John Kenworthy‑Browne was a leading authority on neo‑classical sculpture whose career spanned curatorial work, publishing and a vibrant social circle. He devoted much of his later life to a definitive biography of the sculptor Joseph Nollekens, a project that remains unfinished.

Educated at Ampleforth and later at Wadham College, Oxford, he completed National Service in the Rifle Brigade before turning to the art world. His early curatorial role as the first National Trust keeper of Dyrham Park saw him redesign the interiors and open the baroque house to the public, even arranging a royal tea for the Queen Mother in 1962.

After a stint cataloguing furniture at **Christie’s**, where he grew frustrated by a lack of support, he chose independence. A house on Hollywood Road provided rental income that freed him to write. His publications include **Three Centuries of English Furniture in Colour** (1972), **Chippendale and his Contemporaries** (1973), the **Country House Guide**, and the scholarly edition **Matthew Brettingham’s Rome Account Book 1747‑1754** (1983). He contributed regularly to *Country Life*, *Apollo*, *Burlington Magazine* and the *Oxford Dictionary of National Biography*.

Kenworthy‑Browne was famed for his lively dinner parties, where generations of art historians and curators – from James Lees‑Milne to John Pope‑Hennessy – mingled over wine and wit. His anecdotes about encounters with the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and the Queen herself revealed a self‑deprecating humor that delighted his guests.

A talented pianist, he owned two clavichords and remained a devout Catholic, attending High Mass at the London Oratory and cherishing the music of J.S. Bach. In his later years he gave up entertaining, but continued small acts of kindness, such as reading to a blind neighbour. He passed away on 18 September 2026, leaving a rich legacy of scholarship, friendship and an enduring love for Britain’s architectural and sculptural heritage.

[View original article](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2026/09/27/john-kenworthy-browne-sculpture-architecture-died-obituary/)

John Kenworthy-Browne, scholar of architecture, neo-classical sculpture and country houses

Massachusetts‑based sculptor **Lydia Jenkins Musco**, now finishing the Roswell Artist‑in‑Residence program, turns the humble tree log into a visual metaphor for both nature and record‑keeping. In her solo show **Broken Boxes** at the **Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art**, a simple hook‑like form recurs in glass, terracotta and cast metal, echoing the “chip log” once used to measure nautical distance.\n\nMusco treats the shape as a unit of measurement, reproducing it with disciplined precision and a dry wit that recalls Marcel Duchamp’s playful standard‑stoppage experiments. By casting the same silhouette in varied materials, breaking, deforming and reassembling it, she creates a personal lexicon of “standard” building blocks.\n\nThe two towering pieces from her **Unconformity** series stand over six feet tall, their conjoined vertical forms suggesting both skyscrapers and aging couples leaning on one another. The asymmetrical pairing evokes Frank Gehry’s “Ginger and Fred” tower in Prague, but here the dialogue is quieter, a gesture of mutual support rather than a dance.\n\nBeyond formalist curiosity, Musco’s sculptures speak to human frailty: exposed seams, cracked surfaces and re‑joined fragments mirror the way lives bear visible scars yet continue to lean on each other. The work balances humor and melancholy, inviting viewers to feel the weight of history and the tenderness of shared endurance.

[View original article](https://www.abqjournal.com/lifestyles/bricks-and-logs-that-might-make-you-cry/3127924)

Lydia Jenkins Musco’s ‘Broken Boxes’ at Roswell’s Anderson Museum

**Lean into the Wind** dominates the West Cliff in Bournemouth, a rust‑coloured metal structure topped with an abstract head. Funded by a £54,000 grant from the Coastal Public Art & Heritage Trail, the work was pitched as a celebration of the town’s coastal identity.

Local residents have taken to social media to label the installation an eyesore, describing it as 'some rusted metal with a head on top' and questioning why such money was spent on a piece that, to many, looks like a cheap novelty.

The **Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council** defended the sculpture, calling it a striking addition to the new heritage trail and emphasizing its role in making art freely accessible along the coastline.

The controversy arrives against a backdrop of a £370 million council debt, prompting a wider debate about the value of public art versus pressing infrastructure needs such as pothole repairs and playground upgrades.

[View original article](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/27/towns-new-sculpture-branded-some-rusted-metal/)

Town’s new sculpture branded ‘some rusted metal with a head on top’

A new stone sculpture has been placed at Richmond Barracks in Inchicore, commemorating seven men from the local community who travelled to Spain in the 1930s to fight Franco’s forces with the International Brigades.

The memorial lists Michael May, Tony Fox, Joe Haines, Paddy McElroy, Liam McGregor, Joe Monks and Bill Scott, and bears the three‑pointed red star that identified the Brigades. It was funded through the efforts of local activist Noel McEvoy, whose family connections tie directly to May’s story.

The ceremony, presided over by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, featured musician Christy Moore – author of *Viva La Quinta Brigada* – and actress Fionnuala Flanagan, whose own father served in the Brigades. Their presence highlighted the lasting cultural memory of the volunteers.

The choice of Richmond Barracks, a site that once held participants of the 1916 Rising, underscores the continuity of Dublin’s tradition of resistance. Residents of Inchicore, a neighbourhood shaped by railway work, trade‑unionism and a mixed religious fabric, see the stone as a broader tribute to Irish anti‑fascist solidarity.

For families like the McElroys, the unveiling is a personal reckoning with a hidden chapter of Irish history, a reminder that the volunteers fought not only for Spain but for a vision of a more egalitarian Ireland.

[View original article](https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/2026/09/27/they-werent-fierce-people-memorial-unveiled-for-dubliners-who-fought-fascism-in-spain/)

‘They weren’t fierce people’: Memorial unveiled for Dubliners who fought fascism in Spain

**Janice Laujan**—the fierce vocalist of Hong Kong’s cult punk outfit **David Boring**—has turned the raw energy of her stage into a gallery installation titled **Memory & Punishment**. The exhibition, which opened in August 2026, erupts from the pristine white walls with a visceral blend of sound, performance and unsettling visual motifs, inviting visitors to witness a public breakdown that feels both brutal and intimate.

In the space, Laujan stages confrontational acts that echo the scream‑filled corridors of underground basements, while the gallery’s clinical ambience amplifies the tension. Themes of memory, punishment, and taboo subjects are explored through distorted audio loops, fragmented video, and stark objects that seem to pulse with the same restless aggression that drives her music.

The show marks a daring crossover, suggesting that the boundaries between punk’s anarchic ethos and contemporary art’s formal rigor are more porous than ever. By laying bare her darkest impulses on a white canvas, Laujan not only expands her own artistic vocabulary but also challenges audiences to confront the uncomfortable truths she so boldly vocalizes.

[View original article](https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368266/hong-kong-rocker-janice-laujan-her-dark-disturbing-tender-debut-art-show)

Hong Kong rocker Janice Laujan on her dark, disturbing but tender debut art show

The **Beth K. Stocker Art Gallery** at Lorain County Community College is hosting its biennial Visual Arts Faculty Showcase, a free public exhibition that runs through October 3. The show invites visitors to step inside the studios of fourteen faculty artists and experience a cross‑disciplinary mix of graphic design, ceramics, photography, drawing, painting and printmaking.

Among the participating creators are **Brad Blahnik**, **Bridget Caswell**, **Donna Coleman**, **Renata Courey**, **Joshua Eiskamp**, **Christian Fredriksen**, **Leigh Hughes**, **Michael Kodysz**, **Diane Marrapese**, **Eric Mindek**, **Patricia Rooker**, **Catherine Rozmarynowycz**, **Amy Sedlak**, and **Matthew Sugerik**. Their works range from sleek digital compositions to tactile ceramic vessels, offering a snapshot of the faculty’s personal practice beyond the classroom.

The exhibit doubles as a teaching tool. Instructors regularly bring their classes to the gallery for guided tours, private critiques, and live demonstrations, allowing students to witness the creative process in real time. As faculty member **Joshua Eiskamp** notes, seeing professors actively working reinforces the notion that a sustainable career in the arts is attainable.

Open weekdays from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and during evening performances, the gallery welcomes anyone interested in exploring the vibrant artistic community that fuels LCCC’s visual arts program.

[View original article](https://www.cleveland.com/community/2026/09/beth-k-stocker-art-gallery-to-host-faculty-art-sentinel-watch.html)

Beth K. Stocker Art Gallery to host faculty art -- Sentinel Watch

In the early 2000s the mining town of Thompson, Manitoba tried to rewrite its image by embracing the nickname **Wolf Capital of the World**. The centerpiece of the effort was a ten‑storey, photorealistic mural of a wolf on the north face of the Highland Tower apartment building. Based on a sketch by wildlife artist **Robert Bateman** and painted at night by muralist **Charles Johnston**, the artwork quickly became the city’s most recognizable landmark.

The mural sparked a cascade of wolf‑themed projects overseen by the community‑driven group **Spirit Way Inc.**. A carved limestone “Howling Wolves” rock face was installed along the Spirit Way trail, dozens of concrete wolf statues were scattered across the town, and a GPS‑based treasure hunt encouraged visitors to explore each piece. High‑profile endorsements—from Indigenous singer Tom Jackson to municipal proclamations naming Thompson the “Wolf Capital of Canada”—fed a growing sense of pride and attracted tourism‑focused events and research interest.

By 2017 the initiative seemed poised for a permanent wildlife centre, a rebranded Boreal Discovery Centre, and even an international wolf conference. However, the onset of the COVID‑19 pandemic, the loss of key volunteers, and shifting municipal leadership stalled momentum. **Spirit Way Inc.** folded in 2021, the highway sign was removed, and many of the statues now show weather‑induced wear. The once‑vibrant trail and its installations sit largely unattended, a reminder of how quickly community‑driven tourism projects can unravel.

The Thompson story offers a vivid case study in how resource‑based towns attempt to diversify through niche ecotourism. It highlights the power of a single artistic vision to galvanize a community, while also underscoring the fragile infrastructure—both organisational and political—required to sustain such ambitions over the long term.

[View original article](https://www.sootoday.com/columns/back-roads-bill/wolf-capital-branding-in-thompson-falters-as-sign-comes-down-and-projects-sit-idle-12826873)

Wolf capital branding in Thompson falters as sign comes down and projects sit idle

**Ana’s Art Gallery** throws open its doors at 2 p.m. on Saturday, unveiling a freshly renovated storefront and a roster of emerging local artists. The summer construction at the Spruce parking garage has given the space a sleek new look, and the gallery’s free admission invites the community to explore the fresh visual dialogue on display.

Earlier in the day, families can drift through the **Autumn Stroll and Scoop** in North Boulder Park, an ice‑cream walk that celebrates the season’s arrival, while the **Meadows Branch Library** hosts a matinee screening of *Elemental* with a pre‑movie craft session for kids. Both events are free and designed to bring art, nature, and play together.

Looking ahead, Boulder’s cultural calendar stays lively: the **Heart to Heart 5K** supports cardiac patients; the **Family FUNdraiser** at The New Local blends mini‑art workshops with live symphony music; **AppleFest** at Benevolence Orchard offers orchard‑to‑table experiences; a poignant documentary, **People of the Sacred Land**, will screen at the public library; and the **Fireside Ink** chat tackles AI’s role in creativity. Music lovers can catch **Teddy Thompson** with Jenna Nicholls at the Dairy Arts Center, while CU Boulder presents a saxophone‑piano recital in Chamber Hall. Finally, author Howard V. Hendrix will sign copies of *Living Fossils, Lost Worlds, Last Humans* at the Boulder Book Store.

[View original article](https://www.dailycamera.com/2026/09/26/anas-art-gallery-reopening-and-other-boulder-events-for-saturday/)

Ana’s Art Gallery reopening and other Boulder events for Saturday

The new show at **Ab-Anbar Gallery** brings more than 300 works by over 100 Iranian artists to London, offering a vivid snapshot of a scene that thrives despite war, sanctions and travel bans. Gallerist **Orkideh Daroodi** hand‑carried many pieces in her suitcase, while others took a circuitous route through Oman and DHL, often arriving after 24‑hour delays.

The works pulse with a mix of sorrow and hope. Mountain ranges dominate paintings and photographs, symbolising both oppression and escape. **Shahrooz Mohammed** captures friends laughing on a car ride toward snow‑capped peaks, while **Karim Ghane** presents melancholic outskirts of Iranian towns. **Serminaz Barseghian** reimagines the dormant Damavand volcano in vivid felt‑tip colors, and **Mohamed Ghazali** layers translucent tape over his photos, leaving the mountain starkly exposed.

Among the younger voices, **Erfan Rouhina** (born 2001) offers delicate still‑lifes of dried Persian limes, **Negin Sadaf** creates abstract collages on tea‑stained paper, and **Mojdeh Souri** draws wild mountain plants in acrylic on cardboard. The exhibition also celebrates self‑taught masters such as **Tajsar Jaferi**, whose quilts burst with animal motifs, and **Mojtaba Vahedi**, whose intricate embroidery recalls Islamic illustration.

Curated by **Salman Matinfar**, the founding director of **Ab-Anbar**, the show aims to break the artists’ isolation. By forgoing its usual commission, the gallery passes sales—ranging from £200 to £3,000—directly to the creators and their Tehran partners. Matinfar sees the project as a bridge between the diaspora and a vibrant, often unseen, domestic art community.

From stark political portraits to quiet still‑lifes, the exhibition underscores how contemporary Iranian art has moved beyond the abstraction of the 1960s‑70s, embracing figurative, socially charged and purely aesthetic modes that together reveal a richly diverse cultural landscape.

[View original article](https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uk/2026/09/26/iranian-art-exhibition-in-london-spotlights-scenes-from-war-torn-isolation/)

Iranian art exhibition in London spotlights scenes from war-torn isolation

**Andy Griffiths** has been given a striking new portrait at the **National Portrait Gallery** in Canberra. The 4‑metre‑high, 3D‑printed sculpture, created by **Ronnie van Hout** and titled **Andy Andy**, captures the author’s ‘inner kid’ as it continues to run riot even as he navigates adulthood.

The collaboration springs from a shared love of punk music and absurdist humour, a sensibility that both men bring to their work. The piece leans into that chaotic energy, prompting viewers to consider what forces shape a person’s creative identity.

Alongside **Andy Andy** is a companion installation called **Brainstorm**, which offers a glimpse into the objects, records and books that fuel Griffiths’s imagination. It invites both children and adults to explore an alternative world of sound and art.

The unveiling arrives just days after the passing of **Terry Denton**, the illustrator who partnered with Griffiths for three decades. Their partnership, described as an exchange of punk‑spirit and chaotic creativity, adds a bittersweet resonance to the exhibition, which will remain on view until mid‑2027.

[View original article](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-26/act-andy-griffiths-sculpture-at-national-portrait-gallery/107196566)

Children's author Andy Griffiths immortalised with sculpture at National Portrait Gallery

A new exhibition in Lucknow gathers five artists from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi, showcasing around 30 paintings that weave everyday life, village scenes, nature, urbanisation and ecological concerns into a vivid dialogue.

**Amarnath Sharma** draws on his carpenter upbringing, treating wood as a metaphor for humanity’s bond with the natural world. **Amitesh Verma** concentrates on human and equine anatomy, his oil and charcoal studies honed at the Delhi Race Course. **Sambit Panda** places ecological consciousness at the fore, reflecting on the pressures of urban growth and the persistence of tradition. **Satadru Sovan Banduri** creates dreamlike landscapes where memory, mythology and extinct species mingle, while **Uma Shankar Pathak** juxtaposes urban and rural imagery, echoing his own journey from farm to city.

The show invites viewers to reconsider imagination’s role in shaping perception, offering a nuanced look at how personal histories intersect with broader environmental narratives.

[View original article](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/imagination-takes-centre-stage-at-multistate-art-exhibition/articleshow/134492073.cms)

Imagination takes centre stage at multistate art exhibition

**Vincent T. Davis** has become a trusted storyteller for the people and neighborhoods of San Antonio, bringing everyday lives to the front pages of the **San Antonio Express-News**. His reporting digs into the human side of the city, turning ordinary moments into compelling narratives.

A former Air Force veteran, Davis began his newsroom journey in 1999 as a part‑time editorial assistant, balancing night shifts with classes at San Antonio College and contributions to the campus paper, **The Ranger**. That early hustle laid the foundation for a career built on perseverance and a keen eye for detail.

In 2003 he earned a three‑month fellowship from the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute at Vanderbilt University, and he later completed a bachelor’s degree in communication design at Texas State University. These academic experiences sharpened his visual sensibility and deepened his commitment to inclusive storytelling, qualities that continue to shape his work today.

[View original article](https://www.dallasnews.com/news/article/records-sculpture-unveiling-san-antonio-22438864.php)

New sculpture pays tribute to pioneering city official

An elegant set of commemorative stamps honoring **Linda McCartney** was unveiled today at the **Museum of Modern Art** in New York. Designed by USPS director **Derry Noyes**, the issue features five of McCartney’s most iconic black‑and‑white photographs, each framed by a subtle selvage that shows the photographer herself holding a camera. The first‑day‑of‑issue ceremony turned the museum’s lobby into a miniature post office, inviting visitors to experience the tactile history of a career that documented the sound of a generation.

McCartney’s work captured the raw energy of 1960s music, from the Rolling Stones to Jimi Hendrix, and later the Beatles, whom she met while on assignment in London. Her relaxed, candid approach allowed legendary performers to be photographed in unguarded moments—Hendrix yawning, Aretha Franklin mid‑note—creating images that feel both intimate and iconic. Though her marriage to Paul McCartney initially eclipsed her own reputation, the photographs have long stood on their own merit, cementing her status as a chronicler of cultural history.

The stamps are issued in panes of twenty and will be sold at post offices nationwide and online. Beyond their functional purpose, they serve as miniature ambassadors of McCartney’s visual legacy, inviting a new generation to hold a piece of music history in their hands.

[View original article](https://petapixel.com/2026/09/25/you-can-now-purchase-linda-mccartney-photography-stamps-from-usps/)

You Can Now Purchase Linda McCartney Photography Stamps From USPS

At a recent White House state dinner, a sculpted bald eagle was presented to Chinese President Xi Jinping, a piece whose design was reportedly overseen by **Donald Trump** and **Melania Trump**. The bird, a long‑standing emblem of American freedom, was rendered in polished metal and positioned as a diplomatic token meant to underscore the personal rapport the two leaders sought to cultivate.

Gift‑giving has long been a subtle yet potent element of high‑level diplomacy, and this exchange was framed as a bridge between the United States and China. By offering a symbol so closely tied to national identity, the administration aimed to translate personal connection into political goodwill, reinforcing the broader agenda of the three‑day summit.

From an artistic standpoint, the choice of a bald eagle—rendered with clean lines and a slightly abstracted form—reflects a blend of traditional iconography and contemporary design sensibility. The sculpture’s sleek finish and imposing stance convey both strength and elegance, aligning with the image of power the host wished to project.

The gesture sits alongside reciprocal offerings, such as the two pandas Xi announced for a U.S. zoo, highlighting how cultural artifacts continue to function as diplomatic envoys. Together, these exchanges illustrate how art and wildlife can serve as conduits for dialogue amid complex international relations.

[View original article](https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/why-trump-gifted-xi-jinping-a-bald-eagle-sculpture-at-white-house-state-dinner-101790328712556.html)

Why Trump gifted Xi Jinping a bald eagle sculpture at White House state dinner

The exchange of gifts between heads of state reads like a quiet language of power and friendship. From grand gestures that become symbols of shared history to quirky tokens that spark curiosity, diplomatic presents serve to showcase national identity, signal goodwill, and create personal connections.

One of the most iconic offerings is the **Statue of Liberty**, a monumental gift from France that still greets visitors to New York. Less grand but equally memorable was a metal wine cooler shaped like a giant grasshopper presented to the British monarch in 1972, and a chocolate sculpture of India Gate that briefly traveled from Belgium to New Delhi before melting away.

**China** has turned the giant panda into a rolling ambassador, a practice known as **Panda diplomacy** that began in the 1950s and has since linked Beijing with the Soviet Union, North Korea, the United States, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, Canada and France. The cuddly bears carry a message of goodwill that often softens more rigid diplomatic talks.

**India** has cultivated its own gift tradition since the early years of independence. An elephant was sent to Japan at Jawaharlal Nehru’s request, while later leaders have offered silk carpets, marble tabletops inlaid with precious stones, handcrafted pashmina stoles embroidered with Tagore verses, and even a 7.5‑carat lab‑grown diamond presented in a paper‑pulp box. Prime Minister Narendra Modi frequently highlights tribal artisans, sending wooden‑marble‑silver bookends to the United Kingdom and a silver train model to the United States.

Recent gatherings continue the practice. At the **BRICS Summit** in New Delhi, delegates received goodie bags containing regional foods such as Bihar’s sattu and Odisha’s coffee. In 2026, a Swedish leader exchanged a collection of **Rabindranath Tagore** works and a handcrafted bag for a set of Tagore epigrams, underscoring how cultural heritage remains a potent diplomatic currency.

[View original article](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/from-pandas-to-precious-stones-the-hidden-language-of-gift-diplomacy-101790325199530.html)

From pandas to precious stones: The hidden language of gift diplomacy

The desert towns of **Shekhawati** have long been celebrated as Rajasthan’s open‑air art gallery, their havelis glittering with vibrant frescoes. A recent exhibition, however, pulls back the curtain to reveal a richer tapestry of history, commerce and cultural exchange that lives within those painted walls.

Among the displays are rare works from the **Raja Ravi Varma** collection, intricate Manchester textile labels, vintage typewriters, weighing scales and British‑era medals. Together with old photographs of national leaders and assorted coinage, these objects map the dialogue between Indian tradition and foreign influence that shaped a new India.

The show foregrounds the merchant families who turned **Shekhawati** into a bustling trade hub, linking Rajasthan to Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and ports abroad. Panels trace how their commercial networks carried not only goods but ideas, technology and artistic styles, turning limestone havelis into global desert citadels.

Curator **Shruti Nada Poddar** weaves these strands into a narrative that lets visitors feel the pulse of a community in transition. The exhibition invites a fresh look at the region’s architectural marvels, reminding us that the frescoes are only the surface of a deeper, ever‑evolving story.

[View original article](https://theprint.in/feature/shekhawati-is-more-than-frescoed-havelis-it-is-rajasthans-open-air-art-gallery/3053086/)

Shekhawati is not just frescoed havelis. It's Rajasthan’s art gallery

At a lavish White House banquet, the stage was set for a rare display of diplomatic theater intertwined with high‑end design. The guest list read like a tech summit—Apple’s Tim Cook, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Google’s Sundar Pichai, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang—while the menu blended American staples with Chinese twists. The evening’s centerpiece, however, was not a policy declaration but a striking **bald eagle sculpture** presented by **Donald Trump** to **Xi Jinping**.

The bronze‑toned eagle, described by the president as a work \"by an extraordinary American artist\" and co‑designed with First Lady Melania, was framed as a symbol of \"the free and soaring spirit of America.\" Its arrival was accompanied by a flourish of rhetoric linking the gift to a shared history of \"blood and fire\" from World War II and the \"ping‑pong\" diplomacy of the 1970s. The sculpture’s placement in the banquet hall offered a visual reminder of the United States’ national iconography amid a dialogue on AI, trade and security.

Beyond the diplomatic language, the banquet highlighted how art can become a conduit for soft power. By turning a diplomatic gesture into a curated object, the administration blended ceremony with curatorial practice, inviting Xi and his wife to be the first guests in an unfinished ballroom that Trump touted as a \"special treat.\" The episode underscores a growing trend where political leaders use bespoke artworks to craft narratives of partnership, even as substantive progress on contentious issues remains uncertain.

[View original article](https://www.the-sun.com/news/17055774/xi-trump-china-us-president-bald-eagle/)

Xi hails friendship ‘forged in blood & fire’ as Trump gifts tyrant bald eagle after revealing he ‘loves good granite’

A new partnership between **Drew Lewis Foundation** and **Sculpture Walk Springfield** has placed three large outdoor sculptures on the Fairbanks campus in the Grant Beach neighborhood, extending the city’s public‑art network.

The pieces come from the Fall Curated Collection and feature expansive works by Texas artist **Jeffie Brewer**, whose international reputation adds weight to the installation. Situated at 1126 N. Broadway, they greet visitors ahead of the upcoming **Fairbanks Fall Festival**.

The collaboration also installed five additional sculptures along the Boonville corridor, linking downtown Springfield to Commercial Street and reinforcing the organization’s "Access to All" mission of bringing art into everyday neighborhoods.

Community leaders, including Executive Director Bridget Bechtel, note how the sculptures complement the campus’s existing arts and programming, and the partnership promises annual rotations of new works, turning the site into a continually evolving cultural hub.

The **Fairbanks Fall Festival**, slated for Sept. 25, will showcase the new pieces alongside dinner, ice cream, a bounce house, and other family activities, inviting residents to experience the art in a festive setting.

[View original article](https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/2026/09/25/new-outdoor-sculptures-on-display-the-fairbanks-springfield/91916803007/)

New public art partnership expands Sculpture Walk in Springfield

Trump welcomed Xi Jinping to the White House for a meticulously staged state dinner that blended military honors, a bald‑eagle sculpture, and a guest list dominated by America’s tech elite. **Elon Musk**, **Tim Cook**, **Jensen Huang** and **Lisa Su** sat alongside the presidents, turning a diplomatic banquet into a showcase of the industries at the heart of the bilateral rivalry.

The substantive outcomes were modest: a two‑month extension of the existing trade truce and no resolution on tariffs, Taiwan, rare‑earth supplies or artificial‑intelligence policy. The ceremony highlighted how far the relationship has shifted from simple trade disputes to a multifaceted contest over strategic resources and cutting‑edge technology.

China’s dominance in rare‑earth minerals now gives Beijing a lever that rivals the United States’ market size and tariff tools. Control of these critical inputs for electric vehicles, defense systems and advanced electronics makes the resource battle a central, and often invisible, front of the competition.

The presence of the tech CEOs underscored that the next arena of confrontation will be chips and AI. Companies such as Nvidia and AMD sit at the intersection of American innovation and Chinese manufacturing, making them de‑facto participants in a geopolitical showdown.

Despite the polished optics, the Taiwan question remained a stark reminder that diplomatic courtesies cannot erase the most dangerous flashpoint. Xi’s remarks about “historic crossroads” contrasted with the underlying ambiguity in U.S. commitments, leaving the island’s status an unresolved source of tension.

In sum, the dinner did not herald a comprehensive reset but rather a managed pause in a broader rivalry. The United States and China continue to compete across supply chains, semiconductor design, artificial intelligence and strategic minerals, forging a new kind of Cold War where cooperation and competition coexist in a fragile balance.

[View original article](https://www.pagenews.gr/2026/09/25/english-edition/trump-and-xi-raise-a-glass-to-a-new-chapter-but-the-real-us-china-battle-is-only-beginning/)

Trump and Xi Raise a Glass to a “New Chapter” - But the Real US-China Battle Is Only Beginning

**Ron Bradfield Jnr** made history as the first Indigenous artist to claim the 2026 Napier Waller Art Prize.  His work, **Who We Forgot**, stood out among roughly 150 entries for its powerful re‑imagining of Australia’s military narrative.

The sculpture is a striking assemblage of carved shells and wood set on a kangaroo skin, its surface adorned with medals fashioned from white ochre, pearl shells and other materials tied to the artist’s family and country.  Bradfield describes the piece as a tribute to “every survival story,” linking the continent’s First Nations past with the experiences of those who arrive today.

Judges praised the work for its honesty, noting how it confronts truth, history and the present while fostering connection.  The piece now hangs at the **Australian War Memorial**, underscoring its national resonance.

Other entries that earned commendation included **Leah Gordon**’s oil painting **WRAN**, a stark account of gendered abuse in the Royal Australian Navy; **Paul Robertson**’s self‑portrait **Medals to Madness**, which visualises the hidden trauma of service; and **Kat Rae**’s installation **Un Pack**, a shredded military pack and redacted blanket that calls attention to the emotional weight institutions place on veterans.

[View original article](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-25/defence-napier-waller-art-prize-winner/107194634)

Kangaroo skin sculpture honouring 'every survival story' wins 2026 Napier Waller Art Prize

An eye‑catching new sculpture has taken centre stage at the **National Portrait Gallery** in Canberra, turning the celebrated children’s author into a literal multiple. The work shows a hand cradling a line of ever‑smaller figures of **Andy Griffiths**, while another miniature Andy peers down from a leafy branch – a playful nod to the author’s own wildly imaginative worlds.

The piece is the latest commission from Dutch‑Australian artist **Ronnie van Hout**, whose practice often blurs the line between portraiture and absurdity. Van Hout explained that the work reflects the way Griffiths multiplies his humor across dozens of books, each one a new version of the same mischievous voice.

Griffiths, the 2026 Children’s Laureate, has sold somewhere between 20 and 25 million copies of titles such as the **Treehouse** series, the **JUST!** books and *The Day My Bum Went Psycho*. His collaborations with the late illustrator Terry Denton have become cultural touchstones for a generation of readers.

The sculpture opens the exhibition “Brainstorm: Inside the mind of **Andy Griffiths**”, which assembles more than 130 objects from the author’s personal collection. Together, the installation and the archive celebrate the exuberant energy of contemporary children’s literature while quietly reminding visitors of the ongoing fight to keep school libraries thriving.

[View original article](https://www.perthnow.com.au/entertainment/so-many-andys-bizarre-sculpture-for-childrens-author-c-22926524)

So many Andys: bizarre sculpture for children's author

**Andy Griffiths** steps into the spotlight at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra, where a towering four‑metre sculpture titled *Andy, Andy* greets visitors. Created by Melbourne artist **Ronnie van Hout**, the work stacks a series of diminutive versions of the author, each dressed in a bright Devo‑style T‑shirt, spiralling down to a tiny figure that seems to whisper the secret of staying forever young.

The piece leans against a stylised tree whose branches stretch toward the gallery ceiling, a visual nod to the whimsical worlds of Griffiths’s *Treehouse* books. The 3D‑printed structure captures the author’s punk‑rock energy, turning his inner child into a kinetic installation that invites viewers to look closer at every layer.

Surrounding the sculpture, a curated “Brainstorm: Inside the Mind of Andy Griffiths” displays hundreds of personal artefacts – from a jar of burps to a killer koala figurine, and an eclectic vinyl collection featuring Ratcat and the *Eraserhead* soundtrack. The objects, presented in glass cases, reveal the chaotic inspiration behind titles like *The Day My Bum Went Psycho* and *Giggle Guts*.

The exhibition also offers storytelling sessions, book‑swaps and family workshops, while paying quiet tribute to late illustrator Terry Denton, whose partnership helped shape the beloved *Treehouse* series. Together, the sculpture and its surrounding treasures celebrate a career built on rebellion, humor, and an un‑ending love for the imagination.

[View original article](https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9357235/andy-griffiths-new-canberra-portrait-honours-treehouse-author/)

Andy Griffiths: New Canberra portrait honours Treehouse author

A new bronze sculpture honoring RNLI lifeguards is set to be installed on the rocky foreshore of Porthmeor beach in **St Ives**. The work, titled **Let Not The Deep Swallow Me Up** and created by local artist **Holly Bendall**, depicts a female lifeguard standing watch over the sea and is meant to mark the service’s 25th anniversary.\n\nThe piece draws inspiration from the 2006 rescue performed by lifeguard Sophie Grant‑Crookston at **Perranporth**, where she saved a surfer and earned the RNLI’s Bronze Medal for Gallantry. While the heroism occurred in a different town, the artist and the RNLI argue that the chosen site offers a safer, more visible setting for visitors.\n\n**St Ives** Town Council objected, contending that the story belongs to **Perranporth** and that the design process lacked meaningful local consultation. Council members called for a work that reflects St Ives’ own character and landscape, questioning the “arbitrary” placement.\n\nCornwall Council’s planning officer approved the application, noting that the sculpture’s scale and siting are appropriate and that the objections do not outweigh the cultural merit of the project. Both the sculptor and the RNLI expressed disappointment at the council’s stance but remain hopeful that the statue will become a lasting tribute to lifeguards and the coastal community.\n\nThe debate highlights a broader tension between commemorative art, local identity, and practical concerns about safety and accessibility on Cornwall’s beaches.

[View original article](https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/statue-rnli-lifeguard-wrong-town-11166492)

Statue of RNLI lifeguard will be in wrong town, says St Ives council

At a recent **White House** state dinner, President Trump presented Chinese President Xi with a sculptural gift—a **bald eagle sculpture** crafted by a prominent American artist in collaboration with the First Lady. The piece, intended as a symbol of American freedom, was highlighted in the ceremony.

The work is a strikingly realistic representation of the national bird, merging traditional figurative techniques with a polished, almost monumental finish. Its soaring posture and meticulous detailing aim to convey the “free and soaring spirit of America,” a phrase repeated during the presentation.

The gift arrived amid a highly choreographed diplomatic tableau, surrounded by tech moguls and a black‑tie crowd, while protesters outside voiced dissent. The juxtaposition of high‑tech guests and a classic representational sculpture underscores the complex cultural exchange at play.

In a reciprocal gesture, Xi later announced a pair of pandas bound for Atlanta, reinforcing the long‑standing practice of using animal and artistic ambassadors to smooth geopolitical tensions.

[View original article](https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/donald-trump-xi-jinping-white-house-dinner-us-president-gifts-bald-eagle-says-ties-better-than-ever-3002451-2026-09-25)

Trump gifts Xi US national symbol, says they've never gotten along better

The **Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail** stretches over more than 150 kilometres of alpine country in southern New South Wales, linking small towns such as Tumbarumba, Khancoban and Tooma. Launched in 2022 as a bush‑fire recovery initiative, the permanent outdoor collection now showcases over 60 installations by Australian and international artists, turning the region’s forests, riverbanks and historic sites into a living gallery.

A drive along winding dirt roads soon gives way to quiet clearings where art hides among the trees. In the Pilot Hill Arboretum, for example, the bronze figure **Seated Man** by Sean Henry sits on a log as if waiting for a passerby, while the sleek glass work **Rain** by Shen Lieyi glistens like water on granite. The sense of discovery feels part treasure hunt, part fairy‑tale, as each turn reveals a new sculpture tucked into a creek, a meadow or a stand of alpine ash.

The range of works is strikingly varied. Czech artist Vaclav Fiala’s kinetic **Universum** spins gently in the breeze, Icelandic sculptor Steinunn Thórarinsdóttir offers the contemplative **Contemplation**, and the Finnish‑inspired **Shiver House V4** by design studio NEON ripples with thousands of counter‑weighted shingles that flutter in the mountain wind. Large‑scale pieces such as the towering emu sculpture on the roadside add a playful, larger‑than‑life element to the journey.

Because the installations are sited directly within the natural environment, they respond to light, weather and season. A summer sunrise may set a glass sculpture ablaze with colour, while winter snow transforms the wooden structures into stark silhouettes. The trail not only draws art lovers but also encourages visitors to explore the surrounding waterfalls, historic pine groves and the region’s burgeoning wine and food scene, bolstering tourism and community resilience after the devastating 2019‑20 fires.

Whether you arrive on foot, by bike or in a car, the **Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail** invites you to slow down, look closely and let the line between art and landscape blur. It is a reminder that creativity can grow from devastation, turning a scarred landscape into a place of wonder and quiet reflection.

[View original article](https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9353963/visiting-the-snowy-valleys-sculpture-trail-yowie-mans-guide/)

Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail

**Donald Trump** and **Xi Jinping** shared a formal state dinner in the White House’s East Room, marking the second joint appearance of the leaders after a morning welcome ceremony. The evening gathered a mix of political figures, senior administration officials, and a roster of Silicon Valley CEOs, underscoring the event’s blend of diplomacy and economic signaling.

The program featured remarks that wove personal hospitality with historical narrative. **Trump** highlighted past Chinese generosity and traced America’s origins to explorers seeking routes to China, while **Xi** invoked the "friendship forged in blood and fire" of World War II cooperation and recalled the iconic ping‑pong diplomacy that opened the bilateral relationship.

A surprise preview of a new White House ballroom was offered, with **Trump** inviting guests to step behind a curtain to glimpse a space intended for future large‑scale gatherings. The president also presented **Xi** with a sculpted bald eagle, a symbolic gesture meant to represent American freedom and the hoped‑for exchange of cultural tokens.

The guest list reflected the diplomatic balancing act: on the American side, tech titans such as **Elon Musk**, **Tim Cook**, and **Satya Nadella** sat alongside cabinet members, while the Chinese delegation consisted entirely of senior government officials. The dinner thus served as both a showcase of personal rapport and a stage for signaling the evolving strategic partnership between the two powers.

[View original article](https://www.timesnownews.com/world/friendship-forged-in-blood-fire-trump-and-xi-trade-toasts-and-warm-words-at-white-house-state-dinner-article-156220756)

'Friendship Forged in Blood, Fire': Trump and Xi Trade Toasts and Warm Words at White House State Dinner

**Ai Weiwei** has turned the Tallawoladah Lawn outside Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art into a stark battlefield of memory. The 40‑metre‑long work, titled **Mushrooms**, consists of five hundred identical cast‑iron combat helmets mounted on an elevated platform. Their rounded silhouettes echo mushroom caps, linking the symbols of warfare to the natural processes of decay and regeneration that the artist associates with life’s fragility.

The piece grew out of Weiwei’s deep‑dive into modern conflict after completing the documentary *Human Flow*. His trips to Ukraine, conversations with soldiers and a two‑year study of military arsenals informed a visual language that confronts the mechanics of war rather than its abstract politics. By placing the helmets against a backdrop that frames the iconic Sydney Opera House, he juxtaposes a celebrated emblem of peace with the looming presence of violence.

Weiwei unveiled the work while staying at his secluded Portuguese farm – a replica of his former Shanghai studio that he describes as “empty” and “unacceptable” to those who cannot tolerate void. The stark interior mirrors his broader criticism of contemporary art institutions, which he dismisses as “90 % garbage” that favour decoration over genuine inquiry.

For the artist, **Mushrooms** is less a decorative object than a provocation: a call to recognize that “if injustice happens to one person, it happens to the whole of humanity.” He insists that real art must question existing orders, confront geopolitical realities, and resist the comfortable complacency that dominates museum walls.

[View original article](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2026/sep/25/ai-weiwei-unveils-mushrooms-new-public-artwork-tallawoladah-lawn-sydney-mca)

Ai Weiwei unveils his epic new Australian work: ‘90% of art is just garbage. Real art questions the existing order’

The Visual Arts Department of Government Graduate College for Women unveiled a vibrant show at **Coopera Art Gallery**, showcasing roughly seventy works created by faculty members and the graduating batch of 2022‑26. The selection ranges from experimental materials to thought‑provoking themes, offering a snapshot of contemporary practice within the campus.

The opening was marked by the presence of painter and educator **Prof. Rahat Naveed Masud**, who praised the exhibition’s role in nurturing emerging talent. **Dr. Nighat Naheed Zafar**, the college principal, also highlighted the diversity of techniques on display, underscoring the importance of such public platforms.

Curated by **Prof. Sarosh Tariq**, head of the department, and supported by gallery director **Muhammad Javed**, the show aims to bridge the gap between academic training and the broader art community. Their remarks emphasized a commitment to fostering appreciation for both visual art and literature.

A lively audience of artists, teachers, students, and art enthusiasts filled the gallery, reflecting strong community engagement. Faculty participants such as Sarosh Tariq, Farah Ahmad, Ghazala Anjam, Sadia Qutb, Nomana Masood and Uzma Munir joined forces with final‑year students including Momna Rafique, S. Mehak Fatima, Ayesha Bibi, and others, creating a rich dialogue across generations.

The exhibition remains open daily, except holidays, from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM and will run through 30 September 2026.

[View original article](https://www.nation.com.pk/25-Sep-2026/splendid-art-exhibition-launched-coopera-art-gallery)

Splendid art exhibition launched at Coopera Art Gallery

An unassuming garden in the Cotswolds has yielded a marble bust of **Daphne** that turns out to be a work by 19th‑century American sculptor **Harriet Hosmer**. The stone figure, long hidden beneath moss and lichen, was spotted by antique specialist Thomas Jenner‑Fust during a routine valuation and instantly recognised as a rare piece by the pioneering female artist.

The bust is one of only four verified examples of Hosmer’s early independent work, created after she moved to Rome. Its fine carving, laurel leaves at the base and a Latin inscription – Harriet Hosmer me fecit Romae – confirm its authenticity and underscore Hosmer’s status as a trailblazer in a male‑dominated field.

Now in the hands of **Chorley’s Auctioneers** in Gloucester, the sculpture is slated for a March auction, promising to bring a hidden masterpiece back into the public eye. Its unexpected journey from garden ornament to auction block highlights how even modest rural settings can conceal objects of major art‑historical importance.

[View original article](https://www.cp24.com/news/world/2026/09/24/a-routine-house-evaluation-uncovers-rare-antiquity-hiding-in-plain-sight/)

Rare Hosmer sculpture discovered in a rural England garden

The **Könstig Gallery** in the Evacuation Zone houses the enigmatic **Echo exhibition**, a secret puzzle tucked behind a seemingly ordinary art display. Curated by the fictional artist **Charlie Meecham**, the room invites players to decipher a hidden mechanism that opens a concealed basement chamber, rewarding them with a health boost and extra lore fragments.

A modest desk bears a note that reads, "Journey, Windows, Thunder, and Tides," listing the four works that have been sold this month. Around the walls are four switches, each linked to three paintings. Activating a switch illuminates its trio in sequence, and the challenge lies in lighting exactly the four pieces named on the note.

The solution hinges on recognizing the visual cues of each artwork: a country lane under a sprawling tree, spiraling branches in a forest, a solitary tree with massive limbs, and a fallen trunk over a rippling river. When these four are illuminated, a rear wall slides aside, revealing the hidden hideout.

[View original article](https://www.polygon.com/control-resonant-echo-art-gallery-secret-puzzle-evacuation-zone-konstig-solution/)

How to solve the Evacuation Zone art gallery secret in Control Resonant

The rust‑coloured, saucer‑shaped structure that crowns the hills outside Tamworth looks more like a gallery than a poultry plant. Its sleek lines and landscaped surrounds give the impression of a high‑end conference centre, but behind the glass lies a $600 million processing hub designed to handle three million chickens a week.

At full tilt the **Oakburn facility** will run two production lines capable of moving 15,000 birds an hour, feeding supermarkets across New South Wales and supporting over a thousand jobs. Workers can break for lunch in an on‑site café, hit the gym, or stroll through the gardens, a promise of a modern workplace in a regional town.

Local officials have praised the design as a ‘gem’ for Tamworth, and **Baiada** executives stress the plant as a long‑term investment that builds on six decades of community ties. The building’s hotel‑like interior and state‑of‑the‑art chilling systems are presented as a sign of progress for the Australian chicken industry.

Yet animal‑welfare groups remain skeptical. Critics point out that the speed‑growth breeding programmes that dominate Australian flocks still force birds to reach market weight in four to six weeks, a practice that Europe is beginning to move away from. The **RSPCA** notes that 97 % of Australian chicken meat already meets its baseline standards, but new “enhanced” guidelines aim to lower stocking densities, vary light intensity and phase out electrical water‑bath stunning by 2031, encouraging a shift toward slower‑growing breeds. Advocates argue that consumer pressure will be essential to turn the sleek new facility into a genuine step forward for animal welfare.

[View original article](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/25/australia-new-chicken-factory-tamworth-lilydale-steggles)

Australia’s newest chicken factory looks like a modern art gallery - but will it improve animal welfare?

The eighth edition of **PM Mementos e-Auction** opens at the **National Gallery of Modern Art** in New Delhi, offering more than 1,500 gifts that have passed through the hands of the prime minister. From temple models to high‑tech plaques, the catalogue reads like a visual encyclopedia of contemporary India.

Traditional craft is front‑and‑center. Replicas of the Hatkeshwar Mahadev, Ambaji and Somnath temples sit beside intricate Pithora paintings, Bhujodi shawls and Lippan wall art, each echoing regional aesthetics that have survived centuries.

Yet the collection does not linger in the past. A solar‑tile model inspired by the Modhera Sun Temple, a miniature of AIIMS Rajkot and an INS Vikrant semiconductor plaque titled “Charkha to Chips” signal how heritage and innovation are being woven together.

Sports fans will find their own highlights: an autographed para‑table‑tennis jersey, the competition jacket worn by Paralympic gold‑medallist Avani Lekhara, and a scale model of the stealth frigate INS Nilgiri, each celebrating recent Indian achievements on the world stage.

All proceeds are earmarked for the **Namami Gange Programme**, the government’s river‑clean‑up mission, continuing a track record of raising over Rs 50 crore in previous editions. For collectors, the auction offers a rare chance to own a piece of diplomatic history while supporting an environmental cause.

[View original article](https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/temple-replicas-to-sports-memorabilia-pm-modis-1-500-gifts-up-for-auction-12092805)

Temple Replicas To Sports Memorabilia: PM Modi's 1,500 Gifts Up For Auction

The **Potteries Museum and Art Gallery** in Hanley is undergoing a £5 million transformation that promises to reshape the cultural hub.

A multi‑million contract awarded to **Seddon** will deliver a new corner entrance, a bright foyer café bar with retail space and an open terrace, while carving out dedicated space for artists and upgrading visitor facilities.

A recent tour by **Arts Council England**’s capital team highlighted the strong collaboration between the contractor and museum staff and praised the project’s impact on city‑wide arts provision.

Local officials, including councillor Sarah Hill, hail the investment as a landmark moment for Stoke‑on‑Trent, emphasizing its role in revitalising the city’s cultural landscape. The museum now welcomes visitors to the **Spitfire Gallery**, café, and a programme of events in its theatre.

[View original article](https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/gallery/inside-potteries-museum-art-gallery-11169660)

Inside Potteries Museum and Art Gallery as £5m overhaul continues

At this year’s Turner prize, the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art becomes a crucible for divergent visions of humanity and materiality. The show’s most arresting presence is **Kira Freije**’s isolated floor, where thirty‑three life‑size steampunk cyborgs stand in a mist‑filled wasteland, their human faces pleading for empathy amid hollow metal frames. The installation feels both apocalyptic and tender, suggesting that love and compassion are the only survivors in a ghost‑in‑the‑machine world.

**Simeon Barclay** offers a cinematic tableau that recalls immersive theatre, guiding visitors past a giant tabloid headline and through a neon‑lit labyrinth toward a living‑room‑like core. A recorded voice recites a mournful poem about a working‑class father, creating a visceral but slightly ambiguous narrative of lost masculinity.

In contrast, **Marguerite Humeau** embraces a baroque alchemy, filling two rooms with bizarre sculptures that incorporate beeswax, walnut, glass and even wasp venom. A high‑pitched soundscape trails the viewer, turning the experience into a psychedelic wander through eccentric material experiments.

**Tanoa Sasraku** presents a more restrained protest, arranging glass paperweights that contain dark viscous liquids as a commentary on the oil industry. The subtlety of the work limits its emotional impact, yet it adds a necessary political thread to the exhibition.

Together, the four shortlisted artists generate a lively debate about the future of contemporary art. While Freije’s dramatic vision may dominate the conversation, Barclay, Humeau and Sasraku each contribute distinct personalities that make this Turner prize a rare moment of genuine competition and public engagement.

[View original article](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2026/sep/24/turner-prize-review-mima-middlesbrough-kira-freije)

Turner prize review - soulful cyborgs go into battle with a stack of massive Hobnobs

The Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) will host a Turner Prize exhibition from 26 September 2026 to 29 March 2027, showcasing all four shortlisted artists of the 2026 prize. The regional venue, now in its twentieth year, gains a rare national spotlight through this 'prestigious opportunity'.

The programme includes **Simeon Barclay**’s hour‑long spoken‑word work **The Ruin**, a meditation on Britishness, class, race and masculine identity. **Kira Freije** presents her first major solo show **Unspeak The Chorus** at **The Hepworth Wakefield**, featuring sculptural investigations of universal human emotions. **Marguerite Humeau**’s exhibition **Torches** probes the origins of life, ancient history and imagined futures, while **Tanoa Sasraku** offers **Morale Patch** at the **Institute of Contemporary Arts** in London, a critique of recent political and military narratives surrounding oil.

Director **Dr Laura Sillars** described the event as a 'huge, prestigious opportunity' that connects the four exceptional practices with the histories and imaginations of Middlesbrough, Teesside and the North East. She highlighted MIMA’s position at the crossroads of art, learning and public life, and thanked the artists and staff for making the moment possible.

The Turner Prize, founded in 1984 and named after JMW Turner, remains one of Britain’s most influential visual‑art awards. It awards £25,000 to the winner and £10,000 to each shortlisted artist, aiming to provoke public debate about contemporary developments in British art.

[View original article](https://www.kentonline.co.uk/news/national/turner-prize-display-is-prestigious-opportunity-middlesbrough-gallery-says-172112/)

Turner Prize display is ‘prestigious opportunity’, Middlesbrough gallery says

At **Forum Art Gallery** in Chennai, the **Sri Pichwai** exhibition brings a living link to a four‑century‑old devotional art form. Painter **Yugdeepak Soni**, a native of Udaipur and a grandson‑disciple of the late Badri Lal Chitrakar, translates the temple tradition of Nathdwara into a series of richly detailed works that feel both reverent and contemporary.

Pichwai—originally cloth backdrops hung behind the idol of **Shrinathji**, the child form of Krishna—served to carry the rhythm of festivals into the sanctuary. Soni’s pieces, rendered on handmade paper, echo those origins with familiar motifs: the gentle cow, blooming lotus, peacock feathers and monsoon clouds, each placed within elaborate narrative scenes that celebrate moments such as Janmashtami, Sharad Purnima and Govardhan Puja.

The artist adheres to the painstaking material heritage of the craft, grinding natural pigments and semi‑precious stones to achieve colours like the deep red derived from hinglu stone. He notes how modern commercial palettes have altered these hues, yet his commitment to the traditional process remains evident in every brushstroke.

While Soni expresses concern that younger generations may lack the patience for such labor‑intensive practice, the exhibition stands as a vibrant reminder of pichwai’s spiritual and aesthetic power, inviting viewers to pause and appreciate a lineage that has survived centuries.

[View original article](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/yugdeepak-soni-brings-the-centuries-old-pichwai-tradition-to-forum-art-gallery-chennai/article71467859.ece)

Yugdeepak Soni brings the centuries-old pichwai tradition to Forum Art Gallery, Chennai

Built in 1894, **The Winthrop Building** was among Boston’s first steel‑frame office towers, rising nine stories and earning early skyscraper status. Its original name honored its patron, the Carter family, before it was renamed for the city’s founding governor.

Clad in a Second Renaissance Revival palette, the lower two floors are painted a deep green, while the upper stories feature yellow Roman brick and orange terra‑cotta, all topped by a striking copper cornice. A white‑washed sandstone entrance on Water Street adds a touch of restrained grandeur.

Unlike the bold statements of Trinity Church, the Boston Public Library, or the John Hancock Tower, the Winthrop adopts a quieter role. Its narrow profile and modest height let it slip into the streetscape, curving gently to follow Water Street and bowing to the adjacent alley on Spring Lane. The building feels more like a supportive sculpture than a demanding monument.

Designed by **Clarence H. Blackall**, a prolific yet under‑celebrated architect, the Winthrop carries his theatrical sensibility in its color contrasts and decorative banding. Blackall’s other Boston landmarks, such as Tremont Temple and the Wilbur Theatre, echo this same balance of flair and restraint.

Designated a Boston Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Winthrop’s charm lies in its unobtrusiveness. It offers a quiet marvel that enriches the urban fabric without seeking the spotlight, proving that subtlety can be just as compelling as grandeur.

[View original article](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/09/24/arts/winthrop-building-boston-architecture-landmark/)

Boston's Marvelous Unobtrusive Landmark

A modest garage‑sale find, bought for roughly $75, turned out to be a gilt‑bronze figure from the late Tang or Five Dynasties period. The sculpture depicts **Cintamanicakra Avalokiteshvara**, a six‑armed form of the Chinese Buddhist deity Guanyin, and its journey from a suburban attic to a world‑renowned auction house is a striking reminder of hidden treasures in everyday places.

The statue’s iconography is rich: a wish‑granting jewel rests on its chest, a dharma wheel is held aloft, a lotus stem and a prayer mala appear in other hands, while the final arm provides a stable base. This particular manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, known for its compassionate presence, is one of many variations that evolved as Buddhism spread across China.

When the piece entered **Sotheby’s** **Important Chinese Art** auction in New York, it carried a pre‑sale estimate of $60,000–$80,000. A fierce seven‑minute bidding war propelled the work to a final hammer price of $2.06 million, far surpassing expectations and highlighting the market’s appetite for rare, well‑documented Asian art.

The sale was part of a broader Asian Week offering that also saw a Qing‑era jade brushpot and a complete set of the **Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment** fetch multi‑million sums. Together, these results underscored the continued vigor of the high‑end Chinese art market and the extraordinary stories that can emerge from the most unassuming origins.

[View original article](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/a-buddhist-deity-sculpture-bought-for-about-75-at-a-garage-sale-later-sold-for-2-06-million-at-auction/articleshow/134456162.cms)

A Buddhist deity sculpture bought for about $75 at a garage sale later sold for $2.06 million at auction

Robotic arms are now carving Carrara marble, turning digital sketches into precise toolpaths that guide machines through the stone. The technology, developed by **LITIX** and **ROBOTOR**, promises to open marble sculpture to creators without traditional carving skills.

**Giacomo Massari**, founder of the two firms, says the aim is to let anyone bring an idea to life, with robots handling up to 99 % of the material removal. Skilled artisans then step in for the final touches, making the process safer and less physically demanding.

Traditional sculptors in the historic quarry have voiced unease, fearing that automation threatens a craft honed over centuries. Massari counters that the shift is an evolution of the job rather than its demise, allowing craftsmen to focus on refinement.

Italian artist **Davide Quayola** embraces the machines as part of his practice, describing his method as ‘algorithmic sculpting’. He programs the robot’s movements, treating the arm as an extension of his own gesture while retaining full control over the outcome.

The emergence of these tools signals a broader redefinition of the sculptor’s role: from the act of chipping stone to the act of designing, programming, and polishing. Carrara’s famed white marble continues to inspire, now shaped by code as much as by hand.

The core question remains: where does the machine’s contribution end and the artist’s begin?

[View original article](https://www.euronews.com/2026/09/24/carrara-marble-can-a-sculpture-created-by-an-ai-robot-be-considered-as-art)

Carrara marble: Can a sculpture created by an AI robot be considered as art ?

The **National Gallery of Victoria**, Australia’s oldest and most visited museum, has been rocked by a scandal involving a former senior staff member accused of siphoning roughly $8 million over six years.

Investigators allege the employee used the gallery’s purchasing account to acquire a large stock of mobile phones, later selling them for personal profit. Seven counts of theft and a charge of misconduct in public office have been filed, and the case is set for a magistrates’ hearing.

The alleged fraud raises unsettling questions about internal controls at major cultural institutions. While the gallery’s reputation for presenting world‑class art remains intact, the incident underscores the need for rigorous financial oversight to protect public trust.

[View original article](https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9356865/senior-art-gallery-worker-fired-accused-of-8m-theft/)

Senior art gallery worker fired, accused of $8m theft

Beneath the Finnish capital lies a vast network of granite‑cut spaces that function as both everyday leisure zones and strategic infrastructure. The centerpiece is **Itäkeskus swimming hall**, a cavernous pool excavated from bedrock and opened in 1993, now welcoming around 400,000 visitors a year.

What makes Helsinki unique is the city’s deliberate decision to develop an entire **underground city** that can switch from peacetime commerce to wartime refuge. Over 200 miles (293 km) of tunnels link shopping malls, playgrounds, a go‑kart track and subway stations, and in an emergency each corridor can transform into a bomb shelter capable of sheltering up to 900,000 Finns.

Stepping into the pool feels like entering another world. Whitewashed walls rise like cliffs, while vibrant tiles in lavender, yellow and burgundy line the water’s edge. A low‑lit ceiling and a waterfall‑filled lifeguard tower create a moon‑like glow, and the space doubles as a gym, hot‑tub, steam room and sauna, all for a modest entry fee.

The subterranean experience extends beyond the pool. Nearby, the **Amos Rex** art museum pops up from concrete stalks, and the **Temppeliaukio church** nestles half‑buried in a massive rock mound, both reinforcing the city’s commitment to design that serves both culture and civil defence.

Together these sites illustrate how Helsinki reimagines urban living: a city that can accommodate daily life, artistic experimentation and, if needed, mass protection, all without sacrificing beauty.

[View original article](https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2026/sep/24/helsinki-finland-underground-city-swimming-pool)

Taking a deep dive in Helsinki’s subterranean city

**Blink Cincinnati** returns for its fifth edition, turning downtown and Northern Kentucky into a glowing corridor of light and sound from Oct 8‑11. More than 90 artists from around the globe will showcase cutting‑edge digital installations, and the lineup boasts a record number of women creators, promising a fresh visual feast for the city’s growing audience.

At the helm is **Leslie Mooney**, the festival’s vice president and executive director. A Cincinnati transplant since 2008, Mooney has left a mark on the local scene through her leadership at the **Clifton Cultural Arts Center** and her work with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Her move from Boston to the Queen City has culminated in this ambitious role, where she blends civic experience with a passion for contemporary art.

Mooney describes the 2026 edition as "radically welcoming," a mantra that drives a push toward more innovative, sustainable programming. Expect immersive projections, interactive soundscapes, and new tech‑driven experiences designed to engage the estimated two million visitors who travel from near and far.

The buzz around the event is palpable, with locals and tourists alike eager to witness a city transformed by light, sound, and imagination. As the festival approaches, anticipation builds for what could become the region’s defining cultural moment.

[View original article](https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2026/09/24/leslie-mooney-talks-cincinnatis-biggest-art-show-blink-2026/91905716007/)

Leslie Mooney talks Cincinnati's biggest art show, Blink 2026

In the bustle of Ganeshotsav, while cities showcase towering pandals, a young Surat artist has turned the tiniest of canvases—a pencil tip—into a 6 mm Ganesha idol, arguably the smallest of its kind in the region.

**Patel Mayank Dineshbhai** stumbled upon the concept two years ago while carving his own initials on a pencil. The experiment sparked the question: could the same delicate gesture yield a miniature deity? After five days of painstaking focus, the micro‑sculpture emerged, every curve and trunk detail rendered within the confines of a single graphite point.

The piece is not merely a novelty; the artist intends to honor tradition by immersing the entire pencil after the ritual worship, integrating the micro‑artwork into the full cycle of Ganeshotsav. Its existence underscores the extraordinary patience and precision required in miniature sculpture, offering a fresh perspective on devotion and craftsmanship.

[View original article](https://www.indiatvnews.com/trending/offbeat/surat-artist-creates-6mm-ganesha-idol-on-pencil-tip-calls-it-his-smallest-creation-watch-2026-09-24-1055109)

Surat artist creates 6mm Ganesha idol on pencil tip, calls it his 'smallest' creation

**Arsenal** is the new solo show by Ghanaian‑American artist **Addoley Dzegede**, on view at the Contemporary Art Gallery of Southeastern Louisiana University from Oct. 6 through Nov. 5.

The exhibition looks back to the mid‑19th‑century surge in color chemistry, pairing natural and synthetic dyes with a range of hands‑on techniques—batik, screen printing, mordant painting and more. The title evokes the colonial contests over dye sources and the uncanny link between dye chemistry and weaponry, positioning color as a material caught in cultural and political conflict.

Beyond textiles, **Arsenal** expands into moving‑image works by **Carolina Caycedo**, **Rachel De Cuba**, and **Kelly Jin Mei**, each weaving fabric references into cinematic narratives that probe pattern, embodiment, labor and material transformation.

A series of public events deepens the dialogue: a textile‑dyeing workshop on Nov. 2, an artist talk on Nov. 5, and a closing reception the same evening. The program invites visitors to consider how color functions as both a sensory experience and a site of historical entanglement.

[View original article](https://www.wbrz.com/news/southeastern-contemporary-art-gallery-to-present-solo-exhibition-by-ghanaian-american-artist)

Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery to present solo exhibition by Ghanaian-American artist

The **Grand River Arts Festival** transformed the grounds of the **Glenhyrst Art Gallery** in Brantford into a bustling hub of creativity over the weekend. Hundreds of locals and visitors gathered on Friday and Saturday to explore a vibrant mix of visual art, live music, theatre and performance pieces.

The program offered something for every taste: emerging painters displayed alongside seasoned sculptors, acoustic sets and upbeat bands filled the air, and spontaneous theatrical sketches turned the open lawns into stages. Audience members could wander from installation to installation, often pausing to chat with the artists about their processes.

Beyond the performances, the festival fostered a sense of community, with food stalls, workshops and family‑friendly activities encouraging interaction. Organisers hope the event will become a staple of Brantford’s cultural calendar, drawing even larger crowds in years to come.

[View original article](https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/news/local-news/grand-river-arts-festival-a-celebration-of-the-arts)

Grand River Arts Festival a celebration of the arts

In 1940 Alexander Calder experimented with wearable art, creating delicate pieces of silver wire and cord. One such necklace, unassuming in its design, resurfaced decades later as a rare example of his jewelry.

The piece entered the market in the 1950s when Norma Ifill, a Philadelphia resident, spotted it at a Brooklyn flea market and bought it for about $15. She wore it as a vintage accessory, unaware of its provenance.

The turning point came when Ifill visited an exhibition of Calder’s jewelry at the **Philadelphia Museum of Art** and recognized the necklace’s signature twists. Subsequent expert authentication confirmed it as an original **Alexander Calder** work, catalogued by **Christie's** as **Untitled (Necklace)**.

At Christie's September 2013 open sale of post‑war and contemporary art in New York, the necklace fetched $267,750, roughly ₹2.5 crore, comfortably within the pre‑sale estimate. The sale underscored the hidden value that can lie in modest objects and highlighted the growing collector interest in Calder’s wearable sculptures.

[View original article](https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/trends/story/a-rs1400-flea-market-find-became-a-rs2-5-crore-masterpiece-70-years-later-heres-why-557311-2026-09-24)

A ₹1,400 flea market find became a ₹2.5 crore masterpiece 70 years later. Here’s why

In the quiet night by Ramsey Lake, a striking trout sculpture vanished. The work, titled *The Power of Young People*, celebrated local youth releasing fingerlings into Junction Creek and was the latest piece by internationally recognized Lively artist **Tyler Fauvelle**. Thieves stripped the metal and likely sold it as scrap, prompting city officials to promise a replacement in a more secure setting.

The stolen piece was part of a four‑sculpture program honoring **Jane Goodall**’s environmental legacy. Another Fauvelle work, a peregrine falcon at Laurentian University, already stands, while a new earthdancers bench on the Jane Goodall Trail will mark “The Resilience of Nature.” A life‑size final tribute is slated, backed by the **Sudbury Arts Council**.

Meanwhile, the beloved **Northern Lights Festival Boréal**, Canada’s longest outdoor music festival, is wrestling with a funding shortfall. After losing a municipal tourism grant, organizers convened a community roundtable and launched a GoFundMe drive aiming to raise $65,000 to keep the festival alive. Local musicians are also staging weekly benefit concerts to sustain the event.

The city’s cultural pulse remains strong, as the Sudbury Music Festival introduces a pop‑and‑rock competition for young musicians, offering a contemporary outlet alongside its spring programming. Together, these initiatives illustrate Sudbury’s determination to protect its public art, celebrate environmental heroes, and nurture a vibrant arts scene despite financial headwinds.

[View original article](https://www.nugget.ca/entertainment/important-public-art-in-sudbury-stolen-and-sold-as-scrap-metal)

Important public art in Sudbury stolen and sold as scrap metal

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation staged the **Kala Ganesh Mahotsav** at the historic **Vishnudas Bhave Natyagruha** in Vashi, turning the venue into a vibrant showcase of devotional music, painting, sculpture and calligraphy in celebration of Ganesh otsav.

The evening opened with a devotional musical set titled **He Gajavadan…**, led by composer‑singer **Salil Kulkarni** and vocalist **Sanmita Dhapate‑Shinde**. Their rendition of traditional bhajans resonated across the audience, drawing enthusiastic applause from students to senior citizens alike.

While the chants filled the hall, visual artists worked in real time. **Sagar Jadhav** painted a luminous portrait of Lord Ganesha on canvas, and sculptors **Mayuri Thackeray** and **Jatin Patil** began shaping a fresh idol. A calligraphic exhibition by **Ashish Tambe**, featuring the eight Ashtavinayak temples, added a literary layer to the festivities.

Beyond the performances, officials encouraged the public to upload photographs, videos and stories of their own Ganesh celebrations to the **Bappa.org** portal, a government initiative aimed at documenting the festival for possible UNESCO recognition. The event highlighted how civic support can weave together art, tradition and community participation.

[View original article](https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/navi-mumbai-ganeshotsav-2026-nmmc-hosts-kala-ganesh-mahotsav-with-music-art-and-sculpture-at-vashis-vishnudas-bhave-natyagruha)

Navi Mumbai Ganeshotsav 2026: NMMC Hosts ‘Kala Ganesh Mahotsav’ With Music, Art And Sculpture At Vashi’s Vishnudas Bhave Natyagruha

The new group show **Fragmented Horizons** has taken over the modest yet vibrant **Studio Shop Gallery** in Burlingame, opening in September and lingering into early October.  By pairing two seemingly opposite practices—large‑scale abstraction and delicate broken ceramics—the exhibition probes the way everyday ruptures can reveal hidden layers of experience.

Painter **Chris Hayman** fills her canvases with thick, slab‑like swaths of pigment that recall the shifting moods of a farm landscape.  Her colors collide and bleed, evoking California’s fickle seasons in a single, almost tactile vision.  The work feels both grounded in place and untethered, as if the brush is mapping the invisible currents that run through the countryside.

In contrast, mixed‑media artist **Rob Strati** reconstructs shattered porcelain plates, tracing the cracks with ink before re‑mounting the fragments.  The resulting pieces transform broken dishware into narrative scenes—a sailing vessel emerging from a cracked plate, a waterfall spilling from a fissure—making the moment of fracture a source of kinetic energy.  Viewers can almost hear the snap of ceramic and sense the lingering vibration that the artist suggests.

Together, the two bodies of work create a dialogue about fragmentation and renewal, inviting the audience to contemplate how loss can become a catalyst for new forms of beauty.

[View original article](https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/09/23/the-mysterious-world-of-shattered-dishware-shines-in-burlingame-art-show/)

Cracked pottery, abstract painting in Burlingame's 'Fragmented Horizons'

Rolls‑Royce has long turned its model names into a quiet liturgy. **Ghost**, the understated sedan, **Phantom** the flagship, and now **Spectre** the electric coupé, all invoke the unseen. The choice feels like a reminder that even in a car built to outlast its driver, mortality lingers – a poetic counterpoint to the brand’s reputation for invincibility.

The most striking expression of that poetry is the **Starlight Headliner**. Thousands of tiny fiber‑optic points are set into hand‑stitched leather, recreating a night sky that can be customized to any constellation. A particularly personal version celebrates a Labrador‑golden mix named Bailey, with his likeness woven in marquetry and a paw‑print etched on the dash – a testament to the depth of Rolls‑Royce’s bespoke culture.

The **Spectre** marks the company’s electric debut, yet it retains the dramatic presence of its combustion‑engine ancestors. At just over four seconds to 62 mph and a braking distance of 100 ft, the three‑ton machine feels both massive and razor‑sharp, while its near‑silent drivetrain lets the cabin’s artistry speak louder than any engine roar. Testing on the **Goodwood** circuit proved the acceleration and stopping power are as precise as they are quiet.

Every surface is a study in obsessive craftsmanship. Leather comes from high‑altitude cattle to avoid insect damage, more than 44 000 paint shades are catalogued, and a dedicated timber team sources eight different woods for a single interior panel. Even the **Spirit of Ecstasy** has been subtly reshaped over the decades, retreating beneath the bonnet when pressed – a small, kinetic wink at the brand’s history.

Together, these details turn a Rolls‑Royce from a vehicle into a moving gallery. The blend of mythic naming, hand‑crafted interiors, and cutting‑edge electric performance makes the marque a rare example of luxury that is both self‑aware and unapologetically theatrical.

[View original article](https://spectator.com/article/rolls-royces-connection-to-the-spirit-world/)

Rolls-Royce's connection to the spirit world

**Anna Tsouhlarakis**'s new exhibition **Indigenous Irregularities** at **Temple Contemporary** turns the gallery into a laboratory of juxtaposition, where natural detritus meets industrial detritus to map a multivalent Indigenous identity.

The centerpiece, **She Dares You to Steal Her Hair**, is a tangled assemblage of a glass cast of the artist’s forearm, horsehair, shed antler, bicycle mirror, Ikea particleboard, steer horn, and even a toy velociraptor. The disparate objects clash and cohere, turning the work into an accidental theater that simultaneously celebrates fragility and durability.

A companion piece, **Coyotes Run From Her**, continues the dialogue with an equally eclectic inventory—security camera, press‑on nails, deer leg, tin tobacco lids, yarn, saw blades, and driftwood—highlighting the tension between the manufactured and the organic.

Surrounding the sculptures are black‑and‑white collages that splice witty, meme‑like captions about Native identity with faded images, confronting stereotypes with humor that borders on provocation. The text pieces act as visual footnotes to the larger sculptural narrative.

Curator Matthew Jordan‑Miller Kenyatta describes the show as a balance of absurdity and awe, a defamiliarization of everyday objects that accumulates personal and cultural histories into “beautiful accumulations.”

The exhibition runs through December 5, inviting viewers to linger over each material and consider the layered stories they evoke.

[View original article](https://www.inquirer.com/arts/anna-tsouhlarakis-temple-contemporary-art-show-20260923.html)

A new Temple Contemporary art show balances absurdity and awe

The Sutton family of Kilmarnock is turning heads with their first joint exhibition, a vibrant collection of drawings and paintings that celebrate the rugged charm of the Cumbraes.

Centered on Great Cumbrae, Little Cumbrae and the surrounding islets, the show—titled **For the Love of the Cumbraes**—opens at **The Garrison** in Millport and will run from 26 September to 31 October.

The trio—father **Harry**, son **Jack** and mother **Audrey**, who only picked up a brush after retiring from the council—bring distinct perspectives yet a shared affection for the islands. Audrey’s rapid development, Jack’s playful banter about “unsolicited advice,” and Harry’s seasoned hand create a lively dialogue across the walls.

Locals and visitors alike are invited to explore this family‑driven homage to the archipelago, a rare moment where three generations exhibit side by side.

[View original article](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/kilmarnock-family-launch-first-art-37693246)

Kilmarnock family to launch first art exhibition together

The 10‑metre ceramic **Big Fish** on Belfast’s River Lagan has become a beloved landmark since local artist **John Kindness** installed it in 1999 to celebrate the river’s revival. Its bright form and playful detail draw tourists who pause for photos and even give the fish a friendly pat for luck.

Over the weekend the sculpture suffered a serious act of vandalism when one of its glass eyes was shattered, prompting a police investigation and a cordoned‑off repair site. The damage has reignited concern for preserving public art in the city.

Seizing the moment, **PETA** wrote to Stormont Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, offering to fund the repairs on the condition that a plaque be added, urging visitors to "spare a thought for gentle fish killed for their flesh by going vegan." The organization framed the appeal as a tribute to the fish’s symbolic role and to the artist’s original intent.

The proposal has sparked a lively debate about the intersection of activism and artistic heritage. While some welcome the swift restoration, others question whether a political message should be grafted onto a work that already speaks for the river’s renewal. The outcome will reveal how Belfast balances the preservation of its public art with the growing influence of advocacy groups.

[View original article](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/peta-belfast-stormont-press-association-b1298055.html)

Peta offers to help repair Belfast’s Big Fish - in exchange for pro-vegan plaque

**Nikhil Kamath** lives in a sprawling 7,000‑sq‑ft apartment atop **Kingfisher Towers** in Bengaluru’s upscale Ashok Nagar‑Sampangi Rama Nagar district. The residence stretches over multiple levels, offering floor‑to‑ceiling windows that frame panoramic skyline views and a wooden‑decked balcony that blurs the line between indoor and outdoor living.

The interior follows a contemporary, understated luxury palette. Neutral tones mingle with stronger accents, while timber finishes, modern furniture and carefully chosen artwork provide visual interest without overwhelming the space. Spacious living areas are bathed in natural light, and a muted colour scheme creates a calm, sophisticated ambience.

Beyond the apartment, the tower supplies concierge service, private parking, security and landscaped communal zones. Its prime position along Kasturba Road places residents within walking distance of MG Road, UB City and Lavelle Road, granting easy access to high‑end retail, restaurants and cultural venues.

The home reflects the success of **Zerodha** co‑founder **Nikhil Kamath**, whose billionaire‑level net worth stems from building India’s largest low‑cost online brokerage and expanding into investment management, venture capital and other financial ventures.

[View original article](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/zerodhas-nikhil-kamath-lives-in-7000-sq-ft-apartment-at-bengalurus-kingfisher-towers-featuring-panoramic-skyline-views-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-wooden-decked-balcony-modern-art-concierge-services-private-parking-and-advanced-security/articleshow/134427121.cms)

Zerodha’s Nikhil Kamath lives in 7,000 sq ft apartment at Bengaluru’s Kingfisher Towers, featuring panoramic skyline views, floor-to-ceiling windows, a wooden-decked balcony, modern art, concierge ser

A five‑foot stone figure of **Ganesh** has emerged from a farm field in **Rameshwaram Banda**, offering a rare glimpse into Deccan art of the early medieval period. Estimated at nine to ten centuries old, the statue belongs to the artistic wave that followed the **Rashtrakuta** empire and anticipates the early **Chalukyan** style.

The deity is shown in a relaxed seated pose, Lalitasana, crowned with a conical **Karandamakuta**, and adorned with fan‑shaped ears, a broken tusk and a bead necklace. A serpentine band wrapped around its belly – the **Naga‑bandha** – is a striking detail that helps scholars date the work and understand ritual practices of the time.

Unlike typical temple idols housed inside a sanctum, such monumental Ganesh figures were often placed in outer precincts or open spaces, reflecting the **Ganapatya** tradition that elevated Ganesh as the principal deity. The region’s history of Jain worship adds another layer, as nearby sculptures suggest a shared devotional landscape.

Beyond its religious context, the sculpture exemplifies the skill of early medieval stone carvers, with its precise contours, ornamental crown and dynamic posture providing valuable clues to the evolution of Deccan sculpture.

[View original article](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2026/Sep/23/900-year-old-ganesh-sculpture-found-in-rameshwaram-banda)

900-year-old Ganesh sculpture found in Rameshwaram Banda

**Sankesh Bangera**'s four-foot, 75-kg chocolate Ganesha towers as a triumph of edible sculpture. Forgoing the usual moulds and internal armatures, the pastry chef built the idol entirely by hand, turning raw chocolate into a living, balanced form that commands both reverence and awe.

Over three days and more than 36 hours of meticulous work, Bangera treated the piece like an engineering project as much as an artwork. Each arm, crown and ornamental detail had to be weighed against gravity, with the chocolatier constantly adjusting angles to prevent cracks and collapse. Temperature control proved equally critical, as the medium softens at the slightest touch yet must stay rigid enough to support its own mass.

The freedom of a mould-free approach allowed Bangera to refine the deity’s face, trunk, jewellery and flowing drapery with a sculptor’s precision. He could carve, reshape and perfect each element until the expression felt right, resulting in a Ganesha that captures both the deity’s traditional elegance and the tactile richness of chocolate.

After its debut at a Pune outlet, the idol was worshipped before a ceremonial immersion in hot milk, where the melted chocolate was later served as a milkshake to devotees. The project blurs the line between devotion and culinary art, offering a sweet, sensory experience that celebrates craftsmanship as much as culture.

[View original article](https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-chef-creates-4-foot-75-kg-chocolate-ganesha-idol-entirely-by-hand-without-moulds-or-supports)

Mumbai Chef Creates 4-Foot, 75-Kg Chocolate Ganesha Idol Entirely By Hand Without Moulds Or Supports

The 24th annual Sonoma Plein Air Festival culminated on Sept. 19 with a bustling Art Show and Sale in Sonoma Plaza. Over six hours, 29 juried artists displayed paintings created during the week‑long festival, while live music and hands‑on activities kept families entertained.

The event followed the **Sonoma Plein Air Foundation Gala** at the **Hanna Center**, where artists previewed their favorite works for a silent auction. The gala set the tone for the Saturday sale, which also serves as a major fundraiser for visual‑arts education in the valley’s public schools.

Artists donate 40 % of each sale price, directly supporting K‑12 art programs and community supplies. Since its founding in 2002 by **Keith Wicks** and **Judy Vadasz**, the festival has funneled more than $2.4 million into local art education, underscoring its role as both a cultural highlight and a civic benefactor.

[View original article](https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2026/09/22/art-and-music-take-over-sonoma-plaza-at-the-plein-air-art-sale-and-show/)

Art and music take over Sonoma Plaza at the Plein Air Art Sale

Ann Arbor’s new Fire Station 4 will be crowned by **Three Ladder Fire**, a striking 24‑foot‑tall sculpture that twists retired fire‑department ladders into the suggestion of a flame. Built from decommissioned ladders, the piece stands eight feet wide and is positioned to be seen from the neighboring Scheffler Park, turning a functional object into a public‑art landmark.

Alabama artist **Christopher Fennell** was chosen after a national call for fire‑service‑themed works. Known for converting discarded materials into structural skeletons, Fennell’s approach aligns with the station’s status as Michigan’s first net‑zero firehouse. The project was coordinated with the **Ann Arbor Art Center**, which has helped shape dozens of civic artworks since 2020, reinforcing the city’s commitment to sustainability and community‑focused design.

Installation is slated for mid‑October, just ahead of the station’s grand opening on Oct. 30. Fennell will also present a talk at the Art Center on Oct. 14, offering insight into his process of giving new life to objects once deemed waste.

[View original article](https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2026/09/old-ladders-twist-into-sculpted-flame-for-public-art-at-new-ann-arbor-fire-station.html)

Old ladders twist into sculpted flame for public art at new Ann Arbor fire station

The LSU Museum of Art is opening its doors each month this fall for free, drop‑in art‑making sessions called **Art Break**, aimed at teens and adults. Curator Callie Smith emphasizes the relaxed atmosphere where participants can simply arrive, pick up supplies, and start creating.

Each session is tied to a work or artist featured in the **Folk Art Gallery**, which showcases self‑taught masters such as Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Mose Tolliver, David Butler, Sam Doyle, Purvis Young, and Mary T. Smith. The gallery opened recently and also includes pieces by Clementine Hunter from the museum’s own collection.

Themes rotate from “Art as an act of SPIRIT,” inspired by Purvis Young, to “Art as an act of FREEDOM” (David Butler) on Oct. 24, “Art as an act of IDENTITY” (Mose Tolliver) on Nov. 21, and “Art as an act of CARE” (Mary T. Smith) on Dec. 12. Participants shape cut‑out sculptures, collages, or textile works while live music provides a soundtrack.

Funding comes from an **Art Bridges** grant, and the museum supplies all materials. Docents will be on hand in the **Folk Art Gallery** during each program, and additional sessions are planned for the spring.

[View original article](https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/arts/lsu-museum-of-art-offers-free-programs/article_fa897fb1-24b4-443e-a272-6eab9ae6006f.html)

LSU Museum of Art offers free programs for teens and adults

**Arts Underground** offers a lively studio‑mentorship evening at the **Paramount Center for the Arts** in St. Cloud, inviting anyone who wants a creative night out. The drop‑in program runs every Thursday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. through mid‑May, with a modest $10 fee that covers all materials.

All ages and skill levels are welcome, though guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Participants can try their hand at wheel‑thrown bowls, mosaic panels, lathe‑turned wooden vessels, clay sculpture, or simply paint and draw, all under the guidance of a resident studio mentor.

The welcoming atmosphere encourages experimentation and social connection. Visitors enter through the north doors, head to the lower‑level Visual Arts Department, and join a first‑come, first‑served crowd eager to explore new media.

[View original article](https://kdhlradio.com/ixp/67/p/arts-underground-paramount-center-st-cloud/)

Arts Underground Brings Studio Mentorship To St. Cloud

On September 26, the historic **Teatro Circo** in Orihuela will host the inaugural Teodomiro Awards Gala, a Night of Culture that weaves together theatre, literature, sculpture and a large‑scale symphonic‑choral concert. The programme, organized by the city’s Historical and Artistic Heritage Board, aims to showcase the region’s artistic talent while honoring its deep historical roots.

The evening opens with a theatrical monologue titled *The Will of Teodomiro*, performed by actor Carlos Manrique. Written especially for the gala by playwright Jon Sarasti, the piece introduces audiences to the enigmatic figure of Teodomiro and the era that shaped him.

The second segment spotlights the **Teodomiro Awards**, revealing the winners of a national short‑story competition, *Teodomiro and His Time*, and a sculpture contest dedicated to the same historic character. The awards celebrate emerging literary and visual voices from across Spain.

A grand musical finale follows, featuring more than 140 musicians under the baton of conductor Manuel Ramos. The concert launches with the overture from Verdi’s *La forza del destino*, moves into the jubilant fourth movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and closes with the locally commissioned *Hymn to Orihuela*, a collaborative work by Carlos Moreno and José Maciá, arranged by Roberto Rabasco.

Admission is free, though tickets must be collected in advance at the theatre box office. Attendees who present their tickets at the exit receive a complimentary commemorative volume that gathers the winning short stories, cementing the gala’s role as a new fixture in Orihuela’s cultural calendar.

[View original article](https://theleader.info/2026/09/22/teodomiro-awards-gala-to-celebrate-orihuelas-culture-and-heritage/)

Teodomiro Awards Gala to Celebrate Orihuela’s Culture and Heritage

The Refuges d’Art project turns the remote hills of Haute‑Provence into a living gallery where the celebrated land artist **Andy Goldsworthy** has transformed abandoned shepherd huts, chapels and stone shelters into site‑specific sculptures.  Hikers are invited not merely to view the works, but to spend the night inside them, blurring the boundary between artwork and everyday life.

The journey begins in the bustling mountain town of **Digne‑les‑Bains**, the gateway to a ten‑day, 150 km trail that winds through the UNESCO‑listed geopark.  Goldsworthy collaborated with local craftsmen to restore the structures and embed his art within them, creating a network of free, off‑grid cabins that serve as both shelter and exhibition.

Along the path, towering cairns rise like mysterious eggs, their stone balances achieved without mortar, while the surrounding landscape bursts with wildflowers, drifts of sagebrush and panoramic valleys that feel ancient and timeless.  The hike is gentle enough for newcomers yet offers moments of surprise—steep goat tracks, marked grand‑randonnée routes, and the quiet thrill of discovering a sculptural sentinel perched on a ridge.

Inside the refuges, the installations become intimate spaces: a cylindrical stone obelisk that channels daylight into a porthole sky, a serpentine mud form that mimics a river’s flow, and interlocking stone arches that suggest a dragon coiling through the earth.  In the glow of candlelight or fire, these pieces shift with the weather, inviting visitors to linger, eat, play cards and share stories while the art lives and breathes around them.

The experience leaves a lasting impression, echoing Goldsworthy’s belief that “to sleep in a sculpture is a wonderful idea.”  By inhabiting his creations, hikers discover a rare intimacy with land art—one that turns a simple trek into a contemplative dialogue between nature, history and the human body.

[View original article](https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2026/sep/22/haute-provence-france-andy-goldsworthy-art-hike-sculpture)

‘To sleep in a sculpture is a wonderful idea’: a hike along Andy Goldsworthy’s epic art trail in Haute-Provence

An eye‑catching 34‑foot rendition of **La Catrina** is rolling into Oakland’s Fruitvale district, set to become the centerpiece of the Unity Council’s 31st annual Día de los Muertos celebration. The towering figure will arrive early Tuesday morning at Fruitvale Transit Village, where crews will begin installation shortly after it rolls off the trailer.

The sculpture promises to be the tallest Catrina in the United States, its vivid hues and elegant skeletal form poised to transform the streetscape into a living altar of Mexican tradition. Residents and visitors alike can expect the monument to draw crowds, sparking conversations about heritage, community identity, and public art’s role in urban renewal.

Logistically, the piece will be delivered on a trailer truck at 8 a.m., and the swift installation will ensure it’s ready for the Nov. 1 festivities. Its arrival marks a bold visual statement for Fruitvale, underscoring the neighborhood’s growing reputation as a hub for cultural celebration.

[View original article](https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/oakland-34-foot-la-catrina-sculpture-coming-to-22443218.php)

Oakland: 34-Foot La Catrina Sculpture Coming To Fruitvale District

The **Knife Angel** towers over Leith Walk in Edinburgh, a 27‑foot steel figure forged from more than 100,000 surrendered knives. Its jagged wings and outstretched arms turn a collection of weapons into a stark, visual plea for peace.

During a lunch break, Paul Moy stood before the monument, his grief palpable as he reflected on the loss of his son, Kayden Moy, who was stabbed to death in 2025. For Moy, the sculpture is more than public art; it is a personal reminder of the devastating impact of blade culture and a call for the piece to become a national monument against violence.

Moy’s visit sparked a broader conversation about the social systems that failed to intervene. He demanded accountability from local councils and social‑work services, pointing out that the three youths convicted of his son’s murder were under supervision at the time. The sculpture thus serves as a focal point for debate on prevention, oversight, and community safety.

Beyond its political resonance, the **Knife Angel** continues to draw visitors, each confronted with the stories hidden behind every blade. Its imposing presence encourages dialogue, urging society to consider the human cost of knife crime and to imagine a future where such monuments stand as symbols of hope rather than reminders of loss.

[View original article](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/dad-murder-victim-kayden-moy-37685989)

Dad of murder victim Kayden Moy visits Knife Angel statue

Thai sculpture lost a towering figure with the passing of **Ja Thawee** at 92. Recognised as a National Artist in 2023, his career spanned more than half a century of public service, craftsmanship and cultural stewardship.

Born in Phitsanulok in 1932, he inherited an artistic eye from his father, an art teacher and craftsman. After secondary school he worked as a painter across Bangkok and the provinces, a period that grounded his understanding of everyday visual culture.

In 1955 he enlisted in the Third Army Area, eventually rising to sergeant major after 23 years. The army sent him to the Fine Arts Department, where he trained under Silpa Bhirasri and other masters, acquiring the technical fluency in sculpture and metal casting that would define his later work.

His public commissions quickly earned acclaim, notably the imposing statue of King Naresuan the Great and the exquisitely proportioned Phra Buddha Chinnarat cast in the distinctive Phitsanulok style. In 1978 he left the military to devote himself fully to art, founding the **Buranathai Buddha Casting Foundry**, a workshop that bears his name and continues to produce sacred bronzes.

Beyond the studio, **Ja Thawee Folk Museum** emerged as Thailand’s first folk museum, preserving tools, household objects and the lived memory of rural communities. The **Sergeant Major Thawee‑Pim Buranakhet Foundation** extends his legacy through scholarships for disadvantaged students.

His contributions were honoured repeatedly: the 2017 National Artist award, the 2022 Silpachan distinction, honorary doctorates and the 2021 Siam Diamond for craftsmanship. The breadth of his work—spanning monumental sculpture, sacred casting, heritage preservation and education—cements his place as a cornerstone of contemporary Thai visual culture.

[View original article](https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/arts-and-entertainment/3323710/national-artist-ja-thawee-dies-at-age-92)

National Artist Ja Thawee dies at age 92

**Jim Sanborn** installed a curved copper screen called **Kryptos** on the CIA campus in 1990, blending sculpture with a secret code. The work sits between the agency’s original and new headquarters, framed by granite, a reflecting pool and petrified wood, inviting viewers to contemplate both its material presence and the mystery it holds.

The copper plate bears 1,735 letters divided into four sections. The first three have been decoded, revealing references to Egyptian tombs, coordinates and a poetic narrative. Their solutions turned a decorative pattern into a genuine cryptographic message, confirming that the artist intended a functional puzzle as part of the artwork.

The fourth segment, known as K4, consists of 97 characters that have resisted all attempts. Unlike the earlier sections, its solution seems tied to subtle clues in the surrounding environment, making the cipher as much a piece of the sculpture’s landscape as a code on metal.

**Kryptos** endures because it sits at the crossroads of art, intelligence and public participation. Its creator is known, the location is public, and three of the four parts have been solved, giving solvers a concrete framework while leaving a tantalizing gap. Each new attempt adds a layer to the sculpture’s story, turning the unsolved text into an integral part of the piece’s identity.

After more than three decades, the work remains a rare example of an artwork that lives as much in the minds of codebreakers as in its physical form, reminding us that mystery can be sculpted in copper and that the pursuit of a hidden message can become the work’s most enduring legacy.

[View original article](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/in-1990-jim-sanborn-installed-kryptos-with-4-encrypted-sections-at-cia-headquarters-36-years-later-its-final-section-remains-unsolved-despite-decades-of-codebreaking/articleshow/134389044.cms)

In 1990, Jim Sanborn installed Kryptos with 4 encrypted sections at CIA headquarters. 36 years later, its final section remains unsolved despite decades of codebreaking

Harvest: A Feast of Fall returned for its fifth year at the Ottawa Art Gallery, gathering Ottawa’s culinary community for an evening of fine food, local flavors and philanthropy.

The cocktail‑style fundraiser featured celebrated chefs, restaurants, local producers and artisanal beverage partners, who presented creative dishes inspired by the autumn harvest.

The primary goal was to raise funds and awareness for **Youturn Youth Support Services**, which provides individualized counseling, education, clinical treatment and practical assistance to vulnerable youth ages 12‑24 across Ottawa and Eastern Ontario.

By uniting chefs and diners around a shared cause, the event offered more than a memorable tasting experience; it helped equip young people with tools and confidence to overcome challenges such as poverty, mental health, violence and the justice system.

The success of the night underscores the power of community‑driven events to blend culture and charity, reinforcing the Ottawa Art Gallery’s role as a hub for both artistic and social engagement.

[View original article](https://ottawacitizen.com/sponsored/social-scene/social-scene-community-builders-harvest-a-feast-of-fall-3)

Harvest: A Feast of Fall

Belfast’s **Big Fish** sculpture, a 33‑foot ceramic ribbon perched on Donegall Quay, has become a beloved landmark since its installation, celebrated for its playful form and its role in the city’s post‑conflict cultural renaissance.

In a shocking episode over the weekend, a 44‑year‑old Englishman identified as **Peter Luke Smith** was caught on CCTV wielding a hatchet, hammer and sledgehammer, shattering tiles around the statue’s left eye. Police estimated the damage at more than £10,000, and the magistrates’ court has remanded him in custody pending further hearings.

The assault has reignited debate about the vulnerability of public art and the need for protective measures, while locals mourn the vandalism of a piece that has long symbolised Belfast’s hopeful transformation.

[View original article](https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/englishman-appears-court-after-attack-37685346)

Englishman appears in court after attack on iconic Belfast sculpture

**Big Fish**, the gleaming 10‑metre ceramic installation that crowns Belfast’s Donegall Quay, has become a beloved landmark since its debut. Its colourful scales and playful form invite tourists and locals alike to pause by the River Lagan and contemplate the city’s modern identity.

Over a weekend in early September, the sculpture suffered a shocking act of vandalism. A man armed with a hatchet, hammer and even a sledgehammer battered the ceramic tiles around the left eye, shattering the surface and leaving more than £10,000 in repair costs. Witnesses say the attacker wielded a long‑handled tool before being restrained by a passerby until police arrived.

The accused, 44‑year‑old Peter Luke Smith, was taken into custody and charged with criminal damage and possession of an item with intent to damage property. In Belfast Magistrates’ Court he admitted the offences but offered no motive, and a judge ordered his continued detention pending a later hearing, citing his extensive record and the risk of re‑offending.

The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the vulnerability of public art. While the **Big Fish** remains a symbol of Belfast’s cultural resurgence, the damage underscores the need for greater vigilance and community stewardship to protect such works from future assaults.

[View original article](https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2026/0921/1592373-man-accused-of-l10k-attack-on-belfasts-big-fish-statue/)

Man accused of £10k attack on Belfast's Big Fish statue

Springfield’s **Phelps Grove Park** is about to gain an unexpected landmark: a 13‑foot cherry tree that died in 2025 is being reshaped into a nature‑themed sculpture. Sculptor **Louis Medlock** began carving the trunk on Sept. 14, and the work is slated to be finished within a month, weather permitting.

Medlock’s path to wood carving is as unconventional as the piece itself. After training as a chef at the College of the Ozarks, he turned to ice sculpting, winning the 2024 Ice Alaska World Ice Art Championships Double Block Competition and creating installations on cruise ships across the globe. Now he brings that precision to the park’s wooden canvas.

The design will echo the surrounding landscape, featuring a red‑tailed hawk, owls, squirrels, a fox, and sunflowers drawn from the nearby flower garden. The wood will retain its natural hue, highlighted with staining and sealed with polyurethane to protect the details.

Community collaboration has been central to the project. Master gardener **Connie Ryan** and volunteers from the Phelps Grove Flower Garden helped identify local flora and fauna to include, while longtime park supporter **Fran Giglio** provides funding. The Springfield‑Greene County Park Board supplies scaffolding and logistical assistance.

For Medlock, the sculpture is a personal tribute to a place that has marked many chapters of his life. “Every road around **Phelps Grove** is a route from a former time in my life,” he says, grateful to create something his friends and family can experience in person rather than through photographs.

[View original article](https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/2026/09/21/dead-tree-phelps-grove-park-transformed-wildlife-sculpture/91814578007/)

Dead tree at Phelps Grove Park being transformed into sculpture

A towering hand sculpture, four to five metres high and about three metres wide, has become a focal point on the waterfront of **Long Beach Park** in **Songdo International City**. Installed as a photo‑spot for visitors, the work depicts a hand with the thumb, index and pinky extended, echoing a well‑known American Sign Language sign.

The artist modeled the piece on the ASL gesture that means **I love you**, casting it in glass fibre‑reinforced concrete at a cost of roughly 200 million won. The intention was to celebrate love and promote sign language awareness in a globally visited district.

However, some residents argue that from certain angles the hand resembles an offensive middle‑finger gesture or a symbol associated with a far‑right online community. Complaints grew quickly, prompting authorities to cover the sculpture with a tarp while they consider how to address the concerns.

Officials have said they will install an explanatory plaque to clarify the intended message, and the local deaf community has voiced support, noting that the work could raise disability awareness and foster cross‑cultural communication.

[View original article](https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2026/09/21/giant-hand-sculpture-in-incheon-south-korea-draws-complaints-for-looking-offensive)

Giant hand sculpture in Incheon, South Korea, draws complaints for looking ‘offensive’

Incheon’s Songdo International City recently installed a four‑metre‑tall concrete hand sculpture at Long Beach Park. Shaped like the American Sign Language “I love you” sign, the piece was meant to serve as a photo spot and a nod to inclusive communication.

The work, commissioned by the **Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority**, cost about 200 million won and combines glass fibre‑reinforced concrete. Its extended thumb, index and pinky fingers with the middle and ring fingers folded were intended to convey affection.

Soon after unveiling, some local residents argued that from certain angles the gesture resembles a middle‑finger insult or the hand sign associated with the far‑right online community Ilbe. The perceived similarity sparked online complaints and calls for its removal.

In response, officials covered the sculpture with a tarp and announced plans to add an explanatory plaque to clarify its purpose.

The **Yeonsu‑gu branch of the Incheon Association of the Deaf** highlighted the sculpture’s potential to raise awareness of sign language and disability inclusion, urging that education, not erasure, be the remedy.

The episode underscores how public art can become a flashpoint when visual symbols intersect with cultural sensitivities, prompting a dialogue about intent, interpretation, and community engagement.

[View original article](https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/giant-hand-sculpture-in-incheon-south-korea-draws-complaints-for-looking-offensive)

Incheon sculpture sparks controversy for "looking offensive"

An exclusive showcase by **Art Sanctuary** opened at the **Alliance Française** gallery on Lodhi Road, bringing together ten self‑taught neurodiverse artists from across India. Each creator presented three vibrant works, offering a bold, abstract language that departs from traditional depictions of nature and the human form.

Curator and art historian **Shuchi Mathur** highlighted the “genuine innocence” and fresh perspective of the pieces, while filmmaker **Yasmeen Kidwai** praised the exhibition’s inclusive spirit. Entrepreneur **Atul Khanna** echoed the sentiment, noting the striking impact of the paintings and the need for broader recognition.

The show’s colorful geometric compositions invite viewers to look beyond familiar visual cues and engage with a raw, expressive vision. By positioning neurodivergent creators in a prestigious venue, the exhibition challenges conventional art narratives and opens new pathways for these artists to reach wider audiences.

[View original article](https://www.livemint.com/entertainment/delhi-art-exhibition-highlights-10-neurodiverse-artists-at-alliance-francaise-gallery-11789958895663.html)

Delhi art exhibition highlights 10 neurodiverse artists at Alliance Francaise Gallery

The iconic steel sculpture **Big Fish**, perched on the River Lagan’s waterfront, became the focus of a police investigation after a night‑time attack left its left eye badly damaged. A 44‑year‑old man was arrested and charged with criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon, and he remains in custody pending a hearing at Belfast Magistrates’ Court.

The incident sparked a swift response from the PSNI, which appealed for witnesses and reminded the public that information can be shared anonymously via Crimestoppers. The damage, captured on social media, highlights the vulnerability of public art to vandalism, even in well‑patrolled urban spaces.

Authorities say the case will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service, underscoring the seriousness with which the city treats assaults on its cultural landmarks.

[View original article](https://metro.co.uk/2026/09/20/man-44-charged-smashing-belfasts-big-fish-sculpture-29638165/)

Man, 44, charged with smashing Belfast's Big Fish sculpture

The **Big Fish** sculpture, a gleaming stainless‑steel fish perched on the River Lagan’s quays, has become a beloved landmark in Belfast, celebrated for its playful form and its reflection of the city’s revitalisation.

In the early hours of a recent Sunday, police were called to report damage to the sculpture’s left eye. Officers found the vandalism significant, and a 44‑year‑old man was detained nearby, later charged with criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

The suspect is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates’ Court, while investigators continue to appeal for information. The incident has sparked concern among locals who view the fish as a symbol of civic pride, underscoring the vulnerability of public art to acts of vandalism.

[View original article](https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/crime/man-court-damage-big-fish-37682707)

Man to appear in court charged with causing damage to Big Fish sculpture

**Big Fish**, the 10‑metre ceramic salmon that sits on the banks of the River Lagan, has become a beloved landmark since artist **John Kindness** installed it in 1999. Covered in more than three hundred tiles that weave together newspaper clippings, images and text, the piece doubles as a time capsule filled with local poems and stories, linking Belfast’s past with its present.

In the early hours of a recent morning the sculpture was struck with a sledgehammer, leaving the left eye badly damaged. Police arrived at the scene, identified a 44‑year‑old man nearby and took him into custody on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon.

The vandalism has sparked a renewed call from councillors and residents for stronger safeguards. Officials stress that the work is not only a tourist draw but also a community memory bank, and they are now pushing for repairs and enhanced protection to preserve this iconic piece for future generations.

[View original article](https://www.irishpost.com/news/arrest-after-belfasts-big-fish-sculpture-is-damaged-313633)

Arrest after Belfast's Big Fish sculpture is damaged

The 2026 edition of **1000 Vases** unfolded from September 11‑13 at 8 rue Chapon, forming a vibrant centerpiece of Paris Design Week. Over 60 countries were represented, each offering a fresh take on the seemingly simple vase as a vehicle for experimental form and material.

Since its 2018 launch, the show has evolved into an international laboratory where ceramic, sculptural, geometric and organic approaches converge, turning a functional object into a platform for artistic dialogue.

This year **Marina Novitskaya** contributed **Evolution**, the exhibition’s first glass vase. In this piece the glass does more than hold shape—it becomes the subject, its transparency, light and fluid volume reshaping the traditional vase into a sculptural experience.

The inclusion of **Evolution** reinforces the core conversation of **1000 Vases**—the intersection of art and design, materiality and form—while highlighting the gallery’s focus on collectible object art that prioritises craftsmanship and visionary vision.

[View the original on ArtMap](https://www.artmap.gallery/name/art-factory/posts/marina-novitskaya-at-1000-vases-during-paris-design-week-2026)

Marina Novitskaya at 1000 Vases during Paris Design Week 2026

Walton Arts Center’s sixth annual **Our Art, Our Region, Our Time** exhibition opens with a free evening reception, showcasing more than 100 works by 86 artists from 22 Arkansas cities. The regional show, selected from 659 submissions, runs through Dec. 20 and invites visitors to explore a vibrant cross‑section of contemporary painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media.

The inaugural **Spector Craft Prize** spotlights Syracuse‑based ceramicist Sharif Bey, whose piece “Raptor Return” will join the permanent collection of **Crystal Bridges Museum**. Emerging craft artists Merryn Omotayo Alaka, Japheth Asiedu‑Kwarteng, Demetri Broxton, Vivian Chiu and Luke‑Thomas Tokimasa Henderson each receive $10,000 and mentorship opportunities, with a summit slated for Nov. 10‑12.

Music lovers can catch the Grammy‑winning **Akropolis Reed Quintet** in residence at the University of Central Arkansas, where they lead a student entrepreneurship workshop, a woodwind master class, and a free concert on Wednesday evening.

Dance enthusiasts are invited to audition for Western Arkansas Ballet’s 41st annual “The Nutcracker” and the spring production “Alice in Wonderland,” with slots open for all ages and experience levels.

Literary and educational events round out the weekend: **Derrick Barnes** receives the inaugural Say It Loud! Children’s Literary Award, the **Old State House Museum** hosts a home‑school resource fair, and the Clinton Foundation launches its Ideas Matter Scholarship Essay Contest for Arkansas high school seniors.

[View original article](https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2026/sep/19/entertainment-our-art-exhibit-opening-at-walton-arts-center/)

ENTERTAINMENT: ‘Our Art’ exhibit opening at Walton Arts Center

Missoula’s public art landscape is buzzing with the arrival of five striking new sculptures that have taken up residence in **Silver Park**.  The installation, part of the city’s ongoing commitment to bring art into everyday spaces, adds a fresh visual dialogue to the park’s familiar pathways.

The pieces, crafted from a mix of bronze, steel, and reclaimed wood, explore themes ranging from the region’s rugged natural beauty to contemporary reflections on community.  Local artists such as **Jenna Hart** and **Luis Ortega** contribute works that balance bold, abstract forms with more intimate, figurative moments, inviting visitors to pause and engage.

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, the sculptures are already becoming gathering points for families, joggers, and art lovers alike.  Their presence reinforces Silver Park’s role as a cultural hub, promising new programming and tours that will deepen public interaction with the works.  As Missoula continues to champion outdoor art, these five additions mark a vibrant step forward for the city’s creative spirit.

[View original article](https://missoulian.com/life-entertainment/local/article_76ff1ccb-f97d-4d20-b75f-5628597fb69e.html)

Sculpture Missoula bring five new pieces to Silver Park

The University of Nebraska‑Lincoln has unveiled a new bronze statue that marks a historic first: it is the campus’s inaugural sculpture dedicated to a woman. The figure captured in the work is Louise Pound, a pioneering scholar, athlete, and advocate whose contributions shaped the university’s cultural and intellectual life.

Pound’s legacy spans more than a century of breaking barriers—from her groundbreaking research in folklore and linguistics to her leadership on the women’s varsity basketball team. The sculptor chose to portray her in a poised, contemplative stance, echoing both her scholarly rigor and her spirited activism. The bronze’s patina reflects the enduring impact of her work, while the surrounding plaza invites students and visitors to engage with her story.

The dedication ceremony highlighted the broader push for gender equity in public art, noting that women remain under‑represented in campus monuments. By honoring Louise Pound, UNL not only celebrates a remarkable individual but also sets a precedent for future commemorations that reflect the diversity of the university community.

[View original article](https://journalstar.com/news/local/article_0243b137-802a-4f87-9f4b-0f2939723f3e.html)

Louise Pound becomes first bronze sculpture of woman at UNL

**Tom Holland** and **Zendaya** were spotted strolling through a Los Angeles **art gallery** just days after sharing the **Emmys** red carpet. Their relaxed outing contrasted with the formal ceremony, offering a glimpse into their off‑stage style.

**Zendaya** debuted a fresh pixie cut, pairing a fitted black one‑shoulder top with a loose navy poplin skirt and boots, accented by statement silver earrings and a designer handbag. **Tom Holland** traded his tuxedo for a green plaid button‑up, blue jeans and white sneakers, topped with a beige baseball cap bearing his non‑alcoholic beer brand.

The couple’s appearance underscores how contemporary celebrity culture can blend high‑profile events with everyday cultural pursuits, such as visiting galleries. Their presence also highlights the growing visibility of young actors shaping fashion trends beyond the screen.

[View original article](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/english/hollywood/news/tom-holland-and-zendaya-spotted-on-a-casual-art-gallery-date-in-los-angeles-after-walking-the-emmys-red-carpet-together-dune-3-star-shows-off-new-pixie-haircut/articleshow/134348106.cms)

Tom Holland and Zendaya spotted on a casual art gallery date in Los Angeles after walking the Emmys red carpet together, ‘Dune 3’ star shows off new pixie haircut

After four decades in storage, a monumental canvas by Ojibwe visionary **Norval Morrisseau** has been unrolled at **Thunder Bay Art Gallery**. The work, roughly 6.7 m by 3 m, is a rare example of his expansive Woodland Style, depicting a bustling gathering of people, animals and spiritual figures.

The painting, known as the **Morrisseau Masterwork**, arrived on loan from **EA Studios Calgary**. Conservators have mounted the rolled canvas on a specially designed stretcher with expandable joints, allowing the fragile surface to be displayed safely for the first time since 1986.

Curators see the piece as a bridge between Indigenous and non‑Indigenous audiences. Its vibrant narrative, rooted in stories passed down by Morrisseau’s own family, offers a visual celebration of community and the natural world, echoing the artist’s lifelong goal of cultural connection.

The exhibition runs through early January, inviting visitors to experience the scale and spirituality of a work that helped define contemporary Indigenous art in Canada. The gallery hopes the return of this epic canvas will spark renewed interest in Morrisseau’s early large‑format experiments.

[View original article](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/morrisseau-artwork-unveiling-thunder-bay-from-calgary-9.7349750)

Norval Morrisseau masterwork not seen for 40 years unveiled at Thunder Bay Art Gallery

A major retrospective dedicated to **Paul O'Grady** is set to debut at the **Williamson Art Gallery** in Birkenhead, opening on 11 December 2026 and running into late 2027. The project is commissioned by Switchflicker, Wirral Council and DuoVision, with O'Grady’s widower Andre Portasio serving as creative director and former agent Joan Marshrons as consultant.

The show brings together costumes, personal objects and archive material—many unseen before—alongside an oral history of LGBTQIA+ stories, a reading club celebrating his children’s books, and initiatives highlighting his lifelong animal‑welfare advocacy. A heritage trail weaves through Birkenhead Park, Oxton and the riverfront, extending the exhibition beyond the gallery walls.

Portasio stresses that admission is free, inviting fans from the local community and beyond to reconnect with O'Grady’s humor, warmth and the causes that mattered to him. Visitors can expect an intimate portrait of the broadcaster, performer and activist whose influence spanned television, literature and charity work.

[View original article](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/gallery/first-look-huge-paul-ogrady-34638392)

First look as huge Paul O'Grady exhibition with husband as creative director set for Birkenhead

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery transforms its iconic Gas Hall into an immersive **Neverland**, inviting families and culture lovers to wander a whimsical world from 23 October 2026 to 3 January 2027.

Visitors glide past twinkling fairy lights into rooms that evoke pirate ships, enchanted forests and London rooftops, meeting beloved figures such as **Peter Pan**, Wendy, Captain Hook, the crocodile and Tinker Bell. Each scene is crafted to spark imagination across generations.

The production is the result of a collaboration between **Culture Creative**, Birmingham Museums Trust and Sony Music/RG Live. It aims to generate essential income for the museum while offering a seasonal experience that respects the building’s heritage.

In keeping with J. M. Barrie’s historic generosity, £1 from every ticket is donated to the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, extending a legacy of support for children’s health.

Whether introducing a child to the magic of Peter Pan or revisiting a cherished story, the **Neverland** adventure promises a festive day out that balances nostalgia with fresh discovery.

[View original article](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/special-features/experience-magic-neverland-christmas-birmingham-34636506)

Experience the magic of Neverland this Christmas at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

**Mary Samual**'s debut show **Unbound** opens at the **Alliance Française de Trivandrum** in Thiruvananthapuram, presenting twenty‑five acrylic and watercolor paintings that blur the line between the ordinary and the enchanted. Inspired by the magical‑realist graphic novel **Chithrakathayil Avante Bhoothangal**, the works translate the book’s surreal episodes into vivid visual narratives.

The exhibition, curated by filmmaker K.P. Sreekrishnan, grew out of an unexpected commission from the novel’s creator **Jayakrishnan**. A single illustration for a pivotal scene sparked a series of paintings, eventually expanding far beyond the original plan for a book‑launch event.

Across the walls, recurring motifs of shadows, blooming flowers and restless waters create a dialogue between the living and the metaphysical. Passages from the Malayalam text, alongside their English translations, are interwoven with the canvases, inviting viewers to linger between word and image.

Though **Mary Samual** works as a language professional in the tech sector, her three‑year artistic apprenticeship during the pandemic culminates in a confident, independent interpretation of the novel’s non‑linear storytelling. The result is a contemplative space where the mortal and the magical coexist.

[View original article](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/at-mary-samuals-unbound-art-exhibition-in-thiruvananthapuram-alliance-francaise/article71479989.ece)

At Mary Samual’s Unbound art exhibition in Thiruvananthapuram, the mortal and the magical mingle

The annual SWELL sculpture festival turns the sands of **Currumbin** into a sprawling open‑air gallery, showcasing almost one hundred monumental works over ten free days. Now in its 24th year, the event draws locals and tourists alike to wander among towering installations that echo the rhythm of the ocean.

A standout is **Patricia Piccinini**’s bronze **Salute to the Sun**, a seamless chimera that shifts between deer, tree, fungus, human and motorcycle, inviting viewers to contemplate the boundaries of nature and technology. Equally arresting are the whimsical sea‑themed pieces—a gigantic “lifesaver‑saurus” poised as a guardian of the shore and a robot seemingly melting into the tide.

Beyond the visual spectacle, the festival creates a communal playground where art becomes part of everyday identity. By marrying bold imagination with the coastal landscape, SWELL reinforces Queensland’s reputation as a hub for large‑scale contemporary sculpture.

[View original article](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2026/sep/19/swell-sculpture-festival-currumbin-2026-in-pictures)

A sea of hands, a giant ‘lifesaver-saurus’ and a melting robot: Queensland’s SWELL sculpture festival 2026 - in pictures

**Johnny Depp** steps beyond the screen with his first sculpture, **The Bunnyman**, unveiled at this month’s **Contemporary Istanbul** fair. The two‑metre white bronze figure marks a bold new chapter in the actor‑artist’s visual practice, moving his recurring motif from canvas to public space.

The work depicts a half‑human, half‑rabbit guardian clutching a "sword of truth." Its genesis lies in a simple drawing by Depp’s son Jack, drawn at age five, which resonated with a childhood dream Depp has revisited throughout his career. The personal story gives the bronze a narrative weight that transcends its playful form.

Installed outdoors at **Tersane Istanbul**, a historic Ottoman shipyard on the Golden Horn, the sculpture was cast in Milan by Fonderia Artistica Battaglia and produced in partnership with Pantheon Art. Its presence at one of Turkey’s premier art events signals the fair’s growing international pull.

The debut arrives amid a surge of interest in Depp’s artwork: a 2022 print collection sold out in under 24 hours, and major shows of his paintings and drawings are currently touring Shanghai’s Modern Art Museum and Düsseldorf’s Schloss Benrath. **The Bunnyman** thus serves as both a personal milestone and a public statement of his evolving artistic identity.

For viewers, the bronze offers a tangible glimpse into a narrative that began as a child’s sketch and a recurring dream, now solidified in metal for a global audience.

[View original article](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/actor-johnny-depp-to-unveil-first-ever-sculpture-in-istanbul-the-bunnyman-has-an-interesting-story-dating-back-to-his-childhood/articleshow/134336706.cms)

Actor Johnny Depp to unveil first-ever sculpture in Istanbul. The Bunnyman has an interesting story dating back to his childhood

The fourth **Toronto Biennial** launches with an ambitious North‑American scope, turning the continent’s waterways into a living gallery. Curated by **Allison Glenn**, the show is titled *Things Fall Apart* and explores how climate change, food insecurity and the rupture of access to healthy sustenance intersect along the historic Great Loop.

Glenn’s program places gardens and farms at the heart of the exhibition. Artists are planting seeds, harvesting vegetables, and recording the seasons in locations as diverse as the Erie Canal in upstate New York, a community garden in Detroit, a market garden on Martinique, and a school‑run plot in St. Louis. Projects like the floating barge garden by **Mary Mattingly** and the seed‑notebook collaboration between **Jean‑Marc Bullet** and **Céline Semaan** turn agriculture into a participatory artwork that travels the 9,700‑kilometre water route.

Institutionally, the biennial has moved into the **Art Museum at the University of Toronto**, using its two galleries as the primary venues while still drawing on the **Art Gallery of Ontario**, the **Royal Ontario Museum** and **Mercer Union** for satellite programming. The lack of a permanent home is presented as a strength, allowing the event to adapt and to respond to the financial realities of a post‑pandemic art scene.

A third of the 34 participating artists are Canadian, and for the first time the roster includes prominent Indigenous voices such as **Kent Monkman**, **Bonnie Devine** and **Rebecca Belmore**. Their presence underscores the biennial’s original ambition to showcase Canadian talent on a global stage while inviting international dialogue.

Beyond the gardens, the exhibition features paintings by **Cameron Harvey** that reference fire‑resistant chaparral, linking the theme of ecological resilience to recent wildfires in California. Together, the works weave a narrative of shared waterways, cross‑border histories and the urgent need for collaborative solutions to climate disruption.

[View original article](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/art-and-architecture/article-toronto-biennial-of-art-launch-great-lakes/)

Toronto Biennial tackles watery themes around the Great Loop

A striking new sculpture has emerged from the landscape, blurring the line between art and nature. Set against a backdrop of untamed foliage and open sky, the piece invites viewers to contemplate the dialogue between human creativity and the organic world.

The work’s form, rendered in weathered metal and reclaimed timber, echoes the textures of its surroundings while asserting its own presence. Its placement is deliberate, allowing sunlight to carve shifting shadows across the surface, and rain to patina the metal, ensuring the piece evolves with the elements.

By situating art in an uncurated environment, the artist challenges traditional gallery conventions, encouraging passersby to encounter the piece serendipitously. The installation becomes a living component of the ecosystem, prompting reflection on how art can both respect and reshape the spaces it inhabits.

[View original article](https://missoulian.com/life-entertainment/local/article_1e498b4f-74e9-461c-9553-a44acaddca03.html)

Sculpture in the wild unveils new work

**Jenjum Gadi** - a member of the Galo tribe from Arunachal Pradesh - has turned Delhi’s Lodhi Road into a living archive of his childhood landscape. In his latest show at **Gallery Vayu-Design for Living**, the artist stages brass renditions of familiar vegetables, fruits and garden scenes, inviting viewers to wander through a cultivated memory of the Eastern Himalayas.

For two decades the creator worked in fashion, stitching runway pieces that now hang in closets. Dissatisfied with the ephemerality of fabric, he embraced metal, finding in brass a material that ages, patinas and records its surroundings much like the heirloom plates exchanged in his community.

The exhibition is populated by life-sized installations: a towering banana tree, a sprouting brinjal, bitter-gourd vines and the wild taktir fruit, each cast in glowing coppery tones. Signature pieces such as **Benju**, **Yirya/Yirnam**, and the wall-mounted **Ane** (Mother) arrange crops in Instagram-like grids or depict his mother at a loom, blending personal narrative with a visual language that recalls Rajasthan’s pichhwai scrolls.

Beyond nostalgia, Gadi voices alarm over deforestation and the concrete-clad transformation of his Tirbin village. He has founded the Northeast India Public Art Trust to channel the region’s artistic talent into wider exposure, hoping the brass that now adorns Delhi will one day echo back to the hills he calls home.

[View original article](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/artist-jenjum-gadi-bridges-galo-heritage-and-modern-art-in-his-new-show-in-delhi/article71467627.ece)

Artist Jenjum Gadi bridges Galo heritage and modern art in his new show in Delhi

A rare moment arrives as two previously unseen **Monet** canvases, **Iris** and **Weeping Willow**, are set to appear at **Sotheby's** Paris on 22 October. For a century the works have lingered behind the curtains of the Schlumberger family living room, never displayed publicly and untouched by varnish or restoration.

Curators highlight the extraordinary condition of the paintings: they remain on their original canvas, preserving the thick impasto that defines Monet’s late style. Preserving the material, they argue, is essential to truly experience the artist’s hand.

The auction coincides with the centenary of Monet’s death and two major retrospectives in the city, adding symbolic weight to the sale. With a combined estimate that could exceed 30 million euros, the offering is part of a larger 28‑work auction expected to raise more than 40 million euros, featuring other masterpieces by **Monet**, **Camille Claudel**, **Gustave Moreau** and a three‑panel composition by **Paul Cézanne**.

Collectors and institutions are watching closely, as the French state has a limited window to intervene on works designated national treasures. The appearance of these hidden gems promises to reshape the market and finally give the public its first glimpse of Monet’s late vision in full colour.

[View original article](https://www.euronews.com/culture/2026/09/18/iris-and-weeping-willow-unseen-monet-paintings-go-on-sale-in-paris)

"Iris" and "Weeping Willow": unseen Monet paintings go on sale in Paris

Sunderland Culture is hosting **Finding Colour**, a solo show by self‑taught painter **Karen Hughes** that turns personal mental‑health recovery into a visual dialogue. Over twenty mixed‑media pieces guide visitors from stark black‑and‑white beginnings toward bursts of colour, suggesting that hope can surface even in the darkest moments.

Hughes, 47, began the body of work while undergoing therapy after a series of intense life stresses – the loss of her sister, caring for a husband with long‑COVID, and supporting neurodiverse children. She describes the collection as 'a reflection of recovery, growth and the quiet strength it takes to begin again,' using each brushstroke to capture emotions that words could not.

The series is anchored by recurring motifs of butterflies, colour and movement. Butterflies symbolize transformation, vivid hues stand for hope, and the kinetic layering of paint conveys change. The visual narrative expands outward, inviting viewers to witness a gradual emergence of light from a muted palette.

Interaction is built into the show. A large black canvas invites visitors to add a word, colour splash or symbol that reflects their own response, and the resulting contribution will be taken home by Hughes as a reminder of shared experience. A social‑media competition also encourages attendees to selfie with their favourite piece, offering a chance to win an original artwork.

By opening this intimate conversation, Hughes hopes that even a single connection will spark another pocket of colour for anyone feeling isolated, reinforcing the idea that creative expression can be both personal therapy and communal support.

[View original article](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/north-east-artist-turns-mental-34518700)

North East artist turns mental-health recovery into a powerful art exhibition

**ArtSplash** started as a modest gallery exhibition in the heart of the city, bringing together emerging painters and sculptors in a single, intimate space. The organizers aimed to create a platform where local talent could be seen by a broader audience, and the first show quickly earned a reputation for its curated selections and welcoming atmosphere.

Over the next few years the event shed its walls, spilling onto nearby streets and inviting musicians, performance artists, and food vendors to join the celebration. What began as a weekend showcase transformed into a multi‑day **downtown festival**, complete with pop‑up galleries, live murals, and interactive workshops that draw thousands of visitors from across the region.

Today **ArtSplash** stands as a hallmark of the city’s cultural calendar, illustrating how a focused art show can evolve into a vibrant community gathering. Its continued growth hints at even larger collaborations, promising new artistic experiences while retaining the original spirit of accessibility and creative exchange.

[View original article](https://siouxcityjournal.com/news/article_a669ae4b-1879-43e4-9bac-831a8fe022db.html)

How ArtSplash evolved from an art show into a downtown fest

Bronze has returned to the University of Nebraska campus in the form of a life‑size sculpture that greets visitors to **Louise Pound** Hall. The figure stands on a bicycle, a tennis racket in hand and a stack of books strapped to the rear fender, a visual shorthand for the scholar’s academic rigor and her pioneering athletic spirit.

Born in Lincoln in 1872, **Louise Pound** broke every gender barrier of her era: she won city and state tennis titles, rode 100‑mile cycling routes, captained the first women’s basketball team and earned a doctorate from Heidelberg. Her legacy has long been celebrated in archives, but the new monument makes her story a daily presence on campus.

The project began when alumna **Deb White**, a former Husker cheerleader, discovered that the university’s historic residence hall bearing Pound’s name was slated for demolition. Determined to keep the pioneer visible, White partnered with retired veterinarian‑artist **Dave Biehl**, who sculpted the bronze after a rapid fundraising push with community volunteers. Their collaboration turned a moment of loss into a lasting tribute.

At the unveiling, Interim Chancellor Katherine Ankerson emphasized that the sculpture does more than honor an individual; it signals to every student that the campus values bold, boundary‑defying contributions. As the bronze catches the Nebraska sky, it invites new generations to pause, learn, and perhaps follow in Pound’s tireless pursuit of excellence.

[View original article](https://journalstar.com/news/community/article_aad57863-2384-5515-ba90-ca6b01598047.html)

New sculpture honors Louise Pound’s legacy at Nebraska

**Johnny Depp**'s first sculpture, **The Bunnyman**, will debut as a special project of the **Sigg Art Foundation** at this year’s **Contemporary Istanbul** fair. Set against the historic backdrop of **Tersane Istanbul**, the two‑metre white‑bronze work will stand outdoors from September 22‑27.

The piece portrays a half‑human, half‑rabbit guardian clutching a "sword of truth". Its genesis traces back to a simple sketch by Depp’s 24‑year‑old son, Jack, when he was about five, a drawing that sparked the actor’s own childhood dream.

Developed with **Pantheon Art** and cast at Milan’s **Fonderia Artistica Battaglia**, the sculpture arrives alongside Depp’s solo show **A Bunch Of Stuff** at the **Modern Art Museum Shanghai**, which showcases more than 200 paintings and objects.

**Pierre Sigg** notes that the fair’s ability to attract a figure of Depp’s stature signals Istanbul’s growing pull on the international art scene, describing the city as having "earned its place" among major venues.

Depp, who has been producing art for years—his 2022 painting collection sold out in under 24 hours—has long said he uses art to channel personal feelings and honor the people who matter most to him.

[View original article](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/johnny-depp-istanbul-jack-hollywood-press-association-b1297421.html)

Johnny Depp’s first sculpture to be unveiled at Istanbul art fair

On 17 September a sudden deluge dropped more than 45 mm of rain in an hour, turning Florence’s historic centre into a waterlogged tableau. The storm surged through the city’s famed museums, testing the resilience of centuries‑old walls and priceless canvases.

At the **Uffizi Gallery**, a leak appeared beneath the skylight of the room that houses seven 17th‑century masterpieces, including **Caravaggio**’s **Bacchus**. Water splashed the outer glass of the painting’s protective case, momentarily blurring the image, but conservators reported no damage and the gallery reopened the next day.

Further north, the Renaissance **Palazzo Pitti** saw its **Palatine Gallery** and **Gallery of Modern Art** floors inundated. Parts of the exhibition space were temporarily closed as staff began the painstaking task of draining and assessing the damage.

[View original article](https://www.euronews.com/culture/2026/09/17/cloudburst-in-florence-rain-pours-into-the-uffizi-and-historic-palazzo-pitti)

Cloudburst in Florence: rain pours into the Uffizi and historic Palazzo Pitti

The exhibition brings together a striking installation of 108 canvases that rise like pagodas, forming a shrine‑like presence. The work invites viewers to move through a rhythmic field of ochre, terracotta, deep green and earthy brown, turning repetition into a meditative practice rooted in Indian spiritual numerology.

Curated by **Ritu Chopra** and **Vikas Singh** for the group show **Up Next: A New Wave of Contemporary Art**, the program runs at the **Nehru Centre Art Gallery** in Worli from 22‑28 September. It gathers around 45‑50 pieces ranging from abstract paintings and ink works to mixed‑media impasto and large‑scale installations, reflecting a broad spectrum of contemporary Indian practice.

A contrasting monumental textile sculpture occupies the gallery, constructed from fibre, fabric and reclaimed textiles. Through sewing and knitting the piece becomes an architectural form that reshapes circulation and raises questions of labour, gender, sustainability and collective memory.

Artists hail from cities across India—Gurugram, Guwahati, Aurangabad, Baroda, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Pune—as well as from Norway, Russia and the United States. Their diverse origins underscore a shift away from a metro‑centric narrative, highlighting a decentralized, experimental scene that embraces slow, handmade techniques alongside bold, globally resonant abstraction.

[View original article](https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/from-108-canvases-to-monumental-textiles-exhibition-showcases-new-dimensions-of-indian-contemporary-art)

From 108 Canvases To Monumental Textiles: Exhibition Showcases New Dimensions Of Indian Contemporary Art

**Moon Bird Distilling** has turned the long‑neglected **The McClellan Place** in Carlisle into a buzzing hub where craft spirits, brick‑oven pizza and the arts converge. After more than a decade of hands‑on restoration, the former condemned structure now houses a micro‑distillery, a pizzeria, a live‑music courtyard and a modest gallery, all under one roof.

The bar serves small‑batch whiskeys, gins, vodkas and seasonal brandies, alongside inventive cocktails, while the adjoining pizza oven delivers crisp, wood‑flamed slices. Patrons can wander the open‑air courtyard for performances or linger among rotating works by local artists, making the space as much a cultural venue as a drinking spot.

Backed in part by a **Cumberland Area Economic Development Association** Tourism Product Development Grant, a custom mural now brightens the exterior, signaling the project’s commitment to the region’s creative economy. Open Monday‑Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., the distillery invites both locals and visitors to taste history in a glass and hear it echo through live music.

[View original article](https://www.pennlive.com/food/2026/09/distillery-opens-in-cumberland-county-following-12-year-restoration.html)

Distillery opens in Cumberland County following 12-year restoration

The Akron Art Museum is set to reopen its 1899 former post office, now the **John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Building**, after a $12.5 million overhaul that adds over 2,000 sq ft of gallery space and a dedicated classroom.

The renovation respects the building’s historic character while introducing contemporary amenities—video and digital art labs, expanded visitor services, a family care room, and the J.M. Smucker Co. Idea Machine, an interactive studio for makers of all ages.

The reopening will showcase three new shows: **Idea Machine** by CHIAOZZA, an ever‑changing participatory installation; **The Surrealist Impulse**, a survey of Dada, Surrealism and Art Brut featuring Dalí, Miró, Magritte and others; and **Shana Moulton: Meta/Physical Therapy**, an immersive video work exploring wellness and consumer culture.

The museum frames the project as a community investment, funded by the Knight Foundation, state capital, and local donors, and will host a week‑long celebration with free events, garden displays, and special previews for members.

[View original article](https://www.akron.com/articles/akron-art-museums-historic-1899-building-reopens-sept-23-following-12-5-million-renovation/)

Akron Art Museum’s historic 1899 building reopens Sept. 23 following $12.5 million renovation

During a solemn General Audience, Pope Leo XIV was presented with the **Sphere of Humanity**, a striking green Murano glass sculpture. The gift, offered by the nonprofit Saint Peter for Humanity, was meant to embody the pope’s recent call to protect human dignity in an age dominated by artificial intelligence.

The sphere follows an original design by Italian architect Gae Aulenti and incorporates four handwritten excerpts from the pope’s encyclical **Magnifica Humanitas**. The text, etched into the glass, reflects on vulnerability, solidarity and the moral challenges posed by AI, turning a fragile object into a tangible manifesto.

Saint Peter for Humanity plans to convene some 70 Nobel laureates, artists, technologists and thinkers in New York City to draft the **Codex Humanitatis**. The draft will address the future of work, accountability, information integrity and the protection of children, aiming to translate the moral framework of the encyclical into concrete principles.

The presentation underscores how contemporary art can serve as a bridge between theology and technology. By embedding sacred scripture in a modern glass form, the **Sphere of Humanity** invites viewers to contemplate what must remain unmistakably human as machines grow ever more powerful.

[View original article](https://www.foxnews.com/us/pope-leo-xiv-receives-symbolic-sphere-charity-push-ai-protect-human-dignity)

The Essential Art Brief.

Two arrested at protest at Carney’s Investment Summit dinner

Lacey Township Arts Group Offers Tiny Art Gallery To Community

Satish Gujral Foundation roped in to preserve artist’s 60