Waves of Light
From bulbs to neon and fluorescent tubing to LEDs and other electronic creations, artists are using light—as material and subject—to comment on everything from advertising to spirituality. Read More
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Trends
Say It with Flowers—or Gourds, Goats, Fur Cups, or Fried Eggs
The interpretation of sexual symbols in art is everywhere. But what we view as erotic often tells us less about the artists than it does about our own sensibilities. Read More
Slides and Prejudice
The controversy around painting from photographs continues as new generations and new image-making technologies keep the debate alive. Read More
Multiple Personalities
Rebelling against the notion of a signature style, some painters are working in a variety of genres and stretching the idea of what a painting can be. Read More
Gained in Translation
Calligraphy, miniature painting, Sufi mysticism, and other traditions are the starting point for a new generation of artists from the Islamic world who are using the language of contemporary art to inflect their work with multiple layers of meaning. Read More
Altered States
As the end of black-and-white printing signals a transformation in the practice of photography, the medium itself is more popular than ever. Read More
Top Ten Trends in Contemporary Art
How do you spot a trend? If you’re Kay Larson, you see perversity everywhere. If you’re Jori Finkel, you find poetry in the Home Depot esthetic. And if you’re Carly Berwick, you conclude that a penguin embodies the spirit of … Read More
Why Small Is BIG
From Tom Friedman’s eraser shavings to Rob de Mar’s minuscule waterfall to Adia Millett’s tabletop dollhouses, intimately scaled sculptures are making a large impact. Read More
What’s So Funny About Contemporary Art?
Artists are finding inspiration in gags, slapstick, clowns, comics, and stand-up comedy. The results are sometimes satirical, sometimes ludicrous, and sometimes ‘so funny you could cry’. Read More
Moving Mountains, Walking on Water
As artists like James Turrell and Michael Heizer continue to toil on their massive Earthworks, caretakers of other examples of Land Art are facing questions of conservation, access, and environmental impact. Meanwhile, more ecologically conscious artists have been updating the genre. Read More
To Thine Own Selves Be True
Role-playing is rampant today, with artists picturing themselves as impersonators, cross-dressers, evil twins, and exhibitionists—all to throw traditional ideas about identity up for grabs . Read More
