Mary Lovelace O’Neal, Painter Who Defied the Bounds of Abstraction, Dies at 84

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, the American painter known for her large-scale abstract works that defied easy categorization, died in Mérida, Mexico, on May 10 at age 84. Her death was confirmed by her galleries, Jenkins Johnson and Marianne Boesky, on May 13. Active in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, O’Neal developed a distinctive practice that blended Minimalism, Abstract Expressionism, and figurative elements, most notably through her Lampblack series and later the "Whales Fucking" series. Her work gained renewed attention in the 21st century, with exhibitions at Mnuchin Gallery and the Museum of the African Diaspora, and her painting *Blue Whale a.k.a. #12* (1983) was selected for the 2024 Whitney Biennial.

ashley stewart rodder dead gagosian director

Ashley Stewart Rödder, a highly respected director at Gagosian, has passed away at the age of 42 following a prolonged illness. During her tenure at the gallery since 2019, she was instrumental in managing the careers of prominent contemporary artists including Nathaniel Mary Quinn, Stanley Whitney, Titus Kaphar, and Deana Lawson. Her career also included significant leadership roles at Salon 94 and David Zwirner, as well as board positions at the nonprofit Performa and the Children’s Art Guild.

Selfie-Friendly Pedro Reyes Sculpture Sparks Controversy at LACMA

Nearly eighty Mexican cultural figures have signed an open letter condemning the installation of Pedro Reyes's sculpture 'Tlali' (2026) in the plaza of LACMA's new David Geffen Galleries. The work, described as a selfie-friendly monolithic face inspired by Olmec art, closely resembles a 2021 proposal for a Mexico City sculpture titled 'Tlalli' that was abandoned after protests from hundreds of cultural workers. Critics argue that Reyes, a male artist who does not identify as Indigenous, should not represent Indigenous womanhood, and that the new work perpetuates colonial stereotypes and nationalistic aesthetics. LACMA has defended the piece, claiming it is entirely different in purpose and meaning, while Reyes has not commented.

national endowment for the arts cancels grants trump

President Donald Trump's administration has canceled or withdrawn grant offers from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) via email, affecting arts organizations nationwide. The NEA stated it is updating its grantmaking priorities to focus on projects that reflect the nation's artistic heritage as prioritized by the president, including historically Black colleges, Hispanic-serving schools, the 250th anniversary of American independence, AI competency, houses of worship, disaster recovery, skilled trades, military and veterans, Tribal communities, and Asian American economic development. Some affected grants supported artists of color, and the language appeared to conflict with the administration's prior push against DEI initiatives. Similar cancellations have occurred at the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Queer Art Converges at Art Sonje Center, Opening a New Chapter in Korean Modern and Contemporary Art History

Art Sonje Center in Seoul has launched 'Spectrosynthesis Seoul,' a landmark exhibition featuring 74 artists and collectives that explores the history and current state of queer art. The show, organized in collaboration with the Hong Kong-based Sunpride Foundation, features major international figures like Mark Bradford and Shin Wai Kin alongside prominent Korean artists such as Ayoung Kim and Mire Lee. By moving beyond small-scale independent shows into a major institutional space, the exhibition aims to map a comprehensive landscape of LGBTQ+ artistic practices.

Arts Playlist: Delaware Art Museum's 'Imprinted: Illustrating Race'

The Delaware Art Museum has opened 'Imprinted: Illustrating Race,' an exhibition co-curated by University of Delaware professor Robyn Phillips-Pendleton that examines how race and identity have been depicted in popular illustration over more than a century. The show, which previously ran at the Norman Rockwell Museum, features works from books, magazines, advertising, trade cards, posters, and even a cookie jar, tracing the evolution of racial representation in American visual culture. It includes a notable shift by Norman Rockwell, who after decades of depicting predominantly white family scenes for the Saturday Evening Post, turned to socially relevant topics like civil rights in the 1950s.

Powerhouse Museum builds ‘tower to stars’ for $18 million opening show

The Powerhouse Museum in Parramatta is constructing a six-storey tower inside its largest exhibition hall for an $18 million opening show titled "Task Eternal," set for September 2026. The exhibition explores humanity's fascination with stars, flight, and space, featuring 290 loans from international institutions including the British Museum and NASA, as well as Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg's spacesuit on public display for the first time. Designed by Beijing-based firm OPEN architecture, the show includes a steel tower inspired by Ted Chiang's novella "Tower of Babylon," with installations by Thai artist Torlarp Larpjaroensook and US artist James Turrell.

Artists and scholars respond to White House’s list of Smithsonian grievances

Over the weekend, artists, scholars, and concerned citizens responded to the White House's list of objectionable Smithsonian Institution exhibits and texts, released under the heading 'President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian.' The list includes bullet points targeting exhibits on white culture, LGBTQ+ history, Afrofuturism, and works by artists such as Ibram X. Kendi, Ayana V. Jackson, Hugo Crosthwaite, Rigoberto A. Gonzalez, and Amy Sherald. Those singled out defended their work, with some comparing the administration's actions to Jim Crow-era censorship or Nazi Germany's 'degenerate art' campaigns, while others expressed pride in being included and vowed to continue making political art.

Artists come together to celebrate Black art at the Harn

Gainesville art enthusiasts gathered at the Harn Museum of Art for its free 'Silver Linings' Community Day, featuring line dancing, screen printing, notebook making, and a community mural activity titled 'Pieces of Us.' The event centered on the exhibition 'Silver Linings: Celebrating the Spelman Art Collection,' on loan from Spelman College, which includes 39 works by nearly 30 artists of African descent, such as Benny Andrews, Sam Gilliam, and Faith Ringgold. Artist-in-residence Jessica Clermont led the community mural project, inviting visitors to decorate abstract puzzle pieces reflecting personal 'silver linings.'

‘A family reunion of artists’: Minnesota Anishinaabe artists showcased in Detroit and beyond

A group exhibition titled 'A Family Reunion of Artists' features works by Minnesota Anishinaabe artists, currently on display in Detroit and traveling to other venues. The show brings together multiple generations of Indigenous artists from the Anishinaabe community, highlighting their diverse practices and shared cultural heritage.

The Biomorphic Sculptures of Alma Allen in the U.S. Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale (Amid Controversy)

Le sculture biomorfiche di Alma Allen nel Padiglione USA alla Biennale d’Arte di Venezia 2026 (tra le polemiche)

Alma Allen, a self-taught American sculptor, has been selected to represent the United States at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026 with the exhibition "Call Me the Breeze." The pavilion, curated by Jeffrey Uslip, will feature site-specific biomorphic sculptures that explore the concept of "elevation" through a hybrid creative process combining pre-industrial carving and hand-modeling with advanced robotic sculpting. Works will incorporate local American materials such as walnut burl, Cantera green volcanic rock, and Yule marble from Colorado, and the pavilion is tied to America250, the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

lawmakers probe executive order targeting museum content

A group of 71 House Democrats, led by Representatives Ayanna Pressley and Paul Tonko, is urging the Smithsonian Institution's inspector general to investigate Executive Order 14253, issued by President Donald Trump in March 2025. The order mandates the removal of exhibits and materials deemed "divisive" or promoting "race-centered ideology" from federally funded museums, including the Smithsonian. The lawmakers argue that the directive threatens the Smithsonian's congressionally mandated independence and could breach federal law, as the institution is expected to remain nonpartisan and free from political interference.

Column | The Smithsonian’s most contested exhibition is back on view, mostly intact

Columnist Philip Kennicott reports that the Smithsonian's most contested exhibition has returned to public view, largely intact, despite ongoing culture war attacks from the Trump administration. Since Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, the Smithsonian has been a primary target for the administration's campaign against diversity and inclusion initiatives, as well as historical narratives that address slavery, Native American genocide, and the struggles of marginalized communities.

Museums Are Under Fire. Silence Isn’t an Option

James Steward, director of the Princeton University Art Museum, argues that museums are under coordinated attack in a polarized political climate. He cites threats including scrutiny of the Smithsonian Institution for its narratives, pressure on directors who uphold diversity and inclusion principles, and immigration agents targeting museums serving communities of color. Steward calls on museum leaders to resist the impulse to remain silent and instead double down on their role as spaces for dialogue, debate, and the holding of contradictory ideas.

Young artists, Mia exhibit, shine uncomfortable light on American racism

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) opened its fourth annual Teen Perspectives exhibition on May 10, titled “Minneapolis as Monument,” featuring works by high school students addressing health and racial equity. The show, running through July 20, includes paintings, photos, sculptures, and video installations inspired by the murder of George Floyd five years ago and the concurrent “Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys” exhibition. Speakers included Virajita Singh, Mia’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, and Bukata Hayes of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, the program’s sponsor. Student artists like Lydia Nobrega and Joseph Willie created pieces that explore personal stories, community, and systemic racism.

“100 Years of Creative Visions”: Mills College Art Museum celebrates a century of diversity and community

The Mills College Art Museum in Oakland, California, has opened "100 Years of Creative Visions," a centennial exhibition running through April 26 that showcases major works from its permanent collection. The show highlights the museum's long history of supporting diverse artistic communities, featuring pieces such as Hung Liu's "White Rice Bowl" and works by Diego Rivera, Alfredo Ramos Martinez, and members of the f/64 photography group including Imogen Cunningham, Ansel Adams, and Tina Modotti. The exhibition emphasizes creative friendships and the museum's role as a laboratory for risk-taking, with artists like Young Suh and Weston Teruya discussing how the institution encouraged experimental approaches.

Christie’s highlights Arab artists in London auction

Christie’s is highlighting several Arab artists in its upcoming Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art sale, scheduled for November 6 in London with an online preview from October 28 to November 11. Featured works include Paul Guiragossian’s 'Automne,' a masterpiece from the 1980s that previously achieved the second-highest auction price for the artist; Abdulhalim Radwi’s 'Untitled,' a semi-abstract cityscape blending traditional architecture and modernist influences; Samia Halaby’s 'Gardenia' from her 'Diagonal Flight' series; Kamal Boullata’s 'Nocturne I,' exploring geometric abstraction and exile; Mahmoud Said’s 'Mekarzel Hill,' a landscape once owned by a former Egyptian prime minister; and Laila Shawa’s 'City of Peace (Jerusalem),' a socio-political commentary on Palestinian life under occupation.

A-LISTERS | New art gallery goes the whole Nine Yards

A new contemporary art gallery, kumalo | turpin, has opened in Johannesburg's Parktown North neighborhood, housed within the Nine Yards precinct. The gallery launched with an exhibition titled "gender/genre," featuring works by women artists across sculpture, painting, and photography. Co-founders Zanele Kumalo and MJ Turpin, the latter formerly co-director of the Kalashnikovv Gallery, aim to showcase emerging artists from the global majority. The opening attracted a crowd of local art-world figures, collectors, and creatives, including Marc Lubner, Niki Judelman, and photographer Trevor Stuurman.

Hardwiring Change Survey 2026

hardwiring change survey 2026

Artnet and the Association for Women in the Arts (AWITA) have launched the second edition of their global research initiative, the Hardwiring Change survey. This project aims to collect comprehensive data from thousands of arts professionals regarding pay gaps, leadership representation, career mobility, and workplace conditions. The 2026 iteration introduces a new focus on how emerging technologies, specifically artificial intelligence, are impacting gender equity and professional advancement within the industry.

Queer Artists Take Center Stage at Art VallARTa for Pride 2026 Exhibition

Art VallARTa, an art fair in Puerto Vallarta, has announced a special exhibition titled "Queer Artists Take Center Stage at Art VallARTa for Pride 2026 Exhibition," which will spotlight LGBTQ+ artists during Pride Month 2026. The fair aims to feature works by queer and allied artists, celebrating diversity and inclusion within the visual arts.

OPEN CALL TEST SPACE Residency 2026

Limerick City Gallery of Art (LCGA) has announced an open call for its annual Test Space Residency programme for 2026, now in its sixth year. The residency offers two awards: one for early-career art practitioners and one for those at a more advanced stage. Selected artists will receive an 8-week studio residency with a €5,000 stipend, curatorial support, promotion, and the opportunity to engage with LCGA's audiences and community. The programme was established in 2020 in response to the Arts Council's EDI Policy and prioritizes projects involving public engagement, workshops, talks, or community inclusion events. Applications are open to writers, filmmakers, dancers, performers, academics, and visual artists across all disciplines.

First major exhibition of Latinx art comes to Ringling Museum in Sarasota

The Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida, is hosting its first major exhibition dedicated to Latinx art, marking a significant milestone for the institution. The show brings together works by contemporary Latinx artists, exploring themes of identity, migration, and cultural hybridity through a range of media including painting, sculpture, and installation.

Smithsonian National Museum of African Art delays LGBTQ Pride exhibit

The Smithsonian National Museum of African Art has postponed an upcoming exhibition featuring LGBTQ+ African artists until 2026, citing its "current budgetary situation." The delay comes amid heightened scrutiny of the Smithsonian by the Trump administration, raising concerns about political pressure on cultural institutions.