Ukraine-Russia war remains front and centre for Viennacontemporary fair exhibitors

Viennacontemporary fair, held September 11–14 in Vienna, featured 97 exhibitors from 24 countries with a strong focus on Eastern Europe. Galleries from Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Croatia, and Austria participated, many expressing solidarity with Ukraine amid the ongoing war. Artist Kateryna Lysovenko, who fled Ukraine three years ago, won the Münze Österreich Prize for her figurative paintings. Sales were slow, with many galleries reporting no or low-price sales by the second day, reflecting Austria's economic downturn. The fair included a Zone1 section for emerging artists curated by Aliaksei Barysionak and a Context section for historical works, including a booth dedicated to Hermann Nitsch.

How Does the Economy Impact the Art Market?

Olivia Gavoyannis's article examines how broader economic factors—such as interest rates, trade policies, inflation, and currency fluctuations—affect the art market. It notes that recent economic volatility, including COVID-19 recessions and tariffs, has led to high-profile auction flops and slower demand for top-tier works, but argues that such coverage only tells part of the story. The piece explores the unique economics of art, where artworks are non-fungible and pricing is driven by perception, scarcity, and insider networks rather than utility, and highlights the lack of transparent pricing data.

Float Into The World Of The Balloon Museum Pop-Up In SG, Its First Time In Asia

The Balloon Museum's traveling exhibition 'Pop Air – Art is Inflatable' has opened at Marina Bay Sands Expo Hall F in Singapore, marking its first-ever show in Asia. The exhibition features 17 inflatable artworks by international contemporary artists, including pieces like 'Aria', 'Spiritus Sonata' by ENESS, 'Soft Hurricane' by Quiet Ensemble, 'Cloud Swing' by Lindsay Glatz & Curious Form, and 'Hypercosmo' by Hyperstudio. The museum, which debuted in Rome in 2021, has previously toured Berlin, Paris, London, and New York, and will remain in Singapore until August 31, 2025.

Studio Art MFAs Present Thesis Exhibition “TRANSIT”

American University's 2025 Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition, titled “TRANSIT,” is on view at the AU Art Museum from April 19 to May 18. The show features the culminating works of six graduating Studio Art MFA students: Phaedra Askarinam, Pooja Campbell, Patricia Edwine Poku, Connor Gagne, Andrés Izquierdo, and Julia Cheng Zhang. Their diverse practices span painting, ceramics, installation, and performance, unified by the theme of transit—interpreted as acts of passage, transformation, and self-discovery. Curated around this shared concept, the exhibition explores life transitions such as grief and parenthood, as described by Professorial Lecturer Molly Springfield.

GABRIEL CHAILE DESPLIEGA SU ARQUELOGIA DE LO MIGRATORIO EN LONDRES

Argentine artist Gabriel Chaile has opened a new commission titled "Archaeology of Memory" at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. The site-specific installation transforms a large gallery space into an archaeological excavation site, incorporating everyday and decorative objects sourced from the surrounding East End neighborhood. These objects are embedded into monumental adobe sculptures that draw on the forms and material traditions of Indigenous communities from northwest Argentina, where Chaile originates. The artist acts as both anthropologist and storyteller, exploring a "genealogy of form" that traces recurring motifs across cultures and time.

GABRIEL CHAILE UNFOLDS HIS ARCHAEOLOGY OF MIGRATION IN LONDON

Argentine artist Gabriel Chaile has opened a new commission titled "Archaeology of Memory" at London's Whitechapel Gallery. The site-specific installation features monumental adobe sculptures that incorporate everyday and decorative objects sourced from the surrounding East End neighborhood. Chaile, who is based in Lisbon, draws on the material traditions of Indigenous communities from northwest Argentina, blending roles as artist, anthropologist, and storyteller to explore themes of migration, identity, and cultural memory.

TUNGA S YO VOS Y LA LUNA MAKES ITS EUROPEAN DEBUT

Collegium has presented the installation *Yo, vos y la luna* by Brazilian artist Tunga (1952–2016) for the first time in Europe. The work, part of the Sarina Tang collection, was previously shown at MALBA in Buenos Aires and MAM in São Paulo. It is now installed in the Iglesia de San Miguel de Arévalo in Ávila, Spain, where it will be on view until 18 October 2026. The piece incorporates stones, mirrors, glass, plaster, resin, suspended structures, and a fossilized tree trunk, with sensory elements including dripping amber essence and bronze finger fragments.

Amorepacific Museum of Art Presents APMA, CHAPTER FIVE - FROM THE APMA COLLECTION

The Amorepacific Museum of Art in Seoul has launched "APMA, CHAPTER FIVE – FROM THE APMA COLLECTION," a major exhibition featuring approximately 80 works from its permanent holdings. Running from April 1 to August 2, 2026, the showcase includes a diverse array of paintings, sculptures, and installations by over 40 influential Korean and international artists. High-profile participants include Kiki Smith, Rose Wylie, Carol Bove, and Gala Porras-Kim, alongside Korean masters such as Nam June Paik, Lee Bul, and Haegue Yang.

In this Milan exhibition, the viewer can modify the spaces. The great artist-architect Gianni Pettena explains why

In questa mostra a Milano lo spettatore può modificare gli spazi. Il grande artista-architetto Gianni Pettena ci spiega perché

Gianni Pettena, a pioneer of the Italian Radical Architecture movement, has unveiled his immersive installation "Paper/Northern Lights" at the BiM urban regeneration project in Milan's Bicocca district. Originally conceived in 1971 as a pedagogical exercise at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, the work consists of 49 kilometers of white paper strips hanging from the ceiling. Visitors are invited to physically interact with the installation by cutting through the paper, effectively reshaping the architectural environment and challenging traditional notions of fixed space and authorship.

Cigarette Taxes Have Funneled $270 M. Toward Arts and Culture in Cleveland Since 2007

Cuyahoga County, Ohio, has funneled $270 million into arts and culture since 2007 through a cigarette tax, distributed by the nonprofit Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. Beneficiaries include the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, the Cleveland Institute of Art, ICA-Art Conservation, Sculpture Center, and the Cleveland Arts Prize. The tax has funded roughly 4,000 grants to 485 organizations, far exceeding the $48 million the entire state received from the National Endowment for the Arts in the same period.

Hermitage Museum Director and Putin Ally Mikhail Piotrovsky Sanctioned by European Union

The European Union has sanctioned Mikhail Piotrovsky, the longtime director of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, for his close association with Vladimir Putin and his active support of Russia's war against Ukraine. Announced on April 23, the sanctions are part of a broader package targeting over a hundred individuals and entities, including other cultural figures like Sergei Obryvalin, Igor Solonin, and Andrey Polyakov, for their roles in the seizure of Ukrainian cultural property and the spread of Russian propaganda in occupied regions.

Comment | Museums are civic institutions. It’s time we acted like it

Lindsay C. Harris, director of the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA), publishes a commentary calling for museums to act as true civic institutions. She outlines concrete internal commitments OMCA has made, including voluntarily recognizing a staff union, adopting a pay equity philosophy with a minimum wage of $30.88 per hour, implementing transparent financial practices, and shifting investments toward socially responsible funds. Externally, she advocates for centering community voices, building social cohesion through inclusive programming, and measuring institutional impact through visitor surveys.

Getty Center will close for a year to undergo major renovations

The Getty Center in Los Angeles will shutter for one year beginning March 15, 2027, to undergo its most significant renovation since opening in 1997. The $600 million to $800 million project focuses on infrastructure and visitor experience, including a total replacement of the campus's aging tram system, a redesign of the welcome hall, and the renovation of 27,000 square feet of gallery space. While the hilltop campus is closed, the Getty Villa will remain open, and a new permanent space will debut on Sepulveda Boulevard.

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.

Sky Hopinka Reframes the American Landscape at the Barnes Foundation

Artist Sky Hopinka has unveiled a new site-specific installation titled 'Red Metal Dust' at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. The work consists of 11 panels that layer Hopinka's landscape photography with copper sheets, filtering American histories and landscapes through an Indigenous perspective.

The Fashion-Art Collective Captivating New York, One Furry Bridge at a Time

The New York-based Asian-American art and fashion collective CFGNY has opened a new exhibition, "Puddles into Pond," at the non-profit art space Amant in Brooklyn. The show features an immersive installation with a shaggy fur bridge, kinetic sculptures, and ceramic works, running until August 16. This exhibition is part of a significant season for the collective, which also includes a debut installation at the Whitney Biennial and participation in a group show at Pioneer Works.

In John Constable’s Hometown, a Trio of Shows Marks His 250th Birthday

A series of three exhibitions in Suffolk, England, celebrates the 250th anniversary of John Constable's birth. The program, hosted at Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich, includes "Constable: A Cast of Characters," focusing on his personal life and circle; "The Hay Wain: Walking Constable's Landscape," featuring his iconic paintings including *The Hay Wain* displayed in its depicted county for the first time; and "Constable to Contemporary," examining his ongoing influence on modern artists.

Next edition of Getty's PST Art initiative will focus on Los Angeles’s connections around the Pacific Rim

Next edition of Getty's PST Art initiative will focus on Los Angeles’s connections around the Pacific Rim

The Getty Trust has announced the theme and timeline for the fourth edition of its PST Art initiative, focusing on Los Angeles's cultural and historical connections across the Pacific Rim. The program will launch in September 2030, with a research phase beginning immediately and funding applications for Southern California cultural organizations due by June 2026. The initiative will explore exchanges spanning centuries, from Chinese porcelain in Spanish missions to Japanese influences on architecture and contemporary Korean pop culture.

Strange Coin Used on U.K. Bus Turns Out to Be 2,000-Year-Old Relic

A 2,000-year-old Phoenician bronze coin, originally used as bus fare in Leeds in the 1950s, has been identified and donated to the Leeds Discovery Centre. The coin was minted in the ancient Carthaginian settlement of Gadir (modern-day Cádiz, Spain) and features imagery of the deity Melqart and tuna fish, reflecting its maritime origins.

San Francisco De Young Museum Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

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Ezra Iturribarria, a long-time security guard at the De Young Museum in San Francisco, has filed a lawsuit alleging severe sexual harassment and retaliation. The complaint names the city, the Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums, and supervisor Patrick Smithwick, detailing instances of verbal abuse, unwanted sexual advances, and physical intimidation. Iturribarria claims that after reporting the behavior, the museum conducted a 'sham investigation' and allowed the supervisor to continue contacting her, eventually forcing her to take a leave of absence.

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The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto has appointed Nicholas R. Bell as its new director and CEO, effective July 6. Bell, who currently leads the Glenbow museum in Calgary, succeeds Josh Basseches following a decade-long tenure. During his time at Glenbow, Bell was noted for securing a $250 million capital campaign and implementing a landmark free-admission policy, the first of its kind for a major Canadian museum.

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Airbnb, in collaboration with Warner Bros., is offering an exclusive overnight experience themed around Emerald Fennell's new film adaptation of *Wuthering Heights*. The stay, located in West Yorkshire, features a meticulously recreated bedroom and dining hall from the movie's Thrushcross Grange set, complete with period furnishings, Yorkshire delicacies, and activities like horseback riding and a visit to the Brontë Parsonage Museum. The experience is free and available to only three couples for a limited time in late February and early March.

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The Africa Museum in Tervuren, Belgium, a museum dedicated to the country's colonial history in Africa, is at the center of a dispute over access to its historical geological records from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Congolese government and KoBold Metals, a mining company backed by billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, are seeking access to these documents, which detail rich mineral deposits, as part of a deal to digitize them and explore for critical minerals like lithium and cobalt.

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Plans for a Centre Pompidou satellite museum in Jersey City have been officially canceled. The project, first announced in 2021, would have been the Paris museum's only North American outpost, but faced years of political opposition and funding disputes, culminating in the newly elected mayor declaring the project dead.

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Newly released documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case reveal the financier's intense personal interest in the Frick Collection, the museum located across from his Manhattan mansion. Epstein drafted letters opposing the museum's proposed expansion, criticizing plans as "brutish" and a "travesty," and claimed to have insider knowledge about the institution and its founder, Henry Clay Frick. He was joined in his opposition by other powerful neighbors, including billionaire Howard Lutnick.

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A newly released tranche of documents from the US Department of Justice reveals a $5,000 donation from Jeffrey Epstein's foundation, Enhanced Education, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Benefit (the Met Gala) in 2014. The check was part of millions of pages made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

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Paul Dien, the chief marketing officer behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art's controversial rebranding, has resigned effective February 1. Dien, who joined the museum in 2023, oversaw the institution's name change to "Philadelphia Art Museum" and a new visual identity that drew widespread public mockery on social media. The rebranding was intended to boost attendance, but faced backlash from locals and critics. Dien's departure follows the ouster of former director and CEO Sasha Suda in November, who has since filed a wrongful dismissal lawsuit against the museum.

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The Trump administration is considering West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C., as the site for its proposed “National Garden of American Heroes,” a sculpture garden featuring statues of American historical figures. According to anonymous sources cited by the Washington Post, the park—located near the Jefferson Memorial and memorials to Martin Luther King Jr. and Franklin D. Roosevelt—may require an exemption under the Commemorative Works Act if the southern tip is used. The project, first announced in January 2021, received $40 million in congressional funding through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025, and the National Endowment for the Humanities launched a new grant program for statue design after canceling most of its existing grants.

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The Smithsonian Institution has agreed to turn over internal materials related to its programming and operations to the White House, following an executive order from President Donald Trump aimed at purging what he calls “anti-American ideology” from the consortium of museums and archives. Private emails from Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch II, obtained by The New York Times, reveal that the Smithsonian will provide digital photographs of labels, placards, and other text on public display, as well as other materials, on a rolling basis to avoid losing federal funding, which makes up nearly two-thirds of its roughly $1 billion annual budget.

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced that its first exhibition in the newly-annexed Breuer building, formerly home to the Whitney Museum, will be titled "Unfinished" (working title) and will explore unfinished works of art from the Renaissance to the present. The show, drawn partly from the Met's own collection, opens March 7, 2016 and runs through September 5, focusing on the historical debate and admiration for the non finito aesthetic.