SMC Emeritus Annual Student Art Exhibition 2026 – Part 1, Opening Celebration in Emeritus Gallery May 14

The Santa Monica College (SMC) Emeritus Art Gallery will host the SMC Emeritus Annual Student Art Exhibition 2026 – Part 1 from May 14 to June 19, with a free opening reception on May 14 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The exhibition features works by 47 student artists from SMC's noncredit Emeritus program for older adults, which was founded in 1975 and serves over 3,000 students annually. Due to high participation, the exhibition is split into two parts, with Part 1 displayed in the gallery and Part 2 opening online on June 11.

Muskegon Museum of Art Announces ‘HerStory of Animation: Mary Blair & Beyond’ Exhibit

The Muskegon Museum of Art has announced a new exhibition titled 'HerStory of Animation: Mary Blair & Beyond,' premiering June 6 through September 27. The show redefines animation history by highlighting the contributions of women animators and artists, from early pioneers like Helena Smith Dayton and Lotte Reiniger to contemporary figures. Curated by Mindy Johnson, the exhibition features production artwork, studio artifacts, rare imagery, films, and newly uncovered research spanning over a century of innovation.

AlUla Arts Showcases More than 20 Artists at 61st Venice Biennale

A contemporary art fair called "This is Normal" has been held in Kyiv, Ukraine, during wartime, organized by the Art Kyiv fair. The event features over 20 Ukrainian artists and galleries at the Lavra Gallery, deliberately avoiding any direct reference to the war in its booths or artworks. Organizers and participants describe the fair as a space for cultural continuity and psychological respite, where art helps people make sense of a reality shaped by missile strikes and loss.

'Optical debris': Be transported to a world of light and shadows at unique art exhibit

Two Vancouver-based artists, Emilie Fantuz and Gillian Richards, are showcasing their work in a joint exhibition titled "Liminal City" at the Pendulum Gallery in downtown Vancouver. The show explores the effects of light and shadow in painting, with Fantuz focusing on what she calls "optical debris"—bursts of light and shadows that fracture contemporary vision—while Richards highlights transitional urban spaces and functional architecture, elevating overlooked everyday scenes. Fantuz, who is completing her MFA at Emily Carr University, has shifted from detailed neighborhood paintings to abstract studies of light and perception, often filtered through windows and screens. Richards, a former scenic artist in the film industry, uses photography as a starting point to capture intimate views of utilitarian structures.

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art opens two new exhibits celebrating the queer identity

The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art has opened two new exhibitions celebrating queer identity, memory, and community. "John Paul Morabito: Dancing in the Night" features large-scale woven works by transdisciplinary artist John Paul Morabito, using linen, cotton, gold-leaf threads, and beadwork inspired by queer history, resistance, and celebration. The second exhibition, "Norma I. Quintana: Paradise of Memory / Paraíso de la Memoria," presents a portrait series by photographer Norma I. Quintana that examines memory, identity, and cultural heritage, recreating hand-painted backdrops from her family's photographs to honor her community. Both exhibitions run through September 6.

SMC Emeritus Annual Student Art Exhibition Opens May 14

The Santa Monica College Emeritus Art Gallery will present Part 1 of its 2026 Annual Student Art Exhibition from May 14 through June 19, featuring works by student artists from SMC's noncredit Emeritus program for older adults. A free opening reception will be held May 14, and due to high participation, the exhibition is split into two parts, with Part 2 opening online on June 11. The show includes 47 artists, each contributing one piece.

Indian High Commission celebrated Rabindra Jayanti, inaugurating art exhibition

The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka inaugurated a ten-day art exhibition titled “Sampriti” on May 7, 2026, coinciding with the 165th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. The exhibition features works created during a two-day art camp by 33 eminent Bangladeshi artists, including Rafiqun Nabi, Monirul Islam, and Farida Zaman, and was curated by Professor Sanjoy Chakraborty of Dhaka University. High Commissioner Pranay Verma opened the event, highlighting the shared artistic traditions between India and Bangladesh, and paid tribute to the late Bangladeshi artist Tarun Ghosh, whose work is included in the show.

New Loveland gallery celebrates motherhood with inaugural show

Sparrow Art Center, an art education company, has opened a new gallery and teaching facility in Loveland, Colorado, and is hosting its inaugural art show with a Mother's Day theme. The exhibition features work from over a dozen artists, including owner Cody Winiecki, who contributed a painting of a horse and foal. The show includes a free public reception on Saturday evening, as well as painting sessions for mothers and children. All proceeds from sales go directly to the artists, and the show will run until early June.

‘Sampriti’: Dhaka exhibition celebrates artistic ties between Bangladesh and India

The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) in Dhaka inaugurated the art exhibition “Sampriti” on May 7, bringing together artists, scholars, and diplomats from Bangladesh and India. The exhibition, which follows a two-day art camp held in April, features works by 33 contemporary Bangladeshi artists and ICCR scholars, and was curated by Prof Sanjoy Chakraborty. The opening coincided with the 165th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore and included a lamp-lighting ceremony, speeches by High Commissioner Pranay Verma, and a performance of Rabindra Sangeet by Prof Shahnaz Nasrin Ila.

Afton's Third Friday Night Art Exhibits Run From May To November

Afton's Third Friday Night Art Exhibits return for the 2025 season, running from May 15 through November at 146 Main Street in Afton, New York. The monthly events, held in the HUG/HALos building (formerly the Great American Food Store), feature rotating selections of artwork from local artists, with the first exhibit showcasing youth art from Afton students. Gallery curator and artist Michael Bolde, who launched the series three years ago, organizes the shows in a community room provided free of charge by Joyce Humphrey, founder of the HALos grief counseling program. Artists who sell work contribute a 20% commission to HALos, far below the typical 50% gallery split, supporting both creators and local programming.

Untitled, 1982 by Anni Albers, Ink and gouache on paper, 15.9 x 22.9 cm (5)

Ocula, an online platform for contemporary art, has published a promotional piece highlighting its services: partnering with leading galleries to showcase artists and artworks, offering vetted gallery membership by application and invitation, and providing art advisory with access to influential galleries, collectors, and auction houses. The article also mentions Ocula's editorial content that celebrates people and ideas shaping contemporary art.

Open call for entries to new portrait award

ArtHouse Jersey has launched an open call for entries to its new Portrait Award, a competition open to artists aged 16 and over who live in or have a strong connection to the Channel Islands. The award is free to enter, with a deadline of September 30, 2026, and offers a top prize of £1,500 plus two runner-up prizes of £500 each. Selected works will be exhibited at Capital House in St Helier from January to April 2027, alongside works by international artists. All forms of portraiture—painting, photography, mixed media—are eligible, provided they are original and completed within the last three years.

"Dispossessions in the Americas" Confronts the Colonialism That Invades All Territory

The article reviews "Dispossessions in the Americas," a group exhibition at Wrightwood 659 in Chicago curated by Jonathan D. Katz and Eduardo Carrera. Featuring works from 1960 to 2025, the show examines colonial legacies in the Americas, focusing on the forced dispossession of land, culture, and language from indigenous, Afro-descendant, queer, and trans communities. The review critically questions how a polished, architecturally prestigious venue can coherently display art about socially voiceless communities without falling into voyeurism or fetishization of pain.

Dana Awartani’s art of remembrance in Venice

The article covers multiple art events and opportunities across the Gulf region and beyond. It highlights Saudi artists participating in the exhibition "What’s between, between?" at Doha's Media Majlis Museum, curated by Jack Thomas Taylor and Amal Zeyad Ali, which explores Gulf Futurism. Additionally, it announces a two-part group exhibition "Global Positioning System" opening at Hayy Jameel in Jeddah, featuring over 40 artists from more than 20 countries. The article also reports on an internship opportunity for Saudi architects and designers at Rome's MAXXI Museum, offered by Saudi Arabia’s Misk Art Institute.

Healing through art : Stories of First Nations people who have experienced incarceration

The Torch, a First Peoples-led arts organization in Victoria, Australia, runs a program supporting Indigenous artists who have experienced incarceration. Its annual exhibition, Confined 17, features nearly 500 artworks by 424 First Nations artists at the Glen Eira City Council gallery in Naarm. The organization provides art materials, cultural connection, and economic support, with artists receiving 100% of their income from sales. Participants like Tegan, a Palawa woman, describe improvising with food dye in prison to create watercolor-style works, while CEO Susannah Day and founder Kent Morris emphasize the program's role in reducing reincarceration rates.

Can Three Auction Houses Sell $2.6 Billion Worth of Art in One Week?

The New York Times reports that three major auction houses are poised to sell $2.6 billion worth of art in a single week during the spring season, driven by five luxury artworks. The sales are among the most anticipated in years, with major buyers shifting focus away from female and younger artists toward more traditional, established names.

France Passes Law Easing Process of Returning Looted Art

France has passed a new law that simplifies the process of returning looted art and cultural artifacts to their countries of origin. The legislation, championed by President Emmanuel Macron, is seen as a major step in addressing colonial-era acquisitions, particularly for African artworks held in French museums. Experts describe the law as a seismic shift in restitution policy, enabling faster and more systematic returns without requiring individual parliamentary approvals for each item.

These Toilets in Venice Have the Art World Aflush

At this year's Venice Biennale, the Austrian pavilion has become the most talked-about attraction, inviting visitors to actively contribute to the artwork on display by using specially designed toilets. The interactive installation encourages attendees to leave their own marks, turning a mundane act into a participatory art experience.

Mafalda meets Pimpa. In Rome, the dialogue between two authentic comic icons: interview with the curators

Mafalda incontra Pimpa. A Roma il dialogo tra due autentiche icone del fumetto: intervista ai curatori

A new exhibition in Rome titled "Mafalda & La Pimpa" brings together two iconic comic strip characters for the first time. Created by Quino (1964) and Altan (1975) respectively, Mafalda and Pimpa represent different approaches to childhood: Mafalda critically questions adult society, while Pimpa explores a gentle, wonder-filled world. The show runs from May 14 to July 11 at the Instituto Cervantes, featuring over 120 original strips and plates, and is organized in collaboration with ARF! Festival and other partners. Curators Stefano Piccoli and Daniele Bonomo designed the exhibition to highlight both the contrasts and surprising analogies between the two beloved figures.

The perceptual effects of Alessandro Gioiello's paintings are on show in Rome

Gli effetti percettivi dei dipinti di Alessandro Gioiello sono in mostra a Roma

Alessandro Gioiello's solo exhibition "Pensieri Sparsi" is on view at Galleria Richter Fine Art in Rome, featuring oil-on-canvas works such as "Broken Flowers" (2026), "Quarantatreesimo" (2025), and "Tiscert" (2026). The show presents a stream-of-consciousness approach where color and composition emerge from a lengthy process of selection and transformation, inviting viewers to reconstruct meaning through the creative gesture rather than a linear narrative.

Il Padiglione della Natura alla Biennale di Venezia. Ovvero due gabbiani che mettono in crisi il patriarcato

At the 2026 Venice Biennale, two seagulls built a nest in front of the Polish Pavilion in the Giardini. Organizers chose to protect the nest with a small fence and a sign, turning it into an unofficial "Nature Pavilion." The birds share incubation duties equally, drawing large crowds who pause to watch their cooperative behavior amid the Biennale's intense geopolitical tensions, including protests against the Russian Pavilion, pro-Palestinian actions, and debates over Israel's cultural role.

Mennello Museum’s 'Our Orlando' group show returns, featuring three innovative local artists

The Mennello Museum in Loch Haven, Orlando, has launched the fourth edition of its 'Our Orlando' group exhibition, featuring three local artists: Tasanee Durrett, Mado Smith, and Martha Jo Mahoney. The show, curated by museum director Shannon Fitzgerald and co-curator Flynn Dobbs, includes four works each by Durrett and Mahoney and two by Smith, drawn from studio visits. The exhibition runs through late August with an opening reception on Friday.

Amid confrontation with the US, an Iranian museum exhibits anti-war art by American artists

Amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States, the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art opened an exhibition of anti-war artworks by American artists. The show features pieces by prominent American artists that critique war and violence, drawing local visitors who are engaging with the works despite the political climate of anti-American sentiment in the streets.

Seniors showcase their art in a final exhibition

Graduating students at Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) showcased their artwork in a final exhibition held on May 1, 2026, at Crisp Museum. The show featured a wide range of media including 3D works, prints, paper mache, paintings, cloth, video, quilts, and sculptures. Among the participants were painting BFA major Zachary Ross Mayfield, who presented symbolist works centered on nature and a large self-portrait that took over 200 hours to complete, and senior studio art BFA major Kaylee Shelby, whose sculptures question the ethics and aesthetics of taxidermy and human manipulation of animals.

Four Latin American Voices Around the Montevideo Curatorial Intensive

CUATRO VOCES LATINOAMERICANAS EN TORNO AL INTENSIVO CURATORIAL DE MONTEVIDEO

Independent Curators International (ICI) held the Montevideo Curatorial Intensive in March 2026, in partnership with the ESTE ARTE fair and the Faculty of Arts at the University of the Republic (Udelar). This was the first time the program took place in Uruguay, bringing together twelve emerging curators from Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, and the United States for eight days of seminars, debates, and mentorship. Led by independent curator Marina Reyes Franco, the intensive included visits to local cultural spaces such as CasaMario, SUBTE, and the Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo, as well as a trip to Punta del Este to tour galleries and artist studios. The program featured presentations by international faculty including Ionit Behar, Victoria Noorthoorn, Maya Juracán, and Keyna Eleison, and concluded with a public symposium at the Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales (MNAV).

NBMAA chooses its first Hamm Family Curatorial Fellow

The New Britain Museum of American Art (NBMAA) has appointed Lydia Holleck as its first Hamm Family Curatorial Fellow. This new full-time position is dedicated to researching, exhibiting, and engaging the public with artwork from the museum’s permanent collection that is currently in storage and rarely seen by visitors.

The Etruscans Take Center Stage With the Legion of Honor’s Latest Exhibit

The Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco has opened a new exhibition titled “The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy,” running from May 2 to September 20. Curated by Renée Dreyfus, the show features over 20 objects from international institutions including the Vatican, the Louvre, and the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, highlighting the art, culture, and progressive social roles of women in Etruscan society through bronze and terracotta vessels, sculptures, and gold jewelry.

Fulton students promote peace with art exhibit

Fulton Public Schools students displayed over 80 artworks in the "Building Peace: From Within to the World" exhibit at the Mildred M. Cox Gallery in William Woods University's Kemper Art Center. The show, open Monday through Friday, was organized in partnership with the William Woods Rotaract Club, the Fulton Rotary Club, and Fulton Public Schools, with funding from a Rotary peace project grant. Art teachers Pamela Doss and Rebecca Diekamp coordinated student submissions from kindergarten through 12th grade, with works exploring themes of inner peace, community kindness, and symbolic acts of making a difference.

New experimental art gallery launches in Brighton

A new experimental art gallery, the Founders Room, is launching in Brighton in May 2026 as part of the Brighton Festival. The inaugural exhibition, titled Act 0, is organized by The Adelaide Salon in collaboration with Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival. It features works by two artist couples—Isobel Smith and The Baron Gilvan, and Lucy Newman and Bob Dixon—exploring process-led, relational, and interdisciplinary practices. The exhibition questions the boundary between artist and artwork, presenting painting, drawing, and performance-led works that blur authorship and lived experience.

Art gallery opening in historic downtown building

Toledo muralist Chris "Chili" Rodriguez is opening the Mind and Soul Gallery & Studios in the historic Gardner Building on Madison Avenue. The grand opening on Saturday, May 16 will feature artwork from over 40 local and nationally known artists, live music, food trucks, raffles, and a scavenger hunt, with an after-party running until 1 a.m. Rodriguez and his team spent six months renovating the 6,000-square-foot space.