Artist Julie Mehretu delivered the commencement address to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) class of 2026, with Hyperallergic publishing the full speech. The article also covers a guide to summer exhibitions in New York City, a piece by Paddy Johnson on navigating friendships in the art world, and other news including the Obama Foundation's unveiling of the first official portrait of Barack and Michelle Obama together by Njideka Akunyili Crosby, and damage to Ukraine's Dormition Cathedral after Russian bombardment.
This article matters because it amplifies Mehretu's message to emerging artists about the value of persistence and imagination in the face of uncertainty, offering timely advice for graduates entering a challenging art world. It also highlights significant cultural events—a historic presidential portrait by a contemporary African-born artist and the destruction of a UNESCO-listed heritage site in Ukraine—underscoring how art intersects with politics, identity, and global crises.