The art of technology jostles for position in venues both new and historic

Canyon, a new 40,000-square-foot institution dedicated to moving image, sound, and performance art, is set to open this autumn on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Founded by entrepreneur Robert Rosenkranz and led by former Mass MoCA director Joe Thompson, the space aims to bypass the slow curatorial cycles of traditional museums by hosting international media-rich exhibitions with a faster 18-to-24-month turnaround. Unlike traditional collecting institutions, Canyon will focus on public accessibility and domestic-style hospitality rather than building its own permanent archive.

Carla Soirée & Art Auction 2026

The article is a table of contents for the February 2026 issue of the Contemporary Art Review LA, listing its featured articles, interviews, dealer profiles, and exhibition reviews. The content covers a wide range of subjects including olfactory art, tarot art, the Made in L.A. 2025 biennial, video art, and reviews of shows at various Los Angeles galleries and museums like MOCA, the Orange County Museum of Art, and Château Shatto.

Virginia MOCA opens new building with bold show, 'The Pursuit of Happiness.'

The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (Virginia MOCA) has inaugurated its new, expanded facility on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan University. The opening is anchored by a major solo exhibition titled "The Pursuit of Happiness" by acclaimed contemporary artist Nina Chanel Abney, alongside a group show, "Seamless: Art and Design." Abney’s exhibition features her signature large-scale, vibrant, and emoji-inspired works that explore the complexities of the American Dream, identity, and power structures through a lens of both visual seduction and narrative ambiguity.

Contemporary art exhibition to showcase work from Wales and beyond

The Artistic Museum of Contemporary Art (AMOCA) is launching its second pop-up exhibition, "Dialogues Wales: New Voices from the Museum Collection," at Cardiff’s Temple of Peace. Running from April 15 to 18, the show highlights women and nonbinary artists from the private collection of co-founder Anders Hedlund, featuring over forty international and local figures including Shani Rhys James, Ewa Juszkiewicz, and Lynda Benglis.

Fall River museum unveils 'Citadel' art exhibition

The Fall River Museum of Contemporary Art (FR MoCA) has launched "Citadel," a group exhibition featuring nine international artists including Lydia Ourahmane and Kambel Smith. Curated by Cory John Scozzari, the show utilizes diverse media—from sculpture and video to performance—to explore themes of urban movement, geopolitical complexity, and the mechanisms of surveillance and control. The exhibition is set to run through July 19, 2026, with an opening reception and curator-led walkthroughs scheduled for April.

DANCING OUR PROBLEMS LATIN AMERICAN PRESENCE AT MOCA S ART ON THE PLAZA 2026 AWARDS IN MIAMI

Peruvian multidisciplinary artist Joan Jiménez Suero, known as Entes, has been named one of three winners for the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami’s (MOCA) Art on the Plaza 2026. His winning installation, "Bailando Nuestros Problemas" (Dancing Our Problems), features kinetic metal sculptures inspired by Afro-Peruvian traditions and salsa culture. The work, which officially opens on April 15, 2026, transforms rigid industrial materials into fluid figures of musicians and dancers to celebrate the resilience of the Latin American diaspora.

Michael Asher at MOCA, Los Angeles

The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) is presenting a major exhibition dedicated to the work of conceptual artist Michael Asher. The show focuses on his site-specific interventions that critically examined the social, economic, and institutional frameworks of the spaces he engaged with.

Force History To Sweat An In Depth Interview On Su Hui Yus Performance Movie In Bogota

Taiwanese artist Su Hui-Yu premiered his performance film "A Total Story" at the Museum of Modern Art in Bogotá (MAMBO) in January. The film, shot inside the museum, intertwines the histories of Colombia and Taiwan through a narrative enacted by queer and trans performers. The exhibition "La Saga Total," his first in Latin America, also featured several of his video and installation series. The project is now set to travel to Taipei for a premiere at MOCA Taipei in April.

Jazlyne Sabree at Rowan University Museum of Contemporary Art

Philadelphia-based artist Jazlyne Sabree has debuted her solo exhibition, "The Spectrum of Resilience," at the newly rebranded Rowan University Museum of Contemporary Art (RUMOCA) in Glassboro, New Jersey. The show features large-scale, textured collages that utilize paint, paper, and found materials to portray members of the African Diaspora as spiritual figures and vessels of memory. The exhibition includes three new works and is scheduled to run through July 30, 2026.

Interview with Su Hui-Yu: MAMBO

Entrevista Su Hui Yu Mambo

On January 24th, Taiwanese artist Su Hui-Yu's film 'A Complete History' premiered at the Bogotá Museum of Modern Art (MAMBO). The work, filmed within the museum, intertwines the histories of Colombia and Taiwan through a narrative told and inhabited by queer and trans individuals. The exhibition, titled 'La Saga Total,' also featured other works by Su, including 'The Trio Hall' and 'The Space Warriors and the Digigrave.' The project is now set to travel to Taipei for its premiere at MOCA Taipei on April 12th.

Virginia Museum Of Contemporary Art Opening New Building In Virginia Beach

The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (Virginia MOCA) has announced plans to relocate from its longtime home to a new, state-of-the-art facility in Virginia Beach. This move marks a significant expansion for the institution, aiming to modernize its exhibition spaces and enhance its capacity for community engagement and educational programming.

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art Announces Date For ARTMIX 2026

The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) has announced the official date for its 2026 ARTMIX event. This signature annual fundraiser typically features a curated auction, live performances, and community engagement initiatives designed to support the museum's exhibition and education programs.

MOCAD Reopens with New Exhibitions from Detroit Artists

Detroit's Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCAD) has reopened after an eight-month closure for construction, unveiling four new exhibitions as part of its 2026 Spring Exhibition and 20th anniversary. The renovations include a new HVAC system, educational space, and windows that allow passersby to see inside. The building has been renamed the Julia Reyes Taubman Building in honor of the late co-founder, whose family contributed $1.8 million toward the $3 million first phase. Mayor Mary Sheffield toured the exhibitions at an April 23 media preview, praising the museum's role in community healing and access. Featured exhibitions include "Olayami Dabls: Detroit Cosmologies," the first retrospective of the artist's nearly 50-year career, showcasing his evolution from figurative acrylics to abstract collage.

In Minor Keys and legacies held in common

The article reflects on the 61st Venice Biennale, curated by Koyo Kouoh, who passed away on 10 May 2025 at age 57 after a cancer diagnosis. Her curatorial concept, "In Minor Keys," will be realized posthumously by her team. The Biennale preview opens on 6 May 2026, with the public opening on 9 May. Additionally, artist Henrike Naumann, selected for the German Pavilion, died on 14 February 2025 at age 41, also from cancer; her work will be shown in her name.

Mayor Mary Sheffield visits the newly renovated Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, or MOCAD

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield toured the newly renovated Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) on April 23, 2026, accompanied by Co-Directors Marie Madison-Patton and Jova Lynne, and Board Chair Charles Boyd. The renovation includes the renamed Julia Reyes Taubman Building, new large windows, an HVAC system, and a bar area, with exhibitions featuring works by Olayami Dabls, Carole Harris, and Martha Mysko.

First Comprehensive Museum Retrospective For Detroit Artist And ‘Bead Man’ Olayami Dabls

The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) will present "Olayami Dabls: Detroit Cosmologies," the first comprehensive museum retrospective for Detroit artist Olayami Dabls, running from April 25 to July 12, 2026. Dabls, who began his career as a curator at the Afro-American Museum in Detroit (now the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History), traces his artistic journey to a transformative moment in the 1970s when he opened a box of African masks that his colleagues feared to handle. This experience led him to investigate how Hollywood and popular culture had demonized African material culture, associating it with horror movies and voodoo, and inspired decades of work as an artist, storyteller, cultural historian, and civic champion.

Refik Anadol’s Dataland Museum Sets an Opening Date

Refik Anadol's Dataland, billed as the world's first A.I. art museum, will open on June 20 in Los Angeles after more than two and a half years of planning. Founded by Anadol and his partner Efsun Erkiliç, the museum is housed inside the Frank Gehry-designed Grand L.A. complex and features five galleries. Its debut exhibition, "Machine Dreams: Rainforest," uses ecological data processed through Anadol's Large Nature Model to create digital sculptures simulating possible rainforests. The museum, designed by Gensler, dedicates nearly a third of its 35,000 square feet to operational hardware and runs on 87 percent carbon-free energy.

This Liminal Moment

The article reviews the exhibition "MONUMENTS" at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA and the Brick in Los Angeles, which addresses the legacy of Confederate monuments through contemporary art. It highlights Cauleen Smith's installation "The Warden" (2025), which features a live-feed of the decommissioned Confederate sculpture "Vindicatrix" (also known as "Miss Confederacy") by Edward V. Valentine, originally atop the Jefferson Davis Memorial in Richmond, Virginia. The exhibition is curated by Hamza Walker, Kara Walker, and Bennett Simpson.

KAWS | Untitled (KAWS X Mocad) (2019)

Bidding has concluded for KAWS's 2019 screenprint, *Untitled (KAWS X Mocad)*, a limited-edition work produced for the artist's solo exhibition "Alone Again" at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit. The work was offered through Palm Beach Modern Auctions, with detailed condition reports and terms available to prospective bidders.

MMoCA acquires major work of former UW professor, will hold exhibition

The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) has acquired a significant work by artist and former University of Wisconsin-Madison professor, Warrington Colescott. The museum will present a solo exhibition of Colescott's work in the fall of 2025, featuring the newly acquired piece alongside other works from its collection.

Fellowship Open Call – Shaping Africa’s Curatorial Futures

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) have launched an open call for their fully funded 2027 Museum Fellowship Programme. The year-long initiative offers emerging African art professionals a combination of practical museum training and postgraduate academic study, aiming to develop the next generation of curators, researchers, and arts professionals on the continent.

Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit set to re-open

The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) is preparing to reopen to the public after a prolonged closure. The reopening is generating significant local excitement, with a preview video offering a first look at what visitors can expect.

Seeing with Heat: 5 Works Against the Thermal Camera's Gaze in Pavia

Vedere con il calore: a Pavia 5 opere contro lo sguardo della termocamera

The University of Pavia is hosting a specialized study day and exhibition on April 30, 2026, titled "Thermal Imaging and Visual Culture." The event explores how artists are reclaiming thermal imaging—a technology originally developed for military surveillance and pandemic control—to transform it into a medium for creative expression. By showcasing five specific works, the program examines the tension between the camera's role as a tool for dehumanized monitoring and its potential as a vehicle for artistic resistance.

Los Angeles Art Scene Overview

Los Angeles

The Los Angeles art scene is experiencing a significant transformation as major blue-chip galleries like Gagosian and PaceWildenstein expand their presence in the city. This shift is driven by the influx of entertainment industry wealth and a growing interest from Hollywood figures, despite a historically smaller collector base compared to New York. Key institutional developments include Eli Broad's financial interventions to stabilize MOCA and fund new building schemes at LACMA.

How US museums are adapting to a new era for technology-based art

American art institutions are undergoing a structural shift to accommodate the rapid evolution of technology-based and time-based media. The opening of Canyon, a 40,000-square-foot space in Manhattan’s Lower East Side founded by Robert Rosenkranz, exemplifies this trend. Led by former Mass MoCA director Joe Thompson, the venue aims to provide a permanent, hospitable home for moving-image, sound, and performance works that often struggle to find long-term exhibition space in traditional New York museums.

Art Gallery Shows in Bangkok to Check Out in April

Bangkok's art scene is hosting several high-profile exhibitions this April, highlighted by the opening of Harper’s Bangkok, the first Southeast Asian outpost of the New York-based Harper’s gallery. The new space debuts with 'Lost and Found,' a solo exhibition by American artist Joel Mesler featuring his signature typographic and symbolic paintings. Other major shows include a large-scale group exhibition at MOCA Bangkok titled 'ICONOSTASIS: No Masters, No Icons,' which pits handmade mastery against AI-generated art, and a solo presentation by Filipino painter Jason Montinola at La Lanta Fine Art.

christopher columbus statue white house grounds 1234778529

A replica of a Christopher Columbus statue was installed on the White House grounds under the direction of the Trump administration. The sculpture is a reproduction of a monument that was toppled and thrown into Baltimore’s Inner Harbor by protesters during the 2020 racial justice movements. Created by artist Will Hemsley using scans of the original fragments, the project was previously funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and has now been placed near the West Wing as part of preparations for the 250th anniversary of American independence.

technologies of relation mass moca 2750592

MASS MoCA has launched "Technologies of Relation," a group exhibition featuring 12 artists who explore the complex, non-binary relationship between humanity and artificial intelligence. Curated by Susan Cross, the show moves beyond dystopian narratives to investigate how artists can reclaim agency over corporate-produced technologies. Featured works range from Roopa Vasudevan’s hand-drawn QR codes that mimic textiles to Neema Githere’s hammock installations that literalize the concept of a digital network.

every copy spring issue kara walker print unmanned drone sketch 1234776967

Artist Kara Walker has transformed a decommissioned monument of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson into a new, grotesque sculpture titled "Unmanned Drone" (2023). After curator Hamza Walker secured the bronze statue from Charlottesville, Virginia, the artist reconfigured its parts at a New York foundry to create a 12-foot horse-man hybrid that subverts traditional heroic iconography. The work is currently the centerpiece of the "Monuments" exhibition at the Brick in Los Angeles, co-presented by MOCA LA.

los angeles institutions green protocol 1234776795

A coalition of Los Angeles’s leading art institutions, including the Getty, LACMA, MOCA, and the Hammer Museum, has officially pledged to adopt the Bizot Green Protocol. This collective commitment, which also includes the gallery Hauser & Wirth, establishes climate-minded guidelines for museum operations such as widening temperature and humidity parameters for galleries and reducing air travel for loans. The move was largely catalyzed by the devastating impact of recent wildfires on the region's cultural infrastructure.