ArtReview's editors have curated a list of 11 must-see exhibitions worldwide for May 2026, excluding Venice. Highlights include Audie Murray's solo show at april april in Pittsburgh, featuring works made with her own hair and breast milk; Delcy Morelos's monumental earthwork 'origo' at the Barbican Sculpture Court in London; and Bold Tendencies' 20th anniversary season in Peckham, titled 'Euphoria', with new commissions across multiple disciplines.
This article highlights a curated spring journey through major exhibitions across Europe and the US, focusing on artists represented in the UBS Art Collection. Featured shows include Catherine Opie at the National Portrait Gallery in London, Yin Xiuzhen at the Hayward Gallery, Tracey Emin at Tate Modern, Lorna Simpson at Palazzo Grassi in Venice, and Jean-Michel Basquiat at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark. Each exhibition offers fresh perspectives on the artists' practices, from photography and installation to painting and works on paper.
L.A. Metro opened the first phase of its D Line extension on Friday, May 1, 2026, adding three new underground stations connecting downtown Los Angeles to Beverly Hills: Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, and Wilshire/La Cienega. The stations feature nine site-specific public artworks by artists including Mariana Castillo Deball, Eamon Ore-Giron, Ken Gonzales-Day, Todd Gray, Karl Haendel, Soo Kim, Fran Siegel, Susan Silton, and Mark Dean Veca. The competitive selection process began a decade ago, drawing over 1,200 applicants, with finalists judged by a panel of art professionals including curators from Miracle Mile museums. Metro deputy executive officer Zipporah Yamamoto leads the agency's public art program, which is funded by a 0.5% construction budget set-aside.
Vietnamese sculptor and visual artist Tuan Andrew Nguyen has unveiled a 27-foot-tall sandstone Buddha sculpture titled *The Light That Shines Through the Universe* (2026) on New York's High Line Plinth, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and 30th Street. The monumental work is the newest commission for the elevated park's public art program and will remain on view for the next 18 months.
Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC) is presenting a student art exhibition titled “Pathway Through Humanity” at the Dayman Art Gallery through May 14. The show features works by graduating Associate in Fine Arts – Visual Art degree candidates Wyatt Woods, Selena Lopes, and Kris Grenier, spanning drawing, painting, fiber art, and mixed media. A free closing reception is scheduled for May 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Rock Falls Tourism has announced two Calls for Artists for the 2026 Art in the Park Sculpture Walk and Outdoor Art Gallery, to be held on August 29, 2026, in the RB&W District in Rock Falls, Illinois. The Outdoor Art Gallery will feature a juried exhibition of original artwork from 10AM to 4PM, with a $250 Best of Show prize, while the Sculpture Walk seeks eight sculpture pieces for a year-long rotating public exhibit, offering selected artists a $1,250 stipend. Applications for the gallery are due June 2, 2026, and for the sculpture walk by June 1, 2026.
Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs is launching a new solo exhibition titled “Standing Firm” featuring the work of artist Robert Rell. Hosted at the Orange County Multicultural Center Art Gallery in Orlando, the exhibition opens with a public reception on April 15, 2026, and showcases Rell’s evolution from a comic-inspired youth to a painter influenced by the creative freedom of Newark’s graffiti scene.
A new exhibition opened April 10 at the Indianapolis International Airport’s Civic Plaza, featuring 92 works by 90 Hoosier artists with developmental disabilities. The show was organized by the Indianapolis Airport Authority in partnership with the Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Inc. (INARF) and Ability Indiana, with artists from 12 INARF member organizations contributing pieces in a variety of mediums. The airport’s arts and culture program, which rotates permanent and temporary collections, has hosted this annual showcase for several years, with some artists returning each year with new work.