Opinion & reviews
Opinion & reviews
Editorials, critical reviews, analyses, commentaries, and viewpoints on the contemporary art world.
Most recent stories
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NPR Panel Explores Enduring Fascination with Alien Films
opinion-review
In a segment on NPR's Cineplexity, host Adrian Florido, producer Marc Rivers, and Pop Culture Happy Hour host Glen Weldon discuss the persistent appeal of alien movies, from…
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Bookstore Boom Amid Literacy Decline Highlights Cultural Divide
opinion-review
A paradox emerges in the publishing world: independent bookstores are thriving while literacy rates decline. According to a LitHub article, the bookstore boom is driven by an…
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Katie Cadwell: Designers Must Become Critics of AI, Not Competitors
opinion-review
In a Creative Career Conundrums column for If You Could Jobs, branding studio co-founder Katie Cadwell argues that AI is not diminishing design thinking but changing how design is…
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Frederic Church's America: An Aspiration, Not an Entity
opinion-review
The Atlantic examines Frederic Church's emergence in the American art scene of the 1840s, characterizing it as more of a goal than a reality. At that time, exceptional painting…
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Friedensgutachten 2025: 69% der Ukrainer fordern Verhandlungen
opinion-review
Das Jahresgutachten der Friedensforscher 2025 zeigt eine Diskrepanz zwischen öffentlicher Meinung und politischer Beratung: 69% der Ukrainer befürworten eine Verhandlungslösung,…
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Fassbinder's Cinema of Power and Desire Still Resonates
opinion-review
Over forty years after his death, Rainer Werner Fassbinder's films remain startlingly relevant, dissecting toxic relationships, power asymmetries, and emotional dependency. His…
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First Nations Dance Authority: Who Inherits the Future?
opinion-review
The Australian Dance Biennale, a segment of RISING 2026 in Melbourne, has highlighted a shift in leadership within Australian dance. While First Nations choreography gains…
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Germany's Irrational Fear of Nuclear Energy After Chernobyl
opinion-review
The Chernobyl disaster has created a lasting taboo in Germany that prevents rational discussion about returning to nuclear energy, despite the goal of carbon-neutral…
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Hong Kong education system under scrutiny after parent-child suicide
opinion-review
A parent and child died by suicide in Hong Kong, prompting renewed calls for policymakers to address the intense academic pressure in the city's education system. The incident has…
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Monocle editor argues journalists must prove their worth in AI era
opinion-review
Josh Fehnert, editor of Monocle, argues that AI will not replace journalists who excel at human-centric skills like interviewing, interpretation, and storytelling. He acknowledges…
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Bologna anti-graffiti plan launched by Borgonzoni amid political irony
opinion-review
Italy's Undersecretary of Culture Lucia Borgonzoni presented a new data-sharing system in Bologna's Prefecture to speed up sanctions against graffiti on protected buildings. The…
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Aristotle Would See Nietzsche as a Dangerous Moral Destroyer
opinion-review
A philosophical thought experiment imagines how Aristotle would react to Friedrich Nietzsche's ideas. Aristotle, who championed virtue as a golden mean between extremes and saw…
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Ella Baron's Guardian cartoon satirizes David Hockney
opinion-review
Ella Baron created a cartoon for The Guardian's Opinion section, published on June 14, 2026, depicting artist David Hockney. The illustration is part of the Guardian Opinion…
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Luxury brands use 'no AI' claims as marketing strategy amid public backlash
opinion-review
In response to consumer backlash against generative AI, luxury and fashion brands are stressing that their offerings are crafted without AI involvement. This shift comes after…
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Navigating Imposter Syndrome in the Art World
opinion-review
A personal essay explores how to feel comfortable in elite art spaces despite economic disparities. The author recounts visiting Christie's in New York for an auction preview,…
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German Reform Debate: Grand Hotel Abgrund
opinion-review
The article critiques Germany's reform efforts, arguing that key figures in parliament, media, and associations are failing to change their communication strategies, thereby…
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David Hockney's 'A Bigger Splash' becomes queer domestic icon
opinion-review
The 1967 artwork 'A Bigger Splash' by David Hockney has become a familiar image in many gay households, with its reproductions found on various items like posters, prints,…
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Humor as Resistance: YouTube Revives Political Jokes in Hungary
opinion-review
The article draws a parallel between the suppression of free speech under Trump and the experience of the author's family in communist Hungary. It argues that humor, particularly…
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Luxury, publishing face structural crisis as 'Devil Wears Prada' returns
opinion-review
The return of 'The Devil Wears Prada' sequel coincides with a structural transformation in luxury, publishing, and digital platforms. In Q1 2025, LVMH's Fashion & Leather Goods…
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10 ways David Hockney transformed art from perspective to iPads
opinion-review
A Guardian retrospective outlines ten key ways David Hockney changed art, from his working-class origins in Bradford to his technological innovations. Hockney synthesized…
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London commuters rage against backpack wearers on the Tube
opinion-review
A Monocle columnist laments the inconsiderate behavior of backpack-wearing passengers on the London Underground, describing them as lacking style and spatial awareness. The author…
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David Hockney’s Relentless Work Ethic Revealed in Personal Account
opinion-review
In a personal reflection, Lawrence Weschler recounts first meeting David Hockney in 1982, a pivotal midpoint in the artist's career. Weschler had long followed Hockney from his…
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Italian cultural sector fails to leverage graduate talent, driving brain drain
opinion-review
Italy's cultural sector suffers from a severe mismatch between university training and job market demands, particularly in museum management. For years, Italian universities have…
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Selen Kara on 'New German Theater' and the Legacy of Postmigrant Theater
opinion-review
In an interview with der Freitag, Selen Kara, artistic director of Schauspiel Essen, discusses her concept of 'Neues Deutsches Theater' (New German Theater) and its relationship…
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Digital revolution and AI signal end of book civilization
opinion-review
A Le Monde opinion piece argues that while anxieties about technology weakening mental faculties are not new, the digital revolution and artificial intelligence now portend the…
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David Hockney's 'A Bigger Splash' analyzed as painting about absence
opinion-review
A critical essay by Stefano Jossa and Anita Romanello on doppiozero.com examines David Hockney's 1967 painting 'A Bigger Splash' (acrylic on canvas, Tate Britain, London). The…
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Barry Lyndon at 50: Kubrick's Film and Its Lasting Impact
opinion-review
A personal reflection on Stanley Kubrick's 1975 film Barry Lyndon, marking its 50th anniversary. The author recalls a friend who frequently quotes a line from the movie, and…
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Olivia Rodrigo's Third Album Reviewed by Vogue
opinion-review
Vogue published a first-person review of Olivia Rodrigo's third studio album, 'You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love,' released in 2025. The reviewer, a 33-year-old fan,…
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Philippines' South China Sea stance diverges from ASEAN-China economic pragmatism
opinion-review
In May, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared to Japan's National Diet that Manila would commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea arbitration…
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Spielberg's 'Disclosure Day' Criticized as Outdated UFO Drama
opinion-review
Steven Spielberg's latest film 'Disclosure Day' has been criticized as out of touch with modern media realities. The movie depicts a grand conspiracy involving alien abductees…
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Maniscalco Gallery Essay Laments Societal Collapse Under Trump
opinion-review
In a lengthy essay published on the Maniscalco Gallery website, the author reflects on the state of American society under President Donald Trump, describing it as a descent into…
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Nikon Should Release a Heritage Series of Classic Lenses for Z Mount
opinion-review
Jaron Schneider advocates for Nikon to introduce a Heritage Series featuring vintage lenses adapted for the Z mount, including popular options like 28mm f/2.8 and 135mm f/2. He…
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A Defense of Curatorial Gatekeeping in the Digital Age
opinion-review
An opinion piece in The Walrus argues for the return of cultural gatekeepers, reframing them not as patriarchal figures but as essential curators who filter and refine public…
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German sugar tax debate: Smoothies unhealthier than cola, government ignores science
opinion-review
A German opinion piece criticizes the government's planned sugar tax for exempting smoothies despite their high fructose content. The author argues that fruit sugar (fructose) in…
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AI Will Make Pre-GPT Writing a Fetishized Authenticity Marker
opinion-review
Krzysztof Pelc argues that the arrival of generative large language models (LLMs) has created a permanent divide in all authored writing: texts produced before 2022 (the all-human…
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Project A Black Planet: Panafrica Exhibition at Barbican Criticized for Academic Language
opinion-review
A review of 'Project A Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica' at the Barbican Art Gallery in London criticizes the exhibition for its dense academic language and lack of…
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Five Signals of Transformation in Contemporary Arts by 2030
opinion-review
A speculative analysis from the Laboratorio de Arte y Futuros de Memética, published on Esfera Pública, identifies five nuclei of transformation in contemporary arts toward 2030.…
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Fierce Compassion in Princess Mononoke
opinion-review
An article by Ronald S. Green and Tenzin Tsering examines the ethical framework of Hayao Miyazaki's 1997 film Princess Mononoke, arguing that it presents anger not as something to…
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Patriotism Debate in Germany Ahead of World Cup
opinion-review
A German opinion piece argues for a nuanced patriotism during the upcoming football World Cup, rejecting both right-wing extremists and Putin sympathizers. The author invokes…
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Ca' Foscari Rector on Overtourism: Venice as Lab for Cultural Tourism
opinion-review
Tiziana Lippiello, sinologist and rector of Ca' Foscari University since 2020, and president of Eutopia European University since 2023, discusses the paradox of cultural tourism…
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Opinion & reviews
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