August 14, 2026
Your morning brew of art world media
Welcome to Art Spell, a daily, comprehensive roundup of art news and reviews for the visual arts community. Today’s Editor’s Pick is At the Venice Biennale, collateral exhibitions embrace the possibilities of digital art by Sarp Kerem Yavuz for The Art Newspaper. Collateral exhibitions at the 2026 Venice Biennale highlight innovative digital and AI art, offering a more optimistic view of technology’s role in contemporary art.
Art in America
Carlos Valladares, Fried at Last: Why Michael Fried’s Attacks on Literalism Matter As Never Before
The Art Newspaper
Gareth Harris, Camden Art Centre director Martin Clark to step down and lead Towner Eastbourne
J.S. Marcus, Dresden’s star Correggio altarpiece, newly restored, will anchor major exhibition
Elena Goukassian, Icom defends the Smithsonian amid Trump’s attacks
Nick Hackworth, Artist Trevor Paglen’s new book offers timely take on technology’s hijacking of visual culture
Carlie Porterfield, Hamptons art centre sued over large shipping container sculpture
EDITOR’S PICK - Sarp Kerem Yavuz, At the Venice Biennale, collateral exhibitions embrace the possibilities of digital art: Both AI-generated art and digital art have had a tough time lately, but the 61st Venice Biennale offers the digitally-minded some work to feel good about.
Martin Bailey, Why did Van Gogh sign his paintings simply as ‘Vincent’?
Artforum
Haloplus+, An Ethereal Evening at Rønnebæksholm Kunsthal
Amanda Cachia, Access as Medium: “Flare Up” Highlights Arts of Illness and Disability
From the Editors, SF Camerawork, West Coast Photography Mainstay, Announces Closure
From the Editors, Museum Honoring Sculptor Lola Mora Opens in Argentina
From the Editors, Trump IndyCar Race Sparks Fears of Damage to Art at National Museums
From the Editors, Russian Attacks Have Damaged or Destroyed 4,615 Cultural Heritage Sites in Ukraine
Artnet
Sonia Manalili and Ben Davis, What’s New in New York Art?
Andrew Russeth, Trump’s Name May Return to the Kennedy Center—and Other Art World Matters
Richard Whiddington, The Magic Loot! Hundreds of Mozart Statuettes Stolen in Salzburg
Andrew Russeth, Francesco Bonami: Don’t Go to School to Be a Curator
ARTnews
Anne Doran, Egyptian Archaeologists Uncover Three Ancient Tombs at Bahariya Oasis
Devorah Lauter, A New Video Game is Subverting the Secrecy of Michael Heizer’s ’City’
Leigh Anne Miller, Jewish Digital Cultural Recovery Project Adds AI to Provenance Search Tool
Harrison Jacobs, Before France Approved Bayeux Tapestry Loan, a British Official Had To ‘Get On His Knees and Propose’
Tessa Solomon, Defying Federal Judge, Kennedy Center Board Votes to Close, Inscribe Trump’s Name on Building
Daniel Cassady, Alison Nguyen to Screen New Film Exploring the Hidden History of Westbeth on the High Line Next Month
George Nelson, The Luxury Industry is Contracting—So Why Are Auction Houses’ Luxury Sales Booming?
Harrison Jacobs, R&B Superstar Usher Reveals the Blue-Chip Art That Fills His Atlanta Home
Brian Boucher, Unions Call V&A Director’s Absence from Contract Negotiation Talks ‘Shocking’ and ‘Disrespectful’
Andy Battaglia, Indian Luxury Brand Partners with Met Museum for New Jewelry Line Premiering During NY Fashion Week
Brian Boucher, New York’s Jewish Museum to Present US Premiere of Ruth Patir’s Installation from Israeli Pavilion at 2024 Venice Biennale
ArtReview
Claudia Ross, Do Machines Dream of Rainforests?
From the Editors, Martin Clark appointed CEO and director of Towner
The Boston Globe
Sarah Knight, How to enjoy the Berkshires arts scene on the cheap
Malcolm Gay, A small painting at the MFA is caught up in one of the largest disputes yet over art lost during World War II
Cultured
Isabella Bernstein, 15 Young Collectors Reveal How They Broke Into the Art World
Isabella Bernstein, Brazilian Art Is Everywhere Right Now. This Woman Is a Big Reason Why.
Frieze
Janelle Zara, Can a New Los Angeles Museum Make the Case for AI Art?
From the Editors, Frieze Seoul 2027 Will Move to a Major Cultural Landmark
Simon Wu, The Startling Intimacy of Peter Hujar’s Contact Sheets
The Guardian
Jonathan Jones, Volcanic raunch hits Edinburgh, blooms sweep Brussels and Henri does the can-can: the week in art
Drew Zeiba, ‘I’ve never done anything like this in my life’: Marina Abramović on making art with balloons
Donna Ferguson, Iris Murdoch artworks from secret room go on display – including self-portrait
Hyperallergic
Lakshmi Rivera Amin, Required Reading
Valentina Di Liscia, 24 Latin American Art Scholars Named ISLAA Fellows
Anna Lee, Former Philly UArts Building to Become Affordable Housing for Artists
Lakshmi Rivera Amin and Elodie Saint-Louis, Six Films on Art and Resistance at BlackStar Film Festival
Valentina Di Liscia, A Picasso Vanished in 1961. The Guggenheim Now Wants It Back
Anna Lee, Long-Misattributed Clara Peeters Still Life Resurfaces After Decades in Storage
The Los Angeles Times
From the Editors, Kennedy Center board votes to close venue for two years, inscribe Trump’s name on building
The New York Times
Andrew Russeth, A K-Pop Star Turned Art Collector Gets His Feet Wet as Curator
Mark Landler, After Notre-Dame Fire, France Restored the Cathedral — but Not These Windows
Marc Davis, Salvage Company Hoping to Sell Titanic Artifacts Challenges Court’s Role
Julia Jacobs, Kennedy Center Board Decides to Inscribe Trump’s Name on Building
The New Yorker
From the Editors, What to Do in New York City This Fall
Observer
Dian Parker, The Continuing Reinvention of Willem de Kooning
Iman Sultan, Nine Dynastic Sagas That Consider the Architecture of Inherited Power
Megan Fox Kelly, Art, Death and Taxes: What Collectors Need to Know About Creating a Legacy That Lasts
Puck
Marion Maneker, Not the Usual Suspects
Urgent Matter
Adam Schrader, MoMA has a one-month security camera retention policy, court filing reveals
Adam Schrader, Mickalene Thomas sues ex-fiancée Racquel Chevremont over Fire Island co-op
Adam Schrader, Court Documents: Mickalene Thomas’ lawsuit against Racquel Chevremont
Adam Schrader, Newark Museum of Art denies retaliating against fired worker
Adam Schrader, Court Documents: The Newark Museum of Art answers the Jones retaliation lawsuit
Wallpaper
Hannah Silver, Discover 100 years of American photography in London
Whitehot
Noah Becker, Interview: Himil H. Ramani on the Meaning of Architecture and Plants
Thalia Vrachopulos, Vitrified Lux: Nefeli Massia’s Voyages of Light at the Museum of Modern Greek Art of the Municipality of Rhodes
From the Editors, Books: Joel Meyerowitz Morandi’s Objects. The Complete Archive of Casa Morandi
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