The Birth Keepers
"Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births–now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world."
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The Year in Art Films
Also: Is it ever too late to become an artist, and how do Philadelphians feel about their new Calder Gardens?
The thing about chess
In a typical tournament, you don’t score any extra points for winning with the fewest number of moves. Quickly isn’t the point.
The Evil Genius of Fascist Design: How Mussolini and Hitler Used Art & Architecture to Project Power
When the Nazis came to power in 1933, they declared the beginning of a “Thousand-Year Reich” that ultimately came up about 988 years short. Fascism in Italy managed to hold on to power for a couple of decades, which was presumably still much less time than Benito Mussolini
Best of 2025: All Our Number One Story Picks
Every story we selected for the number one slot in our weekly newsletter, all in one place.
Why Coffee Makes You Do Your Business
James Hoffmann, the author of The World Atlas of Coffee and the creator of a coffee-centric YouTube channel, can tell you many things about coffee—from how to roast coffee, to the tools and techniques needed to make espresso, to the ultimate French Press technique. Then he can
Ragú Unveils Sensory Deprivation Marinara Tank. “The detoxifying marinara is slowly simmered...
Ragú Unveils Sensory Deprivation Marinara Tank . “The detoxifying marinara is slowly simmered to the exact temperature of the user’s body, allowing the mind to drift freely into a meditative gravy state, just like Nonna used to make.”
Disclosure Day
Over his storied career, Steven Spielberg has made only four studio films about aliens: Close Encounters of the Third Kind, ET, War of the Worlds, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull — the outsized influence of the first two gives the impression that he’s
Seven Voting Laws Every Blue State Should Enact Right Now. “1. Enact...
Seven Voting Laws Every Blue State Should Enact Right Now . “1. Enact a statutory right to vote for every eligible citizen. This may surprise you, but there is no general federal constitutional right to vote.”
The 10 Best Art Films of 2025
A day in the life of Peter Hujar, a bungled museum heist, and Meredith Monk's six-decade career were the subjects of some of our favorite art films this year.
Hari & Deepti Conjure Magical Narratives with Illuminated Paper Sculptures
The husband-and-wife duo continue their exploration into the possibilities of paper and light. 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 Hari & Deepti
The Hit Hollywood Didn’t Want. “Sinners is a threat to a business...
The Hit Hollywood Didn’t Want . “Sinners is a threat to a business model built only on regurgitation, on endless return trips to Jurassic World, on more Toy Stories and feature-length toy commercials.” 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
Joseph Wright of Derby’s Candlelit World
Using an extreme form of chiaroscuro, Wright portrays the dramatic moment of intellectual or moral revelation in his paintings of scientific subjects.
The Virginia A. Groot Foundation’s Transformative Grants Empower Artists
This foundation offers annual grants to support sculptors and ceramic artists with funding, studio advancement, and opportunities for material exploration.
What Exactly Is Calder Gardens?
Meaning is slippery in the new Philadelphia institution dedicated to the modernist master Alexander Calder.
If we were all Japanese pond frogs, we’d have nothing to fear...
If we were all Japanese pond frogs, we’d have nothing to fear from murder hornets. “ When I watched the recorded videos in slow motion, the frogs were clearly stung multiple times yet showed no apparent injury or mortality .” 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
The Mayor Is Present
Marina Abramović is Zohran’s muse, the Whitney Biennial announces its exhibitors, the High Line replaces a giant pigeon with a huge Buddha, and more.
Art Problems: Am I Too Old to Fit In?
If you think age is an obstacle to your art career, Paddy Johnson wants you to think again.
New Animated Version of Animal Farm?
Hmm, I really don’t know about this one : an animated adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm as a sort of Ice Age-ish comedy adventure? One commenter on YouTube says, “This movie is 100% gonna end with a random dance party scene with the pigs and humans dancing to something
Texas A&M’s Visualization Graduate Programs Merge Art and Technology
Full funding is available for MFA students; MS students have scholarship and assistantship opportunities. The priority deadline for funding is January 15, 2026.
Historic Pottery Styles Meet Pop Culture and Contemporary Issues in Roberto Lugo’s Sculptures
The Philadelphia-based artist taps into ancient Greek art and pop culture alike. 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 Historic Pottery Styles Meet Pop
“The Trump administration’s vision for the United States is one of a...
“The Trump administration’s vision for the United States is one of a white Christian nation. And the path to accomplish it is through the exclusion and removal of all who do not fit that vision — in other words, through ethnic cleansing .”
The 2025 California Biennial Is Trapped in the Past
The show's displays of juvenilia from established artists say little about adolescents today and make its message inscrutable.
Training and Critiquing AI Through Art at WashU
Tiffany Calvert creates historically inspired still life paintings with an AI twist through a collaboration with engineers at Washington University in St. Louis.
A roundup of the words/phrases of the year for 2025, including “rage...
A roundup of the words/phrases of the year for 2025 , including “rage bait”, “vibe coding”, “Mar-a-Lago face”, “chaos”, “performative male”, and “Kavanaugh stop”. 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
Born Poor
Born Poor (PBS/Frontline) is a documentary filmed across 14 years about three kids in the US as they grow into young adults while “dealing with an economy where they face more obstacles than opportunities”. Free to watch online (probably US-only, so fire up your VPN if you live
The Strange Fate of Flight 2069
"Months before 9/11 a passenger seized control of a Boeing 747 and nearly crashed it into the Sahara. Everyone survived but no one quite recovered. How do you measure the cost of a disaster that didn’t happen?"
Field Kallop Meditates on Universal Patterns Through Bold Chromatic Compositions
"I'm spiritual in that I'm interested in that beauty and that order that is everywhere, that connects everyone," Kallop says. 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.