Something tells me that Frida Kahlo herself would strongly disapprove of the Museum of Modern Art’s latest ad campaign — er, show. Néstor David Pastor López critiques the “clumsy interpolation” of an exhibition, which draws on an opera about her relationship with Diego Rivera.
In this edition, we also remember the luminous and gestural work of Pat Steir, who passed away at age 87 this week. Artist Claudia Hart also shares a touching remembrance of the late Asher Remy-Toledo, a champion of media art who supported her and many others in the New York City art scene.
More news and reviews below, including the New School’s plans to lay off 15% of its workforce, Senior Editor Valentina Di Liscia’s latest edition of Art Movements, and John Yau on two shows that remind us that “the miraculous can still happen if we retain a sense of wonderment and humor.”
—Lakshmi Rivera Amin, associate editor
New School Faculty React to Plans to Lay Off 15% of Workforce
“There’s an air of anxiety,” Carrie Hawks, an assistant professor of illustration, told Hyperallergic of the newly announced cuts. | Cecily Parks
At auction on April 2, Swann’s spring offering of African American Art includes a selection of iconic modern, post-war, and contemporary artists, from Charles White, Elizabeth Catlett, and Richard Mayhew to a special selection of 26 artworks from the estate of J. Eugene Grigsby Jr.
From Our Critics
Frida-Mania Hits MoMA
A collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera’s costume designer, this exhibition is an irresistible marketing opportunity at best. | Néstor David Pastor López
Beacons in a Grim World
In concurrent exhibitions by Kevin McNamee-Tweed and Tajh Rust, we find two artists who keep looking and discovering, despite dark circumstances. | John Yau
In Memoriam
Pat Steir, Painter of Cascading Infinities, Dies at 87
Through works like her celebrated “Waterfalls” series, she leaves a legacy of artistic surrender and reverence for the gesture. | Greta Rainbow
Remembering Asher Remy-Toledo, Media Art Luminary
The Colombian-born cultural producer, who died in February at age 62, cultivated community and experimentation for New York City artists, including me. | Claudia Hart
NYU Steinhardt Presents 2026 MFA Thesis Exhibitions
Part I: April 1–18, Part II: May 6–23. On view at 80WSE Gallery in New York’s Greenwich Village.
Community
Art Movements: A Canceled Biennale Show Finds a New Home
Gabrielle Goliath’s performance series, axed by South Africa for its Venice pavilion, will shine on, pro-wrestling meets contemporary art, a new hire for New York’s forthcoming Hip Hop Museum, and more art world news.
Required Reading
What art conservators and novelists have in common, Toni Morrison and canonization, celebrating Eid in Gaza, the Lindy West drama, “girl games,” and more from around the internet.
From the Archive
Pat Steir Accepts Time’s Passage With Grace
Steir’s work of the ’90s was the result of physically demanding processes. What happens when you cannot do what you once did? | John Yau
