Luminary Exhibition Celebration: Matisse's Jazz—Rhythms in Color

The Art Institute of Chicago is hosting a special Luminary member event on April 28, 2026, celebrating the exhibition "Matisse's Jazz—Rhythms in Color." The event features curatorial remarks by Emily Ziemba, director of curatorial administration and research curator in Prints and Drawings, followed by exclusive after-hours access to the exhibition. This marks the first time the museum has displayed Matisse's complete Jazz portfolio since acquiring it in 1948, alongside more than 50 paintings, sculptures, and drawings that trace the artist's career-long exploration of color and line.

Making fashion out of art: Students hit the runway with designs inspired by BYU Museum of Art exhibit

BYU students staged a runway show at the BYU Museum of Art, presenting fashion and makeup designs inspired by paintings from the exhibition "The Sense of Beauty: Six Centuries of Painting from Museo de Arte de Ponce." Students in a sewing class taught by Amber Williams created looks based on specific artworks, such as a dress evoking Dante Gabriel Rossetti's "The Roman Widow" and a contemporary two-piece inspired by Frederic, Lord Leighton's "Flaming June." Hair and makeup were done in collaboration with Theater and Media Arts students led by Jennine Hollingshaus. The exhibition, on view until Jan. 3, features works from the Museo de Arte de Ponce in Puerto Rico.

France's Bonnat-Helleu museum reopens after 14-year renovation with new discoveries and 2,500 loans from the Louvre

The Musée Bonnat-Helleu in Bayonne, France, reopens on November 26 after a 14-year renovation and expansion. The project, led by French architecture firm BLP, doubled the display area to 3,000 square meters, restored the original building's glass roof and a mosaic by Giandomenico Facchina, and converted an adjacent school into a wing with a café, shop, research center, and study room. The museum now houses 7,000 works, including 2,500 long-term loans from the Louvre, and features discoveries such as autographs in El Greco paintings and pentimenti in Simon Vouet's work.

Frida Kahlo self-portrait sells for $54.7m at Sotheby's, breaking her auction record

Sotheby's held three back-to-back evening sales in New York on November 20, achieving a combined total of $252.9 million ($304.5 million with fees). The highlight was Frida Kahlo's self-portrait *El sueño (La cama)* (1940), which sold for $54.6 million with fees, setting a new auction record for the artist, for a Latin American artist, and for a female artist. The sales included 13 lots from the estate of Cindy and Jay Pritzker, a group of Surrealist works from an unnamed collection, and a multiple-owner Modern art sale featuring collections from the Bucksbaum family and Geri Brawerman.

Women in the Arts museum brings golden age artists into focus

The National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., has opened a new exhibition titled "Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600-1750," which showcases works by largely forgotten female masters of the Dutch Golden Age, including Judith Leyster, Maria van Oosterwijck, Clara Peeters, and Rachel Ruysch. The show features over a dozen artists and highlights paintings rich in symbolism, such as van Oosterwijck's "Vanitas Still Life" and Leyster's "The Concert," while also addressing how many of these women were celebrated in their own time but later misattributed or omitted from art history.

Sotheby’s secures $120m Pritzker and $400m Lauder collections, with works by Matisse, Munch and Van Gogh

Sotheby’s has secured two major private collections for its autumn New York sales: the Pritzker collection, estimated at $120 million, and the Lauder collection, valued at around $400 million. The Pritzker collection includes Vincent van Gogh’s *Romans Parisiens* (1887) with a $40 million estimate, while the Lauder collection features Gustav Klimt’s *Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer* (1914-16) estimated at over $150 million, along with works by Matisse, Munch, and Martin. The sales will take place at Sotheby’s new headquarters in the Breuer Building this November.

Huge fashion photography archive heads this month’s acquisition round-up

The New York Historical has acquired the vast archive of legendary New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham, nearly a decade after his death in 2016. The collection includes tens of thousands of images, negatives, slides, contact sheets, and correspondence documenting Manhattan street style and high-society events over 50 years. Separately, the J. Paul Getty Museum received a gift of 38 Italian manuscript illuminations from T. Robert Burke and Katherine States Burke, doubling its holdings in that area. The Hamburger Kunsthalle purchased René Magritte's painting *Le Palais de Rideaux* (1928) for €2.4 million from a Belgian private collection.

Reynolds works acquired by Waddesdon Manor under UK's acceptance in lieu scheme

Two major paintings by 18th-century British artist Joshua Reynolds—David Garrick Between Tragedy and Comedy (1761) and Portrait of Joanna Leigh, Mrs Richard Bennett Lloyd (1775-76)—have been acquired by Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire under the UK’s acceptance in lieu (AIL) scheme. The works, from the estate of Jacob Rothschild who died in February 2024, settled a combined £24.5 million in inheritance tax. Both paintings had been on loan to Waddesdon Manor, a National Trust property managed by Rothschild, since 1995.

Caravaggio’s ‘Judith Beheading Holofernes’ coming to Kimbell Art Museum from Rome

The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth announced on August 29, 2025, that it will display Caravaggio’s monumental painting *Judith Beheading Holofernes* (1599–1600) as a Guest of Honor loan from the Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica in Rome, where it normally hangs in the Palazzo Barberini. The canvas, approximately six feet wide and five feet tall, will be on view in the Louis I. Kahn Building from September 14, 2025, through January 11, 2026. The painting depicts the biblical moment of Judith decapitating the Assyrian general Holofernes, showcasing Caravaggio’s signature bold realism and dramatic chiaroscuro. The loan follows the museum’s 2022 Focus Exhibition “SLAY,” which featured Artemisia Gentileschi’s and Kehinde Wiley’s interpretations of the same subject.

Mickalene Thomas’s ex-fiancée accuses the artist of sexual harassment and stealing millions of dollars from her

Mickalene Thomas’s former fiancée, curator and model Racquel Chevremont, has filed a summons against the artist, accusing her of sexual harassment and claiming she owes at least $10 million in damages. The summons, signed in Manhattan on 8 August, cites breach of contract, unjust enrichment, conversion, and retaliation, alleging that Thomas created a hostile working environment and improperly diverted funds from their jointly-owned entity. Chevremont, who collaborated with Thomas for a decade and appeared in several of her works, claims she was underpaid despite a written agreement and that Thomas terminated her employment after she refused to resume their romantic relationship.

Alexandria Biennale—third-oldest after Venice and São Paulo—announces return following 12-year hiatus

The Alexandria Biennale, the third-oldest biennial in the world after Venice and São Paulo, is relaunching in September 2026 after a 12-year hiatus. Curated by Egyptian artist Moataz Nasr under the title "This Too Shall Pass," the event will feature artists mainly from the Mediterranean basin, along with performances, music, and lectures. In a shift from its previous state-funded model, the biennial now operates as a private-public partnership, with seed money from the Egyptian and Alexandria governments and pledges from local businesses. The exhibition will take place at historic venues across Alexandria, including the Roman amphitheatre, the Alexandria Library, and the Qaitbay Citadel.

Tate Modern announces regular late openings

Tate Modern has announced it will extend its evening opening hours to 21:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, starting 26 September 2025. The decision follows the success of the Tate Modern Lates series, launched in 2016, which has attracted over 750,000 visitors and demonstrated strong demand for after-hours access, especially among young Londoners. Director Karin Hindsbo described the Lates as a cornerstone of London's nightlife, and Mayor Sadiq Khan welcomed the move as a boost to the city's night-time economy.

Brâncuși exhibition to open at H’ART Museum in Amsterdam this fall

An exhibition titled "Brâncuși - The Birth of Modern Sculpture" will open at the H’ART Museum in Amsterdam on September 20, 2025, running through January 18, 2026. Organized in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou, it is the first solo show of Constantin Brâncuși's work in the Dutch capital and the second in the Netherlands since 1970. The exhibition features over 30 sculptures, original pedestals, photographs, and films by the artist, with loans made possible by the Centre Pompidou's renovation and the institutions' partnership. The collection originates from Brâncuși's studio, bequeathed to the French state in 1957.

At the Amon Carter Museum, two exhibitions explore the American West

Two concurrent exhibitions at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth explore the American West from distinct perspectives. "Richard Avedon at the Carter" marks the 40th anniversary of Avedon's landmark 1985 series "In the American West," featuring 124 unflinching portraits of working-class subjects like oilfield workers and ranchers, alongside archival photographs by Laura Wilson that show the project's human side. Across the hall, "East of the Pacific: Making Histories of Asian American Art" presents 48 works from the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, spanning from the 1849 gold rush to the present, highlighting Asian American artists including Bernice Bing, Roger Shimomura, Chiura Obata, and Toshiko Takaezu.

A biography of Turner and Constable that goes beyond the stereotypes

Nicola Moorby, curator of British art 1790-1850 at Tate, has published a new book titled *Turner & Constable: Art, Life, Landscape*, which examines the lives and careers of J.M.W. Turner and John Constable side by side for the first time in such depth. Published in the 250th anniversary year of Turner's birth and ahead of Constable's in 2026, the study uses a thematic approach within a chronological framework to compare their approaches to landscape painting, including their treatment of rivers like the Thames and the Stour, their differing paths to success, and famous flashpoints at Royal Academy exhibitions.

The Met to Reopen Its Arts of Africa Galleries on May 31, Following a Multiyear Renovation

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will reopen its Arts of Africa galleries on May 31, 2025, after a multiyear renovation that began in summer 2021. The redesigned Michael C. Rockefeller Wing features some 500 works spanning from the medieval period to the present, including a 12th-century fired clay figure from Mali and Abdoulaye Konaté's 'Bleu no. 1' (2014). A quarter of the works are recent acquisitions or gifts, displayed for the first time. The project was led by Kulapat Yantrasast of WHY Architecture with Beyer, Blinder, Belle Architects LLP and the Met's Design Department, and involved a network of international scholars and digital partnerships with the World Monuments Fund and filmmaker Sosena Solomon.

New Amon Carter Museum exhibitions spotlight distinct views of the American West

The Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth is opening two new exhibitions on May 18: “Richard Avedon at the Carter” and “East of the Pacific: Making Histories of Asian American Art.” The Avedon show marks the 40th anniversary of the museum’s original 1985 presentation of his “In the American West” series, featuring 40 portraits alongside archival photographs by Laura Wilson. The second exhibition explores Asian American influence on the West Coast, reframing the U.S. as east of the Pacific.

Extended from one volume to three, the new ‘Taste and the Antique’ expands on four centuries of interactions with sculpture

A new, expanded edition of the seminal art-historical reference work 'Taste and the Antique' has been released, growing from one volume to three. Originally published in 1981 by Francis Haskell and Nicholas Penny, the book traced the reception history of ancient Greek and Roman statues from 1500 to 1900. This updated version features full-color photography of all 95 canonical works, including multiple angles and detail shots, overcoming the original edition's criticized monochrome images. A third volume illustrates copies, prints, casts, and reproductions of the statues across media and centuries, from Renaissance drawings to modern advertisements and photographs.

The Big Review | The reopening and rehang of the Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery, London ★★★★★

The National Gallery in London has reopened its Sainsbury Wing after a renovation led by architect Annabelle Selldorf, designed to create a more welcoming entrance. The wing, originally designed by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown in 1991, now features a transformed ground floor with double-height spaces, improved lighting, and a new piazza linking to Trafalgar Square. The reopening coincides with the gallery's bicentenary and a major collection rehang titled "C C Land: the Wonder of Art," sponsored by a Hong Kong property developer. Old favorites like the chapel-like space for Piero della Francesca's works are restored, and new commissions, including Richard Long's "Mud Sun," greet visitors.

First look: the ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ rehang at London's National Gallery

On May 10, London's National Gallery will unveil its first full rehang of the collection since the Sainsbury Wing opened in 1991. The wing has been closed for over two years to create a larger entrance foyer. Christine Riding, the director of collections and research, oversaw the rehang, which she calls a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity. Nearly 40% of the collection—1,045 paintings—will be displayed, including 919 from the collection and 126 on loan. The rehang is sponsored by Hong Kong-based property developer C C Land and is called "C C Land: The Wonder of Art." Works by female artists have been given greater prominence, and some paintings were conserved or reframed. The chronological arrangement from west to east remains similar, but many pictures have been repositioned to highlight artistic influences across generations.

Gulag Museum rebrand marks latest phase in Kremlin’s assault on free speech

The Kremlin is systematically erasing the memory of Soviet repression under Joseph Stalin from Russian museums. The Gulag Museum in Moscow, which documented Stalin-era crimes, has been rebranded as a "Museum of Memory" focused on Nazi war crimes, with its entire website replaced and exhibitions packed up. Simultaneously, Russia's supreme court banned Memorial, a human rights organization founded to document Stalin-era atrocities, labeling it an "anti-Russian" extremist group. The Yeltsin Presidential Center in Yekaterinburg has also removed references to Memorial from its walls, and the Sakharov Center in Moscow was disbanded and evicted from its facilities.

A Faceless Mary Magdalene by Artemisia Gentileschi Goes to Auction

Va in asta una Maria Maddalena di Artemisia Gentileschi senza volto

The Viennese auction house Dorotheum has announced the sale of a rare, fragmented painting of Mary Magdalene by the Baroque master Artemisia Gentileschi. Dating from the artist's influential Florentine period (1615–1618), this autograph version of a work held in Palazzo Pitti is notably missing its central element: the head and shoulders of the saint have been physically cut from the canvas. Despite this dramatic mutilation, which experts speculate may have occurred in post-war Berlin, the work is estimated to fetch between €100,000 and €150,000 at the Old Masters auction on April 28, 2026.

Exhibition | Daniel Crews-Chubb, 'The Belt of Venus' at Patricia Low Contemporary, Venezia, Venice, Italy

Daniel Crews-Chubb presents 'The Belt of Venus,' an exhibition of six new monumental paintings at Patricia Low Contemporary in Venice. The works draw inspiration from the atmospheric phenomenon of the same name, using its ethereal pinkish glow as a color palette. Crews-Chubb explores pareidolia—the brain's tendency to see faces in abstract forms—pushing his long-standing interrogation of the human figure into increasingly abstract territory. The paintings reference classical mythology, including the Roman goddess Venus, and incorporate fragmented forms reminiscent of ancient statuary, serving as memento mori.

Kid Cudi is wading into comedy and launching an art exhibition in Paris

Rapper Kid Cudi, born Scott Roman Mescudi, has announced his debut art exhibition in Paris at the Ruttkowski;68 gallery, titled "Echoes of the Past," running from January 31 through March 1. The show features 10 original works centered on a visual alter ego named Max, exploring themes of darkness, fear, and mental health through a childlike, cartoonish style. Cudi, who completed his first painting last year, has also created an original score for the exhibition and adopted the new moniker "Scotty Roman" for this venture. Separately, he revealed he recently performed stand-up comedy for the first time at West Side Comedy Theater in Santa Monica, describing the experience as electrifying.

Victoria & Albert Museum yields to Chinese censorship

Le Victoria & Albert Museum cède à la censure chinoise

The Victoria & Albert Museum in London removed a map and other content from its exhibition catalogues after its Chinese printer, C&C Offset Printing, flagged them as unacceptable to Chinese censors. The map, showing 1930s British Empire trade routes, was rejected by China's General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) because it included Chinese territory and borders, requiring the use of state-approved maps. The museum also previously removed a map and a photograph of Vladimir Lenin from a 2021 Fabergé exhibition catalogue.

Kim Gordon Was Never Just the “Girl in the Band”

Kim Gordon, best known as co-founder of the influential indie rock band Sonic Youth, is the subject of a new exhibition titled "Count Your Chickens" at Amant in New York. Curated by Patricia Margarita Hernández, the show surveys Gordon’s visual art from 2007 to the present, including paintings, drawings, ceramics, and video works such as "Jeanetta and Alex" (2026). The exhibition explores themes of celebrity, gender, electricity, and the tension between public image and private reality, featuring pieces like "Paris, Paris" (2025) and the "Airbnb Series" (2019).

Jule Korneffel Finds Meaning at the End of Light

Artist Jule Korneffel's solo exhibition 'In Search of Lost Light' is on view at Spencer Brownstone Gallery through May 2. The show features seven paintings from 2023 to the present, including a site-specific wall work, that explore themes of fading light, memory, and melancholia through a nuanced palette of grays and blues.

In “Discipline,” Larissa Pham Explores Predatory Art-World Mentorship

Larissa Pham’s debut novel, Discipline, follows Christina, a young writer and former painter grappling with the psychological aftermath of a formative affair with her art professor, Richard. Set against the backdrop of a book tour for her own autofictional novel, the narrative uses Christina’s observations of art—ranging from Helen Frankenthaler to Edward Hopper—to slowly peel back the layers of a relationship defined by power imbalances and predatory mentorship.

Andrea Romano “All The Synecdoches And Metonymies In The World Make Up One Great Metaphor” at Federica Schiavo Gallery, Rome

Andrea Romano presents a new body of work at Federica Schiavo Gallery in Rome, titled “All The Synecdoches And Metonymies In The World Make Up One Great Metaphor.” The exhibition explores the intersection of the artist’s private life and professional practice through a series of fragmented forms, residues, and reflections. By utilizing linguistic concepts as a framework, Romano investigates how individual parts of an experience attempt to coalesce into a unified whole, even when that totality remains elusive.

What We Throw Away Does Not Disappear

Was wir wegwerfen, verschwindet nicht

The Museum Ostwall at the Dortmunder U in Dortmund has opened a new exhibition titled "Müll – die globalen Wege des Abfalls" ("Waste – The Global Paths of Garbage"), curated by Christina Danick and Michael Griff. Featuring around 50 international artworks from the 20th and 21st centuries, including two newly commissioned pieces, the show uses art to explore waste as material, motif, and aesthetic strategy. Key works include Kader Attia's "Los de Arriba y Los de Abajo," which addresses power imbalances through the lens of garbage in Hebron, and historical pieces by César Baldaccini, Arman, and HA Schult. The exhibition also highlights contemporary issues such as e-waste, global waste trafficking, and the environmental impact of industrial nations on the Global South.