PreviewThe Year Ahead 2021
Our guide to the top biennials and triennials coming up in 2021
Previews of the 34th Bienal de São Paulo, Prospect.5 and the 11th Liverpool Biennial—plus, lots of dates for your diary
NewsMuseums
Guggenheim director Richard Armstrong sets new opening date for long-delayed Abu Dhabi museum
New deputy director Naomi Beckwith says 'we can re-centre where the stories of art are told'
NewsArt Basel 2021
Unlimited—Art Basel’s section for large works—opens to visitors with a rainbow jacuzzi, a spooning couple and a house made of bread
Curator Giovanni Carmine walks through highlights among the 62 supersized installations presented at the fair
NewsAppointments
'Musée d’Orsay can no longer be a tourist factory': Christophe Leribault named new director of Paris museum
Leribault will oversee a major redevelopment of the Musée d’Orsay over the next decade
NewsRestitution
Looted African works that France has promised to return to Benin will be shown in Paris museum for one last time
The exhibition Benin: the Restitution of 26 Works from the Royal Treasures of Abomey at Musée du quai Branly–Jacques Chirac will be on view for five days in October
NewsPrizes
James Turrell and Sebastião Salgado among international recipients of £400,000 Japanese art prize
Japan Art Association drew up the all-male winners list for award dubbed ‘Nobel Prize for the Arts’
NewsFunding
British Council—the UK's international organisation for cultural relations—winds down in 20 countries
Covid impact on commercial income has led to cost cutting, organisation says
NewsArt education
After UK government slashes arts education funding it is now offering £10m extra cash—for a lucky few institutions
A select group of 16 specialist colleges, including the Royal College of Art and the Courtauld Institute of Art, have been given a lifeline
InterviewBook Club
‘Caravaggio was a major-league asshole’: the long tradition of scandal in art
According to Noah Charney’s new book, infamy in the art world—be it contrived drama to drum up publicity or genuine artistic rivalry—is as old as art itself
AnalysisArt market
Eye of the Collector tries out new fair format in a neo-Gothic setting
The no-stands format of the London event in Two Temple Place is a refreshing change, although some visitors found the lack of labels confusing
FeatureBook Club
Extract | How the colours in ancient Pompeian frescoes ‘spoke’ to Mark Rothko
A new book by the art historian Ben Street attempts to demystify how we look at art and argues for reacting instinctively to what we see
BlogBook Club
September’s book bag: US land protests, English country houses and a feminist history of photography
Our roundup of the latest art publications
NewsVenice
Billionaire collector Nicolas Berggruen turns Venetian palace into cultural thinktank
The Berggruen Institute also announced that philosopher Peter Singer was the recipient of its annual $1m prize
NewsStatues
Bank of England removes ten slave trader works
But contentious statues of politicians involved in slave trade still remain in city's Guildhall building
NewsBanksy
Banksy’s £1m self-destructing painting goes back to auction—and could sell for six times the price
Work went viral in 2018 when it shredded during the sale at Sotheby’s
NewsAfghanistan
Is a portrait of Queen Elizabeth from the British embassy in Kabul now in Taliban hands? UK politicians are stumped
Work left inside the British embassy will be protected, vow Taliban insurgents
NewsDamien Hirst
First Kanye West now Drake? Damien Hirst plugged by A-list musicians—but the internet is rolling its eyes
The Canadian rapper Drake yesterday posted a new album cover designed by the British artist
NewsHuman rights
Cultural activist Osman Kavala remains imprisoned in Turkey without conviction almost four years after his arrest
Turkish authorities behind the legal saga have been criticised by the European Court of Human Rights
NewsStatues
Liverpool audio installation revisits history of slaver statue toppled 40 years ago
Sound piece at site where William Huskisson sculpture was brought down is part of citywide Statues Redressed project
NewsAfghanistan
New York human rights organisation ‘racing against the clock’ to get Afghan artists to safety
As the deadline for evacuation looms, the Artistic Freedom Initiative wants the US government to grant refugee status to individuals
NewsArt market
'No gallery is an Island': Nordic galleries gather for Chart art fair
Twenty-six dealers participate in the "essential" re-booted regional event in Copenhagen
NewsExhibitions
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Pre-Raphaelite paintings go on show in his refurbished historic London theatre
Composer has funded a two-year, £60m renovation of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane to turn it into a public gallery and heritage attraction
NewsPolitics
Unesco calls for Afghanistan’s heritage to be protected—but how will it seek enforcement?
UK government agrees that new regime must "safeguard the full diversity of Afghan culture"
NewsBiennials & festivals
Could new Banksy works help seaside spot become the next UK City of Culture?
Several works recently sprayed in the area by street artist "may be an endorsement", Great Yarmouth Borough Council says
NewsEducation
Ancient history? Worcester University to close its archaeology department in another blow to heritage sector
Decision is a "canary in the coal mine" for other arts and humanities subjects, warns museums body
NewsAfghanistan
Amid Taliban insurgency, culture sector fears looting as Kabul descends into chaos
British Council in Afghanistan among international heritage organisations that have suspended operations during the conflict
NewsRestitution
‘Slap in the face’: Poland passes law effectively blocking Holocaust-era art restitutions
Lawyers and collectors weigh in on new rule that sets a 30-year limit on claims to property that was stolen by Nazis and Communist leaders
NewsCensorship
Instagram backtracks on decision to ban Pedro Almodóvar lactating nipple film poster
The social media platform removed the image earlier this week for breaking its "rules against nudity”
FeatureBook Club
Extract | How Mayor Rudy Giuliani went from ‘patting on the back’ to trying to pull the plug on Sensation show
Two decades after one of the most controversial exhibitions of recent times, Arnold Lehman, the former director of the Brooklyn Museum, reveals all in a new book
BlogBook Club
The best art books for summer—as recommended by curators, directors and dealers
As we enter the final weeks of the season, check out these riveting reads, from “the best novel about painting” to a book with no words at all
BlogBook Club
August’s book bag: from Polaroids and chats with trailblazing women artists to new insights into Indigenous Australian treasures
Our roundup of the latest art publications
NewsStatues
Queen Victoria statue defrocked after ex-politician Nigel Farage blasts public art project addressing UK’s slavery history
Right-wing commentator says he is "tired of this endless conversation about the UK's complicity with slavery"
NewsDisasters & destruction
'We have collected the parts': owners of Kusama's typhoon-battered pumpkin in Japan plan to restore it
Artist's huge sculpture at Benesse Art Site Naoshima was "severely damaged" when it was washed out to sea during stormy weather earlier this week
NewsAppointments & departures
Stefan Kalmár steps down as director of ICA London after five years
Contemporary art venue has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic
NewsMuseums
London's Barbican shakes up staff following racism allegations published in tell-all book
Former BBC culture editor Will Gompertz steps into joint managing director role with Sandeep Dwesar
NewsWar & Conflict
Sacred rock-hewn churches at risk as rebel forces take control of Ethiopia's Unesco World Heritage Site Lalibela
Historic town, a holy site for millions of Orthodox Christians, caught up in widening Tigray conflict
NewsHeritage
Acropolis forced to close amid unprecedented heatwave and wildfires in Greece
The birthplace of the Olympic Games is one of the many ancient sites at risk as record temperatures scorch country
NewsStreet art
JR unveils ‘X-ray’ optical illusion piece on historic Palazzo Farnese in Rome
Scaffolding cover-up work is part of French Embassy’s new ambitious contemporary art programme
NewsMuseums & Heritage
A year on from the devastating Beirut blast, the city’s national museum slowly reopens
Louvre specialists worked with Lebanese counterparts to repair the damaged building
NewsAugmented reality
England riots 10 years on: augmented reality work gives voice to arrested protestors
Baff Akoto’s Up:Rise piece can be accessed via QR codes on posters in London, Liverpool and Bristol
NewsHeritage
Controversial Stonehenge tunnel is unlawful, High Court rules
Judge concludes that UK transport secretary failed to consider alternatives to the scheme or assessed the ‘risk of harm’ to the Unesco site
NewsPublic art
That’s a wrap: artist Osman Yousefzada envelops Selfridges department store in a giant canvas
Art trail in Birmingham shop also explores migration and identity—but will visitors notice?
NewsMuseums
Greta Thunberg says Science Museum ‘killed its reputation’ after it is revealed Shell sponsorship came with gagging order
Culture Unstained activists say contract clause is ‘chilling’ but museum group says cutting ties with energy groups is ‘unproductive’
NewsExhibitions
Getting to know Sonia Boyce: ahead of her Venice Biennale debut, a new show deep dives into her practice
UK artist has organised a group exhibition at Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art displaying 12 artists who interact with the ideas behind her own works
NewsAppointments
French culture ministry names 39-year-old Xavier Rey director of Centre Pompidou’s national museum of modern art
Current director of Marseille museums will take up coveted post under newly appointed Pompidou president Laurent Le Bon on 1 October
NewsExhibitions
Monet’s water lilies masterpiece to be shown in UK for the first time
Painting from Paris is included in an exhibition at London's Dulwich Picture Gallery dedicated to Helen Frankenthaler to show similarities in painting style between the two artists
NewsSaudi Arabia
Ancient rock art complex Hima listed as Saudi Arabia's sixth Unesco World Heritage site
Global heritage body's decision boosts Saudi government's efforts to promote an open image of the country
NewsNFTs
The Whitworth gallery in Manchester mints a William Blake NFT in aid of community causes
The museum will track the activity of the crypto work for the next two years for a 2023 exhibition on art economics
NewsArts funding
UK government approves 50% funding cut for arts and design courses
Education secretary Gavin Williamson says money will be directed towards Stem subjects
NewsPoland
Poland’s right-wing government dismisses director of leading contemporary art museum in latest blow to cultural scene
Over 1,000 leading Polish arts figures have signed a letter in defence of the Zacheta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw's head Hanna Wróblewska
NewsAppointments & departures
Macba in Barcelona dismisses key curatorial staff shortly after appointing new director Elvira Dyangani Ose
Museum's move to sack Tanya Barson and Pablo Martínez prompts art world backlash on social media
NewsExhibitions
Elba, Napoleon's Italian exile island, hosts bicentenary exhibition on the controversial French emperor
Uffizi Galleries in Florence among major lenders to show marking 200 years since his death
NewsArt market
Autumn fair calendar is fit to burst as Fiac relaunches in new temporary Paris venue near Eiffel Tower
Dealers must decide which fairs to prioritise as Art Basel in Switzerland and Frieze in London are scheduled just weeks apart
BlogBook Club
July’s book bag: from paranormal American art to a history of Stuart architecture
A roundup of the latest art publications
BlogBook Club
The best art books to dive into this summer—as recommended by artists
Whether you are lying on a beach or next to a paddling pool, sit back and let your mind soak up these inspiring reads
FeatureBook Club
Extract | William Blake’s famous flop of an exhibition and the critic who described him as ‘an unfortunate lunatic’
A new book by John Higgs paints a picture of the mixed reviews that the 18th-century artist received and touches upon the “Holy Grail of his lost works”
FeatureBook Club
The birth of auto-destructive art and how Gustav Metzger’s early works lay hidden in his auntie’s attic for decades
Three takeaways from a new publication about the early career of the radical artist
NewsArt market
Noah Horowitz is stepping down as Art Basel’s director of Americas—next month
The Art Basel in Miami Beach chief will leave at the end of August, less than four months before the fair is due to take place in early December
NewsMuseums
South Korea's rapid rise to global pop cultural dominance will be explored in new Victoria & Albert Museum exhibition
Hallyu! The Korean Wave takes place in 2022 along with Beatrix Potter celebration and showcase of African fashion
NewsAncient art
One of the world's first art objects? Tiny 51,000-year-old deer bone was decoratively carved by Neanderthals, new study reveals
Discovery contradicts commonly held belief that these archaic humans were incapable of creating aesthetic items
ReviewBiennials & festivals
From the fall of Big Ben to the toxic truth about clouds: three to see at Manchester International Festival
As the biennial event opens in northern English city, we pick the best art and shows on view
ReviewExhibitions
Three exhibitions to see in London this weekend
From Christina Quarles's fragmented figures to Igshaan Adams's sparkling dust clouds
NewsStatues
Crowds topple statues of Queen Victoria and Elizabeth II in Winnipeg amid anger over deaths of Indigenous children
The monuments were torn down during Canada Day celebrations, which marks the country's confederation
NewsArt law
Portuguese collector Joe Berardo—detained for tax fraud—also investigated for other crimes
Businessman behind the Museu Coleção Berardo in Lisbon, one of Portugal's most visited museums, allegedly owes nearly €1bn
NewsMuseums
Gainsborough showstopper The Blue Boy comes home to the UK after 100 years
Picture will go on show at London’s National Gallery a century after it left for California
NewsArt education
Royal College of Art students launch virtual gallery of works that were 'lost or damaged' during lockdown
More than 150 students have complained but only two students have so far made a claim, college officials say
NewsContemporary art
'Clay made me': Theaster Gates to receive series of major London shows around his love of ceramics
The Chicago-based artist will design the 2022 Serpentine Pavillion
NewsMuseums
Visitor figures: how many people are actually returning to London museums post-lockdown?
We asked English institutions to provide figures for the four-week period from 17 May to gauge current demand
NewsAppointments
Centre Pompidou in Paris names new president as Brussels branch backtracks over ‘sexist’ appointment
The Kanal-Centre Pompidou in Belgium has responded to outcry over decision to make Bernard Blistène a co-director alongside Kasia Redzisz
NewsControversies
'It has given legitimacy to transphobia': Students angered by Royal Academy's apology to artist Jess de Wahls
Royal Academy Schools, the London museum's art college, have taken to Instagram to express their dismay
NewsCentre Pompidou
A departure, a side move, and a new appointment: Centre Pompidou in flux as leadership shuffle causes controversy
Belgian art world outraged after curator Kasia Redzisz, who won a vote to be appointed director of Brussels outpost, will have to share the job with current director in Paris, Bernard Blistène
FeatureArles
Destination Arles: must-see art and culture spots while on pilgrimage to the new LUMA creative campus
From Roman architecture to medieval streets that inspired Van Gogh, the historic city in the south of France is becoming a go-to destination
NewsControversies
‘One thing is clear to us now, we should have handled this better’—Royal Academy apologises to artist Jess de Wahls over transphobia row
The London museum says that pulling her work from their shop because of her views "betrayed our most important core value—the protection of free speech"
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Unesco warns that Stonehenge will go on its danger list unless plans to build tunnel beneath it are modified
World Heritage Site status may also be removed from Liverpool's waterfront after excessive development
NewsMuseums
Anti-Shell sleepover protest at London's Science Museum ends with police threatening to arrest demonstrators
Youth climate activists claim that the "museum would rather have kids arrested than drop their polluting sponsors"
NewsControversies
Royal Academy gift shop will not stock work of artist accused of transphobia
London museum posted an Instagram story explaining reasons for withdrawing items by Jess de Wahls
NewsAcquisitions
Anti-racism posters, Nike trainers and Kim Kardashian's selfies go on show in Victoria and Albert Museum's new gallery of contemporary design
London institution unveils refurbished Design 1900-Now space for its Rapid Response collection of objects that reveal "truths about how we live"
NewsControversies
'In solidarity with the Palestinian people', photographers withdraw their works from Prix Pictet show in Israel
Prize-nominated artists Shahidul Alam and Gideon Mendel will not show their works at the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv
NewsPublic art
'Gormley would have liked it': Man who graffitied sculpture cleared in court of criminal damage
Clasp statue at Newcastle University was defaced in May 2019 and again earlier this year
NewsStatues
'Geffrye must fall': Labour MP Diane Abbott leads protests demanding slaver statue be removed from London museum
Former UK shadow home secretary led protests at the Museum of the Home in Hoxton, which reopened to the public at the weekend
NewsPrizes
Queen’s birthday honours: sculptor Phyllida Barlow is made a Dame with awards also for gallerist Sadie Coles and artist Veronica Ryan
Other art world figures recognised include Edmund de Waal and Martin Parr
NewsStatues
Oxford professors refuse to teach undergraduate students if Cecil Rhodes statue stays in place
Oriel College said it had no plans to “begin the legal process for relocation” of the monument
FeatureBook Club
In Pictures | Barkley L. Hendricks unseen photographs gathered in new publication
The US artist’s images are joined by an extract from the book looking at how aspects of his painting and photography overlapped
BlogBook Club
June’s book bag: from Peter Blake’s collages to artists’ solutions to the climate emergency
A roundup of the latest art publications
NewsExhibitions
Harrowing film on Japanese war-time atrocities in China is among shortlisted works on show in UK's biggest art prize
Powerful work by Japanese artist Meiro Koizumi is on show alongside five other artists in Cardiff's Artes Mundi award
Newsreopenings
London's Courtauld Gallery to reopen in November with new exhibition spaces and a commission by Cecily Brown
LVMH Great Room and Blavatnik Fine Rooms reflect generous backing from sponsors
NewsArt market
Takashi Murakami organises Outsider art sculpture show in vast New York space
Collectors can still break into market for self-taught work, says fair founder
NewsExhibitions
Institutional racism and police brutality: ICA London to reopen with timely show after 15-month hiatus
Book by investigative artists Forensic Architecture and ICA presents new evidence in 2011 police killing of Mark Duggan
NewsUK politics
UK culture war: museum trustees are paying the price for disagreeing with government's policies
Several board members who do not support the "retain and explain" policy championed by the ruling party have recently left or lost their roles within the arts
NewsArt market
Art Basel confirms it is happening this September IRL—but with some caveats
Collectors are told they must be fully vaccinated or supply a negative Covid-19 test in line with Swiss government regulations
NewsVenice
Museum chiefs—and Mick Jagger—say Venice must be saved as cruise ships are set to return to lagoon city after 18-month break
Signatories of the open letter supporting ten point-plan to save La Serenissima also include the artist Anish Kapoor and The Art Newspaper's founding editor Anna Somers Cocks
NewsStatues
Imperialist statue must go: defying college's decision, more than 350 Oxford University academics demand Cecil Rhodes be removed
Oriel College's plan to keep the sculpture of "racist" 19th-century British mining magnate "does not reflect the Oxford we represent", say staff in a letter
NewsMonuments
Colston returns—controversial statue of slave trader to go on show in Bristol museum
Visitors to M Shed display asked to give feedback about the future of the sculpture
ReviewThree to see
Three exhibitions to see in London this weekend
From 5,000 years of Iranian art and culture to Black female resistance and the domestic sphere
NewsExhibitions
Tino Sehgal to unveil open air 'live encounters' piece in the gardens of Blenheim Palace
Thirty participants will enact "moments of connection" in the setting of the 18th-century Oxfordshire stately home
NewsLondon
Arts charity to open pop up in Mayfair selling works during London Gallery Weekend
Contemporary Art Society will launch temporary exhibition space on 4 June with pieces by artists including Lubaina Himid and Roger Hiorns
PreviewExhibitions
The David and Goliath of art collections team up—London’s National Gallery loans nine works to Southampton
Maverick museum chief Kenneth Clark helped shape the Southampton City Art Gallery's collection
NewsAppointments & departures
Too woke? National Trust chair Tim Parker steps down
Rebel group of members planned to depose heritage chief following row over controversial research into charity’s historic ties to slavery
NewsExhibitions
Acclaimed Lynette Yiadom-Boakye and Zanele Muholi shows end at Tate next week—but both are coming back
After runs punctuated by Covid-related delays, the exhibitions at Tate Modern and Tate Britain will return after their international tours
NewsAppointments & departures
Culture professionals react to Tony Hall quitting as National Gallery chair amid BBC Princess Diana scandal
John Kingman, the London museum's deputy chair, will temporarily step into the role