Katherine Bradford's Moonlit Visions
John Yau on Theaster Gates, Pyaari Azaadi's revolutionary orbit, and the plague of American curatorial silence.
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Simple and obvious… or nuanced and complicated?
Some choices seem obvious, while others demand care and insight. And some offerings are simple, while others have depth and multiple variables. As you’ve probably guessed, the choices that are simple and obvious tend to do best in the mass market. Where did you get your cup of
Did Tintin Creator Hergé Collaborate with the Nazis? A Historical Investigation
The Adventures of Tintin may be a children’s comic series from mid-twentieth-century Europe, but its appeal has long since transcended the boundaries of form, culture, and generation. In fact, many if not most seriously dedicated fans of Tintin are in middle age and beyond, and
The Nurse Who Names the Dead
Inside a Texas nurse’s quest to document the life and death of every woman killed by a man in America.
George Orwell’s Six Rules for Writing Clear and Tight Prose
Image via Wikimedia Commons Most everyone who knows the work of George Orwell knows his 1946 essay “Politics and the English Language” (published here), in which he rails against careless, confusing, and unclear prose. “Our civilization is decadent,” he argues, “and our
Aldo Leopold on How to Hear the Song of Life
The point, of course, is to see the whole — what Virginia Woolf called “the thing itself.” Not just to uncover the fragments and discover how each works but to understand their harmonic unity — the sum that, as the forgotten genius Willard Gibbs knew, “is simpler than its
An irresistible video title: Army of Crabs Protect Spy Robot From Stingray....
An irresistible video title: Army of Crabs Protect Spy Robot From Stingray . “A 4-meter stingray can eat 50 crabs a day.” 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
Beneath the Firmament of Katherine Bradford
In this show, the 83-year-old American artist touches on life, death, and mutual support in ways that feel more personal than ever.
Art Dealers Association of America Announces New Fair
The news follows the organization’s abrupt termination of a long-running partnership with the Henry Street Settlement.
10 Shows to See in Upstate New York This December
Romare Bearden’s interdisciplinary art, Kikuo Saito’s color experiments, and dogs and cats galore!
Mason Pott’s Bold Bouquets Take a Hyperrealist Approach to the Still Life
Mason Pott's new body of work captures botanical depth and diversity through tender paintings. 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 Mason Pott’s Bold
Sweats & Swots
“Ugh, this kid is so sweaty!” my son exclaimed as he came under attack in some game he was playing. This was a few years ago; my ears perked up and I asked him what he meant. He explained that “sweaty” was a derogatory term for gamers who were trying super hard to win. Such
New Photos of Epstein’s Home Show Creepy Room Filled With Masks
The images of Epstein’s US Virgin Islands house are part of a new trove of documents released by the United States House Oversight Committee.
Surrealism Against Fascism
"A century ago, artists who survived the trenches captured humanity’s capacity for destruction. What can they teach us about confronting the far-right in a new age of genocide?"
Theaster Gates Is Best When He’s Ambiguous
When Gates opens a gap between how something is perceived and what it is, he does not simply make a connection for the viewer — he invites self-reflection.
The Cruelty of American Curatorial Silence
Many of my fellow curators, especially at institutions, have failed to speak out against fascism. What is it about being a curator that offers a free pass for political silence?
How to Fix a Typewriter and Your Life. “It’s like Zen. There...
How to Fix a Typewriter and Your Life . “It’s like Zen. There are times when it is just very relaxing to be standing in front of the machine and slowly cleaning it, tweaking the adjustment so visually things start to really line up.” 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
Remembering Joyce Pomeroy Schwartz, Robert A. M. Stern, and Ruth Thorne-Thomsen
This week, we honor an advocate for women’s leadership, a museum architect, and a photographer of dreamscapes.
An Online Collection of Found Cassette Tapes
Intertapes is a collection of found cassette tapes — some contain music and others voice memos. Each entry includes images of the tape, a description/track listing, and the actual audio (on Soundcloud). This one was recorded off of a NYC radio station in 1994 and includes
“If new proposals detailed in an FDA memo are put into place,...
“If new proposals detailed in an FDA memo are put into place, experts told me it would mean the end of annual flu shots . And end of most vaccines for pregnant people. And maybe the end of updates to pneumonia vaccines. And more.”
Myth, Spirituality, and Storytelling Converge in Ceramics by Chenlu Hou and Chiara No
'What the Hands Remember to Hear' opens next month at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Connecticut. 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 Myth,
I love the remix of Radiohead’s Everything In Its Right Place in...
I love the remix of Radiohead’s Everything In Its Right Place in the midst of Kelly Lee Owens’ Boiler Room set (~33:50 mark). Had me chair dancing this AM! 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
The Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation Launches Platform Dalí, a New Art and Science Program
Inspired by Dalí’s vision and his engagement with scientific work, this program seeks to explore the limits of knowledge and imagination through dialogue between art and science.
Janet Sobel, a Forgotten Pioneer of Abstract Art
The painting above was made in 1945 by self-taught artist Janet Sobel; it’s called Milky Way . Sobel was a Ukrainian-born artist who was a pioneer in abstract expressionist art and in drip painting; her work directly influenced that of Jackson Pollock. From Why This Pioneering
Pyaari Azaadi Names a Revolution
“I think sometimes of that black and white historic photograph of 100 people giving a Nazi salute, except one person,” the artist told Hyperallergic. “I think that’s me.”
The best telescopes for astrophotography. Boy, if I needed an expensive new...
The best telescopes for astrophotography . Boy, if I needed an expensive new hobby, this might be the one at the top of the list. 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
Meticulously Stitched Leaves Transform into Tender Sculptures by Susanna Bauer
Cotton thread and foraged leaves converge in a study of strength and vulnerability. 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 Meticulously Stitched Leaves
What’s the best way to lift people out of poverty? “Cash giving...
What’s the best way to lift people out of poverty? “Cash giving programs believe the people experiencing poverty best understand what they need to escape it.”
A much-touted 4K remaster of Mad Men recently premiered on HBO Max...
A much-touted 4K remaster of Mad Men recently premiered on HBO Max and they forgot to apply digital effects to scenes in some of the episodes so you can see crew in the background, etc. 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
Homeward Bound: On Pigeon Racing
"They flap their wings as fast as they can until they disappear over the horizon—all heading toward Chicago, all heading home."