The Venus de Milo, a celebrated ancient statue found on the Greek island of Milos and displayed at the Louvre since 1821, is one of the most famous artworks in the world. Yet relatively little is known about the many centuries of artistic output on Milos and its surrounding islands, known as the Cyclades. In bringing to light this veritable treasure trove of antiquities and artifacts, the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens is also spearheading new research into the rich historical insights these objects have to offer.

This is certainly the case of a new exhibition "Kyladitisses: Untold Stories of Women in the Cyclades," currently on view until May 4, which uses art as a lens through which to learn more about the lives of the women who, over many generations, inhabited the sunny Cyclades, an archipelago of hundreds of islands including Mykonos, Thera (Santorini), and Ios. Some 180 statues and figurines dating from prehistory to the middle ages represent women in many guises, from goddesses, religious icons, mothers, entrepreneurs, and sex workers, all bonded by their resilience within a deeply patriarchal society.

The exhibition is the first initiative to emerge from a landmark deal signed last year by the Museum of Cycladic Art and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades, a regional office of the Greek ministry of culture, with the aim of promoting Cycladic art at home and internationally.

Sandra Mariopoulou, museum's president and CEO, noted to local press that it is "the first pan-Cycladic show that has ever been set up: a historic exhibition, as it is the first time it collects so many outstanding works of the Cycladic Islands in one place."

An experimental exhibition in Denmark is intended to spark debate about the future use of 3D-printed replicas in museums. The show, titled "Michelangelo: Mind of the Master," features high-tech reproductions of the Italian Renaissance master's most famous works, including the Sistine Chapel ceiling and the David statue.

The exhibition, which opened at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles and will travel to the Cleveland Museum of Art, uses cutting-edge technology to create exact replicas of Michelangelo's works. The replicas are so precise that they include even the smallest details and imperfections of the original pieces.

"This exhibition raises important questions about the role of technology in preserving and presenting cultural heritage," said Timothy Potts, director of the J. Paul Getty Museum. "While nothing can replace the experience of seeing the original works, these replicas allow us to study and appreciate Michelangelo's genius in new ways."

"Bruce Weber: My Education" brings together hundreds of images from the photographer's iconic body of work, spanning his career from the 1970s to the present day. The exhibition, which opened at the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art in Prague, showcases Weber's distinctive style and his influence on fashion and portrait photography.

The retrospective includes Weber's famous fashion campaigns for Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and other major brands, as well as his personal projects and documentary work. The exhibition also features never-before-seen photographs and behind-the-scenes footage from his shoots.

"In his downtime, Heath would wander around the city taking pictures and chatting with people. I thought about him a lot when I was there this fall, his open and easy way," he said about the late actor. "Prague has so many beautiful bridges over the River Vltava, which felt a nice metaphor for the connections we're always trying to make as photographers."

These exhibitions defined the spirit of the year—for better or worse. From groundbreaking retrospectives to controversial installations, these shows captured the cultural moment and sparked important conversations about art, society, and the role of museums in contemporary culture.

The exhibitions featured in this roundup represent diverse perspectives and approaches, from traditional painting and sculpture to cutting-edge digital art and performance. Each show, in its own way, contributed to the ongoing dialogue about what art means in the 21st century and how it reflects and shapes our understanding of the world around us.

As we look back on these exhibitions, we can see how they not only reflected the cultural zeitgeist but also helped to shape it, influencing everything from museum programming to public discourse about art and its role in society.

The impact of these exhibitions extends far beyond the art world, touching on issues of identity, politics, technology, and social justice. They remind us that art is not just about aesthetics, but about understanding and engaging with the complex world we inhabit.

These exhibitions also highlight the evolving role of museums and galleries in contemporary society, as they increasingly become spaces for dialogue, debate, and social engagement rather than just repositories of cultural artifacts.

The French artist was heavily influenced by the art of ukiyo-e. This exhibition explores how Japanese woodblock prints shaped Matisse's artistic vision and contributed to the development of his distinctive style.

Matisse's encounter with Japanese art in the late 19th and early 20th centuries had a profound impact on his work. The flatness, bold colors, and simplified forms of ukiyo-e prints can be seen in many of his most famous paintings, from "The Red Studio" to his later cut-outs.

The exhibition brings together Matisse's works with the Japanese prints that inspired them, allowing visitors to see the direct connections between these two artistic traditions and understand how cross-cultural exchange shaped the development of modern art.

Conservators at London's Courtauld Institute used x-ray and infrared images to reveal the previously unseen works hidden beneath Picasso's Blue Period masterpiece. The discovery sheds new light on the artist's creative process and the evolution of his style during this crucial period.

The hidden figures, which appear to be from an earlier composition, provide valuable insights into how Picasso worked and how he developed his ideas. This discovery not only enhances our understanding of this particular painting but also contributes to our broader knowledge of Picasso's artistic development.

The use of advanced imaging technology in art conservation has opened up new possibilities for understanding the creative process of artists throughout history. These techniques allow us to see beneath the surface of paintings and discover the layers of work that went into creating these masterpieces.