Opinion & reviews

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• Bell Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: A muddled modern take opinion-review

  Bell Shakespeare's production of Julius Caesar, directed by Peter Evans, sets the play in a suburban outdoor area in Melbourne's outer north, using a set of grey paving slabs, a…

• Wabi-sabi or sloppy? Philosopher Patrick Stokes on distinguishing authentic imperfection from shoddy work opinion-review

  Philosopher Patrick Stokes of Deakin University examines the Western appropriation of the Japanese concept wabi-sabi, which has been reduced to a buzzword for selling imperfect…

• Euphoria Season 3 Loses Its Edge Amid Criticism and Creative Changes opinion-review

  The third season of HBO's 'Euphoria' has been widely criticized for losing the complexity and unique style that defined its earlier seasons. Episode three, 'The Ballad of…

• Without diplomacy, deterrence in Asia is a path to escalation opinion-review

  An opinion piece argues that the absence of diplomacy in Asia is leading to escalation, as states build habits and infrastructure of confrontation while claiming defensive…

• Critique of the Neoliberal University and the Crisis of Art Education opinion-review

  During a faculty meeting at Purchase College, a faculty member described students as "consumers," highlighting the neoliberal transformation in higher education. This terminology…

• Oakland Museum director calls for museums to act as civic institutions opinion-review

  Lori Fogarty, executive director of the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA), argues in a comment piece that museums must go beyond being civil institutions to become active civic…

• Nunca Foi Sobre Talento: Arte como Trabalho e a Crítica da Precarização opinion-review

  O ensaio de Filipe Lippe argumenta que a arte deve ser compreendida como trabalho para politizar o setor e combater a precarização. A separação histórica entre arte e trabalho,…

• Peter Zumthor's LACMA Design Criticized as Stuck in the Past opinion-review

  Carolina Miranda's review in Bloomberg critiques Peter Zumthor's newest building for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). She characterizes it as a "freeway-like"…

• Schmigadoon!'s Pastiche Score: A Deep Dive into Musical Theatre Gene-Splicing opinion-review

  In the latest issue of American Theatre, editor-in-chief Rob Weinert-Kendt examines the Broadway version of Schmigadoon!, developed for Apple+ TV by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio.…

• Clizia Carminati defends new Italian literature guidelines against criticism opinion-review

  Clizia Carminati, associate professor of Italian literature at the University of Bergamo and one of three authors of the new National Guidelines for literature teaching in Italy,…

• Schauspielhaus Zürich 2026/27 Season: Ghosts and Classics opinion-review

  The Schauspielhaus Zürich has announced its 2026/27 season, featuring a lineup of classic plays and ghostly themes. The season includes a new production titled 'Monster,' which…

• Zach Galifianakis' Netflix gardening show reviewed alongside top YouTube channels opinion-review

  Zach Galifianakis' new Netflix series 'This Is a Gardening Show,' which debuted on Earth Day, is reviewed as a sincere but impractical attempt to share gardening enthusiasm. The…

• How LEGO Became the World's Most Powerful Art Medium opinion-review

  A Salon article argues that LEGO has become the world's most powerful art medium, citing its use in political propaganda, contemporary art, and activism. The piece highlights…

• Drawing the Naked Body: Lessons in Looking opinion-review

  A personal essay recounts the author's experience in a college life-drawing class, where models were often fellow students. The class emphasized direct observation over…

• Özlem Demirel: EU's Iran Stance and German Arms to Israel Criticized opinion-review

  In an interview with der Freitag, European Left Party MP Özlem Demirel criticizes the EU's handling of the Iran conflict and German weapons deliveries to Israel. She argues that…

• Authorized music biopics criticized as bland propaganda opinion-review

  A recent piece in The Guardian takes a critical look at the growing trend of estate-approved music biopics, pointing out that they often simplify the lives of artists for profit.…

• Wolfgang Koeppen's Postwar Trilogy Reviewed opinion-review

  The "trilogy of failure" by Wolfgang Koeppen, composed from 1951 to 1954, presents a vast and multi-voiced depiction of a Germany that is both physically and morally broken after…

• Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Minister Till Backhaus Criticized Over Whale Hysteria opinion-review

  An opinion piece in Der Freitag criticizes Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's environment minister Till Backhaus for escalating the drama around a humpback whale named Timmy stranded in the…

• Legal scholar Christoph Möllers argues art freedom protects antisemitic works unless they incite hatred opinion-review

  In two nonfiction books, German legal scholar Christoph Möllers defends the principle of artistic freedom, arguing that it extends to antisemitic art as long as it does not cross…

• Alex Bec advises junior designers to embrace AI and soft skills opinion-review

  In the most recent installment of Creative Career Conundrums from If You Could Jobs, Alex Bec, who co-founded It's Nice That, Creative Lives in Progress, and If You Could Jobs,…

• NZZ criticizes SRF for framing mosque criticism as racist opinion-review

  A commentary in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) accuses Swiss public broadcaster SRF of suggesting that criticism of new mosques is merely racist. The article argues that the…

• The Woman in Black Touring Production Praised for Restraint and Performances opinion-review

  The touring production of Stephen Mallatratt's stage adaptation of Susan Hill's Gothic classic 'The Woman in Black' has been reviewed by Claire Parsons for ArtsHub. The…

• SPD-Chef Klingbeil: Bürger opferbereit, Basis verhöhnt opinion-review

  SPD-Chef Lars Klingbeil erklärte Ende März bei einer Rede vor der Bertelsmann-Stiftung, die Menschen seien bereit, Opfer zu bringen und Veränderungen zu akzeptieren. Der Artikel…

• Meta and Google Ordered to Pay $6M in Landmark Tech Addiction Case opinion-review

  On March 25, 2026, a Los Angeles jury ordered Meta and Google to pay $6 million in damages to a young woman identified as K.G.M., who began using YouTube at age six and Instagram…

• Florence Skyline Controversy: White Prism Blocks Santa Croce View opinion-review

  A new controversy has erupted in Florence over a white parallelepiped antenna in Via Ghibellina, within the UNESCO zone, that obstructs the view of Santa Croce. This follows…

• The Devil Wears Prada 2 Faces Chinese Backlash Over 'Pocket Asian' Stereotype opinion-review

  Released in China on April 30, 2026, The Devil Wears Prada 2 has encountered criticism regarding its Chinese American assistant character, Jin Chao (Jin Zhao/Qin Zhou). Detractors…

• A Cultural Critic's Reassessment of Lena Dunham and 'Girls' opinion-review

  In a personal essay for Slate, a cultural critic reflects on their harsh criticism of Lena Dunham's HBO series 'Girls,' which premiered in April 2012. The critic, a South Asian…

• Northern arts leaders demand share of £1.5bn funding package opinion-review

  In a letter to The Guardian, Christine Baranski and Sharon Maher criticize the government's arts funding disparity between London and northern England. They note that £135m was…

• Letter challenges gendered assumption in prehistoric cave art interpretation opinion-review

  In a letter to the editor, Elke Bachler critiques a review of Thomas Laqueur's book The Dog's Gaze, which described a prehistoric cave art scene as depicting "most likely a boy…

• Fictional pop stars in Hollywood films fail credibility test opinion-review

  A Variety column by Mark Harris criticizes the wave of fictional pop star movies for their lack of authenticity. Films like "Mother Mary" (A24, directed by David Lowery, starring…

• Michael Tilson Thomas Remembered as Embodiment of LA opinion-review

  In an article featured in the Los Angeles Times, Mark Swed pays tribute to conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, asserting that, although he has deep ties with the San Francisco…

• Douglas McLennan: Opera Must Reclaim Digital Infrastructure from Big Tech opinion-review

  In a Spring 2026 Opera America Magazine article, Douglas McLennan, founder of ArtsJournal, argues that opera companies must build their own AI-driven digital infrastructure to…

• When Artists Raise Prices Too High: A Pricing Guide opinion-review

  A friend of the author, an artist, increased prices by over 30% after a successful year, only to see sales plummet. The author notes this is a common scenario. While art world…

• German Military Reserve Debate: Can 69-Year-Olds Revitalize the Bundeswehr? opinion-review

  A recent opinion piece in Süddeutsche Zeitung satirically questions whether the German armed forces (Bundeswehr) could be revitalized by 69-year-old change managers from the…

• Matthias Hornschuh: KI ohne Bewusstsein kann keine Kunst schaffen opinion-review

  Im Interview mit dem Monopol Magazin anlässlich des German Creative Economy Summit in Hamburg kritisiert der Musikproduzent und Autor Matthias Hornschuh die aktuellen…

• Giuliano Ferrara's Scathing Critique of Biennale Arte's Political Turmoil opinion-review

  Giuliano Ferrara published a sharp analysis in Il Foglio on April 26, 2026, condemning the politicization of the Venice Biennale. He argues that socio-political pressures from…

• Historian Sylvain Piron on St. Francis's Ecological Relevance opinion-review

  Historian Sylvain Piron discusses the revolutionary legacy of St. Francis of Assisi on the 800th anniversary of his death, as his relics are displayed at the Basilica of Assisi.…

• Manfred Papst on the Subtle Art of Double Negatives opinion-review

  In a column for NZZ am Sonntag, Manfred Papst explores the rhetorical figure of litotes—double negation used for understatement or emphasis. He notes that while mathematics treats…

• NZZ Kultur: Euphoria Staffel 3, Michael Jackson Biopic, Félicien Rops Ausstellung opinion-review

  Die NZZ am Sonntag präsentiert eine Übersicht aktueller Kulturtipps. Die dritte Staffel der Serie «Euphoria» wird als enttäuschend beschrieben. Ein Biopic über Michael Jackson…

• Fahrradstraße: Verkehr bleibt Verkehr, auch ohne Autos opinion-review

  Der Autor kritisiert die Umwandlung einer Straße in eine Fahrradstraße als Symbolpolitik, die die Realität des Berufsverkehrs ignoriert. Die Straße, einst ein Schleichweg zur…