Appropriation Culture: Richard Prince and Arthur Jafa

An upcoming exhibition at ArtReview pairs artists Richard Prince and Arthur Jafa to explore the ethics and aesthetics of image appropriation. Jafa's work, such as the video "Love is the Message, The Message is Death" (2016), uses found footage of police violence and Black cultural icons, while Prince's "Girlfriends" series rephotographs amateur snapshots from biker magazines. Jafa has cited Prince as a key influence on his own practice of transposing images across contexts.

Queer eyes in focus, sculpture hits pay dirt and Whistler’s world – the week in art

This week's art roundup from The Guardian highlights a major exhibition of James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain, showcasing the American artist's impact on Victorian Britain with avant-garde influences from Paris and Japan. Other notable exhibitions include "Gender Stories" at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, featuring works by David Hockney and Grayson Perry; Delcy Morelos's earthy sculptures at the Barbican Centre; and Henry Moore's sculptures at Kew Gardens. The article also covers news of a Nazi-looted portrait found in the home of a Dutch SS leader's family, protests at the Venice Biennale over Israel's inclusion, and the unveiling of Zineb Sedira's film installation at Tate Britain.

Remembering F. John Sierra, Valie Export, and Mary Lovelace O’Neal

This week's In Memoriam column honors seven figures from the art world who recently passed away, including muralist and Chicano art champion F. John Sierra (1942–2026), Austrian feminist performance and film artist Valie Export (1940–2026), and painter and Civil Rights activist Mary Lovelace O'Neal (1942–2026). Also remembered are Maltese coin and monument designer Noel Galea Bason (1955–2026), Iranian-Irish gallerist and polymath Jamshid MirFenderesky (1947–2026), Philadelphia painter and educator Peter Paone (1936–2026), and Italian sculptor and installation artist Remo Salvadori (1947–2026). Each entry highlights their key contributions, from founding institutions and participating in major biennials to shaping cultural identity and challenging societal norms through art.

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, Painter and Civil Rights Luminary, Dies at 84

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, a painter, educator, and Civil Rights activist, died on May 10 at age 84 in Mérida, Mexico. Known for her monumental canvases and inventive “lampblack” works, she moved fluidly between abstraction and figuration, using layers of black pigment to assert Blackness and presence. Her career included studies at Howard University and Columbia University, activism with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and connections to the Black Arts Movement.

Citing Epstein Ties, Wexner Union Demands Leslie Wexner’s Name be Dropped from Art Center

Members of the Wexner Center for the Arts union, Wexner Workers United, have formally demanded that Ohio State University remove Leslie Wexner's name from the art center. In a letter posted on Instagram, the union cites Wexner's documented ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, noting his name appears over 1,300 times in Department of Justice files. The union argues that the connection meets the university's criteria for renaming, and that staff face daily harassment while artists refuse to collaborate due to the Epstein association.

City Life Org - New York Art World Celebrates Angela Davis, Amy Sherald, Clara Wu Tsai, Crystal McCrary, Raymond McGuire at Awards Dinner in NYC

The Gordon Parks Foundation held its annual Awards Dinner and Auction at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City, raising nearly $2 million to support its mission of social justice through the arts. The gala honored a distinguished group of changemakers, including activist Angela Davis, painter Amy Sherald, philanthropist Clara Wu Tsai, producer Crystal McCrary, and businessman Raymond McGuire. Hosted by Kaseem Dean (Swizz Beatz) and Executive Director Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr., the event celebrated the enduring legacy of Gordon Parks and his commitment to documenting and advancing civil rights.

Dear Mary, For Chicago, Sincerely Nathaniel Mary Quinn

The National Public Housing Museum in Chicago opened its doors on April 4, 2025, becoming the only museum in the United States dedicated to the histories of public housing and its residents. Located on the site of the historic Jane Addams Homes, the museum was remodeled by architect Peter Landon and features permanent installations, artist residencies, and temporary exhibitions. Current initiatives include Open Mike Eagle's residency as 'Artist as Instigator,' building on his album 'Brick Body Kids Still Daydream' (2017) about life in Robert Taylor Homes, and the art-glass frieze 'Resilient Hues' by Amanda Williams and Olalekan Jeyifous. The museum is led by executive director Lisa Yun Lee and has earned third place on USA Today's list of 'Best New Museums.'

MFAH's blockbuster modern art exhibit and 7 more openings in Houston this month

The article highlights eight major art exhibitions and events opening in Houston in May 2025, including the U.S. debut of "Picasso–Klee–Matisse: Masterpieces from the Museum Berggruen" at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), which features works by Picasso, Klee, Matisse, and Giacometti. Other notable events include the "Freedom Plane National Tour" of founding-era documents at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the 20th Annual Empty Bowls fundraiser at Silver Street Studios, and "No Longer, Not Yet" by Marisol Valencia at Art League, which uses materials from a migrant shelter. The article also mentions shows at CAMH, Moody Art Center, and Sawyer Yards.

Billie Holiday Comes to Queens

A shortlist of artists including Thomas J Price and Tavares Strachan is competing to design a new public monument honoring jazz legend Billie Holiday in Queens, New York. The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs has revealed six commission proposals for the project, which aims to celebrate Holiday's groundbreaking legacy as a vocalist and cultural icon. Separately, the Museum of the City of New York is opening the Puffin Foundation Center for Social Activism, dedicated to civic engagement and social justice.

The Carnegie International Makes Its Mark

The 59th Carnegie International opens in Pittsburgh, featuring 61 artists from around the world in the oldest survey of its kind in the United States. Critic Ed Simon reviews the exhibition, noting it captures the excitement of earlier editions while providing vital commentary on authoritarianism and militarism. In other news, activists protested Jeff Bezos's co-chair role at the Met Gala with a costumed action and guerrilla projections on his penthouse; Iran withdrew from its national pavilion at the Venice Biennale; MoMA PS1 announced the first US survey of Mexican artist Teresa Margolles; and Hakim Bishara reflects on MoMA's Marcel Duchamp exhibition.

The Interview: Amar Kanwar

ArtReview interviews Amar Kanwar, a New Delhi-based artist known for films and multimedia installations that blend poetry, activism, and documentary to explore power, conflict, and social justice. Kanwar discusses his career trajectory from documentary filmmaking to occupational health research in a coal mining region, and back to filmmaking on his own terms. His best-known work, *The Sovereign Forest* (2012), addresses government-corporate collusion in Odisha, while his latest, *The Peacock's Graveyard* (2023), is a seven-channel film installation currently paired with *The Torn First Pages* (2004–08) at Palazzo Grassi in Venice under the heading "Co-Travellers." Kanwar has participated in four consecutive editions of Documenta (2002–2017) and was a curator of the 2022 Istanbul Biennial.

Check out these art exhibits on display in Boulder, Longmont

A comprehensive roundup lists dozens of art exhibitions currently on view in Boulder, Longmont, and Lafayette, Colorado, spanning venues from commercial galleries and nonprofit art centers to libraries and museums. Featured shows include "Tres Voces, Un Corazón" at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, featuring three members of one family—Sylvia Montero, Tony Ortega, and Cipriano Ortega; "We Choose Earth" by Jorge Vinent at Ana’s Art Gallery; and "Black Futures in Art – Genome Speaks What Erasure Cannot Silence" at the Collective Community Arts Center. Other highlights include "Threaded Narratives" by the Colorado South Asian Artist Group, "Unfinished" by Lewis TallBull at the Dairy Arts Center, and "Boulder Eats! Traditions Along the Front Range" at the Museum of Boulder.

V&A East targets young people

Le V&A East vise les jeunes

The Victoria and Albert Museum has opened a new branch called V&A East in Stratford, east London, within the former Olympic Park. The £135 million (€155.8 million) building, designed by O'Donnell and Tuomey, features 479 sand-colored concrete panels and houses around 500 objects from the V&A's collection across two permanent galleries titled "Why We Make." The museum opened on April 18 and is part of the East Bank cultural complex supported by the London municipality. It prioritizes local engagement and mediation tailored to attract younger audiences, with exhibitions addressing social justice and environmental themes.

ISA Art Gallery and Fitri DK’s ‘Nine Kartinis of Kendeng’

ISA Art Gallery in Jakarta recently held the first exhibition in its 'Biophilia' series, titled 'Exquisite Corpse', which ran from February 14 to April 16. The show features works centered on nature and sustainability, with a standout piece by artist Fitri DK: two batik works titled 'Selamatan Bumi 1 and 2'. These works depict the 'Nine Kartinis of Kendeng', a group of women from Central Java fighting to protect their karst mountains from a cement factory that threatens their clean water supply. The exhibition draws its title from Elza Adamowicz's book on Surrealist collage, emphasizing fragmented, collective creation.

Minor Keys and Major Silences: Yoshiko Shimada and the Art of Outrage

Yoshiko Shimada, a Japanese feminist and antiwar artist, is featured in a conversation with ArtAsiaPacific ahead of her inclusion in the 2026 Venice Biennale, curated by Koyo Kouoh under the theme "In Minor Keys." The article explores Shimada's decades-long practice of excavating the gendered scars of Japanese imperialism, focusing on her collaborative work with BuBu de la Madeleine, which uses drag and irony to critique imperial frameworks and the erasure of wartime atrocities. It also highlights her revival of the Chū-pi-ren movement, a 1970s feminist group that fought for abortion rights and access to birth control, arguing that their legacy remains urgent in 2026 given Japan's slow progress on women's bodily autonomy.

PHOTOS: Amy Sherald at the High Museum

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta is presenting an exhibition titled "American Sublime" featuring works by artist Amy Sherald, including her portrait of Breonna Taylor and the painting "She Always Believed the Good about Those She Loved," which used a model who stood in for the late Breonna Taylor. The exhibition opened on Friday, May 15, 2026, and draws visitors to view Sherald's distinctive figurative works.

As Democracy Falters, a New York Museum Champions Activism

The Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) in East Harlem will open the Puffin Foundation Center for Social Activism this fall, replacing its existing Puffin Foundation Gallery. The expanded center, funded by an $8 million donation from the Puffin Foundation, will feature a new version of the permanent exhibition "Activist New York," along with temporary shows, public programs, and an annual fellowship. The inaugural temporary exhibition, "Halumii Ktapihna: Lenape Legacies and Future," marks the 400th anniversary of Manhattan's purchase from Indigenous peoples.

Met Gala Boycott Message Projected on Bezos’s Manhattan Penthouse

On May 3, 2026, the activist group Everyone Hates Elon projected messages condemning Jeff Bezos and Amazon onto Bezos's luxury penthouse in Manhattan's Madison Square Park, ahead of the Met Gala on May 4. The projections included a video testimony from Amazon warehouse worker Mary Hill, who called for honoring workers instead of billionaires, and slogans such as 'Boycott The Bezos Met Gala.' The group also projected onto the Chrysler and Empire State buildings. This action follows earlier protests, including littering the Met with fake urine bottles and wheatpasting posters across the city, all targeting Bezos's role as an honorary co-chair of the gala.

Art exhibits to check out in May and June

A roundup of art exhibitions opening in May and June 2026 across Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio, highlights solo shows by Teresa Olavarria, Tony Foster, Nathan Foley, Mina Kim, and Eunshin Khang, along with group exhibitions including SOS ART 2026, 'Voices of Kenya: Social and Cultural Reflections,' and 'Elizabeth Hawes: Radical American Fashion.' Venues include The Contemporary Dayton, The Dayton Art Institute, Rosewood Arts Center, the Art Academy of Cincinnati, and Kennedy Heights Arts Center.

The Clay Studio organizes "Radical Americana" exhibitions across Philadelphia

The Clay Studio has organized "Radical Americana," a sprawling exhibition series featuring 45 artists across 22 sites in the Philadelphia area. Curated by Jennifer Zwilling, the project includes a central "welcome hub" at The Clay Studio and 25 satellite exhibitions at venues such as the Museum for Art in Wood, Cliveden, and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Artists were prompted to reflect on the Declaration of Independence and envision a better future, resulting in works that explore feminism, social justice, and LGBTQ rights through media including ceramics, wood, fiber, metal, glass, paper, and bookmaking. Notable participant Roberto Lugo presents "American Crib: What's Happening?" at The Clay Studio, blending Puerto Rican heritage with historical references.

Museum exhibitions to coffeehouse chats: How to celebrate America 250 this summer

The article outlines various events and exhibitions in Washington, D.C., celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States this summer. Highlights include the "In Pursuit of Life, Liberty, and Happiness" exhibit at the National Museum of American History, featuring 250 objects from 1776 to the present; a Gen-Z-focused coffeehouse chat at Tudor Place; exhibitions at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, including "Ms. Americana" and "Burnished: Pueblo Pottery"; and the Spirit of America Festival at the National Archives, showcasing rare documents.

FAD News: Brooklyn Museum to Stage Art of Manga, the First Major Americas Survey of Manga as Fine Art

Brooklyn Museum will present 'Art of Manga' on October 3, 2026, the first large-scale exhibition in the Americas dedicated to manga as a fine art form. Organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the show features over 600 original hand-drawn manga artworks (genga) by influential Japanese artists including Araki Hirohiko, Oda Eiichiro, Takahashi Rumiko, and Tagame Gengoroh, spanning foundational figures to eight contemporary masters.

Patchwork Lost – A Critique of the Princeton University Art Museum’s American Art Wing

The article critiques the newly opened American art wing at the Princeton University Art Museum, arguing that its curatorial approach prioritizes contemporary social justice narratives over historical accuracy and national pride. The author contends that the exhibition presents a fragmented, politicized view of American history, highlighting slavery and racial injustice while omitting or minimizing the contributions of Princeton alumni to the nation's founding, such as James Madison and John Witherspoon. Specific examples include the inclusion of a 2022 revisionist painting of the Signing of the Constitution and selective signage that emphasizes marginalized figures while ignoring male patriots.

Agitate, Educate, Organize. A Conversation with the Indonesian Collective That Is in Venice with Two Projects

Agitare, educare, organizzare. Una conversazione con il collettivo indonesiano che è a Venezia con due progetti

Sale Docks, an activist art space born from a 2007 occupation in Venice, has invited the Indonesian collective Taring Padi to collaborate on two projects. The first is the exhibition "Taring Padi: People's Liberation," which reactivates banners as tools for propaganda, mobilization, and resistance. The second is a public intervention in Venice, where the collective and local community will repaint the walls of the historic social center Laboratorio Occupato Morion. The article includes an interview with Taring Padi, which was founded in 1998 in Yogyakarta by students and activists, and discusses their use of wayang shadow-puppet imagery and collaborative processes to agitate, educate, and organize communities.

Californian artists paint state identity in color at annual Brea exhibit

Brea Gallery in Brea, California, opened its 41st annual "Made in California" juried art exhibition on Saturday, featuring over 90 artists from across the state. The show includes a range of mediums such as oil paintings, sculptures, and mixed media, with jurors selecting works from roughly 5,000 submissions. This year's exhibition explores themes of identity and social justice, with pieces like Angel Lesnikowski's "Othered Existence" addressing Arab identity and conflict, and Adam Singer's "Big Feelings" reflecting on aging and mortality in Los Angeles. A solo installation by Lorena Molina, "This must be the place," draws on her Salvadoran heritage and the immigrant experience.

Chico State Museum of Anthropology exhibition centered on protest art

An exhibition titled "Celebrate People's History: Latin America and the Art of Protest" has opened at the Chico State Museum of Anthropology in Chico, California. Housed in the Meriam Library Building, the show features protest art from Latin America and Latinx communities in the U.S., addressing topics such as Dolores Huerta, ICE raids, and local issues like the killing of Desmond Phillips. The exhibition includes works from Pedal Press, a Chico-based organization, and offers interactive print materials for K-12 and college students, with free field trips available for school groups.

In Lucca, four African women artists investigate identity and rights in "Bread, Roses and Colors" exhibition

Four African women artists are featured in the exhibition "Bread, Roses and Colors" in Lucca, Italy, exploring themes of identity, rights, and social justice through their work. The show brings together diverse perspectives from the continent, highlighting the artists' personal and collective experiences.