint Laurent.

CUANDO LOS OBJETOS HABLAN. MUSEO HECHIZO, DE JUAN JOSÉ SANTOS

Juan José Santos's book "Museo hechizo" (Metales Pesados, 2025) challenges the perceived neutrality of the Western museum, presenting it as an institution shaped by colonial logics of classification, extraction, and representation. The essay centers on the concept of "lo hechizo"—understood as both artisanal precariousness and disruptive enchantment—and explores small, community-based Latin American museum experiences that operate from precarity, reciprocity, and care. Santos argues that the museum is a space of conflict where voices, narratives, and ways of constructing history are contested, and he proposes thinking of the museum through its minor, situated, and alternative forms in Latin America.

The Met Will Expand by Merging With the Nearby Neue Galerie

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will acquire the Neue Galerie's Fifth Avenue building and its collection of 20th-century Austrian and German art, starting in 2028. The collection was built by cosmetics magnate Ronald S. Lauder, who founded the Neue Galerie in 2001.

Italy’s Uffizi Hit by Cyberattack, Says Security Wasn’t Compromised

The Uffizi Galleries in Florence suffered a significant cyberattack in February, with hackers reportedly stealing access codes, internal maps, CCTV camera information, and the institution's entire photographic archive. The attackers issued a ransom demand to director Simone Verde. In response, the museum moved valuable jewels to the Bank of Italy, sealed emergency exits at the Palazzo Pitti with bricks, and closed a section of the palace, though it attributes some actions to planned renovations and fire-safety compliance.

lilo and stitch galleria dell accademia graceland

Disney has placed a white statue of the character Stitch from "Lilo & Stitch" inside the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, Italy, where it sits on a plinth near Michelangelo's David. The installation, part of a partnership between Disney and the Italian Ministry of Culture, promotes the upcoming live-action remake of the 2002 animated film. A promotional video shows Stitch causing mischief in the museum before carving its own marble likeness. The statue will be on view through June 20. Separately, Stitch also made an appearance at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, where it posed with Elvis Presley memorabilia and a pink Cadillac.

Miljohn Ruperto Rethinks Western Ideas of Time

The rise of the 'one-work exhibition' is transforming how audiences engage with art, shifting the focus from the rapid consumption of numerous objects to a singular, immersive spatial experience. By isolating a single masterpiece or installation, institutions are creating environments that demand 'slow looking' and provide a meditative counterpoint to the overwhelming speed of digital and contemporary visual culture.

The 10th Max Mara Art Prize for Women

第10回マックスマーラ・アート・プライズ・フォー・ウィメン

The 10th Max Mara Art Prize for Women has been awarded to Indonesian artist Dian Suci, marking the first time the prize has been held in Asia. Suci was selected from five finalists for her project "Crafting Spirit: Cultural Dialogues in Heritage and Practice," which examines the intersection of religious craftsmanship traditions and capitalist systems. The prize is organized in partnership with the Museum MACAN in Jakarta. Suci will undertake a six-month residency in Italy, followed by solo exhibitions in 2027 at both Museum MACAN and Collezione Maramotti in Reggio Emilia.

Phoenix Airport Museum Celebrates Museum Month

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is celebrating Museum Month and International Museum Day (May 18) by highlighting the Phoenix Airport Museum's exhibitions. The museum, which began as an art program in the 1960s with Paul Coze's mural "The Phoenix" and officially became a museum 38 years ago, has presented over 500 exhibitions focusing on Arizona's culture. It now houses more than 1,000 artworks across 40 display areas, including architecturally integrated pieces and portable works. Current exhibitions include "Spectral Alchemy" (15 local artists exploring light), "Fluoresce" (blacklight paintings), "Time & Place" (paintings by Martin Dimitrov), "Runway Fashion" (vintage flight attendant uniforms), and several others in Terminals 3 and 4, both pre- and post-security.

Parliamentary report calls for major changes at French museums in the wake of Louvre heist

A French parliamentary report published on 13 May, following the October 19 heist of the crown jewels at the Louvre, issues a damning assessment of the country's museum security and management. The commission heard around 100 testimonies and examined some 2,000 museums, dedicating a special chapter to the Louvre. It blames former director Laurence des Cars's leadership for a "dysfunctional drift" that prioritized contemporary art interventions and fashion shows over basic infrastructure and collection protection, allowing the heist to occur. The report lists rising threats including riots, burglaries, cyberattacks (which forced the National Museum of Natural History in Paris to cancel an exhibition after a ransomware attack in July 2025), and terrorist plots. It proposes 40 recommendations, including raising budgets by an estimated €20–25 billion over a decade, enhancing staff training, and overhauling museum leadership.

LA’s Getty Center to Close for Renovations Beginning in 2027

The Getty Center in Los Angeles has announced a year-long closure for extensive renovations, scheduled to begin in March 2027. This marks the first major modernization of the Richard Meier-designed campus since its opening in 1997. The project will focus on updating the galleries, the Welcome Hall, and the tram system, while also introducing new artist commissions and improving infrastructure like HVAC systems and digital connectivity.

How NADA is Cultivating the Next Generation of Collectors Through Salons

how nada next generation of collectors salons

The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) has launched a new initiative called NADA Collects, a series of salons and educational events designed to demystify the art-buying process. Through gallery walks, dinners, and informal Q&A sessions, the program addresses the intimidation factor that often prevents potential buyers from entering the contemporary art market. By fostering a space where "no question is too dumb," NADA aims to bridge the gap between galleries and a new generation of collectors who may feel alienated by the perceived elitism of the art world.

philadelphia museum of art chief of staff departs

Two senior staff members at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Chief of Staff Maggie Fairs and CFO Valerie McDuffie, are resigning. This follows the controversial firing of former director and CEO Sasha Suda in November, who later sued the museum for wrongful termination, and the recent resignation of the marketing chief who oversaw a short-lived and widely mocked rebranding of the institution.

louvre reopens delay galleries closed staff strike

The Louvre Museum in Paris reopened to the public on Monday after a three-hour delay, though several galleries remained closed as staff resumed strike action over pay, working conditions, and staffing levels. The renewed strike follows a pause on December 19 for the Christmas holiday and is part of ongoing disputes between unions and museum management. The museum has also faced recent challenges, including a $102 million jewel theft in October and infrastructure problems such as a water leak that damaged ancient books.

newly established uc irvine langson orange county museum of art names kathryn kanjo as first director

The newly formed UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art has appointed Kathryn Kanjo as its first director. Kanjo, who currently leads the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), will assume the role in February 2026, also overseeing the UC Irvine Jack & Shanaz Langson Institute of California Art. The appointment follows the amicable merger of the University of California, Irvine, and the Orange County Museum of Art, finalized this fall, which created a new entity uniting three major California art collections—the Irvine, Buck, and OCMA collections—totaling some 9,000 works housed in a 53,000-square-foot facility at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

uae to open massive museum in december that reflects historical trajectory of the country

The Zayed National Museum, a new mega museum designed by Foster + Partners, will open on Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Island in December. Named after the UAE's first president, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the museum will feature six permanent galleries spanning 300,000 years of history, displaying artifacts including a 1,000-year-old Qur'an, the world's oldest natural pearl (the 8,000-year-old Abu Dhabi Pearl), and objects from the Palaeolithic to Iron Age. It will also host loans from international institutions like the British Museum.

chicago history museum union retaliation

The union for Chicago History Museum workers, formed in February with AFSCME Council 31, has accused museum management of retaliation against employees for organizing. In a letter to the board of trustees, the union alleges that four members were fired, five others threatened, and that on April 16, the senior HR director verbally accosted two visitor services employees with profanities and job threats in front of staff and visitors. The union represents nearly 70 employees including curators, librarians, and designers.

Archives : MAMM : Lauren Greenfield : Generation Wealth

The Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow (MAMM) presents 'Generation Wealth' by American documentary photographer and director Lauren Greenfield as part of the XII Moscow International Biennale 'Fashion and Style in Photography 2021'. The exhibition, opening May 21, 2021, includes over 200 photographs, documentary films, and interviews drawn from Greenfield's 25-year investigation into global consumer culture, wealth aspiration, and the transformation of happiness. It marks Greenfield's third exhibition at MAMM, following previous shows in 2000 and 2004.

Cranbrook Art Museum mini-golf returns with free gallery admission

Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills is bringing back its artist-designed miniature golf course, Cranbrook on the Green, starting May 2, 2026. The nine-hole course will be set beside the iconic Triton Pools, blending mini-golf with an outdoor art experience, and each round includes free admission to the museum's galleries.

Early visitors share first impressions of LACMA’s sprawling new building

The David Geffen Galleries, the new $724-million building at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), opened to members, drawing thousands of visitors on its first day. The massive concrete structure, which has been a subject of public debate for its cost and design, finally allowed Angelenos and dedicated travelers to experience its spaces and inaugural installations firsthand.

Tiffany Chung’s exhibition at the AD&A Museum maps history within deep geological time

The Art, Design & Architecture (AD&A) Museum at UC Santa Barbara has launched "Tiffany Chung: indelible traces," a mid-career survey of the Vietnamese American artist and UCSB alumna. The exhibition features over 70 works spanning 25 years, including her signature hand-drawn and embroidered maps, video, and sculptural installations. Curated by Orianna Cacchione, the show highlights Chung’s use of cartography to challenge colonial narratives and document the complexities of forced migration, climate crises, and the movement of botanical organisms across continents.

Acquisitions round-up: a rare early Italian portrait of a Black man, a record-breaking Kiddush cup, and a limewood sculpture of the Madonna

The Uffizi Galleries in Florence have acquired Giacomo Ceruti's "Il mendicante moro" (1725–30), one of the earliest known portraits of a Black man in Italian painting. The Toledo Museum of Art has purchased a rare 11th-12th century Kiddush cup that set an auction record for Judaica at Sotheby's for $4m. The Bode-Museum in Berlin has acquired a limewood sculpture of the nursing Madonna from the Circle of the Biberach Master, which was restituted to the heirs of Jakob Goldschmidt in 2023 and sold at Christie's in 2024.

"Lee Kun-hee Collection Showcases the Source of K-Culture’s Creativity"

The Lee Kun-hee Collection international tour exhibition, titled "Treasures from Korea: Collecting, Cherishing, Sharing," opened at the National Museum of Asian Art under the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., on March 15, 2025. Within one month, it attracted over 15,600 visitors—25% more than comparable past exhibitions—and all museum merchandise sold out within a week, generating approximately 100 million KRW in orders. The show features 330 works selected from over 23,000 pieces donated to South Korea in 2021 by the late Lee Kun-hee, former Samsung Group chairman, including seven National Treasures and fifteen Treasures. Highlights include the Beopgo-dae, which gained viral attention for resembling a character from the Netflix film 'KPop Demon Hunters.'

Hew Locke Unpacks the Complexity of Empire in His Biggest Museum Show Yet

Artist Hew Locke's most comprehensive museum exhibition to date, "Hew Locke: Passages," has opened at the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven. The show features 49 works spanning nearly three decades, including photography, sculpture, and drawing, and explores themes of empire, identity, and migration. Curated by museum director Martina Droth, the exhibition runs through January and includes key works such as "Veni, Vidi, Vici (The Queen's Coat of Arms)" (2004) and "Koh-i-noor" (2005), which critique British imperial symbols using found objects and textiles.

Sotheby’s Has Set a Debut Date for Its Landmark Breuer Building Headquarters

Sotheby's has announced that its new headquarters in the iconic Breuer Building at 945 Madison Avenue will open on November 8. Originally designed by Marcel Breuer for the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1966, the building later housed the Met Breuer and the Frick Collection during its renovation. Sotheby's purchased the Brutalist landmark from the Whitney two years ago and has renovated it with Pritzker Prize-winning architects Herzog & de Meuron and PBDW Architects, adding auction rooms and state-of-the-art gallery spaces while preserving original features like bluestone floors and concrete walls. The opening will coincide with a major modern and contemporary art exhibition, followed by fall marquee sales the week of November 17.