Opinion
YouTube star and art-world explainer Hennesy Youngman records a rant about artists' personal mythologies, the tall tales that serve as the background for many art superstars. Besides a lesson in hagiography, this video serves up an awesome comparison of myth-making practices between rapper Jay-Z and
Opinion
In an essay for Paper Monument's third issue, Timothy Aubry writes on his view of youngsters’ behavior in museums, temples of art that were previously bastions of quiet respect and contemplation. Now, they may as well be amusement parks! Aubry points to the pajama-party vibe of Pipolotti Rist’s “Pou
Art
Okay, so, this week is New York City’s art fair week. This may sound like a carnival replete with Ferris wheels, clowns and cotton candy, but it’s not, at least in the literal sense. An art fair is like a carnival in that there’s a lot of excess noise, visual information and people yelling over each
![Banksy Loses Documentary Oscar to Inside Job [UPDATE]](/content/images/size/w600/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2011/02/banksyoscar_home.jpg)
News
As soon as the announcement came that Banksy's documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop was nominated for a Best Documentary Oscar, a churning online rumor mill debated if he would accept the award in person or remain anonymous. No one had a chance to find out what Banksy would do, though, because las
Opinion
In LA, the Watts Towers are a homemade monument by Simon Rodia, pointed cylinders of steel decorated with found objects that stretch over 99 feet tall. In Madrid, Benedictine monk Justo Martinez has constructed his own cathedral of a scale and complexity to rival Baroque architecture. Built over the
News
Even though we all think we know what Shakespeare looks like from our middle school Hamlet textbooks, only one portrait was (probably) painted in the writer's lifetime. In this singular work now on view at New York City's Morgan Library, Shakespeare is a total 17th century hottie with glowing skin,
Art
Sometime around February 14, an internet phenomenon erupted as Charles Hoey and Pete Smith announced they had found a lost game cartridge for the original Nintendo video game system (NES). This cartridge was an unlabeled video game version of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famed novel The Great Gatsby. Depic
News
On February 17, a new move was made to keep Philadelphia's Barnes Foundation in its original home. Based on accusations of political misconduct uncovered through documentary footage, lawyers for the Friends of the Barnes Foundation are asking a judge to reopen the case that ruled in favor of the Bar
Opinion
Website I Heart NY Museums by programmer Dan Nguyen is a super useful online mash-up of New York City museum data that shows you when each museum has admission-free hours. With this schedule, it's easy to plan an exhibition itinerary that won't leave you blowing $20 at MoMA.
Books
Scott Blake's rectangular, black two-inch wide and one-inch tall flipbook looks pretty harmless. It's small enough to fit in a pocket and has two normal, plastic covers bound by staples. The shock comes on the first flip through the book: it presents a moving image of the airplane hitting the second
Opinion
Painter, sculptor and all-around legendary artist Louise Bourgeois lived through most of the important moments in the development of modern art before she died at age 98 in 2010. This means that she had a long time to figure out how to interact with prodding members of the press. In this video, watc
![Earthquake Shatters Kiwi Architectural Landmarks [UPDATE]](/content/images/size/w600/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2011/02/newzealandquake_home1.jpg)
News
An earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand this Tuesday, February 22 has damaged the city's iconic works of architecture, including the Christchurch Cathedral and the Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. At least 65 people have been killed by the earthquake, though the number is expected to