How Much Is That Chagall in the Window: Metropolitan Opera Faces Funding Crisis After Saudi Deal Collapse

The Metropolitan Opera in New York faces a $30 million deficit after a $200 million funding deal with Saudi Arabia collapsed. The Saudi government withdrew from the agreement, which would have sent Met performers to the Royal Diriyah Opera House for three weeks each February, citing economic pressures from the Iran War and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. To address the shortfall, the Met is considering selling two monumental Marc Chagall paintings—The Sources of Music and The Triumph of Music (1966)—valued at $55 million, along with other options like selling naming rights or seeking a similar deal with another country.

A Wooden Canopy by Kengo Kuma Casts Dappled Light Around a Copenhagen Museum

Architect Kengo Kuma has unveiled a monumental site-specific installation titled "Earth / Tree" at Copenhagen Contemporary. The structure features a suspended canopy of curved wooden slats designed to evoke the Japanese concept of 'komorebi,' or the dappled light that filters through trees. Positioned over a brick platform and rubble, the installation serves as a material bridge between Nordic and Japanese architectural traditions.

"Du bist nun in die ewigen Jagdgründe der Kunst entschwunden"

This week's art news roundup covers several stories: Jonathan Meese publishes an obituary for his mother Brigitte Meese in Der Spiegel, describing her as a central figure in his life and work. Pussy Riot seeks to take over the Russian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The European Media Art Festival (EMAF) in Osnabrück faces controversy over antisemitism allegations linked to Palestinian-American filmmaker Basma al-Sharif, leading the city and state government to distance themselves from the festival. In the NZZ, Christian Wildhagen reports on conflicts over official political portraits, citing examples like Swiss councilor Martin Neukom rejecting paintings and Donald Trump criticizing his portrait. Art historian Horst Bredekamp pays tribute to Italian philosopher Federico Vercellone (1955–2026) in the FAZ, highlighting his theory of the 'self-activity of form.'

5 secret jewels to discover in Europe

5 joyaux secrets à découvrir en Europe

L'Œil magazine has curated a list of five European cities rich in art historical treasures, highlighting hidden gems for cultural getaways. The first city profiled is Mainz, Germany, featuring the Romanesque-Gothic Mainzer Dom (Imperial Cathedral of St. Martin), the Gutenberg Museum showcasing the 42-line Bible as a landmark of printing history, and the Church of St. Stephen with its iconic blue stained-glass windows designed by Marc Chagall. The second city is Plovdiv, Bulgaria, where the old town blends ancient Roman ruins (a stadium, forum, odeon, and theater from the 2nd century) with 19th-century Bulgarian National Revival houses, such as the Balabanov, Hindliyan, and Kuyumdzhioglu houses, now converted into museums.

Edmonia Lewis Was the Earliest Known Black Artist to Depict Emancipation. This Is Her First Retrospective.

The Peabody Essex Museum is hosting "Said in Stone," the first-ever comprehensive retrospective dedicated to Edmonia Lewis, a pioneering 19th-century sculptor of Black and Ojibwe heritage. The exhibition assembles a significant body of her marble works, including the landmark sculpture "Forever Free" (1867), which is recognized as the first formal visual representation of emancipation by a Black American artist. The show traces her journey from her upbringing with her Ojibwe family and her traumatic years at Oberlin College to her eventual success as an expatriate artist in Rome.

Marc Chagall | Sujet Biblique (1956) | For Sale

A limited-edition lithograph by Marc Chagall, titled *Sujet Biblique* (1956), is being offered for sale through Palm Beach Modern Auctions. The work is signed, bears a blind stamp, and is edition 2/15. It was originally published by Antoine Teriade in Paris for the Verve Vol. III art review, and its provenance includes a previous sale at Phi Auctions in 2021–2022. The lot is listed with a buyer's premium of 28% and is sold "AS IS" under the auction house's standard terms.

Matisse, Soulages, Chagall… The most beautiful churches and chapels decorated by artists throughout France

Matisse, Soulages, Chagall… Les plus belles églises et chapelles décorées par des artistes dans toute la France

Renowned modern and contemporary artists have transformed various religious sites across France into immersive 'total works of art.' From Pierre Soulages’ translucent stained-glass windows in the Abbey of Sainte-Foy in Conques to Pablo Picasso’s monumental 'War and Peace' murals in Vallauris, these projects demonstrate how secular artists have engaged with sacred architecture. The article highlights ten specific locations where artists like Matisse, Chagall, and Cocteau integrated painting, glasswork, and furniture into historic ecclesiastical settings.

Series, documentaries, films… All the art to see on streaming platforms right now

Séries, documentaires, films… Tout l’art à voir sur les plateformes en ce moment

Beaux Arts Magazine has curated a comprehensive selection of art-focused films, documentaries, and series currently available on major streaming platforms like Netflix, Arte.tv, and France.tv. The selection highlights diverse narratives, including the investigative documentary regarding a rediscovered Gustav Klimt portrait of a Ghanaian prince, an AI-assisted exploration of Andy Warhol’s diaries, and the cinematic dramatization of Varian Fry’s efforts to rescue artists like Chagall and Duchamp from Nazi-occupied France.

More than 200 cultural figures sign statement criticising international response to destruction of Iran’s heritage

More than 200 international scholars and cultural heritage professionals have signed a joint statement condemning the United States and Israel for inflicting "irreversible damage" on Iran’s cultural heritage. The group, which includes academics from leading global institutions, alleges that recent military strikes have damaged over 130 UNESCO-registered monuments and museums, including the Senate Palace in Tehran and sites in Isfahan. They argue these actions violate the 1954 Hague Convention and criticize international bodies like UNESCO for failing to issue a sufficiently forceful response.

Andrew Cranston’s Paintings of Dreamlike Domesticity

Scottish artist Andrew Cranston has opened a new solo exhibition titled 'I’m going in a field' at Modern Art gallery in London. The show features eleven paintings that blend landscape, memory, and domestic scenes, drawing inspiration from the artist's childhood in Hawick, Scotland, and his reflections on activities like golf, which he views as a form of landscape experience.

Asian Heritage Month 2026 at the Vancouver Art Gallery

The Vancouver Art Gallery is hosting a month-long program of talks, tours, and workshops for Asian Heritage Month 2026, celebrating Asian art and ideas. Highlights include weekly Lunchtime Look tours led by Senior Curator Diana Freundl and a Mandarin-language tour by Lynn Chen, a panel discussion titled "Modernity in Translation: Art, Architecture and Poetry in Iran" moderated by curator Pantea Haghighi with architect Hossein Amanat and Dr. Jeff Derksen, and a hands-on collage workshop by artist Vanessa Lam. The program also previews the gallery's upcoming landmark exhibition "Modern Iran and the Avant-Gardes, 1948–78," opening December 11, 2026, which will be the largest presentation of Iranian modernism ever mounted in Canada, featuring over 30 artists and approximately 100 works.

Up Close: Liang Yuanwei

Liang Yuanwei's latest painting cycle, "Pluviophile," culminated in the work "im Kugelhagel Wh·YeGrUm·Br-" (2025), exhibited at Beijing Commune in 2026. The large oil-on-linen piece, tucked at the far end of the gallery, features a burnt reddish-brown field scarred with gouged arcs and scraped-away paint that reveals a gold underlayer, creating an effect of violent impact and luminous aftermath.

Monet auction drives Sotheby’s Paris sale to 35 million euros

Sotheby's Paris sale on April 16, 2026, achieved a total of 35 million euros, an 84% increase over the previous year's equivalent auction. The event was dominated by two rediscovered Claude Monet paintings, with 'Vétheuil, effet du matin' setting a new auction record for the artist in France at 10.2 million euros. Strong results were also posted for works by Marc Chagall, Lucio Fontana, and Gerhard Richter, with 62.5% of lots selling above their high estimates.

Why do we like watching women die, asks Marina Abramović in Copenhagen

Marina Abramović has unveiled her latest immersive exhibition, "Seven Deaths," at Cisternerne in Copenhagen, a subterranean former reservoir. The installation features seven films where Abramović reimagines the tragic ends of famous operatic heroines—such as Tosca and Madame Butterfly—originally made famous by Maria Callas. Accompanied by actor Willem Dafoe, Abramović uses these cinematic vignettes to explore themes of heartbreak, endurance, and the cultural fascination with the "tragic feminine."

Famous “Walk” by Marc Chagall to be exhibited in Minsk

The National Art Museum of Belarus in Minsk has opened a special exhibition featuring Marc Chagall’s 1917 masterpiece, "The Walk." On loan from the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, the painting is being showcased alongside a VR tour developed by students from the Minsk Hlebau Art College. The exhibition, which runs until July 6, focuses on this singular programmatic work that depicts the artist and his wife, Bella Rosenfeld, in a gravity-defying expression of love.

Monet, Picasso & More: Houston's Newest Gallery Is Now Open And Is Completely FREE To Visit

Opera Gallery has officially opened its first Texas location in Houston’s River Oaks district, marking the 16th global space for the Singapore-founded network. The inaugural exhibition, running through April 19, 2026, features a high-caliber selection of Modern and Post-War masterworks by Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, and Marc Chagall alongside contemporary pieces by Yayoi Kusama and Kehinde Wiley. The gallery is free to the public and intends to host several curated exhibitions annually.

Houston Has a New Art Gallery with Picassos—and It’s Free

Opera Gallery has officially opened its first Texas location in Houston’s River Oaks District, debuting with a high-caliber exhibition featuring original works by masters such as Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and Yayoi Kusama. The space functions as a hybrid between a commercial gallery and a museum, offering the public free access to museum-quality pieces that are typically held in private collections or behind glass.

Prelude for a Press at palace enterprise

An exhibition titled 'Prelude for a Press' is on view at palace enterprise in Copenhagen from March 19 to April 25, 2026, organized by Jesper List Thomsen. It features works by Marie Angeletti, Gerry Bibby, Ezio Gribaudo, Asger Jorn, Marion Milner, Anastasia Pavlou, Georgia Sagri, Jesper List Thomsen, and Jackie Wang.

“In the Presence of Others” at Nørrebro Teater, Copenhagen

Nørrebro Teater in Copenhagen is hosting its first major contemporary art exhibition, "In the Presence of Others," featuring works by Marina Abramović, Laurie Anderson, and Miranda July. The show focuses on the artists' engagement with sound and will be staged throughout the entire theatre building.

Aste a Parigi: nuovo record per Claude Monet da Sotheby’s e per Ettore Spalletti da Christie’s

Sotheby's Paris achieved a new French auction record for Claude Monet on April 16, 2026, with 'Vétheuil, effet du matin' (1901) selling for €10.2 million, far above its €6-8 million estimate. The evening sale generated €35 million total, an 84% increase over the 2025 session, also featuring strong results for Marc Chagall, Lucio Fontana, and Rembrandt Bugatti. Meanwhile, Christie's Paris celebrated the 25th anniversary of its 'Thinking Italian' section with a complete sell-out of 11 lots, including a new auction record for Ettore Spalletti's 'Mobile' (1974) at €203,200. The overall Paris modern and contemporary art week reached a record €80.9 million, up 39% year-on-year.

The world's largest, heaviest, and most expensive art book arrives in Venice as a donation to the Biblioteca Marciana

Il libro d’arte più grande, più pesante e più costoso al mondo arriva a Venezia. In donazione alla Biblioteca Marciana

The Alberto Peruzzo Foundation has donated a copy of "Modern Art – Revolution and Painting" to the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana in Venice. Described as the world’s largest, heaviest, and most expensive art book, the volume weighs 35 kilograms and measures 70 x 100 centimeters. It features 544 hand-bound pages with 25-color lithographs reproducing over 250 masterpieces from the 19th and 20th centuries, including works by Picasso, Chagall, and Fontana.

Rare, World-Class Masterworks from Picasso to Dalí Meet Contemporary Artists in Front Royal at Ichiuji Fine Arts Gallery

The Melissa Ichiuji Studio Gallery in Front Royal, Virginia, opened a new exhibition titled 'Slow Image: Material Intelligence Across Generations' on April 25th. The show features original prints by major 20th-century artists including Picasso, Miró, Matisse, Dalí, Chagall, Calder, and Giacometti, displayed alongside contemporary artists working in clay, steel, textiles, collage, drawing, and paint. Gallery proprietor and artist Melissa Ichiuji conceived the exhibition over two years, aiming to create a museum-level experience in an intimate setting for the local community.

In A State Of Flux: Tumi Magnússon’s Exhibition Is A Meditation On Movement And Change

Contemporary artist Tumi Magnússon has opened a solo exhibition titled "Herefrom Thereto Therefrom Hereto" (Héðan þangað þaðan hingað) at the Reykjanes Art Museum in Keflavík, Iceland. Curated by Gavin Morrison, the show marks a significant return for both the Copenhagen-based artist and the U.S.-based curator to the Icelandic art scene. The exhibition features a dialogue between Magnússon’s early post-conceptual paintings from the late 1990s and his more recent explorations in video, sound, and digital imagery.

After a Decade of Delays, a 5th-Century Church in Glasgow Will Become a Museum

The Govan Heritage Trust is moving forward with a $6 million redevelopment of Govan Old, a historic 5th-century church site in Glasgow, following a decade of financial and pandemic-related delays. The project, designed by jm architects, will transform the late 19th-century building into a self-sustaining cultural complex featuring a museum, tourist attraction, and commercial business spaces.

Lebanon appeals to Unesco to intervene amid fears protected citadel has been destroyed

Lebanon’s Ministry of Culture has filed an urgent complaint with Unesco following reports that Israeli military forces destroyed the 12th-century Chama’ Citadel in southern Lebanon. The site, a Crusader-era fortress, had recently been granted "enhanced protection" status under the 1954 Hague Convention, a designation intended to shield it from military targeting. Lebanese authorities are currently unable to access the site due to ongoing military occupation and have requested that Unesco utilize satellite imagery to verify the extent of the demolition.

Sanna Helena Berger “Difference” at Matteo Cantarella, Copenhagen

Berlin-based Swedish artist Sanna Helena Berger makes her Danish debut with "Difference" at Matteo Cantarella in Copenhagen. The exhibition explores the concept of the remainder—the mathematical and physical space left behind when one value is subtracted from another—through a series of sculptural and spatial interventions.

Art, museum exhibits in Kenosha, Racine counties this week

Cultural institutions across Kenosha and Racine counties in Wisconsin have announced their exhibition schedules and public hours for the week of April 9, 2026. Featured venues include the Anderson Arts Center, the Carthage College Art Gallery, and the Kenosha Public Museum, which continues to showcase its permanent collection including "The Wisconsin Story" and "Mammoths at the Museum." Local galleries such as Lemon Street Gallery and OS Projects are also hosting open hours for the public to engage with regional contemporary art.

Holocaust Museum LA will reopen as part of the new $70-million Goldrich Cultural Center

Holocaust Museum LA, the first survivor-founded and oldest Holocaust museum in the United States, will reopen after a 10-month closure as part of the new $70-million Goldrich Cultural Center in Pan Pacific Park. The 70,000-square-foot campus, debuting June 14, doubles the museum's original footprint and includes three pavilions, a 200-seat theater, exhibition galleries, a rooftop garden, and a Holocaust-era boxcar. The center is named after the late Jona Goldrich, a Holocaust survivor and co-founder of the museum, and was designed by architect Hagy Belzberg.

Echoes of Memory and Quiet Revolutions

The Henrike Grohs Art Award concludes its final edition, naming Tanzanian artist Rehema Chachage as the 2026 laureate. Chachage, who works across performance, video, text, scent, and installation, creates a "performative archive" in collaboration with her mother and grandmother, transforming personal and ancestral memory into shared sensory experiences. The two finalists are Younès Ben Slimane, a Tunisian filmmaker and visual artist whose silent, disorienting works challenge cinematic narrative structures, and Egyptian artist Rania Atef, whose participatory practice turns domestic spaces into stages for revealing power dynamics. The award received over 600 applications from more than 30 African countries.

Art, museum exhibits in Kenosha, Racine counties this week

This article provides a weekly listing of art and museum exhibits in Kenosha and Racine counties in Wisconsin, including details on hours, locations, and current or permanent exhibitions. Featured venues include the Anderson Arts Center, Artists Gallery, Carthage College Art Gallery, Civil War Museum, Dinosaur Discovery Museum, Kenosha History Center, Kenosha Public Museum, Lemon Street Gallery, OS Projects, and Photographic Design Gallery & Framing.