How one Swiss museum helped to evacuate thousands of Gaza artefacts ahead of an Israeli strike

The Geneva Museum of Art and History (MAH) coordinated a frantic evacuation of thousands of archaeological artefacts from Gaza’s main storage facility on 9 September, ahead of an Israeli strike that destroyed the Al-Kawthar residential tower housing the repository. The facility, operated by the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem (EBAF), contained finds from key sites including the fourth-century Saint Hilarion Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site. MAH staff, led by curator Béatrice Blandin, negotiated with Israeli authorities, Swiss diplomats, UNESCO, and the Aliph Foundation to secure a brief window for removal. Despite the operation, 30% of the artefacts—mostly ceramics and lapidary objects—could not be saved.

Artists Donate their Works to Help Save Cambodia’s only Photography School

Artists and photographers, both Cambodian and foreign, have donated works to an exhibition at Brown Coffee in Phnom Penh to raise emergency funds for Studio Images - House of Photography, Cambodia's only professional photography school. The school opened in 2024 but lost its funding for the next six months due to external circumstances, threatening the graduation of students in its two-year associate-degree program. The exhibition, titled "Art for the Future," is hosted at the café located in the former home of architect Vann Molyvann, with proceeds supporting the school's operations through the 2025-2026 school year.

Springville Museum of Art hosts John Hafen exhibition

The Springville Museum of Art has opened the first major retrospective of John Hafen, a co-founder of the Springville Art Movement and one of Utah's most influential artists. The exhibition features 64 of Hafen's paintings, including works from the museum's own collection and loans from other museums and private owners. Highlights include the painting "Girl Among the Hollyhocks" and "The Sycamore Tree," alongside a biography of the artist and interpretive quotes from his writings. Hafen, a Swiss-born plein-air painter who studied in France and settled in Utah, is known for his tonalist landscapes that emphasize mood and sentiment over exact representation.

Anxious collectors are increasingly turning to freeport havens, experts say

Rising tariffs, geopolitical instability, and extreme weather events are driving art collectors to move valuable items into secure, tax-friendly freeports, particularly in Switzerland. Experts Alexandre Ducamp of Natural le Coultre and Fritz Dietl of Delaware Freeport report a significant increase in clients over the past three years, citing the war in Ukraine, multiple ongoing conflicts, and President Trump's April 2025 'Liberation Day' tariffs as key factors. Collectors are using freeports in Geneva, Zurich, Basel, and Chiasso, as well as foreign trade zones in Delaware, to delay or avoid import duties on items like design furniture, antiques, and Chinese-origin artworks, with some purchases being cancelled due to new tariffs.

At Art Basel, the Market Hopes for a Recovery

Art Basel 2025 opens on June 19 amid economic and political uncertainty, with collectors exercising caution. The contemporary art market is still recovering from a 12% contraction in 2024, when auction sales dropped 25%. High-end transactions suffered most, while sales under $250,000 rose 17%. The fair expects 200 exhibitors, down from last year's 91,000 visitors. Sotheby’s May modern art auction in New York also posted lukewarm results, barely exceeding the low estimate.

An Artist Honors Extinct Plants and Animals at New York’s Swiss Institute

The New York Times reports on an exhibition at New York's Swiss Institute where an artist pays tribute to extinct plants and animals through their work. The show features installations and artworks that memorialize species lost to extinction, blending scientific documentation with artistic expression to create a poignant reflection on biodiversity loss.

An Artist and a Pastry Chef Transform Easter into an Authorial Project

Un artista e un pasticciere trasformano la Pasqua in un progetto d’autore

Artist Giovanni Gaggia and pastry chef Mattia Casabianca have collaborated to create two limited-edition Easter confections, BLU (an egg) and NUVOLA (a dove-shaped cake), that blend contemporary art, high pastry, and material research. The project moves beyond gastronomy to tell a story, with Gaggia developing the visual concept and identity, inspired by a verse from Swiss poet Franco Beltrametti.

The Fifth Edition of the Paris Print Fair

La cinquième édition de Paris Print Fair

The fifth edition of the Paris Print Fair has opened, solidifying its status as a key event during Drawing Week. The fair, held in the Gothic refectory of the Couvent des Cordeliers, features 25 international exhibitors with a strong focus on old masters and works predating the 1930s, continuing a trend where specialists in older prints take precedence over modern and contemporary galleries. New participants this year include the Swiss dealer August Laube and the Brussels gallery Le Tout-Venant.

BHS Senior Art showcase at Gallery 323

Bluffton High School is set to host its annual senior art exhibition at Gallery 323, showcasing the creative achievements of its graduating class. The event kicks off with an opening reception on April 23, 2026, and will remain on public display through early May.