This university class uses color and emotion to explore the end of life
Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Title of course: “The Colors of Life and the End of Life” What prompted the idea for the course? For many years, I’ve worked as…
Iran’s street art shows defiance, resistance and resilience
A recent rise in activism in Iran has added a new chapter to the country’s long-standing history of murals and other public art. But as the sentiments being expressed in those works have changed, the government’s view of them has…
Why the growth of AI in making art won’t eliminate artists
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has been in the news, most recently concerning the Hollywood actors’ strike about the potential impact of AI in filmmaking. Another story involved AI being used to replicate the voice of the Canadian rapper Drake in…
Take risks, embrace failure and be comfortable with uncertainty: 3 activities to help your child think like an artist
As a visual artist and educator, I know how important it is to encourage your child to think and behave like an artist. But this is not necessarily about drawing or painting in a particular way. The habits of an…
Transgress to impress: why do people tag buildings – and are there any solutions?
In 1985 photographer Rennie Ellis defined graffiti as “the result of someone’s urge to say something – to comment, inform, entertain, persuade, offend or simply to confirm his or her own existence here on earth”. Since the mid-1980s, graffiti has…
How an African collection of art in Canada is celebrated with care and community
A significant collection of traditional African art has had a home in Canada for almost a hundred years. At Agnes Etherington Art Centre, we are working on new, more hospitable practices of care for this collection. This means that we…
Van Gogh Museum at 50: what painter’s letters to his family expose about why he became an artist
Vincent van Gogh fits the stereotypical image of the tragic modern artist: the tortured genius and scruffy bohemian battling mental ill-health and lack of recognition from peers and a public who couldn’t appreciate his audacious vision. Now, of course, he…
Have you fallen for the myth of ‘I can’t draw’? Do it anyway – and reap the rewards
This article is part of a series explaining how readers can learn the skills to take part in activities that academics love doing as part of their work. Drawing is a powerful tool of communication. It helps build self-understanding and…
The science behind why hobbies can improve our mental health
The pandemic has taken its toll on many peoples’ mental health. Given the fear of the virus and the government restrictions on movement many may understandably be feeling more lonely, anxious, and depressed than usual. The World Health Organization (WHO)…
Libraries around the world are helping safeguard Ukrainian books and culture
My mother was born in Sambir, Ukraine, and my father in Przemyśl, Poland. They both spent their childhoods as refugees. They lived among displaced Ukrainians who fled to Austria and Germany as the Red Army advanced in July 1944. My…
