Opinion & reviews

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

Most recent stories

Jakob Augstein and Jörg Baberowski Discuss Populism and Democracy opinion-review
In an interview published in Der Freitag, journalist Jakob Augstein speaks with historian Jörg Baberowski about populism and democracy. Baberowski explains that populism succeeds…
Israeli Army's Humiliating Poses in Flotilla Raid Photos opinion-review
Marco Belpoliti analyzes the symbolic meaning of the posture of detainees in photos released by the Israeli army after the assault on the humanitarian mission "Flotilla." The…
Hollywood Reinvents While Non-Profit Arts Stagnates: A Systemic Crisis opinion-review
ArtsJournal's weekly analysis contrasts Hollywood's sixth reinvention with the non-profit arts sector's single model from 1965. Hollywood faces a production crisis—half of all…
Gallery Feedback as Market Research: Balancing Sales and Creative Vision opinion-review
A gallery owner advises artists to treat sales data as objective market research rather than a threat to creative autonomy. The author argues that no good gallery wants to stifle…
Massive Group Shows: A Critical Look at Two San Antonio Exhibitions opinion-review
An essay examines the phenomenon of massive group shows through two San Antonio exhibitions: 'Fan of a Fan 3' at C7 Space and 'A Postmodernist Says ¿Que?' at Centro de Artes. The…
Le Monde Critics Dream Up Cannes 2026 Prizes opinion-review
Ahead of the 79th Cannes Film Festival jury decisions, presided over by Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, critics Mathieu Macheret and Jacques Mandelbaum from Le Monde have…
Weight-loss drugs may redefine beauty in art, experts say opinion-review
Experts anticipate that weight-loss medications such as Wegovy and Mounjaro will alter beauty standards in art, leading to a trend termed 'GLP-1 face,' characterized by emaciated…
Guttuso's Bucranio e noci: Art as Intellectual Challenge opinion-review
An article on Segnonline critiques superficial art appreciation, using Renato Guttuso's 1954 painting 'Bucranio e noci' as a case study. The author argues that many viewers reduce…
Mortal Kombat 2 film review: violence and spectacle opinion-review
Simon McQuoid's Mortal Kombat 2, released in theaters on May 23, 2026, follows Johnny Cage as he joins a tournament to defeat the tyrant Shao Kahn. The sequel improves on the 2021…
Brett Scott: Bitcoin ist ein libertärer Fetisch, der zu Trump passt opinion-review
Der Anthropologe und ehemalige Broker Brett Scott kritisiert Bitcoin als libertären Fetisch, der mit Freiheitsversprechen und Anti-Establishment-Mythen überhöht werde. Im…
Robert Guédiguian warns art world against self-congratulatory radicalism opinion-review
In a guest column for Le Monde, filmmaker Robert Guédiguian argues that the cultural battle against the far right must be fought but must avoid the trap of insularity. He…
Patrick Bruel case exposes power dynamics in entertainment industry, says lawyer opinion-review
In a guest column for Le Monde, lawyer Elodie Tuaillon-Hibon argues that reducing the Patrick Bruel sexual violence allegations to a sordid news item would prevent a proper…
AI threatens 'skill death' in classical music composition opinion-review
A Financial Times opinion piece argues that while composers have historically embraced new technology, generative AI poses an existential threat to classical music by enabling…
Bob Dylan's Song Art: Too True to Be Beautiful opinion-review
A critical review examines Bob Dylan's songwriting, arguing that his lyrical truthfulness undermines conventional beauty. The article contrasts Dylan with Paul McCartney, whose…
Harmon Siegel Revisits Artforum's 'Problems of Criticism' Series opinion-review
In the May 2026 issue of Artforum, Harmon Siegel examines the magazine's ten-part 'Problems of Criticism' series (1967–1971), in which critics like Barbara Rose, Max Kozloff, and…
French performing arts professionals warn of far-right ideological takeover of cultural spaces opinion-review
A collective of nearly 400 performing arts professionals—including actors, theater directors, playwrights, and authors—published an open letter in Le Monde on May 22, 2026,…
Kenny Schachter Exposes Delinquent Dealers and the Other Salvator Mundi opinion-review
Kenny Schachter's latest column for Artnet News covers a range of art-world topics, including the spring auctions and fairs in New York, where business was brisk but uneven. He…
Ted Huffman's Glyndebourne Tosca: Meticulous but Lacks Passion opinion-review
A review of Ted Huffman's latest rendition of Puccini's Tosca at Glyndebourne Festival Opera highlights its meticulous detail but criticizes its absence of Italian fervor. Huffman…
Why Cutting Art Prices Hurts Sales More Than Helps opinion-review
In a RedDotBlog article, an anonymous artist is advised against lowering prices when gallery sales stall. The piece argues that price cuts devalue work, undermine gallery…
Laurent Mauvignier warns of shrinking artistic freedom under Bolloré and far-right pressure opinion-review
In a column published by Le Monde on May 22, 2026, Laurent Mauvignier, winner of the Prix Goncourt 2025, warns that artistic freedom is shrinking under pressure from far-right…
Cory Doctorow on Enshittification: Break Up Meta, Google, and Musk opinion-review
Cory Doctorow, the Canadian author and activist, coined the term "Enshittification" to describe the decay of digital platforms. In an interview, he recounts the term's origin…
Mareice Kaiser vs. Hanno Sauer: Class writing debate at re:publica opinion-review
At the re:publica conference, authors Mareice Kaiser and Hanno Sauer discussed writing about class from a privileged position. Sauer revealed his book advance of €160,000,…
Netflix’s 'Ladies First' Fails to Break Gender Clichés opinion-review
The Netflix comedy 'Ladies First' starring Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike has been criticized for relying on outdated gender stereotypes rather than offering fresh insights.…
Tomahawk-Raketen: Abschreckungsdenken des Kalten Krieges kehrt zurück opinion-review
Die Debatte um Tomahawk-Raketen greift auf Abschreckungsdenken zurück, das für den Kalten Krieg typisch und gefährlich war. Besonders verwerflich ist, dass ein heißer Krieg nicht…
Bienaimé Besse: Criticizing Bolloré's cinema influence is strategic mistake opinion-review
In a guest column for Le Monde, media specialist Carole Bienaimé Besse argues that denouncing Vincent Bolloré's influence over French cinema while Canal+ remains a key funding…
Pellicola Revival: Nolan, Tarantino, Villeneuve Lead Return to Analog Film opinion-review
Christopher Nolan, Denis Villeneuve, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Quentin Tarantino are spearheading a spontaneous 'Pellicola Revival' — a return to analog film projection and…
Boots Riley's 'I Love Boosters' Blends Fashion Heist with Socialist Surrealism opinion-review
Boots Riley's 'I Love Boosters' presents a surrealist comedy with socialist themes, centering on a group of Black women shoplifters known as the Velvet Gang. They target the…
The Philosopher Avram Alpert on Escaping the Greatness Trap opinion-review
Avram Alpert's book 'The Good-Enough Life' argues that society's obsession with excellence, or 'greatness thinking,' is harmful and proposes embracing ordinariness as a path to…
Biennalen in der Krise: Cherix über MoMA, Berg gegen immersive Kunst opinion-review
Im Observer identifiziert Paco Barragán eine grundlegende Krise der Biennalen, die seit 1895 in Venedig als Mittel zur nationalen Repräsentation fungieren. Er prägte den Ausdruck…
Guy Ritchie's 'In the Grey' Reviewed: Women Think, Men Act opinion-review
Guy Ritchie's new film 'In the Grey' features women thinking while men do the dirty work. Despite car chases, machine-gun salvos, and explosions, the film is ultimately very…
Furniture as Architecture: Micro-Modernism in the Home opinion-review
An article on ArchDaily argues that modernism first entered everyday life through furniture, not buildings. Early 20th-century designers treated furniture as condensed…
Kunstmarkt sollte LinkedIn statt Instagram nutzen opinion-review
Der Kunstmarkt setzt stark auf Instagram, obwohl LinkedIn aus kunstmarkttechnischer Sicht größeres Potenzial böte. Instagram wird wegen seines Fokus auf das Visuelle geschätzt,…
Retrograde review: Donné Ngabo delivers commanding performance as Sidney Poitier in MTC production opinion-review
Donné Ngabo stars as Sidney Poitier in the Australian premiere of Ryan Calais Cameron's play Retrograde, produced by Melbourne Theatre Company at Arts Centre Melbourne until 27…
Belvoir's The Birds: one-actor gamble undercuts avian thriller opinion-review
Louise Fox's new Australian adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's The Birds, directed by Matthew Lutton, runs at Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney until 7 June 2026. The production…
French culture sector loses narrative battle, says Le Monde editor opinion-review
In a column published in Le Monde on May 22, 2026, editor-in-chief Michel Guerrin argues that the controversy surrounding the "Zapper Bolloré" petition obscures more serious…
Ron Howard's Avedon Documentary Criticized as Conventional and Safe opinion-review
Ron Howard's documentary "Avedon" premiered at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, but critics argue it fails to capture the complexity of photographer Richard Avedon. The film relies…
Annabelle Lopez Ochoa on Choreography as Her Truest Language opinion-review
Choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, who has spoken four languages throughout her life, describes movement as the only medium in which she feels completely uninhibited. She began…
Bardem, Loach and Ruffalo join 3,400+ signatories against Bolloré's far-right influence in cinema opinion-review
Javier Bardem, Ken Loach and Mark Ruffalo are among the latest signatories of a petition denouncing the far-right influence of Canal+ and its majority shareholder Vincent Bolloré…
Andrey Zvyagintsev's 'Minotauro' Premieres at Cannes 79 opinion-review
Andrey Zvyagintsev's new film 'Minotauro' premiered at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, marking his return nine years after 'Loveless' and following a severe COVID-19…
Radio France defends public orchestral mission in Le Monde op-ed opinion-review
In a Le Monde op-ed, Michel Orier, director of music and creation at Radio France, argues against cutting the public broadcaster's orchestras. He traces the history of public…

Browse by theme

Exhibitions
Solo shows, group exhibitions, openings, extensions, and closings in galleries, museums, and independent spaces.
Artists
Profiles, interviews, new works, residencies, collaborations, and careers of contemporary artists.
Market & Auctions
Market trends, sales, auction results, major lots, records, and analysis from Christie's, Sotheby's, Phillips and others.
Awards
Awards, scholarships, recognitions, nominations, and winners in the art world.
Festivals & Fairs
Art fairs, biennials, triennials, festivals and cultural manifestations — Art Basel, Frieze, TEFAF, Venice Biennale and beyond.
Institutional
Appointments, leadership changes, museum policies, funding, acquisitions and institutional strategies.
Cultural heritage
Restorations, protection, restitutions, UNESCO heritage, legislation, and conservation.
Architecture & design
Architectural projects for museums, galleries and cultural spaces, design reviews and new buildings.
Digital & new media
Digital art, NFTs, AI art, virtual reality, new technologies applied to art.
AI & Technology
Artificial intelligence, language models, machine learning, AI research, tools and infrastructure — from Anthropic and OpenAI to academic papers.
Economy & Finance
Economy, finance, markets, luxury and geopolitics — macro signals that influence the art market and collecting.
Publications
Art books, catalogs, magazines, essays, and new sector publications.
Opinion & reviews
Editorials, critical reviews, analyses, commentaries, and viewpoints on the contemporary art world.
Other
Everything else — obituaries, interdisciplinary projects, and news that does not fit the main categories.