Form in the Age of Living Materials. Interview with Curator Pablo José Ramírez

LA FORMA EN LA ERA DE LOS MATERIALES VIVOS. ENTREVISTA AL CURADOR PABLO JOSÉ RAMÍREZ

The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles is presenting "Several Eternities in a Day: Form in the Age of Living Materials," an exhibition curated by Pablo José Ramírez running until August 23. Featuring 22 artists from the Americas, the show explores materials such as avocado, cacao, achiote, cochineal, stone, clay, and natural dyes that evolve, degrade, or transform over time. Organized into three acts, the exhibition challenges conventional notions of the art object by treating these materials as living agents with memory and agency, rooted in Indigenous knowledge and the concept of "brownness." In an interview, Ramírez discusses how these materials destabilize extractivist logics and institutional frameworks, forcing a rethinking of conservation protocols and the very conditions of exhibition-making.

Mexican Cultural Workers Denounce Pedro Reyes Sculpture at LACMA

A group of nearly 80 Mexican cultural workers, including artists, critics, and academics, has signed an open letter denouncing the display of Pedro Reyes's sculpture "Tlali" at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The colossal lava stone head, unveiled earlier this month at LACMA's new building, echoes a controversial 2021 public commission by Reyes that was scrapped by Mexico City's government after protests from feminist and Indigenous advocates. The signatories accuse LACMA of ignoring the previous activism against the artist's work in Mexico, calling the museum's decision to legitimize a new version of the polemic sculpture "deceiving." Reyes has not responded to requests for comment.

Khaled Sabsabi: Splintered Worlds

Khaled Sabsabi, a Lebanese Australian artist, explores the intersection of spirituality and perception through video and mixed-media installations rooted in Sufism. His work, such as the 18-minute video *Lefke Morning* (2012–18), captures the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Sufi Order's dawn meditations, using blurred imagery and soundscapes to challenge Islamophobic media tropes and evoke a sense of unity. Sabsabi's practice also draws on hip-hop, which he performed as "Peacefender" in the 1980s, using music to address social issues and support marginalized communities in Western Sydney.

Linocuts by Eduardo Robledo Celebrate Mexican Heritage and Community

Eduardo Robledo, a Mexico City-based artist from Xochimilco, creates detailed linocuts that celebrate Mexican heritage, community, and spiritual motifs. His work features traditional symbols like skulls, skeletons, and Sacred Hearts alongside regional animals and cultural references such as Xochimilco's canal boats. Robledo also engages in social activism through printmaking, viewing it as a democratic medium for spreading messages about causes he supports. His prints are available at Hecho a Mano in Santa Fe, and he co-founded Lugar de Huida, a gallery in Mexico City that highlights Mexican printmakers.

Patti Smith receives Princess of Asturias Award for Arts

Patti Smith erhält Asturien-Preis für Künste

Patti Smith, the 79-year-old American musician and author, has been awarded the Princess of Asturias Award in the Arts category. The Princess of Asturias Foundation in Oviedo, Spain, praised her as the "godmother of punk" who has transcended music to work across poetry, photography, performance art, and video installation, becoming a multidisciplinary and unconventional communicator. Smith first gained fame with her 1975 album "Horses" and remains popular with younger audiences due to her radical sincerity and continued political activism, including criticism of US President Donald Trump. She is the first winner announced this year; the prize includes €50,000 and a replica of a Joan Miró statue, to be presented by King Felipe VI and Crown Princess Leonor in late October.

There are 21 artists supporting the new voyage of the Global Sumud Flotilla that set sail from Sicily with painted sails

Ci sono 21 artisti a sostegno del nuovo viaggio della Global Sumud Flotilla salpata dalla Sicilia con vele dipinte

A new humanitarian mission by the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail on April 26 from Augusta, Sicily, with 59 Italian and Spanish boats heading toward Gaza. The flotilla, which follows a first attempt in September 2025 that ended with activists arrested by the Israeli military, aims to deliver humanitarian aid by early May. Twenty-one artists have joined the initiative, called Vele d'Arte, painting the sails of the boats with symbolic artworks. Among the participating artists are Gio Pistone, Antonio Curcio, Escif, Lydia Giordano, Glenda Costa, Millo, Elia Novecento, MP5, Matteo Todeschini, Alleg, Sam3, Okuda, Antonella Santonocito, Fabrizio Foti, Igor Scalisi Palmiteri, Andrea Sposari, and Salvo Ligama. The project was conceived by Carlo Alberto Giardina, who hopes the energy painted on the sails will transform into positive forces.

Israel Criticizes Venice Biennale Jury over Pavilion’s Exclusion

The international jury of the 61st Venice Biennale has excluded the Israeli and Russian pavilions from consideration for official prizes, citing that countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court will not be eligible. Israel’s foreign ministry condemned the decision as a political boycott, and Israeli representative Belu-Simion Fainaru called it a hostile act that exceeds the jury’s mandate. The Biennale’s president, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, has distanced the institution from the jury’s action, insisting the exhibition remain open to all nations recognized by Italy.

“Queer Art, For and By Queer Artists” student exhibit seeks to build community

Freshman anthropology student Mia Wallen is hosting a student art exhibition titled “Queer Art, For and By Queer Artists” on May 1 at the St. Louis Virtuoso Collective. The show features works in all mediums by queer artists, with proceeds benefiting Trans Housing Initiative St. Louis, a trans-led organization addressing housing injustices. Wallen, who grew up in a small town with little queer community, conceived the exhibit as her final project to combine her passion for art and LGBTQ rights.

Remains of time: Discarded Material Finds New Life As Artwork

Two Indian artists, Manveer Singh (aka Plasticvalla) and Smriti Dixit, are creating artworks from discarded materials to address environmental degradation. Singh transforms multi-layered plastic waste into sculptures inspired by local landscapes and folk traditions, such as a snow leopard for Spiti Valley and a landfill-inspired piece for Delhi. Dixit finds her practice meditative, while other young artists like Anuja Dasgupta and Mrugen Rathod recently exhibited at the 'Sustaina' exhibition using recycled materials like agricultural waste and discarded hotel textiles. Additionally, Tara Lal's Aranyani Pavilion, made from invasive Lantana Camara wood, was displayed at Sunder Nursery to promote forest restoration.

Venice Biennale jury resigns after demanding, in vain, that Israel and Russia be excluded

The jury of the Venice Biennale has resigned after their demand to exclude Israel and Russia from the event was rejected. The jurors had called for the removal of both countries' national pavilions due to ongoing geopolitical conflicts, but the Biennale organizers declined to comply, leading to the mass resignation.

Art Liard Explores Nature’s Fragile Equilibrium in London

Art Liard presents a new exhibition in London exploring nature's fragile equilibrium, featuring works that examine the delicate balance of natural ecosystems. The show includes a series of paintings and installations that respond to environmental themes, highlighting the tension between growth and decay in the natural world.

UP AND DOWN THE RIVER: Artivism: Eco Art exhibition opens at Batdorff Gallery

An exhibition titled 'Artivism: Eco Art' has opened at the Batdorff Gallery, featuring works that blend artistic expression with environmental activism. The show highlights artists who use their practice to address ecological issues and promote sustainability through visual art.