Opinion & reviews

Editorials, critical reviews, analyses, commentaries, and viewpoints on the contemporary art world.

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Ray Banhoff's 'Fie' project resurfaces, igniting debate on consent in photography opinion-review
The Instagram account æsteticasovietica has revived controversy around photographer Ray Banhoff (Gianluca Gliori) and his 2015 series 'Fie', consisting of 3,000 candid shots of…
Alexei Ratmansky's 'Wunderland' at Hamburg Ballet: A Dated Affair opinion-review
Alexei Ratmansky, known for his spectacular dance depictions of the war in his native Ukraine, has created a new choreography titled 'Wunderland' for the Hamburg Ballet. However,…
The Case Against Travel Obsession: Rediscovering Contemplative Leisure opinion-review
A Spanish opinion piece critiques the societal pressure to travel, arguing that the obsession with vacations has become a capitalist enterprise serving the tourism industry, which…
Blockbuster exhibitions return, Baselitz's golden Elkes, and museum expansion resistance opinion-review
A notable comeback of major exhibitions is apparent, highlighted by Tate Modern's Frida Kahlo display, which sold over 41,000 tickets prior to its opening, setting a new record…
Steven Heller Reflects on Father's Day, Commercialism, and Personal Memory opinion-review
In a reflective piece for PRINT Magazine, Steven Heller contemplates Father's Day, tracing its commercial roots and his own familial background. He points out that Sonora Smart…
Sanya Kantarovsky's 'Basic Failure' and the Intellectual Power of Painting in Venice opinion-review
In a piece for The Art Newspaper, the writer examines the lasting impact of painting, drawing connections between Jacopo Tintoretto's 16th-century works and modern creations by…
Tate Modern's Frida Kahlo show criticized for padding with lesser artists opinion-review
A review of 'Frida: The Making of an Icon' at Tate Modern, London, criticizes the exhibition for including works by lesser artists alongside Kahlo's, arguing that her own…
German Media's 'Pseudo-Rebels' Coddle Hamas, Says Expert opinion-review
In a guest commentary for the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Islam expert Susanne Schröter argues that the political Islam has become a reality in Europe, with growing calls for a Muslim…
German Rap Gender Role Reversal: Female MCs Go Hard, Men Get Soft opinion-review
A Neue Zürcher Zeitung article observes a role reversal in German rap: female rappers like Shirin David are aggressively challenging patriarchal structures with wit, anger, and…
Swiss politician's headscarf sparks debate on feminism and Islam opinion-review
Zurich politician Vera Çelik, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SP), wears a headscarf and identifies as a feminist, but has drawn criticism for accepting support from…
Debatte über antifaschistische Wirtschaftspolitik in Deutschland opinion-review
Der Freitag veröffentlicht eine Debatte zur antifaschistischen Wirtschaftspolitik, in der die Gewerkschafterin Katrin Mohr argumentiert, dass mehr Sozialstaat und weniger…
Queensland Ballet's Hamlet: Leo Mujić's Imaginative Choreography opinion-review
Serbian-born choreographer Leo Mujić restages his critically acclaimed ballet adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet with Queensland Ballet in Brisbane. Premiered at the Croatian…
Miquel Lacasta on Air Corners: From Campo Baeza to Cerdà's Barcelona opinion-review
In a conversation with Adrián Gasparoni for Beat Revista, architect Miquel Lacasta reflects on the concept of 'air corners' in architecture, focusing on Alberto Campo Baeza's…
Why Disposable Culture Is Good News for Artists opinion-review
In an essay for Art Marketing News, author Barney argues that the rise of disposable culture, fueled by platforms like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress, actually benefits artists by…
Photographer Tomer Vaknin Defends the Leica M9 Monochrom as a Tool for Seeing opinion-review
In a personal essay on PetaPixel, street photographer Tomer Vaknin explains why he regularly chooses the 14-year-old Leica M9 Monochrom over his newer Leica M10-R and M11-P. He…
Managing Cash Flow During the Summer Art Sales Slump opinion-review
A Scottsdale, AZ gallery owner advises artists and galleries to build financial reserves during peak sales months to survive seasonal downturns. The winter season from October…
Debate on Fascism Label in German Politics Intensifies opinion-review
A Süddeutsche Zeitung opinion piece argues that the term 'right-wing populism' is insufficient to describe current political trends in Germany, citing research that suggests the…
Debating Ghost Depictions in Children's Literature opinion-review
A New York Times article explores the challenge of illustrating ghosts in children's books, noting that even young children can identify a ghost when shown a picture. The piece…
Art world etiquette rules from a decade of experience opinion-review
After ten years in the art industry, a writer shares a non-exhaustive list of personal rules for navigating its social dynamics. Key guidelines include: asking questions when…
Drinking, Movies, and Sobriety at the Cannes Film Festival opinion-review
In a personal essay for The Paris Review, writer Inney Prakash recounts his fraught relationship with alcohol set against the backdrop of the Cannes Film Festival. He first got…
Philosopher Eric Sadin warns generative AI threatens book publishing opinion-review
In an opinion piece for Le Monde, philosopher Eric Sadin argues that generative AI poses an existential threat to book publishing and reading. He calls for concrete measures to…
David Hockney and Piero della Francesca: Still Water as a Gaze Device opinion-review
Andrea Bruciati compares the depiction of water in Piero della Francesca's "Baptism of Christ" (1437-1445, National Gallery, London) and David Hockney's Los Angeles pool paintings…
The Odyssey's Cinematic Challenges: A Critical Analysis opinion-review
The New Yorker examines why Homer's Odyssey has proven difficult to adapt for film, focusing on Christopher Nolan's upcoming $250 million version starring Matt Damon as Odysseus…
Tommy Ton on the Joy of Accessorizing and Celine's Influence opinion-review
Tommy Ton, a pioneer of street style photography, launches a monthly series exploring fashion through accessories. He argues that accessories, not seasonal trends, keep wardrobes…
Steinmeier's Bellevue Palace Exhibition Criticized for Vague Patriotism and Sex Doll opinion-review
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier faces criticism for a pop-up exhibition at Bellevue Palace that attempts to promote a new patriotism but is seen as vague and…
Joschka Fischer Warns European Welfare States Incompatible with Future Without US opinion-review
Former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer argues that Europe's ambitious welfare states are incompatible with a future where Europe must radically rethink its relationship…
Oscar Murillo on Monet's Parliament: Empire's Shadow opinion-review
Artist Oscar Murillo reinterprets Claude Monet's Parliament series as a critique of the British Empire, not just an Impressionist masterpiece. Murillo, who first encountered…
Anna Dushime: 21 Years of Dating, Made Worse by AI opinion-review
Anna Dushime, a German writer and comedian, critiques the role of AI in modern dating in an opinion piece for der Freitag. She has been dating for 21 years without finding a…
Einstein-Freud Briefwechsel über Kriegsvermeidung neu gelesen opinion-review
Ein 1933 veröffentlichter Briefwechsel zwischen Albert Einstein und Sigmund Freud über die Vermeidbarkeit von Kriegen wird im Freitag neu interpretiert. Der Autor Michael Jaeger…
SPA Delhi's 1970s Studio Culture vs. Today's Digital Renders opinion-review
Snehanshu Mukherjee reflects on a recent student exhibition at the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) Delhi, contrasting the rebellious, research-driven studio culture of…
Music Listening as Individual Autoconditioning: A Cultural Shift opinion-review
A Le Monde opinion piece argues that music listening, a more widespread cultural practice than reading or gaming, has evolved from a collective to an individual activity akin to…
Geographer Alexandre Grondeau on free-party culture and French law opinion-review
In an interview with Le Monde, Alexandre Grondeau, a professor at Aix-Marseille University who has conducted multiple studies on free-parties, discusses their origins and the…
Colombian Artists and Cultural Workers Endorse Iván Cepeda in Presidential Runoff opinion-review
Over 200 Colombian artists, curators, educators, and cultural workers have signed an open letter published by esferapública, endorsing Iván Cepeda in the presidential runoff…
What the I Ching is really about opinion-review
The I Ching, or Book of Changes, is more accessible than Carl Jung believed. While Jung thought it was difficult for Western minds to grasp, the text's enigmatic allure appeals to…
Vannacci's Victimhood Rhetoric Analyzed Through Giglioli's Critique opinion-review
Roberto Vannacci, in his speech at the constituent assembly of his newly formed party, proclaimed 'We are the waste and the scum.' This statement is countered by Daniele…
God of War Laufey backlash reveals persistent sexism in gaming opinion-review
The announcement of "God of War Laufey," a new installment featuring a female protagonist named Faye, has sparked intense backlash from some male gamers. Critics have created mods…
Vogue Writer Recaps Watching 'Toy Story 5' Alone at Burbank AMC opinion-review
A writer for Vogue shares her solitary experience of watching 'Toy Story 5' at the Burbank AMC at 10:30 a.m. on its premiere day. She highlights the film's commentary on the…
Redes sociais para artistas: ferramenta ou exigência? opinion-review
O artigo do ArteRef discute o papel das redes sociais na carreira artística. Historicamente, a visibilidade dependia de galerias, museus e críticos, mas plataformas como…
Cinema's New Wave of Conspiracy Thrillers: From Spielberg to Backrooms opinion-review
Cinemas are experiencing an influx of films centered around conspiracy themes, reminiscent of the paranoid thrillers from the 1970s. Steven Spielberg's 'Disclosure Day' features…
Aeon Essay Argues Writers Should Embrace AI as a Fellow Wordsmith opinion-review
An essay published on Aeon argues that while AI may be detrimental to software engineers, it represents an intriguing development for writers and thinkers—the very people who…

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