Welcome to the 320th installment of A View From the Easel, a series in which artists reflect on their workspace. This week, artists find sanctuary in a studio blanketed with yarn and use their bodies as a canvas. For one artist, the studio has been their refuge for a year. They describe a non-linear routine, as their days can vary […]
Title: South Africa’s Cultural Controversy and Its Impact on Global Art In recent developments in the world of art and culture, the decision by South Africa’s right-wing Arts and Culture Minister, Gayton McKenzie, to cancel artist Gabrielle Goliath’s piece “Elegy” from the national pavilion at the upcoming Venice Biennale has sparked significant outrage and debate. This move is seen as […]
#### Genocide and the Struggle for Witness: A South African Perspective On December 29, 2023, South Africa launched an unprecedented legal challenge at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of genocide in the Gaza Strip. This bold move places South Africa in a unique position on the global stage, both challenging the actions of a powerful nation and risking […]
The closure of the California College of the Arts (CCA), an iconic institution in the San Francisco Bay Area, marks a significant shift in the region’s cultural landscape. As the last standing private art and design school in the area, its impending closure by the 2026–2027 academic year signals the end of an era. The announcement, a collaboration agreement with […]
The exhibition “Unbound: Art, Blackness, & the Universe” at the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) in San Francisco intricately explores the interplay between African and African diasporic perspectives on the cosmos. The exhibit spans the entire museum, spotlighting a dynamic range of artworks that prompt both historical reflection and futuristic imagination. Upon entering, visitors encounter mid-20th-century wooden sculptures from […]
In 2022, two documentaries surfaced that detail the fascinating lives of French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft. These films, created from the couple’s remarkable volcanic footage, deliver differing narratives of the same tale. One is helmed by acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog and is entitled “The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft.” The alternative, “Fire of Love,” is […]
Sculptor Mehdi Salahshour and filmmaker Javad Ganji are among the members of Iran’s creative community reportedly killed during anti-government protests. As accounts emerge from Iran’s deadly crackdown on dissent this month, reports that government forces have shot and killed artists, including sculptor Mehdi Salahshour and filmmaker Javad Ganji, have added to growing international outrage. Amid an ongoing state-initiated internet blackout […]
**DJ Gloria: The Disco Queen Demonstrating It’s Never Too Late to Shine** In a society entranced by the youthful and contemporary, an elderly woman is transforming the nightlife scene in Sweden with her lively spirit and timeless musical preferences. Introducing Madelein Månsson, better known as DJ Gloria, who, at 81, exemplifies the saying that age is merely a figure. **Embarking […]
Ana Mendieta: A Review of Her Timeless Earthworks The enduring impact of Ana Mendieta, a pioneering Cuban-American artist, is ever-present through her profound earthworks. Known for her “earth-body” artworks, Mendieta’s interventions into the natural landscape have left an indelible mark on both art and nature. Despite the ephemeral nature of her work, many of her installations have persisted, carrying her […]
Ana Mendieta: Tracing the Earth Through Art The legacy of Cuban-American artist Ana Mendieta remains palpable, despite the ephemeral nature of many of her earthworks. Her “earth-body” artworks, as she termed them, were profound interventions into the landscape that sought to reconnect with her roots and explore themes of identity and exile. These artworks continue to speak to audiences about […]