Opinion & reviews

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

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Carlo Ratti's 'Objectify' Series Explores the Garden Gnome's Noble Genealogy opinion-review
In the summer series 'Objectify' by Wallpaper*, architect Carlo Ratti delves into Italy's culture through commonplace items, beginning with the garden gnome. Ratti, who leads…
Peter Gauweiler: From CSU Hardliner to Peace Activist opinion-review
Peter Gauweiler, a former hardliner in the Christian Social Union (CSU), has recently appeared at peace demonstrations alongside Sahra Wagenknecht and Oskar Lafontaine, and has…
Freitag Delays Publication of Critical Essay on DDR Historian Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk opinion-review
The German weekly newspaper 'Freitag' has finally published a critical essay by economist Erhard Weinholz targeting Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk, a prominent historian of the German…
Monocle's Tyler Brûlé praises Japanese magazine craftsmanship on Tokyo-Zürich flight opinion-review
In a column for Monocle, editor-in-chief Tyler Brûlé reflects on the superior quality of Japanese magazines compared to Western publications, based on his experience reading them…
Artisan Decline in Italy: Nostalgia Misplaced as Craft Sector Undergoes Selection, Not Crisis opinion-review
The Associazione Artigiani e Piccole Imprese di Mestre has published an analysis of Italy's small artisan workshops, revealing a significant decline in numbers: from 1.5 million…
The Cult of Neil Breen: Trash Cinema as Art in the Age of Slop opinion-review
In a New Yorker essay, critic and cinephile explores the phenomenon of 'trash movies'—films so incompetently made they become perversely captivating—and profiles Neil Breen, an…
Khloé Kardashian's 'The Girls' Reviewed: A Hollow Reality Spin-off opinion-review
In her critique for The New Yorker, Naomi Fry delves into 'The Girls: a Khloé Kardashian Project,' a Hulu series comprising six episodes featuring influencer-businesswomen such as…
ParlaChatGPT: Bonaccini and the Question of Cultural Superiority opinion-review
In a new editorial series, arts publication ArtsLife has turned to ChatGPT to explore contentious issues in the art world. The first installment addresses the recent controversy…
The Enduring Elegance of the Wardrobe: From Medieval Garderobe to Maarten De Ceulaer's Pile of Suitcases opinion-review
In a Wallpaper* magazine essay, design critic Hugo Macdonald explores the cultural and historical significance of the wardrobe, contrasting its dignified elegance with the modern…
Ingo Schulze's 'Peter Holtz' Review: A Return to Origins with a Foolish Hero opinion-review
In the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, critic Paul Jandl reviews Ingo Schulze's newest novel, 'Peter Holtz'. The book marks a return to Schulze's core themes, centering on a 'foolish lucky…
Ryusuke Hamaguchi's New Film 'Evil Does Not Exist' Criticized for Nature Kitsch opinion-review
Ryusuke Hamaguchi, the Japanese director known for 'Drive My Car', has released a new film titled 'Evil Does Not Exist'. The film, which premiered recently, explores the…
Giustizia o vendetta? Il caso del gioielliere e i limiti della legittima difesa opinion-review
Un recente episodio di cronaca, in cui un gioielliere ha sparato a dei rapinatori in fuga, ha riacceso il dibattito sui limiti della legittima difesa. L'articolo, pubblicato su…
Ingres's Valpinçon Bather: A Hidden Beauty Beyond the Surface opinion-review
In a recent article on Artspecialday, critic Federica Maria Marrella offers a personal reflection on Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres's painting 'La Bagnante di Valpinçon' (1808),…
Kitsch as Political Glue: Kundera's Legacy in Prague and Beyond opinion-review
In 1967, Milan Kundera was residing in Prague, just a year prior to the unsuccessful '68 spring. His 1984 work, 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being,' delves into the role of kitsch…
Berliner Festspiele: Kultur als politischer Spiegel – Rede von Meron Mendel opinion-review
Die Berliner Festspiele, eine bedeutende Kulturinstitution in Berlin, stehen im Zentrum einer Debatte über die politische Dimension von Kunst. In einer Rede, die im Rahmen der…
UK to Ban Under-16s from Social Media by 2027, Echoing Ancient Greek Fears of Theatre opinion-review
The UK is set to ban under-16s from social media by early 2027, following Australia's 2025 ban that intensified global debate. This move comes amid growing recognition of social…
Edinburgh Fringe Controversy: Media Focus on Celebrity Performers opinion-review
As mainstream media coverage of festivals like the Edinburgh Fringe has significantly diminished, a debut performance has drawn headlines primarily due to the infamy of one…
Mexico's Frida Kahlo Legacy: A Battle Over Cultural Patrimony and Access opinion-review
An opinion piece in The New York Times, published on August 28, 2026, argues that the ongoing dispute over the location and accessibility of Frida Kahlo's priceless works is…
End of Summer: Beaches Empty and Art Reflects Nostalgia opinion-review
As summer ends, Italian beaches empty out, prompting reflections on the season's conclusion. The article draws parallels between the post-vacation landscape and works by artists…
Why Global Art Market Stats Don't Reflect Independent Artists' Reality opinion-review
The article argues that global art market statistics, dominated by auction sales and high-end gallery surveys, have little relevance to independent artists' daily practices. It…
Freitag Editor Reflects on Günter Gaus's Definition of Leftism opinion-review
In a recent editorial for the German weekly newspaper der Freitag, Michael Angele, writing in the 'Endlich Freitag!' column, reflects on the meaning of leftism, drawing on a…
US and China urged to cooperate on maritime trade route security opinion-review
An editorial in the South China Morning Post emphasizes the necessity for cooperation between the United States and China to maintain the safety and reliability of vital maritime…
Warum gibt es so wenige Pazifisten? Ein Essay über Gewaltlosigkeit opinion-review
Auf der Website von Freitag wird in einem Essay die seltene Perspektive des Pazifismus beleuchtet und die Gründe, warum nur wenige Menschen diese extreme Haltung einnehmen. Der…
Kusama's Death Sparks Debate: When Avant-Garde Becomes a Logo opinion-review
The death of Yayoi Kusama at 97 has reignited a longstanding debate about the commodification of avant-garde art. The discussion was prompted by her 2023 collaboration with Louis…
Dating Profiles as Curated Self-Portraits: A Study in Visual Culture opinion-review
A recent article on FAD Magazine examines the modern dating profile as a form of visual self-portraiture, governed by conventions of lighting, cropping, sequencing, and tone. The…
Artists Adapt as Newspaper Critics Disappear: Social Media and Substack Fill the Void opinion-review
The recent firing of art critic Sebastian Smee by The Washington Post in early February 2023 underscores the diminishing presence of newspaper art criticism, leaving artists…
Dolly Parton's Trash Aesthetic Celebrated in New Critical Essay opinion-review
In a recent opinion piece for Ocula Magazine, critic Nathalie Olah argues that Dolly Parton's unapologetic embrace of her own lowbrow style has had a liberating effect on her…
Kinderarmut in Deutschland: Mutter träumt von Geschenken für ihre Kinder opinion-review
In einem persönlichen Essay für die Wochenzeitung der Freitag beschreibt eine Autorin die Herausforderungen der Kinderarmut in Deutschland. Sie berichtet, wie der Beginn des neuen…
Miquel Lacasta Contrasts Urbanism of Uses with Infrastructure-Driven Urbanism opinion-review
In a recent essay about Verdes, architect Miquel Lacasta examines various urban planning models: 'urbanismo de tejidos' (fabric urbanism), 'urbanismo de tubos' (tube urbanism),…
College Writing Instruction Underfunded Despite AI Era Rhetoric opinion-review
In an article for Inside Higher Ed, John Warner emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced writing education in higher education, especially amid the rise of AI tools. He references…
Warhol's Dolly Parton Portraits Criticized as Lacking opinion-review
A recent review in The New York Times criticizes Andy Warhol's portraits of Dolly Parton, suggesting they do not match the quality of his best society portraits and fail to…
Orchestral Excellence Does Not Ensure Institutional Stability opinion-review
A recent Washington Post article, republished on MSN, argues that artistic greatness does not guarantee the institutional stability of orchestras. The piece emphasizes that even…
Juliane Marie Schreiber: Das Prinzip des ehrlichen Ossis opinion-review
Juliane Marie Schreiber, a bestselling author and child of the post-reunification era, explores why East Germans are less adept at self-promotion compared to West Germans,…
Jane Schoenbrun's 'Camp Miasma' Reviewed: A Queer, Meme-Ready Slasher Manifesto opinion-review
In a review for ArtReview, critic Philippa Snow examines Jane Schoenbrun's latest film, 'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' (2026), describing it as a visually dazzling and…
Berlin Freibad Debate: Ethnographic Research Reveals Swimming Pools as Ideological Battlefields opinion-review
In a recent newsletter, journalist Barbara Schweizerhof discussed the opening of the 'Volksbad' in front of the Berlin Volksbühne, but the project quickly became the subject of a…
Sibylle Berg on Left Identity, Wokeness, and Rearmament opinion-review
In a recent interview with the German newspaper Der Freitag, Swiss-German writer and politician Sibylle Berg (a member of the satirical party Die Partei) discussed her political…
Faraz Shariat's 'Staatsschutz' Criticized for Schematic Depiction of Nazi-Infiltrated System opinion-review
The German film 'Staatsschutz' (State Protection), directed by Faraz Shariat, is the subject of a critical review published by Süddeutsche Zeitung. The review, authored by an…
Debate: The Real Dangers of AI Development Beyond Bill Gates' Warnings opinion-review
The article from Süddeutsche Zeitung, titled 'Debatte: Warten auf den Knall' (Debate: Waiting for the Bang), discusses the potential existential threats posed by artificial…
Filipino American Writer Leaves Cambridge PhD Citing Racism opinion-review
In a first-person essay for Vogue, writer and former Cambridge University PhD student recounts her decision to leave the institution in 2023 due to pervasive racism. The author, a…
Debate: The Cocaine Society and the War on Drugs opinion-review
A recent opinion piece in the Süddeutsche Zeitung ignites a debate on cocaine consumption, highlighting the stark contrast between its recreational use in Western societies and…

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