How the New Deal Treated Art as Essential to Democracy

The United States government transformed the role of the artist during the Great Depression by treating art as a vital public resource rather than a private luxury. Between 1933 and 1943, New Deal programs like the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) commissioned hundreds of thousands of works for schools, libraries, and hospitals, providing 'plumbers' wages' to struggling creators. This federal patronage supported a generation of then-unknown figures, including Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Alice Neel, while focusing on the 'American scene' to make culture accessible to the general public.

Victor Vasarely’s crumbling Aix legacy to be restored

The family of Op Art pioneer Victor Vasarely is leading a major restoration effort for his foundation's iconic building and artworks in Aix-en-Provence. The striking 50-year-old structure, a historic monument, had suffered from years of neglect, leaking roofs, and failed climate systems, with many of its 42 monumental site-specific works in urgent need of conservation. A €12 million renovation, 85% publicly funded, has addressed the building's fabric, but restoring the complex artworks remains a slow, costly process.

Remembering Glen Baxter, Pat Steir, Melvin Edwards

The art world mourns the recent deaths of several significant figures. British absurdist cartoonist Glen Baxter, known for his work in The New Yorker and exhibitions at Flowers Gallery, has died. American sculptor Melvin Edwards, renowned for his welded steel Lynch Fragments addressing racist violence, and pioneering feminist painter Pat Steir, celebrated for her conceptual, process-based works, have also passed. The article additionally notes the deaths of Lebanese painter Ali Sbeity, killed in an airstrike; Mexican folk artist Josefina Aguilar; British heritage leader Neil Cossons; British painter Charles Debenham; and Cypriot painter Andreas Karayian.

Museum acquisitions round-up: Andy Warhol in an apron, a solid-silver relief and Christo's luggage rack

Major international institutions have secured significant new acquisitions, ranging from intimate photographic archives to monumental silver reliefs. The Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art received over 400 stereoscopic slides by Ronnie Cutrone documenting Andy Warhol’s Factory, while the Germanisches Nationalmuseum acquired Luigi Valadier’s final silver masterpiece, 'Lamentation of Christ'. Additionally, the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation donated 14 works to the City of Paris, including the early sculpture 'Package on a Luggage Rack' for the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris.

What If Every City Provided Artists With Free Supplies?

Materials for the Arts (MFTA), a program of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, provides free art supplies and tools to over 4,500 organizations, including public schools, nonprofits, and social justice groups. By diverting millions of pounds of materials from landfills—ranging from film production sets to high-end fabrics—the organization has reallocated over $40 million worth of goods to the creative community. The program's leadership is now advocating for an expansion of this model, envisioning dedicated reuse centers in every borough to meet the growing demand for accessible creative resources.

Cosima von Bonin’s sculptures star in Loewe’s fall/winter 2026 runway show.

Cosima von Bonin’s sculptures star in Loewe’s fall/winter 2026 runway show.

German artist Cosima von Bonin’s large-scale, fabric-based sculptures were integrated directly into Loewe’s fall/winter 2026 runway show during Paris Fashion Week. Creative director Jonathan Anderson placed her oversized, characteristically enigmatic soft sculptures—including a giant lobster and a crumpled cigarette—amidst the models, transforming the presentation into a moving exhibition. This collaboration continues Anderson’s practice of merging high art with high fashion on the runway.

Art Paris 2026: 10 Booths for Great Discoveries

Art Paris 2026 : 10 stands pour faire de belles découvertes

The 28th edition of Art Paris has opened at the Grand Palais, marked by a vibrant and optimistic atmosphere. The fair features a diverse array of works ranging from Fabrice Hyber’s monumental inflatable bears at the entrance to a curated selection of contemporary ceramics, textiles, and innovative paintings. A central highlight is the "Reparation" thematic itinerary curated by Alexia Fabre, which connects various artists through the concept of healing and transformation.

Gainsborough’s Powdered Wig Portraits Are Suddenly Hot in New York

A new exhibition at the Frick Collection in New York has assembled 25 portraits by the 18th-century British painter Thomas Gainsborough. The show focuses on his depictions of the era's elite, showcasing the powdered wigs, lavish fabrics, and social stature of his sitters.

15 Artists Explore the Potentiality of Fabric and Fiber in ‘Textile Art Redefined’

The Saatchi Gallery in London is hosting 'Textile Art Redefined,' a group exhibition featuring 15 artists who push the boundaries of fiber and fabric. Curated by Helen Adams, the show includes diverse works ranging from Ian Berry’s immersive installations made of recycled denim to Kenny Nguyen’s undulating silk wall pieces and Anne von Freyburg’s textile reinterpretations of Rococo paintings. The exhibition coincides with the release of Adams' new book, 'Textile Fine Art,' which explores the medium's evolution from functional craft to a celebrated pillar of contemporary art.

Masterpieces of Art Modeled and Printed in Ultra-High Definition: The Challenge Met by LITO

Des chefs-d’œuvre de l’art modélisés et imprimés en très haute définition : le défi relevé par LITO

Beaux Arts Magazine partnered with the Austrian printing and publishing company LITO to stage a challenge at its 500th-issue launch party. Guests were asked to identify the authentic 15th-century painting by Giovanni Bellini's circle from among four seemingly identical works, three of which were ultra-high-definition reproductions created by LITO. The company's patented modeling and printing technology replicates the texture of brushstrokes, varnish sheen, canvas grain, and even craquelure with unprecedented precision.

Cameron Art Museum to launch immersive inflatable sculpture exhibition this summer

The Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, North Carolina, has announced its upcoming summer exhibition, "Fresh Air: Inflatable Sculptures," opening June 19. The show features large-scale, interactive works including Nick Cave’s "Augment," a vibrant installation made from repurposed lawn ornaments, and Andy Warhol’s historic 1966 floating installation "Silver Clouds." Other participating contemporary artists include Claire Ashley, Nicole Banowetz, Nancy Davidson, Tamar Ettun, and Momoyo Torimitsu.

Our Critics Disagree on MoMA PS1’s Greater New York, a Wide-Ranging Survey Defined by a Fascination with Fragility

MoMA PS1 has launched the sixth edition of Greater New York, its signature quinquennial survey featuring 53 artists living and working across the city's five boroughs. Marking the institution’s 50th anniversary, this iteration was organized entirely by the museum’s internal curatorial staff rather than outside contributors. The exhibition moves away from the introspective, surrealist themes of the pandemic-era 2021 edition, focusing instead on the social fabric of the city and the systemic challenges facing its residents.

Hunker Down With John Skoog

Artist John Skoog has premiered a new black-and-white feature film, 'Redoubt' (2025), starring Denis Lavant, and opened a concurrent exhibition at Moderna Museet in Malmö. The film follows a farmhand building an apocalyptic shelter, while the museum installation features the full-scale, fabricated bunker from the film's production.

Alexander Calder, Brilliant Sculptor of Air and Color Celebrated at the Fondation Vuitton

Alexander Calder, génial sculpteur de l’air et de la couleur célébré à la fondation Vuitton

The Fondation Louis Vuitton is hosting a major celebration of Alexander Calder, the American sculptor who revolutionized 20th-century art by introducing movement and play into the medium. The article traces Calder's formative years in Paris starting in 1926, where the young engineer-turned-artist gained avant-garde fame with his 'Cirque Calder'—a miniature circus of wire and fabric figurines. This period marked his transition from traditional painting to his signature 'drawings in space,' featuring wire sculptures of figures like Josephine Baker that projected dancing shadows and captured the kinetic energy of the era.

HOSOO to Present “Glorious Robe,” a Collaborative Exhibition with Theaster Gates

Kyoto-based textile house HOSOO has announced a collaborative exhibition with American artist Theaster Gates titled “Glorious Robe,” scheduled to run from April 11 to August 30, 2026. The showcase centers on the “Dashikimono,” a hybrid garment merging the West African dashiki with the Japanese kimono, alongside ceramic vessels and traditional obi sashes. These works incorporate motifs from the American Civil Rights Movement, including tributes to Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, woven directly into the fabric using HOSOO’s centuries-old Nishijin techniques.

A Truck Driver Spent 20 Years Building a Miniature Model of New York City. Then, It Went Viral

A truck driver named Joe Macken spent 21 years building a massive, 50-by-27-foot miniature model of New York City from humble materials like balsa wood and cardboard. His daughter's suggestion to post it on TikTok led to the project going viral, which subsequently caught the attention of the Museum of the City of New York. The museum has now mounted a dedicated exhibition, "He Built This City: Joe Macken's Model," featuring the sprawling 1:2400-scale creation.

Chicago: Model City by Mark Acciari

Native Chicagoan architect and artist Mark Acciari reflects on the architectural identity of Chicago from the distance of Mexico City. Using the iconic imagery of a Chicago-style hot dog as a metaphor for the city's construction, he explores how the city's legacy is often reduced to the 'skeleton frame' of early modernism by critics, while ignoring its more playful, symbolic, and postmodernist undercurrents.

Master metalsmith David Secrest featured in new exhibit

The Wanda Hollensteiner Art Gallery in Kalispell is hosting a new exhibition titled "David Secrest: The Unprejudiced Silence of Things that Are," running through May 23. The show features the work of the Somers-based master metalsmith, whose four-decade career spans forged iron, fabricated steel, bronze, and woodworking. Secrest, who was named a "Master Metalsmith" by the Metal Museum in 2017, is recognized for a visual language that blends natural forms with rigorous material manipulation.

Bridgeport Gallery Hosts Emerging Artists, Brings in ‘Big Deal’ Curator for October Show

Artist Linda Colletta has transformed her studio practice within Bridgeport’s historic American Fabric Arts building, a former lace factory, by blending painting with labor-intensive weaving. Drawing inspiration from the site’s industrial history and the teachings of Bauhaus artist Anni Albers, Colletta repurposes drop cloths and tears apart her own canvases to weave them back together. Her recent work explores the materiality of paint and the concept of "Thought Forms," a visual language for emotions influenced by early 20th-century Theosophy.

Rare Zaha Hadid Pavilion Comes to Auction

A rare, clamshell-shaped VOLU Dining Pavilion designed by architect Zaha Hadid and Patrick Schumacher is heading to auction at Hermitage Fine Art in Monaco. The prefabricated outdoor structure, originally created for the 2015 Design Miami fair, is expected to fetch between €900,000 and €1.1 million. This marks only the second time a completed edition of this pavilion has been offered at auction.

And this one shows the police evicting me: the fabulous fabric visions of Elizabeth Allen

The British textile artist Elizabeth Allen, who lived in a dilapidated hut and gained brief international fame in the 1960s after being discovered by artist Patrick Heron, is the subject of a major rediscovery. A new exhibition at Compton Verney in Warwickshire features works that have been hidden in storage or private collections for nearly fifty years, including the first public display of 'Autobiraggraphy,' a textile work documenting her wrongful eviction in 1934.

First permanent Ruth Asawa gallery to open in honor of artist’s centennial.

A permanent gallery dedicated to the work of artist Ruth Asawa will open in San Francisco this spring. Located within the Minnesota Street Project in the Dogpatch neighborhood, the gallery's inaugural exhibition, "Ruth Asawa: Untitled," is scheduled to open on May 9th, managed by her family foundation, Ruth Asawa Lanier Inc.

Versailles Restores Royal Bedroom to Its 1789 Splendor

The Palace of Versailles has completed a multi-decade restoration of the King’s Private Bedroom, meticulously recreating the space as it appeared on October 6, 1789, the day the royal family fled the French Revolution. The project involved an intergenerational team of curators and master craftspeople who utilized archival descriptions and surviving fabric scraps to reconstruct the room's ornate Rocaille embellishments, silk tapestries from Lyon, and a central gilded bed carved from linden wood.

Sir Peter Blake’s Studio Comes to Pitzhanger Manor in a Landmark West London Exhibition

Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery in West London has announced a major exhibition, "Peter Blake: In the Studio," scheduled to run from November 2026 to April 2027. The landmark show will feature a full-scale recreation of the artist’s Hammersmith workspace, providing an immersive look at the environment where the 'Godfather of British Pop Art' conceived his most famous works. The exhibition will span seven decades of Blake's career, showcasing paintings, collages, and sculptures alongside his personal collection of curiosities and memorabilia.

Ghost at La Lison Gallery: our photos from the exhibition Before the Ashes

Ghost at La Lison Gallery: our photos from the exhibition Before the Ashes

The La Lison Gallery in Paris is hosting "Avant les cendres" (Before the Ashes), a solo exhibition by the artist Fantôme running from April 9 to May 16, 2026. The showcase features a series of abstract works that utilize black ink, oils, fabric, and ash to explore texture and light, drawing comparisons to the monochromatic depth of Pierre Soulages. The exhibition serves as a prequel to the artist's upcoming show, "Cercles," in Nancy.

Aria Dean, Sandra Mujinga and Tschabalala Self

Galerie Eva Presenhuber is hosting a group exhibition featuring the works of Aria Dean, Sandra Mujinga, and Tschabalala Self. The show explores the construction and erasure of the human body through diverse mediums, including Aria Dean’s 3D-animated film of an empty slaughterhouse and Sandra Mujinga’s spectral, fabric-based sculptures. By focusing on the architectures of violence and the labor of repair, the artists move away from traditional representation toward conceptual and structural critiques of subjecthood.

Riyadh continues to bet big on public art: over 100 new works to be installed in the Saudi capital in the coming years

Riyadh continua a scommettere forte sull’arte pubblica: nei prossimi anni oltre 100 nuove opere installate nella capitale saudita

Saudi Arabia is significantly expanding its Riyadh Art public art initiative, with plans to install over 100 new monumental works across the capital city in the coming years. Following the recent Tuwaiq Sculpture 2026 event, which added 25 stone and metal sculptures to the permanent collection, the city has announced 12 new site-specific installations by high-profile international artists including Anselm Kiefer, El Anatsui, and Manal AlDowayan. The project aims to reach a total of 115 new commissions, building upon a collection that already features masters like Anish Kapoor, Jeff Koons, and Giuseppe Penone.

Exhibition explores connection between textiles and spirituality in Asia

The Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (Chat) in Hong Kong has opened the exhibition 'Threading Inwards,' which explores the deep connection between textiles and spirituality across Asia. The show features 14 artists from the region, working in media from painting to video, who use fabric and fiber to create portals, shrines, and installations that bridge the material and spiritual realms.

Keir Starmer is no Neville Chamberlain | Brief letters

The Guardian's obituary of architect Desmond Williams has highlighted a notable connection within the British architectural world. Williams, known for his ecclesiastical designs, studied at the University of Manchester School of Architecture alongside Donald Buttress, who eventually served as the surveyor of the fabric of Westminster Abbey.

Inaugural Medina Triennial in Western New York Will Include 39 Artists

The inaugural Medina Triennial has announced its artist lineup for its debut edition running from June to September in Western New York. Featuring 39 participants, the walkable exhibition will showcase site-specific works by international and local figures including Tania Candiani, Lina Lapelytė, and Asad Raza. Installations and performances will be integrated into the town's civic fabric, utilizing non-traditional venues such as a railroad museum, local churches, hospital corridors, and a century-old high school.