Author: Ann Williams

DETROIT – Art historians often credit white men as pioneers of modern abstraction, from Piet Mondrian to Jackson Pollock. But there is an alternative lineage of non-figurative composition built by women, people of color, and fiber artists: quilt making. As archives like the Quilt Index prove, for every straightforward, functional quilt, there are a dozen that boldly experiment with abstract form, color, motifs. and material, sometimes because of need and poor material, but sometimes because of joy, self-expression and artistic experimentation. Detroit fiber artist Carole Harris, now 81, can’t remember exactly when she learned to sew. “It’s always been there.…

A version of this essay appeared earlier Reformulatedhas Art in America A newsletter about the art that amazes us and the works that work on us. Sign up here to be picked up every Thursday. Growing up, Anu Põder wanted to be a dancer. But his small body did not meet the discipline’s impossible standards, so he turned to art, where fit physiques soon became his main concern. The resulting feminine forms—made of fat, surgical plastic, and fashion found materials—make up Estonian artist Anu Põder: Space for My Body, a retrospective at Switzerland’s Muzeum Susch, a picturesque private institution carved…

Van Gogh’s self-portrait is the perfect cover for many books about the painter. It illustrates not only the art, but also the artist. But, unfortunately, even major publishers and their famous expert writers have occasionally been tricked into choosing a misleading image: at least four fake self-portraits have been included on book covers.The will to liveCover of Irving’s Stone’s The will to live (1934) and the false “self-portrait” (1920s) Grosset & Dunlap, New York and National Gallery of Art, Washington, DCThe will to live, Irving Stone’s best-selling novel, has shaped the way we perceive Van Gogh since its publication in…

A new feature raises concerns about content moderation and the silencing of Meta across multiple platforms. (meme by Hyperallergic) Tech conglomerate Meta quietly rolled out a new auto-limiting feature on Instagram and Threads. “political content” based on user algorithms. The new update is a hidden expansion of the company’s February notice to suspend recommended political content from accounts users were not yet following. Meta’s feature also follows years of complaints from artists and activists who have suffered content removal and account suspensions or bans after being flagged by Instagram’s content moderation tools. Similar concerns about visibility and artistic freedom surfaced…

Christie’s post-war auction raised $21.5 million in New York on Wednesday night. The sale was led by a 1970 untitled work on oil paper by Cy Twombly that was part of the Shirley Ross Davis collection. The top five lots from the sale were: by Cy Twombly Untitled (Roman Note) (1970) sold for $1.6 million. Alma Thomas’s Spring rose (1973) sold for $1.4 million.of Jonas Wood SK Dino Pot #2 (2015) sold for $756,000.at the George Condo Return from customer #9 (2008) sold for $693,000.by Kenneth Noland Without a title (1965) sold for $567,000. The sale also brought two new…

published inthe sponsor The Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts fuses global residencies with a philosophy and non-art Ph.D. IDSVA at the Montresso Foundation, 2023 (Photo by Christopher Andrew) As a truly nomadic institution, the Institute of Doctoral Arts in Visual Arts (IDSVA) does not have a campus. We are everywhere our students and teachers are. Below is a sampling of notes shared by students during recent stays in Mexico City, Athens, and Marrakech. “IDSVA appealed to me because of the way it was structured. I am an international teacher, so I wanted to continue working on my…

In this monthly roundup, we spotlight five star exhibitions at small and up-and-coming galleries around the world.Although he first trained as a sculptor, Thai artist Pawarest (Doe) Choksaen worked as an art director for an advertising agency from 1997 to 2019. Only at the age of 49 did the artist decide to practice his art. the time Currently exhibiting solo at Richard Koh Fine Art, Choksaen presents a series of figurative paintings in “Conversations with Strangers” where he uses a palette of electrifying hues to illustrate fleeting, often forgotten moments of connection with others. Inspired by his community in Bangkok,…

Nicholas Cullinan is to leave London’s National Portrait Gallery to take up a new position as director of the British Museum, which has been fraught with controversy over the past year. Cullinan’s appointment, which was unanimously approved by the museum’s trustees and endorsed by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, was announced today, March 28. Cullinan’s appointment comes after a turbulent year for the British Museum, which saw a highly publicized theft scandal, the sacking of a museum staff member and the resignations of former director Hartwig Fischer and deputy director Jonathan Williams. Earlier this week, the British Museum sued former…

New York-based artist Tschabalala Self and Romanian-American sculptor Andra Ursuţa have won the Fourth Plinth Award. The Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group chaired by Ekow Eshun selected the two artists from a shortlist of seven artists. The sculptures will be presented on the Fourth Plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square in 2026 and 2028, respectively.Self, known for his depictions of the female form in media such as paint and fabric, won for Lady in Blue. This bronze sculpture is a tribute to young metropolitan women of color, inspired to capture the “everywoman” of today, and will be patinated in blue lapis lazuli.…

Four years after being hit with bankruptcy, Philadelphia’s Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History may become part of the Smithsonian Institution.Although the Weitzman already has an affiliation with the Smithsonian, becoming one of nearly 20 museums under the Washington, DC-based organization’s umbrella would make it eligible for federal grants and bring greater visibility and prestige. On March 20, a bipartisan group of lawmakers from both houses of the US Congress introduced legislation to review the Weitzman’s potential as a Smithsonian outpost. The bill would create a nine-person commission to study the feasibility of the move, reporting their findings to…