Art News. Vasari Codex

museum exhibitions schedule May 12, 2026 visibility 6 link 1 artist

The British Museum Is Recreating the Bayeux Tapestry’s Medieval Woodland

The British Museum is installing a temporary woodland installation called "Tapestry of Trees" in its forecourt from May 16 to June 2, evoking the 11th-century English landscape depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry. Designed by garden designer Andy Sturgeon, the installation features 37 silver birch trees and planters with dyed hessian wraps matching the tapestry's colors, alongside woodland species like Guelder Rose and Foxglove. It launches public programming ahead of the tapestry's historic loan from France, which will be displayed in a blockbuster exhibition on the Norman Conquest starting in September.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule May 12, 2026 visibility 5 link 8 artists, 2 galleries

À Marseille, la nouvelle saison culturelle Méditerranée s’ouvre avec deux semaines de festivités

France's new cultural season, "Saison Méditerranée," launches on May 15, 2026, in Marseille with two weeks of festivities running through May 24. Organized by the Institut français and announced by President Emmanuel Macron in 2023, it is the first season to focus on an entire region—the Mediterranean and its 21 bordering countries—rather than a single nation. The program includes exhibitions at venues like the [mac], the Vieille Charité, and the Friche la Belle de Mai, featuring artists such as Louisa Babari, Adrien Vescovi, Zineb Sedira, Mona Benyamin, and Abdessamad El Montassir. Highlights also include the inauguration of the transformed Citadelle de Marseille with works by Saber Zammouri and Hugo Mir-Valette, a performance by Mohamed El Khatib at the Mucem, and a concert by Sofiane Saidi and Camélia Jordana. The season continues across France until October, with a major project by Mohamed Bourouissa at the Grand Palais in Paris.

newspaper Beaux Arts Magazine open_in_new Read original

article policy schedule May 13, 2026 visibility 3 link 1 artist

French Parliament Accuses Louvre of Prioritizing ‘Prestige And Influence’ Over Security Prior to Jewel Heist

French MPs Alexis Corbière and Alexandre Portier have released a parliamentary report accusing the Louvre of prioritizing "prestige and influence" over security, leading to a brazen jewel heist on October 19, 2025. Thieves entered the museum in broad daylight and stole nine pieces of jewelry worth an estimated $102 million in under eight minutes. The report, based on over 20 hearings with 100 insiders, reveals that security had been "relegated to the background" despite audits in 2017 and 2019, and that a Security Equipment Master Plan from 2019 was not implemented in time by former director Jean-Luc Martinez. The report also casts doubt on President Emmanuel Macron's nearly $1 billion renovation plan for the Louvre, announced nine months before the heist.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

gavel restitution schedule May 7, 2026 visibility 9

France Passes Law Easing Process of Returning Looted Art

France has passed a new law that simplifies the process of returning looted art and cultural artifacts to their countries of origin. The legislation, championed by President Emmanuel Macron, is seen as a major step in addressing colonial-era acquisitions, particularly for African artworks held in French museums. Experts describe the law as a seismic shift in restitution policy, enabling faster and more systematic returns without requiring individual parliamentary approvals for each item.

newspaper New York Times Art open_in_new Read original