‘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.

Thomas J Price, Artist Behind Viral Times Square Sculpture, Unveils New Bronze in London

Thomas J Price, Artist Behind Viral Times Square Sculpture, Unveils New Bronze in London

Thomas J Price has unveiled a monumental new bronze sculpture, *A Place Beyond*, at the entrance to the V&A East museum in London. The 18-foot-tall figure, his tallest work to date, depicts a young Black woman in contemporary clothing holding a cell phone, created from a composite of many individuals rather than a single model. The sculpture will greet visitors when the new museum branch opens next month.

How New York City Shaped Harry Winston’s Dazzling Legacy

The luxury jeweler Harry Winston continues to expand its 'New York' collection, a high-jewelry suite first launched in 2018 that pays homage to the founder's birthplace and the city's architectural landmarks. The collection translates iconic New York City motifs—including the hand-carved facades of Upper West Side brownstones, the neon glow of the Broadway theater district, and the neo-Gothic spires of St. Patrick’s Cathedral—into intricate diamond and gemstone arrangements.

‘A fresh look at contemporary culture’: Gus Casely-Hayford, director of V&A East, takes us inside the new London museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum is expanding its footprint with the opening of V&A East Museum in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on April 18. Led by Director Gus Casely-Hayford, the new five-story institution joins the recently opened V&A East Storehouse as part of the East Bank cultural quarter. The museum will debut with the "Why We Make" galleries, featuring over 500 objects and new commissions by artists such as Tania Bruguera, Carrie Mae Weems, and Thomas J. Price, whose 18-foot bronze sculpture anchors the museum's entrance.

Remembering Calvin Tomkins, Rhoda Roberts, and Agosto Machado

This week's obituary column honors several significant figures from the art world who recently passed away. The list includes celebrated New Yorker art writer Calvin Tomkins, Houston art patrons Brad and Leslie Bucher, British airbrush artist Philip Castle, master jeweler Thomas Gentille, art historian Charlotte Gere, Alabama sculptor Robert L. "Larry" Godwin, comic artist Sam Kieth, photographer Carol Kitman, and Russian-Italian artist Swietlan Nicholas Kraczyna.

Art as Experimental Setup

Kunst als Versuchsanordnung

The influential Berlin-based artist and professor Thomas Zipp has passed away unexpectedly. Known for his immersive installations that blurred the lines between art, science, and madness, Zipp created complex "experimental setups" involving painting, sculpture, and performance. His work often explored dark parallel worlds, notably evidenced in his haunting 2013 Venice Biennale project that transformed a palazzo into a derelict psychiatric ward.

Dealer Yves Bouvier to stand trial in Paris over missing Picassos

Swiss dealer Yves Bouvier has been ordered to stand trial in a Paris criminal court over the alleged disappearance of dozens of works by Pablo Picasso from a storage unit. The unit was rented by Picasso's stepdaughter, Catherine Hutin, from Bouvier's company. Bouvier faces charges of concealing stolen goods and laundering, while his business partner, Olivier Thomas, is charged with breach of trust, embezzlement, and laundering. The investigation, triggered by Hutin's 2015 complaint, found that nearly 70 works went missing, with some, including two portraits and 60 drawings, later discovered to have been sold by Bouvier to Russian collector Dmitri Rybolovlev for €36 million.

Gainsborough’s Powdered Wig Portraits Are Suddenly Hot in New York

A new exhibition at the Frick Collection in New York has assembled 25 portraits by the 18th-century British painter Thomas Gainsborough. The show focuses on his depictions of the era's elite, showcasing the powdered wigs, lavish fabrics, and social stature of his sitters.

Remembering Nathan Farb, Thomas Zipp, and Christine Ruiz-Picasso

The art world mourns the loss of several influential figures, including photographer Nathan Farb, known for his large-format captures of the Adirondacks and 1960s Manhattan, and Christine Ruiz-Picasso, who was instrumental in establishing the Museo Picasso Málaga. Other notable passing include German interdisciplinary artist Thomas Zipp, prolific art forger William "Billy The Brush" Mumford, and Hassen Soufy, the last living member of the L'École de Tunis movement.

A Thomas J Price Bronze Opens Door to London’s V&A East

British artist Thomas J Price has unveiled a monumental bronze sculpture at the entrance of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s new outpost, V&A East, in Stratford, East London. The large-scale work depicts an anonymous Black figure, continuing Price's practice of utilizing the traditional language of monumental sculpture to celebrate everyday individuals who are often marginalized in public spaces.

Locating Luigi Ghirri

Fashion photographer Alessio Bolzoni and film director Luca Guadagnino have collaborated on 'Felicità', a new book and exhibition at Thomas Dane Gallery featuring 45 previously unseen color photographs by the late Italian master Luigi Ghirri. The project is divided into two portfolios: the first focuses on intimate, abstract details of found objects and surfaces in Modena, while the second expands into larger vistas and populated spaces across Italy during the 1980s.

Thomas Zipp, artist with a sideways sense of history, 1966–2026

German artist Thomas Zipp, known for his dark, punk-infused explorations of history and science, has died at age 60. Throughout a career spanning painting, sculpture, and immersive scenographic installations, Zipp blended a Dadaist sensibility with a deep interest in politics, neuroscience, and the nuclear age. His work often challenged viewers with complex, opaque environments, such as his notable 2013 Venice Biennale installation that transformed a palazzo into a psychological sanatorium.

Do you remember the last negative review you read?

« Vous souvenez-vous de la dernière critique négative que vous avez lue ? »

The traditional art of negative criticism is vanishing from mainstream media, replaced by a culture of polite consensus or violent but unprincipled social media attacks. Historically, critics like Baudelaire, Zola, and Huysmans used sharp, subjective arguments to defend avant-garde movements and challenge academicism, viewing the attack on certain artists as a necessary byproduct of championing others. Today, limited editorial space and a desire to support the arts have led French journalists to focus almost exclusively on praise, resulting in a loss of discernment and comparative analysis.

Thomas Gainsborough’s Portraits of Pride and Prejudice

A new exhibition at the Frick Collection, "Gainsborough: The Fashion of Portraiture," re-examines the 18th-century English painter's work. It focuses on how his portraits, from early Suffolk "conversation pieces" to later Bath society commissions, used landscape and lavish clothing to visually encode social status, ownership, and belonging.

Must-See Art Exhibitions at EXPO Chicago 2026

EXPO Chicago 2026 marks its 13th edition with a robust program featuring over 130 international galleries alongside significant institutional exhibitions across the city. Highlights include Leah Ke Yi Zheng’s 64-painting installation at The Renaissance Society, which utilizes silk and natural light, and Youssef Nabil’s career-spanning survey of photography and film at Mariane Ibrahim. Additionally, the Chicago Cultural Center is hosting a cross-cultural exploration of modernism, while The Smart Museum presents a thematic study of Alma Thomas’s color theory influenced by space exploration and music.

Harn Museum to present ‘Florida in the Frame’ exhibition starting on Friday

The Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida is launching a major exhibition titled "Florida in the Frame: A Century of Artists’ Reflections on the Sunshine State." Drawing from the extensive Samuel H. and Roberta T. Vickers Collection, the show features over 65 artists including American masters like Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, and Thomas Moran alongside Florida Highwaymen painters. The exhibition is organized into three thematic sections that explore the state's natural landscapes, the development of its urban centers, and its evolution into a global tourism destination between 1850 and 1950.

At the Every Woman Biennial, Joy Becomes a Form of Resistance

The sixth edition of the Every Woman Biennial opened at New York's Pen + Brush gallery, featuring hundreds of works by women and nonbinary artists in a densely hung, salon-style exhibition. The event, which began as a one-night pop-up in 2014, has grown into a major intergenerational showcase, mixing emerging artists with established names like Swoon and Mickalene Thomas, and includes performances and installations.

Thomas Zipp has died

Thomas Zipp gestorben

The Berlin-based artist Thomas Zipp has died. His gallery, Barbara Thumm, announced the news on Saturday. Zipp, born in 1966, was a professor of painting and multimedia at the Berlin University of the Arts and was considered one of the most significant figures in German contemporary art since the 1990s. His work was shown internationally at venues including the Venice Biennale and museums in New York, London, and Zurich.

German artist Thomas Zipp, who explored the dark side of humanity, dies at 60.

German artist Thomas Zipp, a prominent figure in the Berlin art scene known for his dark, immersive installations, has died at the age of 60. His longtime representative, Galerie Barbara Thumm, confirmed his passing on April 4th, noting that the artist died far too soon. Zipp gained international recognition for his multidisciplinary approach, blending painting, sculpture, and performance into theatrical environments that often felt like unsettling psychological experiments.

“Atlante” at Thomas Dane Gallery, Naples

Claudio Parmiggiani’s seminal 1970 portfolio, "Atlante," is the focal point of a new exhibition at Thomas Dane Gallery in Naples. The show highlights a pivotal moment in 1968 when Parmiggiani began experimenting with cartographic imagery, including painting continents onto cows and encasing globes in glass, all documented through the lens of fellow artist Luigi Ghirri.

The Phillies Owner’s Other Superstars

John Middleton, the billionaire owner of the Philadelphia Phillies, is channeling his competitive drive into the acquisition of 19th-century American masterpieces. His private collection, which features prominent works by Andrew Wyeth, Winslow Homer, and Thomas Eakins, has quietly become one of the most significant of its kind in the United States. Middleton’s approach to collecting mirrors his sports management style, focusing on "blue-chip" historical significance and technical mastery.

Are We Entering a Post-Individual Era of Art?

The New Museum has opened a new building with a major exhibition titled "New Humans: Memories of the Future," which explores how artists are redefining humanity through technology. A key figure in the show is artist Christopher Kulendran Thomas, who is simultaneously exhibiting at the Museum of Modern Art and recently showed at Gagosian Gallery, while also running project spaces in New York and Los Angeles.

Remembering Asher Remy-Toledo, Media Art Luminary

Asher Remy-Toledo, a Colombian-born cultural producer and a central figure in New York's media art scene, died on February 22 at age 62 from Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was the founder and director of Hyphen Hub, an international art organization, and previously ran the influential Remy Toledo Gallery in Chelsea, which showcased feminist and post-feminist artists.

The New Victoria & Albert Museum Opens in April: Once Again in East London

Ad aprile inaugura il nuovo museo del Victoria&Albert. Ancora una volta nell’East London

The Victoria & Albert Museum has announced the official opening date for the V&A East Museum, a new five-story cultural landmark in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Designed by architects O’Donnell + Tuomey, the museum will debut on April 18, 2026, featuring two permanent galleries titled "Why We Make" that showcase over 500 objects ranging from Renaissance paintings to contemporary fashion by Vivienne Westwood. The entrance will be anchored by a monumental bronze sculpture by Thomas J Price, marking the start of a robust contemporary commission program.

Satellite Galleries with Gravitas

The Gallery at Hotel Willa and the Encore Gallery at the Taos Center for the Arts have emerged as vital "satellite" exhibition spaces in Taos, New Mexico. Managed by the nonprofit Paseo Project under Executive Director Matt Thomas, the Gallery at Hotel Willa has transformed 2,000 square feet of hospitality space into a hub for local talent, featuring high-profile fashion installations by Josh Tafoya and upcoming ecological exhibitions like "Disturbance." Meanwhile, the Encore Gallery leverages the high foot traffic of the Taos Center for the Arts to provide local artists with significant community exposure alongside film and theatrical programming.

Two Exhibits, Four Artists and a Lot to Think About

The Maude Kerns Art Center is currently hosting two concurrent exhibitions, "Witness: Earth & Sky" and "Consume & Dispose," curated by Liberty Rossel. The shows feature the work of four artists—Rich Bergeman, Amanda Thomas, Rolf Huber, and Jennifer Bucheit—whose practices converge on themes of environmental stewardship, colonial history, and social justice. From Bergeman’s infrared photography documenting indigenous Kalapuya lands to Thomas’s use of toxic mine drainage in her ceramic glazes, the works utilize specific materials and historical research to challenge viewers' perceptions of the landscape and industrial impact.

Manifesto for a Radical Femininity for An Other Cinema

The article presents the 1977 "Manifesto for a Radical Femininity for an Other Cinema" by artists Maria Klonaris and Katerina Thomadaki. The manifesto, published in connection with a rare screening of their films at e-flux Screening Room, calls for a feminist rupture with dominant cinematic language and images, advocating for a "cinema of the body" that challenges patriarchal hierarchies in both sexuality and authorship.

In a Show at Stanford, Miljohn Ruperto Trolls the Death Drive of AI Guys

Artist Miljohn Ruperto's exhibition at Stanford's Cantor Arts Center features works that critically engage with AI and technology. His piece *Fathoms (Tartarapelagic)* uses AI to generate images of deep-sea creatures from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, while highlighting that mining the minerals essential for that same AI technology is destroying their real-world habitats.

250-Year-Old Kiln Discovered on Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello Estate

Archaeologists at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate have unearthed a 250-year-old kiln used to fire bricks for the plantation’s original construction. Located on the East Lawn just feet from the main house, the site was identified through the discovery of specialized curved bricks, including cyma-shaped and ovolo-molded specimens. These architectural details confirm the kiln dates back to the "Monticello I" period (1768–1782), as these specific water table features were omitted during Jefferson’s later 18th-century renovations.

April Book Bag: from a Matthew Wong catalogue to a history of dogs in art

The Art Newspaper’s April book roundup highlights four significant new publications spanning art history and contemporary practice. Featured titles include Thomas Laqueur’s visual history of dogs in art, a study of marble depictions in Late Gothic and Early Renaissance painting edited by Karl Kolbitz, a comprehensive overview of Antony Gormley’s drawings, and a new catalogue focusing on Matthew Wong’s interior scenes.