Comment

The women who channelled violence into art

Chantal Akerman and Valie Export have both deployed aggression as a means of artistic expression

3 Jun 2024

‘This is to art what constitutional monarchy is to kingship’ – Jonathan Yeo’s portrait of Charles III, reviewed

The painting perfectly captures the essence of royalty today – it’s undeniably attention-grabbing, but hollow to the core

22 May 2024

‘I am every conservator’s nightmare – that person who wants to touch the art’

Seeing art is often a purely visual experience, but we shouldn’t be afraid of exploring our other senses in the gallery

16 May 2024

What Frank Stella saw – and what he made us see

The painter who began as a master of modernist abstraction kept reinventing himself right until the end

8 May 2024

Has arts punditry become a perk for politicos?

It seems as if arts criticism is becoming a treat for political journalists – but perhaps the job should be treated a little more seriously

1 May 2024

Has the Fitzwilliam still got the hang of things?

Though some regard it as provocative, it’s fairer to say that the museum’s sprucing-up of its paintings galleries is thought-provoking

24 Apr 2024

Why are fathers so absent from art history?

Artists over the centuries have often depicted women as mothers, but where are all the deadbeat dads?

11 Apr 2024

Museums should do more to cater for autistic people

Immersive and interactive exhibitions can be uncomfortable for neurodivergent visitors, but if galleries made more of an effort, everyone would benefit

8 Apr 2024

Richard Serra, man of steel (1938–2024)

The sculptor saw possibilities in steel that no one else had before, creating works that altered viewers’ perception of space

28 Mar 2024

Don’t fear the gatekeeper

Artists may distrust intermediaries but it would be more difficult for anyone to get noticed in the art world without them

25 Mar 2024

‘Truly the end of an era’ – a tribute to Jacob Rothschild (1936–2024)

The financier and philanthropist’s greatest achievement may have been his service to the arts, at Waddesdon Manor and as chair of the National Gallery

1 Mar 2024

What use are the arts?

The notion that art should serve a personal or social good is more prevalent than ever – but is usefulness really the point of creativity?

26 Feb 2024

Caravaggio goes digital in Milan

A flawless digital copy of the artist’s Basket of Fruit raises the tricky question of how much authenticity should matter to museums

20 Feb 2024

Chaos into calm – the art of Taloi Havini

The Papua New Guinean won the 10th Artes Mundi prize last month, with video works and installations that eloquently embody the history and heritage of her homeland

9 Feb 2024

Fifty years on, this biopic of Edvard Munch deserves a new lease of life

Peter Watkins’ 1974 film is no ordinary portrait of the artist – and feels more current than ever as the art-historical canon is up for debate

26 Jan 2024

Can UK museums still charge for images of artworks?

The Court of Appeal’s recent ruling in a copyright case has caused a good deal of excitement, but its relevance to reproductions of artworks remains to be seen

19 Jan 2024

The V&A is a much better home for this medieval sculpture than the Met

A 12th-century walrus ivory will head to the Met unless a UK institution can find £2m by February – but the sculpture really should stay where it is

12 Jan 2024
Giovanni Anselmo. Photo: Chris Felver; courtesy Archivio Giovanni Anselmo ETS

‘He made visible the invisible forces that govern the universe’ – a tribute to Giovanni Anselmo (1934–2023)

A leading member of the Arte Povera movement, the artist stood out among his peers for his wit, imagination and interest in elemental forces

4 Jan 2024

The passion projects of Dorothy Iannone

Work by the artist who painted herself as a sex goddess sits uneasily within the category of feminist art – and is all the better for being discomforting

2 Jan 2024

From manuscripts to memes, and back again

Olivia Swarthout has turned her hit social media accounts about medieval marginalia into a book. After recent digital disruptions, paper seems like an increasingly safe bet

19 Dec 2023

Cosmetic surgery – a Stuart beauty is restored to her natural state

The retouching of Diana Cecil’s portrait has drawn comparisons with the enhancements of Kylie Jenner – but it says more about changing beauty standards

8 Dec 2023

True art is nothing to be embarrassed about

There’s more to art than subject matter – and it’s almost impossible to find anything shameful about a style

24 Oct 2023

The artists who want to enter the monster zone

Creativity often flouts conventions, so it’s no wonder more women want to become thoroughly monstrous

23 Oct 2023

Command performance – what a lost Artemisia tells us about an English queen

The Royal Collection has found a work from the artist’s London years reveals as much about its patron as about the painter

27 Sep 2023