After covering extensive ground, indulging in countless espressos, savoring too much pasta, and immersing myself in the abundant art at the Venice Biennale, I’ve returned to my office in New York City. The experience was rich with history, charged with politics, and emotionally stirring. Despite some critics suggesting the Biennale might “implode” due to boycotts, resignations, and global disputes, it was, in fact, more vibrant than ever. A global exhibition of this magnitude must reflect both the challenges and delights of the world outside, as demonstrated by the late Koyo Kouoh’s primary exhibition, In Minor Keys. My review is on the way.
A highlight of my journey was connecting with our readers from around the globe. I was particularly moved by the dedication and integrity of local art workers and activists in Venice. A heartfelt salute to their bravery. Until next time, friends. Ciao!
—Hakim Bishara, editor-in-chief
How Dayanita Singh Organized a Major Show in Venice
Freed from the constraints of substantial funding that often stifles creativity, the artist showcased her archival document images at an unconventional venue in the Italian city. | Hrag Vartanian
New York Art Fairs
Frieze New York Is an Assembly-Line Salad
Discovering a break from the repetitive rhythm and experiencing art that made the trade show setting fade away. | Valentina Di Liscia
Inside TEFAF New York’s Annual Wealth Pageant
This year’s Park Avenue Armory fair dazzled the Nouveau Gilded Age patrons. | Aaron Short
The Joy of Discovery at 1-54 Art Fair
Despite being smaller than previous editions, the contemporary African art fair captivates with tactile, surprising, and lively material expressions. | Seph Rodney
Independent Art Fair Trades Downtown for the World
As the fair moves to a large venue on the Lower East Side waterfront, it evolves with a global and glossy appeal. | Lisa Yin Zhang
Between Tropes and Treats at NADA New York
Amidst unique sculptures, shiny objects, and kitschy vibrancy, there were pieces that stood out. | Rhea Nayyar
What Does a Booth Cost at a New York Art Fair?
We inquired with 13 fairs about booth pricing, and their responses (or lack thereof) revealed insights into the art world’s transparency and affordability. | Valentina Di Liscia
Future Fair Is a Big Artist Party
Instead of isolated gallery booths, the New York show encourages connections between them. | Isa Farfan
My NADA Sketchbook
I felt compelled to sketch all the three-dimensional artworks at the New York art fair. | Steven Weinberg
News
- Artists and cultural workers made history at the Venice Biennale by initiating a significant strike that disrupted the event’s pre-opening. This marked the first cultural strike in the biennale’s 131-year history.
- As the 61st Venice Biennale opened to the public on May 9, 54 artists and 22 national pavilion teams withdrew from awards consideration in support of the jury’s resignation.
- Some local cultural organizations expressed feeling left out and not genuinely consulted in the selection process for Somalia’s debut national pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale.
- In a surprising development, cosmetics billionaire Ronald Lauder’s Neue Galerie is set to merge with The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue.
- Three arcade cabinets surfaced at the DC War Memorial, inviting visitors to engage with “Operation Epic Furious: Strait to Hell,” which reflects the White House’s downplaying of death and suffering amid the US and Israel’s ongoing conflict with Iran.
- Mary Lovelace O’Neal, a painter, educator, and Civil Rights activist, passed away on May 10 at age 84 in Mérida, Mexico. The cherished artist was renowned for her large-scale canvases and innovative “lampblack” works.
From Our Critics
The Ukrainian Pavilion’s Deer Seen Around the World
Before making its way to Venice, Zhanna Kadyrova’s “The Origami Deer” embarked on a remarkable journey, echoing the experiences of displaced Ukrainians. | Gregory Volk
Did Zurbarán Believe What He Painted?
Reflecting on an exhibition about the Spanish painter in London, I wondered if belief plays a role in the quality of one’s painting. | Michael Glover
Todd Gray Reframes Black Diasporic History
His layered photo installations, rooted in a vast Black heritage, invite viewers to explore, connect, and question. | David S. Rubin
The Making of a Maintenance Artist
A new documentary chronicles Mierle Laderman Ukeles’s long-standing practice of highlighting overlooked, unpaid, and feminine labor. | Dan Schindel
Opinions
IDF Soldiers Hide From Our Gaze
Official portraits depict Israeli soldiers turning their backs to the camera, seemingly to avoid prosecution for war crimes. This act suggests an acknowledgment of guilt. | Ido Nahari
Genuflecting Before “Don Colossus”
Trump’s new golden statue in Miami draws comparisons to the Golden Calf, but it resembles a Moloch idol more closely. | Ed Simon
Features
Archaeologists Discover Mummy Buried With Lines From Homer’s Iliad
In Egypt, a papyrus was found with lines from Homer, confirming his widespread influence in the ancient Mediterranean. | Sarah Bond
Ridgewood’s Thriving Art Scene Steps Out of Bushwick’s Shadow
Ridgewood Open Studios attracted hundreds, revealing hidden spaces in converted factories, sculpture-filled basements, and playground printmaking workshops.
Art Problems: WTF Is an A-Corp?
What is an Artist Corporation, and should you consider starting one? Paddy Johnson offers insight.
Beer With a Painter: Keith Mayerson
The cartoonist-turned-painter, who portrays American identity and activism, shares, “I wanted to expose the signified beyond the signifier.”
A View From the Easel: Lavett Ballard
“The Barbies belong to my six-year-old granddaughter, who sometimes joins me in the studio to paint.”
Art Movements: Michelle Millar Fisher Heads to Cooper Hewitt
The New York museum appoints a new chief curator, Getty funds $1.8M for Black visual art archives, and an artist makes a cheeky appeal on the High Line.
Remembering Bruno Bischofberger, Manuela Hoelterhoff, and Steven Durland
This week, we pay tribute to a Swiss collector, a discerning art critic, and a performance art advocate.
Required Reading
This week: an artistic antidote to AI monotony, Kimberlé Crenshaw’s new memoir, New Orleans and climate change, an Art Deco train, and sex workers’ perspectives on “Euphoria.”
Opportunities
Explore residencies, fellowships, grants, and open calls from the Bennett Prize, Oak Spring Garden Foundation, and more in our May opportunities list for artists, writers, and art workers.
