Comment

Instead of conflating ‘selfies’ and self-portraits, shouldn’t museums stand up for historic art as worthy in its own right?

How do you look at an unfamiliar object? A recent project at UCL gave researchers plenty of time to consider

The Venice Architecture Biennale, the Battle of Orgreave, digital catalogues, portrait busts and a critique of Richard Mosse… comment from the Muse Room

Mosse’s use of colour in his series ‘The Enclave’ is compelling, but does it misrepresent his subject?

It’s been 30 years since the Battle of Orgreave, and 13 since Jeremy Deller’s re-enactment of it. Is it time to re-examine the re-examination?

They’ve catalogued and digitised all the UK’s oil paintings in public ownership, but they won’t stop there

Most museums are like icebergs, the vast bulk of their collections are hidden. Does it have to be that way?

What makes a good work of public art? The success of Bill Viola’s ‘Martyrs’ suggests that a sense of sincerity and tradition can win people round to contemporary formats

How can museums make the most of a tool like Twitter? @SignorKentino has some tips

In Apollo’s June issue, Martin Levy discusses the impact of the proposed US ivory ban on the cultural sector

A response to the Jewish Museum shooting; Marina Abramović in trouble over nothing; connoisseurship now; Outsider Art; and Matisse at the cinema

Does David Bailey know any women artists? His selection of artists’ portraits in his latest exhibition suggests not

Paintings by Van Gogh, Degas and Seurat are among the 62 modern works bequeathed by Paul Mellon, to enter the NGA collection recently

Outsider Art is gaining prominence in the UK, but it’s been a slow awakening: we’re still catching up with Europe and the USA

The news of the shooting at the Jewish Museum in Brussels last month was sickening, but Jewish institutions must stay open

Should museums try to preserve traditional notions of ‘good’ taste, or encourage new ways of thinking about art and culture?

Marina Abramović intends to do nothing at the Serpentine Galleries this summer. But nothing has been done before…

This week’s news and comment from the Muse Room: Michael Schmidt, the Glasgow School of Art, auction highlights, and troublesome renovations