The Venice Biennale jury resigns amid tensions over awards ban, Russian participation just days ahead of the official opening...
Art - 30 April 2026
​The resignations of the International Jury of the Biennale Arte 2026As of today, the resignations of the International Jury of the 61st International Art Exhibition have been received.

La Biennale di Venezia announces that, as of today, the resignations of the International Jury of the 61st International Art Exhibition, In Minor Keys by Koyo Kouoh (9 May – 22 November 2026), have been received. The jury was made up of Solange Farkas (president), Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi.

Installation view, ‘Mise-en-scène,’ Hauser & Wirth in collaboration with Paulin, Paulin, Paulin, Monaco, 2026. Photo: Philippe Fitte.

By Isabel Jiménez

To celebrate Monaco Art Week that starts earlier this year taking place from 27th April to 1st May 2026 with a rich programme and panel talks set in the Grimaldi Forum, Hauser & Wirth Monaco gallery also invites art lovers to explore ‘Mise-en-scène,’ a presentation produced in collaboration with the Paris‑based design studio Paulin, Paulin, Paulin at Hauser & Wirth Monaco. The gallery space has been transformed into an immersive environment, with design objects providing a setting for exceptional pieces of art.

The gallery will be open to all from 29 April – 1 May between 11 am – 6 pm. Alternatively, the presentation is available to visit by appointment until it closes on 31 August, with further open viewing sessions taking place throughout its duration.

On view from through summer, Hauser & Wirth collaborates with Paulin, Paulin, Paulin, the Paris‐based design studio dedicated to the legacy of Pierre Paulin, on a dynamic presentation entitled ‘Mise-en-scène’ at the gallery’s Monaco location. Transforming the space into an immersive environment, the presentation is anchored by design objects that provide a setting for exceptional pieces of art. This includes modern masters such as Pablo Picasso, Louise Bourgeois, Jean Arp, Lucio Fontana and Andy Warhol, alongside contemporary icons including Rashid Johnson, Henry Taylor and Paul McCarthy.
Together with Sounds Like Paulin, the record label founded by Benjamin and Alice Paulin, the gallery will host a series of musical performances and activations during the season.

Hauser & Wirth and Paulin, Paulin, Paulin

at Hauser & Wirth Monaco
9 April – 31 August 2026

Artwork highlights include:

Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987), Dolly Parton, 1985 and Self-Portrait with Skull, 1978
Part of the artist’s so-called ‘society portraits,’ ‘Dolly Parton’ draws on the artist’s fascination with celebrity and media, whilst the self-portrait is part of a group of memento mori paintings he created in early 1978.

Henry Taylor, Terri Philips, 2011
Rooting his work in the people and communities closest to him, Taylor depicts his fellow Los Angeles-based
artist Terri Phillips. His major solo exhibition at Musée national Picasso-Paris is on view until 6 September 2026.

Paul McCarthy, White Snow, Dopey, Black Red White, Red, 2011 – 2015
This sculpture emerges from McCarthy’s exploration of the 19th-century folk tale ‘Schneewittchen (Snow White)’ and Disney’s interpretation of it. The artist is the subject of a solo show at Hauser & Wirth Paris until 31 May 2026.

Alexander Calder (1898 – 1976), Black Triangle – Red Ribbon, 1953
This work embodies how Calder revolutionised sculpture during the 20th Century. ‘Calder. Rêver en équilibre’ runs at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris until 16 August 2026, followed by a show at Hauser & Wirth Paris in the autumn.

William Kentridge, Colleoni, 2021
Since 2001, Kentridge has collaborated with Marguerite Stephens’s studio to translate his designs into tapestries. This example reflects on the heroics of men and the disintegration or destruction of monumental figures.

Paulin, Paulin, Paulin highlights include:
Déclive n°3
This recliner offers a moment to contemplate the surrounding artworks. Executed in a striking orange, the version in the presentation becomes a work of art in itself, asserting its presence as a sculptural seat.

Video Barnum
Blurring the distinction between floor and seating, this geometric couch with integrated speakers becomes part of the architectural landscape. It acts as a communal place for camaraderie and conversation, a key element of Pierre Paulin’s ethos. And Chirac Sofa, Pierre Paulin sought to design pieces that could work in any space. This modular sofa structures the environment and creates a place for gathering, supporting not only bodies but social interaction.

Hauser & Wirth Monaco
One Monte-Carlo
Place du Casino
98000 Monaco
www.hauserwirth.com

A Tribute to Claude Monet and the Language of Impressionism, Rêverie à Giverny will be unveiled in a major exhibition marking the centenary of the French Master’s death.

By Isabel Jiménez

A sculpture by Feng J – the young Chinese artist jeweller known for her impressionist inspired high jewellery creations – will enter the collection of the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny this spring. A tribute to Claude Monet (1840-1926) and the language of Impressionism, Rêverie à Giverny will be unveiled in a major exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of Monet’s passing on 5 December 1926. Before the Water Lilies. Monet Discovers Giverny, 1883–1890 will run from 27 March until 5 July 2026.

Located an hour from Paris, on the edge of Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny, the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny founded in 2009 is standing on a hillside at the very spot where the French master painted his celebrated Haystacks series in the 1890s. Earlier, the museum has presented major exhibitions devoted to Pierre Bonnard, Maurice Denis, Edgar Degas, Joaquín Sorolla and Gustave Caillebotte, and now piece by Feng J will be presented to the visitors. ​Marking the centenary of Claude Monet’s passing Before the Water Lilies. Monet discovers Giverny, 1883-1890 show traces the artist’s early years in the village of Giverny, from his arrival in 1883 to the end of 1890, when he became the owner of his house and began designing his garden.

Inspired by Feng J’s visit to the French museum in the summer of 2025, her latest work to be exhibited there is, crafted in titanium/ bronze and being electroplated coloring on surface, mount coloured crystals inside the wings frames-depicts a stylised dragonfly, one of the jeweller’s signature motifs. Drawing on a symbol deeply rooted in traditional Chinese iconography, Feng J’s “libellule” also pays a poetic homage to Monet’s water lilies, “Encountering Monet’s work as a child in Hangzhou - and later studying it at the China Academy of Art - was an aesthetic shock. It has stayed with me ever since, and today Monet’s language of light and colour lies at the very foundation of my practice,” said Feng J.

In addition to Rêverie in Giverny, Feng J is currently developing an artistic high jewellery creation directly inspired by a monumental oil on canvas in the collection of the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny, Nymphéas avec rameaux de saule, Feng J explains, “It is therefore an extraordinary honour to see my sculpture—my first real departure from purely gemstone based jewellery—join the collection of the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny, and sit beside the gardens that so profoundly shaped Monet’s art.” Last summer, Feng J travelled to the museum with a prototype of the piece in order to confront it with Monet’s original painting. Featuring hundreds of double rose cut gemstones and her signature floating setting, the jewel depicts an almost abstract dragonfly hovering above the tranquil Giverny pond, its outstretched wings echoing the drooping branches of the weeping willow in Monet’s composition.

Feng J – Painting with Gems since 2016

The Shanghai-based artist-jeweller Feng J established her jewellery Maison in Paris in 2016, with a resolute ambition to explore new forms of gem artistry and push the boundaries of High Jewellery. Her Impressionist- inspired designs swiftly captured the attention of leading figures in the field, who soon hailed her as a “prodigy” and an emerging force in contemporary jewellery.

Inspired by the work of Monet and Seurat, her work is also shaped by her affinity with traditional Chinese ink wash — her great-grandfather was a court painter, and she studied at the same art school as Zao Wou Ki. The artist is known for her “painterly” style, seeking to evoke the effect of an artist’s brushstrokes.
Just as Impressionist strokes move in different directions, she sets her stones at varying angles and on multiple levels, using them as pigments to build light and colour. Ten years since the creation of her Maison “Feng J – the Art of joialleirie,“ her Impressionist-inspired designs grace major museum collections, set records at auction and appear in showstopping exhibitions and art fairs around the world. Her sculptural pieces are held by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Long Museum in Shanghai. They have also been featured at TEFAF Maastricht, Fine Arts Paris, the Opéra Garnier in Paris, and, more recently, at the grand exhibition “Journey with Minerals” by Van Cleef & Arpels’ L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts China.

MUSÉE DES IMPRESSIONNISMES GIVERNY

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before the Water Lilies. Monet discovers Giverny, 1883-1890 
from 27 March until 5 July 2026
Musée des impressionnismes Giverny
99 rue Claude Monet, 27620 Giverny, France
mdig.fr

Sophia Al-Maria, Tom Eccles, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Tarek Atoui, Ruba Katrib. Photo: Brigitte Lacombe.

Written by Isabel Jiménez

On the occasion of the 61st International Art Exhibition of Fondazione La Biennale di Venezia, Rirkrit Tiravanija will present a project for the Qatar Pavilion which brings together artists, musicians and chefs from across the Arab world, including the participation of Tarek Atoui.

In conjunction with the Biennale, Lydia Ourahmane will present a solo exhibition at the Nicoletta Fiorucci Foundation. Mona Hatoum will participate in a group exhibition at ACP – ACP Palazzo Franchetti and Roberto Cuoghi will take part in a collaborative project at Teatro Goldoni in Venice.

Rirkrit Tiravanija
Tarek Atoui

La Biennale di Venezia, Qatar Pavilion, Giardini, Venice, Italy
May 9 — November 22, 2026

Rirkrit Tiravanija’s project for the Qatar Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia brings together artists, musicians and chefs from across the Arab world.
Tiravanija has designed a tent-like structure to serve as a place for cultural exchange, with a film by Qatari-American artist Sophia Al-Maria, live performances organized by Lebanese artist Tarek Atoui, a large-scale sculpture by Kuwaiti-Puerto Rican artist Alia Farid, and a culinary programme of Middle Eastern cuisine designed by Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan.

Co-curated by Tom Eccles (Hessel Museum of Art, Bard College) and Ruba Katrib (MoMA PS1), the project will be presented in the Giardini della Biennale on the site of the future permanent Qatar Pavilion designed by Lina Ghotmeh — Architecture

Nicoletta Fiorucci Foundation, Venice, Italy
May 5 — November 22, 2026

Lydia Ourahmane presents a solo exhibition, 5 Works, curated by Polly Staple, at the Nicoletta Fiorucci Foundation, alongside the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.

Mona Hatoum, at ACP – Palazzo Franchetti, Venice, Italy
May 9 — October 31, 2026

Mona Hatoum participates in the group exhibition TURANDOT: To the Daughters of the East at ACP – Palazzo Franchetti, Collateral Event at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.

At Teatro Goldoni, Venice, Italy, May 4 — 6pm to 10pm, Roberto Cuoghi participates in the collaborative project This is life (2026) at Teatro Goldoni, initiated by Karma Culture Brothers, alongside Gelitin, Luigi Ontani, and Paola Pivi.

Photo credit: © Julien Benhamou x Studio Fontan

Les Nuits Étoilées
From June 13 to June 15
In the heart of the hotel's Grand Jardin
The Ritz Paris is bringing together celebrated international artists for three exceptional evenings to showcase opera, dance, and orchestral music. An unprecedented and exceptional first edition.
Book my ticket
Three evenings, three atmospheres, three worlds
Artistic Director: Frédéric Fontan
Guest of honor: Roxane Stojanov, Étoile at the Opéra national de Paris

 La Nuit de Diamant
Saturday June 13, 2026
In tribute to Place Vendôme and the excellence of its great High Jewelry houses, mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel and soprano Claire de Monteil will ensure the evening sparkles with a thousand lights. The evening will be further distinguished by the world premiere of a solo dance created for Étoile Roxane Stojanov, set to a work by Chopin.
Book my ticket 
 La Nuit des Romantiques
Sunday June 14, 2026
The evening will celebrate love's emotions with soprano Tamara Bounazou and tenor Quentin Desgeorges. Paris Opera dancers Andrea Sarri and Mickaël Lafon will perform the pas de deux from Le Combat des Anges. Another highlight will be the Paris premiere of an adagio from Swan Lake with Étoile Maia Makhateli.
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 La Nuit Clair de Lune
Monday June 15, 2026
This closing night will be graced by the presence of soprano Bruno de Sá. Étoiles of the Ballet at the Opéra national de Paris, Alice Renavand and Mathieu Ganio, will perform Le Parc by Angelin Preljocaj, while the legendary Étoile Agnès Letestu will perform a solo of rare intensity. The finale will be the world premiere of a solo created for Alice Renavand.
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The Grand Jardin at the Ritz Paris: an exceptional backdrop
In the intimate setting of the Grand Jardin, beneath the still-light June sky and the twinkling lights of Place Vendôme, this festival will offer an artistic experience of rare elegance.
Further informati
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« THE BEST IS NOT TOO GOOD »
CESAR RITZ

Ritz Paris
15 place Vendôme, 75001 Paris
+33 1 43 16 30 30[email protected]

The MAFFilm Festival concludes its 16th edition
The Saudi film “Hijra”, directed by Shahad Ameen, wins Best Feature Film (above)
The Egyptian film “Life After Siham”, directed by Namir Abdel Messeeh, wins Best Documentary
The Egyptian short film “The Last Miracle”, directed by Abdelwahab Shawky, wins Best Short Film
The Palestinian film “All That’s Left of You”, directed by Cherien Dabis, wins the Audience Award

The 16th edition of the Festival concluded with a grand awards ceremony held at the prestigious Royal cinema hall. The festival sponsors were invited to the stage and honored for their support, including Diyala Food, Proms and Weddings, Zaytouna Bay, Safad Food AB, and EgyptAir.
Short film jury member Basim Sabah Al-Basim was welcomed to the stage on behalf of the short film jury, which also included Yara Sabri and Ola Salama.
The Special Mention Award went to “Irtizaz” from Saudi Arabia, directed by Sara Balghonaim. Aya Salama accepted the award on behalf of the film.
The Jury Award went to “32B (Mashakel Dakhlia)”, directed by Mohamed Taher.
The Best Short Film Award went to “The Last Miracle” from Egypt, directed by Abdelwahab Shawky.
The documentary jury members — Marwa Zein, Hala Galal, and Erfan Rashid — were then welcomed to the stage.
The awards were as follows:
The first Special Mention Award went to “Habibi Hussein” from Palestine, directed by Alex Bakri.
The second Special Mention Award went to the cast and crew of “One More Show” from Egypt and Palestine, including the Gazan participants appearing in the film and those unseen, directed by Mai Saad and Ahmad Al Danaf. Mai Saad accepted the award.
The Jury Award went to “My Father and Qaddafi” from Libya, the United States, and Sweden, directed by Jihan Kikhia.
The Best Documentary Film Award went to “Life After Siham” from France and Egypt, directed by Namir Abdel Messeeh. Producer Safi Eldin Mahmoud accepted the award.

The feature film jury members — Hassan Kechache, Jihane Bougrine, Yousry Nasrallah, and Ayman Jamal — were then welcomed to the stage.
The awards were as follows:
The Special Mention Award went to “Irkalla: Gilgamesh’s Dream” from Iraq, directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji. Ameer Jbara accepted the award.
The Best Actor Award went to Nawaf Al-Dhafairi for his role in “Hijra” from Saudi Arabia, directed by Shahad Ameen. Lamar Faden accepted the award on his behalf.
The Best Actress Award went to Mayan El Sayed for her role in “My Father’s Scent” from Egypt, directed by Mohamed Siam. Mayan El Sayed accepted the award.

Thai actor ​Apo Nattawin Wattanagitipha

Image credits: Image courtesy of Alserkal​. Déjà vu (2016) by Raed Yassin – the inspiration for the eponymous group show in Concrete, featuring artists represented by 18 UAE galleries*. 

Five weekends of programming to feature gallery openings, Déjà vu – a curated group show featuring 18 UAE galleries, Blank Space takeovers, grants, and public art interventions

• 16 exhibitions opening to audiences on 18 April in the Avenue’s contemporary art galleries
• Opening of “Still A Sky We Hold” — a newly commissioned iteration of Shilpa Gupta’s public art work
• Déjà vu, a curated group exhibition taking place in Concrete at Alserkal Avenue, from 25 April to 8 May
• Majlis Talks curated by Nadine Khalil and inspired by the curated group show in Concrete
• Programming led by participants of the Blank Space initiative featuring collectives working across multiple creative disciplines.
• Creative workshops featuring Dirwaza Curatorial Lab, Chafa Ghaddar, Nora Zeid, Al Reem Al Beshr
• 5 weekends of programming and public interventions throughout the month, including Slow Walks, conversations, poetry readings and performances, will feature some of the region’s most compelling cultural voices, from artists to curators, writers and filmmakers.
• Partnerships from across the UAE’s arts ecosystem, including a partnership with Art Dubai focused on moving image
• Alserkal Arts Foundation will host reading groups, performances and open studios by locally based artists and cultural practitioners, in addition to offering grants.

 
Dubai, UAE,14 April 2026: Alserkal has announced Alserkal Art Month, a collective expression of the resilience of the arts ecosystem in the UAE and the wider region that will run from 18 April to 18 May. Alserkal is joined by artists, cultural practitioners, and multidisciplinary collectives from across the region, as it expands its Art Week into a month-long initiative, Alserkal is joined by artists, cultural practitioners, and multidisciplinary collectives from across the region, as it expands its Art Week into a month-long initiative, providing a platform that will help sustain cultural engagement and create opportunities for dialogue, cultural enquiry and connection amongst the city’s creative community during this challenging time. The programme, which will span five weekends, will begin on 18 April as Alserkal Avenue’s contemporary art galleries preview their exhibitions as originally planned. The closing week, which will take place from 14-17 May, during Art Dubai 2026, will feature art commissions in partnership with the fair.
The month’s evolving programme is inspired by Shilpa Gupta’s work “Still They Know Not What I Dream”, which was commissioned by Alserkal Arts Foundation and supported by Ishara Art Foundation, and installed in The Yard in Alserkal Avenue, as part of Between a Beach and a Slope (2025), a series of public art commissions curated by Fatoș Ütsek. For Alserkal Art Month, the artist has created a new iteration of the work titled “Still A Sky We Hold” — a premise that underpins the entire month’s programme.  

Art Month will take place in Alserkal Avenue, offering audiences the opportunity to engage with new exhibitions in the cultural district’s conteorary art galleries, public art commissions and interventions, a collaborative commercial exhibition in Concrete, Majlis Talks, space takeovers, and workshops, alongside open studios, performances and reading groups hosted by Alserkal Arts Foundation.
Déjà Vu--a curated group exhibition featuring artists represented by 18 of the UAE’s leading contemporary art galleries—is a collective initiative between the UAE’s contemporary art galleries and Alserkal to present a commercial exhibition at the heart of its cultural district, Alserkal Avenue, during this challenging and uncertain time. The exhibition, which is curated by a three-person committee (Kevin Jones - Director of Strategy at Alserkal, Nada Raza - Director of Alserkal Arts Foundation and Zaina Zaarour - Curator & Manager of Programmes at Alserkal Avenue) in consultation with participating galleries, will open on 25 April. Inspired by the absurdity of repetitious acts, Déjà vu will examine the uncanny sense of days re-visited and re-lived and the existential strain of perpetual recurrence. The show will be complemented by a Majlis Talks programme curated by Nadine Khalil.
Alserkal Arts Foundation’s focus over the past six weeks has been on supporting artists, researchers and practitioners based in the UAE who have encountered practical challenges to continuing with practices. The Foundation’s support has manifested as studio takeovers as well as support for continued participatory programming. During Alserkal Art Month, the Foundation will host reading groups by artist Chafa Ghaddar, open studios with Alla Abdunabi and Maryam Ahli, and a performance by Asareh Ebrahimpour. The Foundation has also established a fund to help facilitate the completion of research-led projects; grants of up to AED 10,000 will be made available to practitioners within the Foundation’s network.
On 16 May, Alserkal Advisory, which consults with public and private entities on their cultural engagement policies, will bring key stakeholders and institutions across the UAE together for a round table to understand and delineate ways in which arts institutions can create impact among communities.
Multidisciplinary collectives who were selected to join the cultural district’s Blank Space initiative will also be part of Art Month. The initiative was launched at the end of March to support collaboration and public engagement amongst emerging creatives in the fields of design, craft, music and visual arts.
The month’s closing weekend programme (12-17 May) will feature “Moving”, a four-day programme of moving image works that marks the second year of the cultural district’s partnership with Art Dubai. The jointly curated programme features continuous-sequence screenings located on the screens in The Yard in Alserkal Avenue and on site at the fair in Madinat Jumeirah.

Speaking about Alserkal Art Month, Vilma Jurkute, Executive Director of Alserkal, said: “For almost 20 years, Alserkal has helped shape the region’s cultural landscape into the vibrant scene it is today and it remains committed to openness and partnership, supporting an ecosystem that continues to adapt, evolve and endure. Alserkal Art Month is a tribute to the resilience and fortitude of the UAE’s arts ecosystem, and to the people who sustain it. Rooted in shared values, this month-long programme creates space for collaboration, dialogue and exchange at a time when that feels especially important.”

Basmah El Bittar, Director of Alserkal Avenue, said: “Over the course of Alserkal Art Month, we will see 16 gallery exhibitions, 6 warehouse takeovers and a rich and diverse series of programmes brought to life in the Avenue. We are proud of the rigour and care that has gone into this programme, and of how our community has come together and continued to produce ambitious work.”
Alserkal is a cultural enterprise rooted in Dubai and active globally, shaping contemporary culture and advancing the creative economy across the MENASA region and beyond. Founded in 2007 by Emirati business leader and patron Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal, the organisation began with the transformation of a former industrial site into Alserkal Avenue, now one of the region’s leading destinations for contemporary art and community engagement. www.alserkal.online | @alserkalofficial
 
Alserkal Avenue is a cultural district in Al Quoz, and home to Dubai’s creatives, makers, and cultural visionaries. Welcoming almost 2 million visitors annually, the Avenue brings together 90+ creative businesses across art, design, food, performance, and lifestyle in a vibrant destination, creating cultural encounters for local, regional, and international communities. | https://alserkal.online/alserkal-avenue/
 

Successful Opening of the 16th Malmö Arab Film Festival
with the Iraqi Film “The President’s Cake”

The 16th edition of the Malmö Arab Film Festival officially opened on Friday, 10 April, in a vibrant celebratory atmosphere marked by strong public and official attendance, reaffirming the festival’s position as the leading platform for Arab cinema outside Arab region.
The opening evening began with the red carpet at the Royal Cinema, welcoming filmmakers, artists, and media representatives, with notable engagement from the audience. The official ceremony followed, opening with a welcome speech by the Mayor of Malmö, Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, who emphasized the festival’s important role in promoting cultural dialogue and artistic diversity in the city.
The Founder – Executive Chairman, Mouhamad Keblawi, then officially declared the 16th edition open, highlighting the festival’s ongoing commitment to supporting Arab cinema and fostering collaboration with European filmmakers.
During the ceremony, Saudi filmmaker Abdullah Al-Muheisen was honored in recognition of his pioneering career and his significant contributions to the foundation of Saudi and Gulf cinema, receiving warm appreciation from the audience.

 The evening culminated with the screening of the opening film “The President’s Cake” by Iraqi director Hasan Hadi, a co-production between Iraq, the United States, and Qatar. The film was warmly received by the audience for its compelling human story and distinctive visual approach.
The first day concluded with an official reception at Malmö City Hall, hosted by Carina Nilsson, Chair of the Malmö City Council, attended by festival guests, filmmakers, and representatives from cultural and media sectors, in an atmosphere reflecting collaboration and cultural exchange.
The festival continues until 16 April with a rich program featuring 39 films from across the Arab world, alongside the Malmö Industry Days, which serve as an important platform for supporting new projects and strengthening international partnerships.
Through this successful opening, the Malmö Arab Film Festival reaffirms its role as a cultural bridge between the Arab world and north Europe, and as a key platform for showcasing contemporary Arab cinema.