In London, you can discover an unpublished Luigi Ghirri in an exhibition made of photographs and words. Review

A Londra si può scoprire un Luigi Ghirri inedito in una mostra fatta di fotografie e parole. Recensione

A new exhibition titled "Felicità" at Thomas Dane Gallery in London presents previously unseen works by Italian photographer Luigi Ghirri (1943–1992). Curated by Alessio Bolzoni and filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, the show features unpublished photographs, fragments of atlases, postcards, posters, and mirrors, exploring Ghirri’s unique vision of everyday life as visual discovery. The exhibition spans two gallery spaces on Duke Street, juxtaposing interior and exterior scenes, and includes works by conceptual artists Félix González-Torres and Giorgio Morandi. A bilingual book, "Luigi Ghirri. Felicità" (MACK), accompanies the show, collecting the exhibited works and three essays by the artist.

Blank Spaces. Sung Tieu by Sarah Johanna Theurer

Sung Tieu's installations, characterized by austere, bureaucratic surfaces, explore the hidden architectures of power embedded in everyday systems. The article examines her series of works that deconstruct administrative forms used in asylum procedures, reducing them to blank spaces and quantified grids to expose how institutional power operates through seemingly neutral documents. Her exhibition "In Cold Print" at Nottingham Contemporary physically manifests these themes by using steel fences to control viewer movement, drawing direct parallels between minimalist sculpture and the dehumanizing design of border controls.

Friend of X. A Conversation with Raque Ford by Qingyuan Deng

Artist Raque Ford discusses her recent exhibitions, "The Barkeeper’s Friend" at Greene Naftali and "Cry Baby" at Kunstverein Gartenhaus, highlighting her unique approach to language and materiality. Ford utilizes industrial materials like reflective acrylic, Mylar, and thermal printers to transform pop lyrics, overheard speech, and diaristic fragments into physical installations. Her work explores the tension between public performance and private interiority, often using scale to manipulate the viewer's emotional response to text.

An Urgent Call From Artists and Curators of the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia 2026

A group of seventy-four artists and curators participating in the 61st Venice Biennale have issued an urgent letter to the institution's leadership, including director Pietrangelo Buttafuoco. The signatories are protesting the decision to relocate the Israeli Pavilion to the Arsenale, placing it in close proximity to the central exhibition, "In Minor Keys," which was conceived by the late curator Koyo Kouoh. The group argues that this relocation violates Kouoh’s curatorial vision of radical solidarity and introduces a threatening military and police presence into the exhibition space.

Must-See: Rosa Loy Finds a Durable Form of Togetherness

Rosa Loy, a German painter associated with the New Leipzig School, presents a new body of work at a solo exhibition that explores themes of togetherness, collaboration, and female solidarity through her signature figurative, dreamlike style. The show features large-scale paintings and works on paper that depict pairs or groups of women engaged in shared activities, rendered in muted earth tones with subtle surrealist undertones.

‘New Humans’: A Hallucinatory Humanism Worth Moving Toward

Milan’s art scene is currently anchored by 'New Humans' at Pirelli HangarBicocca, a major solo exhibition by Cao Fei that explores the intersection of technology, labor, and human identity. The show features immersive installations and films that document global farming practices and the surreal evolution of social structures in the digital age, alongside other key city-wide exhibitions including Anselm Kiefer’s portraits of female alchemists.

Sylvie Retailleau : « Pendant cinq ans, tout a été remis en jeu »

Sylvie Retailleau, former French Minister of Higher Education and current president of Universcience since January 2026, details the tense negotiations between the Grand Palais and the Palais de la découverte. She reveals that the Palais de la découverte nearly disappeared during the Grand Palais renovation, but will reopen in March 2027. Universcience ceded a 1,200 m² gallery to the Grand Palais as a financial contribution (worth about €30 million over ten years) and is lending another 350 m² gallery until June 2030 for Centre Pompidou exhibitions during its renovation. In exchange, Universcience gains full control over the programming of the Palais des enfants.

Spring Gallery Night MKE: 7 Art Exhibits to See

Milwaukee’s art scene is celebrating its seasonal renewal with Spring Gallery Night MKE, a city-wide event featuring over 60 participating galleries across neighborhoods like the Third Ward and Walker’s Point. The weekend-long program highlights diverse local talent through curated exhibitions, including Var Gallery’s "30x30x30" creative marathon, a Surrealist-inspired group show at Portrait Society Gallery, and the expansive MIAD Senior Exhibition featuring over 200 graduating students.

Newcastle Art Gallery unveils three new exhibitions

Newcastle Art Gallery in New South Wales, Australia, will open three new exhibitions on May 23, 2026, following its major expansion and reopening in February. The shows include the largest solo exhibition to date by Torres Strait Islander artist Brian Robinson, titled "Multiverse"; the first institutional solo show by Tiyan Baker, "Mouth Mnemonica"; and "The Mordant Family Gift," featuring 25 works donated by philanthropists Simon Mordant AO and Catriona Mordant AM. The gallery has already attracted over 80,000 visitors, surpassing its previous annual record.

Wiscasset Bay Gallery exhibition will take viewers on grand tour

Wiscasset Bay Gallery in Maine is presenting "The Grand Tour in Thirty Days," an exhibition running from May 23 through June 24 that showcases the evolution of painting from realism to impressionism to modernism. The show features works by European and American artists depicting popular and remote locales across Europe during the 19th and early 20th centuries, including pieces by Jean de Botton, Luigi Moretti, Robert Weir Allan, Polly Parker Nordell, and Mary Cassatt.

Singapore Art Museum at 30: tough decisions

The Singapore Art Museum (SAM) is celebrating its 30th anniversary while navigating the challenges of its 2022 relocation to Tanjong Pagar Distripark, a remote industrial building that has drawn mixed reactions—some visitors find it too inaccessible, while younger audiences applaud the move away from the colonial civic district. Director and CEO Eugene Tan defends the decision, citing the building's high ceilings and flexible spaces as ideal for contemporary art, and announces a fifth gallery opening by 2026 that will bring total exhibition space to 3,800 square meters. The museum also plans to experiment with open-air exhibition techniques in the new space, aiming to reduce energy demands.

Cambodian Artist Sopheap Pich Shares in an Exhibition how He Conceives Sculptures

Cambodian artist Sopheap Pich is presenting an exhibition at Meta House in Phnom Penh that reveals his creative process, showing how he conceives sculptures from initial drawings and woodblock prints to works in bamboo and metal. Born in Battambang, Pich survived the Khmer Rouge regime as a child and later immigrated to the U.S., earning an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago before returning to Cambodia in 2002. The exhibition includes early rattan pieces and recent metal sculptures, reflecting his intuitive, memory-infused approach to making art with a team of ten assistants in his Phnom Penh studio.

Art: Passion is Volcanic – Desire in Southeast Asian Art at National Gallery Singapore

National Gallery Singapore has opened a major exhibition titled 'Passion is Volcanic: Desire in Southeast Asian Art.' The show, which carries an unprecedented R18 rating and prohibits photography, presents a comprehensive exploration of eroticism, pleasure, and the body through a wide range of artworks from the region's collection and loans. It is curated by Dr. Patrick Flores, Dr. Adele Tan, and Dr. Kathleen Ditzig, who frame desire as a culturally specific yet universal force shaped by history and power.

Max Ernst | Untitled (ca. 1949) | Available for Sale

Max Ernst | Untitled (ca. 1949) | Available for Sale

A rare miniature gouache on paper by Surrealist pioneer Max Ernst, titled 'Untitled' (ca. 1949), has been made available for sale through PM Gallery in Paris. The unique work, measuring only 3.1 x 2.85 cm, is presented in a bespoke silver and 18K gold frame adorned with ruby beads, created by the artist and jeweler Marcial Berro. The piece boasts a distinguished provenance, having previously belonged to the influential Parisian gallery owner Édouard Loeb and featured in the 1970 retrospective at the Württemberg Art Association.

Painted Up: This vibrant exhibition challenges colonial perceptions of Aboriginal art

Artist and cultural practitioner Dean Biŋkin Tyson presents "CREATE EXCHANGE: Painted Up," a dual-venue exhibition at Redland Art Gallery that showcases his multidisciplinary approach to Quandamooka and Gurang traditions. Moving beyond stereotypical "dot art," Tyson utilizes canvas, animal skins, and carved artifacts to translate his background as a dancer and songman into visual form. The exhibition features large-scale murals, traditional tools like boomerangs, and "shadow boxes"—a unique craft form developed in Aboriginal missions during the 1970s.

Which of these five museums is the best in the UK?

The Art Fund has announced the shortlist for the 2024 Museum of the Year award, featuring the National Gallery, V&A East Storehouse, The Box in Plymouth, the Fitzwilliam Museum, and Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery. The finalists represent a diverse cross-section of British heritage, ranging from London’s "Goliath" institutions celebrating bicentenaries to regional hubs undergoing major architectural transformations. The winner, to be announced on June 25, will receive a £120,000 prize, while runners-up each receive £20,000.

3 to See Art in Motion in Lake Worth; Norton exhibit; PB Symphony

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County has highlighted three major cultural events in the region, including two significant visual arts exhibitions. The Norton Museum of Art is hosting "Shelter," a survey of paintings by Danielle Mckinney that explores themes of solitude and domestic life, while the Cultural Council’s own gallery is debuting "Kinetic Energy," a group show featuring 14 local artists whose work captures the intersection of athleticism and artistic expression.

Surrey Art Gallery probes Expo 86’s artistic legacy with In the Shadow of the Pavilions

The Surrey Art Gallery has launched "In the Shadow of the Pavilions," an exhibition exploring the complex artistic legacy of Vancouver’s Expo 86. Curated by Jordan Strom, the show features works and archival materials from over 50 artists, including those officially commissioned for the world’s fair and those who were excluded or responded critically to the event. Highlights include documentation of Michael Snow’s pioneering holography and Bill Reid’s Haida canoe, Loo Taas, alongside works by Stan Douglas and Rodney Graham.

Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund marks first decade

The Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund has announced support for 15 new exhibitions as it celebrates its tenth anniversary. This grant initiative provides regional and smaller UK museums with the necessary funding to cover logistical costs—such as insurance, transport, and security—required to borrow major works from national collections. Notable upcoming projects for 2026 include the return of John Constable’s 'The Hay Wain' to Suffolk and Joseph Wright of Derby’s 'An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump' to the artist's hometown for the first time in eight decades.

Wifredo Lam: When I Don’t Sleep, I Dream

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York is hosting "Wifredo Lam: When I Don’t Sleep, I Dream," the first comprehensive U.S. retrospective of the Cuban modernist's career. Running from November 2025 to April 2026, the exhibition traces Lam’s artistic evolution from his formative years in Europe to his return to the Caribbean, where he integrated Afro-Caribbean histories and spirituality into the language of modern painting. The show features major loans, a documentary film, and a scholarly catalogue exploring his unique synthesis of Surrealism and decolonial thought.

A Cartier Exhibitions Lands at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne

The National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne is hosting a major exhibition of Cartier’s historic jewelry and objects, organized in partnership with the Victoria and Albert Museum. The showcase features over 300 items, ranging from the iconic 1917 Tank watch and the surrealist 1967 Cartier Crash to opulent commissions for figures like the Maharaja of Patiala, the Duchess of Windsor, and Grace Kelly.

Blazing Light: Photographs by Mimi Plumb at the High Museum

The High Museum of Art has launched the first solo museum exhibition for American photographer Mimi Plumb, titled "Blazing Light." Spanning five decades of work, the exhibition features over 100 photographs across three major series: "The White Sky," "Landfall and The Golden City," and "The Reservoir." These gritty, black-and-white images document the evolving landscape of the American West, specifically California, while capturing the psychological tension of a society grappling with environmental decay and economic instability.

Art Fund celebrates decade of lending programme with Rossetti and Surrealist loans

The Art Fund is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its Weston Loan Programme by facilitating the loan of major masterpieces to 15 regional UK institutions. High-profile works, including Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s 'Beata Beatrix' and Joseph Wright of Derby’s 'An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump', will travel from national collections like the National Gallery and Tate to smaller galleries in Newcastle, Derby, and Ipswich. The program covers essential logistical costs such as insurance, transport, and security that are typically prohibitive for local museums.

Surrey Art Gallery spotlights Expo 86 with In the Shadow of the Pavilions, April 18 to June 7

The Surrey Art Gallery is launching "In the Shadow of the Pavilions: Expo 86 and Contemporary Art," a multidisciplinary exhibition running from April 18 to June 7. Curated by Jordan Strom, the show features archival works and documentation from over 40 artists created between 1984 and 1988. It brings together official commissions from the world’s fair alongside unofficial, parallel art initiatives that emerged during Vancouver’s Centennial celebrations, covering media ranging from kinetic sculpture to performance art.

Gallery One plans bus trip to ‘A Nation of Artists’ in Philadelphia

Gallery One in Ocean View is organizing a curated bus excursion to the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the landmark exhibition "A Nation of Artists." Scheduled for April 27, the trip offers participants a guided opportunity to view a massive survey of American creativity spanning three centuries, featuring masterworks by iconic figures such as Mary Cassatt, Edward Hopper, and Mark Rothko.

Denver Art Museum digs into its closet for fun fashion show

The Denver Art Museum has unveiled "Conversation Pieces: Stories from the Fashion Archives," an exhibition composed entirely of works from its permanent collection. Featuring approximately 60 mannequins, the show highlights high-fashion garments from the past century, many of which have never been publicly displayed. The curation includes iconic pieces by legendary designers such as Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Elsa Schiaparelli, alongside contemporary works by Alexander McQueen and Carla Fernández.

Lily's grandmother defied 50s' social norms to be both an artist and a mother

The article profiles an unnamed Australian artist who, in the 1950s, pursued a career in art while raising a family, challenging the era's restrictive social expectations for women. Her story, shared by her granddaughter Lily, highlights the personal and societal barriers faced by women artists of that generation.

David Armstrong: Portraits Artists Space New York – Paul Carter Robinson

Artists Space in New York is hosting the first comprehensive U.S. survey of photographer David Armstrong, featuring over 90 works spanning three decades. While often associated with Nan Goldin and the Boston School, the exhibition highlights Armstrong’s distinct evolution from raw black-and-white 1970s downtown portraits to his later blurred landscapes and Renaissance-inspired color photography.

Best Exhibitions Starting in April 2026

The Japanese art scene is preparing for a robust spring season in April 2026, featuring a diverse array of exhibitions across Tokyo's major institutions. Highlights include Martin Margiela’s first large-scale Japanese exhibition at the historic Kudan House, a centenary celebration of fashion icon Hanae Mori at the National Art Center, and a deep dive into the studio practice of Georges Rouault at the Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art. Traditional art also takes center stage with a focused look at Utagawa Hiroshige’s "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo" at the Ota Memorial Museum of Art.

Churchill Landscape Gets First U.K. Showing in Exhibition Tracing His Artistic Life

The National Trust has unveiled a new exhibition titled "Churchill the Artist" at Chartwell, the former home of Winston Churchill. The show features personal artifacts including his paint-spattered Savile Row overalls and spectacles, alongside the painting "Quiet Waters" (c. 1920s), which is being exhibited in the U.K. for the first time. The work, an impressionistic river scene, was originally a gift from Churchill to the press baron Lord Beaverbrook.