The Museum of Contemporary Religious Art (MOCRA) at Saint Louis University is closing to the public on May 31, 2025, after more than three decades of operation. Its final exhibition, 'Liminal,' features works from 47 artists, many drawn from the museum's permanent collection. The closure, announced last year, is a result of university budget cuts.
The gallery P420 in Bologna has opened "See Through," the second solo exhibition by Welsh artist Merlin James. The show features a non-linear curation that blends works from different decades, ranging from landscapes and interiors to erotic scenes and near-abstract compositions. James’s approach treats the exhibition as a "jam session," where visual and thematic repetitions provide a structure for diverse painterly explorations.
The global photography market experienced a significant surge in 2025, with auction turnover at major houses like Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips rising 19.1% to $40.4 million. A key trend identified in the Deloitte Private report is the shift away from specialized photography-only auctions toward the integration of high-value photographic works into broader modern and contemporary art sales. This transition has helped drive the average hammer price up by nearly 39%, as seen with million-dollar results for artists like Man Ray, Cindy Sherman, and William Eggleston.
New Orleans Auction Galleries has announced its Spring Fine Art and Design sale, scheduled for April 23, 2026. The auction will feature 279 lots spanning over a century of artistic production, highlighted by significant works from Mexican modernist José Clemente Orozco, Abstract Expressionist Grace Hartigan, and Southern Regionalist John McCrady. The collection explores diverse themes ranging from the metaphysical to social and political commentary through painting, sculpture, and mixed media.
The Gallery at Bowie House in Fort Worth is launching a new exhibition titled "Memory Lane," featuring abstract works by artists Carly Allen Martin and Erik Skoldberg. Since opening in December 2023 within the luxury Auberge Resorts Collection hotel, the gallery has integrated fine art into every guest room and public space, selling hundreds of works ranging from $30,000 to several hundred thousand dollars. The upcoming show marks a shift for the space, moving from its typical figurative Western aesthetic toward contemporary abstraction.
French artist Bertrand Lavier is presenting a solo exhibition titled 'Brushstroke n.7' at MASSIMODECARLO Pièce Unique in Paris. The exhibition centers on a single, sinuous steel sculpture that translates the traditionally flat, expressive painterly gesture into a three-dimensional physical entity. This presentation marks Lavier's sixth solo show with the gallery and continues his decades-long exploration of the boundaries between painting, sculpture, and the readymade.
Carrie Mae Weems has introduced a new photographic work titled 'Ocean Line' (2026). The piece is being presented in multiple dimensions, ranging from 11 x 14 inches to 20 x 24 inches, through a platform that partners with elite, vetted galleries to showcase contemporary artists to a global network of collectors and advisors.
The Hessel Museum at Bard College has launched its annual spring exhibition season, featuring twelve distinct curatorial projects titled "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today." Organized by graduating students from the Center for Curatorial Studies (CCS), the showcase serves as a professional debut for an emerging cohort of curators. The projects range from solo retrospectives of under-recognized artists like Brazilian painter Maria Auxiliadora Silva to explorations of feminist art history through the work of A.I.R. Gallery co-founder Anne Healy.
Ghost at La Lison Gallery: our photos from the exhibition Before the Ashes
The La Lison Gallery in Paris is hosting "Avant les cendres" (Before the Ashes), a solo exhibition by the artist Fantôme running from April 9 to May 16, 2026. The showcase features a series of abstract works that utilize black ink, oils, fabric, and ash to explore texture and light, drawing comparisons to the monochromatic depth of Pierre Soulages. The exhibition serves as a prequel to the artist's upcoming show, "Cercles," in Nancy.
Artexpo New York has returned to Pier 36 for its 49th annual edition, featuring over 70,000 square feet of exhibition space. Hosted by Redwood Art Group, the fair showcases a diverse range of media from more than 20 countries, divided into the main Artexpo Pavilion for established galleries and the [SOLO] Pavilion for independent artists. The 2026 program includes interactive Art Labs, the affordable Discoveries Collection, and the prestigious Spotlight Program, which honors six selected artists and galleries.
The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) in Edinburgh is celebrating its bicentenary with its largest annual exhibition to date, running from May 9 to June 14, 2026. Curated by artist Annie Cattrell under the theme "In-Time," the landmark 200th edition features hundreds of works by artists and architects, including invited contributions from Martin Creed and Cathie Pilkington. The event also introduces several new major prizes, such as the Jack Vettriano Award, bringing the total prize fund to over £25,000.
Tang Contemporary Art in Hong Kong is hosting 'Crab', a comprehensive solo exhibition by the renowned Chinese contemporary artist Yue Minjun. The show traces three decades of his career, featuring his iconic 'Laughing Face' series alongside newer works like the 'Flower Series' and 'Stack Series' that utilize diverse mediums including oil, sculpture, and printmaking.
Kruso Art has inaugurated its new Milan headquarters within the historic former Cinema De Amicis, following a six-million-euro redevelopment by Banca Sistema. The multifunctional space will host its first auction on April 15 during Milano Art Week, featuring 57 contemporary works from a private collection, including pieces by Rémy Zaugg, Giuseppe Stampone, and Darren Almond.
Art on Main in East Dallas is hosting "Chicano," a massive group exhibition featuring 79 works by 58 artists from the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond. Curated by Junanne Peck and Ariel Esquivel, the show spans painting, photography, metal sculpture, and printmaking to explore themes of identity, resilience, and the lived experiences of the Mexican-American community. Highlights include Rodrigo Paredes’ tribute to street vendors and Lisa Batchelder’s surrealist explorations of her Oak Cliff upbringing.
Johannesburg’s Artist Proof Studio (APS) is celebrating its 35th anniversary with a benefit exhibition and online auction hosted in partnership with Strauss & Co. Running through April 17, 2026, the event features original prints from a diverse roster of talent, ranging from world-renowned figures like William Kentridge to emerging students currently enrolled in the studio’s programs. The initiative includes a physical showcase at Strauss & Co’s Houghton gallery and a digital sale designed to engage both seasoned and first-time collectors.
Samantha McCoy, the grand-niece of Jackson Pollock, has launched Argo Fine Arts, a new gallery model operating between Paris and New York. Making its high-profile debut at the 28th edition of Art Paris in the Grand Palais, the gallery is garnering attention for its impressive inventory, which includes works by Jackson Pollock, Cy Twombly, and Charles Pollock. McCoy has opted for an "ephemeral" gallery model that prioritizes artists and clients over permanent real estate, reflecting a strategic response to the current economic pressures facing traditional brick-and-mortar galleries.
Contemporary artist Tumi Magnússon has opened a solo exhibition titled "Herefrom Thereto Therefrom Hereto" (Héðan þangað þaðan hingað) at the Reykjanes Art Museum in Keflavík, Iceland. Curated by Gavin Morrison, the show marks a significant return for both the Copenhagen-based artist and the U.S.-based curator to the Icelandic art scene. The exhibition features a dialogue between Magnússon’s early post-conceptual paintings from the late 1990s and his more recent explorations in video, sound, and digital imagery.
German artist and future astronaut Michael Najjar has partnered with the Samsung Art Store to feature his work "europa" (2016) as part of the Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 Collection. Najjar, who is scheduled to become the first contemporary artist in space via a 2027 Virgin Galactic flight, uses his practice to explore the intersection of technology, space exploration, and human ambition. The collaboration allows his large-scale digital constructions to be displayed on Samsung Art TVs, bridging the gap between the physical art fair and domestic environments.
Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota has debuted her first Bay Area solo exhibition, "Two Home Countries," at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. The show features Shiota’s signature immersive installations of red thread, most notably the 88-foot-long work "Diary," which suspends handwritten journal pages from World War II soldiers and postwar civilians within a dense crimson web. The exhibition also includes sculptures, video, and performance-based works that explore themes of memory, displacement, and the psychological state of living between cultures.
Simchowitz Gallery is presenting "Two of Us," a dual exhibition featuring Ukrainian artists Andrey Samarin and Lera Derkach at Hill House in Pasadena. The show explores the creative dialogue between the two artists, who have lived and worked together in France for the past three years while maintaining distinct individual practices. Samarin’s work focuses on the physical gesture of painting, blending abstraction and figuration influenced by German Expressionism and medieval art, while Derkach’s canvases lean into dreamlike narratives, metamorphosis, and psychological tension.
AstaGuru Auction House is launching the third edition of its 'ShowKeen' exhibition at the Nehru Centre in Mumbai. The two-day showcase features a curated selection of modern and contemporary Indian art, highlighting works by over 40 influential masters including S.H. Raza, M.F. Husain, F.N. Souza, and Akbar Padamsee, alongside contemporary figures like Meetali Singh and Tom Vattakuzhy.
The St. Louis-based triennial Counterpublic has announced its artist lineup and thematic framework for its 2026 edition, set to open on September 12. Featuring more than 50 artists across five primary locations, the free public art festival will showcase newly commissioned works by major figures such as Glenn Ligon, Rebecca Belmore, and Rirkrit Tiravanija. The exhibition, titled "Coyote Time," explores themes of rapid societal change, community resilience, and the "near future," with specific installations addressing the aftermath of a 2025 tornado and the history of local landmarks like Sumner High School.
French pop-street artist Jisbar has launched a city-wide exhibition in Detroit, transforming 134 static and digital billboards into a public art gallery. Running from April through mid-June, the project is a collaboration with Farmington Hills-based iO Billboard and features numbered works that reimagine pop culture icons and classic art. The initiative encourages residents to interact with the urban landscape by "collecting" sightings of the various pieces scattered across four metro counties.
Rugby Art Gallery and Museum has launched "UNVEILED - The Rugby Art Collection in Full," a landmark exhibition featuring all 257 artworks from its permanent collection. This marks the first time in decades that the entire body of work has been displayed together, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the collection's founding in 1946. The show includes a prestigious roster of British masters such as L.S. Lowry, Lucian Freud, Barbara Hepworth, and Paula Rego, alongside Turner Prize winners Lubaina Himid and Gillian Wearing.
Tang Contemporary Art in Beijing is launching a massive retrospective titled '1985–2025: Chinese Modern Ink Art,' curated by Zou Jianping. Featuring over 120 works by 68 artists across two gallery spaces, the exhibition traces the forty-year evolution of ink painting from the '85 New Wave movement to the present day. The show highlights key figures such as Gu Wenda, Wang Tiande, and Liu Qinghe, showcasing how the medium transitioned from traditional brushwork to experimental forms including installation and digital media.
Artist Hannah Black opened a solo exhibition titled "Harsh Muting" at the gallery zaza' in Naples. The show runs from March 20 to May 3, 2026, and is documented with 14 images on the Contemporary Art Daily platform.
A journalist from Colossal spent a week on an uninhabited island in the Balearic Islands with nearly 80 artists for a residency program called Quarantine, conceived by artist Carles Gomila. Participants follow a rigorous, opaque schedule of talks, workshops, and mentorship sessions, with phones and internet banned, and must stay on the island from early morning until late evening. The April 2026 edition, themed "Tears in Rain" after a Blade Runner monologue, began with a theatrical tour by an actor playing Captain Horacio Hollynwood, who introduced the historic Lazaretto of Mahón, an 18th-century fortress and infirmary.
The exhibition 'Beading Métis Resurgence' at the University of Winnipeg's Gallery 1C03 showcases the work of renowned Métis artist Jennine Krauchi alongside four emerging Red River Métis beadworkers she has mentored. Curated by gallery director Jennifer Gibson and history professor Cathy Mattes, the show features Krauchi's centerpiece work 'The Lady'—a beaded coat, muff, hat, and boots—and explores beadwork as contemporary art, cultural knowledge, and intergenerational practice. The exhibition runs until July 10 and includes a table and chairs evoking the kitchen-table lessons where Krauchi passed down her skills.
Artist Rabih Mroué's text "Bone Insurrection" is being published by Film Notes in conjunction with an upcoming screening of his films and videos at the e-flux Screening Room in New York. The text is a poetic, first-person narrative that explores the physical and psychological aftermath of historical violence, framing the self as an excavation site where trauma persists in the body.
Thai artist and filmmaker Chantana Tiprachart has been awarded the 2026 Southeast Asian Video Art Production Grant by the Han Nefkens Foundation. The prize provides $15,000 for the production of a new moving-image work over a nine-month period, which will subsequently tour several international institutions including the Rockbund Art Museum in Shanghai and Nottingham Contemporary. The jury selected Tiprachart for her ability to locate social and political narratives within quiet, everyday spaces, praising her commitment to reflection in an era of information overload.