Without Consciousness, No Creativity

"Ohne Bewusstsein keine Kreativität"

Matthias Hornschuh, a speaker at the German Creative Economy Summit in Hamburg, discusses artificial intelligence and its impact on art and creativity in an interview with Monopol. He argues that AI systems lack intentionality and true creativity, describing them as "probability-based imitation" rather than genuine creative tools. Hornschuh warns against the hype surrounding AI, noting that efficiency gains are often overstated and that users can become trapped in unproductive interactions with these systems.

Sarasota Student Art Takes Center Stage: 71st Annual Spring Art Show Showcases 1,500 Young Artists

Art Center Sarasota is hosting the 71st Annual North Sarasota County Schools Spring Art Show from April 28 to May 9, 2026, featuring over 1,500 student artists from kindergarten through 12th grade. The exhibition includes paintings, sculptures, mixed media, photography, and experimental works, with a High School Awards Ceremony awarding more than $20,000 in scholarships and prizes. The show is organized by coordinators Angela Hartvigsen and Debra Markley, and coincides with Art Center Sarasota's 100th anniversary.

Polis presents Governor’s Legacy Award at Loveland art show

Colorado Governor Jared Polis presented the one-time 250/150/35 Governor’s Legacy Award to Longmont sculptor Parker McDonald at the Loveland Museum during the annual Governor’s Art Show. McDonald’s mixed-media sculpture “Compadres,” depicting a bison with a small bird on its back, was selected for telling a distinctly Colorado story. The award commemorates three milestones: the nation’s 250th anniversary, Colorado’s 150th anniversary, and the show’s 35th year. The juried exhibition features over 60 Colorado artists and is jointly sponsored by the Loveland and Thompson Valley Rotary clubs.

LA’s The Box Gallery to Close After 19 Years

The Box, a prominent Los Angeles gallery, announced it will close after 19 years, with its final exhibition—a two-venue collaboration with Parker Gallery for late California artist Wally Hedrick—ending April 4. The closure will be marked by a fashion show for Johanna Went on June 6. Founder Mara McCarthy cited a combination of factors, including changing economics around support for her father Paul McCarthy's work and the loss of her family's homes in the January 2025 Eaton fire, as making continued operation impossible.

Ruth Leon recommends… Raphael: Sublime Poetry – Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has opened its major spring exhibition, "Raphael: Sublime Poetry," the first comprehensive survey of the artist in the United States. Curator Carmen Bambach, exhibition design manager Daniel Kershaw, and research associate Caroline Elenowitz-Hess guide a virtual tour of the show, which brings together over 170 masterpieces and rarely seen works spanning Raphael's career from Urbino to Florence and Rome.

Attend Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale 2026 Opening Night Gala

The Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale, now in its 35th year, will introduce a special one-time award called the 250/150/35 Governor’s Legacy Art Award during its Opening Night Gala on April 24, 2026. The award, presented by Governor Jared Polis, recognizes a participating artist whose work reflects Colorado’s past, present, and future, coinciding with America’s 250th anniversary and Colorado’s 150th anniversary. The exhibition runs from April 25 to June 6, 2026, at the Loveland Museum, featuring 65 Colorado artists working in various media, with sales supporting local Rotary Club community programs.

Julia Stoschek Foundation to Close in Berlin

The Julia Stoschek Foundation will close its Berlin outpost at the end of October 2025, after a decade of operation. The Düsseldorf-based nonprofit, which holds one of the world's largest collections of time-based art, opened the Berlin space in 2016 and welcomed over 450,000 visitors across 22 exhibitions, including solo shows by Meriem Bennani, Stan Douglas, Arthur Jafa, and Mark Leckey. The foundation cited a "strategic realignment" that will shift focus to projects elsewhere in Germany and abroad. Its Düsseldorf space is currently closed for renovations and expected to reopen next year.

Queer Horizon: “Spectrosynthesis Seoul” at Art Sonje Center

The fourth edition of "Spectrosynthesis," Sunpride Foundation's exhibition series dedicated to LGBTQ+ art in Asia, opens at Art Sonje Center in Seoul. Curated by Sunjung Kim and Youngwoo Lee, the show unfolds in two parts: "The Two-Sided Seashell" and "Tender: Invisibly Visible, Unlocatably Everywhere," featuring works by artists including Sin Wai Kin and Young-Jun Tak. The exhibition engages with queer theory, particularly José Esteban Muñoz's concept of queerness as a horizon of potentiality, and responds to South Korea's recent political turbulence, including the 2024 martial law declaration and presidential impeachment.

Venice Biennale’s Prize Ban on Israel and Russia Falls Short for Critics

The jury of the 2026 Venice Biennale has ruled that Israel and Russia will be ineligible for the Golden and Silver Lion prizes, citing International Criminal Court charges of crimes against humanity against their leaders. The decision follows years of activism and political pressure, with the European Union withdrawing €2 million in funding from the event in protest of Russia's participation. While groups like Art Not Genocide Alliance praised the move as an unprecedented step, critics argue it falls short of a full ban on participation. Israel's artist representative, Belu-Simion Fainaru, condemned the policy as discriminatory, and an open letter signed by 70 artists and curators called for excluding all regimes committing war crimes, including the United States.

« La Dame à la licorne » : le portrait idéal du divin Raphaël

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is hosting the first-ever exhibition dedicated to Raphael in the United States, running until June 28. The show brings together over 200 works by the celebrated Renaissance master, including the enigmatic portrait *La Dame à la licorne* (1505–1506), which exemplifies Raphael's signature qualities of grace, light, and harmony.

Hidden Detroit: Art Galleries You May Have Overlooked

This Detroit City Guide article highlights ten overlooked art galleries and cultural spaces across the city, including Wasserman Projects in Eastern Market, the Elaine L. Jacob Gallery at Wayne State University, Center Galleries at the College for Creative Studies, Galerie Camille, the historic Scarab Club, Detroit Artists Market, Ellen Kayrod Gallery, Schinkel Fine Art, and the N'Namdi Center for Contemporary Art. Each venue is described with its unique focus, from diaspora-inspired ceramics and student showcases to artist residencies and senior artist platforms, with several exhibitions closing in April 2025.

This Chelsea gallery will feature art from students as young as 6

Gallery 100 in Chelsea, Michigan, will host The Creative Corner Collection, an exhibition of children's artwork from the Manitou Beach Creative Corner's camps and workshops, running from April 27 through May 8. The show features work by students ages 6 to 15, with an opening reception on May 3 featuring violinists from the Lansing Symphony Orchestra. Gallery 100 takes no commission on sales, so all proceeds go directly to the young artists.

‘Wild Life’ and May Show Opening Reception

The McLean Art Gallery is hosting an opening reception on May 1 for its May show and a special exhibit titled 'Wild Life,' presented by the local nonprofit McLean Art Society. The exhibit runs from May 1–31 and features over 200 new works in various media including oil, acrylic, pastel, watercolor, mixed media, drawing, photography, sculpture, wood, glass, ceramics, and jewelry, exploring diverse interpretations of the theme beyond just animals.

Gunjan Tyagi Selected for Women’s History Month Exhibition in NYC

Gunjan Tyagi, a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Schenectady, New York, has been selected to exhibit at Pen + Brush, one of New York's oldest nonprofit galleries, during Women's History Month. Tyagi's work spans painting, sculpture, site-specific installation, nature art, video, photography, and mixed media, often incorporating unconventional materials like cow dung and found objects to explore identity, cultural exchange, and humanity's relationship with nature. She also serves as organizer of the India chapter of the Global Nomadic Art Project and as a jury member at the Biennale of Seychelles.

At the ‘art world Olympics,’ Team USA is chaotic

The US Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, often called the 'art world Olympics,' is mired in controversy and delays under the Trump administration. Curator Jeffrey Uslip insists the process has been smooth and artistically autonomous, but the selection of sculptor Alma Allen and commissioner Jenni Parido—a former pet supply shop owner with a new nonprofit—has raised eyebrows. The usual vetting process by the National Endowment for the Arts was disrupted, new language banning diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts was added to applications, and a government shutdown left only six months to fundraise and plan the exhibition, which coincides with the US's 250th anniversary.

McRae Art Studios kicks off 40th anniversary with open house this weekend

McRae Art Studios, Orlando's oldest and largest professional artist collective, is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a spring open house on April 25 at its 10,000-square-foot converted garage space in urban Orlando. Founded in 1986 by George and Marty Whipple, the studio has hosted over 100 award-winning artists across five locations. The event features studio visits, original artwork sales, live music, and a cash bar, along with a new exhibition of self-portraits titled "The Faces of McRae" created by the current 22 member artists. The collective is also reorganizing as a nonprofit to strengthen the local arts community.

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.

Franco Bellucci “Works (c. 2010–2018)” at a. SQUIRE, London

Franco Bellucci's exhibition "Works (c. 2010–2018)" is on view at a. SQUIRE gallery in London. The show features his sculptures, which are composed of knotted, humble, and mass-produced materials like socks, bandages, cables, and plastic bags, reflecting a direct engagement with his immediate surroundings.

Art: Passion is Volcanic – Desire in Southeast Asian Art at National Gallery Singapore

National Gallery Singapore has opened a major exhibition titled 'Passion is Volcanic: Desire in Southeast Asian Art.' The show, which carries an unprecedented R18 rating and prohibits photography, presents a comprehensive exploration of eroticism, pleasure, and the body through a wide range of artworks from the region's collection and loans. It is curated by Dr. Patrick Flores, Dr. Adele Tan, and Dr. Kathleen Ditzig, who frame desire as a culturally specific yet universal force shaped by history and power.

Mass shooting at Mexico's Teotihuacan archaeological site leaves one dead, 13 injured

A mass shooting occurred at the Teotihuacan archaeological site in Mexico, leaving one Canadian tourist dead and 13 others from various nations injured. The gunman, identified as Julio César Jasso Ramírez, opened fire from atop the Pyramid of the Moon before killing himself at the scene.

How One Cooperative Champions the Quechua Weavers of Peru’s Sacred Valley

The nonprofit organization Awamaki was founded in 2009 to support Quechua communities in Peru's Sacred Valley, particularly women weavers, as they navigate economic shifts and climate change. It now assists nine cooperatives comprising 174 artisans, providing structural support for selling traditional textiles and coordinating tourism to generate income while preserving cultural practices.

Barbara Chase-Riboud Speaks Out on Declining US Biennale Pavilion

Sculptor and author Barbara Chase-Riboud has publicly declined an invitation to represent the United States at the 2026 Venice Biennale, stating it was "not the moment" for her to do so. She was among the artists initially considered by the newly formed American Arts Conservancy (AAC), which is organizing the US pavilion after both she and photographer William Eggleston turned down the opportunity.

Barbara Chase-Riboud Says She Declined US Pavilion Offer Because It Was ‘Not the Moment’

Sculptor Barbara Chase-Riboud has revealed she declined an offer to represent the United States at the 2025 Venice Biennale, stating that for her, "this was not the moment." The offer was made by the American Arts Conservancy, the nonprofit organization commissioning the US Pavilion. The revelation comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the selection process that ultimately led to artist Alma Allen being chosen, following reports that the Trump administration removed diversity language from application materials.

America’s Venice Biennale artist was scorned by tastemakers — he says he’s misunderstood

American sculptor Alma Allen, a self-taught artist with an unconventional background, has been selected to represent the United States at the 2025 Venice Biennale. His selection was made by the American Arts Conservancy, a new nonprofit with no art-world track record, which was awarded the commission through a State Department process that removed diversity requirements and emphasized art reflecting "American values."

Alma Allen’s US Pavilion Heads to Venice Amid Questions Over Selection Process

The selection of Alma Allen to represent the United States at the 2026 Venice Biennale has ignited controversy over the process. The U.S. State Department abandoned its traditional selection model, which involved a panel of experts convened by the National Endowment for the Arts, and instead handed control to a new nonprofit, the American Arts Conservancy, led by individuals with little museum experience. This shift has drawn criticism from prominent figures in the art world, with some artists declining to participate due to concerns over the political context and unfamiliar leadership.

Out and About: Richmond Art Gallery premieres new exhibits

The Richmond Art Gallery has launched two new exhibitions, 'I digress' and 'Side Core: under city'. The latter marks the North American debut of a show exploring the intersection of skateboarding culture and contemporary art in Tokyo, featuring work from artists Takasu Sakie, Matsushita Tohru, and Nishihiro Taishi. The former is a group exhibition curated by Zoe Chan, presenting diverse media from artists Simranpreet Anand, Jo-Anne Balcaen, August Klintberg, Anne Koizumi, Lindsay McIntyre, and Gonzalo Reyes Rodriguez.

Colour, movement and emotion: Fleetwood artist Kate Ferris presents fluid art exhibition

Artist Kate Ferris is presenting her solo exhibition "Flow & Form" from April 16 to May 3 at Tea Amantes – Tearoom & Gallery in Fleetwood. The show features her fluid art paintings, created using acrylic pour techniques that embrace unpredictability and spontaneity, alongside a selection of handmade jewelry.

Victoria & Albert Museum yields to Chinese censorship

Le Victoria & Albert Museum cède à la censure chinoise

The Victoria & Albert Museum in London removed a map and other content from its exhibition catalogues after its Chinese printer, C&C Offset Printing, flagged them as unacceptable to Chinese censors. The map, showing 1930s British Empire trade routes, was rejected by China's General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) because it included Chinese territory and borders, requiring the use of state-approved maps. The museum also previously removed a map and a photograph of Vladimir Lenin from a 2021 Fabergé exhibition catalogue.

Memories of South End captured on canvas in art exhibition

A nostalgic art exhibition opened at the South End Museum in Nelson Mandela Bay, featuring canvas paintings that recreate historical black-and-white images of the former South End neighborhood. The exhibition and sale, organized by local framing company Frame Art and artist/trustee Michael Barry, showcases works primarily by Vincent Olivier, based on a collection amassed by the late Frame Art founder Salie Wackie.

Once taboo, now on view: Seoul debuts major queer art exhibition

Art Sonje Center in Seoul has launched "Spectrosynthesis Seoul," the first large-scale institutional exhibition in South Korea dedicated specifically to queer art. Organized in partnership with the Sunpride Foundation, the show features 74 international and Korean artists across two major sections, exploring themes of identity, sign language bias, and the historical queer spatiality of Seoul neighborhoods like Itaewon.