WATCH: Artist Lucy Ash brings hidden LGBT histories to Trafalgar Square gallery

British-Canadian artist Lucy Ash presents 'Invisible Portraits' at Canada Gallery in Trafalgar Square, London, running until 3 October. The free exhibition uses painting, film, and sound to highlight forgotten LGBT figures, including filmmaker Derek Jarman, painter Simeon Solomon, and poets Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon. Several works are dedicated to Ian Baynham, a victim of a 2009 homophobic assault near the gallery, whom Ash knew personally; the show includes a portrait of his sister Jen and a film on grief and loss.

Saudi artists showcased in Venice exhibition

The Saudi-backed exhibition "A Necessary Fiction: Maps, Art, and Models of Our World" is currently on view alongside the 61st Venice Biennale at the Abbazia di San Gregorio in Venice. Featuring 78 works by 29 contemporary artists, nine of whom are from Saudi Arabia, the show includes pieces by Ahmed Mater, Sarah Abu Abdallah, Nasser Al-Salem, and Basmah Felemban. Mater contributes "100 Found Objects" (2015), a work inspired by objects found near the Kaaba in Makkah, while Abu Abdallah's "Following the Lines" (2022) maps emotional landscapes through collaged photos and drawings. Al-Salem's "Each Time a Star Goes Astray" is a specially commissioned aluminum-and-stainless steel sculpture transforming Arabic calligraphy into astronomical imagery, and Felemban's "Voyage 01" uses AI to create prints inspired by cultural narratives.

Munson Museum of Art kicks of Juneteenth with celebration

The Munson Museum of Art in Utica, New York, is kicking off Juneteenth weekend with a free community celebration on June 18, 2026, from 5-7 p.m. The event features music by DJ Doneilous King, a gallery tour highlighting African American artists, a watercolor mini-class inspired by Charles Burchfield, children's crafts, and refreshments. The museum's Director of Performing Arts and Special Programs, Bob Mortis, emphasized the evening's focus on creativity, culture, and community, with funding provided by Sheila and Ron Cuccaro.

Cao Fei Finds the Romance in Technology

Ocula profiles Chinese contemporary artist Cao Fei, whose work explores the intersection of technology and human emotion. The article highlights her multimedia practice, including films, installations, and digital works that examine how technology shapes modern life and identity, often finding unexpected beauty and romance in digital and virtual spaces.

6 engaging museum exhibitions to view this summer

This article highlights six engaging museum exhibitions to visit during the summer, including a survey of American Pop art, a deep dive into a scandalous early 20th-century French painting, and an immersive tribute to Yoko Ono. Each exhibition is presented as a worthwhile cultural outing for the season.

$3.75 million gift allows Eiteljorg Museum to make new acquisitions

The Eiteljorg Museum has received a $3.74 million estate gift from longtime supporter Ellen M. Reed, who died in 2024 at age 93. The bequest establishes the Ellen Reed Acquisition Fund, with $1.7 million allocated for near-term art purchases and $2 million placed in an endowment. The museum's first major acquisition using the fund is Kent Monkman's 2017 painting "The Three Graces," and a blown-glass artwork by Dale Chihuly will be purchased later this month. Future acquisitions will support the museum's collections of Native/First Nations art and art of the American West, with some works incorporated into a planned 2029 gallery redesign.

Isabel Nolan: Dreamshook

Isabel Nolan's exhibition 'Dreamshook' represents Ireland at the 2026 Venice Biennale, running from May 9 to November 22. The show features fourteen new works—including sculptures, drawings, and tufted tapestries—that explore the life of Venetian printer Aldo Manuzio, who introduced the semicolon, italics, and pocket-sized books. Nolan, a Dublin-based artist born in 1974, draws on themes of imagination, shared knowledge, and the transformation of dreams into communal reality, with works like the central tapestry 'Aldus Dreams of a Plentiful Supply of Good Books' blending fantasy and history in a vivid, cartoon-like style.

What happens when you step inside a museum transformed into a cloud?

The article, published by Vogue Adria, explores an immersive art experience where a museum has been transformed into a cloud-like environment. It describes the sensory and perceptual effects on visitors who enter this ethereal space, blending architecture, light, and atmosphere to create a dreamlike state.

Cal Poly Art and Design Students to Exhibit Original Work in Downtown San Luis Obispo June 13-21

A collective of nine graduating Cal Poly art and design students, calling themselves Big Artist Corp., will host a weeklong exhibition titled "This is Not a Couch" in downtown San Luis Obispo from June 13 to June 21. The show, located at 750 Higuera St. in the former Gaia's Gallery, features about 50 original works ranging from hyperrealism to abstraction, with an opening reception on Friday, June 12. The title references René Magritte's "The Treachery of Images" and the students' shared studio couch, which became a symbol of their collaborative experience.

We, Shivers of Stardust: a contemporary immersive installation at the Grand Palais

French artist Laure Prouvost presents a new immersive installation titled "Nous, frissons d'étoile" (We, Shivers of a Star) at the Grand Palais in Paris from June 10 to July 26, 2026. The work blends video, sound, moving fabrics, and light to create a sensory journey inspired by quantum physics, developed in collaboration with researcher Hartmut Neven and philosopher Tobias Rees. Visitors pass through a pitch-black tunnel into a monumental fabric tent with colossal tentacles, encountering striking sculptures and an art video projected from the ceiling, accompanied by unpredictable sounds that evoke an invisible crowd or natural world.

“Road movie: Art between Korea and Japan since 1945” on View Through September 27, 2026, at MMCA Gwacheon

Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) presents "Yoo Youngkuk: A Mountain Within Me," the most comprehensive retrospective of Korean abstract pioneer Yoo Youngkuk (1916–2002), on view through October 25. Organized with the Yoo Youngkuk Art Foundation and The Chosun Ilbo, the exhibition features over 170 works and archival materials, including previously unpublished pieces, spanning painting, relief, photography, and drawing. It inaugurates SeMA's new "Korean Modern Masters" series, which reassesses Korean modern art from a contemporary perspective. The show traces Yoo's six-decade career from his studies at Bunka Gakuin in Tokyo to his later abstract works, using a non-linear structure pivoting around 1964 to highlight his enduring commitment to abstraction amid Korea's turbulent 20th-century history.

Rothko Museum opens Summer season in Daugavpils / Article

The Rothko Museum in Daugavpils, Latvia, opened its summer exhibition season on June 5, 2026, featuring photography, painting, and ceramics from Latvia, Lithuania, China, and South Africa. Highlights include a retrospective of American/South African photographer Roger Ballen, titled 'The Other Mind: Roger Ballen. A Retrospective,' curated by Aivars Baranovskis; Chinese artist Liu Guofu's 'Painting of Entropy'; Lithuanian artist Romualdas Balinskas's 'Before and After'; and Latvian artist Madara Tropa's 'Your Breath.' The season also includes a ceramics exhibition series at the Martinsons House gallery marking the 95th anniversary of Latvian ceramic artist Pēteris Martinsons, in partnership with the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Ceramics and the Rīga Porcelain Museum.

A.A.Murakami’s new immersive art installation SYMBIOSIS premiers at Art Basel in Basel 2026. London and Tokyo-based artist duo translate the BMW Symbiotic Drive technology of the Neue Klasse into an ephemeral experience.

BMW and artist duo A.A.Murakami (Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves) have partnered to present a new immersive art installation titled SYMBIOSIS at Art Basel in Basel, running from June 15-21, 2026. The installation translates BMW's Symbiotic Drive technology from the Neue Klasse into an ephemeral experience featuring bubbles, light, and mist that interact with natural forces, centered around the new BMW M760e xDrive.

The man who shaped Southeast Asia's art scene

Valentine Willie, an influential art collector, gallery owner, and curator, is profiled for his role in transforming Southeast Asia's fragmented national art markets into a cohesive regional network. The article traces his journey from a collector to a key figure who connected artists, galleries, and collectors across the region, with his home in Kuala Lumpur serving as a backdrop for his extensive collection.

'Walking with Giants' art celebrates America's cultural greats

College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, has launched a free outdoor art exhibition titled "Walking with Giants" that features 10 larger-than-life silhouette paintings of iconic American cultural figures. The exhibition, running through October 18, includes portraits of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Dolly Parton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Aretha Franklin, Norman Rockwell, Georgia O'Keeffe, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, John Williams, and Bob Fosse. Created by local artists Rich Lo and Judith Mayer, the 7- to 10-foot-tall silhouettes are installed across the campus grounds, with maps guiding visitors to each piece. The exhibition is presented by the McAninch Arts Center, Cleve Carney Museum of Art, and the College of DuPage Foundation, and ties into the 250th anniversary of the United States' founding.

Major international exhibition “Personal Stories / Political Realities” at Museum of Contemporary Art

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade presents "Personal Stories / Political Realities," a major international exhibition in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art in Lyon. Opening June 12, 2026, and running until September 20, 2026, the show features over seventy works by artists from Serbia, the former Yugoslav region, and the international scene, organized thematically to explore how personal experiences intersect with political realities.

At the Jacob Lawrence Gallery, the 2026 Art Honors Cohort displays their final works

The 2026 art honors cohort at the University of Washington is showcasing their final works in an exhibition titled "Ways of Becoming" at the Jacob Lawrence Gallery. The multimedia display features pieces by artists Rose Shipley, Isabella Martinez, and Jacob Noonan, among others, incorporating sculpture, painting, poetry, and interactive elements like zines and playlists. Shipley's "Waiting / Never Left" uses fabric and childhood artifacts to evoke stillness and nostalgia, while Martinez's vibrant paintings explore the overlooked aspects of city life, and Noonan's installation blends poetry, memes, and personal objects to reveal his creative process.

Thailand’s Soft Power Shines at The 2026 Venice Biennale - Prestige Online

Thailand is set to showcase its cultural influence at the 2026 Venice Biennale, marking a significant moment for the nation's soft power strategy. The article details Thailand's participation in the prestigious international art exhibition, highlighting the country's efforts to present its contemporary art scene on a global stage.

Can an exhibit connect art, AI and nature?

Dataland, the world's first AI arts museum, is set to open in Frank Gehry's Grand LA complex. The immersive exhibition features a rainforest journey that integrates biometrics, scent, sound, and light to explore the intersection of art, artificial intelligence, and nature. The show opens June 20th and runs through January 2027, with tickets priced between $49 and $79.

Marking a Milestone: 50-Years of Robin Gibson Gallery

Robin Gibson Gallery in Sydney is celebrating its 50th anniversary, marking half a century of operation as a prominent commercial gallery in Australia. The milestone highlights the gallery's enduring presence in the local art scene since its founding in 1974.

Complaint and Art: Efrén Maldonado’s New Art Exhibit is a Must-See

Denuncia y Arte: Efrén Maldonado’s New Art Exhibit is a Must-See

Efrén Maldonado, a renowned Mexican satirist and political cartoonist, has opened a new exhibition titled "Efrén: Denuncia y Arte" in Mérida, Yucatán. The show presents his political cartoons alongside colorful artworks, reflecting his unique blend of coastal vibrancy and the Yucatán Peninsula's history. Maldonado, born in 1950 in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, began his career in newsrooms at Revista de Revistas, Proceso, and El Universal, and is known for his iconic character El Gato Culto. The exhibition critiques political and cultural figures across ideologies, including Mexico's national oil company Pemex, and highlights his ability to balance sharp criticism with humor.

Miami Airport Showcases Local Art Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026

Miami International Airport has launched a new FIFA World Cup-themed art exhibition titled "Beyond the Pitch: Artists in Their Field" at the Gate D31 Gallery, running through 10 August 2026. The show features 14 South Florida artists exploring football's cultural impact through diverse mediums including painting, photography, sculpture, and video. A companion student exhibition, "GOOOAL! Kicking Off Creativity: Miami’s FIFA World Cup Celebration," is also on display in The Children's Gallery through 14 October, created by Miami-Dade County Public Schools students.

Macon couple donates works of art to WCU museum

Macon County couple William Banks Hinshaw and Robin Markle Hinshaw donated 18 artworks and artifacts to the Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum, Mountain Heritage Center, and Tali Tsisgwayahi Archaeological Collections and Curation Facility in Cullowhee, North Carolina. The donation includes 20th-century works by artists from Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, pieces by North Carolina ceramicist Nell Cole Graves, and a regional archaeological artifact, accompanied by a $2,000 conservation contribution. Two donated works—a 1961 color lithograph by Cuban artist Wifredo Lam and an untitled ink work by Raúl Milián—are currently featured in the museum's '20th Anniversary Exhibition,' on view through July 2.

Harcum Gallery summer exhibit features Brian Snowden’s abstract images

Harcum Gallery is hosting a summer exhibition featuring abstract images by artist Brian Snowden. The show highlights Snowden's distinctive approach to abstraction, offering viewers a chance to engage with his visual language during the summer season.

Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg | Summer Events and Exhibitions

The Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg is presenting a summer lineup of new exhibitions, including "Ali Banisadr: The Alchemist," the first major U.S. museum survey of the contemporary artist spanning nearly twenty years of painting, drawing, and printmaking, with a new sculpture direction debuting. Other highlights include Yvette Mayorga's 30-foot-long sculpture "Magic Grasshopper," a nostalgic carriage addressing migration and colonial histories, and "The Last Library IV: Written in Water" by Ward Shelley and Douglas Paulson, an installation of tilted shelves filled with banned books and controversial documents exploring truth and censorship. The museum also offers weekly "Art After Dark" evening events with jazz, an oyster bar, and wine tasting.

leandro erlich fills paris's grand palais with immersive illusions that challenge reality

Argentine artist Leandro Erlich has transformed Paris's Grand Palais into a surreal playground of perceptual illusions, featuring works such as 'The Cloud' (2018) and 'The View' (1997). The exhibition invites visitors to walk through impossible staircases, floating clouds, and other architectural distortions that challenge their sense of space and reality.

The MAMA Exhibition 'Mother Nature' is Taking Place at the Zuzeum Art Center

The Zuzeum Art Center in Riga is hosting the MAMA 'Mother Nature' exhibition, a global artistic platform that unites artists from various countries to explore ecological transformations, cultural memory, and the fragile balance between human activity and planetary life. First presented at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku in 2024 during the COP29 climate conference, the exhibition has since traveled to major cultural capitals including Manama, Rome, London, Tbilisi, Berlin, Tirana, and Geneva. The Riga edition features works from the Zuzeum collection alongside international artists such as Andris Eglitis, Klavs Lorens, Ieva Putniņa, Gabriēle Adomaitīte, Kris Lemsalu, Donna Huanca, Tala Madani, and Simphiwe Ndzube, and includes a special section dedicated to children's artworks.

The Asian Art Museum is hosting a free rave to celebrate Pride this weekend

The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco is hosting a free, family-friendly rave on June 7, 2026, to kick off Pride Month. The event will feature DJ Chico Chi, a queer and nonbinary transmasc DJ and producer, with dancing and music on the East West Bank Art Terrace. It coincides with the museum's free first Sunday, allowing visitors to also explore galleries including the new exhibition "Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries," which runs through July 20.

MEDITERRANEAN SEASON IN MARSEILLE: A MAJOR CONTEMPORARY ART EXHIBITION PROGRAM

Marseille is hosting a major contemporary art exhibition program titled "Mediterranean Season," featuring a wide array of installations and shows across multiple venues. Highlights include Zineb Sédira's remake of her French Pavilion presentation from the 2022 Venice Biennale, a multi-screen video installation by Abdessamad El Montassir exploring the Sahrawi desert, and the first French exhibition of video artist Mona Benyamin at the Triangle-Astérides art center. The program also includes a group show from the Southern Art Schools Network, the "Tangier-Marseille Highway" exhibition, and a vibrant presentation at the La Compagnie art center in the Belsunce neighborhood titled "Its Roots Extend Up to 7,000 km," featuring six artists.

Laois artist Dain to launch painting exhibition in Mountrath

Laois-based artist Dain Flemming is launching a four-part painting exhibition titled *Reflections of a World-Weary Wanderer* at the Gallery of Divine Inspiration in Bloom HQ, Mountrath. The exhibition features sections on Ireland, Canada, Australia, and dogs, reflecting his life journey. Flemming, a former teacher and vintage car enthusiast, began painting after a colleague encouraged him to try it while working at a boarding school in England. He now paints daily and has created a retrospective series that traces his travels and personal history.