gardiner museum toronto reopens after renovation 1234761348

The Gardiner Museum in Toronto has reopened after a 15-month, CA$15.5 million renovation of its ground floor spaces. The overhaul, led by Montgomery Sisam Architects and Andrew Jones Design with studio:indigenous, includes new collection galleries, a reworked entrance hall, a ceramics studio, and a community learning center. The renovation was funded by public and private gifts, including a CA$9 million donation from the Radlett Foundation that also added over 250 ceramic objects. A key addition is "Indigenous Immemorial," a permanent gallery dedicated to Indigenous clay art, developed by the museum's first curator of Indigenous ceramics, Franchesca Hebert-Spence, in collaboration with Indigenous artists and advisors.

costume art met museum 2026 2714381

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced its Spring 2026 Costume Institute exhibition, “Costume Art,” which will open on May 10, 2026, inaugurating the new 12,000-square-foot Condé M. Nast gallery designed by Peterson Rich Office. The exhibition will feature artworks from across the Met’s collections in dialogue with garments from the Costume Institute, focusing primarily on Western art from prehistory to the present. Major sponsors include Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, with additional support from Saint Laurent and Condé Nast. Curator Andrew Bolton and museum director Max Hollein spoke at the press conference, where preview objects included Rei Kawakubo’s Comme des Garçons ensemble and Hans Bellmer’s "La Poupée."

eames institute opens permanent space 2434559

The Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity has opened a permanent gallery space in Richmond, California, showcasing the work of designers Charles and Ray Eames. The gallery features over 40,000 items curated by Llisa Demetrios, the Eameses' granddaughter and chief curator, including plywood sculptures exhibited at MoMA in 1944, chairs, prototypes, and ephemera that illustrate the couple's design process. The space also houses the Institute's headquarters and archive, with rotating displays planned as new discoveries are made.

France reckons with Nazi-looted art in a new Paris museum gallery

France has opened a new permanent gallery at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris dedicated to displaying Nazi-looted artworks that remain unclaimed. The gallery features 13 works from the MNR (Musées Nationaux Récupération) collection, including a painting by Alfred Stevens originally destined for Hitler's planned museum in Linz. The display is the first in the museum's history to show the backs of paintings, revealing stamps, labels, and inventory marks that trace how each piece moved from private Jewish homes into Nazi hands. The museum also launched its first research unit to trace rightful heirs, led by Ines Rotermund-Reynard.

Musée d’Orsay opens gallery dedicated to still-unclaimed works stolen by Nazis in WWII

The Musée d'Orsay in Paris has opened a permanent gallery dedicated to artworks believed to have been looted by the Nazis from Jewish owners during World War II, but whose rightful owners have not been identified. The exhibition, titled "Who owns these works?", features a rotating selection of 225 such pieces held by the museum, with twelve paintings and one sculpture currently on display. Works by Renoir, Degas, Rodin, and Alfred Stevens are included, alongside provenance research detailing their murky histories—such as a Degas ballroom scene acquired by a Jewish collector later murdered at Auschwitz.

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.

The Met Gala May Be Over, But the Museum's New Exhibit Will Celebrate Costumes as Art all Year

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has opened a new exhibition titled "Costume Art," curated by Andrew Bolton, which pairs historical and contemporary garments with artworks from the museum's collection spanning 5,000 years. The exhibition is housed in the new 12,000-square-foot Condé Nast Galleries and runs from May 10, 2026 to January 10, 2027. It was launched in conjunction with the 2026 Met Gala, co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with celebrities like Emma Chamberlain, Naomi Watts, and Hunter Schafer wearing looks inspired by masterpieces in the Met's collection.

Everything to know about the Met Gala 2026: Theme, hosts and what to expect

The Met Gala 2026 will take place on the first Monday in May, with the theme "Costume Art" and a dress code of "Fashion is Art." The accompanying exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art explores depictions of the dressed body throughout time, pairing garments with artworks from the museum's collection. Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour are named co-hosts, while Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos serve as honorary chairs. The event will debut the newly named Condé M. Nast Galleries, a permanent 12,000-square-foot space in the museum's Great Hall, allowing the exhibition to run for nine months from May 10, 2026 to January 10, 2027.

The Met Announces New Details for the 2026 Met Gala and Spring Costume Art Exhibition

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has unveiled details for its Spring 2026 Costume Institute exhibition, titled "Costume Art," and the accompanying Met Gala. Opening May 10, 2026, the exhibition will explore the relationship between the dressed body and art history by pairing garments with artworks from the museum's permanent collection. The event will also inaugurate the new 12,000-square-foot Condé M. Nast Galleries, designed by Peterson Rich Office, which are dedicated to fashion and cross-departmental displays.

Art of Contemporary Africa Opens in San Francisco with Inaugural Exhibition ‘Afropop’

Art of Contemporary Africa (AOCA), described as San Francisco's first Pan-African contemporary art gallery, has opened a permanent space at the Minnesota Street Project. Founded by gallerist Craig Mark and photographer Clint Strydom, it operates as a sister space to The Melrose Gallery in Johannesburg and represents a broad roster of artists from across Africa and its diasporas, including the internationally recognized Dr Esther Mahlangu.

Comment | Turner gets all the kudos, but it was Constable who was the truly radical painter

A commentary argues that John Constable, not J.M.W. Turner, was the truly radical painter, despite Turner receiving far greater public recognition through a museum, a prize, and a place on the £20 note. The article highlights a new exhibition, "Turner and Constable," opening at Tate Britain (until 12 April 2026), which recreates their 1831 Royal Academy display and contrasts Constable's English pastoral scenes with Turner's dramatic, un-British visions. It contends that Constable's full-size oil sketches, such as those at the Victoria and Albert Museum, had a deeper and more lasting effect on modern painting than Turner's work.

The MAR Museum in Ravenna Opens a Permanent Gallery Dedicated to Fashion Photographer Paolo Roversi

Il museo MAR di Ravenna apre una galleria permanente dedicata al fotografo di moda Paolo Roversi

The MAR museum in Ravenna, Italy, is opening a permanent gallery dedicated to fashion photographer Paolo Roversi, set to launch on May 20. The space, curated by Chiara Bardelli Nonino, will showcase Roversi's poetic and visual universe, featuring his iconic portraits of models like Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Rihanna, along with his fashion work and still lifes. The gallery is designed by scenographer Ania Martchenko with lighting by Silvestrin & Associati, and includes areas such as the Studio, the Archive, and the Room of the Muses.

Savannah African Art Museum Celebrates Ribbon Cutting And Opening Of Two New Exhibitions

The Savannah African Art Museum will host a ribbon cutting and gallery opening on April 30th, unveiling two new exhibitions: The Liren Wei Collection, a permanent gallery of works from West and Central Africa, and “Roots and Rituals: Agriculture and Spirituality in the West African Interior,” which explores farming and spirituality in Mali and Burkina Faso. The free public event runs from 5:30 PM to 8 PM, with the ribbon cutting at 6:00 PM.

Artist Ha Chong-hyun's works to feature in retrospective in San Francisco

Korean artist Ha Chong-hyun, a pioneer of the dansaekhwa (monochrome painting) movement, will be the subject of a major retrospective at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. The exhibition, "Ha Chong-hyun: Retrospective," will feature approximately 50 works spanning his 60-year career, including his signature "Conjunction" series and early informal experiments.

Helsinki museum to open new gallery dedicated to Moomin illustrator

The Helsinki Art Museum (HAM) in Finland is opening a new permanent gallery dedicated to Tove Jansson, the illustrator of the Moomins. The Tove Jansson Gallery will open on 13 February, spanning three exhibition halls, with the inaugural exhibition inspired by Jansson’s book *Comet in Moominland* and running through 24 January 2027. The gallery aims to showcase Jansson's art diversely and introduce new perspectives on her as both a Helsinki-based and international artist.

Signal Space Gallery for Digital Art to Launch in Prague

Signal Space, a new permanent gallery dedicated to digital art, will open in Prague's Neo-Renaissance Market Hall on September 30, 2025. Launched by the collective behind the Signal Festival, the inaugural exhibition, "Echoes of Tomorrow," features eight artworks including pieces by Playmodes Studio, Shohei Fujimoto, Quayola, and Max Cooper. The gallery aims to offer deeper engagement with digital media beyond typical screen-based content, with a program that also includes DJ sets, live performances, and lectures on creative coding.

Portland Art Museum opens gallery focused on Black artists, named for local trailblazer

The Portland Art Museum has opened a new permanent gallery dedicated to Black artists, named for local artist, dancer, and educator Thelma Johnson Streat. The gallery, which opened on the first day of Black History Month, features a variety of works by Black Oregon artists, including multimedia installations, paintings, drawings, and a large photographic grid.

Signal Space: new gallery for digital art to open in Prague

Signal Space, a new permanent gallery dedicated to digital art, light design, and visual media, will open in Prague, Czech Republic on September 30. Its inaugural exhibition, "Echoes of Tomorrow," features eight artworks including generative audiovisual pieces by Playmodes Studio, laser-light spatial works by Shohei Fujimoto, and a film by Quayola and Max Cooper. The gallery will also host DJ sets, live performances, lectures (including a talk by new media artist Zach Lieberman), and an interactive family space called Signal Playground. The exhibition runs through March 2026, with a second show following in April.

acne studios launches permanent gallery space in paris with exhibition by paul kooiker

Acne Studios has opened its first permanent art space in Paris, named Acne Paper Palais Royal, located beneath the historic arcades of the Palais Royal. The inaugural exhibition, titled '2025', features forty-two portraits of art students from Amsterdam's Gerrit Rietveld Academie by Dutch photographer Paul Kooiker, on view through July 27, 2025. The space is named after the brand's biannual magazine, Acne Paper, and will host art shows, talks, book signings, and cultural events.

Paul Kooiker on photographing 42 art-school students for Acne Paper Palais Royal debut

Dutch photographer Paul Kooiker has opened a new exhibition titled '2025' at Acne Paper Palais Royal in Paris, featuring portraits of 42 students from the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam, where he taught photography for 25 years. Commissioned by Acne Studios' magazine offshoot Acne Paper, the show marks the first exhibition in the brand's new permanent gallery space. Kooiker shot the students spontaneously in corridors and classrooms, capturing them in his signature black-and-white style that blends timelessness with a sense of the unsettling, though this project breaks from his usual anonymity by focusing on faces and a specific moment in time.

New Exhibits open today at the African Art Museum

The Savannah African Art Museum is opening two new exhibitions today, April 30, 2026, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The new exhibits include a permanent gallery featuring artwork from West and Central Africa that explores the connections between agriculture, spirituality, and daily life. Museum representative Alisa Evans-Newsome highlighted that the exhibit shares agricultural and spiritual practices from the West African interior, emphasizing agriculture as a vital link to the land and ancestors.

Dayton Art Institute welcomes new feminist art gallery

The Dayton Art Institute has opened a new gallery dedicated to feminist art, featuring works by women artists and addressing themes of gender, identity, and social justice. The space aims to highlight underrepresented perspectives within the museum's collection and contemporary art discourse.

Calling all creatives: Evolved Gallery opens submissions for seven deadly sins exhibit

Evolved Gallery in Ventura, California, has announced an open call for its upcoming exhibition titled "SE7EN," themed around the seven deadly sins. Founded by Christina Van Ryzin in late 2025, the gallery is seeking traditional and digital paintings or illustrations that explore these vices through modern social or political lenses. The submission deadline is April 15, with the exhibition scheduled to run from April 25 through June 28, 2024.

Sheboygan community art gallery opens new space showcasing local artists and outreach programs

Sheboygan Visual Artists (SVA) has officially opened a new permanent gallery and studio space in the South Pier neighborhood of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. After operating without a fixed location for 18 months, the nonprofit organization’s new facility features exhibition areas, five rentable artist studios, and a dedicated space for community-integrated projects. The opening marks a significant milestone for the 80-member collective, which has been a fixture of the local art scene since 2007.

Telfair Academy unveils restored gallery dedicated to African American art history

Telfair Academy in Savannah has unveiled the Walter and Linda Evans Gallery of African American Art, a permanent gallery dedicated to late 19th and early 20th-century African American artworks. The gallery is named for collectors Walter and Linda Evans, who donated 28 works from their collection in 2023. The space, originally the Dining Room, underwent a full restoration and opens to the public on February 6, 2025, after a sold-out reception. The exhibition highlights the challenges and successes of African American artists and the emergence of cultural centers in the Midwest and Northeast, while also reflecting on Telfair's historical relationships with local African American artists.

Art exhibition set to bring significant interest in Mayo town

An art exhibition called The Crow Gallery is opening in Westport, County Mayo, during the Westival 2025 arts and music festival. Housed in the vacant The Local public house on Castlebar Street, the show features work from local artists with disabilities and participants of an Open Call centered on disability justice. The exhibition explores perceptions of disability, challenges ableism, and aims to spark dialogue about inclusion. It is the first phase of a long-term project to establish a permanent gallery, coffee shop, gift shop, and artist studios where disabled and non-disabled artists collaborate, with people with disabilities leading the space. The project was inspired by local artist Maitiu Quinn and Amber Walsh, and is driven by Anna Wall, who participated in Social Entrepreneurs Ireland's Ideas Academy and a Mayo County Council Arts Office workshop facilitated by artist Kari Cahill.

Acne Studios opens its first gallery at the Palais Royal

Swedish fashion brand Acne Studios will open its first permanent art gallery on June 26 under the historic arches of the Palais Royal in Paris. The gallery follows the editorial line of Acne Paper, the brand's biannual publication, and will host a multidisciplinary program including exhibitions, talks, book signings, and cultural events. Its inaugural exhibition features the experimental photography of Dutch artist Paul Kooiker.

Walters Museum opens its first permanent gallery of Latin American art

The Walters Museum in Baltimore has opened its first permanent gallery dedicated to Latin American art, titled "Arte Latino Americano." The exhibit features around 200 works spanning 4,000 years, including ancient artifacts and contemporary pieces from 40 different cultures. The collection began with a silver ritual cup purchased by Henry Walters in 1897, and now includes over 800 pieces. Local Baltimore artists such as Melissa Hyatt Foss, Edgar Reyes, and Jessy DeSantis contribute to the interactive displays, which also incorporate culinary and musical elements.

Nintendo Museum Opening Art Gallery In September 2025

Nintendo announced an expansion to the Nintendo Museum in Japan, with a new Art Gallery opening on September 3, 2025, on the second floor of the museum's Exhibition Building. The gallery will display a wide range of game artwork, including character illustrations and concept art from Nintendo's video game library.