This is a smart piece about where we are in America right now, post-Citizen’s United, post-Voting Rights Amendment, post-Dobbs, mid-MAGA: The VRA Was the Nice Version ( archive ). First, let’s be honest about what the Voting Rights Act actually was, because everything here on
“I believe in myself. That’s why I commit.” A young skater doesn’t give up trying to land a three-stair kickflip.
Autonomy or control are a fantasy rather than a concrete reality. In 'Feel Free,' we witness four artists grappling with this enduring paradox. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little
The New York museum hires a new chief curator, Getty grants $1.8M for Black visual art archives, and an artist’s cheeky plea on the High Line.
Zendaya co-created a new collection for On, the Swiss fashion company, and Spike Jonze directed this cool promotional video starring the actress. I’ve always loved his aesthetic — along with Michel Gondry, no one makes these types of videos seem “hand-crafted” (in a way that is
On view May 20 to 28, the show brings together over thirty undergraduate and graduate artists, reflecting a broad spectrum of conceptual inquiry and material experimentation.
In a sea of zany little sculptures and assemblages, shiny stuff™, abstracted horniness, and kitschy vibrancy, there were works I did enjoy.
The Guardian asked authors, critics, and academics to help compile a list of the best 100 novels of all time . They’ve done 41-100 so far. Selecting a book will show you who voted for it, then click on the voter’s name to see their other choices.
The 2026 National Recording Registry inductees were announced today . “The 2026 selections mark the first recordings by Taylor Swift and Beyoncé chosen for the registry.” Also: music from Weezer, The Go-Go’s, Chaka Khan, and Johnny Cash.
At the 61st Venice Biennale, Ahmed expands upon his interest in the dialectic between digital processes and hand-crafted techniques. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per
This Tiny Celestial Body Past Pluto Shouldn’t Have an Atmosphere—but Astronomers Say They May Have Detected One .
"In the days after last July’s historic disaster, I wrote about the tragedy that befell my family. But crawling out of the river was only the beginning."
A Moment That Changed Me: I Saw My First Total Solar Eclipse — and Its Beauty Shook Me to My Core . “I knew the theory, but I was not ready for the experience.”
"Amy Wallace has spent two decades guarding the human her brother was—against a world that prefers David Foster Wallace as a puzzle."
‘We’re not sure what it means or how it started’ – the enigmatic ritual that has existed in Switzerland for centuries - by Aeon Video Watch on Aeon
Talk as much as you like about human rights, nothing will change until the architecture of global finance is reformed - by Attiya Waris Read on Aeon
On what a dying patch of turfgrass can teach us about water scarcity, ecological repair, and the lies we tell ourselves about success.
A dog gets fed and thinks his person is an omniscient, benevolent being. A cat gets fed and thinks it is. How we see ourselves in this analogy is actually up to each of us, every day. It also tells us a bit about how we think about customers, vendors, and partners.
The question of who are the fifteen most influential philosophers of all time may not arise at every conversation down at the pub — not outside the circle of Open Culture readers, in any case. But even among non-specialists, it could spark a livelier debate than you might
The Tarot has long been a tool of charlatans. But it has also long been embraced by brilliant, unconventional thinkers, many of whom themselves have a touch of the charlatan about them (and who would just as likely admit it with a smile). William Butler Yeats was a fan, as is
I loved this post by Kelsey Miller for Cup of Jo about “childlore” . “Remember typing ‘BOOBS’ on a calculator?!” someone will blurt. “Or — or that thing when you’re driving by a cemetery and you have to hold your breath?” I love hearing the tiny differences in details (some
Kappos' solo exhibition of new paintings opens on Friday at SHRINE in New York. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article In ‘Piercing the Veil,’ Marina
We asked 13 fairs to open up about booth pricing, and what they shared (and didn't) revealed much about transparency and affordability in the art world.
The sustainable second-hand market for art materials in Industry City might give Blick a run for its money while helping you save some of yours.
Before arriving in Venice, Zhanna Kadyrova’s “The Origami Deer” undertook an epic journey mirroring those of displaced Ukrainians.
I Want to Live Like Costco People . “Embracing the Costco lifestyle means accepting the fact that I am, in many ways, becoming my father.”
The artist's solo exhibition, 'Flora & Flight,' continues through the end of the month at Arch Enemy Arts in Philadelphia. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The
Robin Sloan writes about the personalized, AI-written, promo emails he’s been getting recently (I have too). “The form is subtler than a one-sized-fits-all promo blast, but it sucks way worse, because it’s fundamentally dishonest.”
Trump's new golden statue in Miami has been compared to the Golden Calf, but it's more akin to a Moloch idol.
Palantir, the data analysis defense contractor co-founded by Peter Thiel, was named after the magical seeing stones from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books. This video compares the ethos of the company with that of Tolkien. The palantiri of The Lord of the Rings are sort
This week, we honor a Swiss collector, a discerning art critic, and a champion of performance art.
Meet the Sad Wives of AI . “Princess Diana famously said there were three people in her marriage. For the sad wives of AI, the third is a chatbot.”
Held from May 21 to 24, this year’s edition brings together over 110 galleries from 18 countries and proposes a more balanced and resilient collecting ecosystem.
