Corals as Living Geology. In Conversation with Julian Charrière by Timothée Chaillou

Julian Charrière has created two new bodies of work, *Chorals* (2025) and *Veils* (2025), in collaboration with Maison Ruinart. The projects are inspired by the Lutetian Sea, which submerged the Champagne region 45 million years ago, and explore themes of deep time, climate change, and the interconnectedness of organic and mineral life. *Chorals* is a permanent sound installation in Ruinart's cellars in Reims, featuring amplified recordings of ocean reefs, while *Veils* comprises wall works and sculptures centered on corals and fading coral imagery. The works travel to art fairs as preludes to the permanent installation.

Modern art museum opens with a big gala and big art

The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) opened in Virginia Beach with a sold-out gala, featuring an inaugural exhibition by New York-based abstract artist Nina Chanel Abney titled "The Pursuit of Happiness." The new museum, located on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan University off I-64, offers a more accessible location than its previous oceanfront site, with 20 percent more gallery space and a 28-foot painting that allows visitors to feel immersed in the art.

Curator Adriana Farietta On Why CONDUCTOR Is the Fair the Art World Needs Right Now

CONDUCTOR, a new art fair curated by Adriana Farietta in collaboration with Powerhouse Arts, launches this week in Brooklyn, New York. The fair features individual artists and galleries from Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Oceania, and Indigenous Nations, with a focus on the Global Majority. A key innovation is its onsite fabrication model, allowing some works to be produced locally at Powerhouse Arts' facilities, reducing shipping and customs issues. The fair also offers an exclusive preview of artists presenting at the Venice Biennale, including Annalee Davis, Tammy Nguyen, RojoNegro, Beya Gille Gacha, and Bugarin + Castle.

Reston Art Gallery Presents its May Exhibit “ Down the Shore ” by Pat Macintyre

Reston Art Gallery and Studios (RAGS) in Reston, Virginia, is presenting its May exhibition titled “Down the Shore,” featuring acrylic paintings by gallery director and artist Pat Macintyre. The show depicts coastal scenes from the Eastern Shore, Isle of Wight Bay, and Ocean City, including images of rural villages and large shells on pale canvases. A reception will be held on May 10 from 2-4pm, and the exhibit runs through May 31.

In Venice, an Ocean-Inspired Exhibition Takes Visitors Under the Sea

An ocean-inspired exhibition titled "Ocean Space" has opened inside a former convent on an island in Venice, featuring immersive artworks that invite visitors to explore the depths of the sea and expand their sense of self. The show includes installations by contemporary artists that use sound, light, and sculpture to evoke underwater environments and marine life.

'Ocean of Peace' Micronesian art exhibition opens at Honolulu Hale

The Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts, in collaboration with the East-West Center Arts Program, will present 'Ocean of Peace,' a group exhibition featuring seven artists of Micronesian heritage at Honolulu Hale from May 8 to June 11, 2026. The exhibition centers on the 'Ocean of Peace' declaration, a political and cultural framework endorsed at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ meeting in the Solomon Islands in September 2025, which envisions Pacific Island nations as sovereign and free from geopolitical conflict and coercion. Participating artists include James Bamba, Carol Ann Carl, Gillian Duenas, Kalany Omengkar, Anthony Watson, Lissette Yamase, and Manny Crisostomo, exploring themes of Indigenous Pacific knowledge, identity, and storytelling.

New exhibits open during First Friday reception at Ocean City Center for the Arts

The Art League of Ocean City will host its May First Friday reception on May 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Ocean City Center for the Arts. Highlights include Patrick Leib's participatory "Little Free Art Gallery" installation, a new utility box mural by Brandon Bell, and several gallery exhibitions: "Saltwater Taffy" (fiber arts) at the Thaler Gallery, "Flora and Fauna" (juried photography) at the Sisson Gallery, "Celebrating the Year of the Horse" by Joanne Guilfoil and Lynn Yockelson at Studio E, and mosaic works by William Camelio at the Spotlight Gallery. Satellite exhibits are also on view at The Princess Royale and The Coffee Beanery.

Cultural Observatories: Dinosaurs or Subjects Capable of Interpreting the Present?

Osservatori culturali. Dinosauri o soggetti in grado di interpretare il presente?

The Cultural Observatory of Canton Ticino has published a study on cultural observatories worldwide, including a map and list of surveyed organizations. The analysis reveals that cultural observatories are not a global phenomenon but are concentrated mainly in Europe and South America, with occasional presence in North America (especially Canada and Hispanic-oriented organizations in the US). Africa, Asia, and Oceania are almost entirely absent from the map. The study also highlights a high rate of inactive observatories: among the top 10 countries by active observatories, only Germany shows an effective activity ratio. Spain has 26 active observatories out of about 45 total, while Italy has 11 active out of over 20 inactive. The research defines observatories as non-profit organizations that combine cultural and statistical expertise to deepen and transfer knowledge about the cultural sector, and classifies as inactive those with no recent activity on web or social channels.