Her face has gazed over midtown Manhattan traffic for over a century, but it wasn’t until 2023 that Hettie Anderson received official public recognition in words.
Art
A Whirlwind of Creativity at Dumbo Open Studios
Dozens of artists and project spaces in the Brooklyn neighborhood opened their doors this weekend, inviting the public behind the scenes.
London’s National Portrait Gallery Catches Up to Black Portraiture
The Time is Always Now emphasizes the continuing importance of Black identity, visibility, and recognition in predominantly White society.
The Manhattan High Line Sprouts Heads and Branches
Artist Giulia Cenci’s new installation in NYC has viewers questioning the impacts of arbitrary hierarchies imposed by the human race.
Before Lockets, There Were Hidden Renaissance Portraits
Hidden Faces: Covered Portraits of the Renaissance explores the paintings concealed behind mirrors, in folded diptychs, and on the backs of other works.
A Mid-Century Painter Showed a World Out of Kilter
In the Luigi Zuccheri’s pastoral scenes, a menagerie of oversized creatures, plants, fruits, and vegetables dwarf the humans with whom they share the canvas.
Look to the Past and Fear for the Future
Artist Cao Fei asks us to consider how long the benefits of new technologies may last, and what will remain after they’re gone.
Sibylle Ruppert’s Dark Fantasy
In Ruppert’s work, vices surround, engulf, and even penetrate her human protagonists.
Preserving Indigo and Woven Grass Practices in Northern Ghana
Despite a lack of investment in the region’s cultural practices, artisans are looking for ways to make local craft economically sustainable for their communities.
Required Reading
This week, Eid in Gaza, Arizona’s draconian anti-abortion law, a TikTok critic’s honest review of the eclipse, trolling Eric Adams, postmodern Bob Ross, and more.
The Horrors of Being a Middle Age Woman in a Capitalist Society
Shana Moulton’s female protagonist in Meta/Physical Therapy is charmingly overwhelmed by the small mundanities of contemporary life.
Nora Turato Makes Collective Angst Creative
The artist unveils the frenzied, emotional underpinnings of consumption, transforming collective angst into her own creative product.