Islamic Futurism Here and Now
The future of Islamic art, boycott calls at the Venice Biennale, a guide to New York's spring art fairs, and a different kind of Frida Kahlo exhibition.
Just because a handful of cruel goons control world politics and wreak havoc upon entire populations and their civilizations doesn't mean we should lose hope. If you read our stories today, you'll get a healthy reminder that culture is on a path forward, after all. In a nutshell, read about the artists heralding Islamic futurism, NYU contract professors' fight for better working conditions, another right-wing campaign against a Palestinian artist in Germany, a definitive guide to New York's spring art fairs, and a new, different kind of Frida Kahlo exhibition. One thing's for sure: It's not boring out there.
—Hakim Bishara, editor-in-chief
Artists Set Islamic Futurism Into Motion
Islamic visual traditions have long made space for realities beyond direct perception, and these artists work in calligraphy, installation, and speculative image-making to carry them forward. | Sadaf Padder
Meet the First Cohort of Haystack’s Artist Grant Initiative
Eight artists pushing boundaries in design and materials find support through mentorship and an unrestricted grant award.
News
Nearly 200 artists, curators, and staff participating in the 61st Venice Biennale are calling on the event organizers to exclude Israel from this year’s program in a new open letter.
Fair Season
Your Go-To Guide to NYC’s Spring Art Fairs
From art-market darlings at Frieze to a show billed “The Art Fair Mamdani Would Love,” there’s something for everyone this season. | Isa Farfan and Rhea Nayyar
May You Live in Interesting Times — The IFPDA Print Fair Asks, Do Bad Times Really Inspire Great Art?
This year’s edition brings together over 80 exhibitors presenting works from Francisco Goya to Kara Walker. April 9–12 at Park Avenue Armory.
From Our Critics
The Canonization of Frida Kahlo
An exhibition blasts apart any crystallized conception of the artist until no easily digestible singular figure emerges. | Liz Kim
Opinion
When a Palestinian Artist Asserts Her Own Humanity
Basma al-Sharif’s screening at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf was met with threats and a smear campaign, proving the point of her films on separation and displacement. | Adam Broomberg and Michele Faguet
I’m an NYU Contract Professor. This Is Why We Plan to Strike.
For years, NYU’s administrators have casualized the school’s teaching force, many of them artists, by creating a second tier of full-time contract faculty. | David Markus
The Vilcek Foundation – 2026 Open Call for Grants
US-based nonprofits that celebrate immigrants in the arts, sciences, education, or through the provision of social services are invited to apply for grants of $5,000 to $20,000.
Deadline: April 30, 2026 | vilcek.org/grants
See more in this month’s list of opportunities for artists, writers, and art workers!
From the Archive
The Friendship That Transformed Frida Kahlo
The cover of a new book draws you in for Kahlo, but you will stay for Mary Reynolds, the innovative bookbinder and partner of Marcel Duchamp. | Nageen Shaikh
