Outgoing MCA Chicago Director Madeleine Grynsztejn Offers the Consummate Insider’s Guide to the Windy City

what defined 2025 curators pick the years best art 2717370

Several international curators and museum directors, including Connie Butler of MoMA PS1, Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, Julieta Gonzalez of the Wexner Center for the Arts, and Madeleine Grynsztejn of MCA Chicago, selected artworks that they believe define 2025. Highlights include Ayoung Kim's video installation 'Delivery Dancer’s Arc: 0º Receiver' (2024), Beeple's 'Regular Animals' premiered at Art Basel Miami Beach, and Kerry James Marshall's painting 'Haul' (2025) from his retrospective at the Royal Academy of Arts. Julieta Gonzalez also pointed to a broader constellation of practices emphasizing collectivity, ecological thinking, and Indigenous cosmologies rather than a single emblematic work.

curators reveal their favorite artworks of all time 2717382

Artnet News asked leading curators and museum directors to share their favorite artworks of all time. Connie Butler of MoMA PS1 chose David Hammons's "Bliz-aard Ball Sale" (1983), praising its connection from Duchamp to AI. Julieta Gonzalez of the Wexner Center selected Hans Holbein the Younger's "The Ambassadors" (1533), highlighting its anamorphic skull as a metaphor for viewing modernity from the margins. Madeleine Grynsztejn of MCA Chicago picked Francisco Goya's "A Pilgrimage to San Isidro" (1819–23) from his Black Paintings cycle, calling it a metaphor for fanaticism.

Transformative Director Madeleine Grynsztejn to Leave MCA Chicago

Madeleine Grynsztejn, the director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago since 2008, will step down at the end of 2026. Her departure marks the end of an 18-year tenure during which she significantly expanded the museum's budget and collection, secured major donations, and launched high-profile exhibitions and artist-focused programs.

David Bowie Centre, Bukhara Biennial, Hilton Als on Jean Rhys, Hurvin Anderson and Kara Walker—podcast

The latest episode of The Art Newspaper's podcast 'The Week in Art' covers three major stories. Host Ben Luke tours the newly opened David Bowie Centre at the V&A East Storehouse in London, a permanent repository for thousands of items from Bowie's archive, discussing the displays with curator Madeleine Haddon. The episode also reports on the inaugural Bukhara Biennial in Uzbekistan, with art market editor Kabir Jhala delivering a verdict from the opening and curator Diana Campbell offering insights. Finally, the podcast features a 'Work of the Week' segment on two paintings—Hurvin Anderson's 'Untitled' (2025) and Kara Walker's 'West Indies' (2014)—shown in an exhibition at Michael Werner Gallery in London curated by critic and writer Hilton Als, which explores the life and work of Dominican-born writer Jean Rhys.

Urgent Request from Participating Artists and Curators of the 61st Venice Biennale

第61回ヴェネツィア・ビエンナーレ参加アーティストおよびキュレーターによる緊急要請

A group of 73 artists and curators participating in the 61st Venice Biennale, including Yoshiko Shimada and Bubu de la Madeleine, have issued an urgent demand to the Biennale's board to revoke Israel's participation. The collective specifically objects to the decision to relocate the Israeli pavilion to the Arsenale, arguing that its presence contradicts the curatorial vision of Artistic Director Koyo Kouoh, which emphasizes the dignity of all life. They contend that the military and police presence required for the pavilion introduces an atmosphere of violence and fear that undermines the exhibition's integrity.

Put Community First and Other Lessons On Institutional Sustainability From MCA Chicago

MCA Chicago director Madeleine Grynsztejn outlines the museum's guiding principles of championing revelatory art, fostering social belonging, and aligning internal practices with community ethics. The museum's collection is treated as a living resource rather than a static treasure, with exhibitions like "Descending the Staircase" and "City in a Garden: Queer Art Activism in Chicago" reflecting evolving narratives. The MCA Art Auction, held every five years, is highlighted as a values-driven fundraiser; the 2025 edition honors Ed Ruscha with a new commission and features works by artists including Rashid Johnson, Sanford Biggers, and Sarah Sze.

Minor Keys and Major Silences: Yoshiko Shimada and the Art of Outrage

Yoshiko Shimada, a Japanese feminist and antiwar artist, is featured in a conversation with ArtAsiaPacific ahead of her inclusion in the 2026 Venice Biennale, curated by Koyo Kouoh under the theme "In Minor Keys." The article explores Shimada's decades-long practice of excavating the gendered scars of Japanese imperialism, focusing on her collaborative work with BuBu de la Madeleine, which uses drag and irony to critique imperial frameworks and the erasure of wartime atrocities. It also highlights her revival of the Chū-pi-ren movement, a 1970s feminist group that fought for abortion rights and access to birth control, arguing that their legacy remains urgent in 2026 given Japan's slow progress on women's bodily autonomy.

An ecstatic Mary Magdalene for Washington

Une Marie-Madeleine extatique pour Washington

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., has acquired Artemisia Gentileschi's painting "Marie-Madeleine en extase" (Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy), dating from around 1625. The work was previously sold at a Sotheby's auction in France in 2014, continuing a trend of important Gentileschi works leaving Europe for American museums.

The V&A's David Bowie Centre opens this week—here's what visitors can expect to see

The David Bowie Centre opens on 13 September at the V&A East Storehouse in Stratford, east London, offering free timed-entry access to a 90,000-piece archive acquired from the Bowie estate. Lead curator Madeleine Haddon highlights discoveries like Bowie's paint palette and a framed photo of Little Richard, alongside an interactive installation tracing his influence on pop culture. The centre features nine rotating curated displays, including guest-curated ones by Nile Rodgers and The Last Dinner Party, and connects to the upcoming V&A East Museum exhibition 'The Music Is Black: A British Story'.

'Room of Wonders' exhibit opens at Cantor Art Gallery at the College of the Holy Cross

The 'Room of Wonders: A Worcester Wunderkammer' exhibition has opened at the Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery at the Priory Arts Center, College of the Holy Cross. Curated by Birgit Straehle, the show features works by artists including Abu Mwenye, Caelum Lam, Jose Vicente Criollo, and Madeleine Lord, with sculptures such as Criollo's 'Night Owl' (2025) and 'Fish' (2023), and Lord's 'Old Friends' (2022) and 'Saint Recyclus' (2024). The opening reception took place on June 6, 2025, drawing local arts organizer Tina Zlody and Holy Cross staff member Casey Denis.

BU Art Galleries Announces Summer 2025 Exhibitions

Boston University Art Galleries has announced its summer 2025 exhibitions, featuring two shows opening June 5 on BU's Charles River Campus. 'Boston Young Contemporaries 2025' is a cross-institutional exhibition showcasing work from current and recent MFA graduates of BU, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, juried by curator Selby Nimrod. The second exhibition, 'Nothing Matches Everything Shines,' presents multimedia installations by artist Loretta Park in the 808 Gallery windows, curated by Madeleine Delpha, using found objects and traditional handcraft to challenge conventional notions of beauty and value.

Tara Anne Dalbow

Tara Anne Dalbow has been appointed as the new director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, succeeding Madeleine Grynsztejn. Dalbow previously served as deputy director at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, where she oversaw strategic planning and institutional operations. Her appointment marks a significant leadership transition for one of the United States' leading contemporary art institutions.