If art fair season brings up mixed feelings, know that you’re not alone. In the latest Art Problems, Paddy Johnson tackles a question many artists struggle with during the busy spring and fall: Do I really need to go to the art fairs?
Also today, we interview Diné shepherd and artist Nikyle Begay, whose life mission is to revitalize historically undervalued weaving patterns and advocate for ancestral Navajo Charro flocks. More below, including the artists and art workers in this year’s Guggenheim Fellowship cohort, the upcoming closure of CUNY’s beloved Social Practice art program, and overdue credit for Flemish Baroque painter Michaelina Wautier.
Finally, I hope you’ll join us today from 3–4pm EDT for a conversation between Senior Editor Valentina Di Liscia and MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Tonika Lewis Johnson, whose art engages entire communities to challenge racial segregation. Become a Hyperallergic Member to tune into the event!
—Lakshmi Rivera Amin, associate editor
Art Problems: Do I Need to Go to Art Fairs?
Are the fairs worth the back pain and steep ticket prices? Paddy Johnson has the answer.
Vilcek Foundation to Award $200,000 in Grants to Nonprofits Uplifting Immigrant Contributions
The foundation invites grant applications from mission-aligned nonprofit organizations in the arts and sciences by April 30, 2026.
News
- Social Practice City University of New York (SPCUNY), a five-year-old project that provides fellowships and support to social justice-minded artists across the public university system, will shutter next February.
- Kenneth Tam, Alina Tenser, Sheida Soleimani, Leeza Meksin, and American Artist are among the 223 individuals receiving the annual 2026 Guggenheim Fellowship.
- Mexican artist Elina Chauvet says her “Red Shoes” installation was staged in Bucharest without her knowledge or name.
A Closer Look
Nikyle Begay Resurrects Century-Old Diné Weavings
Artist and shepherd Begay’s creative process reinvigorates Native practices previously pushed to the margins. | Moonoka Begay, Zach Feuer
40 Years Later, Houston’s FotoFest Keeps Its Edge
The photography festival’s anniversary retrospective embodies the spirit of freedom and internationalism present since its founding. | Julia Curl
Paul Klee: Other Possible Worlds
The first US museum exhibition to focus on the artist’s late work, produced in response to the fascism of the 1930s. On view at the Jewish Museum through July 26, 2026.
From Our Critics
Michaelina Wautier Finally Known by Her Name
Despite apparent success and recognition during her lifetime, the artist seemingly flew undetected — or, more accurately, misattributed — beneath our noses for centuries. | Olivia McEwan
Tonika Lewis Johnson: Segregation and How to Disrupt It
Join us on April 15 for a conversation with social justice artist and recent MacArthur “Genius Grant” winner Tonika Lewis Johnson and Hyperallergic Senior Editor Valentina Di Liscia.
Member Comment
Sandy Sanders on Hakim Bishara’s “Ai Weiwei and the Art of Keeping Your Mouth Shut”:
From the Archive
The Criminally Overlooked Talent of Baroque Painter Michaelina Wautier
Michaelina Wautier’s artistic talent was on par with that of her famous male contemporaries, like Rubens and Van Dyck. | Olivia McEwan
