Art Basel has announced the 33 nominees for the second edition of the Art Basel Awards, held in partnership with the fashion brand BOSS. The diverse shortlist features high-profile contemporary artists such as Jenny Holzer, Arthur Jafa, and Barbara Kruger, alongside multidisciplinary figures including architect Kulapat Yantrasast and critic Hilton Als.
The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) has launched "Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys," a major traveling exhibition showcasing the couple's extensive collection of Black diasporic art. The show features monumental works from 37 artists, including a 164-foot painting by Meleko Mokgosi and an 8,000-pound sculpture by Arthur Jafa that required structural reinforcement of the museum floor. To create a more inclusive atmosphere, the exhibition replaces traditional white gallery walls with bold colors and includes a curated musical playlist by Swizz Beatz.
Art Basel has announced the thirty-three winners of its 2026 Art Basel Awards, recognizing individuals and institutions across nine categories. The winners include prominent artists like Arthur Jafa, Julie Mehretu, and Barbara Kruger, as well as institutions such as The Brick in Los Angeles and the Diriyah Biennale Foundation. A new jury member, Prof. Dr. Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung, was also added for this edition.
Art Basel has announced the 33 medalists for its 2026 Awards, a global initiative recognizing excellence across the contemporary art ecosystem. The awards span nine categories, including Emerging, Established, and Icon artists, as well as curators, patrons, and institutions. Notable honorees include Barbara Kruger, Howardena Pindell, and Jenny Holzer in the Icon category, alongside established figures like Arthur Jafa and Julie Mehretu. The selection process, led by a jury of nine international experts, emphasizes a cross-disciplinary and geographically diverse group with a strong representation from the Global South.
The Julia Stoschek Collection has made its United States debut with a sprawling exhibition titled "What a Wonderful World: An Audiovisual Poem," staged at the historic Variety Arts Theater in Los Angeles. Curated by Udo Kittelmann, the presentation features 45 time-based media works by a high-profile roster of artists including Marina Abramović, Arthur Jafa, and Anne Imhof, alongside early cinema classics. Eschewing traditional "white cube" gallery aesthetics, the show utilizes the dilapidated grandeur of the six-story theater, allowing for overlapping soundtracks and non-linear viewing experiences.
The Julia Stoschek Foundation has launched its first major U.S. exhibition at the historic Variety Arts Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Curated by Udo Kittelmann, the show features over 40 time-based works ranging from early cinematic pioneers like Georges Méliès and Alice Guy-Blaché to contemporary icons such as Arthur Jafa and Doug Aitken. The exhibition utilizes the labyrinthine spaces of the 1924 Italianate theater to create a dialogue between the history of Hollywood and the evolution of media art.