News

A victory for righteousness or just a performance of it?

We need to acknowledge the complexity of our time and not hide in simple political polarities, says the director of the Art Gallery of Ontario

Work of art advertised on Airbnb lets visitors stay for free in the Arctic Circle—but there’s a twist

The installation by Czech artist Kateřina Šedá is part of the Lofoten International Art Festival in Norway

Washington, DC mayor's office attempts to take control of the city Arts Commission's collection

Staff members found their keys to the city's Art Bank abruptly deactivated as tensions rose between Mayor Muriel Bowser and the commission

Freeport debate rages on after UK government commits to establishing ten vast storage facilities

Labour MP Owen Smith calls the tax-free zones “self-storage for art thieves”

Art marketcomment

An increasingly polarised marketplace needs a third way

The divide between primary and secondary markets blur as sales skew in favour of a few recognised, bankable artists

What can the arts expect from next UK prime minister?

While Boris Johnson describes himself as a keen painter and Jeremy Hunt spent time as culture minister, the sector is likely to remain far down the agenda

Alinari, world’s oldest photography agency, faces crisis

As Fratelli Alinari vacates its Italian headquarters, there are hopes that Tuscan government will rescue the historic collection

‘Portuguese Saatchi’ in hot water over alleged €1bn debt

Three Portuguese banks have filed a lawsuit to recover funds from Joe Berardo, whose vast collection on show in Lisbon is one of the most visited in Portugal

French exhibition aims to reveal naked truth about 'nude Mona Lisa'

New research suggests work could be a prototype of an idealised “Venus” portrait designed by Leonardo himself

Obituariesgallery

Remembering I.M. Pei

The New York-based artist Cai Guo-Qiang shares personal memories and photos of his old friend, I.M. Pei

Votive paintings smuggled out of Mexico return to public view at Los Pinos presidential palace

The former government residence turned museum will host its first art exhibition

Mexiconews

Art that breathes: Mexican murals aim to clean the air

The public art works are painted using Airlite which purifies polluted air in a process similar to photosynthesis

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FBI launches campaign to return haul of Native and South American works

Thousands of illegally removed items—including human bones—were discovered on collector’s farm

Museums in the changing world order: Restitution to Africa reaches tipping point

In the second part of a new series, Adrian Ellis examines the issue of post-colonial restitution

Boom or bust for DC museums: how the US government shutdown affected visitor figures

In January, the 19 Smithsonian institutions had just 13% of the footfall they had experienced the year before

Cubanews

Activists to stage alternative biennial in Havana

Independent artists groups plan to put Cuba's controversial Decree 349 to the test

New London gallery Elephant West to be filled with Maisie Cousins’ food photographs for first show

British photographer’s largest exhibition to date will inaugurate space opened by culture magazine Elephant

‘Genuine’ Leonardo ‘sold’ for €72m on classified ads site Avito

The seller says that the painting, titled A Young Girl in Furs, was authenticated by the Stockholm art valuation firm Atelje Catellani

Putin demands ramping-up of cultural hub in annexed Crimea

State Hermitage Museum and Tretyakov are involved in arts centre in contested region

Protesters decry neglect after Brazilian museum fire

Amid melee at Rio's National Museum, museology students begin project to digitise the institution

Brazilnews

After the loss of its convicted founder, the Inhotim Institute carries on

The arts park maintains momentum as Bernardo Paz appeals a nine-year sentence for laundering donations

Largest exhibition ever of Mario Merz igloos to take over Milan’s Pirelli HangarBicocca space

Major loan show is based on 1985 display of the Italian artist organised by pioneering curator Harald Szeemann

Ai Weiwei remembers the Sichuan earthquake, ten years on

On the anniversary, the artist reflects on the disaster and China's response

Programme of paid internships aims to make US museum staff more diverse

Association of Art Museum Directors launches scheme to provide undergraduate students from minority backgrounds with hands-on experience