Every Thursday afternoon, Art Movements provides a concise update on critical developments, appointments, awards, and other noteworthy events in the dynamic art scene.
Anicka Yi, the artist originally from South Korea and now based in New York, is broadening her gallery associations. Besides her unconventional art materials like scents and bacteria, Yi is now associated with Pace, in collaboration with Gladstone Gallery, 47 Canal, and Esther Schipper.
In a significant appointment, Diya Vij, who previously worked with Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s transition team and served as VP of curatorial and arts programs at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn, has been named New York City’s new culture commissioner.
There are closures affecting art education as well. The School of Visual Arts in New York will discontinue its curatorial practice MA program in May 2027 due to financial constraints, following the layoff of 30 faculty members. Similarly, DePaul Art Museum in Chicago has announced plans to close its campus art museum by June 30, facing opposition from faculty and staff.
At Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, Brady Lum, the chief operating officer, resigned after a $600,000 budget discrepancy. Lum, who joined the museum in 2019, was put on administrative leave in December, though the timeline of his connection to the financial irregularities remains unclear.
In personnel changes, Austen Barron Bailly was promoted at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, while Charles Chemin, Nicholas R. Bell, and Kreshaun McKinney took on new leadership roles at various institutions. Catherine Pégard steps in as France’s Culture Minister, replacing Rachida Dati. Additionally, Dariusz Stola returns as director of Poland’s POLIN Museum. Emmi Whitehorse and Swivel Gallery also announced new collaborations and mergers.
Awards were presented to Hank Willis Thomas as the first recipient of the Liu Shiming Legacy Award, and to Han Ishu and yang02 for the Tokyo Contemporary Art Award. The 2026 Grants to Artist from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts were awarded to several visual artists including Teresa Baker, Nanette Carter, and others.
In a twist of fate, the Centre Pompidou’s proposed Jersey City location will transform into affordable housing. Initially announced in 2021, the project was discontinued when funding was retracted in 2024. The space, once intended for the museum, will now serve the community as housing and potentially other public facilities.
