Heffel’s spring sales, featuring rediscovered royal portrait and E.J. Hughes seascape, tally $16.2m

Heffel's spring auction in Toronto on 21 May achieved a total of C$22.4m ($16.2m), led by E.J. Hughes's seascape *Coastal Boats Near Sidney, BC (1948)*, which sold for C$5.7m ($4.1m)—more than tripling its high estimate and setting a new auction record for the artist. The painting was consigned by Emily Carr University of Art and Design, with proceeds benefiting student awards. Other highlights included works by Mary Pratt, Jean Paul Riopelle, Alex Colville, Takao Tanabe, Tom Thomson, Arthur Lismer, and A.J. Casson, with four lots crossing the million-dollar mark and a 93.75% sell-through rate.

New Takao Tanabe exhibit open at Audain Art Museum

A new exhibition titled "Vistas: From Takao Tanabe’s Travels" has opened at the Audain Art Museum in British Columbia, featuring works by Japanese-Canadian artist Takao Tanabe. The show highlights landscapes from his travels across British Columbia, North America, the Arctic, and Europe, translated into paintings that blend observation with poetic reflection. Curated by Kiriko Watanabe, the exhibition runs until Sept. 21 and coincides with Tanabe’s upcoming 100th birthday on Sept. 16, as well as a related exhibition "Takao Tanabe: Inside Passage" opening June 13.

In Milan, the first exhibition-market dedicated entirely to 20th-century modernariato arrives

A Milano arriva la prima mostra-mercato dedicata interamente al modernariato del Novecento

The article announces the arrival of SOMO (Solo Modernariato), Italy's only fair dedicated entirely to 20th-century modernariato, in Milan. After two years in Alzano Lombardo near Bergamo, the event will take place at Superstudio Più in Via Tortona 27 on May 23-24, 2026. It will feature over 70 exhibitors from across Italy, showcasing furniture, lamps, and objects produced between the post-war period and the 1980s, targeting collectors, architects, interior designers, and a new generation of enthusiasts.

Sacramento art exhibit puts a SMASH!-ing spotlight on piñata culture

A new art exhibition titled 'SMASH! A Piñata Exhibition' has opened at Prism Art Gallery in Midtown, Sacramento, curated by Bridgett Rex and Vianne De Santiago. Running through May 30, the show features piñatas created by amateurs, professional makers, and multidisciplinary artists, exploring the cultural and emotional significance of piñatas beyond their role as party decorations. The exhibition will conclude with a public smashing of selected piñatas. Artists such as Andres Alvarez and Gilbert Rangel contributed works that incorporate personal and cultural narratives, using materials like corn husks and tissue paper to reflect on heritage, memory, and community.