Contemporary Muslim artists continue to adapt Islamic patterns to challenge ideas about fixed culture
What is culture? In today’s globalized world, we are familiar with seeing various cultural objects and ornamentation outside of their original location or context. If culture is not fixed and bound to a particular location, how does culture move and…
NFT art: the bizarre world where burning a Banksy can make it more valuable
A blockchain company has bought a piece of Banksy artwork and burnt it. But instead of destroying the value of the art, they claim to have made it more valuable, because it was sold as a piece of blockchain art….
AI is exciting – and an ethical minefield: 4 essential reads on the risks and concerns about this technology
If you’re like me, you’ve spent a lot of time over the past few months trying to figure out what this AI thing is all about. Large-language models, generative AI, algorithmic bias – it’s a lot for the less tech-savvy…
How the James Webb deep field images reminded me the divide between science and art is artificial
The first task I give photography students is to create a starscape. To do this, I ask them to sweep the floor beneath them, collect the dust and dirt in a paper bag and then sprinkle it onto a sheet…
Van Gogh Museum at 50: Vincent van Gogh and the art market – a brief history
Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum turns 50 in 2023. The museum, dedicated to the art of one of the most famous artists in the world, attracts over two million visitors each year. You can listen to more articles from The Conversation,…
Why the Turner prize shortlist is a cultural barometer of our political times
The UK’s biggest prize for contemporary art is back. The 2023 Turner prize shortlist has been announced featuring British artists Jesse Darling, Rory Pilgrim, Ghislaine Leung and Barbara Walker. An exhibition of the artists’ work will go on show at…
How Bob Dylan used the ancient practice of ‘imitatio’ to craft some of the most original songs of his time
Over the course of six decades, Bob Dylan steadily brought together popular music and poetic excellence. Yet the guardians of literary culture have only rarely accepted Dylan’s legitimacy. His 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature undermined his outsider status, challenging scholars,…
Andrey Rublev has been called the ‘greatest Russian artist who ever lived’ – but one of his most famous works is at risk under Putin
Andrey Rublev (or Rublyov – nobody is sure how his name was pronounced) has been described as “the greatest Russian artist who ever lived”, whose work had “a clarity of composition and suave tranquillity of mood peculiarly his own”. In…
Paula Rego: why the Portuguse artist’s work remains relevant in the fight for abortion rights
The great feminist artist Paula Rego has died at the age of 87 after a short illness. An image-maker of enormous talent, her work has been variously described as disturbing, visceral, mysterious and surreal. Paula Rego was born in Lisbon…
From rock carvings to rock music – the prevalence of bees in art throughout human history
With a looming biodiversity crisis and concerns over food security and sustainability, bees are frequently making news headlines. The importance of bees in our society as pollinators and honey producers appears to have led to their increased popularity in many…
