The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) has postponed the opening of an exhibition for its triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition as the Smithsonian Institution prepares to run out of federal funding in the case of a prolonged government shutdown. The Outwin 2025: American
Paintings by Abigail Dudley and sculptures by Elise Siegel showcase their absorption with oil paint and clay, respectively.
If you google around, there are claims of people with a max vertical jump of 55+ inches, but the official record seems to be 51” by Darius Clark (he touched 12’4” w/ a standing reach of 8’1”). It’s incredible how high in the air he gets. 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
“When I'm painting, I think of the myths, the characters, the gods. I mentally walk alongside them.”
“It turns out playing God is neither difficult nor expensive.” That line was written about the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing tool but I’d argue that the increasing power of individuals is the defining challenge of modernity. 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
Since launching in 2005, YouTube has changed the progress/volume/tool bar on their video player several times. Here’s what it’s looked like through the years: 1 I don’t remember the first two or three at all, but that 2008-2010 version is a nostalgia bomb, albeit a deceptive
Since 1980, Jamel Shabazz has been a fixture in Brooklyn's Prospect Park. 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 For 45 Years, Jamel Shabazz Photographed
Area Man Has Far Greater Knowledge Of Marvel Universe Than Own Family Tree .
Giorgia Lupi and her team at Pentagram have created a data-driven animation for the MTA called A Data Love Letter to the Subway . More from Lupi (who calls this an “absolute dream project”): The project, “A Data Love Letter to the Subway,” visualizes each train line as a
"Sarah Ray has spent two decades helping others seek compensation for cancer and other illnesses likely contracted at the Pantex plant."
“We’ve put together a reading list about capitalism, imperialism, policing, and the politics and strategies of anti-war resistance movements of the past and present — tools in the struggle against repression, surveillance, and state violence.” 💬 Join the discussion on
The London-and Lewes-based artist has a sense of humor when it comes to art history. 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 Ant Hamlyn’s Vibrant, Smushed
An interview with Ann Goldstein , Elena Ferrante’s English translator. “I had never heard of Ferrante. I didn’t know anything about her. I still don’t know anything about her.” 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
The organizers of the Bird Photographer of the Year competition received more than 33,000 images for 2025’s contest; here are the winners and runners-up . Photos above by Franco Banfi, Francesco Guffanti, Tibor Litauszki, and Andreas Hemb. If you have no idea what you’re
The convergence of singular talent and profound disability confounded scientists eager to place humans into neat categories - by Violeta Ruiz Read on Aeon
For many of us in the industrialized world, happiness is directly related to how big the container is. Overflowing vs. skimpy. Adequate vs. generous. Overloaded vs. slack to spare. We know that making the plate smaller helps us appreciate what we’re served. Get the bucket size
For thousands of years, ordinary people all over the world not only worked side-by-side with domestic animals on a daily basis, they also observed the wild fauna around them to learn how to navigate and survive nature. The closeness produced a keen appreciation for animal
Thinking of taking a trip abroad? Or maybe relocating for good? Americans would do well, even 150 years hence, to attend to Mark Twain’s satirical account of U.S. travelers journeying through Europe and Palestine, The Innocents Abroad. The “Americans who are painted to peculiar
This is a lovely & thoughtful essay on the messiness of teaching and learning , an alchemy endangered by efficiency & automation. “What A.I. can’t do is feel the shape of silence after someone says something so honest we forget we’re here to learn.” 💬 Join the discussion on
Małgorzata Mirga-Tas’s dignified storytelling, Ceijia Stojka’s triumphant paintings, Gabi Jiménez’s expressive portraits, and so much more.
Jeremy Frey and Gala Porras-Kim are among this year’s fellows, who receive an $800,000 award.
Join us for spooky cocktails, a fun costume competition, and more at the Francis Kite Club.