María Magdalena Campos-Pons remembers her mother, Estervina Pons-Leon, as “determined, beautiful, with a radical sense of justice.” Her portrait “Replenishing” (2001) depicts the pair dressed in the hues of the Yoruba water goddesses Oshun and Yemayá, connected by a string of beads to visualize the moment they reunited in Cuba after many years. Campos-Pons is among the artists who shared their reflections on the maternal figures in their lives, below.

Also in time for Mother’s Day, Associate Editor Lisa Zhang talks to Paul Chan about his and his mom’s unconventional crocheting hobby. It’s equal parts heartwarming and eccentric — not unlike many mother-child relationships.

There’s much more to explore this week, from Editor-in-Chief Hrag Vartanian’s podcast interview with NYC graffiti icon Lee Quiñones to updates on the student protest movement for Palestine, reports from this week's New York art fairs, and critic AX Mina on the Venice Biennale. Thank you for reading, and have a gentle weekend.

— Valentina Di Liscia, News Editor

A Tribute to Art and Motherhood

Artists and art workers reflect on the maternal figures in their lives, on being mothers, and on the many layers of a universally beloved and misunderstood figure.

THIS WEEK'S NEWS

• Workers at Maryland’s Glenstone Museum, founded by billionaires Mitchell and Emily Rales, have moved to unionize saying they want fair wages and an improved work environment.

• A previously misattributed Caravaggio painting was slated to hit the auction block for a measly €1,500 before experts stepped in to halt the sale.

• Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is considering turning their all-women show into a bathroom — or a bible study — to exclude male visitors.

• Activists took over the Whitney Museum in a surprise action, drawing attention to its funders’ ties to the Israeli military.

• Hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters marched across Manhattan’s Upper East Side during the annual Met Gala fundraiser.

• UCLA faculty protested outside the Hammer Museum Gala, calling for amnesty for students and colleagues arrested during the police siege of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment.

• CCS Bard in New York’s Hudson Valley has announced plans for a new Keith Haring Wing, a major library expansion project made possible by a $3 million gift from the late artist’s foundation.

LATEST REVIEWS

In Venice, Art Bears Witness to Chaos

What role can art play in helping us understand a time of great chaos and what role can national pavilions play in a time when nation states are ever present? | AX Mina

The Anti-Spectacle of the Black Avante Garde

Aliyyah Abdur-Rahman’s Millennial Style considers the political utility of Black abstraction and related forms to refute false narratives of progress. | Alexandra M. Thomas

Half a Century of American Culture Through the Lens of One Photographer

James Hamilton’s career conveniently mirrors the changing fortunes of journalism as an industry. | Dan Schindel

Something for Every Palate at The European Fine Art Fair

The fair may be geared toward the collector rather than the casual fairgoer, but its wild mix of genres makes it unique. | Allice Procter

When Will the Independent Art Fair Grow Up?

At Tribeca’s trendy Spring Studios, I found an art fair in denial. | Hakim Bishara

FEATURES

Paul Chan and His Mom Crochet Criminals Together

The pair work in tandem across coasts to craft hilarious yet moving portraits of criminals including Sam Bankman-Fried, Elizabeth Holmes, and Anna Delvey. | Lisa Yin Zhang

Tracing the 500-Year History of the English Dictionary

An exhibition at the Grolier Club in New York shows that lexicographers are just like us: petty, creative, and political. | Daniel Larkin

Why Did Art History Marginalize Janet Sobel?

A new show at the Menil Collection in Houston raises important questions about the ways that we remember and historicize artists. | Lauren Moya Ford

Jean Shin Gifts At-Risk Birds a Safe Perch

At Appleton Farms, a new installation provides endangered bobolinks a secure place to nest, affirming a sense of human agency in the face of ecological loss. | Louis Bury

Why Did Art History Marginalize Janet Sobel?

A new show at the Menil Collection in Houston raises important questions about the ways that we remember and historicize artists. | Lauren Moya Ford

PODCAST

How Lee Quiñones Took His Graffiti From the Subway to the Museum

A pioneer of the 1970s New York City graffiti movement, the artist reflects on five decades of experimentation with spray cans and paint brushes.

OPINION

Celebrating Seder at Columbia’s Gaza Solidarity Encampment

The student protest was a most fitting setting for a peaceful, focused, and deeply moving Passover seder. | Alisa Solomon

The Palestine Congress That Never Was

Inside Berlin’s censorship of a Palestine solidarity conference that police shut down as soon as it began. | Ridikkuluz

MORE FROM HYPERALLERGIC

The Most Dystopian Memes of the 2024 Met Gala

Online, parallels to the Hunger Games saga abounded as the lavish display of wealth proceeded amid several international humanitarian crises. | Rhea Nayyar

Abstract Trailblazer Frank Stella Dies at 87

The painter and sculptor reoriented the North American arts landscape, defying any strict characterizations of his work as it evolved across concepts and media. | Rhea Nayyar

14 Art Books to Read This Summer

From an occult Renaissance manuscript and the history of eyeliner to Salman Rushdie’s new book, our staff and contributors have got you covered.

The Hyperallergic Art Crossword: May 2024

Political cartoons abound, long-lost sculptures resurface, and strange monarchical monuments crop up in this month’s puzzle. | Natan Last

Required Reading

This week, Audubon bird prints, the meaning of “Indigenous,” Met Gala responses, Zadie Smith roasted, backlash to iPad ad, and more. | Lakshmi Rivera Amin and Elaine Velie

A View From the Easel

“Working in a space that is somewhat detached from the confines of time allows me to create and solely place my focus on my art.” | Lakshmi Rivera Amin