The Big Review | Venice Biennale 2026: In Minor Keys ★★★½

The Venice Biennale 2026, titled "In Minor Keys," was curated posthumously following the death of artistic director Koyo Kouoh in May 2025. A team of five curators and advisors—Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Marie Hélène Pereira, Rasha Salti, Siddhartha Mitter, and Rory Tsapayi—executed her vision across the Giardini and Arsenale venues. The exhibition features 110 artists, with a strong emphasis on new commissions, and is structured around themes of procession, resistance, and joy. Key works include Big Chief Demond Melancon's "Amistad Takeover" (2026), Nick Cave's "Amalgam (Origin)" (2025), and Otobong Nkanga's rewilded columns at the Central Pavilion.

For Fashion Iconoclast Iris van Herpen, ‘Nature Is the Best Artist’

The Brooklyn Museum has opened "Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses," a major exhibition surveying two decades of the Dutch designer's avant-garde fashion. Curated by Matthew Yokobosky and Imani Williford, the show features over 140 of van Herpen's biomorphic couture pieces, including designs worn by Lady Gaga and Björk, alongside works by contemporary artists like Agostino Arrivabene and Tara Donovan. The exhibition, which originated at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 2023, highlights van Herpen's use of cutting-edge technology such as 3D printing and magnetic sculpting, as well as her deep inspiration from natural phenomena like fossils, coral, and water.

Radiohead Brings Its Strange Visual Universe to Life in an Immersive Spectacle

Radiohead has launched "Motion Picture House," an immersive audiovisual installation at Brooklyn Navy Yards in New York, on view through June. The exhibition draws from the band's albums *Kid A* (2000) and *Amnesiac* (2001), featuring glitching televisions, cryptic posters, stick-figure sculptures, and alien landscapes. It culminates in a 75-minute film, *KID A MNESIA*, directed by Sean Evans, originally released in 2021. The show debuted at Coachella Festival and will travel to Chicago, Mexico City, and San Francisco through early 2027.

Researchers Identify Enslaved Boy in Joshua Reynolds Painting

Researchers in the U.K. have identified the enslaved boy depicted in Joshua Reynolds's 1748 painting of Royal Navy lieutenant Paul Henry Ourry. For centuries known only as "Jersey," the boy has been identified as George Walker, also called Boston Jersey, through baptismal and admiralty records. Walker was baptized at age 15 in Westminster in 1752, served on HMS Monmouth and HMS Deptford, and was discharged in 1753, after which his fate remains unknown. The research, a collaboration between the National Trust, the National Gallery in London, and Royal Museums Greenwich, also used scientific analysis to reveal Reynolds's original compositional intentions.

A Londra si allestisce un’installazione di Christo e Jeanne-Claude che non si era mai vista prima

An unprecedented installation by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, titled "Air Package on a Ceiling," is being exhibited for the first time at Gagosian's Grosvenor Hill space in London, opening May 21, 2026. The work was originally conceived in 1968 for the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia but never realized due to technical constraints. It was rediscovered in 2018 when Lorenza Giovanelli, Christo's former studio manager, found a detailed scale model hidden inside a pedestal. The exhibition also includes early works such as "Wrapped Automobile—Volvo, Model PV-544" (1981), not seen in thirty years, alongside preparatory drawings and collages.

Ed Ruscha | A Particular Kind Of Heaven (1983) | Art & Prints

Ed Ruscha's 1983 work "A Particular Kind Of Heaven" is being offered at auction through Tate Ward, with current bidding at £100. The piece is an exhibition poster from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, measuring 61 x 92 cm, and is part of Tate Ward's Urban and Contemporary Art London sale. The listing also shows multiple other Ruscha works available from various sellers, including posters and prints from EHC Fine Art Auction, Blond Contemporary, and Baldwin.

Richard Lewer Wins 2026 Archibald Prize

The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) named Richard Lewer the winner of the 2026 Archibald Prize on May 8. Lewer, a New Zealand-born, Melbourne-based artist and six-time finalist, won the AU$100,000 prize for his life-size portrait of Pitjantjatjara elder, senior artist, and traditional healer Iluwanti Ken. The jury of AGNSW trustees selected the work unanimously from 59 finalists culled from 1,034 entries. Additional prizes were awarded: Gaypalani Waṉambi won the Wynne Prize for The Waṉambi tree, Lucy Culliton won the Sulman Prize for Toolah, artist model, and Sean Layh won the Packing Room Prize for his portrait of actor Jacob Collins.

More than 70 Venice Biennale artists withdraw from awards

More than 70 artists participating in the 2025 Venice Biennale have withdrawn from consideration for the Golden Lion awards, which this year will be decided by public vote. The artists, including Walid Raad, Laurie Anderson, and Yto Barrada, signed a statement published on e-flux on May 9, withdrawing in solidarity with the entire prize jury that resigned last month over a dispute regarding the participation of Israel and Russia. The Biennale management replaced the traditional jury-selected awards with a new "Visitor Lion" system where ticket holders can vote, but the Biennale has acknowledged that if any of the withdrawing artists win, they will not collect the award.

Here’s Why the Venice Biennale Main Show Lost One Artist During the Planning Stages

The Venice Biennale's main exhibition, curated by the late Koyo Kouoh, originally included 111 artists when announced in February, but now lists only 110. ARTnews reveals that the removed artist is Bodys Isek Kingelez, a Congolese sculptor known for his colorful cardboard "extreme maquettes" of fantastical cities. A Biennale spokesperson stated that works initially considered for Kingelez were ultimately unavailable. Kingelez, who died in 2015, was to be one of the few deceased artists in the show, alongside figures like Marcel Duchamp and Issa Samb.

Wyeth-Centric Brandywine Museum Will Be Transformed by Kengo Kuma & Associates

The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, has selected Tokyo-based architecture firm Kengo Kuma & Associates to lead a $100 million transformation of its campus. The project will expand the current 15-acre site into a 325-acre public preserve and garden with ten miles of trails, including a new 40,000-square-foot freestanding museum and a renovation of the existing 19th-century grist mill building. Kengo Kuma will add 14,000 square feet of gallery space, and the new trails will connect the two museums to the original studios of N. C. Wyeth and Andrew Wyeth.

Rare Early Basquiat Works Return to Brooklyn After HBCU Tour

An intimate collection of early Jean-Michel Basquiat works and ephemera, titled "Our Friend, Jean," is returning to Brooklyn's The Bishop Gallery starting May 16, 2026. The exhibition draws primarily from the archive of Alexis Adler, Basquiat's former roommate and partner from 1979–80, and includes paintings on sweatshirts, postcards, writings, and photographs Adler took of the artist. Originally presented in 2019, the show traveled to six historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) between 2022 and 2024, attracting 10,000 visitors and involving students in the installation process.

Serpentine to stage major solo exhibition by Amar Kanwar

Serpentine has announced a major solo exhibition by Amar Kanwar, opening at Serpentine North on 23 September 2026 and running until 31 January 2027. The show will feature landmark works from Kanwar's career, including the feature-length film *Such a Morning* (2017), the seven-screen installation *The Peacock's Graveyard* (2023), and the world premiere of a new multi-screen work, *The Charcoal Man* (2026), commissioned by Serpentine. Kanwar, based in New Delhi, is known for poetic, politically charged moving-image works that explore decolonisation, the Partition of India and Pakistan, displacement, violence, justice, ecology, and memory.

As old HQ comes down, Best Products’ design legacy is highlighted in Branch Museum exhibit

The Branch Museum of Design in Richmond has opened 'Imagining Best Products,' an exhibition exploring the architectural and graphic design legacy of the former retailer Best Products. The show, curated by architect Don O’Keefe with Harvard Graduate School of Design students, features original drawings by James Wines, items from a 1979 MoMA exhibition, and building models. It coincides with the demolition of Best Products' old headquarters in Henrico, which is being razed for a new arena-anchored development, though the timing is coincidental.

Banksy’s Venice mural has been restored and will now tour city

A Banksy mural titled "Migrant Child," originally sprayed onto a 17th-century palazzo in Venice in 2019, has been restored and will tour the city's canals this weekend. The work, which depicts a child holding a flare and wearing a life vest, was removed from the Palazzo San Pantalon after six years of neglect and environmental damage had caused about a third of it to deteriorate. The restoration was funded by Banca Ifis, which purchased the palazzo in 2024 and commissioned Zaha Hadid Architects for the building's renovation. The conservation was supervised by Federico Borgogni, who previously oversaw the removal of another Banksy work in Bristol.

« La Boule » de Villeroy & Boch : l’art explosif et pop du pique-nique

Villeroy & Boch, the historic German porcelain manufacturer founded in 1748, launched "La Boule" ("Die Kugel") in 1971—a stackable 19-piece porcelain dinner service for four that compacts into a colorful decorative sphere. Designed by Helen von Boch, the eighth-generation family director, the set was part of a pop-design wave and came in original color variants that have since become collectors' items. The article also highlights related designs like the "La Bomba" picnic cutlery set (1968) and melamine set (1972), both held by MoMA, and notes Villeroy & Boch's collaborations with artists such as Keith Haring, Paloma Picasso, and Luigi Colani.

Polish pavilion at Venice Biennale explores fluidity of language with film recorded underwater

Poland's entry for the 2024 Venice Biennale, titled *Liquid Tongues*, is an audio-video installation by artists Bogna Burska and Daniel Kotowski. The work centers on a performance by the Chór w Ruchu (Choir in Motion), which includes both hearing and deaf performers, with much of the content filmed underwater in a Warsaw swimming pool. Presented across two screens in the Polish pavilion, the installation draws inspiration from whale song to explore alternative modes of communication, using spoken English and International Sign. The project builds on a previous performance at Warsaw's Zachęta National Gallery of Art and was developed in close collaboration with curators Ewa Chomicka and Jolanta Woszczenko.

Comment | We must avoid amputating art in the name of preservation

The article recounts the author's experience viewing Caravaggio's *Seven Acts of Mercy* (1607) in its original chapel in Naples, where the painting's crowded, dramatic composition directly mirrors the chaotic streets of the city, revealing its sacred meaning through context. In contrast, the author describes Caravaggio's *Flagellation of Christ* (1607), moved from the church of San Domenico Maggiore to the Museo di Capodimonte for security reasons, as a painting "marooned"—its spiritual purpose broken, reduced to a mere object for aesthetic appreciation.

A Poetic and Material Institutional Critique: Gala Porras-Kim at kurimanzutto and the Venice Biennale

UNA CRÍTICA INSTITUCIONAL POÉTICA Y MATERIAL: GALA PORRAS-KIM EN KURIMANZUTTO Y LA BIENAL DE VENECIA

Colombian artist Gala Porras-Kim presents her first solo exhibition at kurimanzutto gallery in Mexico City, titled "Espacios del futuro replican los del pasado" (2026), alongside her participation in the 2026 Venice Biennale. The show critically examines how museum conservation protocols transform objects by detaching them from their original material, ritual, and spiritual contexts. Central to the exhibition is "The Motion of an Alluvial Record" (2024), a greenhouse that recreates the humidity and temperature of Yucatecan mangroves, allowing clay and sediment to shift continuously, resisting the linear, stratified time of Western archives and evoking cyclical Maya cosmologies. Another series, "Uprooted" (2026), reproduces fragments of looted Teotihuacan murals from Techinantitla, now held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Ethnological Museum of Berlin, reinstalling them near the floor to restore their original architectural scale and orientation.

Marcel Duchamp Is Stripped Bare at MoMA

The Museum of Modern Art in New York has opened "Marcel Duchamp," the first retrospective of the artist on this continent in over 50 years. Curated by Ann Temkin, Michelle Kuo, and Matthew Affron, the exhibition is organized strictly chronologically and features Duchamp's most famous works—including his revolutionary readymades like *Fountain* (1917) and *Bicycle Wheel* (1913)—often shown only in photographic reproduction or as later refabricated copies, replicas, and miniatures from his *Box in a Valise* series. The show highlights how Duchamp's original objects have been lost or dematerialized, forcing viewers to confront the very definition of an artwork.

Latino community organisation opens $33m arts centre in Boston

On 15 May, Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA), a Latino-founded nonprofit community development corporation, will open La Casa, a $33 million, 26,000-square-foot cultural center in Boston's South End. The largest Latino cultural center in New England, La Casa is designed by local firms Studio Enée and Annum Architects and features a terracotta-colored facade, energy-efficient design, and flexible spaces for civic engagement, education, and artistic expression. Initial programming includes artist residencies, workshops, and a mural by local artist Alvin “Acóma” Colon honoring Boston’s Puerto Rican residents. The building incorporates salvaged elements from the original turn-of-the-century Lutheran church that IBA repurposed in the 1960s.

Venice Biennale Artists Decline Consideration for Golden Lions Chosen by Public Vote

Nearly half of the artists in the main exhibition of the Venice Biennale have signed a statement declining consideration for the Golden Lion awards, in solidarity with the jury that resigned last month. The statement, published by e-flux, includes prominent names such as Alfredo Jaar, Tuan Andrew Nguyen, Otobong Nkanga, and Walid Raad, as well as national pavilion representatives from France, Lithuania, and the Netherlands. The Biennale had planned to replace the jury-selected Golden Lions with "Visitor Lions" decided by public vote, but the artists' refusal marks an unprecedented protest within the exhibition.

In This Nazi-Era Restitution Dispute, the Focus Turns to a Missing Cow

A family is seeking restitution of a painting they believe is a lost Rubens work, looted by Nazis during World War II. However, an expert has cast doubt on the claim, arguing the painting is a copy because it lacks a distinctive detail found in the original: a urinating cow. The dispute has shifted focus to this missing element, complicating the family's efforts to recover the artwork.

Musée d’Orsay opens gallery dedicated to still-unclaimed works stolen by Nazis in WWII

The Musée d'Orsay in Paris has opened a permanent gallery dedicated to artworks believed to have been looted by the Nazis from Jewish owners during World War II, but whose rightful owners have not been identified. The exhibition, titled "Who owns these works?", features a rotating selection of 225 such pieces held by the museum, with twelve paintings and one sculpture currently on display. Works by Renoir, Degas, Rodin, and Alfred Stevens are included, alongside provenance research detailing their murky histories—such as a Degas ballroom scene acquired by a Jewish collector later murdered at Auschwitz.

Exhibition | Carol Rama, 'I See You You See Me' at Hauser & Wirth, New York, 22nd Street

Hauser & Wirth’s New York gallery on 22nd Street has opened ‘I See You You See Me’, its first exhibition dedicated to the radical Italian artist Carol Rama (1918–2015). Organized by Carlo Knoell, the show presents key works spanning six decades—from 1947 to 1998—across paint, textile, sculpture, and bricolage, highlighting Rama’s wildly original and non-conformist experimentation.

Discover the Architecture of LACMA’s David Geffen Galleries at These Free Workshops with AIA Los Angeles

LACMA's new David Geffen Galleries, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor, are now open to the public. The building features a single-floor, sculptural form made of architectural concrete and glass, with natural light and transparency that encourages visitors to explore 6,000 years of art and culture. In collaboration with the American Institute of Architects Los Angeles, LACMA is hosting a series of free workshops on May 15-17, including guided walks, drawing sessions, and landscape tours, to help visitors engage with the building's architecture and design.

Not-to-miss exhibitions in Italy — May 2026

May 2026 brings a packed calendar of exhibitions across Italy, ranging from independent galleries to major museums. Highlights include Igor Grubić's early works at Laveronica Gallery in Modica, a photographic exhibition by Lisetta Carmi at Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria in Perugia, thematic investigations into Ettore Sottsass in Pistoia, Larry Nederlof's solo show at Extra Factory in Livorno, and an archaeological exhibition titled "Parthenope. The Siren and the City" at the National Archaeological Museum. The article also provides practical tips for visitors, such as checking opening times, booking tickets online, and planning transport.

Smithsonian’s First Major Exhibit Of African LGBTQ+ Art On Display Through August

The National Museum of African Art, part of the Smithsonian Institution, has opened "Here: Pride and Belonging in African Art," its first major exhibition dedicated to African LGBTQ+ art. Featuring 60 works by artists from over a dozen countries across Africa and its diaspora, the show includes paintings, sculptures, textiles, photography, film, and video. Co-curated by Serubiri Moses and Kevin D. Dumouchelle, the exhibition highlights collaboration, joy, and lived experience, with artists such as Zanele Muholi, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Jim Chuchu, Ṣọlá Olúlòde, and Leilah Babirye. Originally scheduled to open in May 2025 to coincide with WorldPride in Washington, the exhibition was postponed to January 2026 due to a Smithsonian budget situation, but ultimately opened as planned.

Au musée de l’Image d’Épinal, les talents multiples de Frans Masereel, entre autres inventeur du roman graphique

The Musée de l'Image d'Épinal is presenting a comprehensive exhibition on Belgian artist Frans Masereel (1889–1972), widely credited as the inventor of the graphic novel in 1918 with his wordless narratives composed of black-and-white woodcuts. The show, curated by Samuel Dégardin, brings together loans from major institutions and a private collection to reveal the full breadth of Masereel's practice, which spanned drawing, animation, painting, theater, ceramics, tapestry, and satirical press illustration. It highlights his pacifist activism during World War I, his collaborations with writers such as Stefan Zweig and Romain Rolland, and his humanist vision of a unified Europe.

The Founders of Open Restitution Africa (ORA) on Their New Open Data Platform

On March 31, the research initiative Open Restitution Africa (ORA) launched the ORA Open Data Platform, a database providing information on the restitution of African artifacts and ancestral remains. Developed over six years by ORA’s all-woman, pan-African team, the site uses case histories and AI-powered tools to offer practical insights into the return process, available in French and English. It presents 25 case histories spanning 200 years, using data visualizations, essays, and interactive tools to help individuals and communities develop their own restitution strategies. ARTnews interviewed founders Chao Tayiana Maina and Molemo Moiloa about the project's origins and goals.

S&M-inspired Greek Pavilion in Venice confronts its fascist chains

The Greek Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, titled "Grecia" and conceived as a drag artist, presents an S&M-inspired installation by artist and architect Andreas Angelidakis. The immersive space features a red neon-lit floor, soft sculptures resembling beanbags, fragmented marble columns wrapped in chains, and souvenirs bearing images of queer artists and the late activist Zak Kostopoulos (Zackie Oh). The pavilion aims to deconstruct the idea of a fixed national identity, exploring themes of queerness, fascism, and historical trauma.