Opinion & reviews

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• Artpress Essay: The Need for Imagination in Art and Spectacle opinion-review

  In a 2006 essay for Artpress, the author argues that contemporary audiences, across generations and cultural levels, crave imagination—evidenced by the massive popularity of…

• Mozart's Idomeneo Censored in Berlin Amid Islamist Threats opinion-review

  The Deutsche Oper in Berlin canceled performances of Mozart's opera Idomeneo after receiving a single phone threat from Islamists. The opera had been targeted for its themes of…

• Jacques Henric on Shame in Literature: Jean-Pierre Martin's 'Le Livre des hontes' and Yann Moix's 'Panthéon' opinion-review

  In a feuilleton for art press, Jacques Henric reviews two books that explore the theme of shame in literature. Jean-Pierre Martin's 'Le Livre des hontes' (Seuil, Fiction & Cie)…

• Les rangs très littéraires: A Review of Books on Books opinion-review

  This article reviews three books about books and publishing, written in a literary style. Paul Desalmand's "Le Pilon" gives voice to a book that fears being pulped, criticizing…

• Elizabeth Murray's Late Work Defies Age at PaceWildenstein, Tom Burckhardt Exhibits at Tibor de Nagy opinion-review

  Elizabeth Murray's 2003-2006 works at PaceWildenstein showcase her continued vitality despite her senior status, following a 2005 MoMA retrospective. The exhibition features…

• Croatian Artists Explore Sustainability Through Nature, Finance, and Conceptual Practices opinion-review

  Croatian contemporary art has shifted toward sustainability, moving beyond national identity and transition narratives. Dalibor Martinis's 2004 project Variable Risk Landscape…

• Three Artists Explore Allegory Through Pop Appropriation and Eroticism in New York Exhibitions opinion-review

  Liu Ye's exhibition "Temptations" at Sperone Westwater ran from September 14 to October 28, 2006, featuring paintings that appropriate Dick Bruna's Miffy character and reference…

• French Literary Season's Demonization of Bestsellers opinion-review

  In an editorial for artpress, Jacques Henric addresses the annual ritual among journalists who bemoan the sheer volume of novels released in the French literary season, as well as…

• Clemens von Wedemeyer's 2006 film 'Otjezd' explores Soviet emigration through circular cinema techniques opinion-review

  Clemens von Wedemeyer's short film 'Otjezd,' released in 2006, delves into the theme of Soviet-era emigration through a cyclical storyline. In an article for ARTMargins Online…

• Jim Dine's Dark Drawings at Block Museum Reveal Emotional Depth Beyond Pop Art opinion-review

  Between April 17 and June 18, 2006, the Block Museum of Art in Evanston, Illinois, hosted "Jim Dine: Some Drawings," which highlighted the artist's evolution from Pop Art to more…

• Norbert Schwontkowski and Jockum Nordström Exhibitions in New York Explore Naïve Styles and Sophisticated Techniques opinion-review

  In New York City, two individual exhibitions highlighted the artistry of Norbert Schwontkowski and Jockum Nordström. Schwontkowski's show, titled "We Make Any Size of Mirror," was…

• Catherine Millet on Barnett Newman, Martin Barré, and the Ambition of Abstraction opinion-review

  In an editorial for art press, Catherine Millet reflects on the ambition of abstract painting, using Barnett Newman's iconic self-portrait in front of his color field as a…

• Rick Moody and Jonathan Safran Foer: Ground Zero as Literary Form opinion-review

  A critical essay examines how two American novels—Rick Moody's 'The Diviners' (published in French as 'Script') and Jonathan Safran Foer's 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly…

• Panel Discussion 'Eastwards' Examines Post-Communist Art Markets and Institutional Challenges opinion-review

  On January 28, 2006, a panel titled 'Eastwards' took place in Berlin, led by Marina Sorbello, focusing on the evolution of Eastern European art following communism. Viktor Misiano…

• François Pinault's Collection as Vanity: Art That Questions Wealth opinion-review

  François Pinault, one of France's wealthiest industrialists, has built an art collection that ironically critiques the very values of wealth and capitalism. In 2004, he appeared…

• Zbigniew Libera Reflects on Lego Concentration Camp Legacy and Polish Art System opinion-review

  Zbigniew Libera's installation of a Lego concentration camp in 1996 marked a pivotal moment in his career, earning him global acclaim and igniting debate in Poland. This piece,…

• 2006 Whitney Biennial Outshines Tate Triennial in Curatorial Approach and Artistic Vitality opinion-review

  The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York hosted the 2006 Whitney Biennial, titled 'Day for Night,' from March 2 to May 28. Simultaneously, the Tate Triennial 2006: New…

• Pinoncelli's Duchamp Attack: Art or Vandalism? opinion-review

  An opinion piece by Frédérique Joseph-Lowery compares French and American media coverage of Pierre Pinoncelli's 2006 hammer attack on Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain" at the Centre…

• MoMA and Art Institute of Chicago deaccessioning sparks debate on museum ethics opinion-review

  A recent commentary examines the deaccessioning methods of prominent museums, particularly focusing on the Art Institute of Chicago's intention to sell Marc Chagall's "Le…

• Bogna Burska's Blood-Based Art Explores Ritual, Memory, and Violence opinion-review

  Polish artist Bogna Burska employs organic materials like blood, snow, and water in works that examine symbolic contradictions. Her 2002 series Algorithm presents 12 color…

• Defending Provocation: Art, Satire, and the Muhammad Cartoons opinion-review

  In a March 2006 editorial for art press, Jacques Henric argues for the vital role of provocation in art and literature, citing a lineage from Sade and Voltaire to Dada and…

• Jack-Alain Léger and Philippe Sollers: Parallels in Literary Warfare opinion-review

  An insightful piece in an art publication draws connections between authors Philippe Sollers and Jack-Alain Léger, particularly examining Léger's "Hé bien ! la guerre" alongside…

• Antoine Volodine's 'Nos animaux préférés' Reviewed opinion-review

  Pascal Boulanger reviews Antoine Volodine's 'Nos animaux préférés', published by Éditions du Seuil. The book is described as a work of 'war literature' (Kleist) that resists…

• MoMA's 2006 Edvard Munch Retrospective Criticized for Narrative Failures opinion-review

  From February 19 to May 8, 2006, the Museum of Modern Art in New York showcased an Edvard Munch retrospective, marking the first significant American display of his art in three…

• Historians Protest Judicialization of History in France opinion-review

  A group of prominent French historians, including Pierre Vidal-Naquet and Elisabeth Badinter, has started a petition expressing concern over the trend of using laws to shape…

• Christopher Winter's 'Virgin Forest' exhibition at Salander-O'Reilly prompts critique of collector influence opinion-review

  From January 7 to 31, 2006, Salander-O'Reilly in New York showcased 'Virgin Forest,' a series by British artist Christopher Winter, who is based in Berlin. The exhibition…

• Pierre Nahon Remembers Arman and César opinion-review

  Pierre Nahon, former dealer of Arman, reflects on the artist's life and work following his funeral in New York. Nahon recalls the 25-year relationship between Galerie Beaubourg…

• Georges Didi-Huberman on Israel Galván's 'El disloque': The Solitude of the Deep Dancer opinion-review

  Philosopher and art historian Georges Didi-Huberman reflects on a performance by flamenco dancer Israel Galván at the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville on October 3, 2004. He…

• Thomas Rentmeister at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, 2005–2006 opinion-review

  A review of Thomas Rentmeister's exhibition at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, held from October 29, 2005 to January 15, 2006, argues that sculpture is a finished art…

• Palais de Tokyo: A Necessary Misunderstanding opinion-review

  The Palais de Tokyo in Paris is widely regarded by the art world as the most important contemporary art venue in the city, yet it faces persistent criticism for its eclectic…

• Vanessa Beecroft's Louis Vuitton Performance Blurs Art and Commerce opinion-review

  On October 9, 2005, Vanessa Beecroft staged a performance inside the Louis Vuitton flagship store on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, recently renovated by architects Peter Marino and…

• Thomas A. Ravier on Jean Renoir's Radical Cinema and the Body opinion-review

  In an essay for artpress, novelist Thomas A. Ravier offers a provocative reading of Jean Renoir's film 'La Règle du jeu' (1939), arguing that it constitutes a radical critique of…

• Three Exhibitions Explore Artistic Transmission Across Time opinion-review

  Three exhibitions—Mélancolie, génie et folie en Occident at the Grand Palais, Expériences de la durée at the Biennale de Lyon, and Dada at the Centre Pompidou—demonstrate…

• Ron Milewicz's 2005 Exhibition at George Billis Gallery Featured Urban Panoramas with Expressive Color Schemes opinion-review

  Ron Milewicz's exhibition of recent paintings at George Billis Gallery in New York ran from October 4 to 29, 2005. The show included works like 'Citiwide, Summer' (2004) and…

• Avignon Festival 2005: The Body vs. Text Debate opinion-review

  In her 2005 essay for artpress, psychoanalyst Marie-Magdeleine Lessana examines the 'querelle d'Avignon' at the 2005 Avignon Festival, particularly critiquing Jan Fabre's…

• Nationality as a Marketing Tool in the Art Market opinion-review

  Judith Benhamou-Huet examines how nationality can serve as a marketing tool within the art industry. At FIAC, artists nominated for the Marcel Duchamp Prize—Kader Attia, Gilles…

• James Siena's 2004 Mini-Retrospective Examines Process and Obsession in Geometric Abstraction opinion-review

  In 2004, James Siena presented a mini-retrospective titled 'James Siena: Selected Paintings and Drawings, 1990 – 2004' at Daniel Weinberg's Los Angeles gallery. The exhibition…

• Artpress editorial: Nationality as marketing in the art world opinion-review

  In an editorial for artpress, Richard Leydier argues that an artist's nationality has long influenced the reception of their work, citing sociologist Alain Quemin's 2000 analysis…

• Jasper Johns and Warhol: Two Mythologies of New York Success opinion-review

  Andy Warhol famously claimed that everyone would experience 15 minutes of fame, but Jasper Johns has managed to prolong his fame the longest. His Chelsea exhibition in spring 2005…

• Betty Cuningham Gallery's 'Paint it with Black' exhibition reviewed in 2005 opinion-review

  A 2005 exhibition at Betty Cuningham Gallery in New York explored black as a central theme, curated by Phong Bui. The show featured works by Forrest Bess, Thomas Nozkowski, Nick…