Legacy of printmaking highlighted in Sonoma art exhibit

A new exhibition titled “Etched in Sonoma: A Living Legacy” has opened at the Sonoma Community Center, showcasing the art of printmaking through works by 16 local and international artists. Curated by Simon Blattner and Barbara Wells, the free exhibition runs through May 24 in Gallery 212 and includes an opening reception on May 1 with curator talks and live music. The show features prints from Eastside Editions alongside new works created at the center’s Print Studio, which houses the historic Griffin etching press. A public discussion on art collecting, led by Blattner, gallery owner David Keaton, and artist Chester Arnold, is scheduled for May 21.

Difficult search for new culture senator in Berlin

Schwierige Suche nach neuem Kultursenator in Berlin

Berlin's culture senator Sarah Wedl-Wilson resigned on Friday after a state audit found that her allocation of anti-Semitism prevention funds was unlawful. The CDU politician is being succeeded by former justice senator and Bundestag member Thomas Heilmann (CDU), who is reportedly the favorite for the post. Heilmann, 61, studied law, ran a successful advertising firm, and served as Berlin's justice senator from 2012 to 2016 before sitting in the Bundestag from 2017 to 2025. Governing Mayor Kai Wegner has not yet made a final decision, but transport senator Ute Bonde publicly endorsed Heilmann, citing his experience with Berlin's administration.

Chosun University Museum of Art Hosts 'Strolling Through the Garden' for 80th Anniversary

Chosun University Museum of Art in Gwangju, South Korea, is hosting a special exhibition titled 'Strolling Through the Garden' from May 7 to May 27 to celebrate the university's 80th anniversary. The show features 34 works by 13 contemporary artists working in Western painting, Korean painting, installation, and media art, organized around three themes: 'Garden of Imagination,' 'Garden of Senses,' and 'Garden of Metaphor.' Admission is free, and the exhibition coincides with the university's Rose Week (May 14–17), encouraging visitors to experience nature and art together on campus.

Where did the great artist Joseph Beuys live? The comic story by Gianluca Costantini

Dove viveva il grande artista Joseph Beuys? Il racconto a fumetti di Gianluca Costantini

In the summer of 2022, the author visited Düsseldorf and discovered that Joseph Beuys's former home at Drakeplatz 4 in Oberkassel was for sale, but the city's cultural department declined to purchase it. Beuys lived and worked there from 1961 until his death in 1986, using the space as both a residence and studio. The article recounts the intimate details of family life there, including how Beuys painted the main room white for his wife Eva's photography, and how the family navigated the blend of private life and artistic practice. Two years later, the Brunhilde Moll Foundation acquired the house and opened it to the public, though it was closed for renovations when the author returned. The house now displays about sixty works from Beuys's creative period and will host artist residencies and events.

Wohin am Checkpoint Charlie?

The article covers the Berlin Gallery Weekend, highlighting a cluster of exhibitions around Checkpoint Charlie. It features light art, political sculpture, textile experiments, and spatial interventions. Among the participants is Galerie Max Goelitz, which presents James Turrell's light installation series "Small Elliptical Glass 'First Cause'" (2024) at its Berlin space in Rudi-Dutschke-Straße, as part of the "Perspectives" section.

Bogna Burska and Daniel Kotowski on Representing Poland at the 61st Venice Biennale

Bogna Burska and Daniel Kotowski, representing Poland at the 61st Venice Biennale, plan to exhibit a project inspired by the Choir in Motion (a phonic/sign-language ensemble of hearing and Deaf people), underwater role reversals, and whale communication. Their work explores alternate forms of communication, Deaf Gain, and the retrieval of voices—both human and non-human—aligning with the Biennale's theme "In Minor Keys." The Polish pavilion is located in the Giardini.

The Milwaukee Art Museum hosts the only Gertrude Abercrombie surrealist art exhibition in the Midwest

The Milwaukee Art Museum is hosting "Gertrude Abercrombie: The Whole World is a Mystery," a nationally touring retrospective featuring 83 paintings by the surrealist artist. The exhibition, which runs through July 19, is the only stop in the Midwest for the tour and includes works such as "Witches Switches" and "Inheritance," alongside wearable art from the 1950s. The gallery is designed as a maze to reflect Abercrombie's complex mind, and the museum is offering related events like Kohl's Family Sunday and MAM After Dark.

Sacramento Fine Arts Center Celebrates 40th Anniversary

The Sacramento Fine Arts Center (Sac Arts) is celebrating its 40th anniversary in April 2026. Founded in April 1986 by five independent regional art clubs, including Northern California Arts and Watercolor Artists of Sacramento Horizons, the center began in a former high school building in Carmichael, California. Volunteers cleaned and renovated the space, which is owned by the Carmichael Recreation and Park District. Over the years, the center has expanded with studio spaces, galleries, and a rental gallery, supported by community donations and volunteer efforts. The anniversary year features special events, classes, and a new banner project with 130 submissions for 21 PVC mesh banners.

Russia's Venice Pavilion to Close to the Public in Compliance With Sanctions

Russia will return to the 61st Venice Biennale with its national pavilion, but the exhibition will only be physically open to the press and select guests during the vernissage dates of May 5–8. From May 9 onward, the pavilion will remain closed to the public, with multimedia documentation of performances displayed on screens at the windows. The arrangement follows leaked emails among Biennale Foundation President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, General Director Andrea Del Mercato, and Russian Pavilion Commissioner Anastasia Karneeva, revealing efforts to comply with EU sanctions while still allowing Russia's participation after two consecutive absences since its invasion of Ukraine.

Students’ creativity celebrated at Armstrong art gallery

The Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Art Gallery in British Columbia is hosting "School Crossing," an exhibition featuring artwork from students of all ages across the Armstrong and Spallumcheen area. The show runs from April 30 to May 23, 2026, and includes works from Highland Park Elementary, Armstrong Elementary, Len Wood Middle School, Pleasant Valley Secondary, the North Okanagan Junior Academy, and local home-school families. A special reception for students, families, and teachers will be held on May 2.

Beat the rush: Sign up for Greeley Park Art Show before early deadline

The 73rd annual Greeley Park Art Show, hosted by the Nashua Area Artists Association, will take place August 29-30, 2026, at Greeley Park in Nashua, New Hampshire. The two-day outdoor juried show is open to artists 18 and older working in 2D and 3D media, with an early registration deadline of May 30. New features this year include options for one- or two-day participation, tent sharing, tent rentals, senior discounts, and expanded entertainment. Awards will be given in categories including 3D, acrylic, drawing, mixed media, oil, pastel, photography, watercolor, digital art, Best in Show, and Viewer’s Choice. The show is free and open to the public, drawing thousands of visitors from New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Bridges of Belonging: Cinco de Mayo Art Reception

A free reception for the exhibition “Bridges of Belonging: Cinco de Mayo, Bi-National Identity, and the Spirit of Chignahuapan” will be held on May 1 at the Clark County Government Center Rotunda Gallery in Las Vegas. The event, themed “Puentes de Pertenencia,” features live music, cultural performances, visual arts, and food, with the exhibit on display through May 28.

College launches Art exhibition to celebrate Onobrakpeya

The inaugural Gregorian Art Exhibition opened on April 25, 2026, at St. Gregory's College, Ikoyi, Lagos, organized by the Old Boys Association to honor renowned Nigerian artist Bruce Onobrakpeya. The three-day event, themed “Celebrating Legacy, Excellence and Continuity,” brought together an intergenerational mix of artists, cultural figures, and stakeholders, featuring speeches from alumni leaders Dr. Michael Omolayole and Francis Oluwole Kudayah, who announced plans for a yearly art clinic and a digital platform called the “Gregorian Art Mart.” Onobrakpeya, unable to attend in person, reflected on his decision to remain in Nigeria and credited the school for shaping his artistic identity.

A new gallery opens in Milan: Ghiringhelli Art Gallery. It starts with Japanese art

A new pop-up gallery, Ghiringhelli Art Gallery, opens in Milan on May 8, 2026, with its inaugural exhibition "Refracted Worlds. Contemporary Japan Through Multiple Lenses" at Via Tortona 20. Founded by Nicola Ghiringhelli Forlani, the gallery specializes in contemporary Japanese art and will feature works by seven Japanese artists—Kohei Nawa, Yukie Ishikawa, Kenjiro Okazaki, Mr., Ayako Rokkaku, Yuji Ueda, and Noritaka Tatehana—alongside the Chim↑Pom collective from Smappa!Group. The temporary format allows the gallery to maintain a flexible presence in Milan while the founder travels frequently to Japan to follow artists and market dynamics.

‘Let’s Go Fly A Kite’ Show Opens Friday, May 1 At Fuller Lodge Art Center Gallery

The Los Alamos Arts Council and the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico present 'Let’s Go Fly A Kite', a paint-out and exhibition opening Friday, May 1 at the Fuller Lodge Art Center Gallery. The show features works created by 28 local and regional artists who painted outdoors at the 30th Annual Kite Festival and around the community, with many pieces depicting kites and their fliers at Overlook Park. A reception for LAAC members runs from 4:30-5:30 PM, followed by a public reception from 5:30-7 PM; the exhibition continues through May 29th.

Co-Working Meets Art at Brooklyn’s Newest Experimental Space

Brooklyn’s newest experimental art space, The Gallery (stylized as “The Gallry”), has opened on the fourth floor of a former automobile service station in Prospect Heights, now converted into creative offices. Curated by artist Florian Meisenberg, the exhibition features site-specific works by over 40 artists installed throughout a former guitar-string manufacturer’s office, including cubicle walls, utility closets, and HVAC systems. The space also functions as a co-working hub, with free daily spots for subscribers. The show runs through May 24 and includes events like screenings, poetry readings, and satirical corporate-themed programming.

Call for Artists: Maple Valley Days Arts Festival 2026

The Maple Valley Creative Arts Council (MVCAC) is now accepting applications for the Maple Valley Days Arts Festival, a juried community art event scheduled for June 12–14, 2026 at Lake Wilderness Lodge in Maple Valley, Washington. The festival invites regional artists and artisans to exhibit and sell works across multiple mediums including painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, woodwork, jewelry, and handcrafted goods, with a new dedicated Textile Exhibition highlighting fiber arts. Selected participants will have their work displayed over three days, with awards presented at a VIP Opening Gala on June 12.

Notre-Dame : les travaux commencent, le combat se poursuit

Work has begun on replacing the stained-glass windows at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, with scaffolding installed immediately after the work permit was posted. The project involves removing six ornamental windows created in 1864 by Alfred Gérente under Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and installing six new windows by artist Claire Tabouret and the master glassmakers Simon-Marq. The authorization, signed by the prefect, has sparked legal challenges from the heritage association Sites & Monuments, who argue the replacement is neither conservation nor restoration. The article details how the state's own authorization document inadvertently strengthens opponents' arguments by affirming that the entire cathedral, including Viollet-le-Duc's windows, is protected as a historic monument.

The Box Shutters in Los Angeles After Nearly Two Decades

The Box, a pioneering Los Angeles gallery known for its nonprofit-style support of experimental and performance art, has announced its closure after nearly two decades. Founded in 2007 by Mara McCarthy, the gallery’s final exhibition featured late California painter Wally Hedrick, and a closing event will include a fashion show by Johanna Went. Mara McCarthy cited the shifting market for her father Paul McCarthy’s work and the loss of family homes in the Eaton Fire as factors behind the decision.

Turner Center for the Arts honors regional artists at the 39th Annual Spring Into Art Exhibition Gala

The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta hosted its 39th Annual Spring Into Art Gala on April 13, drawing hundreds of attendees. Over 150 regional artists submitted more than 300 original works for the region's most prominent art exhibition, which remains on display through June 10. Cash prizes totaling $6,000 were awarded across four categories, with Joe Morgan winning Best of Show for his painting "Lobster Lottery." The exhibition was curated by Madison Caldwell, and admission to the galleries is free.

Pussy Riot Shows Art by Russia’s Prisoners in New Protest Exhibition

Pussy Riot founder Nadya Tolokonnikova co-curated "Resistance Imprisoned," a protest exhibition at Ritsch-Fisch Galerie in Strasbourg, France, featuring artwork created by people currently or formerly imprisoned in Russia, including Ukrainian civilians. The show opened April 19 and runs through May 31, timed to coincide with the first month of the Venice Biennale, which opens May 9. Works include a pen sketch by Lyudmila Razumova, a photojournalist arrested for anti-war graffiti in 2022 and serving a seven-year sentence, alongside pieces by other political prisoners and Ukrainian POWs. The exhibition aims to highlight the human cost of Russia's war and its participation in international cultural events.

Michael Jackson Accessories Hit the Market Amid Biopic Buzz

GWS Auctions is offering nine pieces of Michael Jackson memorabilia in a May 2 sale, including a signed pair of the late singer's Florsheim loafers. The auction features 734 items from the collection of Prince Lorenzo de' Medici, with highlights such as a crystal-studded white glove from Jackson's 1984 Victory tour and Swarovski-embellished socks from his Dangerous tour. The loafers, authenticated by Jackson's assistant Rosemary Chavira, carry a starting bid of $7,500, and the sale coincides with the record-breaking opening weekend of a new Michael Jackson biopic.

Seven-Foot-Tall Monument to Ramses II Discovered in Eastern Nile Delta Region

Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered the upper half of a 7-foot-tall statue of Ramses II at the site of Tell El-Faraoun in the eastern Nile Delta. Weighing over 5 tons, the fragment is believed to have originally been carved for a temple in the ancient capital of Per-Ramesses and was later relocated. The find was announced by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, with Hisham El-Leithy of the Supreme Council of Antiquities noting its importance for understanding how statues were moved and reused during the New Kingdom.

From Rocky to Rizzo: Monument Expert Paul Farber Talks Statues and Public Spaces

Paul Farber, founder of Monument Lab, discusses his new exhibition "Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments" at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The show moves the iconic Rocky statue inside the museum and examines how a fictional boxer's statue became Philadelphia's most famous work of art, exploring broader questions about collective memory and public commemoration. Farber also reflects on the dismantling of the Frank Rizzo statue and how unintentional monuments like the Berlin Wall shape cultural discourse.

10 Must-See Shows During the Venice Biennale 2026

The 2026 Venice Biennale is embroiled in multiple controversies, including the cancellation and reinstatement of Australia's representative artist Khaled Sabsabi, ongoing calls to bar Israel from participating, criticism over allowing Russia to participate, and mounting voices to exclude the U.S. in response to President Donald Trump's actions in Iran. Despite these disputes, the article highlights that many of the city's most exciting shows will take place away from the main Biennale venues.

For the 61st Venice Biennale, a quest for beauty despite a troubled world

Pour la 61e Biennale de Venise, une quête de beauté malgré un monde troublé

Koyo Kouoh, the Swiss-Cameroonian curator who was set to become the first African woman to direct the Venice Biennale, died suddenly on May 10, 2025, at age 57, just weeks before the opening of the 61st edition she had conceived. Titled "In Minor Keys," the exhibition at the Giardini and Arsenale will proceed posthumously based on her detailed directives, featuring 111 artists including Laurie Anderson, Wangechi Mutu, and Kader Attia, with a focus on beauty, resilience, and radical emotional connection amid global turmoil.

Roma accoglie all’Ara Pacis 52 importanti opere dell’Impressionismo provenienti da Detroit

The Museo dell'Ara Pacis in Rome is hosting an exhibition titled 'Impressionismo e oltre' (Impressionism and Beyond), featuring 52 masterpieces on loan from the Detroit Institute of Arts. Curated by Ilaria Miarelli Mariani and Claudio Zambianchi, the show spans from the 1840s to the early 20th century, tracing the evolution of European painting through Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and the avant-garde. Works by Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani, and others are displayed across thematic sections that explore the shift from academic tradition to modern visual language.

Allen Arts Festival Returns With Over 100 Artists This May

The Allen Arts Festival returns from May 8–10, 2026, at Watters Creek Village in Allen, Texas, featuring over 100 local and national artists. The weekend includes artist booths, live music, a Student Showcase, a Juried Art Competition, Chalk the Walk, and a Crafter’s Corner market, with programming designed for both art enthusiasts and families around Mother’s Day.

Italian culture minister will not attend opening of Venice Biennale

Italian culture minister Alessandro Giuli has announced he will not attend the opening of the Venice Biennale next week, protesting Russia's involvement in the exhibition. Russia, which has a permanent pavilion in the Giardini, has been absent from the Biennale since 2022 but is returning this year, sparking widespread criticism. The European Union recently cut its €2 million grant to the Biennale following Russia's return, and Golden and Silver Lion jurors have stated they will not consider pavilions from countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, effectively excluding Russia.

Art Crawl with Wine and Cheese, First Friday at FMBAA Gallery

The Fort Myers Beach Art Association (FMBAA) is hosting a First Friday Art Walk event at its gallery on McGregor Blvd in Fort Myers, Florida, on May 1st from 4-6pm. The gallery, operated by local SWFL artists, will offer complimentary wine and cheese to visitors, who can meet member artists including outdoor painters. The event is part of a larger art walk that continues to other venues such as the Alliance for the Arts and DAAS Co-op, culminating in downtown Fort Myers.