Maurizio Cattelan Opens Up About Sin, Silence, and Stealing: ‘I’m Guilty Too’

Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan directed the Renaissance Society’s annual benefit gala, titled "The Silent Party!", held at the Chicago Athletic Club during the week of Expo Chicago. The event subverted traditional gala expectations by requiring guests to remain silent for two hours, communicating only via handwritten notes while navigating a labyrinth of performances. The evening featured contributions from artists including Jacob Ryan Renolds, Davide Balula, and Isabelle Frances McGuire, culminating in a dinner that raised approximately $600,000 for the non-profit institution.

Outgoing MCA Chicago Director Madeleine Grynsztejn Offers the Consummate Insider’s Guide to the Windy City

vet sothebys gagosian book history art market

Valentina Castellani, a veteran of Sotheby’s and Gagosian, is releasing a new book titled 'Trading Beauty: Art Market Histories from the Altar to the Gallery'. The publication aims to fill a pedagogical gap Castellani discovered while teaching at New York University, providing a comprehensive chronological overview of the art market from the Renaissance to the post-pandemic era. Published by Gagosian and distributed by Rizzoli, the book features a cover by Maurizio Cattelan and an introduction by Massimiliano Gioni.

Why Contemporary Artists Are Raiding the Renaissance Toolkit

Three contemporary artists—Alison Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Bühler-Rose, and Nick Doyle—are reviving the Renaissance woodworking techniques of intarsia and marquetry in their current exhibitions. Taylor is showing marquetry hybrid paintings at Jessica Silverman Gallery in San Francisco, Bühler-Rose is presenting a solo booth with Stems Gallery at Independent, and Doyle is also participating in the trend. Their work draws inspiration from the Gubbio Studiolo at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a 15th-century trompe-l'œil room that exemplifies the decorative inlay tradition.

14 Must-See Museum Shows in New York This Spring

New York museums are launching a significant slate of spring exhibitions, featuring major retrospectives and thematic surveys. Highlights include "Noguchi's New York" at the Noguchi Museum, exploring the sculptor's unrealized urban projects; "Raphael: Sublime Poetry" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a comprehensive look at the Renaissance master; and "Gothic by Design: The Dawn of Architectural Draftsmanship," also at the Met, focusing on medieval architectural drawings.

diego marcon

Diego Marcon, a Milan-based artist working primarily in moving image, is gaining international attention for his unsettling and emotionally charged video installations. His work *Fritz* (2023), featuring a computer-generated boy slowly dangling from a noose while singing, exemplifies his method of dissecting genre cinema through animation, prosthetics, and pop culture references. Marcon has been featured in major exhibitions including the 59th Venice Biennale (2022), Fondazione Between Art and Film in Venice, and Kunsthalle Basel, with a new commission *Krapfen* touring internationally after premiering at the Renaissance Society in Chicago. His upcoming solo exhibition at the Consortium Museum in Dijon opens December 5, 2025.

behind the scenes at chicagos art week with gallerist daisy sanchez

Chicago's annual art week unfolded with gallerist Daisy Sanchez documenting the scene for Artnet News's 'Wet Paint in the Wild' column. Sanchez, who recently co-opened Hans Goodrich gallery with Peter Anastos, attended the Renaissance Society's annual benefit, EXPO Chicago, and after-parties. The week featured artists including Joanne Greenbaum, Leah Ke Yi Zhang, B. Ingrid Olsen, and Isabelle Frances McGuire, with appearances by curators Myriam Ben Salah, Karsten Lund, and Giampaolo Bianconi, among others.

diego marcon video art star new museum uncanny

Diego Marcon, an Italian video artist known for his uncanny and meticulously crafted films, is gaining significant attention in the United States. He recently had his first American solo show at the Renaissance Society in Chicago and is preparing for another at the New Museum in New York. His work, such as the video "La Gola" (2024), features hyper-realistic, inanimate busts with animated eyes that speak about bodily experiences, blending narrative with structuralist film techniques. Marcon's films often explore family dynamics and the materiality of film, creating dreamlike experiences that haunt viewers.

leah ke yi zheng painting new talent

Leah Ke Yi Zheng, a Chinese-born artist who initially pursued law and business before committing to art, is gaining significant recognition. She opened her second solo exhibition with Mendes Wood DM in New York in January and is preparing upcoming shows in Vienna and at the Renaissance Society in Chicago. Zheng's paintings use Chinese silk on custom wooden stretchers, often irregularly shaped, blending traditional Chinese materials with Western avant-garde formal provocations. Her work explores themes of spirituality and interrupts the data-saturated modern experience, often depicting mechanical devices like fusees from antique clocks or abstract compositions inspired by the I Ching.

us museum shows exhibitions 2026

Artnet News has published a preview of major museum exhibitions scheduled across the United States in 2026, highlighting five standout shows. These include "Renaissance to Runway: The Enduring Italian Houses" at the Cleveland Museum of Art, which examines the intersection of fashion and art from the Renaissance to today; "The One-Two Punch: 100 Years of Robert Colescott" at the Tacoma Art Museum, celebrating the centenary of the artist known for his provocative figurative paintings; "Containing Multitudes" at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, a photography exhibition marking America's 250th year; and "Frida: The Making of an Icon" at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, focusing on Frida Kahlo's enduring legacy.

Art and Springtime in Upstate NY

This regional update highlights a diverse array of developments, ranging from the seasonal art circuit in Upstate New York to significant human rights actions. Lebanese artist Ali Cherri, a former Venice Biennale Silver Lion winner, has filed a formal war crimes complaint against Israel following a strike in Beirut that killed his parents. Simultaneously, a new report reveals systemic staffing crises within POC-led arts organizations in the Northeast, where over a third of institutions operate without a single full-time employee.

The Multibillion-Dollar Maneuvers Behind the Met’s Raphael Show

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has opened “Raphael: Sublime Poetry,” the largest survey dedicated to the Renaissance master in the U.S., featuring 33 paintings and 142 works on paper. The exhibition includes loans from 60 public institutions across 11 countries, as well as private loans from billionaire Leon Black, and the estimated aggregate value of the art on view is in the billions of dollars. Curated by Carmen Bambach, the show took eight years to organize and follows her previous triumphs on Leonardo and Michelangelo.

One of Donatello’s most important bronze statues is being restored: should it ever be shown outdoors again?

Donatello's monumental 1453 bronze equestrian statue, Gattamelata, has been moved from its outdoor plinth in Padua to a nearby indoor hall for a major €1 million restoration. This marks only the third time the statue has been moved indoors in nearly 600 years, prompted by severe corrosion known as "bronze cancer" and structural concerns about its stone pedestal. The restoration is funded by two American non-profit organizations, Friends of Florence and Save Venice.

Raphael Met Museum Retrospective Review

raphael met museum retrospective review

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has launched "Raphael: Sublime Poetry," the first major retrospective of the Renaissance master ever staged in the United States. Curated by Carmen C. Bambach, the exhibition features 237 works, including rare loans of drawings and monumental tapestries that have not left Madrid since the 16th century. While some of his most famous paintings remain in Europe, the show provides an exhaustive look at the artist's development from a teenage prodigy to a papal favorite.

re air why no one trusts art prices anymore

Artnet News revisits a podcast episode featuring editor-in-chief Naomi Rea, who examines the breakdown of traditional art pricing logic amid a cooling market. The episode explores how the rules that once governed art valuation have eroded, leaving dealers, advisors, and collectors struggling to navigate a market described as being in a "danger zone." Rea discusses how mega-galleries, emerging dealers, and advisors are quietly recalibrating their strategies as speculation dries up and confidence wanes.

roman sculpture

This article explores the rediscovery of Roman sculpture during the Renaissance and its profound influence on artists like Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci. It details how Roman sculptors, inspired by Greek methods after the conquest of Greece in 146 B.C.E., created highly realistic works that served both artistic and political purposes, glorifying emperors and reinforcing imperial power. The piece highlights six iconic Roman sculptures—including the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, the Colossus of Constantine, Trajan's Column, and the Augustus of Prima Porta—describing their historical context, artistic features, and enduring legacy.

patrizia sandretto re rebaudengo new museum commissions

Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, a top European art collector and founder of a Turin-based foundation, is partnering with New York's New Museum for a series of commissions. The first commission will be realized by Italian artist Diego Marcon, known for his uncanny videos, with his work titled 'Krapfen'—a musical dance film blending American animation and Italian opera. The New Museum, currently undergoing a renovation and expansion with a seven-story annex, is set to reopen this fall. 'Krapfen' was also co-commissioned by Chicago's Renaissance Society, Paris's Lafayette Anticipations, and the Vega Foundation, run by Canadian collector Elisa Nuyten, and will debut at the Renaissance Society before its New Museum run.

the art angle canyon art basel adrien brody

The Art Angle podcast team reviews three major art stories from June. First, Canyon, a new museum-like venue dedicated to immersive video art, has been announced for New York's Lower East Side. Second, the team discusses the outcomes of Art Basel in Switzerland, the art world's most important fair, and ongoing volatility in art pricing. Third, they examine the buzz—and mockery—surrounding Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody's painting exhibition in New York City. Culture editor Min Chen joins host Ben Davis and senior editor Kate Brown to analyze these developments.

berruguete restoration altarpiece

The Museum of Fine Arts in Bilbao has completed a restoration of Pedro Berruguete's *The Annunciation* (1485–1490), a painting that once formed part of an altarpiece likely for a church in Palencia, Spain. The work, on a five-year loan from the Arburu collection, had suffered from cracks, dirt, and oxidized varnish over centuries. Two specialists—Elisa Mora Sánchez for the paint layer and Mayte Camino Martín for the gilding—cleaned, repaired, and re-gilded the panel, revealing Berruguete's blend of Italian Renaissance, Flemish, and Castilian Gothic influences.

leonardo da vinci existing paintings ranked

Artnet News has published a ranking of Leonardo da Vinci's surviving paintings, focusing on completed, stand-alone works and excluding frescos like *The Last Supper* and unfinished pieces. The article evaluates paintings such as *Annunciation* (c. 1472–76), *Madonna of the Carnation* (1478–80), and *Ginevra de' Benci* (c. 1474–78), considering factors like attribution certainty, historical context, and unique traits—for instance, *Ginevra de' Benci* is the only Leonardo painting in a public collection in the Americas.

why did leonardo and michelangelo have beef

Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, two of history's most celebrated artists, had a well-documented rivalry rooted in competition for commissions, class differences, and artistic disagreements. Their first known encounter occurred when Leonardo served on a committee deciding the placement of Michelangelo's *David* (1501), where Leonardo reportedly mocked the sculpture by sketching it as the sea god Neptune. Their rivalry escalated when both were commissioned to paint opposing murals in Florence's Salone dei Cinquecento—Leonardo's *Battle of Anghiari* and Michelangelo's *Battle of Cascina*—neither of which was completed. The artists traded insults over the years, with Michelangelo criticizing Leonardo's view of sculpture as inferior to painting, and Leonardo deriding Michelangelo's muscular figures as resembling "a bag of walnuts."

lawrence watson oasis paul weller photographer print sale

Lawrence Watson, a British music photographer who has captured icons like David Bowie, Morrissey, Oasis, and Run-D.M.C. over four decades, is releasing exclusive signed prints through the platform Print Matters. The collection includes previously unseen images of David Bowie, Pulp, the Clash, and Oasis, with prices starting at £575 ($762). Twenty percent of net sales will benefit the mental health charity Rethink Mental Illness. Watson's career began in 1988 when Paul Weller chose his black-and-white photos for the Style Council's album 'Confessions of a Pop Group,' leading to a long collaboration.

The Met’s blockbuster Raphael exhibition looks beyond the artist’s idealised Madonnas

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has opened "Raphael: Sublime Poetry," the first comprehensive exhibition of the Renaissance master in the United States. The ambitious show gathers 237 works, including 33 paintings and 142 drawings, spanning Raphael's entire career and featuring major loans like *The Alba Madonna* from the National Gallery of Art in Washington and *Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione* from the Louvre.

art expo chicago gallery show guide

Cultured magazine has published a gallery show guide for Expo Chicago, highlighting seven must-see exhibitions across the city during the fair. The guide features Oren Pinhassi's towering sculptures at The Arts Club of Chicago, Gaylen Gerber's object-identity works at Hans Goodrich's new space, Liliana Porter's found-object pieces at Secrist Beach, Nate Millstein's industrial ceramic sculptures at Weatherproof, and Leah Ke Yi Zheng's 64-painting series inspired by the I Ching at the Renaissance Society. The article also notes the concurrent group show "Unreal" at Secrist Beach and the artist-run nature of Weatherproof, led by Young Dealers Milo Christie and Sam Dybeck.

Tuan Vu Paints Vietnam Through the Haze of Memory and Imagination

Self-taught Vietnamese artist Tuan Vu presents his solo exhibition "Annam" at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery in Berlin, featuring paintings that blend memory, imagination, and history. The show includes works such as *Tranquil South* (2026), *A Usual Day* (2026), and *The Official Portrait* (2026), which explore Vu's childhood recollections of Vietnam and the country's colonial past. Vu, who relocated from Ho Chi Minh City to Quebec, Canada, for his studies and now resides there, uses the exhibition's title to reference the term used for Vietnam during Chinese and French colonial periods, highlighting the distance and interpretive nature of memory.

re air the rise of the red chip art world

Artnet News re-airs an episode on "red chip art," a phenomenon characterized by Cybertrucks, crypto wallets, and artists like KAWS, MSCHF, and Daniel Arsham. The episode is prompted by actor Adrien Brody's solo exhibition "Made in America" at Eden Gallery in New York, featuring mixed-media paintings of Marilyn Monroe, Basquiat-inspired motifs, and interactive elements like audience chewing gum on the wall. Brody's show exemplifies the red chip art world's blend of celebrity, commerce, and spectacle.

Raymond Pettibon, Chris Johanson | You're Not Worth Much (Hand Signed by Raymond Pettib… (2017) | For Sale

This article is a sales listing for a collaborative artwork by Raymond Pettibon and Chris Johanson, titled "You're Not Worth Much" (2017), hand-signed by Pettibon. The listing includes a biography of Pettibon, detailing his career, exhibitions, and gallery representation by David Zwirner, as well as his influences and major museum shows.

The Best Art Exhibitions To Visit In Hong Kong This May

This article highlights three art exhibitions in Hong Kong for May 2026. 'Seeds of Wishes' at JPS Gallery features black-and-white and colorful drawings by thirteen-year-old artist Yat Long, created after his diagnosis with a life-threatening disease, with a related CASETiFY phone case collection. 'Dial-A-Poem Hong Kong' at M+ presents an interactive installation based on John Giorno's 1969 project, offering newly recorded poems in Cantonese, English, and Mandarin by thirty local poets. 'Fallen Angels' at Hauser & Wirth showcases Nicole Eisenman's paintings and sculptures exploring middle-class life, departing from her usual crowded scenes.

Leah Ki Yi Zheng’s Personal I Ching

Artist Leah Ke Yi Zheng's exhibition "Change, I Ching (64 Paintings)" at the Renaissance Society in Chicago presents a series of oil and acrylic paintings on silk, each depicting one of the 64 hexagrams from the ancient Chinese divination text, the I Ching. The artist physically altered the gallery's architecture to control light and create a specific viewing rhythm, synthesizing materials and techniques from Chinese ink painting traditions with Western geometric abstraction and oil painting.

Art in Chicago: A Guide for Collectors, Curators and the Curious

This article introduces a comprehensive guide to Chicago's art world, published by a local outlet. The guide features multiple sections exploring the city's art history, key institutions, and lesser-known venues, including feature stories on the Hyde Park Art Center, the Arts Club of Chicago, the National Museum of Mexican Art, the South Side Community Art Center, the Renaissance Society, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. It also includes a massive 22-page "Art Geography" directory of museums, nonprofits, galleries, and alternative spaces, written by seasoned art critics. The editor, Brian Hieggelke, acknowledges the daunting task of covering a hometown art scene after forty years, but aims to provide both a resource for newcomers and fresh insights for longtime locals.