New Art Shows Open Nationwide

The Benton Museum's "The Meditative Object" spans centuries of art, from a Buddhist figure created between 100 and 399 CE to modern abstract pieces. The exhibition aims to explore how both religious and secular art can foster contemplative states, featuring items like Japanese mandalas and 19th-century Qur'anic calligraphy. To enhance the experience, select artworks are accompanied by audio guides from a mindfulness teacher, a public policy student, and an anthropology professor. John Sparagana’s first survey exhibition, "Interference Patterns," showcases nearly 100 of his intricate, handmade collages. His process involves meticulously slicing and remixing source material from magazines, comic books, and news images to create "vibrating" visual fields that challenge viewers' perspectives. This technique is a response to the flood of images in a post-9/11 world, aiming to dislodge them from their original ideological contexts. Manuel Lopez's monumental mural at the Benton is the inaugural installation for the "Art Hall Projects" series, which will highlight a new LA-based artist annually. Born in Boyle Heights, Lopez's work is deeply influenced by his East Los Angeles upbringing, with his drawings and paintings carefully examining his immediate surroundings. His detailed cityscapes have been described as akin to "daily diary entries." In Hamtramck, "Clay Currents" at Hatch Art Gallery is curated by Michael Takahata and explores the interplay of form, light, and energy. The exhibition features a dynamic combination of ceramic sculptures and neon art, showcasing the work of artists such as Sarah Blood, Jennifer Ling Datchuk, and Nicholas Tilma. The "New Highland Graduates 2026" exhibition at the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery provides a platform for 10 promising artists from the Highlands and Islands, and Moray. This showcase, which includes recent graduates Caitlin Allison, Codie Anne, and Mark Faulkner, is part of a broader commitment to support and provide professional exposure for the region's emerging creative talent. In Forres, the Logie Steading Art Gallery maintains a rolling program of exhibitions that consistently introduce new and emerging artists from across Scotland. The gallery features a diverse range of affordable contemporary art, from paintings and sculptures to pottery and textiles, with pop-up exhibitions in The Square Room specifically dedicated to showcasing new work on a monthly basis. A new exhibition at the Henry Moore Institute, "Phantasmagoria: Folkloric Sculpture for the Digital Age," explores the intersection of folklore and digital technology. Running from May 15 to August 31, 2026, the show features sculpture, moving images, and video games to examine how ancient storytelling is being reshaped by AI, social media, and 3D printing.