Required Reading
This week, artist Arthur Jafa, the history of the Stradivarius violin, the politics of criticism, Latinx underrepresentation in the US media, an inflatable garden, and more.
The Latest
Books • Weekend
The Mega-Dealers Who Ate the Art World
It’s abundantly clear that the present system is unsustainable.
A Refreshing Vision of the Future
Inka Essenhigh’s futuristic Uchronia is a pastoral place where what was once work is now play.
Art • Weekend
When Gordon Parks Photographed the Life of a Brazilian Boy and Sparked Debate
Published in Life Magazine, the images of the sick and impoverished twelve-year-old Flávio da Silva prompted an outpouring of letters and offers of financial assistance.
Finding Joy in an Artist’s Swimming Pool
“Gateway,” an interactive installation by Joana Vasconcelos, breaks down the boundaries between art and architecture, and makes both accessible.
Art • Weekend
Lee Krasner’s Second Act
Though Krasner often invited art historians to interpret her work biographically, she was too resourceful an artist for those reductive readings to overshadow her art’s complexity.
Beer with a Painter: Doron Langberg
“There is an emotional narrative to the way that the paintings are touched,” the artist tells us. “If my body touches the surface aggressively or lightly, smearing or sanding, it creates different emotional notes, different speeds, and different focal points.
Articles
A View From the Easel
This week, artist studios in Oregon, Brooklyn, Washington, and Michigan.
The Cultural Legacy of Animals in Japanese Art Over 17 Centuries
With more than 300 works drawn from 66 Japanese institutions and 30 American collections, this is likely one of the largest exhibitions of Japanese art that a generation of Americans will ever see.
Books
A New Book Culls the Favorite Museum Pieces of World-Famous Artists
For It Speaks to Me, Jori Finkel asked 50 artists, from Marina Abramović to David Hockney, “to discuss a museum piece that intrigues or inspires them from their hometown.”
The Allure and Challenges of K-Pop’s Biggest Group
Bring the Soul follows the Korean boy band BTS on its recent world tour, showing the members’ incredible grind and perseverance.
Music
Dive Into K-Pop With Five Essential Music Videos
Getting into the inexplicable sounds, powerhouse choreography, and high-concept narratives and visuals of K-pop can be intimidating. Here are some iconic music videos to help any newbie get started.