The Art World This Week, 10 October 2025
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Bangkok and Diriyah Biennales announce artists and themes, London’s National Gallery to auction off benches ahead of renovations, Moroccan modernist Mohamed Hamidi dies, and more. Here’s Ocula’s briefing on the art world news you might have missed.
Biennials and Institutions
Bangkok Art Biennale Reveals 2026 Programme
The Thai capital’s Biennale has announced the theme and curators for its fifth edition. Angels and Mara will explore tensions between good and evil and right and wrong, with participating artists including Mandy El-Sayegh, Htein Lin, Mel Chin, and Sonia Hamza. The Biennale will take place across Bangkok’s museums and contemporary art spaces, as well as at cultural landmarks and historic temples, from next October.
National Gallery in Washington, D.C., Shutters during Shutdown
D.C.’s National Gallery of Art has closed under the ongoing U.S. government shutdown. The Smithsonian Institution, which also operates under the federal government, has said it will use prior-year funds to remain open until 11 October.
Zimbabwe and Brazil Announce 2026 Venice Biennale Artists
Artists Felix Shumba, Eva Raath, Gideon Gomo, Franklyn Dzingai, and Pardon Mapondera will represent Zimbabwe at the 61st International Art Exhibition. Under the theme of Second Nature | Manyonga, the national pavilion will focus on the importance of identity, memory, and self-representation.
Meanwhile, the Fundação Bienal de São Paulo announced on Thursday that Adriana Varejão and Rosana Paulino have been selected to represent Brazil in Venice. Curated by Diane Lima, the pavilion will explore the theme comigo ninguém pode, which loosely translates to ‘nobody can handle me’, or ‘nobody can beat me’.
London’s National Gallery to Auction Benches Ahead of Renovations
Museum furnishings enthusiasts will have the chance to acquire the National Gallery’s hallmark red leather benches next Tuesday at Bellmans Auctioneers in Sussex, with bids starting at 800 GBP. The benches, which have been flagged as a fire safety and pest risk, will be replaced with oak seating. The change precedes the gallery’s forthcoming major revamp, which will include a new wing along with the expansion of the collection’s scope into the 20th century.
Diriyah Biennale Unveils Theme and Artists for 2026
The third edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale will open on 30 January with a procession from Riyadh to JAX, Diriyah’s arts and culture district, organised by Saudi artist Mohammed Alhamdan (known as 7amdan). The Biennale’s title, In Interludes and Transitions, refers to nomadic life and migration across the Arabian Peninsula. Over 70 artists will participate, including Pio Abad, Rand Abdul Jabbar, Afra Al Dhaheri, Petrit Halilaj, Hussein Nassereddine, Thảo Nguyên Phan, and Gala Porras-Kim.
Galleries
Jack Shainman Gallery Sued by Artist Odili Donald Odita
Philadelphia-based painter Odili Donald Odita is suing his former gallery for 500,000 USD in damages. Odita claims that Jack Shainman Gallery, which is based in New York, failed to pay him a stipend in accordance with prior agreements and refused to return unsold artwork. Odita is currently represented by David Kordansky Gallery and Stevenson.
Almine Rech Closes London Gallery, for Now
French gallery Almine Rech has closed its outpost in Mayfair, London. According to Companies House, the U.K.’s official business register, Almine Rech had resolved that ‘the company be wound up voluntarily’ at a company meeting in August, with a voluntary liquidator appointed shortly thereafter. A gallery spokesperson has since confirmed to Ocula that ‘the closure of the previous space is a change of address, as the lease agreement was no longer suitable to our needs’.
Pace to Shut Hong Kong Gallery Later This Month
The American mega-gallery has confirmed that it will not be renewing the lease on its outpost at H Queen’s tower in Hong Kong. Pace does, however, plan to maintain a Hong Kong office. Pace Hong Kong’s final exhibition, a solo show of Alejandro Piñeiro Bello, ends on 18 October.
Anna Schwartz Gallery Announces Rebrand
Anna Schwartz Gallery, which has operated in Melbourne since 1986, will close in December. Anna Schwartz Projects, a project and events-based operation, will reopen in its place.
Gallery Representations
Jutta Koether Joins Galerie Chantal Crousel
The Parisian gallery has announced the representation of German artist Jutta Koether, who won the Helen Frankenthaler Award for Painting in 2025. The artist’s first solo exhibition with the gallery will open next October.
Obituaries
Moroccan Modernist Mohamed Hamidi Dies at Age 84
The Barjeel Art Foundation announced on Monday the death of the influential Moroccan painter Mohamed Hamidi. Born in Casablanca in 1941, and known for his vibrant geometric paintings, Hamidi became a leading figure in the city’s avantgarde scene. —[O]
Editors Note: This article was updated on 10 October 2025 to accurately reflect the location of Bellmans Auctioneers.
Main image: Mandy El-Sayegh, Interiors (2023). Courtesy of the artist and Thaddaeus Ropac. Photo: Eva Herzog.
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