Every Thursday afternoon, Art Movements brings you a concise summary of the latest essential updates, appointments, accolades, and other significant events in the vibrant art scene. Remember the 2016 Jean-Antoine Watteau exhibition at the Frick Collection? If that captivated you, here’s great news: Aaron Wile, who curated that show during his fellowship at the Frick from 2014 to 2016, has been named the John Updike Curator. He begins this role on April 6, succeeding Aimee Ng, who advanced to chief curator last fall. Wile leaves his post as associate curator of French Paintings at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
The 61st Venice Biennale, curated by the late Koyo Kuoh, will open on May 9, unveiling its comprehensive list of participating artists. Highlights include Kenyan artist Wangechi Mutu, American filmmaker Cauleen Smith, and Colombian-British artist Carolina Caycedo, among others. Meanwhile, in Paris, leadership changes continue as Christophe Leribault assumes the role of president and director at the Louvre Museum, departing from Château de Versailles. This follows a series of controversies at the Louvre, including a major heist and a ticket-fraud scandal.
Elsewhere in Paris, Annick Lemoine is set to become president of Musée d’Orsay, previously led by Leribault. Additionally, Rachida Dati, France’s former culture minister, is shifting gears to run for mayor of Paris. In the US, Indigo Arts Alliance revealed its 2026 Mentorship Artists in Residency pairings, fostering collaborations between local and international artists. Highlights include Maya Tihtiyas Attean paired with Cinthya Briones and Funlola Coker with Adebunmi Gbadebo.
In other developments, Corinna Durland has been named senior director of Kurimanzutto gallery’s New York space. The Seydou Keïta Estate is now represented by Danziger Gallery in the US in collaboration with Nathalie Obadia Gallery in Europe. Katayama Mari has won the first Mori Art Award Grand Prize, and Demond Melancon joins the roster of Mariane Ibrahim gallery. Joshua O’Driscoll has been appointed curator and head of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts at the Morgan Library & Museum.
Finally, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos will serve as honorary chairs for the Met Gala on May 4. Their contribution as lead sponsors supports both the gala and its accompanying exhibition, Costume Art, which explores the interplay between clothing and the human form. The theme for this year’s gala is “Fashion Is Art,” aiming to link the two forms in a novel way.
