Friday, 17 April 2026
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has unveiled its new $720-million David Geffen Galleries, designed by architect Peter Zumthor, after more than 20 years of planning and construction. The building features a serpentine concrete structure with floor-to-ceiling windows, marking a departure from traditional museum designs. The galleries will be open to members from April 19 to May 3, before welcoming the general public.
The emergence of the Decentralized AI (DeAI) market is reshaping the global artificial intelligence landscape, as a coalition of Indian and Southeast Asian tech conglomerates launched the "Non-Aligned Compute Protocol" in January 2026, aggregating over one million independent GPUs to enable local developers to create large language models without reliance on Western cloud infrastructure. This shift follows a series of geopolitical events and export controls that have prompted a move away from centralized AI systems, leading to the development of a token-incentivized AI marketplace that allows for the monetization of idle computing power across a distributed network.
LACMA has unveiled a new curatorial strategy in the David Geffen Galleries, led by chief executive Michael Govan, which emphasizes themes of oceans and seas to foster connections across diverse artworks. This approach encourages curators to break down traditional departmental boundaries, allowing for a more fluid arrangement of the museum's collection, including notable pieces such as Todd Gray's 27-foot-long sculpture, "Octavia’s Gaze," which interrogates Western art narratives. The galleries aim to highlight the historical significance of water as a medium for the circulation of objects and ideas.
A lost portrait of Abraham Lincoln, once displayed in Teddy Roosevelt's office, has resurfaced from the collection of the descendants of Westchester antique dealers Ann and Jack Rouchaud. The portrait, painted by Ernest Wells, will be showcased at the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota, when it opens on July 4, 2026.
Art Basel has announced the 33 medalists for the second edition of its awards, recognizing a diverse group of artists, curators, collectors, and institutions ahead of the June ceremony in Basel. The cohort includes emerging artists such as Farah Al Qasimi and Tiffany Sia, established figures like María Magdalena Campos-Pons and Arthur Jafa, and icon artists including Barbara Kruger and Jenny Holzer. Additionally, the awards honor institutions like the Savvy Contemporary art centre and notable patrons such as Pamela J. Joyner.
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