Art News. Vasari Codex

article culture schedule Apr 5, 2026 visibility 42 link 25 artists, 1 gallery

How the New Deal Treated Art as Essential to Democracy

The United States government transformed the role of the artist during the Great Depression by treating art as a vital public resource rather than a private luxury. Between 1933 and 1943, New Deal programs like the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) commissioned hundreds of thousands of works for schools, libraries, and hospitals, providing 'plumbers' wages' to struggling creators. This federal patronage supported a generation of then-unknown figures, including Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Alice Neel, while focusing on the 'American scene' to make culture accessible to the general public.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Apr 6, 2026 visibility 22 link 3 artists

Art Institute of Chicago’s first Norman Rockwell acquisition is a home run

The Art Institute of Chicago has acquired its first work by the iconic American illustrator Norman Rockwell. The painting, titled "The Dugout" (1948), is a significant oil study for a Saturday Evening Post cover depicting dejected Chicago Cubs players. Donated by former Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and his wife Diana, the work has been immediately placed on view alongside other masterpieces of American art like "American Gothic."

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Mar 5, 2026 visibility 14 link 3 artists

art institute of chicago stock exchange expansion plan 1234775823

The Art Institute of Chicago is considering a major expansion that could involve relocating or reshaping the historic Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room. Located on the museum's east side, the 5,700-square-foot room is a preserved architectural landmark originally designed in the 1890s and saved from demolition in the 1970s. While no final decisions have been made, museum officials identified this area as having the highest potential for increasing gallery capacity to showcase more of the institution's permanent collection.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Feb 11, 2026 visibility 10 link 3 artists

norman rockwell baseball painting art institute of chicago 1234773097

The Art Institute of Chicago has acquired a preparatory oil study for Norman Rockwell's 1948 painting *The Dugout*, donated by former Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and his wife Diana Rauner. This marks the first work by the iconic American illustrator to enter the museum's collection, where it now hangs alongside Grant Wood's *American Gothic*.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

person people schedule May 30, 2025 visibility 12 link 7 artists

art institute of chicago director on leave airline incident 2640021

James Rondeau, the director and president of the Art Institute of Chicago, will return to work on June 2, 2025, after taking voluntary leave following an incident on a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Munich on April 18. Rondeau was met by police upon landing after reports that he became intoxicated and removed his clothes mid-flight. The museum conducted an independent investigation and expressed confidence in his leadership, with Rondeau stating he regrets the incident and is grateful to continue furthering the museum's mission.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 13, 2026 visibility 60 link 14 artists

‘An open letter to the nation’: National Gallery of Art reckons with America at 250

The National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. has launched "Dear America: Artists Explore the American Experience," a major exhibition marking the United States' 250th anniversary. Featuring over 100 works on paper by 95 artists, the show eschews traditional patriotic tropes in favor of a nuanced, self-critical look at the nation's history. Organized around the themes of land, community, and freedom, the exhibition juxtaposes iconic imagery from artists like Roy Lichtenstein and Thomas Moran with provocative contemporary perspectives from Zanele Muholi and Carrie Mae Weems.

newspaper The Guardian open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Apr 14, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 32 link 8 artists, 2 galleries

Ai Weiwei on Censorship

The art world mourns the passing of Celeste Dupuy-Spencer, a prominent artist and activist known for her politically charged paintings and human rights advocacy, who died at the age of 46. Simultaneously, dissident artist Ai Weiwei has released a new book titled 'On Censorship,' which reflects on his career-long struggle against state persecution and the nuances of freedom of expression. Other notable developments include Gagosian's announcement of a new Upper Manhattan space dedicated to Marcel Duchamp and the detention of artist Criselda Vasquez’s father by ICE.

newspaper Hyperallergic open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Sep 10, 2025 visibility 22 link 18 artists, 1 gallery

11 art exhibits across Maine you shouldn’t miss this fall - Portland Press Herald

The Portland Press Herald highlights 11 art exhibitions across Maine for fall, including shows at Bates College Museum of Art, Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Center for Maine Contemporary Art, and Colby Museum of Art. Featured exhibitions include "Shelburne Thurber: Full Circle" and "Precision and Expression: American Studio Ceramics from the E. John Bullard Collection" at Bates; "Gordon Parks: Herklas Brown and Maine, 1944" and "Medieval Art from the Wyvern Collection" at Bowdoin; the CMCA 2025 Biennial with 29 selected artists; and "Gertrude Abercombie: The Whole World Is a Mystery" and "Is anything the matter? Drawings by Laylah Ali" at Colby.

newspaper Maine Sunday Telegram open_in_new Read original

article culture schedule Jul 25, 2025 visibility 32 link 95 artists

These Are the 44 Best Art Museums in the U.S. Right Now

Time Out has published a list of the 44 best art museums in the U.S., ranking institutions like the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) at the top. The article highlights each museum's collection highlights, architectural features, and visitor tips, with prices and recommendations for immersive experiences.

newspaper Time Out open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 22, 2026 visibility 11 link 1 artist

A Mural by the Painter of ‘American Gothic’ Gets New Life

Grant Wood's 1926 mural "Corn Room" has been restored and will serve as the centerpiece of a centennial exhibition at the Sioux City Art Center in Iowa. The mural, created by the painter best known for "American Gothic," depicts a vibrant interior scene dominated by corn motifs, reflecting Wood's regionalist style and his deep connection to the American Midwest.

newspaper New York Times Art open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Sep 16, 2025 visibility 14 link 7 artists

Elizabeth Catlett, a Master Artist With a Message, Gets Her Due at the Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago has opened a major solo exhibition titled "Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies," surveying 75 years of the artist's work. Catlett, who died in 2012, was a Black American artist who spent six decades in Mexico, creating prints and sculptures that depicted Black women and addressed social injustice. The show includes iconic works like "Target Practice" and "Sharecropper," and runs through January 4, 2026.

newspaper WTTW open_in_new Read original

article culture schedule Aug 26, 2025 visibility 16 link 14 artists

Meet Elizabeth Catlett in 11 Facts

Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012) was a sculptor, printmaker, feminist, and social activist whose art was inseparable from her life and politics. Born in Washington, DC, to parents who worked in education, she faced racial discrimination early on—denied a scholarship to the Carnegie Institute of Technology and paid less than white colleagues as a teacher. She became the first Black woman to earn an MFA from the University of Iowa, studying under Grant Wood, and later taught at the George Washington Carver School in Harlem, where she connected with Harlem Renaissance figures. Catlett moved to Mexico, married artist Francisco Mora, and created woodblock and linocut prints for 20 years. She was investigated by the House Un-American Activities Committee, declared an "undesirable alien," and became a Mexican citizen in 1962. Her work centered on Black and Mexican women, and she famously stated, "We have to create an art for liberation and for life."

newspaper The Art Institute of Chicago open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Jul 29, 2025 visibility 10 link 4 artists

At this Houston-area art museum, you can walk right up and touch the paintings

The Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts in Spring, Texas, has opened an interactive exhibition called "Art Unleashed" that invites visitors to touch tactile recreations of famous artworks, including Leonardo da Vinci's "The Mona Lisa" and Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night." The show features contoured bronze and three-dimensional reproductions, fabric sculptures, and woven textiles, all designed to be handled. Each piece includes braille placards, and the exhibition is free and runs through August 30.

newspaper Houston Public Media open_in_new Read original

article news schedule Apr 13, 2026 visibility 16 link 1 artist

Chicana Painter Criselda Vasquez Says ICE Detained Her Father

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained the father of Chicana painter Criselda Vasquez, who served as the primary subject for her acclaimed 2017 painting "The New American Gothic." The artist reported that her father, a resident of the United States for over 40 years, was racially profiled and arrested while returning from work in California. In response, the family launched a successful crowdfunding campaign that raised nearly $68,000 in ten days to cover legal fees and lost wages.

newspaper Hyperallergic open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Jul 14, 2025 visibility 11 link 2 artists

Ferris State alum and rising artist Jackson Wrede continues emergence with inaugural solo exhibition

Ferris State University Kendall College of Art and Design alum Jackson Wrede held his first solo exhibition, "Menagerie," at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center earlier this year. The show featured 25 recent paintings spanning realist portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and symbolist works inspired by Japanese art and pop culture. Wrede, who earned his MFA in 2021, has quickly gained recognition, winning the Quinquagenary Grand Prize at the Swope Art Museum’s 79th Wabash Valley Exhibition and the Grand Prize at the 44th Michigan Fine Arts Competition, which led to this solo opportunity. He also received a Certificate of Excellence in the Portrait Society of America’s International Portrait Competition and first place in the PSA’s 2024 Members Only competition.

newspaper Ferris State University open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Sep 2, 2025 visibility 10 link 5 artists

Review | The Stanley Museum of Art’s new exhibit traces the legacy of Iowa Arts

The Stanley Museum of Art at the University of Iowa has opened a new exhibition titled “In the Studio: Art at Iowa in the 1940s,” running from August 26, 2025 to January 25, 2026. The show features works by influential artists connected to the university’s arts program, including Grant Wood, Mauricio Lasansky, Philip Guston, Elizabeth Catlett, James Dallas Parks, and Hayward Oubre. Highlights include a rarely seen oil painting by Wood of a boy in football apparel, and an unfinished 1944 oil painting by Guston of his wife and daughter, originally displayed at the Iowa Memorial Union. The exhibition also traces the legacy of Lasansky, who founded the Iowa Print Group and elevated the university’s printmaking reputation.

newspaper The Daily Iowan open_in_new Read original

article local schedule May 15, 2025 visibility 10 link 6 artists

Austin’s SAGE Studio & Gallery features work of local creators, prepares for art fair

SAGE Studio & Gallery in East Austin supports artists with developmental and intellectual disabilities, providing studio space, community, and gallery representation. Founded in 2017 by Lucy Gross and Katie Stahl, the organization has paid over $200,000 in commissions to its artists, with some earning upwards of $30,000 annually. Artists like Molly Hale create works in fiber, paint, pastels, and other media, and SAGE has collaborated with brands such as Vans, Whataburger, and Austin FC. The studio is preparing for an upcoming art fair.

newspaper Texas Standard open_in_new Read original