Helen Thorington, Who Brought Sonic Art to the Airwaves, Dies at 94
Arts, Yesterday
A pioneer in radio art and, later internet art, she created a blend of synthesizer compositions and found sounds that opened new artistic terrain.
Hannah Gadsby’s Picasso Show Was Meant to Ignite Debate. And It Did.
Arts, Yesterday
The Brooklyn Museum invited the Australian comedian to help organize a show on Picasso’s troubling life and artistic lens. The reaction was strong.
A New Hiroshi Sugimoto Sculpture in San Francisco Reaches for Infinity
Arts, Yesterday
His sliver of an artwork, “Point of Infinity,” marks the start of the city’s Treasure Island Art Program.
The ‘Haunting’ of Gary Simmons
Arts, Yesterday
In new shows in Chicago and London, the artist uses ghostly erasure lines to look at ideas about race — forcing us to confront the images before they slip away.
Latin American Artists Reinvent Their Histories
Arts, June 8
Our critic says “Chosen Memories” at MoMA is one of the most stirring recent collection shows. The theme of change and instability is a binding thread.
The Terrible Beauty of Richard Mosse’s Portrait of the Amazon
Arts, June 8
The artist wanted to photograph orchids but ended up making “Broken Spectre,” a film about the destruction of the rainforest — his most powerful work yet.
For Hurvin Anderson, the Barbershop Is Haven and Inspiration
Arts, June 8
Over nearly two decades, the British artist has painted the same shop interiors again and again. A new exhibition in England tracks how his approach has changed.
36 Hours in Split, Croatia
Interactive, June 8
This Croatian port city is fueled by long seafood lunches, ancient traditions and wine-filled evenings.
‘Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)’ Review: Indelible Images by Design
Movies, June 7
Anton Corbijn’s documentary shares anecdotes from the British design studio that devised some of the most famous album covers of the 1970s.
From Houston to Athens, Rick Lowe Takes His Social Sculpture Global
T Magazine, June 7
The artist, known for the influential Project Row Houses in Houston, discusses music, basketball and art’s ability to improve lives.
Françoise Gilot, Artist in the Shadow of Picasso, Is Dead at 101
Arts, June 6
An accomplished painter (and memoirist) in her own right, she was long his lover until she did what no other mistress of his had ever done: She walked out.
Put a Bird on It? Ancient Egypt Was Way Ahead of Us.
Science, June 6
A 3,300-year-old palace mural offers an exquisitely detailed view of several bird species, and presents an artistic mystery.
The Art of Reusing Plastic
New York, June 6
The artists Beverly Barkat and Germane Barnes play with discarded plastic — including bottles, cups and printer cartridges — to explore the possibilities of reinventing waste.
The Supreme Court Is Wrong About Andy Warhol
Op Ed, June 5
The artist was never concerned about copyright. He cared more about the right to copy, as an artistic method and a design for living.
Ilya Kabakov, 89, Dies; Soviet-Born Artist Depicted Grimness With Wit
Obits, June 2
In often fantastical paintings, drawings and immersive installations, he explored the privations and indignities of the Soviet life he would flee, landing on Long Island.
Seven Standouts From the New York Design Festival
Styles, June 2
Bees, seeds, metal and stone all made appearances for the event that makes the city a design hub.
What to See in N.Y.C. Galleries in June
Culture, June 1
Want to see new art in the city? Check out Joan Brown, Giorgio de Chirico and the making of Art-Rite magazine in Chelsea, and Rina Banerjee on the Lower East Side.
With Hannah Gadsby’s ‘It’s Pablo-matic,’ the Joke’s on the Brooklyn Museum
Weekend, June 1
The Australian comedian turns curator in a show about Picasso’s complicated legacy. But it’s women artists the exhibition really shortchanges.
Trailing Michel Houellebecq From the Bedroom to the Courtroom
Culture, June 1
The art collective KIRAC was embroiled in court battles over a film about the author’s sex life. Is the dispute a performance? A marketing stunt? Or a genuine cultural feud?
In Samuel Fosso’s Photos, ‘You Can See Evil, You Can See God’
Culture, June 1
The photographer’s studio was destroyed during the civil war in the Central African Republic. But he built a new life in Paris, and his works are now in the collections of the world’s great museums.
When the Neighbors Don’t Share Your Vision (and That Vision Involves ‘Transformers’ Statues)
Styles, June 1
A professor decorated a sidewalk in Georgetown with 10-foot sculptures of Bumblebee and Optimus Prime. The well-heeled locals were not pleased.
The Album Art Studio That Made Pink Floyd’s Pig Fly
Culture, June 1
The filmmaker Anton Corbijn’s documentary “Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)” tells the tale of the London design company devoted to crafting the perfect LP sleeve.
A Sunny Parisian Cafe Inside a 19th-Century Artist’s Studio
T Style, June 1
Plus: coffee-inspired jewelry, an exhibit of natural ceramics and more recommendations from T Magazine.
Have We Smothered Warhol With Our Admiration?
Weekend, June 1
A survey of the Brant Foundation’s Warhols can’t fail to please — but maybe because we’ve learned to stifle the artist’s true radicalism.
36 Hours in Los Angeles
Interactive, June 1
Locals know the best spots are hiding in plain sight in the City of Angels.
Florida Art Scammer Sentenced to Over 2 Years in Federal Prison
Express, May 31
The art dealer, Daniel Elie Bouaziz, 69, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for laundering money made selling counterfeit art.
Iiu Susiraja: She Has Issues? No, You Have Issues
Weekend, May 31
In her first museum show in the United States, this Finnish artist uses her own XL body to bring a new emotional depth to the genre of setup photography.
A van Gogh Still Life and a Head-Spinning Rabbit Hole
Insider, May 29
To learn about a vanished painting by the famous Dutch artist, a team of Times journalists combed through thousands of pages of documents — and knocked on some doors.
The Mystery of the Disappearing van Gogh
Investigative, May 29
After a painting by the Dutch artist sold at auction, a movie producer claimed to be the owner. It later vanished from sight, with a trail leading to Caribbean tax havens and a jailed Chinese billionaire.
Guitar Making as a Life’s Work
Projects and Initiatives, May 29
“To somebody else, it’s just some wood glued together,” Freeman Vines, 80, said. “To me, it’s something else.”
Inside Sudan’s War, ‘There’s Another War for Art’
Foreign, May 28
Dozens of Sudanese artists and curators have fled their studios and galleries in the capital, jeopardizing thousands of artworks and imperiling an art scene central to the 2019 revolution.
‘The Pictures Are Miracles’: How Judith Joy Ross Finds Pain and Nobility in Portraits
Arts & Leisure, May 27
With a retrospective in Philadelphia, the artist is still seeking to capture a mysterious moment with a stranger.
Want to Be an Artist? You’re in Luck. This One Is Selling His Practice.
Culture, May 26
Darren Bader is looking to cap a two-decade artistic career by selling something valuable. Not the witty and poetic sculpture he’s known for, but his own name.
It’s Finally (Almost) Summer! Here’s What to Do in New York in June.
Projects and Initiatives, May 25
Summer is just around the corner. We’ll help you navigate all the city has to offer — with some help from New York-based experts.
Langston Hughes and Elmer W. Brown: A Children’s Book Deferred
Weekend, May 25
The famous poet and his artist friend wanted to publish “The Sweet and Sour Animal Book” in 1936. But there were no takers. A Cleveland exhibition makes up for the lost time.
‘White Balls on Walls’ Review: Time With the Gatekeepers
Weekend, May 25
The Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam becomes a somewhat flimsy case study for fine-art diversity and inclusion conversations in this documentary.
At 99, the Painter Richard Mayhew Is Still Upending Expectations
Weekend, May 25
With a show in Manhattan, he says he inherited from his Indigenous forebears “inventive consciousness.”
Seeing Beyond the Beauty of a Vermeer
Magazine, May 25
The violence of his era can be found in his serene masterpieces — if you know where to look.
Rolf Harris, Disgraced British Entertainer, Dies at 93
Obits, May 24
His career as a musician and a painter over six decades ended abruptly when he was convicted of sexually abusing teenage girls.
Avedon at 100: Photos of Seduction
Weekend, May 24
At Gagosian, Marian Anderson, Marilyn Monroe, Dovima and a cast of showstoppers.
The Supreme Court vs. Andy Warhol
The Daily, May 23
Inside a copyright case that dissenting justices say could stifle creativity.
A Sanctuary for Psychedelic Art Opens in the Hudson Valley
Arts & Leisure, May 23
The couple behind Entheon, an exhibition space on the grounds of a nonprofit organization, hopes to attract lovers of art and consciousness-altering experiences.
5 Takeaways From Auction Week
Culture, May 22
Amid high inflation and low inventory, the art market correction appears to have landed. If it wasn’t a trophy, it probably struggled to command a high price.
After the Warhol Decision, Another Major Copyright Case Looms
Culture, May 22
Richard Prince, an artist who appropriates images like Andy Warhol did, is being sued. But experts said the Supreme Court’s Warhol ruling may have little impact on the case.
At Antwerp Art Weekend, Collectors Buy With Their Gut
Culture, May 22
The Belgian city doesn’t have a huge dealer base, nor is it home to as many artists as other major centers. But it has a tradition of art buying that goes back to Rubens and Breughel.
Radical Rethinking at Biennale: Africa and the Future Share Pride of Place
Culture, May 22
Don’t be fooled by its generic title. Lesley Lokko’s “Laboratory of the Future” is the most ambitious and pointedly political Venice Architecture Biennale in years.
How the Arts Can Benefit Your Mental Health (No Talent Required)
Well, May 22
Drawing, music and writing can elevate your mood. Here are some easy ways to welcome them into your life.
Njideka Akunyili Crosby Wants to Take it Slow, Despite Her Rapid Rise
Culture, May 21
The Nigerian artist inaugurates Zwirner’s new Los Angeles gallery with paintings that showcase her artistic vernacular.
NADA Art Fair Takes Chelsea With High Energy
Culture, May 19
The New Art Dealers Alliance offers the chance to scout for treasures from Vancouver to Tokyo without actually leaving Manhattan.
Ruling Against Warhol Shouldn’t Hurt Artists. But It Might.
Culture, May 19
The Supreme Court decision over Andy Warhol’s use of Lynn Goldsmith’s Prince photograph was decided on the narrow grounds of a licensing issue. But it could still have a chilling effect.
Blacksmithing Is Alive and Well in Kentucky
Projects and Initiatives, May 19
The “functional art” of Craig Kaviar, including transforming guns into garden tools, is part of a revival of the ancient craft.
Your Friday Briefing: Dueling Summits
N Y T Now, May 18
Also, Meta publicly released its latest A.I. technology.
At Frieze New York 2023, One-Person Shows That Shine
Weekend, May 18
Exciting work from emerging artists exploring environmental change, and proof that much of the most innovative work of the past half century has been by women.
The 1-54 Art Fair Brings Africa and Its Diaspora Into the Global Mainstream
Weekend, May 18
Talking with Touria El Glaoui, its founder, about making a real difference in the careers of African artists.
Kusama Takes On the Infinite With a Sly Wink
Weekend, May 17
The Japanese artist’s new exhibition in Manhattan includes undulating pumpkins and graphic paintings, but her latest Infinity Mirror Room is the star of the show.
Brooklyn’s Batcave Reborn as Gotham’s Art Factory
Culture, May 17
A philanthropist spent $180 million to transform a relic of Gowanus’s industrial past into Powerhouse Arts, equipped to produce the art of the future.
Can You Spot the Dog Hidden in This Picasso Painting?
Express, May 17
Recent imaging and restoration of Pablo Picasso’s “Le Moulin de la Galette” revealed a dog that had been painted over.
Fair Warning: Lots of Passes, but Sotheby’s Modern Sales Still Bring in $427 Million
Culture, May 17
The Tuesday sales found stars in Magritte and Klimt, but the path for the art market is uncertain. Bidding is stingier than in the gonzo days of yesteryear.
The Artists Depicting the Power and Strangeness of Breasts
T Style, May 16
New generations of women painters are challenging centuries of art history with their nuanced, empathetic renderings of bare-chested bodies.
At Christie’s ‘21st Century’ Auction, the Sound of Records Breaking for Women
Culture, May 16
Contemporary art brought in nearly $99 million. Low estimates for younger artists propelled prices, while Simone Leigh, a star of the Biennale, reached a benchmark $2.7 million.
Hip-Hop’s Next Takeover: Quilts
Projects and Initiatives, May 15
Bisa Butler’s new show translates both photographs of Black figures and hip-hop lyrics into intricate textile art.
Matthew Barney, Back in the Game
Arts & Leisure, May 14
In his new video installation, the artist known for maximalist works like “The Cremaster Cycle” returns to the football fields of his childhood.
A Lifetime of Stories, and Still More to Tell
Summary, May 14
Nearly 80 years ago, Milton Esterow began a career at The New York Times that would forever change art and culture reporting. At 94, he’s still churning out articles.
The S.I. Newhouse Auction: 16 Paintings, $177.8 Million
Culture, May 12
There were few fireworks at the sale of paintings from Condé Nast’s former chairman. Next week’s sales will test whether the ‘crazy money’ of the past has disappeared.
The Independent, More Inclusive Than Ever
Weekend, May 11
Important lessons absorbed from cultural upheavals have translated into a more thoughtful fair around issues of representation.
Mad May: 7 Art Fairs in New York City
Weekend, May 11
A deluge of art arrives in Manhattan this week, with Frieze, NADA and satellite exhibitions spread around the city.
TEFAF New York: A Worldly Fair Overflows With Art and Design
Culture, May 11
Nearly 100 exhibitors fill the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan with furniture, jewelry, art and antiquities spanning millenniums.
Picasso Becoming Picasso
Weekend, May 11
A small, exquisite exhibition at the Guggenheim shows how the City of Light transformed the 19-year-old Spanish artist. One painting says it all.
Van Gogh and the Consolation of Trees
Weekend, May 11
A revelatory show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art reunites 24 paintings of cypresses and unchains them from their somber associations.
A Fantastical Art Gallery Masquerading as a Suburban Garage
T Style, May 11
In Arlington, Va., Margaret Bakke has made the exhibition space in her driveway a celebration of creativity.
Through Catastrophe, and in Community, the Art of Daniel Lind-Ramos
Weekend, May 4
A storm, a pandemic, and Black Puerto Rican history pervade his work at MoMA PS 1, with materials sourced from daily life.
Your Monday Briefing: China Reopens
Dining, January 8
Also, Brazilians storm government offices and the Times investigates a 2021 Kabul airstrike.
Looking for Elbow Room, Louvre Limits Daily Visitors to 30,000
Culture, January 6
With attendance surging back, the museum wants to offer “a moment of pleasure” — and relieve that Mona Lisa problem.
Your Thursday Briefing: China’s Snarled Covid Data
N Y T Now, December 14
Plus France just beat Morocco to advance to the World Cup finals.
After a Covid Contraction, Museums Are Expanding Again
Special Sections, October 20
Projects all over the country include renovations and new wings as institutions continue to bet on bricks and mortar.
San Francisco’s Art Market Struggles in the Shadow of Los Angeles
Culture, August 29
Though some small galleries are opening or expanding, the mega dealers have closed shop, a blow to an area with a vibrant artistic history.
Dmitri Vrubel, Who Planted a Kiss on the Berlin Wall, Dies at 62
Obits, August 19
A Russian-born painter, he created a mural of the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev smooching the East German leader Erich Honecker — and with it a tourist attraction.
Covid. A Coma. A Stroke. José Parlá Returns From the Edge.
Culture, July 31
After a lengthy recovery, the artist comes back with the most vigorous work he’s made: “It took me a really long time to understand what had happened to me.”
London Modern and Contemporary Auctions: A Market Minus the Froth
Culture, July 1
The prices — $36.9 million for Monet paintings, and $52.8 million for a Francis Bacon — show that even as Britain’s share of the global art market has decreased, it’s an important player.
Covid Memorials Offer a Place to Put Our Grief
Culture, May 5
From “anti-monuments” to ephemeral sand portraits, four art exhibitions encourage viewers to slow down and take stock of our pandemic losses.
Manhattan Springs Back to Life
Travel, May 5
Broadway enthusiasts, art aficionados and food lovers will find new offerings in and around Times Square and in neighborhoods below 42nd Street, heralding the promise of a vibrant recovery.