NEXT in the Gallery: Pittsburgh in December is a sprawling winter carnival of art

Pittsburgh's visual artists are transforming the city into a sprawling winter carnival throughout December 2025, with a packed calendar of exhibitions and events. Highlights include Sharmistha Ray's three-channel animation "Emergent Realities" at Wood Street Galleries (Dec. 12–July 5, 2026), featuring a commissioned soundtrack by Grammy-winning composer Arooj Aftab; Mary Mazziotti's satirical textile series "Thank You for Your Attention to This Matter" at BE Galleries (Dec. 6–Jan. 31, 2026); and Offroute Art's "Crisis of Empathy // Limit of Empathy" showcasing eight young artists. Wood Street Galleries also partners with Visual AIDS for Day With(out) Art 2025 on Dec. 3, presenting videos exploring drug users and HIV crisis. The month kicks off with holiday markets and arcades, and includes a Neapolitan nativity scene exhibit and an art battle in Sharpsburg.

Seeing double: Vermeer painting and its mysterious ‘twin’ go on show in London

Kenwood House in London has opened a new display, "Double Vision: Vermeer" (1 September 2025 – 11 January 2026), pairing Vermeer's "The Guitar Player" (1672) from its own collection with its mysterious "twin," "Lady with a Guitar," on loan from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The exhibition reignites a century-old debate over which painting is the original, as the Philadelphia version has long been questioned since the Kenwood version emerged in 1927. Recent scientific analysis reveals differences in ground layers and pigment use—the Kenwood painting features ultramarine while the Philadelphia version uses cheaper indigo—and experts like former Rijksmuseum specialist Gregor Weber suggest the Philadelphia work may be an early copy.

'Emergence' exhibition at Galerie Myrtis features artists telling powerful stories

The 'Emergence: Stories in the Making' exhibition at Galerie Myrtis in Baltimore features 12 artists, including Maxwell Pearce—an artist and Harlem Globetrotters player—and Linnea Poole. Pearce uses sports equipment like shoelaces and basketballs to create portraits of loved ones, responding to the 'shut up and dribble' narrative he faced after a traumatic incident. Poole's work focuses on mourning and grief, dedicated to Black women. The exhibition includes artists from Nigeria and the Caribbean, aiming to preserve personal and collective histories through uncensored storytelling.

Explore Luxembourg’s open-air urban galleries

The article explores the street art scene in Luxembourg, highlighting cities and towns like Esch-sur-Alzette, Leudelange, Koler, and Ettelbruck where murals and graffiti adorn buildings, schools, and even waste bins. It traces the movement's origins to the 1980s hip-hop-inspired rebellion, when graffiti was illegal and artists like Sumo, Spike, Stick, Dan Sinnes, and Alain Tshinza emerged. Today, urban art is embraced as a tool for social cohesion and expression, with projects like Kufa's Urban Art Esch in Esch-sur-Alzette featuring over fifty murals by international artists. The article also notes techniques such as grid systems, projections, and reverse graffiti, exemplified by Klaus Dauven's 2023 tribute on the Vianden dam.

Yanran Chen Set to Launch First Solo Exhibition In China At ART FOCUS Beijing

Yanran Chen, a Chinese multidisciplinary artist also known as Chloe Chen, will launch her first large-scale solo exhibition in China at the new ART FOCUS space in Beijing's 798 Art District. The exhibition, titled "Neon Dreamland," runs from 23 May to 6 July 2025 and is curated by actor and "Art Knock" founder Yuan Hong. The show is divided into two thematic zones: one featuring her personal paintings and sculptures, including works like "The Mechanical Lifeform" and "Dinner," and another presenting a collaborative series with anime label WaarWorld inspired by Liu Cixin's novel "The Supernova Era." The exhibition coincides with the launch of ART FOCUS, an immersive art space focused on digital integration and cross-genre collaboration, and is part of the broader Beijing Art Season.

‘Embrace of the Earth’: Rajib Ahasen’s debut solo exhibition opens at AFD

Rajib Ahasen's debut solo exhibition, 'Embrace of the Earth', opened on April 24, 2026, at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD). The show features around 36 works in watercolour and acrylic, rooted in the artist's memories of rural Bangladesh and his transition to urban life. Scenes of earthen roads, canals, riverbanks, and agrarian life dominate the collection, reflecting a personal narrative shaped by observation and recollection. Ahasen, who earned a Mawlana degree from a Qawmi madrasah in 2014 without formal fine arts training, has previously participated in national and international exhibitions including the Friendship Art Exhibition and Kahal International Art Fair.

In Dancehall and Reggaetón’s Evolution, MCA Chicago Charts a Global Awakening

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago has opened "Dancing the Revolution: From Dancehall to Reggaetón," an ambitious exhibition exploring the historical evolution of dancehall and reggaetón as cultural movements and their influence on contemporary art. Curated by Carla Acevedo-Yates, the show features over 40 international artists including Isaac Julien, Edra Soto, Alberta Whittle, Carolina Caycedo, supakid, and Lee "Scratch" Perry, tracing the genres' roots from Afro-Caribbean traditions through their emergence in Jamaica, Panama, and Puerto Rico to global mainstream dominance by figures like Daddy Yankee and Bad Bunny.

London art auction brings together Brian Eno, Antony Gormley and more for Gaza medics

A charity art auction in London is bringing together works by Brian Eno, Antony Gormley, and other prominent artists to raise funds for medical aid in Gaza. The auction, organized by the platform Shortlist, features a range of contemporary pieces donated by artists and collectors to support emergency healthcare for Palestinian medics and civilians affected by the conflict.

3 New Galleries to launch at No.1 Poultry

Hypha Studios has announced the launch of three new galleries at No.1 Poultry, the iconic James Stirling-designed postmodern building in the City of London. Opening on 24 September with celebratory events, the galleries will host a year-long programme of culture, each presenting eight unique exhibitions. Galleries 1 and 3 will feature contemporary artists and curators, while Gallery 2, in partnership with recessed.space, will focus on exhibitions related to the living environment. The inaugural shows include "The Turn" curated by Shakthi Shrima, featuring artists such as Cajsa von Zeipel and Janine Antoni, and a group exhibition led by maker Nina Oltarzewska from Blackhorse Lane Makers.

‘Cultural innovation comes from the margins’—tales of artists pushing boundaries in 1960s New York

J. Hoberman, the longtime Village Voice film critic, has published a new book titled *Everything Is Now: The 1960s New York Avant-Garde—Primal Happenings, Underground Movies, Radical Pop*. The book expands his focus from cinema to a broad array of artists, poets, theater makers, musicians, and other figures in New York City's 1960s arts scene, including Andy Warhol, Barbara Rubin, Edie Sedgwick, Yoko Ono, and Jonas Mekas. Hoberman emphasizes collective and marginal cultural innovation, tracing how these figures influenced each other and responded to events of the era, such as Robert Moses's urban redevelopment plans.

Image of Family Torn by ICE Wins World Press Photo of the Year

American photojournalist Carol Guzy won the 2026 World Press Photo of the Year for her image "Separated by ICE," which captures a tearful family torn apart by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after an immigration court hearing in New York amid President Trump's broader crackdown. The contest, established in 1955, selected 42 global winners from over 57,000 photographs submitted by nearly 3,800 photographers across 141 countries. Finalists included Saber Nuraldin's "Aid Emergency in Gaza" and Victor J. Blue's "The Trials of the Achi Women," while other winners addressed displacement, war, and environmental crises.

Spring Exhibitions Opening at the Tom Thomson Art Gallery

The Tom Thomson Art Gallery (TOM) in Owen Sound is launching two new exhibitions this spring. 'Liz Zetlin: More Than Human – a year in my garden' is an immersive video installation documenting the seasonal cycles of the artist's garden, while 'Emergence 2026' showcases works by regional high school students.

Tongue River Theory. davi de jesus do nascimento by Mateus Nunes

Brazilian artist davi de jesus do nascimento explores the intersection of poetry, memory, and the geography of the São Francisco River. Born in Pirapora, Minas Gerais, the artist’s work is deeply informed by his family's history of displacement due to the Sobradinho dam and the tragic loss of his mother to the river. His practice spans painting, installation, and performance, all rooted in a linguistic and philosophical framework he calls "Tongue River Theory."

Comment | After a market shake up in 2025, it's time to create a right-sized art trade

The article reflects on the art market's turbulent 2025, marked by gallery closures, weak auction results, and canceled art fairs. Rather than viewing this as a collapse, the author argues it represents a necessary "right-sizing" of an industry that over-expanded during boom years. Key figures like Philip Hoffman of the Fine Art Group advocate for leaner, more agile business models, such as his new advisory firm New Perspectives Art Partners. Meanwhile, dealers in New York and Los Angeles are adapting through shared exhibition spaces and strategic mergers, including Marian Goodman Gallery hosting Jenkins Johnson Gallery and the formation of Hoffman Donahue.

How one Swiss museum helped to evacuate thousands of Gaza artefacts ahead of an Israeli strike

The Geneva Museum of Art and History (MAH) coordinated a frantic evacuation of thousands of archaeological artefacts from Gaza’s main storage facility on 9 September, ahead of an Israeli strike that destroyed the Al-Kawthar residential tower housing the repository. The facility, operated by the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem (EBAF), contained finds from key sites including the fourth-century Saint Hilarion Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site. MAH staff, led by curator Béatrice Blandin, negotiated with Israeli authorities, Swiss diplomats, UNESCO, and the Aliph Foundation to secure a brief window for removal. Despite the operation, 30% of the artefacts—mostly ceramics and lapidary objects—could not be saved.

From Micro to Mega, Jon McCormack’s Striking Photos Reveal Nature’s Patterns

Photographer Jon McCormack, who grew up in the Australian Outback and has traveled to all seven continents, has a new book titled "Patterns: Art of the Natural World," forthcoming from Damiani Books. The project emerged during the pandemic when limited travel led him to revisit local spots and develop a patient, attentive approach to capturing nature's hidden harmony and symmetry. The book features 90 images ranging from microscopic crystals to aerial views of flamingos in Kenya, along with text contributions from fellow photographers and conservationists.

Retrofuturistic Figures Emerge from Wood in Playful Sculptures by Aleph Geddis

Artist Aleph Geddis creates intricate, hand-carved wooden sculptures that blend organic forms with retrofuturistic aesthetics. His work oscillates between abstraction and figuration, drawing inspiration from his nomadic lifestyle between Japan, Bali, and the Pacific Northwest. Currently, Geddis is exploring varying scales of production, ranging from intimate, toy-like "Littles" to a massive, immersive installation designed for the upcoming Burning Man festival.

Collapse Finance, Part 2: Longevity Capitalism—Life as an Asset Class

The essay explores the emergence of "longevity capitalism," a financial and biopolitical regime where biological duration and life expectancy are treated as assets for capital accumulation. As traditional welfare systems and collective pension schemes collapse, the uncertainty of human lifespan has been transformed into a speculative frontier, with retirement security increasingly tied to volatile private equity and cryptocurrency markets.

Indonesia's 'scarred' art scene regroups following nationwide protests

Art Jakarta's 2024 edition (October 3-5) took place just weeks after nationwide anticorruption protests swept Indonesia and spread to other countries. The fair's director Tom Tandio noted that the demonstrations left a "scar" on the local art community, which had been vocal in organizing donations, attending protests, and sharing digital posters on social media. Despite low expectations due to economic uncertainty, the fair proceeded with new galleries like Ara Contemporary, which sold about 70% of its stand on opening day, featuring politically charged works such as Agung Harahap's manipulated photographs and Irfan Hendrian's paper installations referencing the 1998 anti-Chinese riots. The fair also overlapped with ruangrupa's 25th anniversary exhibition, which included interactive projects and talks promoting sociopolitical engagement.

Lawrence artists open their studios for Art Spaces Tours; looks behind the scenes continue Sunday

The Lawrence Art Guild held the fourth annual Art Spaces Studio Tours on Saturday, with studios open again Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Featured artist Nick Schmiedeler, a forklift operator who creates assemblage sculptures from found metal and wood, opened his studio at 710 Missouri St. Muralist Dave Loewenstein and his 8-year-old son Andrés hosted guests at their alleyway studio, where Andrés performed live drawing demonstrations. The tour also included Art Emergency, a collective studio space at 721 E. Ninth St. housing artists working in painting, photography, textiles, and mixed media.

‘When Crises Happen, That’s When The Arts Get To Work’: Inside The Dubai Gallery On A War Footing

The Jameel Arts Centre in Dubai has been forced to implement rigorous emergency protocols, including 'shelter in place' procedures, following a series of missile and drone strikes across the UAE. Director Antonia Carver, managing operations remotely from the UK due to travel disruptions, describes a new reality where staff must balance the physical safety of visitors with the institution's role as a sanctuary for the community. Despite a recent conditional ceasefire, the center remains on high alert while supporting a workforce deeply affected by regional instability.

Telfair Academy unveils restored gallery dedicated to African American art history

Telfair Academy in Savannah has unveiled the Walter and Linda Evans Gallery of African American Art, a permanent gallery dedicated to late 19th and early 20th-century African American artworks. The gallery is named for collectors Walter and Linda Evans, who donated 28 works from their collection in 2023. The space, originally the Dining Room, underwent a full restoration and opens to the public on February 6, 2025, after a sold-out reception. The exhibition highlights the challenges and successes of African American artists and the emergence of cultural centers in the Midwest and Northeast, while also reflecting on Telfair's historical relationships with local African American artists.

Guatemala’s Museo de Arte Colonial shut down by authorities

Guatemalan authorities, acting on a court order, raided and closed the Museo de Arte Colonial in Antigua, forcing the emergency relocation of 287 artworks from their home of 89 years. The collection, including fragile 17th- to 19th-century paintings and sculptures, is now in temporary storage in Guatemala City, though six large-scale works deemed too delicate to move remain in the shuttered, unsecured building.

New London exhibition uses architecture to explore the experiences of Iran’s American diaspora

Arash Nassiri's first institutional solo exhibition, 'A Bug's Life,' has opened at London's Chisenhale Gallery. The show features a moving-image commission set within a sculptural installation, following an insect puppet protagonist through a cavernous mansion in Los Angeles. The mansion is a 'Persian Palace'—a hybrid of Iranian and French Empire architectural styles that emerged in 1960s-70s Iran and was recreated by wealthy Iranian exiles in Los Angeles after the 1979 revolution. Nassiri, who is Tehran-born and Berlin-based, uses the film to explore themes of disorientation, displacement, and the ambiguous dual belonging of Iran's American diaspora.

MedStar Health And St. Mary’s Arts Council Showcase Art Exhibition By Local Artists

MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital and the St. Mary’s County Arts Council have unveiled the third installment of their rotating art exhibition in the hospital’s emergency department in Leonardtown, Maryland. The latest exhibit features handsewn art quilts by Washington, D.C. artist Andrea “Andi” Cullins, whose collection “Second Life Quilter” includes intricate fabric mosaics. The quilts will be on display through January 2026, following earlier exhibits of traditional paintings as part of a philanthropy-led initiative to create a more welcoming environment.

Artists in Haddington to hold open studios weekend

Artists in Haddington, Scotland, are organizing an open studios weekend on September 6 and 7, showcasing their work across seven venues including homes, a garage, a gallery, an arts hub, and an arts centre. Organizer Alistair McIntyre, who previously ran a similar event in Musselburgh, has signed up 15 artists for the event, with participants including Jacqui Wilkie, Fiona Lambert, Sheena Phillips, and others working in media such as painting, needle felting, printmaking, and sculpture.

Space as Practice. A Decade of WL4 Art Space.

WL4 Art Space in Gdańsk, Poland, celebrates its tenth anniversary. Founded in 2015 when a group of artists took over a former bakery at Wiosny Ludów 4, the space has evolved from a practical need for studios into a self-organized, grassroots collective. Operating in a raw industrial building that once housed a giant steam bread oven, WL4 resists traditional display protocols, treating the site as a collaborator rather than a neutral container. Co-founder Adriana Majdzińska recalls the early euphoria as artists quickly filled the studios, building and adapting spaces while maintaining a simple rule: you had to be actively creating.

Art exhibit to show the realities of homelessness in Kansas City

Artist Daniel Montoute will present "Living in Tents," an exhibition of paintings, found objects, and mixed media works at the Shirley Stiles Gallery in Kansas City starting August 18, 2025. The show depicts the realities of homelessness in the Kansas City area, featuring imagery of tents, shopping carts, and people sleeping in alleyways. Montoute, who moved to Kansas City in 2023 to join the Pendleton ArtsBlock artist community, was struck by the prevalence of homelessness. All exhibition pieces will be donated to reStart Inc., an emergency shelter, and auctioned at its annual fundraising gala on September 11.

Science goes surreal with an art exhibition by a Grainger lecturer

Surrealistic Views of Life, an art exhibition featuring paintings by Dr. William Roy, a nuclear, plasma, and radiological engineering lecturer at the Grainger College of Engineering, will be on display at the Illini Union art gallery in Urbana from June 5th through June 28th. Roy, who works professionally in engineering, is also a local artist whose surrealist works draw from reality and imagination.

Beginnings: Mapping the Origins of Saudi Modern Art in Riyadh

Mapping Saudi Modern Art’s Origins: “Bedayat” in Riyadh

The exhibition 'Bedayat: Beginnings of the Saudi Art Movement' at Riyadh's National Museum showcased over 250 artworks from the 1960s to 1980s, a period of rapid modernization. It featured archival materials like exhibition catalogs and scholarship letters, alongside paintings grouped into themes such as 'Faces and Features' and 'Social Life,' though the curation largely avoided direct commentary on the era's intense socio-political debates.