This week’s developments range from major commissions on Fifth Avenue to a biennial roster in Taichung, a consequential pause in Yogyakarta, and a storied London building reimagined for the public.
Commissions and programs ahead
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has named Vietnamese-born Danish artist Danh Võ as the artist for its 2027 Genesis Façade Commission. From September 16, 2027 to June 13, 2028, he will create four sculptures for the niches of the museum’s Beaux-Arts façade on Fifth Avenue, the fourth presentation under The Met’s partnership with Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury automotive brand. Known for bringing personal histories into dialogue with broader cultural and political narratives through found objects, Võ noted, “A façade is the place where the museum meets the street and it is also an expression of its values over time,” in a statement released by Genesis.
Alongside the façade project, The Met has selected Sandra Mujinga for its 2027 Great Hall Commission, for which the Norwegian Congolese artist will develop a site-specific installation.
In Taichung, the Asian Art Biennial has revealed the lineup for its 10th edition, running November 7 to February 28, 2027 at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Curated by Lu Pei-Yi and titled “Mrahul Tminun/ 共織/ Co-Weaving”, the exhibition will convene more than 30 regional and international artists and collectives to explore the legacies of colonialism in Asia, centering marginalized perspectives of women as well as Indigenous and queer communities. Participating artists include Aluaiy Kaumakan, Mounira Al Solh, Chang En-Man, DAVRA Collective, Cian Dayrit, Hylozoic/Desires, Aziza Kadyri, Citra Sasmita, Womanifesto, and Yee I-Lann, among others. Emphasizing “working collectively with multiple collaborators,” projects will span embroidery, painting, fiber weaving, video, sculpture, and large-scale installation, engaging questions of collectivity and mutual aid.
Institutional shifts and openings
After 16 years of overseeing the Biennale Jogja in Yogyakarta, the Biennale Jogja Foundation will cease operations as an art institution. In an October 9 notice, the Foundation cited a worsening sociopolitical climate in Indonesia, writing: “Under a political regime that has failed to recognize people’s cultures as the foundation of cultural identity—amid chaotic economic and political policies, increasing censorship, and violence against activists and protesters—we feel an urgency to pause.” It added that the closure is a way “to reclaim the freedom we need to engage in grassroots solidarity,” and affirmed, “[f]or us, continuity does not depend on the survival of institutions or events. It lives in the spirits we carry into communities and into younger generations.” Before concluding operations, the Foundation will participate in Asia Now Paris 2026 (October 20–24), contributing “Kenduri Setali Laku,” an exhibition spotlighting 10 artists previously involved with the Biennale Jogja, including Citra Sasmita, Ines Katamso, Natasha Tontey, and Timotheus Anggawan Kusno.
The Zaha Hadid Foundation has transformed Zaha Hadid’s former London headquarters at 10 Bowling Green Lane in Clerkenwell—a 19th-century Victorian schoolhouse—into a public cultural space for architecture, design, and art, set to open on November 3. Redesigned by Studio KA, the site restores historic features while introducing touches of Hadid’s architectural language, including Z-shaped door pulls and shard-like flooring insets. The venue will host galleries, lecture rooms, and learning areas for talks, workshops, artist-in-residence programs, and exhibitions from Hadid’s archive. “it was Zaha’s wish for the foundation to preserve her legacy while carrying her ideas forward: advancing education, supporting future generations, and contributing to the wider field of architecture,” said Rana Hadid. The inaugural exhibition, “Zaha Hadid: Architecture of Performance,” will showcase stage and set designs for contemporary dance, opera, and pop music.
Taken together, these announcements chart a week of ambition, reflection, and renewal across the art world.
