Jean-Michel Othoniel Opens His Paris Studio Ahead of a Citywide Exhibition in Avignon, France

French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel is preparing for his most ambitious project yet, a citywide exhibition titled "Othoniel Cosmos or the Ghosts of Love" in Avignon, France, opening June 28, 2025. The exhibition will feature some 250 works—including sculptures made of glass bricks and beads, plus paintings—displayed across ten museums and historical sites, including the Palais des Papes, Pont d’Avignon, Couvent Sainte-Claire, and the Lambert Collection. The project celebrates the 25th anniversary of Avignon being named a European Capital of Culture. Othoniel's Paris studio, a 40,000-square-foot former metal workshop in Montreuil that he shares with partner and artist Johan Creten, serves as the production hub for the works, with a team of 20 people on-site daily.

Vincent Valdez and KB Brookins picked for ACLU Texas's artist-in-residence programme

The ACLU of Texas has selected Austin-based writer and artist KB Brookins and San Antonio-born painter Vincent Valdez as its artists-in-residence for 2026. Chosen from nearly 200 applicants, each will receive $30,000 to create works addressing criminal law reform, immigrants' rights, and equality for LGBTQIA+ individuals. Valdez will focus on portraits of local community leaders for his New Americans series and produce 'Know Your Rights' poster packets, while Brookins will tackle the pretrial carceral system through community organizing and workshops.

Hiroshige: Artist of the Open Road review – ‘I could look forever at these passing moments in cosmic colours’

The British Museum presents a rapturous exhibition of Utagawa Hiroshige's prints, showcasing the early 19th-century Japanese artist's vivid, Technicolor depictions of fleeting moments in Edo (now Tokyo). The show highlights his innovative use of rain, snow, and everyday scenes, such as pleasure boats, cherry blossoms, and temporary riverside restaurants, and includes a final section on his global influence, though critics find this epilogue rushed.

At the Galleries for April 9, 2026

The Hamptons art scene is entering the spring season with a diverse array of gallery openings across Montauk, East Hampton, Sag Harbor, and Bridgehampton. Key highlights include Timothy Tibus’s abstract retrospective at The Lucore Art, a Matisse-centered group show at The Drawing Room featuring rare etchings, and Kristy Gordon’s myth-inspired "Primavera" at Grenning Gallery. Other notable exhibitions include a showcase of artists from the Cold Castle collective at Keyes Art and a curated group show titled "Connections" at Dan Welden Studio/Gallery.

Dozens of Venice Biennale Artists Withdraw From Awards En Masse

Almost half of the artists in the 61st Venice Biennale's international exhibition, along with 16 national pavilion teams, have withdrawn from awards consideration in solidarity with the jury's resignation. The jury resigned on April 30 after stating it would not consider countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the ICC, effectively disqualifying Israel and Russia. The Biennale Foundation then replaced the traditional Golden Lions with new "Visitor Lions" decided by public vote, reinstating all pavilions including Israel and Russia. The withdrawal follows protests at the Russian and Israeli pavilions and a historic labor strike that shuttered multiple pavilions.

Urgent Request from Participating Artists and Curators of the 61st Venice Biennale

第61回ヴェネツィア・ビエンナーレ参加アーティストおよびキュレーターによる緊急要請

A group of 73 artists and curators participating in the 61st Venice Biennale, including Yoshiko Shimada and Bubu de la Madeleine, have issued an urgent demand to the Biennale's board to revoke Israel's participation. The collective specifically objects to the decision to relocate the Israeli pavilion to the Arsenale, arguing that its presence contradicts the curatorial vision of Artistic Director Koyo Kouoh, which emphasizes the dignity of all life. They contend that the military and police presence required for the pavilion introduces an atmosphere of violence and fear that undermines the exhibition's integrity.

Painting the park: Artists blossom at Wegerzyn as they make it their classroom

Sinclair Community College associate professor of art Bridgette Bogle took her mixed-level painting class to Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark in Dayton, Ohio, for a plein air painting session. Students ranging in age from 18 to 80, including postal worker Don Adams and lifelong artist Aubrey Botts, set up easels throughout the gardens to paint landscapes outdoors, learning the Impressionist-inspired technique of working quickly in natural light.

At the Galleries for April 23, 2026

A series of new gallery and community art exhibitions are opening across the Hamptons and Montauk. Highlights include Timothy Tibus's solo painting show "Live Forever" at The Lucore Art in Montauk, the group exhibition "Echoes of Matisse" at The Drawing Room in East Hampton, Ann Pibal's solo show at Halsey McKay Gallery, and a one-week solo exhibition for Marcie Honerkamp at the Springs Community Library.

At Perrotin Paris, Bernard Frize Pushes Against His Own Self-Imposed Constraints

Bernard Frize’s latest exhibition, "Les 26," at Perrotin Paris marks his 21st show with the gallery and a continued exploration of his rigorous, process-driven abstraction. The exhibition features his signature interlocking grids and geometric latticework, created using wet-on-wet brushstrokes locked in resin, alongside tempera paintings on glass that follow strict linear rules. By utilizing utilitarian titles and avoiding representational forms, Frize seeks to decenter his own subjectivity, allowing the physical act of painting and the resulting optical tension to lead the viewer’s experience.

Disguises abound in next exhibition at the Shepherd

The Shepherd, a former church turned art gallery in Detroit, is presenting a new exhibition titled 'A Meadow in the Clouds.' The show features nine contemporary artists, including Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, Nina Chanel Abney, and Qualeasha Wood, whose works intentionally veil, disguise, or distort information, focusing on themes of communication gaps and distorted narratives.

Bharti Kher Makes a Powerful Return to Painting: ‘I Wanted to Break This Sort of Spell’

Artist Bharti Kher has returned to painting after a long period focused primarily on sculpture, with a new exhibition titled “The Sun Splitting Stones” opening at Perrotin Paris. The show features monumental, vividly colored oil paintings alongside sculptures, exploring themes of animism, the female body, and the harmony of nature and energy. Kher describes her painting process as introspective and fluid, moving between canvases to create works that feel both intimate and expressive.

In ‘I’m Listening,’ Barry McGee Celebrates Positivity Amid Distress and Overwhelm

Barry McGee, a key figure of the Mission School, presents his solo exhibition 'I'm Listening' at Perrotin in Paris, running through May 24. The show features sculptures, paintings, prints, and assemblages that draw from West Coast subcultures like skating and graffiti, incorporating grimacing cartoon faces, optical patterns on surfboards, and repurposed everyday objects. McGee describes the work as addressing global distress while celebrating human resilience and positivity.

In Shanghai, a spectacular spiral opera house designed by Snøhetta is revealed

À Shanghai, un spectaculaire opéra en spirale conçu par l’agence Snøhetta se dévoile

The Shanghai Grand Opera House, a massive 147,000-square-meter cultural landmark designed by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta, has reached structural completion in the Houtan district. Inspired by the form of a traditional Chinese fan, the building features a dramatic white helical roof that doubles as a public walkway, connecting the urban landscape to the waterfront. The interior, which includes a 2,000-seat main hall and various modular spaces, is currently being finalized ahead of a scheduled opening in the second half of 2026.

1815, a Key Year for the Question of Art Restitution at the Heart of an Enlightening Book

1815, année clé de la question des restitutions d’œuvres d’art au cœur d’un ouvrage éclairant

Art historian Bénédicte Savoy has released a new book, "1815, le temps du retour," which examines the massive wave of art restitutions following the collapse of the Napoleonic Empire. Between 1794 and 1811, French revolutionary and imperial forces seized thousands of artworks and cultural objects from across Europe to fill the Louvre under the guise of creating a universal museum. After Napoleon's defeat in 1815, the subsequent return of these works sparked a global debate involving intellectuals and politicians regarding national identity, cultural property, and the legal status of looted heritage.

The Bennett Prize Opens Fifth Call for Entries

The Bennett Prize has launched its fifth call for entries, inviting women figurative realist painters to compete for a newly increased grand prize of $75,000. The award, established by collectors Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt, includes a two-year stipend and a traveling solo exhibition that debuts at the Muskegon Museum of Art. Applications are open through September 19, 2026, with a jury featuring prominent figures like curator Miranda Lash and artist Julie Heffernan.

These Are the Winners of the 2026 Guggenheim Fellowship

The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation has announced its 2026 fellowship recipients, naming 223 individuals across 55 disciplines. The cohort includes 76 professionals from the visual arts, photography, and fine arts research sectors, featuring notable figures such as Sheida Soleimani, American Artist, Kenneth Tam, and Sonya Clark. This year's selection process was notably competitive, drawing 5,000 applicants—a significant increase from previous years.

Get ‘Super/Natural’ Inside Judith Schaechter’s Stained Glass Sculpture

Judith Schaechter's large-scale stained glass sculpture "Super/Natural" has opened in a solo exhibition at Claire Oliver Gallery in Harlem. The immersive, eight-foot-tall installation, resembling a secular chapel, is filled with intricate depictions of flora and fauna and is designed for a single viewer to contemplate nature.

Notre-Dame : pas de suspension pour les vitraux !

On May 19, 2026, the Paris administrative court rejected requests from heritage associations Sites & Monuments and SOS Paris to suspend the removal and replacement of the stained-glass windows at Notre-Dame Cathedral. The associations had sought to block the prefect's authorization to remove the 19th-century windows by Alfred Gérente and install six new contemporary windows designed by Claire Tabouret, arguing legal doubts about the project. The judge ruled that the operation was reversible—since the new panels are the same size as the originals and the removed windows will be restored and displayed—thus no urgent suspension was warranted.

Au musée de l’Image d’Épinal, les talents multiples de Frans Masereel, entre autres inventeur du roman graphique

The Musée de l'Image d'Épinal is presenting a comprehensive exhibition on Belgian artist Frans Masereel (1889–1972), widely credited as the inventor of the graphic novel in 1918 with his wordless narratives composed of black-and-white woodcuts. The show, curated by Samuel Dégardin, brings together loans from major institutions and a private collection to reveal the full breadth of Masereel's practice, which spanned drawing, animation, painting, theater, ceramics, tapestry, and satirical press illustration. It highlights his pacifist activism during World War I, his collaborations with writers such as Stefan Zweig and Romain Rolland, and his humanist vision of a unified Europe.

Victorien Bornéat : « De l’échec de la démocratisation culturelle est né un sentiment d’exclusion »

Victorien Bornéat has published a manifesto arguing that French cultural democratization policy, rooted in André Malraux's vision of making masterworks accessible to all, has failed. He cites budget cuts by regional presidents Laurent Wauquiez and Christelle Morançais, police raids on bookshops like Violette and Co, and statistical studies showing that working-class audiences still do not spontaneously attend theaters, museums, or opera. Bornéat contends that the policy's emphasis on direct confrontation with canonical works ignored the need for cultural codes and institutional literacy, creating an exclusion that politicians now exploit for electoral gain.

Under pressure, the jury of the 61st Venice Biennale will exclude Russian and Israeli pavilions from the awards

Sous pression, le jury de la 61e Biennale de Venise exclura les pavillons russe et israélien du palmarès

The 61st Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys" and running from May 9 to November 22, 2026, has been embroiled in political controversy after organizers decided to reinstate the Russian pavilion, which had been excluded since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Under pressure from the European Commission, which threatened to suspend a €2 million grant, the jury announced it will exclude artists from the Russian and Israeli pavilions from winning prizes, citing that leaders Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu face International Criminal Court charges for crimes against humanity. The Russian pavilion will remain closed to the public but open for VIP press previews, while the Israeli pavilion stays open to the public. Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli has refused to attend the opening ceremony in protest.

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.

8 musées incontournables à visiter à Montréal

Montréal, a UNESCO City of Design, is home to a wealth of cultural institutions. This article highlights eight must-visit museums, including the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal (the city's largest art museum, with nearly 47,000 works from antiquity to today), the Musée McCord Stewart (a centennial museum focusing on Canadian history and Indigenous voices), the Écomusée du Fier Monde (dedicated to working-class history and eco-design), and Pointe-à-Callière (an archaeology and history museum built on the city's original foundations). Each museum offers a unique perspective on art, history, and society.

6 Artworks That Define the 2026 Venice Biennale’s Main Exhibition

The 2026 Venice Biennale's main exhibition opens this week, curated by Koyo Kouoh—the first African woman to hold the role—who was announced in 2024 but passed away suddenly in 2025. The article highlights six artworks that define her curatorial vision, which connected the international art world to artists and institutions from Africa and the Global South.

Disobedience Archive (Canopy for Broken Time) In Dialogue with Raqs Media Collective at Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Zürich

The Disobedience Archive, a mobile video archive initiated by Marco Scotini in 2005, is presented in dialogue with Raqs Media Collective at the Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst in Zürich. The archive contains over one hundred documentary and art films at the intersection of art and activism, documenting forms of resistance, social struggle, and collective self-organization.

Open Letter on Auction of “Tributes” to the Russian Avant-Garde

An open letter signed by art historians, curators, and researchers protests an upcoming auction at Stanley's Auction House in Zaventem, Belgium, scheduled for April 23, titled “Tributes to the Russian Avant-Garde & Constructivists.” The second sale is organized in cooperation with Drouot, a major French auction platform, and offers approximately one hundred works from the so-called Toporovsky collection, which has been linked to a scandal involving forged Russian modernist paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts Ghent. The alleged suppliers, Igor Toporovsky and Olga Toporovsky, face criminal charges including the sale of 171 forged works for about €20 million, with court proceedings beginning in May in Ghent. The signatories argue that the auction, with works priced around €300 each, is deeply troubling given the pending legal case and the undisclosed consignor identity.

Venice Biennale’s Visitor Lions Face Artist Boycott

nft paris and rwa paris shelved with one month notice due to crypto and nft market collapse founder says 1234768992

NFT Paris and its sister event RWA Paris have been canceled just one month before they were scheduled to take place at the Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris. Founder Alexandre Tsydenkov announced the cancellation on LinkedIn, citing the collapse of the crypto and NFT markets as making the events financially impossible despite drastic cost cuts. Both conferences had run for four years, showcasing digital art, NFT galleries, and AI-generated works, but had recently shifted toward broader tech and blockchain topics. All tickets will be refunded.

christies london dalloul collection sale 2025 results 1234760709

Christie’s London achieved £4.1 million ($5.2 million) in a sale of modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art on November 6, with a 93% sell-through rate by value and 85% by lot. The sale featured 21 works from the Dalloul Art Foundation (DAF), part of the collection built by Ramzi Dalloul and Saeda El Husseini Dalloul over 55 years. Standout lots included Saloua Raouda Choucair’s *Poem* (1966–68), which sold for £393,700 ($500,000)—tripling its estimate and setting a world auction record for a wood artwork—and Sliman Mansour’s *Untitled* (2014), which fetched £323,850 ($411,000) after intense bidding. Seven artist records were set, with 38% of buyers new to Christie’s and 21% millennials.

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Bonhams Los Angeles is auctioning the archive of legendary album cover designer Gary Burden, who died in 2018, in a sale titled "Cover to Cover" running from June 20 to 30. The collection includes original artwork, sketchbooks, and ephemera from Burden's five-decade career, featuring iconic covers for the Doors' *Morrison Hotel* (1970), the Eagles' *Desperado* (1973) and *One of These Nights* (1975), Joni Mitchell's *Ladies of the Canyon* (1970), and Jackson Browne's 1972 debut, among others. Highlights include a lithograph for the Eagles' *One of These Nights* (estimate $10,000–$15,000) and Burden's preparatory pencil sketch for *Desperado* (estimate $30,000–$40,000).