LUCRECIA LIONTI: GRAFISMOS DESTERRADOS

Lucrecia Lionti, an Argentine textile artist from Tucumán, is the subject of a feature examining her solo exhibition "Grafismos desterrados" at Sorondo Projects in Barcelona (2026). The article details how Lionti's practice, spanning over fifteen years, merges modern art with craft, using textiles as a political and affective device. It highlights her involvement since 2018 with the feminist collective La Lola Mora – Trabajadoras de las Artes de Tucumán, and her recent exhibition at MALBA titled "Fabril la mirada." The show presents works where language becomes material—woven, knotted, and frayed—featuring illegible marks that blur writing and drawing, evoking loss and exile.

Carole A. Feuerman | Miniature Serena (with Blue-Green Tube) (2021) | For Sale

Carole A. Feuerman's sculpture "Miniature Serena (with Blue-Green Tube)" (2021) is being offered for sale. The work is an oil on resin piece with 24K gold leaf cap, table-top scale, measuring 10 x 17 x 8 inches, from a variant of 10. Feuerman, born in 1945, is an American sculptor and author credited with co-founding the Hyperrealist movement in the late 1970s, known for figurative works of swimmers and dancers. Her public sculptures have been displayed globally, including at Central Park, the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution, the Venice Biennale, and the State Hermitage Museum. She has received multiple awards, including the Medici Award, and her works are in the permanent collections of 31 museums and owned by notable figures such as Steven A. Cohen, former President Bill Clinton, and Dr. Henry Kissinger.

'Significant' at D Lan Galleries, Melbourne on 14 May–27 Jun 2026

D Lan Galleries is presenting 'Significant', a major exhibition of secondary-market Australian First Nations art, running from 14 May to 27 June 2026 across its spaces in Melbourne, Sydney, and New York. The show features the Carey Lyon and Jo Crosby Collection, including rare early Papunya paintings from 1971–1972, such as Shorty Lungkata Tjungurrayi's 'Man Dreaming 1972' and Kaapa Mbitjana Tjampitjinpa's 'Honey Ant Travelling Dreaming 1971', alongside later works by Emily Kam Kngwarray, Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori, and Nyapanyapa Yunupiŋu.

Acclaimed Wilkes Artist Ward Nichols dies

Ward Hampton Nichols, a celebrated artist from North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, died on May 5 at the age of 95 at the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home, surrounded by his children. A few weeks before his passing, a celebration of his life, legacy, and art was held at the Wilkes Art Gallery. Nichols, born in 1930 in Welch, West Virginia, taught himself to draw as a child and later served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean conflict, where he designed a NATO shoulder patch and co-founded a shipboard newspaper. After his service, he pursued a lifelong passion for art, painting until January of this year, and was also an avid aviator and sports car enthusiast.

Exhibitions Coming to Houston Institutions in Summer 2026

Art museums and institutions across the Greater Houston area are opening a series of new exhibitions for summer 2026. Highlights include the Czech Center Museum Houston's solo show of travel photography by Clarice Marik Snokhous; Art League Houston presenting Marisol Valencia's installation "No Longer, Not Yet" and Juvana Soliven's "Subject to Surviving"; Houston Center for Photography featuring Simon Silva's "Madre Patria"; the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston launching the first survey of Mary Ellen Carroll's work; and the Moody Center for the Arts at Rice University hosting Masako Miki's first Texas exhibition.

Staying Curious: Isabelle de Caters on 20 Years of Gallery Isabelle

Gallery Isabelle, founded by Isabelle de Caters in Dubai's Al Quoz district, celebrated its 20th anniversary in April 2026 with a 20-day exhibition titled "Move, Pause, Return." The show unveiled one work per day before bringing all 20 artists together for a final gathering. De Caters, who opened her first space B21 Gallery in 2006 when contemporary art in the Gulf was seen as a passing fad, reflects on two decades of building a gallery through instinct, long-term artist relationships, and organic growth rather than commercial dictates.

A Rare Blue-Green Diamond Ring Sold for Over $17 M. At Christie’s Geneva

A rare 5.5-carat blue-green diamond ring, named Ocean Dream, sold for over $17 million at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Zurich on May 13, 2026. The triangular-cut stone, estimated at $9–12 million, is set in an 18-karat white gold band with pink and white diamonds. The buyer was an unnamed private client, and the ring took 20 minutes to sell. It had previously fetched nearly $10 million at Christie’s Geneva in 2014.

Sophie Rivera's first survey focuses on experimentation

El Museo del Barrio in New York has opened "Sophie Rivera: Double Exposures," the first career survey of the Puerto Rican American photographer (1938-2021). The exhibition reassesses Rivera's practice, highlighting her experimental work beyond her well-known 1978 series "Nuyorican Portraits," which depicted Puerto Rican sitters in Manhattan's Morningside Heights. Curated by Susanna V. Temkin, the show features works across portraiture, photojournalism, and experimental image-making, including the color photograph "Alternators" (1975, printed 1986), which Rivera donated to the museum in the late 1980s.

French Parliament Accuses Louvre of Prioritizing ‘Prestige And Influence’ Over Security Prior to Jewel Heist

French MPs Alexis Corbière and Alexandre Portier have released a parliamentary report accusing the Louvre of prioritizing "prestige and influence" over security, leading to a brazen jewel heist on October 19, 2025. Thieves entered the museum in broad daylight and stole nine pieces of jewelry worth an estimated $102 million in under eight minutes. The report, based on over 20 hearings with 100 insiders, reveals that security had been "relegated to the background" despite audits in 2017 and 2019, and that a Security Equipment Master Plan from 2019 was not implemented in time by former director Jean-Luc Martinez. The report also casts doubt on President Emmanuel Macron's nearly $1 billion renovation plan for the Louvre, announced nine months before the heist.

Getty’s Black Visual Arts Archives receives additional $1.8m in funding

The Getty Foundation has awarded an additional $1.8 million to its Black Visual Arts Archives initiative, bringing total funding to $4.5 million across 20 awards. The program supports institutions in processing, digitizing, preserving, and activating archival collections related to Black artists and arts organizations in the US. Grantees include Afro Charities, the Auburn Avenue Research Library, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Charles H. Wright Museum, Morgan State University, the South Side Community Art Center, the University of Chicago’s South Side Home Movie Project, and the David C. Driskell Center. Notable discoveries include footage of the original Wall of Respect mural from the South Side Home Movie Project.

‘It’s about processing’: the artist who spent three months recreating the most poignant moments with her ex

Photographer Diana Markosian has created a new project titled "Replaced," in which she spent three months recreating intimate moments from her past relationship with an ex-partner. To document the experience of falling in and out of love, she hired an actor to play her ex and traveled with him to locations they once visited together, including Miami, Paris, Naples, Capri, and Nice. The series blurs documentary and fiction, using staged reenactments to process grief, heartbreak, and healing.

He’s behind you! The best of Photo London – in pictures

Photo London, the UK's leading photography fair, launches its 11th edition at a new venue, Olympia in Kensington, London, running from 13–17 May 2026. The fair features a diverse array of exhibitors, including debutants like Agony and Ecstasy gallery, which showcases nostalgic works of Ibiza by Oriol Maspons and Walter Rudolph, and Hackney-based Guest Editions, presenting Laura McCluskey and Thomas Duffield. A new 'Focus' section highlights galleries from Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe, such as Ungallery (Argentina) and Galeria Monopol (Poland). Notable presentations include vintage prints by Japanese master Daido Moriyama at Akio Nagasawa Gallery, and Ketaki Sheth's series 'Twinspotting' at Photoink, which pairs Patel twins in the UK with those in India.

Matthias Grolier nommé à la tête de France Muséums

Matthias Grolier, former chief of staff to Laurence des Cars at the Louvre, has been appointed director general of France Muséums, succeeding Hervé Barbaret after two consecutive three-year terms. The agency, created in 2007 from a Franco-Emirati agreement, oversees the Louvre Abu Dhabi partnership and coordinates contributions from 21 partner institutions including the Louvre, Centre Pompidou, Musée d'Orsay, BNF, and Quai Branly. Grolier brings a background in international business law and government advisory roles, though he has never led a heritage institution or museum.

Designs for a Better Future

Entwürfe für eine bessere Zukunft

The Rimowa Design Prize has awarded its fourth edition to Samuel Nagel and Paul Feiler from the Schwäbisch Gmünd University of Applied Sciences for their bracelet "Nura," which translates sign language into spoken language and converts speech into written text. Other finalists include Jakob Schlenker's bird-shaped device to encourage movement in the elderly, Niklas Henning's harvesting system for restoring moors, Tobias Kremer and Yannick Stilgenbauer's inflatable cooling capsule for use without electricity, and Valerio Sampognaro's lightweight furniture that can both support and lift off. The exhibition runs until May 13 at the Berlin Kulturforum.

How Does an Art Fair Stand Apart? TEFAF NY Has an Answer.

TEFAF New York returns to the Park Avenue Armory from May 15-19, featuring 88 dealers and galleries from 14 countries across four continents. The fair distinguishes itself from competitors like Frieze, NADA, and Independent by offering an unusually broad range of works—from Modernist paintings and contemporary sculpture to ancient artifacts, fine jewelry, and design. Notable exhibitors include Gagosian showing Kathleen Ryan’s bejeweled fruit sculptures, Thaddaeus Ropac presenting newcomer Eva Helene Pade, and Belgian dealer David Lévy pairing Keith Haring with Willem de Kooning. Design is a particular highlight this year, with galleries such as Sarah Myerscough, Gomide&Co, and Modernity Stockholm showcasing everything from Shaker-inspired chairs to Brazilian modernist furniture and Scandinavian classics.

Clothing Brand Hurley Is Collaborating with Keith Haring Estate on Capsule Collection

Streetwear brand Hurley, known for surf and swim apparel, has released a capsule collection inspired by the late artist Keith Haring. The collection includes T-shirts, board shirts, hats, bathing suits, and sweatshirts for men and women, with prices ranging from $28 to $100. Haring, who died of AIDS-related causes in 1990 at age 31, was internationally known for his graffiti-inspired artworks and recurring motifs like radiant babies and dancing figures.

Basquiat’s Former Dealer on the Making of an Art World Icon

Bruno Bischofberger, who served as Jean-Michel Basquiat's exclusive worldwide dealer from 1982 until the artist's death in 1988, reflects on Basquiat's life and legacy in an excerpt from the forthcoming book *Basquiat: The World of Jean-Michel*, published by Assouline. Bischofberger contrasts Basquiat's raw, politically charged approach with Andy Warhol's detached, commercial style, and recounts personal memories of Basquiat's visits to Switzerland, where he absorbed everything from visual art to folk art and design.

Political Fallout Rocks Venice Biennale Prize System

Dozens of artists participating in the 2026 Venice Biennale have withdrawn from consideration for the newly created Visitor Lion awards, replacing the traditional Gold and Silver Lion prizes. A total of 57 artists from the main exhibition and 22 national pavilions signed a statement published on e-flux on May 9, acting in solidarity with the five-person prize jury that resigned on April 30 over the continued participation of Russia and Israel. The jury had objected to awarding prizes to artists from countries whose leaders face International Criminal Court charges, including Russian president Vladimir Putin and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In response, the Biennale organizers postponed the awards ceremony to November 22 and introduced visitor voting, a move they described as consistent with openness and dialogue. Meanwhile, the Russian Pavilion, which returned after lending its space to Bolivia in 2024, faced protests, closure after previews, and a €2 million funding pull by the European Union for the 2028 Biennale.

Close encounters: the new wave of women photographers – in pictures

The Saltzman-Leibovitz photography prize, founded in 2025 by Lisa Saltzman and Annie Leibovitz, announces its winners and runners-up for 2026. Bolivian photographer Marisol Mendez wins for her series 'MADRE,' which challenges patriarchal representations of women in Bolivia through portraits of matriarchs and references to the Inca moon goddess. Runner-up Miranda Barnes documents African American debutante cotillions in Detroit, while other featured photographers include Bettina Pittaluga and Cole Ndelu, whose works explore body diversity and the fusion of Zulu cosmology with Catholicism. The exhibition runs at Photo London, Olympia, 13–17 May 2026.

The Artist Who Painted Pixels Before We Saw in Pixels

Der Künstler, der Pixel malte, bevor wir in Pixel sahen

Reinhard Voigt, a German artist little known to the public, painted grid-based pictures as early as 1968—years before pixels became ubiquitous in daily life. Despite early discouragement from Gerhard Richter and fellow artist Alan Jones, Voigt persisted, creating meticulous works on paper and canvas using transparent paper, rulers, pencil, and oil paint. His first major exhibition, "Pure Pleasure," took place in 2023/2024 in Nuremberg, and his current duo show "High on Low" with Anna-Sophie Berger is on view at Berlin's Kunstraum Grotto, featuring his Word Paintings series. Voigt lives and works in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg with his wife, artist Susan Elias.

In This Nazi-Era Restitution Dispute, the Focus Turns to a Missing Cow

A family is seeking restitution of a painting they believe is a lost Rubens work, looted by Nazis during World War II. However, an expert has cast doubt on the claim, arguing the painting is a copy because it lacks a distinctive detail found in the original: a urinating cow. The dispute has shifted focus to this missing element, complicating the family's efforts to recover the artwork.

The Cosmos in a Drop: Interview with Wallace Chan

Wallace Chan, the Chinese artist known for his work across microscopic gemstone carving and monumental titanium sculpture, is presenting two concurrent exhibitions in Venice during the 61st Venice Biennale: “Vessels of Other Worlds” at the Pietà Chapel and “Mythos” at Scala Contarini del Bovolo. In an interview with ArtAsiaPacific, Chan discusses his artistic journey from traditional Chinese Buddhist carving to Western iconography, the spiritual resonance of the Pietà Chapel (where Vivaldi composed), and how his works explore themes of transformation, birth, growth, and rebirth through the lens of Buddhist philosophy and Catholic ritual.

Dana Awartani on Representing Saudi Arabia at the 61st Venice Biennale

Dana Awartani, an artist based in Jeddah, will represent Saudi Arabia at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026, with her pavilion located in the Arsenale under the theme 'Celebrating Visions.' In an interview with ArtReview, Awartani discusses her exhibition, which builds on her practice of foregrounding Arab cultural histories and preserving the region's material heritage. She connects her work to the Biennale's theme 'In Minor Keys' by focusing on repair, healing, and the quiet consequences of conflict, emphasizing craft as a form of quiet resistance against mechanization. The pavilion, she says, reflects the diversity of voices within Saudi Arabia's artistic community rather than a single national narrative.

New York's Art Week 2026 is underway. A guide to all the fairs to see in the city: Frieze and the others

È in corso l’Art Week di New York del 2026. La guida di tutte le fiere da vedere in città: Frieze e le altre

New York's spring Art Week is underway in mid-May 2026, anchored by two major fairs: Frieze New York (May 13–17) at The Shed, featuring about 70 galleries from over 25 countries, and TEFAF New York (May 15–19) at the Park Avenue Armory, celebrating its tenth edition with 88 galleries. Additional fairs include Independent Art Fair at Pier 36 (May 14–17) with 76 galleries and site-specific installations, and NADA New York at the Starrett-Lehigh Building (May 13–17), promoting emerging artists. The week also involves museums, cultural institutions, and galleries citywide.

How Dayanita Singh Organized a Major Show in Venice Without Institutional Funding

Dayanita Singh has organized a major exhibition titled "ARCHIVIO" at the State Archives of Venice, marking the first time the institution has opened its doors to the public for an art show. The exhibition, which runs until July 31, features collapsible wooden pillars covered with black-and-white photographs that explore Singh's 25-year relationship with Italy and her broader engagement with archival documents from both Italy and India. Singh achieved this without major institutional funding, instead relying on a "friendship economy" of bartering, negotiation, and individual patrons, and even arranged for local art students to serve as docents in exchange for professional mentorship.

Art meets flowers: What to know about Ball State’s 'Art in Bloom'

Ball State University's David Owsley Museum of Art is hosting its annual 'Art in Bloom' event from May 15 to 17, 2026, in Muncie, Indiana. Regional floral designers create arrangements inspired by works from the museum's collection, with a free public preview party on May 15 featuring jazz by the Mark Buselli Trio. The weekend includes extended hours, paper flower-making workshops, live music by pianist Mikael Darmanie, and a People's Choice Award vote. This year's event is dedicated to the late David T. Owsley, the museum's namesake and main benefactor. A special exhibition, 'Nora Krug: Belonging,' organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum, is also on view through June 13.

Louisville’s Speed Art Museum shines a light on the women of Abstract Expressionism

The Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, will host "Abstract Expressionists: The Women" from May 16 to August 30, 2026. This is Kentucky's first exhibition devoted to Abstract Expressionism, featuring over 30 major female artists including Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell, Vivian Springford, Grace Hartigan, and Lee Krasner. The show includes works like Frankenthaler's *Circus Landscape* (1951) and Springford's *Scuba Series* (1972–1984/5), along with archival materials and a timeline of women's artistic achievements. Organized by the American Federation of Arts from the Christian Levett Collection and FAMM (Female Artists of the Mougins Museum), France, the exhibition is curated by Dr. Ellen G. Landau and presented locally by Tyler Blackwell.

In Pictures: The Highlights of the 2026 Venice Biennale

En images : les grands moments de la Biennale de Venise 2026

The 2026 Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys" and curated by Koyo Kouoh, opened on May 9, 2026, at the Arsenale and Giardini venues. Kouoh, who died suddenly in May 2025 at age 57, conceived the event as a counterpoint to global noise and fury, inviting visitors to slow down and tune into minor tonalities. The exhibition features works addressing colonial memory, slavery, and Gaza, with a team of four curators executing her vision. Highlights include Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons's tribute to Kouoh and Toni Morrison, Hala Schoukair's installation, and Gabrielle Goliath's "Elegy," alongside collateral shows like the Dries van Noten Foundation at Palazzo Pisani Moretta and the Victor Pinchuk Foundation's "Still Joy – from Ukraine into the World."

Between Tropes and Treats at NADA New York

The 12th annual New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) fair opened at the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Manhattan, featuring a wide array of contemporary works. Critic Rhea Nayyar notes that while many booths felt interchangeable due to prevalent trends like zany sculptures, shiny materials, and kitschy vibrancy, several standout pieces offered genuine engagement. Highlights include Elena Roznovan's maternal ephemera embedded in concrete with bondage tape, Kelly Tapia-Chuning's deconstructed serapes addressing colonial violence, and Niniko Morbedadze's folkloric illustrations.

Oh What A Time at Air de Paris

Air de Paris presents "Oh What A Time," a group exhibition running from April 16 to May 2, 2026, featuring works by Trisha Donnelly, Joseph Grigely, Pati Hill, Pierre Joseph, Allen Ruppersberg, Lily van der Stokker, Mona Varichon, and Amy Vogel. The show brings together eight artists in a concise two-week presentation at the Parisian gallery.