Art
Nina Katchadourian’s Tribute to Political “Roads Not Taken”
An intriguing meditation on the flawed two-party system, the power of Katchadourian’s Monument to the Unelected lies in its ability to confront us with alternative histories.
Review
Books
Kimberly Drew Asks: What Should a Museum Look Like in 2020?
In This Is What I Know About Art, Drew uses her own fumbles and triumphs as a frame in which to examine the symbiotic relationship between art and activism.
Art
How Do You Paint Portraiture Without a Portrait?
By negating the figure, Amir H. Fallah expands the limits of portraiture to make space for multiple interpretations.
Art
Ceramic Sculptures That Refuse the Neat and Tidy
Trafficking in fragments of beings, machines, and ideas, Julia Phillips rejects the immediate gratification of simple forms and answers.
Art
Getting Buzzed on the Color Black
Few artists unlock the optical potential of black better than Joan Witek, whose compositions hum with subtle illusions.
Books
The Ingenuity and Flair of Chinatown Seniors
We started Chinatown Pretty out of admiration for this overlooked community, for both their fashion blog–worthy outfits and their active and independent lifestyles.
Art
Kevin Beasley’s Sculptures Evoke the Family Intimacy We’re All Missing
In his exhibition Reunion, Beasley’s sculptures express reverence for his family’s annual gatherings in Virginia — canceled this year due to the pandemic, like so much else.
Art
The Visual Magic of Helen Frankenthaler’s Los Angeles Prints
In 1979, Frankenthaler traveled to the West Coast and was introduced to the gallery and studio Mixografia, where she would eventually produce a series of serene and exuberant prints.
Art
National Gallery Shakes off Tired, Lazy View of Artemisia Gentileschi as “Victim”
Seeing how impressive and successful Gentileschi was in her lifetime, it is staggering that it has taken a show such as this to dispel her unfair dismissal by art history.
Film
Three Films to Stream for Indigenous Peoples' Day
These films tell stories of resistance, trauma, and healing without relying on tired stereotypes.
Art
Amoako Boafo’s Textured, Intimate Portraits Produced During the Pandemic
Both on and off the canvas, Boafo’s practice is dedicated to honoring the intimate space held between Black artists and their subjects.
Books
Marcella Durand's Apocalyptic Pastoral
Durand’s urban environment in The Prospect is a source not of solace but of anxiety.