Opinion & reviews

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

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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…
Dress Code 24: Body and Face as Separate Entities in Youth Discourse opinion-review
An anecdote from an Italian university basement captures a student's casual ranking of face and body as independent scores, prompting a reflection on the semiotic, social, and…
Pu opera adaptation of 'Othello' criticized for cultural misalignment opinion-review
A Pu opera adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Othello' by the Linfen Pu Opera Theater in Shanxi province has drawn criticism for failing to reconcile historical context and character…
Veronica Winters on Choosing Lies Over Truth and the Fight Against Evil opinion-review
Artist Veronica Winters reflects on the human tendency to choose lies over truth, drawing parallels between Bartolomé Bermejo's 1468 painting 'Saint Michael Triumphs over the…
Art Prints as Gateway: Why They Still Matter for Independent Artists opinion-review
A veteran of the art print industry reflects on the market's evolution from a golden era (1980s–early 2000s) to today's fragmented landscape. The author, who worked with Decor…
Christian Gangitano compares public art to Liberation Day as a laboratory of freedom opinion-review
In an opinion piece for Artuu, Christian Gangitano draws a parallel between the April 25 Liberation Day in Italy and the history of street art. He argues that Liberation Day is…
How Monitor Previews Shape Commercial Photo Shoots opinion-review
Matt Salo, a Chicago-based digital imaging technician and photographer, argues that the monitor preview on commercial photo sets is an underutilized tool that can transform shoot…
Darren Pellegrino's Monochrome Triangle: A Framework for Emotionally Compelling Black and White Photography opinion-review
Darren Pellegrino, an accomplished fine art photographer and founder of The Monochrome Collective, argues that the power of black and white photos often falls short, not due to…
Reza Pahlavi's Berlin visit criticized as absurd circus opinion-review
Behzad Karim Khani critiques Reza Pahlavi's visit to Berlin, arguing that those who saw the Shah's son as a serious alternative for Iran's future have fallen for an absurd…
AI Enables Anyone to Become an Influencer on Social Media opinion-review
A New Yorker article discusses how AI tools now allow social media users to manipulate their identities online, building on the monetization of the physical self pioneered by…
Marga Sánchez Romero: Prehistory Was Not Only Violence, but Also Care opinion-review
In a conversation with Artribune, Marga Sánchez Romero, a feminist archaeologist born in Madrid in 1971 and a Prehistory professor at the University of Granada, contends that…
Andy Meerow and Gus Thompson at Gene's Dispensary, Los Angeles opinion-review
The text is a poetic meditation on the roles of artists and viewers, framed through two vignettes: an artist in a coffee shop and another wandering the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.…
Leyla Bouzid on lesbian invisibility in Arab cinema opinion-review
In an interview with Le Monde, Tunisian filmmaker Leyla Bouzid discusses the challenges of making her film 'A voix basse' (In a Low Voice), which centers on a lesbian protagonist.…
Sue Williams: Daily Violence Against Women Painted in Pain and Humiliation opinion-review
Sue Williams, an American artist, depicts the daily violence against women through her paintings, focusing on themes of pain and humiliation. Her work confronts the viewer with…
Trump's Washington Remodeling as Political Metaphor, Says MIT Urbanist opinion-review
Lawrence Vale, a professor of urban studies and planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), analyzes President Donald Trump's efforts to imprint his mark on…
The Culture Crutch: Why 'Culture' Is a Faux Explanation opinion-review
In a Substack essay, Alex Nowrasteh argues that invoking 'culture' as an explanation for social and economic phenomena is intellectually lazy. He contends that culture is…
Italian Education Reform Threatens Literary Canon, Critic Argues opinion-review
Valentina Ferrario criticizes a new Italian education reform proposed by Minister of Culture Valditara, which moves Alessandro Manzoni's "I Promessi Sposi" from the first two…
Turner Prize Shortlist Criticized as Timid; Venice Biennale Politics and LA Museum Boom opinion-review
In The Guardian, Eddy Frankel describes the 2026 Turner Prize shortlist as "timid," lacking the boldness seen in earlier years. He commends Marguerite Humeau's sculptures and…
Tschernobyl 40 Jahre: Deutsche Angst als kulturelles Erbe opinion-review
Zum 40. Jahrestag der Reaktorkatastrophe von Tschernobyl analysiert ein Meinungsartikel in der Süddeutschen Zeitung die deutsche Reaktion auf das Unglück. Der Autor argumentiert,…
Stoicismo distorto: la filosofia antica diventa un manuale di produttività online opinion-review
Lo stoicismo, una filosofia che ha le sue radici ad Atene oltre duemila anni fa, è stato reinterpretato online, spesso come un manuale per essere più produttivi e disciplinati,…
Menopause Debate: From Taboo to Pathologization opinion-review
The topic of menopause has gained significant traction in pop culture and public discourse. However, this new openness appears to be followed by pathologization: aging is…
Politicians embrace fitness culture as new power symbol opinion-review
The article examines the growing trend of politicians and world leaders adopting rigorous physical fitness regimens, contrasting it with past habits like Churchill's drinking and…
Camus's Meursault: Refusal to Play the Game, Not Refusal to Lie opinion-review
An analysis of Albert Camus's 1955 preface to 'The Stranger' reveals a contradiction: Camus claims his protagonist Meursault refuses to lie, yet the character lies repeatedly…
AI's Impact on Design: Taste and Judgment Become Key opinion-review
As AI tools like Canva and Claude democratize design, the role of the designer shifts from production to curation and meaning-making. The article argues that when anyone can…
700 signatories urge reopening of French institute in Syria opinion-review
A collective of nearly 700 researchers, teachers, journalists, artists, diplomats, and students has published an open letter in Le Monde calling for the reopening of the Institut…
DTF St. Louis Explores Male Vulnerability opinion-review
The New Yorker reviews "DTF St. Louis," a reality TV series on the streaming platform Dropout that follows a group of men in St. Louis as they openly express love and affection…
Richard Gadd's 'Half Man' Follows 'Baby Reindeer' on HBO opinion-review
Richard Gadd's new series 'Half Man' premieres on HBO as his follow-up to the hit 'Baby Reindeer'. The show traces a decades-long quasi-familial relationship between two men,…
Lucette ter Borg on Justice, Aging, and Art Journalism opinion-review
In an extensive interview with Mister Motley, Dutch art journalist and writer Lucette ter Borg (born 1962) reflects on her decades-long career as a crusader against misconduct and…
The Tyranny of Self-Optimization: How Tech Undermines Freedom opinion-review
A critique of the modern obsession with constant self-improvement, driven by wearable technology and data tracking. The article questions whether the pressure to optimize every…
Tschernobyl als Gedächtnisort: Francesco Cataluccio über die anhaltende Verseuchung opinion-review
In einem Artikel für die NZZ beleuchtet der italienische Essayist Francesco Cataluccio (geb. 1955) die anhaltende Relevanz des Reaktorunglücks von Tschernobyl als Gedächtnisort.…
Céline Dion's Paris concert frenzy sparks debate on fandom opinion-review
Nearly 500,000 tickets sold for Céline Dion's upcoming Paris concerts have prompted Michel Guerrin, editor-in-chief at Le Monde, to examine the cultural phenomenon of loving or…
The Pitt Backlash: Fans Accused of Watching Wrongly opinion-review
The hospital drama 'The Pitt' faced an online backlash shortly after its first season aired, with fans accusing each other of misunderstanding the show. The controversy highlights…
José Ramón Hernández Correa Confesses: Torres Blancas Over BBVA opinion-review
In a personal essay featured on Veredes, architect José Ramón Hernández Correa reveals his inclination towards Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza's Torres Blancas (1968) rather than…
New Yorker Review Calls Michael Jackson Biopic 'Sanitized' opinion-review
The New Yorker's review of the new Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" criticizes the film for focusing on the business maneuvers that propelled Jackson to fame while omitting his…
Camera Makers Urged to Share Tariff Refunds with Customers opinion-review
In a guest opinion piece on PetaPixel, photographer Robert Sirotnik, supported by the editorial staff, urges Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm to distribute tariff refunds to their…
La Scala's Pelléas et Mélisande: A Blush-Worthy Triumph opinion-review
La Scala's production of Pelléas et Mélisande has received a five-star review, described as exquisitely potent. The Financial Times critic praises the opera's emotional intensity,…
Social Psychologist Explains Emotional Response to Stranded Humpback Whale opinion-review
In an interview with Der Freitag, social psychologist Eva Walther analyzes the intense public reaction to a stranded humpback whale, which has sparked both emotional and political…

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