The Louvre museum in Paris is undergoing a major renovation to increase its capacity from 4 million annual visitors to 8.7 million, with 75% of visitors being foreigners from countries such as the US, China, Italy and Spain. The renovation, estimated at €730-€834 million over the next decade, will include the creation of a new entrance near the Seine by 2031, financed by ticket sales, patronage and licensing money from the museum's Abu Dhabi branch. The project aims to make the museum safer and more comfortable for visitors and employees, with half of its budget being financed by the French government and the other half by private funds.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/mona-lisa-get-own-room-major-renovation-louvreThe Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, known locally as KMSKA, has reopened after an 11-year renovation that cost 100 million euros. The museum now features two distinct sections: a modernist art gallery and galleries dedicated to old masters. One notable exhibit is the live restoration of Peter Paul Rubens' altarpiece "Enthroned Madonna Adored by Saints" in the Rubens gallery, which will be ongoing until 2027.
https://channelnewsasia.com/experiences/things-eat-stay-see-itinerary-antwerp-belgium-4898546The Spring Break art fair in Los Angeles has been canceled due to concerns about the current political climate and its impact on artists. The fair's organizers, Kelly and Gori, cited the Trump administration's denial of the climate emergency and rollback of climate policies as a reason for their decision. They also mentioned the "culture of fear and censorship" affecting artists who express particular ideologies. In contrast, the Other Art Fair in Los Angeles will still take place, offering artists an opportunity to exhibit without gallery affiliation.
https://hyperallergic.com/986456/spring-break-art-show-cancels-upcoming-la-edition/Artist Stong's new exhibition, "Split Fountain", showcases his development of celestial imagery with a nod to Italian Renaissance and Baroque painters Winckelmann and Stong himself, who studied in Rome two and a half centuries apart. The exhibition features small-scale frescoes that explore themes of rapture and peril, while also highlighting the artist's use of printmaking techniques such as the "split fountain" process to create smooth color gradients.
https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/installation/a-split-fountain-samantha-nye-and-todd-stong-candice-madey-nyc/Ukrainian Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications Mykola Tochytskyi met with UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay to discuss restoring cultural infrastructure in Ukraine, which was damaged by Russian attacks. The destruction targeted sites under UNESCO protection, including cultural institutions throughout the country. To address a personnel shortage, they discussed expanding educational opportunities for restorers and specialists who evacuate cultural values. Tochytskyi thanked UNESCO for supporting the creation of a Cultural Hub in Lviv, which opened on January 28.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-society/3954126-ukraines-culture-minister-unesco-chief-talk-cultural-heritage-restoration.htmlDeutsche Bank has opened a permanent exhibition space called the Palais Populaire in Berlin, which will showcase its vast collection of 55,000 artworks. The bank's decision to open the space is likely due to the fact that people are still hungry for art and an online viewing room cannot replace the personal experience of visiting a physical gallery. This move follows the example set by Berlin dealer Johann König, who staged an impromptu "fair" in June 2020 to coincide with the original Art Basel dates, and has also opened a new space in Seoul that includes a sculpture garden on its roof terrace.
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/01/28/pace-and-galerie-judin-to-open-new-berlin-gallery-in-1950s-petrol-station-in-aprilThe Hong Kong Museum is notable for its collection of "China Trade" art, which features paintings by Western and Chinese artists from the 18th and 19th centuries depicting the first encounters between East and West in Hong Kong. The museum's collection showcases a unique perspective on the city's early days as a trading port. In addition to the museum, visitors can explore other cultural attractions such as Tai O, a fishing village on Lantau Island known for its traditional stilt houses and wild water buffalo residents. At night, the city transforms with innovative performances at the Xiqu Centre theatre and stylish bars like Dragonfly in the historic Tai Kwun complex, which also features contemporary art galleries in the surrounding streets of Central and Sheung Wan.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-14185275/From-modern-art-ancient-monuments-heres-experience-best-Hong-Kongs-fascinating-local-culture.htmlKaipova's textile designs showcase her mastery and innovative use of technology, earning recognition from leading museums worldwide such as the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. Collaborating with artisans from Uzbekistan's Margilan textile production centre, Kaipova combines traditional craftsmanship with modern vision, resulting in pieces that balance East and West. Her work invites viewers to explore Central Asian textile traditions while addressing pressing global challenges, as seen in her piece "Silk and Velvet VS Warning Safety Signs".
https://www.gulftoday.ae/culture/2025/01/28/watch-and-wear-dilyara-kaipovas-textile-art-deals-with-critical-issuesArtist Lee has created a series of detailed portraits that capture the subtleties of human skin, including veins and individual hairs. Her work, on display at her debut exhibition "No Ground" in Hong Kong, also invites viewers to consider what lies beneath the surface, both literally and metaphorically, with the dark background serving as a symbol for hidden or repressed elements.
https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3296101/korean-artist-lee-jinjus-debut-hong-kong-exhibition-features-23-new-pieces?module=top_story&pgtype=section