Opinion & reviews

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

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One Night Only: RomCom Meets Totalitarianism in New Film opinion-review
The German weekly newspaper der Freitag reviews the comedy film "One Night Only," which presents a dystopian premise where unmarried individuals are permitted to have sex only…
Gratitude in the Gallery: Should Artists Thank Their Dealers? opinion-review
A gallery professional reflects on the value of artists thanking their galleries after sales, drawing on personal experience and industry practice. The author recalls receiving a…
Beyond 'Inestimable': Proposals for Measuring Cultural Value opinion-review
Following the high-profile theft from the Museo di Messina, Stefano Monti's article in Artribune critiques the use of the term 'inestimable' for stolen artworks. He argues that…
Jane Schoenbrun on Horror, Sex, and Alienation in Film opinion-review
In an interview with the Financial Times, acclaimed filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun discusses how horror tropes, particularly the slasher genre, can express contemporary fears about…
Mauro Portello's Therapeutic Gaze: Wittgenstein, Jung, and Visual Clarity opinion-review
An essay by Moreno Montanari and Anita Romanello, published on doppiozero, explores the work of artist Mauro Portello through the lens of Wittgenstein's philosophy and Jungian…
Class Struggle in the Art World: From Bienal de São Paulo to Documenta and Beyond opinion-review
This essay, part two of a critical series, argues that the art world's progressive rhetoric masks deep class exploitation and that artists and workers must organize collectively.…
The Visual Grammar of Digital Reward: How Screens Learned to Show Winning opinion-review
An essay published on FAD Magazine on August 21, 2026, analyzes the visual grammar used to depict winning on screens. It identifies five recurring elements: color intensity spikes…
A Broken Ankle, a Sinkhole, and the Philosophy of Chance opinion-review
In a personal essay for The New Yorker, the author recounts breaking their fibula after riding an electric scooter into a sinkhole on a residential street near their home in…
Sex Recession Cinema: Two Films Offer Contrasting Visions of Desire opinion-review
An article in New Yorker delves into two films that tackle the issue of the "sex recession." This phenomenon has seen the percentage of adults aged 18-64 engaging in weekly sexual…
Art Historian Bari Hooper on Writing a Van Dyck Detective Novel opinion-review
In a comment piece for The Art Newspaper, art historian Bari Hooper discusses her transition from non-fiction to fiction with an art historical novel set in 1630s London. Hooper,…
Why Americans Stopped Reading Books: A Post-Literate Era opinion-review
A new analysis by Jared Henderson, presented in a video titled "Why Everyone Stopped Reading," explores the decline in book reading among Americans. The video, featured on Open…
LVMH Watches CEO Jean-Christophe Babin on the Future of Watchmaking Ahead of Geneva Watch Days opinion-review
Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of LVMH Watches, shared his predictions for the future of watchmaking in an interview published on the eve of Geneva Watch Days, which runs from…
Rethinking Human Exceptionalism: The Animal Within opinion-review
In a recent article on doppiozero, Maurizio Corrado explores the philosophical and scientific shift in understanding humans as animals. The piece, published on August 21, 2026,…
Beachwear Brands Overlook Men's Tops, Says Monocle's Asia Editor opinion-review
In a recent opinion article for Monocle, Asia editor James Chambers expresses his discontent with menswear brands that overlook stylish upper body beachwear. He points out that…
Chefs Debate Gen Z's Impact on Fine Dining opinion-review
In a CULTURED magazine roundtable, five chefs—Dominique Crenn (61, Atelier Crenn), Matthew Kammerer (37, Harbor House Inn), E.J. Lagasse (23, Emeril's), Flynn McGarry (27, Cove),…
China's Path Challenges Western Assumptions on Capitalism opinion-review
An editorial featured in the South China Morning Post suggests that China's approach to development challenges the post-Cold War belief that Western liberal capitalism is the sole…
Thomas Biebricher on AfD as a Class Project from Above: Elites Set the Agenda opinion-review
In a recent interview with the German newspaper der Freitag, political scientist Thomas Biebricher discusses the rise of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and similar right-wing…
Trump's Anti-Alliance Stance Extends to South Korea opinion-review
President Donald Trump has expressed discontent with South Korea, accusing it of benefiting from the US military's presence without contributing to the Iran conflict, while…
Dance Critic Gia Kourlas Compares Champion Surfer Caitlin Simmers to Ballet opinion-review
In an article from the New York Times on August 19, 2026, dance critic Gia Kourlas compares the elegance of ballet to the skill of high-level surfing, spotlighting champion surfer…
Seeßlen Analyzes Weidel, Meloni, and Le Pen as Postliberal Fascists opinion-review
In a recent article for the German weekly newspaper Der Freitag, film critic and author Georg Seeßlen examines the rise of right-wing female politicians Giorgia Meloni, Marine Le…
Did Smartphones Really Kill Reading? A Historical Perspective opinion-review
A recent article on LitHub challenges the common assumption that smartphones are responsible for the decline in reading. The piece argues that while it is tempting to blame…
French Culture Budget Cuts Threaten Shared History, CFDT-Culture Warns opinion-review
In a recent op-ed for Le Monde, Alexis Fritche, Secretary General of CFDT-Culture, argues that cultural funding is not merely an economic or artistic concern but a central…
Should Artists Display Prices on Their Websites? A Contrarian Gallery Owner’s Take opinion-review
A gallery owner argues that artists should display prices on their websites, challenging the traditional secrecy around art pricing. The article, published on RedDotBlog, presents…
Pompeo Micheli on Antonello da Messina Theft: Museum Security and the Challenge of Recovering Masterpieces opinion-review
In an article for Artemagazine, Pompeo Micheli, a Luogotenente Carica Speciale of the Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale, reflects on the theft of two paintings by…
AI Art Challenges Chelsea Galleries: Authenticity and Authorship in Question opinion-review
Generative AI is increasingly capable of producing sophisticated visual art that is difficult to distinguish from human-created works, raising urgent questions about authorship,…
Geetanjali Shree's 'Our City, That Year' Reviewed: A Tale of Religious Identity opinion-review
Mark Rappolt reviews Geetanjali Shree's novel 'Our City, That Year', translated by Daisy Rockwell and published by Tilted Axis. The book, inspired by the 1992 destruction of the…
Edgar Selge Calls for Radical New Approach in Democracy Debate opinion-review
In a recent opinion piece for Süddeutsche Zeitung, actor Edgar Selge argues that the current strategies of democratic parties in addressing major crises—climate change, the rise…
Architects and Museum Directors Debate the Future of Exhibitions opinion-review
In an article featured on Artribune, notable figures from the art community express their visions for upcoming exhibitions. Christian Greco, director of Museo Egizio, underscores…
'Anatomie d'un Monologue' Spotlights Valérie Dréville's 1998 Phèdre Performance opinion-review
The fourth part of the 'Anatomie d'un monologue' series revisits Valérie Dréville's 1998 portrayal of Phèdre. She was 36. Directed by Luc Bondy, the actress embodied the queen of…
NZZ Review Faults Kowalczuk and Hensel's Books on East German Nostalgia opinion-review
The Neue Zürcher Zeitung reviews two recent German-language books about East German political sentiment. Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk's 'A World Full of Fascists' takes on DDR nostalgia…
Sophie Stein's Novel 'Der neunte Kreis' Reimagines Dante's Circles as a Nine-Course Meal opinion-review
Sophie Stein's novel, 'Der neunte Kreis' (The Ninth Circle), offers a fresh take on Dante Alighieri's depiction of hell, framing it as a nine-course meal. Set in a bizarre future…
Servant of the Lake Review: Rusty Lake's New Point-and-Click Horror Puzzler opinion-review
In the newest addition to the Rusty Lake series, Servant of the Lake, players take on the role of a servant at the Vanderboom estate. This prequel, created by Rusty Lake, delves…
Boston Symphony Bassist James Orleans Blames Orchestral Malaise on Musicians' Lack of Professional Demeanor opinion-review
In a recent blog entry on ArtsJournal, James Orleans, who played double bass for the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1983 to 2018, examines the challenges confronting orchestras in…
Furious Review: Disney+ Crime Series Channels Jeffrey Epstein Trafficking Ring opinion-review
Disney+'s 'Furious' casts Emmy Rossum as FBI agent Alice Black, a detective burdened by trauma: she joined the Bureau after her boyfriend, a fellow officer, assaulted her and she…
Christoph Butterwegge: Why I Will Never Stop Being a Leftist opinion-review
In a piece for der Freitag, political scholar Christoph Butterwegge critiques former leftists who have adopted conservative ideologies, pointing to comedian Dieter Nuhr and…
Recap of 'The Shards' Episode 5: 'Murder on the Dancefloor' opinion-review
In a Vogue article, the author shares 52 thoughts while watching Episode 5 of 'The Shards,' titled 'Murder on the Dancefloor,' co-written and directed by Ryan Murphy. The episode…
Fig in Paradise: Cranach, Masolino, and Michelangelo opinion-review
In a new essay for doppiozero, Marco Belpoliti and Anita Romanello explore the fig's place in artistic depictions of the Tree of Knowledge. Cranach the Elder's 'Paradise' (1530)…
Sixth Insidious Film Earns Best Rotten Tomatoes Score Since 2010 Original opinion-review
The sixth Insidious film, Out of the Further, holds a 64% fresh Rotten Tomatoes score from 39 reviews—the franchise's best since the 2010 original's 66%. Jacob Chase directs; the…
Europe's Strategic Atrophy: A Call to Relearn the Art of Power opinion-review
A Monocle opinion article highlights that Europe's strategic stagnation is a result of a lost intellectual legacy. Robert Kagan's remark—Americans from Mars, Europeans from…
Doctors, Plumbers, and Comedians: The Human Jobs AI Won't Replace opinion-review
Andrew Mueller, Monocle contributing editor, argues that AI will not eliminate ten professions: doctors, hospitality workers, plumbers, gardeners, air-traffic controllers, pilots,…

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