Power is set to change hands next month in Downing Street, but whether that will be enough to fix Britain’s funding of the arts is another matter
Keeping the national museums free to enter comes with significant hidden costs, but admission fees are not the answer
With cancelled sales and market uncertainty, Christie’s and Sotheby’s have been taking hammer blows in recent months – but it’s not just a London problem
Museums often have a responsibility to reflect major events, but should be careful not to disregard seemingly smaller stories
Chantal Akerman and Valie Export have both deployed aggression as a means of artistic expression
The painting perfectly captures the essence of royalty today – it’s undeniably attention-grabbing, but hollow to the core
Seeing art is often a purely visual experience, but we shouldn't be afraid of exploring our other senses in the gallery
The painter who began as a master of modernist abstraction kept reinventing himself right until the end
It seems as if arts criticism is becoming a treat for political journalists – but perhaps the job should be treated a little more seriously
Though some regard it as provocative, it’s fairer to say that the museum’s sprucing-up of its paintings galleries is thought-provoking
Artists over the centuries have often depicted women as mothers, but where are all the deadbeat dads?
Immersive and interactive exhibitions can be uncomfortable for neurodivergent visitors, but if galleries made more of an effort, everyone would benefit
The sculptor saw possibilities in steel that no one else had before, creating works that altered viewers’ perception of space
Artists may distrust intermediaries but it would be more difficult for anyone to get noticed in the art world without them
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
The notion that art should serve a personal or social good is more prevalent than ever – but is usefulness really the point of creativity?
A flawless digital copy of the artist’s Basket of Fruit raises the tricky question of how much authenticity should matter to museums
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
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
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
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
A leading member of the Arte Povera movement, the artist stood out among his peers for his wit, imagination and interest in elemental forces
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
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
Should UK museums start charging entry fees again?
Keeping the national museums free to enter comes with significant hidden costs, but admission fees are not the answer
Why London’s auction houses are feeling so flat
With cancelled sales and market uncertainty, Christie’s and Sotheby’s have been taking hammer blows in recent months – but it’s not just a London problem
Should permanent collections tell up-to-the-minute stories?
Museums often have a responsibility to reflect major events, but should be careful not to disregard seemingly smaller stories
The women who channelled violence into art
Chantal Akerman and Valie Export have both deployed aggression as a means of artistic expression
‘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
‘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
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
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
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
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?
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
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
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
‘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
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?
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
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
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
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
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
‘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
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
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