José Morbán Paints Important Moments From His Country’s Past
According to José Morbán, the Dominican dream is the longing to emigrate north to the US in search of a better life. His series Dominican Dreams is made up of paintings of moments from the country’s past. Subdued in color, they have a vintage feel to them, yet without the wear and tear of older imagery, they have a crispness that appears fresh and new.
The Psychedelic Posters And Graphic Design Of Japan’s Tadanori Yokoo
One of the most well-known, influential, and transcendent artists of post-war Japan, Tadanori Yokoo has one of the best styles of psychedelic, meets graphic design, meets poster art, meets traditional printmaking you will ever see. He has had numerous retrospectives over the years.
Photos of Andy Warhol and His Circle, Taken (Secretly) by His Close Friend
Photographer and former editor of Interview magazine Bob Colacello remembers a different age of celebrity, art and popular culture within Andy Warhol’s orbit.
Near-Death Self-Portraits: Edvard Munch, Van Gogh, And More Confront Mortality
Vincent van Gogh was hardly alone in his pursuit of truth through self-portraiture, and he is not the only artist to have done so. And sometimes, self-portraits created during the final stages of a career can prove to be the most truthful images of artists.
When Art Becomes Self-Help
Jerry Saltz’s new book gives a series of short instructions or prompts, some banal and others provocative, on both looking at and making art, for audiences of any level of art fluency. The appetite for this kind of advice has only increased in the past decade, as the art world has become more visible to the wider public.
The Case Of The Empty Frames Remains Art World’s Biggest Mystery
What happened at the Gardner Museum has become the most famous art heist ever, not only because of the money involved—$500 million, making it the largest art theft in history—but also because of the countless FBI agents, private detectives and art dealers who’ve tried and failed to solve it.
“La Noria”, Award-Winning Animation Horror Short Film
From seasoned animator Carlos Baena (ILM, Pixar) and a crowd-sourced community of over 100 people, “La Noria” tells the tale of a grieving young boy who one day encounters dark creatures that turn his life upside down.
A Rare Glimpse of William Eggleston’s Polaroids
William Eggleston is often referred to as the godfather of color photography, and with good reason: he is largely responsible for raising the status of color photography to that of an art form, where previously it was relegated to the realm of advertising.
The Imperfect Picture That Transformed 20th-Century Photography
It’s called ‘San Francisco’, and it was taken in Alamo Square Park in 1956. It is an unruly and liberating photograph, both loaded and elusive, and quite unlike any picture that had ever been published before, at least in an art setting.
Hagia Sophia: Church Of Divine Wisdom And Subject Of Global Dispute
Hagia Sophia has been the ‘apple of discord’ between the Greeks and the Turks, the ‘east’ and the ‘west’ for 567 years, but as history likes to repeat itself we are now witnessing a revival of this old dispute. A museum has been converted to a mosque.
Banksy’s Birmingham Reindeer Are An Artistic Miracle
Banksy’s team of reindeer painted on a wall in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, pulling a bench that homeless people use as a bed, is rightly popular. Rather than exploit ‘the homeless’, this painting empowers rough sleepers to draw attention to their individuality.
Can A Corporation “Own” A Color?
A handful of companies like Coca-Cola, 3M and Cadbury, have pushed the boundaries of intellectual property law by laying claim to individual colors. But is it really possible to “own” a color?
The Most Fascinating Riot You’ve Never Heard Of
A mob of thousands attempted to storm a theater over a performance of Macbeth, the National Guard had to be called up, 31 people were killed and more than 100 wounded all over the personal jealousies of two vain and insecure actors. This is the story of the Astor Place Opera House Riot of May 10, 1849.
A Photographer’s Parents Wave Farewell
Deanna Dikeman’s parents sold her childhood home, in Sioux City, Iowa, in 1990, when they were in their early seventies. They moved to a bright-red ranch house in the same town. Dikeman, a photographer then in her thirties, spent many visits documenting the idyll of their retirement.
What Happens After Stealing A Van Gogh Painting
Thieves stole an 1884 oil painting by Vincent van Gogh called “The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring” from the Singer Laren art museum near Amsterdam. What do the criminals do with a stolen painting, and how could they get caught?
Tokyo 2020 Olympics Art Posters Revealed
Since the early 20th century, posters have been created by Organising Committees of the Olympic Games to promote and advertise this major sporting and cultural event. Tokyo 2020’s official posters have been created by internationally renowned artists and designers
Cinematic Street Photography Of Japan By Jack Rangooni
Stunning street shots by Jack Rangooni, a talented self-taught photographer, and urban explorer from Auckland, New Zealand. He recently visited Japan and shared some amazing street scenes on his Instagram.
James Niehues: The Man Behind The Map
If you are a skier or snowboarder, there is a good chance James Niehues has been your mountain guide. Throughout his 30 year career he has worked at the smallest hills and the most expansive resorts in North America. James has extensively researched, photographed and illustrated nearly every ski map used in North America over the last three decades.
A Street Artist Creates Giant Mural In A Maximum Security Prison In California
JR’s latest project is one of his best of the year, a massive “mural” within the walls of California Correctional Institution: Tehachapi in Southern California. The mural depicts the current and former incarcerated men, as well as some of the prison staff, on the ground within the prison.
New Light Sculpture Highlights Our Obsession With Staring At Screens
Design Bridge has launched a topical new light sculpture in the heart of Amsterdam to highlight our obsession with technology and staring at screens. ‘Absorbed by Light’ was created in collaboration with British artist Gali May Lucas.
The Secret Life Of A Professional Statue
For several years in my 20s, off and on, I was a professional statue. Statue was both a noun and a verb. I was a statue; statuing was what I did. My job was, basically, not to react. Unless one of the tourists gave me what I wanted — a tip in the plastic lemonade pitcher at my feet — I gave them nothing.