Biennials Postponed, Museums Reopen, and Emergency Funds Deployed in Global Art World Response to Pandemic

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Bienal de Arte Paiz in Guatemala has been rescheduled from 28 May 2020 to 6 May 2021. Curator Alexia Tala's lineup includes exhibitions by the late Guatemalan artist Aníbal López and Chilean photographer Paz Errázuriz. The inaugural Helsinki Biennial, titled 'The Same Sea,' is also postponed to 2021. On 5 May, Museum Ludwig in Cologne will reopen, allowing 400 visitors at a time, with mask mandates in place. The VIA Art Fund has allocated $342,000 to support 24 non-profits in the US. NADA will present FAIR from 18 May to 12 June. Leonora Thomson is serving as the interim artistic director at London's Barbican, while Cathie Pilkington takes on the role of Keeper at the Royal Academy. Christopher Knight received the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for criticism, and Helga de Alvear contributed $1.1 million for COVID-19 vaccine research. Perrotin gallery will showcase 26 local galleries from 23 May to 14 August, and France's Mobilier National plans to auction 100 pieces of 19th-century furniture on 20-21 September.