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Category Archive
The Tuesday Cutline...a Winner! May 21, 2013 |
We know how much you all adored this giant rubber duck, so it's with heavy hearts that we share some unfortunate news. On May 14, 2013, our 54-foot inflated friend...deflated. Hopefully it will rest in peace knowing that its existence...
Photographer Jon Lowenstein Explores 'Chicago's Bloody Year' May 15, 2013 |
For the past 10 years photographer Jon Lowenstein has turned his lens to the slow-moving forces shaping daily life for the people of Chicago's South Side, chronicling the demolition of some of the nation's largest housing projects, the closure of crumbling schools and some of the deep bonds built in a changing community amidst ongoing violence.
Cosmetics Heir Lauder Donates $1 Billion in Cubist Art to Met April 10, 2013 |
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York announced a major gift Wednesday, one of the largest and most important ever for any museum.
The Daily Frame April 5, 2013 |
Workers re-install "Fluegelauto" -- a golden, winged Ford Fiesta -- at the City Museum in Cologne, Germany.
For Graffiti Artist, Monopoly Money Makes the World Go 'Round March 27, 2013 |
Alec Monopoly's first solo show, "Park Place," opened at the LAB ART Gallery in Los Angeles earlier this month. The graffiti artist, who is known only by his pseudonym, and the team at LAB ART transformed the gallery space, inside and out, into a life-size version of the Monopoly board game.
The Daily Frame March 14, 2013 |
Women touch a creation by Austrian artist Franz West at the "Franz West: Where is my Eight?" exhibition held at the MUMOK (Museum of Modern Art) in Vienna. West, who died in 2012, ranks among Austria's most important contributors to contemporary art.
The Daily Frame March 7, 2013 |
A group of people watch the grand lighting of the Bay Lights art installation on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Designed by artist Leo Villareal, the Bay Lights is the world's largest LED light sculpture.
The Daily Frame March 4, 2013 |
Artists from 11 of India's states participate at an art festival in Ghaziabad, India. One of the paintings portrays the recent, deadly Delhi gang rape that inspired mass protests against the prevalence of violence against women.
The Daily Frame March 1, 2013 |
Arlo Ricketts, 17 months, sits beside a piece of work entitled "Columba" by artist Roseline de Thelin during the Kinetica Art Fair in London. The event is the U.K.'s only art fair dedicated to kinetic, robotic, sound, electric and new media-based art.
The Daily Frame February 28, 2013 |
Artist Francesca DiMattio adjusts the flowers that decorate the sculpture "Totem" on February 27, 2013 in London. The exhibition, held in a former 19th century church, is the New York artist's first solo show in the U.K. Photo by Matthew Lloyd/ Getty Images.
The Daily Frame February 27, 2013 |
Visitors pass by "Sphere rouge," a work by Argentinian artist Julio Le Parc, 85, a pioneer of Op Art, at the Palais de Tokyo museum in Paris.
The Gun: a Trigger for Art February 19, 2013 |
A look at some of the ways the gun has been depicted in art, from movies to paintings to photographs.
Tuesday on the NewsHour: Ai Weiwei December 11, 2012 |
Extended interviews, slide show: "Ai Weiwei: According to What?" at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.
What Did We Do Before Photoshop? November 29, 2012 |
An exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York shows how photographers long before the digital era regularly employed techniques of manipulation in their work. Some merely compensated for the medium's limitations, while others used manipulation to create obviously fabricated scenes.
Revisiting Bernini, Master of Marble August 21, 2012 |
The trigger for this post is the publication of a new book on Baroque sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini, "Bernini's Beloved: A Portrait of Costanza Piccolomini." The author, Emory University art historian Sarah McPhee, is the daughter of New Yorker writer John McPhee and has written on Bernini before. But no one has written more about the 17th century Italian master of marble than Irving Lavin, for decades the resident art historian at Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study. Indeed, when I sat in on Simon Schama's "Power and Authority in the Baroque" course at Harvard in the early '90s, Lavin was the key Bernini reading.
Economic Inequality and Fakery in Art August 14, 2012 |
Today's post is a departure for Art Beat: a cross-post with the Making Sen$e page, where correspondent Paul Solman answers your economic and business questions.
Wednesday on the NewsHour: Detroit Art City July 25, 2012 |
Antoinio "Shades" Agee always knew he wanted to paint, fascinated early on by oils and canvas but frustrated by its "tedious" pace. A classmate showed up one day with a can of spray paint, and he was hooked.
Stellar Arts: Astronomy as Muse for African Artists July 12, 2012 |
From a gigantic rainbow serpent fashioned out of recycled jerry cans to a painting of girls dancing against a Milky Way backdrop, the exhibit "African Cosmos: Stellar Arts" examines how African artists through time have looked to the sky, the sun, the moon and the stars for inspiration.
Q&A: 'Dear World, From Joplin With Love' May 23, 2012 |
Marking the one year anniversary of the tornado, a new exhibit, "Dear World, From Joplin With Love," opened Saturday at the Spiva Center for the Arts. Art Beat talked to executive director Jo Mueller and public relations coordinator Lori Marble about the exhibit.
Q&A: Lalla Essaydi Challenges Muslim, Gender Stereotypes at Museum of African Art May 9, 2012 |
Known for her large format photographs, Lalla Essaydi's work combines Islamic calligraphy and representations of the female body, focusing on the interconnection of faith, culture and gender and challenging notions within all three.
Veterans Changing the Arts: Share Your Story April 30, 2012 |
If you've served in the military and your experience has influenced your art and creative expression, share your story.
Tuesday on the NewsHour: Nick Cave's Soundsuits Are Sculptures Come to Life April 24, 2012 |
More with Chicago artist Nick Cave and his Soundsuits.
On Thursday's NewsHour: China's Terra Cotta Warriors, Reimagined April 19, 2012 |
In the ornate ballroom of the venerable Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, Calif., a 210-strong army of clay soldiers stands in formation. Most soldiers are replicas of the famous terra-cotta warriors that were discovered in 1947 in a field in Xian, China, by a farmer.
Conversation: Henry Ossawa Tanner at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts April 6, 2012 |
Henry Ossawa Tanner is known as the first African-American artist to gain international success and fame. He was born in Pittsburgh in 1859, spent much of his youth in Philadelphia, but lived most of his adult life in Paris.
Conversation: The Life, Work and Legacy of Elizabeth Catlett, 1915-2012 April 5, 2012 |
Jeffrey Brown talks to Lowery Stokes Sims, a curator at the Museums of Arts and Design, about the life, work and legacy of Elizabeth Catlett, who died Monday at age 96.
'The Art of Video Games' at the Smithsonian American Art Museum April 4, 2012 |
"The Art of Video Games" at the Smithsonian American Art Museum is one of the first exhibitions to explore the 40-year evolution of video games as an artistic medium. Featuring 80 games and 20 video games systems, the exhibit walks through the tremendous advances in design, technology and storytelling.
Conversation: 2012 Whitney Biennial March 23, 2012 |
The 2012 edition of the Whitney Biennial opened earlier this month at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Jeffrey Brown talks to the curators, Elisabeth Sussman and Jay Sanders, about the show.
Q&A: 'Frida Kahlo: Her Photos' February 22, 2012 |
Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is internationally well-known for her iconic self-portraits. A new exhibit at Artisphere in Arlington, Va., is offering a new look at the painter. For the first time in the United States, 259 personal photos are on display in "Frida Kahlo: Her Photos."
Q&A: The Art of Google Books February 15, 2012 |
"The Art of Google Books" is a Tumblr blog that showcases errors and anomalies found in the digital pages of Google Books. Krissy Wilson, the creator of the blog and a student at the University of Florida, sifts through scanned pages on Google Books searching for visible signs of the digitizing process
Conversation: Edward Gero on Rothko, 'Red' February 8, 2012 |
Mark Rothko's life has been turned into art in the play "Red," starring Edward Gero, written by John Logan and directed by Robert Falls, now at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.
For the Depression-era Murals of Coit Tower, Great Recession-era Neglect January 18, 2012 |
Two-hundred thousand visitors show up at Coit Tower in San Francisco every year, and most of them seem to ignore one the most fascinating and enjoyable art treasures in country: the Depression-era murals that cover the tower's walls.
In 'Crime Unseen,' Violence Is All Around Us December 8, 2011 |
Crime has long fascinated the imagination, from Sherlock Holmes to film portrayals of Al Capone and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to TV shows such as "Law and Order" and "Dexter." The Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College in Chicago examines the attraction in the exhibit, "Crime Unseen."
Conversation: Andrew Graham-Dixon, Author of 'Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane' December 2, 2011 |
Michelangelo Caravaggio was one of the great painters in the history of Western art. He also remains one of the most mysterious and elusive of artistic geniuses. A new biography wrestles with the man, his times and his work. "Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane" is by Andrew Graham-Dixon, an art critic, historian and television host of documentaries on art for the BBC.
Photographer Harry Callahan at 100 December 1, 2011 |
His photographs don't enjoy nearly the same popular and iconic appeal as those of his one-time mentor Ansel Adams. But a new exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., is paying homage the under-appreciated yet innovative work of American photographer Harry Callahan.
Crystal Bridges: a New Home to American Art November 18, 2011 |
The Crystal Bridges Museum opened last week in Bentonville, Ark. The building was designed by Moshe Safdie, and the collection was amassed by Alice Walton of the Wal-Mart fortune.
Denver Opens a New Home to Clyfford Still November 17, 2011 |
He may be the biggest name in American art history that you've never heard of, but a new museum in Denver is hoping to change that. Clyfford Still was one of the country's leading abstract expressionists of the 20th century, along with Jackson Pollock, Willem De Kooning and Mark Rothko.
The Daily Frame November 17, 2011 |
A woman walks past a sculpture by Stefano Pierotti titled "Berluscrotto," representing the face of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, in Pietrasanta, Italy.
Dancers, Visual Artists Share the Stage at ICA November 9, 2011 |
The Institute of Contemporary Arts/Boston is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. To help mark the occasion, the museum opened a centerpiece exhibition called "Dance/Draw," which explores "the dynamic exchange taking place between visual art and dance today."
Olivetti Hit Keys for Success: Good Design October 25, 2011 |
"Olivetti: Innovation & Identity," a small exhibit at the Denver Art Museum tied to a larger show about modern design, examines how an Italian company making typewriters and calculators forged its reputation on the idea that the customer's aesthetic experience matters.
In 'The Death-Ray,' Clowes Takes on the Powers of a Teenage Superhero October 20, 2011 |
You may not yet recognize artist, writer and cartoonist Daniel Clowes by name, but there's a growing chance that you've been exposed to his work. His latest work to be published into hardcover form is "The Death-Ray," a very different take on the superhero genre.
The Daily Frame October 20, 2011 |
A woman stands next to "More of the Day" by artist Karla Black at the Turner Prize 2011 exhibition at Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, England. Four artists -- Black, Martin Boyce, Hilary Lloyd and George Shaw -- have been nominated for this year's prestigious Turner Prize, which will be awarded on Dec. 5.
Negotiating Asian-American Identity Through Portraiture October 12, 2011 |
The work of seven visual artists in the recent exhibit, Portraiture Now: Asian American Portraits of Encounter, highlights the unique and diverse experiences of Asian American identity.
In Pursuit of the Great White Whale, via Paintbrush October 10, 2011 |
In August 2009 Matt Kish, a librarian by trade and artist by night, decided to draw one image for every page of of his long-time favorite novel - "Moby-Dick". Kish spent the next 543 days in pursuit of his own white whale - the illustration of his book's 552 pages.
Whitney Exhibit Walks the Line Between Real and Surreal October 7, 2011 |
A new exhibit at the Whitney Museum in New York aims to highlight intersections between representation and fantasy. The exhibit, "Real/Surreal," which opened this week, showcases art from the museum's permanent collection that blurs the lines between the two artistic styles.
The Daily Frame October 6, 2011 |
A visitor looks at "The Saints Rocco Sebastian Jerome and Helena" by 15th century painter Filippino Lippi. Photo by Alberto Pizzoli/ AFP/ Getty Images.
The Daily Frame October 4, 2011 |
An Andy Warhol limited edition signed print from the Cowboys and Indians series is on display at an auction preview of items owned by film star John Wayne.
New Joplin Mural Tells Story of the Storm September 28, 2011 |
Just a few blocks from the rubble of last year's tornado, a bright new mural has been painted, depicting life in Joplin both before and after the storm.
The Daily Frame September 22, 2011 |
An ink and wash illustration shows defense attorney Caleb Sidney Carlton, left, and defense witness Carolyn Bryant during the trial of her husband, Roy Bryant, and J.W. Milam in the Tallahatchie County courthouse in Sumner, Miss., on Sept. 22, 1955.
The Daily Frame September 21, 2011 |
An art installation entitled "REDDRESS" by South Korean artist Aamu Song sprawls across the floor at London's York Hall. Photo credit: Carl Court/ AFP/ Getty Images.
The Daily Frame September 19, 2011 |
Visitors take photos in front of a portrait of the Soviet Union's founding father, Vladimir Lenin, at Bulgaria's first museum of state-sponsored, propaganda art from its Communist regime.
Joel Meyerowitz Documented Ground Zero 'Aftermath' September 8, 2011 |
Photographer Joel Meyerowitz spent months at Ground Zero, amassing roughly 8,000 images of the destruction and the heroic recovery efforts.
The Art of Saif al-Islam Gadhafi September 2, 2011 |
As we speak, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son and would-be heir to Moammar Gadhafi, is on the run and still vowing not to surrender to the rebels in Libya. Under very different circumstances in 2002, he staged an exhibition of his art in London.
Asia Society Exhibit Explores Pakistan's Buddhist Past August 31, 2011 |
'The Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan: Art of Gandhara,' a new exhibit at the Asia Society in New York, is the first American show in decades to examine works from this chapter of Pakistani history.
Slide Show: The New Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall August 26, 2011 |
Forty-eight years after he delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Martin Luther King Jr. now has a permanent presence on the National Mall with this week's opening of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
In a Station of the Metro, an Apparition of Color From Sam Gilliam August 18, 2011 |
Sam Gilliam's studio has the airy feel of a warehouse, but it boasts densities of colors and shapes. Sculptural paintings hang like scarves over the walls, and slabs of plywood are thick with hardened acrylics.
Corcoran Gallery of Art Recalls Influence of the Washington Color School August 5, 2011 |
An exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, "Washington Color and Light," examines the methodology and breadth of the Washington Color School.
Conversation: Martin Gayford, Friend and Model to Lucian Freud, Remembers Artist July 22, 2011 |
The artist Lucian Freud died Wednesday night in London at age 88. Critic Martin Gayford, author of a book about sitting as a model for Freud, discusses the life and work of his friend.
Lucian Freud, Innovative Painter of the Intimate, Dead at 88 July 21, 2011 |
Lucian Freud, the British painter who helped redefine modern portraiture and figurative painting, died Wednesday night at the age of 88 at his home in London.
American Painter Cy Twombly Dies at 83 July 5, 2011 |
Celebrated American painter Cy Twombly, whose paintings featured scribbles, graffiti and unusual materials and who invigorated American post-War art alongside Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg, has died. He was 83.
Conversation: What Next for Ai Weiwei? June 30, 2011 |
Internationally known Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was released from prison last week after a three month detention. Jeffrey Brown gets an update on Ai's situation from Alison Klayman, who has been working on a documentary about him, "Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry."
Now on View, the View From Jane Freilicher's Window May 19, 2011 |
Jane Freilicher has been well known in the art world for decades, but unlike many of her friends and contemporaries, she's never quite become familiar outside of that circle.
From the Movies to the Museum, Michael McMillen Fabricates Artistic Tableaus May 18, 2011 |
Micheal McMillen uses just about anything he can find or that he's collected over the years to shape his art work -- work that ranges from small objects like a moth pulling a brick to giant installations that viewers can walk into and feel part of.
As Photographer, Moby Captures His Unique Vision of Normal Life May 17, 2011 |
For most people in the world, the experience of standing on a stage surrounded by thousands of cheering fans would make for a fairly extraordinary day. For Moby, a musician and DJ who has sold more than 20 million records worldwide, it's normal.
Conversation: McQueen's 'Savage Beauty' May 13, 2011 |
An exhibition of the work of designer Alexander McQueen has just opened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York City.
30 Years After Bob Marley's Death May 11, 2011 |
Today marks the 30th anniversary of the death of music legend Bob Marley. The Jamaican reggae star died young in 1981, at just 36 from cancer, leaving behind a legacy that reaches across all musical genres, ages and around the world.
Slide Show: 'Where Children Sleep' April 19, 2011 |
In his project, "Where Children Sleep," photographer James Mollison explores how the sleeping spaces of children around the world reveal much about their lives. Sadly, the notion that we're all born equal is not the case, he says.
Conversation: Marina Abramovic April 8, 2011 |
Marina Abramovic is a pioneer of performance art, capped off most recently by her retrospective last year at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, 'The Artist Is Present,' which drew widespread acclaim.
Mini Slide Show: Maira Kalman's Textile Art April 6, 2011 |
Writer and illustrator Maira Kalman is famous for her drawings and paintings, but an exhibit that opened last month also includes a series of her textile work, which was born out of a sentimental attachment to the materials.
Slide Show: New Exhibit Brings Mosaic of Hildreth Meière's Life Out of Obscurity April 5, 2011 |
For an artist whose work is so omnipresent, mural and mosaic artist Hildreth Meiè isn't exactly a household name. A new exhibition helps bring her out of obscurity.
'The History of American Graffiti:' From Subway Car to Gallery March 31, 2011 |
Since its explosion onto city walls and subway cars in the 1970s, the increasing popularity of graffiti as an art form has won commercial success for its artists and a regular presence in pop culture and the contemporary art world.
Slide Show: Artist Maira Kalman Makes Sense of Our Crazy World March 30, 2011 |
Maira Kalman's words and pictures strip history, politics and the world around her down to their most basic -- and often delightful -- elements. A traveling retrospective of her work is currently on show at the Jewish Museum in New York.
In Reverse Trompe L'Oeil, Models Are Both Subject and Painting Surface March 8, 2011 |
In some ways, artist Alexa Meade is a traditional figure painter, replicating the light and shadow that falls on the human body in a naturalistic way. But she works on an unusual canvas: the human body.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin Turns 100 February 15, 2011 |
The story of Taliesin and Frank Lloyd Wright's time spent there will soon be celebrated this year with months of tours, receptions, photography, concerts, and a number of exhibits including artifacts and archival photos.
Drawing and Hustling in Washington, D.C. February 9, 2011 |
Nikita Z. Murray sees dollar signs -- not faces -- when he sits down to draw a portrait. It's a Friday afternoon in Arlington, Va., and Murray is working the shopping mall food court.
Two Artists. Two Continents. One Creative Conversation. February 9, 2011 |
Artists in Dialogue 2, a new exhibition at the National Museum of African Art, unites the styles and techniques of two artists from different continents in a visual call and response.
Have Some Art With Your Football February 4, 2011 |
When football fans enter the Dallas Cowboys stadium on Sunday to watch the Steelers and the Packers fight to become Super Bowl champions, they may get an unexpected eyeful of contemporary art.
Mini-Slide Show: Kennedy Center Shows Off VSA Commissions February 1, 2011 |
Three installations, "Diverse Design," "Finding the Way to Balance" and "Sticky Situations," are on show through February 13, 2011 at the Kennedy Center.
Conversation: Ed Ruscha January 28, 2011 |
Now on show at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, "Ed Ruscha: Road Tested" is a collection of photographs, paintings and prints inspired by the artist's love of driving across America.
Slide Show: A 20th Century Salon That Paired Painters and Poets January 18, 2011 |
"Tibor de Nagy Gallery Painters and Poets" is currently on show through March 5, 2011.
'Green Patriots' Get Straight to the Message with Enviro-Friendly Poster Art January 6, 2011 |
Green Patriot Posters, an environmental sustainability advocacy organization that uses graphic art to raise awareness for green causes, has just published a new collection of purposeful poster art.
Veteran Photographer William Albert Allard Helped Change Focus of National Geographic December 28, 2010 |
When William Albert Allard joined the staff of National Geographic in 1964, the magazine's approach to photojournalism began to change. Jeffrey Brown talks to the veteran photographer about his nearly 50 years of work.
Thursday's NewsHour: Garry Trudeau Looks Back on 40 Years of 'Doonesbury' December 23, 2010 |
It's been 40 years since Garry Trudeau first started to pen "Doonesbury", a comic strip that has entertained and provoked readers as a chronicle of the baby-boom generation, part sharp political commentary, part very funny comic strip.
Boston's Museum Makes More Room for Art of the Americas December 7, 2010 |
In November, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston opened the doors to a brand new expansion that houses its collection of American Art, in every meaning of the word "American."
War Photographer Tim Hetherington Captures Combat and Downtime in 'Infidel' November 16, 2010 |
In 2007 and 2008, British photojournalist and filmmaker Tim Hetherington traveled to the Korengal Valley in northeastern Afghanistan to capture images of American soldiers serving in the war -- not just in combat, but also relaxing, playing, sleeping. His photographs are now collected as a new book titled "Infidel."
Art Is a Laughing Matter at Baltimore's Visionary Art Museum November 9, 2010 |
"What Makes Us Smile?", an exhibit at Baltimore's American Visionary Art Museum, is a celebration of human joy as seen through an array of funny, happy or goofy drawings, paintings and sculptures, as well as the ever-present, ever-blowing, whoopee cushion bench.
Questions of Photographic Propriety in 'Framing Innocence' November 4, 2010 |
In 1999, Cynthia Stewart, an amateur photographer and school bus driver in Oberlin, Ohio, was arrested on two felony charges for photographs she'd taken of her eight-year-old daughter, which she tried to have developed at a nearby drugstore. The charges were eventually dropped. The in-between is the subject of a new book by poet Lynn Powell called "Framing Innocence."
Andre Kertesz Captured the Art of Reading November 3, 2010 |
"On Reading," an exhibition on view at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, collects photos taken by Hungarian photographer Andre Kertesz over a decades' long career of people in private moments reading books, newspapers or magazines.
Conversation: Sculptor Elizabeth Turk October 29, 2010 |
Elizabeth Turk is a sculptor who can seemingly turn marble into lace. She studied at Scripps College and the Maryland Institute College of Art. Her work has appeared in numerous solo and group exhibitions, and she has been awarded one of this year's Macarthur genius grants.
Goodbye, 'Big Bambu' October 26, 2010 |
After six months of hoisting, heaving, bending, climbing and tying, Big Bambu at the Met is almost ready to begin its slow dismantling.
Conversation: William Kentridge October 20, 2010 |
Premiering nationwide Thursday on PBS is art:21's latest film, "William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible." Kentridge, a South African artist, is well known for his wide dynamic range of works: charcoal drawings, animations, video installations, sculptures and performance pieces.
Conversation: Stone Carver Nicholas Benson, 2010 MacArthur Fellow October 8, 2010 |
Nicholas Benson is a stone carver from Newport, R.I., a third generation craftsman who runs the John Stevens Shop, a business that's been in operation since 1705. He was named as a 2010 MacArthur Fellow.
Coming Soon to PBS, the History of Art Across Time, Continents and Cultures October 8, 2010 |
Starting Sunday on PBS, a new 13-part educational series for high school and college students explores some of the most commonly recurring themes that come up again and again across the history (and contemporary practice) of art.
Conversation: Kendall Messick's Close-Up of 'The Projectionist' September 21, 2010 |
Delaware movie projectionist Gordon Brinckle had an extraordinary secret: Over the course of nearly 50 years, he created a miniature movie palace in his basement that he called the Shalimar. Photographer Kendall Messick has published a new book of photographs documenting his theater.
What You See When You Close Your Eyes: Brion Gysin at the New Museum September 9, 2010 |
"Brion Gysin: Dream Machine," the first U.S. retrospective of the artist's work, is currently on view at the New Museum in New York City.
'Parallel Currents' Showcases a Poet's Collection of Latin American Art September 8, 2010 |
Entering Ricardo Pau-Llosa's home in Miami, visitors can't help but feel they've stepped into an art museum. From the kitchen to his high-ceilinged study, nearly every inch of his place is covered with works by contemporary of Latin American artists.
Community Supported Art Harvests Creativity August 26, 2010 |
In Minneapolis, two arts organizations have taken a business model created by small, independent farmers and adapted it for the visual arts.
Richard Misrach's Photographs Speak Volumes about Katrina's Devastation August 25, 2010 |
"Destroy This Memory" is a narrative photo series by Richard Misrach comprised of 69 color prints that showcases the graffiti messages scrawled by Katrina victims and rescue workers.
Tuesday on the NewsHour: Indianapolis Museum of Art Breaks New Ground August 24, 2010 |
Tuesday on the NewsHour, Jeffrey Brown goes to Indiana to talk to the curators, artists and patrons involved in the transformation at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Satire and Seduction in the Prints of Warrington Colescott August 19, 2010 |
Marked by an interest in innovative techniques and bawdy satire, Warrington Colescott's challenging and witty fine art prints have buoyed him to national attention.
Preview: In Indianapolis, Moving Art Outdoors Attracts More Museum Visitors August 6, 2010 |
In a city that known more for its sports teams than for its art scene, the Indianapolis Museum of Art is making moves to redefine itself as a center for contemporary art with the addition of a new art park.
Slide Show: Berlin's Tacheles Gallery Hoping to Avoid Extinction August 4, 2010 |
Formed as a squat by artists seeking to save the building from demolition in the 1990s, the Tacheles Gallery in Berlin provides space for artists while remaining freely open to the public. The building, which is also a tourist attraction, is threatened by closure because the new owner wants to develop the site.
In Arizona, Posters of Protest Against Immigration Law July 28, 2010 |
As soon as Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed Senate Bill 1070 into law in April, grassroots groups started protesting. One of the main organizers is 23-year-old artist and activist Ernesto Yerena, who, growing up, didn't have to look very far to see that art and social issues could intersect.
Honoring a Modern Chicago Landmark as an 'Urban Vision' July 27, 2010 |
When the construction of Chicago's Marina City reached completion in 1964, it was an architectural and social icon for the city -- and beyond.
Celebrating the Marriage of Art and Technology at the Creators Project July 15, 2010 |
A partnership between Vice Magazine and Intel, the Creators Project was launched on June 26th in New York, bringing established and emerging artists from around the world together to explore the use of technology in art.
Capturing Tiffany's Color and Light July 13, 2010 |
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is exhibiting more than 180 examples of the artist's work in an exhibit called "Tiffany: Color and Light.' The collection shows Tiffany's ability to use layering and a wide breadth of colors to create a sense of movement.
Conversation: Chuck Close, Christopher Finch July 2, 2010 |
Chuck Close is one of the most recognized artists of our era, best known for his large-scale portraits of friends, fellow artists and often himself. An exhibition of Close's printmaking work is opening this weekend at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington.
Adventures of Art Critic Barbara Pollack in 'The Wild, Wild East' June 4, 2010 |
The first time art critic Barbara Pollack went to China in 2004, she says the art scene reminded her of the wild, wild west: there were some brave pioneers and a general sense of lawlessness -- no established rules or conventions. In the short years since then, the Chinese art scene -- like the Chinese economy -- has exploded, with over 400 galleries in Beijing and 1200 contemporary art museums being built across the country, according to Pollack.
Pakistani Women Make Community, Income Through Art June 3, 2010 |
n 2003, Sumeena Nazir founded the Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy, a women's development agency, in her hometown of Chakwal to provide rural women an opportunity to form support networks in their own neighborhoods.
Artists Team Up to Create World Cup 'Posters' June 2, 2010 |
Capturing the frenzy, anticipation and pride behind the first World Cup in Africa required the work of contemporary artists, inspiration from six continents and 17 posters.
Conversation: The Life, Work and Legacy of Louise Bourgeois, 1911-2010 June 1, 2010 |
Jeffrey Brown talks to Nancy Spector, Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the Guggenheim Museum, about the life and work of Louise Bourgeois.
'17th Century Recycling' Made into Art May 28, 2010 |
In his backyard in Denver, Ray Tomasso calls paper making 17th-century-style recycling. His workshop is filled with boxes of old cotton rags, blue jeans, rag board and scraps of paper -- the perfect material for his art.
Ginsberg Saw the Best Minds of His Generation, and Captured Them on Film May 27, 2010 |
Though Allen Ginsberg will forever be remembered as an influential poet, he also documented his life through photos. The exhibit, "Beat Memories: The Photos of Allen Ginsberg," showcases more than 80 photos captured through his camera.
The Beautiful Game, Rendered in Art May 26, 2010 |
2010 Fine Art, a Cape Town, South Africa-based company has commissioned more than 100 artists from around the globe to paint, whittle and sculpt works inspired by the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Tuesday on the NewsHour: Henri Cartier-Bresson May 18, 2010 |
French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson traveled the world for decades capturing people, places and history as a journalist, and in the process, helped define photography as an art form. His legacy is now on display in an exhibit called 'Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century', a retrospective of 300 photographic works at New York's Museum of Modern Art.
For Soldiers Returning From War, Catharsis in Creative Expression May 18, 2010 |
As a new generation of soldiers return from combat and are confronted by the internal conflicts brought on by the stress of war, the military, mental health professionals and artists have begun to collaborate on ways to give "wounded warriors" creative tools for processing and expressing trauma. In Colorado Springs, Colorado, the Pikes Peak Behavioral Health Group runs an 11-week art therapy program for Fort Carson soldiers with physical and psychological trauma
Picasso Price Helps Paint a Prettier Picture for the Art Market May 6, 2010 |
This week, the art market continued to show strong signs of recovery as leading auction houses Sotheby's and Christie's held their Impressionist and Modern art sales, setting records and at least tripling the total brought in by the same auctions last May.
Photo Pioneer Muybridge Froze Time During an Era of Change May 5, 2010 |
Many of the technical and artistic conquests made in the history of photography can be traced back to the breakthroughs of one man. The 19th century British born photographer Eadweard Muybridge spent his lifetime capturing the American spirit, first in the landscapes of the Western frontier, and later in his visualizations of movement stopped in time that seemed to conquer speed with technology, freeze and reveal the un-seeable for every eye.
Conversation: Rebecca Solnit, Biographer of Eadweard Muybridge May 5, 2010 |
Rebecca Solnit is the author of "River of Shadows: Eadweard Muybridge and the Technological Wild West," which won the 2003 National Book Award for Criticism, and a contributor to the exhibition catalog for the current Muybridge exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Conversation: PBS President Paula Kerger Making a Push for More Arts Programming April 23, 2010 |
The "Public Broadcasting Service":http://video.pbs.org/feature/149/ -- our home -- has a long tradition of showcasing the arts. But it's also true that programs featuring performances and exhibitions are not as pervasive and prominent on the nightly schedule as in the past.
New $100 Bill Gets a Facelift April 21, 2010 |
In the appropriately named Cash Room of the Department of the Treasury, Treasurer of the United States Rosie Rios, along with Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner, unveiled a new design of the $100 bill Wednesday morning.
Shearer's 'Silent Echo Chamber' Embraces TV's Awkward Silences April 7, 2010 |
Awkwardness is the essence of "The Silent Echo Chamber," a multi-screen video installation on display at the New Orleans Contemporary Art Center. The work is part of an ongoing project called "Nontalking Heads" by "Harry Shearer.
Conversation: Alfred Molina Plays Painter Mark Rothko in 'Red' April 2, 2010 |
In "Red", a new drama by John Logan, abstract artist Mark Rothko speaks his mind about art and life and battles with a young assistant as the two prepares a commission of blood-colored murals. Veteran actor Alfred Molina (acclaimed most recently for his role in last year's 'An Education') plays the famous but violent-tempered artist.
A Pilgrimage to the World's 'Sacred Waters' March 30, 2010 |
In 2009, photographer John Stanmeyer journeyed to 12 nations to document how different cultures make use of water on a spiritual level.
Conversation: Still Unsolved, Gardner Heist Remains Largest Art Theft in History March 19, 2010 |
Twenty years ago this week, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston was the site of the biggest art heist in history. Jeffrey Brown talks to Ulrich Boser, author of "The Gardner Heist" and who has been following recent developments in the case, to see if authorities are any closer to catching the thieves.
Charles Moore's Photographs Helped Spur Fight Against Racial Injustice March 16, 2010 |
Charles Moore, a photographer whose images helped to enlighten the nation to the civil rights struggles of the 1950s and '60s, died at the age of 79. According to his daughter, he died from natural causes in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., on Thursday, March 11.
Shaq Attacks Art World in 'Size DOES Matter' March 11, 2010 |
NBA basketball player Shaquille O'Neal curates an art exhibition called "Size DOES Matter."
Artists Shake Up Elvis Presley's Image March 2, 2010 |
"Echoes of Elvis" showcases works by artists created only after 1977, the year Presley died. But the show was organized with a very special anniversary in mind what would have been his 75th birthday. Therefore, the exhibit explores the many transformations the recording artist underwent during his lifetime: the rebel youth, the sex symbol, army sergeant, movie star, Las Vegas regular.
'Families of Abraham' Gather in Exhibition February 25, 2010 |
'Families of Abraham," a photography exhibit, captures families of Christian, Muslim and Jewish faiths in their daily lives.
Rodarte Makes a 'Quick' Move From Runway to Museum February 19, 2010 |
In the big tents in Bryant Park this past week, some of the biggest fashion designers in the world were getting their New York minute, so to speak, including Laura and Kate Mulleavy, the sisters behind the fashion label Rodarte. But the Mulleavys were also the focus of another kind of show -- a new exhibit called "Quicktake: Rodarte" at the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.
Already in the Global Spotlight, Vancouver's Skies Deliver Additional Delight February 17, 2010 |
A week before the torch arrived in the Olympic city, Vancouver's skies were already illuminated, ready to greet the world with a warm welcome. Light artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and his team had installed 10 searchlights on both sides of English Bay for an interactive work he calls "Vectorial Elevation."
'Facebook' for the Parlor Crowd? Cartomania and Photocollage in the Victorian Era February 11, 2010 |
The occupation of young women of leisure was primarily to prove themselves worthy wives, which included accomplishment at the (approved) fine arts. But hold the judgement; these Victorian women weren't nearly as stuffy, bored or boring as you might think. Harnessing a popular new trend, they applied a creative, modern (before there was such a thing) approach to the traditional arts of drawing and painting.
Winter Forecast: Art to Blanket Region February 4, 2010 |
When it comes to photography, a Wilson Bentley image can be described much like his favorite subject, the snowflake: Each is one of a kind. After all, the Vermont farmer was the first to ever photograph one.
Portraits of the Face of War February 2, 2010 |
In her surprisingly tender portraits of former soldiers and marines, photographer Nina Berman documents the lives of veterans who have made an extraordinary sacrifice for their country, and who now must make a new start in the face of serious injury.
An Artist's Favorite Authors Get Some Face Time at the Library January 13, 2010 |
On a personal quest to bring his father's work to a broader audience, Carl Kohler's son Henry (together with his sister Frida) he approached galleries in hopes that someone would embrace the work, but didn't have any luck.
Andrew Moore: 'Detroit Disassembled' January 12, 2010 |
An exhibition of photographs by Andrew Moore is on display at the Yancey Richardson Gallery in New York that captures the lost world of Detroit -- abandoned auto plants taken over by plants, burned out high schools frozen in time.
Remembering Abstract Color Field Painter Kenneth Noland January 6, 2010 |
Kenneth Noland, the abstract artist whose sensitive approach to color helped define and establish the Washington Color Field school of painting, died Tuesday at the age of 85 at his home in Maine.
Tuesday on the NewsHour: National Geographic Unearths Its Buried Treasure January 5, 2010 |
For every glossy copy of National Geographic magazine you've paged through, there are hundreds of photos that you haven't seen, photographs that didn't make the final cut, but did make it into a massive underground vault.
Going, Going, Gone: 2009 Was a 'Recession Battered' Year January 5, 2010 |
As early as mid-2007, there was speculation that the bubble had begun to deflate, and by late 2008 it had burst outright, laying the groundwork for a rough 2009. Sales at Sotheby's and Christie's each declined around 50% from the year before, and collectors' interest in contemporary art (including works by up-and-coming artists) waned.
Remembering the Sharp Insights of Caricaturist David Levine December 30, 2009 |
David Levine, a master of the caricature, died yesterday at the age of 83 in New York as a result of prostate cancer and other illness. Levine had the ability to expose and gently exaggerate the distinguishing features of politicians, historical figures and literary giants.
Conversation: Painter James Rosenquist December 23, 2009 |
From signs and billboard advertisements that loomed high above Times Square to canvases filled with images from popular culture that helped shape the world of art from the early 1960s, James Rosenquist has been painting on a large scale for more than 60 years.
Tim Burton Gets a MoMA 'Retrospooktive' December 22, 2009 |
Late last month, a major retrospective of works by filmmaker and artist Tim Burton opened at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Art Beat talked to Ron Magliozzi, MoMA's Assistant Curator of Film, about seeing the world through Burton's looking glass.
Everyone Smile and Say, 'Democracy!' December 17, 2009 |
The old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words may indeed be true, but photographer Joe Sohm has found that it has taken him thousands of pictures to capture just one word: democracy.
Two Exhibits Gaze Upon Man Ray's Afterimage December 16, 2009 |
Art history knows him as Man Ray, the witty surrealist artist who helped legitimize photography as a medium of high art. But two recently-opened exhibits are changing his historical "afterimage," so to speak.
Our Correspondents' Picks of 2009 December 8, 2009 |
As the year draws to a close, and critics everywhere are drawing up their "Best Of" lists, we thought we'd enlist the PBS NewsHour mindshare to give us their picks for their favorite books, films, concerts and plays of 2009.
Cautious Collectors Still Deliver Strong Sales at Art Basel Miami December 7, 2009 |
In a year where art prices have been all over the map, the five-day trade fair Art Basel Miami was another closely-watched event, being analyzed now for the greater financial implications for artists and collectors.
Here's to a Year of Art Beat December 4, 2009 |
Hard to believe, but it's been a year since we launched this blog. After our first weeks, I wrote a thank you to our "first responders" -- the people who'd written in to say how much they appreciated and supported our goal of providing a place online for the arts and culture.
Photos from the Beijing Underground December 2, 2009 |
Capturing the faces of an ever expanding and changing youth movement in China, photographer Matthew Niederhauser's ongoing project, "Sound Kapital," documents the emerging underground punk, indie rock, electronic and folk music scenes of Beijing.
Monday on the NewsHour: New Biography Brings Dorothea Lange's Life Into Focus November 23, 2009 |
Some photographs, like "Migrant Mother," have become iconic images, part of our shared history. It and many other photos were taken by a woman who is herself the subject of a new biography: "Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits."
Jeanne-Claude Was Muse and Collaborator November 19, 2009 |
Jeanne-Claude, the artist who collaborated with her partner Christo on monumental installation projects like "The Gates" in New York and "The Wrapped Reichstag" in Berlin, passed away Wednesday at a hospital in New York from complications of a brain aneurysm. She was 74.
Artist Jeanne-Claude Has Died at 74 November 19, 2009 |
Artist Jeanne-Claude, who with her husband Christo, created public art installations around the world, has died. She was 74. Her family said she died Wednesday night at a New York hospital from complications of a brain aneurysm.
A Photography Debut, 65 Years in the Making November 17, 2009 |
Holding out for the course of a career that spans more than 40 years, photographer Robert Bergman refused to compromise on when and where he would hold his first show; standing by a personal philosophy of "getting it right," he patiently waited for the right time.
Winning Faces in Modern Portraits November 5, 2009 |
Every three years, the National Portrait Gallery holds a contest showcasing the best efforts in the country in portraiture. Out of 3,300 entries to the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, an exhibition of the top 49 is now on display.
Christie's Art Sale Underwhelms Buyers November 4, 2009 |
In the first autumn auction held Tuesday evening at Christie's in New York, total sales fell short of pre-sale estimates -- only $65.6 million instead of $68.6 to $97.1 million -- making for a slow start to the U.S. art market season.
Burtynsky's 'Oil': Refining Art from the Crude October 30, 2009 |
Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky's recently opened exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery of Art takes a large-scale look at something most of us never see, but use or benefit from nearly everyday of our lives: oil.
Beloved Sculptor Anne Truitt Gets Her Due October 27, 2009 |
Anne Truitt was many things -- a sculptor, author, professor and mother -- and above all, it seems, she was beloved by her student and friends for her spirit, integrity and seriousness of purpose.
'Herb & Dorothy,' a Love Story About Art, Opens New Season of Independent Lens October 13, 2009 |
The story of a postal worker and his librarian wife, who with modest means created one of the most priceless collections of contemporary art in the world, is the subject of Tuesday's season premier of Independent Lens on PBS.
Famed Photographer Irving Penn Dies at 92 October 8, 2009 |
Fashion and celebrity photographer Irving Penn died Wednesday in his Manhattan home at the age of 92, according to his photo assistant Roger Krueger. He is remembered for creating striking, minimalistic images and for adopting a craftsman-like approach to his work.
Art:21 Kicks off New Season October 7, 2009 |
"Art:21":http://beta.art21.org/, the documentary series about art and artists in the 21st-century, starts a new season tonight on PBS.
We All Have a Story October 1, 2009 |
All artists carry stories -- stories shaped by personal histories, cultures and family experiences. Fifteen of them are brought together at the Kohler Arts Center in "American Story," an exhibition of artists with diverse backgrounds.
Welcome Home: A Look at Living in Slums September 29, 2009 |
A multimedia exhibition from Norwegian photographer Jonas Bendiksen on display at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., documents the experiences of families living in unplanned, off-the-grid slums in Nairobi, Mumbai, Caracas and Jakarta.
Art of Contemporary Pakistan Comes to U.S. September 29, 2009 |
A new show at the Asia Society entitled Hanging Fire -- which refers to an idiom meaning "to delay decision" -- is the first U.S. museum exhibit to focus on contemporary art in Pakistan, and an attempt to alter the American perception of contemporary Pakistan.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude (Part 2) September 24, 2009 |
Artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude have been working on a proposed environmental art installation in Colorado for years, but have been met with significant resistance from local residents.
Celebrating a Duchamp Masterwork September 11, 2009 |
During the last two decades of his life, Marcel Duchamp appeared to have given up art for chess, publically claiming he had gone underground. But hidden in his New York apartment was the final, enigmatic piece he had been working on for 20 years: an erotic, sculptural tableau he titled Etant donnes.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude Go 'Over the River' and Through the 'Lion's Den' September 9, 2009 |
According to the proposal for a major upcoming art project in Southern Colorado, the artists (and spouses) known as Christo and Jeanne-Claude will suspend a snaking ribbon of porous polypropylene, totaling nearly six miles, above the Arkansas River.
A New Deal for Artists September 2, 2009 |
Artists today have a number of safety nets to help ease the pain brought on by a battered economy, but during the Great Depression it took a federal stimulus program of sorts to protect many of the nation's painters and sculptors.
Conversation: Josh Neufeld Revisits Katrina August 28, 2009 |
Josh Neufeld's "A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge" tracks the lives of New Orleans residents as they fled or remained, and then struggled to cope in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Jessye Norman, the Roots Team Up for Langston Hughes' 'Ask Your Mama' August 27, 2009 |
Five years ago, Emmy Award-winning composer Laura Karpman stumbled across a copy of Hughes"Ask Your Mama." She was instantly struck by the power and potential of the piece, believing it cried out to be realized as a 21st century multimedia performance.
An Unflinching Look at Violence in Juarez August 20, 2009 |
Artist Alice Leora Briggs takes an unflinching look at the violence in the border town of Juarez, Mexico.
Tiny World, Big Art in Madison August 19, 2009 |
If you happen to find yourself waiting out a flight delay at the airport in Madison, Wis., look on the bright side: You'll have more time to browse an exhibit that unites art and science.
Fabrics of Our Lives: Obama's Mother's Collection at the Textile Museum August 18, 2009 |
How do our clothes and other fabrics tell the trajectory of our lives? One woman's answer is now on display in a special two-week exhibit at the Textile Museum.
Courtroom Artist Is Witness to It All August 14, 2009 |
On Thursday's NewsHour, we profiled courtroom sketch artist William Hennessy, whose work has offered people a glimpse where cameras are oftentimes banned. Here is a slideshow of some of his most memorable sketches from the past 27 years.
Recycling a Museum's 'Trash' Back Into Art August 12, 2009 |
When the Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art recently deaccessioned a trove of costumes from its collection, a textile artist stumbled upon an auction catalog. His new project was born when he scooped up more than 50 deaccessioned costumes.
Open For Business at 'The Work Office' July 24, 2009 |
Think your paycheck is small? Try getting a gig at The Work Office, where New York City artists have contributed to a WPA-style collaborative art project for Depression-era wages.
Eggleston: An Exceptional Eye for the Ordinary July 23, 2009 |
For more than 40 years, photographer William Eggleston has captured common, everyday instances or objects that, through his particular framing, elevates the familiar and makes the ordinary beautiful. Through his lens, a moment can be made monumental.
Conversation: Painter John Currin July 17, 2009 |
American painter John Currin is one of the most recognized and lauded figurative artists working today whose work is one of the subjects of an exhibition called "Paint Made Flesh," which is now at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C.
At the End of the World with Robyn O'Neil July 16, 2009 |
It's a beautiful, hot day in early summer in the Houston suburb where the artist Robyn O'Neil lives and works; only a couple of flinty clouds are in the sky over Texas.
The 1-Dress Sustainability Solution July 2, 2009 |
How will the future of fashion -- one predicated on continual consumption -- survive in a world of limited resources? Can fashion -- the cultural apex of illimitable desire -- ever be sustainable?
Kodak Retires Iconic Kodachrome Film June 24, 2009 |
Eastman Kodak Co. announced this week that it was retiring its iconic Kodachrome film because of declining demand. Introduced in 1935, Kodachrome became the world's first commercially successful color film.
Guggenheim Celebrates 50th With a Look Back June 18, 2009 |
This summer, the Guggenheim Museum in New York is going back to its roots. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of its landmark building on Fifth Avenue the museum is displaying a selection of works from its inaugural exhibition in 1959.
Artomatic: For the People, By the People June 16, 2009 |
It's easy to walk into any of the myriad free art museums here in Washington and find days' worth of great stuff to see. But what about the chances of you getting your artwork up in one of those museums? Fat chance!
Slide Show: Scenes from the Venice Biennale June 10, 2009 |
Held every two years, the Venice Biennale is the oldest and one of the largest contemporary art exhibitions in the world. This year's biennial, "Making Worlds," is the 53rd exhibition.
Smart Design for a Complicated Crisis June 3, 2009 |
A short and simple story of the credit crisis? Do you have 11 minutes? That's how long it takes designer Jonathan Jarvis to break down one of the most complicated financial news stories of the year in his video, "The Crisis of Credit Visualized."
Viewers Take their Time for Olafur Eliasson May 28, 2009 |
Artist Olafur Eliasson's exhibitions are about you.
First Class Addition in Second City: Art Institute of Chicago Opens Modern Wing May 21, 2009 |
The city that gave birth to the skyscraper and modern architecture has added a fresh facade to its landscape that is being hailed as a "temple of light." The Art Institute of Chicago opened up its Modern Wing this week.
Work of an Amateur: Czech Avant-Garde Photography at the National Gallery May 20, 2009 |
These days, everyone is a photographer. Pocket-sized cameras are ubiquitous; Flickr is a phenomenon; Facebook has reinvigorated the photo album and the self-portrait. Lest we forget that this was not always the case, a new exhibit at the National Gallery of Art in Washington looks at an early renaissance of amateur photography that developed in a country about the size of Virginia.
A Treasure by Michelangelo-in-Training for Texas Museum May 14, 2009 |
The man who painted the Sistine Chapel was actually young once, copying the works of other masters before he became one himself. The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, has just acquired a painting done by Michelangelo Buonarroti from when he was 12 or 13 showing St. Anthony being attacked and tormented by demons.
After Layoffs, More Time to Focus on Art May 13, 2009 |
At the end of last year, "Joe Claus":http://www.joeclaus.com was working at a small electronics company in Silicon Valley doing photography, marketing and design. And then he got laid off. "I was pissed," he said. But there was an unforeseen upside to his loss. No longer stuck behind a desk all day, he devoted more time to his photography.
Maya Lin: Extended Interviews May 12, 2009 |
Jeffery Brown's profile of Mya Lin from Tuesday's program will be posted in Art Beat soon. Below are two extended interviews with Lin.
Some Like It Hot: Glass Art at Third Degree April 30, 2009 |
Despite the medium's tendency toward transparency, glass blowing has a surprisingly opaque history.
On MoMA's Menu: 'Tangled Alphabets' Soup April 22, 2009 |
"Tangled Alphabets," on display now at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, is a dual retrospective of Argentine Leon Ferrari and Brazilian Mira Schendel, and the first major exhibition of their work in the United States.
Conversation: John Richardson, Biographer and Friend of Pablo Picasso April 17, 2009 |
For much of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso was at the forefront of modern art, but the work of his later years has at times been taken less seriously, as more an appendage to his earlier, revolutionary turns.
Character Project Captures Faces of America April 8, 2009 |
A new photography exhibit called the 'Character Project' features the work of 11 contemporary photographers who each shot a small series of photographs of Americans during the summer of 2008.
Where the Indigenous and Comics Meet April 7, 2009 |
Until recently, American Indians appeared only as stereotypes in comic books, their real narratives and folklore obscured by generic images of teepees and headdresses.
William Kentridge at SFMOMA March 31, 2009 |
In the catalog for "William Kentridge: Five Themes," a major survey now showing at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the artist writes: "[B]efore the work can begin (the visible finished work of the drawing, film or sculpture), a different, invisible work must be done.
Witness to the American West March 25, 2009 |
Like most great figures of the American West, there is a touch of legend in the tale of how Ernest L. Blumenschein made it to New Mexico.
Getty, Italian Museum Announce Collaboration March 24, 2009 |
The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles announced Monday a new collaboration with the Archaeology Museum in Florence, Italy to bring artifacts from the Italian museum to museum-goers in California.
Sketchbook Project Draws Artists Together March 11, 2009 |
Two young men hit the road with sketchbooks from more than 2,700 artists. It's not the greatest heist of found art ever; it's the third annual Sketchbook Project, now touring galleries across the country in a two-door Honda Civic.
Is This William Shakespeare? March 11, 2009 |
Earlier this week, lovers of the Bard got a special thrill: the unveiling of supposedly the only known portrait of William Shakespeare painted during his lifetime.
Paper Profits: Origami Meets Science March 5, 2009 |
Robert Lang, who studies lasers, gave up his Silicon Valley job to concentrate full-time on his life lifelong artistic interest in origami.
'Picturing the Promise' in D.C. March 4, 2009 |
On a cool Easter Sunday morning in 1939, 22-year-old photographer Robert Scurlock was sent on one of his first assignments to the Lincoln Memorial to capture a performance by Marian Anderson, the world-famous black contralto.
Tonight: Three Women Artists from Cairo February 26, 2009 |
On Thursday's NewsHour, Jeffrey Brown reports on three artists from Cairo with their own perspectives on the fascinating city he visited earlier this year: jewelry maker Azza Fahmy, conceptual artist Lara Baladi and dancer and choreographer Karima Mansour.
An Eye for Fashion at the ICP February 19, 2009 |
Fashion Week in New York ends Friday, but take a short walk from the big tents (which, face it, you're not going to get into anyway) and you'll see enough models making fierce faces and striking poses to last the whole season.
Harlem Renaissance Visits Oklahoma City February 18, 2009 |
"The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line," W.E.B. Du Bois wrote in 1901 in the Atlantic Monthly. What soon followed was an intellectual and artistic revolution that was first embodied in the Harlem Renaissance.
The Many Faces of Che February 12, 2009 |
When Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara is asked "How does it feel to be a symbol?" in Steven Soderbergh's new movie about him, Guevara replies, "A symbol of what?"
Faced With Economic Troubles, Brandeis to Close Rose Art Museum January 29, 2009 |
What is the value of art in bad economic times? Brandeis University discovered an answer this week when its president, Jehuda Reinharz, announced plans to close the esteemed Rose Art Museum and sell its collection.
Robert Frank: An Outsider Looking In January 23, 2009 |
In the late 1950s, a Swiss-born photographer named Robert Frank traveled America, documenting its days and nights. With a Guggenheim fellowship, Frank captured Americans in 48 states, on 767 rolls of film and almost 27,000 frames.
Highlights from the Manifest Hope:DC Party January 22, 2009 |
The Manifest Hope:DC gallery space in Washington neighborhood Georgetown closed Monday night, the day before the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
The Drawing Power of Presidential Image January 15, 2009 |
Perhaps never in American history has a politician inspired so many artists as President-elect Barack Obama. His face, seen in magazines, in murals and in posters, helped to propel a once unlikely campaign into the fundraising and publicity stratosphere.
Something for Everyone Inauguration Week January 14, 2009 |
In the lead-up to the passing of the keys to the White House, Washington, D.C., is giving entirely new meaning to the "party system." Most hotels have been sold out for months; Craigslist is overstocked with temporary rentals.
Prado Museum, Google Earth Partner Up January 13, 2009 |
To get a real close look at some of the best paintings housed in Spain's Prado Museum, you no longer have to trek to Madrid. Google and one of the world's most famous galleries announced Tuesday they have teamed up to allow people to explore 14 of the Prado's prized paintings using the search engine's mapping technology.
Terracotta Army Stands Watch in Atlanta January 9, 2009 |
For more than 2,000 years an army lay dormant under China's soil until a farmer stumbled upon a clay head while digging a well in 1974. The head belonged to one of an estimated 7,000 terracotta soldiers stationed to protect the tomb of the country's first emperor, Qin Shihuangdi.
'Urban Iran' Helps Lift the Veil January 8, 2009 |
"What we are experiencing now is a re-emergence of art in Iran," writes photographer Sina Araghi in "Urban Iran," a collection of essays, photography, art and illustrations from Iranian artists in Tehran and abroad.
Conversation: Andy Goldsworthy January 7, 2009 |
Sculptor Andy Goldsworthy has spent much of the last three decades creating works amid natural settings in his native England or across Europe and North America, or even at the North Pole.
Andy Goldsworthy's 'Spire' January 7, 2009 |
"Spire," a major new work by Andy Goldsworthy in the Presidio of San Francisco, rises like a steeple out of the earth. Overlooking the bay and Alcatraz Island in the distance, "Spire" grabs the attention of joggers, bikers and sightseers alike.
Elizabeth Peyton: Live Forever at New Museum January 6, 2009 |
In our era of non-stop celebrity gossip and reality-TV shows, painter Elizabeth Peyton makes high art out of high-profile lives. The first full survey exhibit of her work at an American museum contains more than 100 paintings and drawings.
For Arts Funding, 2008 Was a Rough Year December 31, 2008 |
As the clock ticks down on 2008's roller coaster of economic turmoil and time runs out for charitable giving this year, non-profits are under pressures they weren't feeling a year ago and communities are struggling to support art programs during the downturn.
Sculptor Robert Graham Dies at Age 70 December 29, 2008 |
Sculptor Robert Graham, master of the bronze monument, died Saturday at age 70 following an illness.
LA MOCA Postpones Decision on Rescue Deal December 19, 2008 |
The board of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art postponed an official decision on two competing proposals aimed to stabilize its financial situation.
LA MOCA Weighs Options in Face of Financial Struggles December 17, 2008 |
The Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is struggling to keep its doors open and hold onto one of the world's best collections of post-World War II art.
Franz West: Sit Down and Stay Awhile December 17, 2008 |
The work of Austrian sculptor Franz West is showing in its most comprehensive American survey to date in "Franz West, To Build a House You Start with the Roof: Work 1972 -2008" at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
Rebuilding New Orleans with Prospect.1 December 15, 2008 |
Tonight on the NewsHour, Jeffrey Brown reports on the New Orleans' efforts to rebuild its art scene and its tourist industry through Prospect.1, an exhibition of contemporary art billed as the largest of its kind ever held in the United States.
Sol LeWitt: Paint and Share Alike December 12, 2008 |
The work of great painters is typically thought to have come from the skill of their own hand. But for Sol LeWitt, the ideas behind the art mattered most, and those were to be shared, even replicated.
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Weekly Poem: 'Not a Verbal Equivalent'
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