Amy Crawford

Amy Crawford

 

Amy Crawford is a Michigan-based freelance journalist writing about cities, science, the environment, art and education. A longtime Smithsonian contributor, her work also appears in CityLab and the Boston Globe.

Berlin Face, Berlin, 2013

Fashion Photographer Klaus Mitteldorf Captures the Chaos of Modern Identity

These images evoke a world of endless distraction

Super-Natural (2011/2016), Han Seok Hyun. Artist Han Seok Hyun sourced green materials from supermarkets in Boston and his home city of Seoul for this fanciful landscape.

11 Artists Capture What It Is Like to Live in a Megacity

"Megacities Asia," a new exhibition at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, features 19 installations inspired by cities with populations of 10 million or more

The green color of the superb startling’s wing feathers is produced by microscopically structured surfaces that interfere with and scatter light.

The Extravagant Beauty of Feathers

A new book spotlights the astonishing diversity of avian plumage

To Mapplethorpe, flowers offered a way to broaden his appeal. Parrot Tulips, 1988

Robert Mapplethorpe Could Make Even Tulips Erotic

LACMA and the J. Paul Getty Museum will be showcasing the photographer’s lesser known flower portraits

Girl Behind Bottle (Jean Patchett) by Irving Penn, New York, 1949, printed 1978

A Major Retrospective of Photographer Irving Penn Includes Previously Unseen Works

At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, view works from the master photographer’s 70-year career

A spaghetti squash explodes with color. Maciek Jasik does not reveal his technique for making produce expel colorful smoke.

These Fruits Explode With Color. Literally.

Artist Maciek Jasik won't share the secrets behind his work, but the mystery is part of the fun

Mouth (for L’Oréal), New York, 1986; printed 1992.

How Irving Penn Turned Fashion Photography Into a Fine Art

A new show at the Smithsonian American Art Museum looks back at a photo giant who blurred the lines

Animaris Percipiere, 2005.

The Strange, Giant "Beach Animals" That Are About to Invade America's Shores

Artist Theo Jansen's sculptures first became hits on YouTube. Now they've reached the shores of New England

Chicago schoolkids pledge allegiance in 1963.

How the Pledge of Allegiance Went From PR Gimmick to Patriotic Vow

Francis Bellamy had no idea how famous, and controversial, his quick ditty would become

Robot jockeys ride camels in Abu Dhabi.

The Latest Sign That the Robot Uprising Is Nigh? Camel Racing

A centuries-old pastime in the United Arab Emirates gets a reboot

April DiGeo ponders how to spell her word in "Spellbound."

Thirteen Years Later, Did Spellbound Show Us the Power or the Myth of the American Dream?

We caught up with the kids, now full-fledged adults, from the acclaimed documentary to investigate how social class shapes success in America

Native Dress Calgary Stampede(2010)

Scenes From the Calgary Stampede

Noted photographer Richard Phibbs has a new book that sends him back home on the range

Finding a Voice for Iranian Women

Artist Shirin Neshat uses Persian poetry to reveal the conflict between tradition and modernity

Sir Bobby, 2007

The Beautiful Game Becomes Beautiful Art as L.A. Museum Puts Soccer on Exhibit

The work of artists from around the world looks at players, fans and the ball itself

In the hit game Space Invaders, a menacing four-note soundtrack sped up as the aliens got closer.

The Generation That Grew Up With “Space Invaders” Now Has Gaming Children Of Their Own

Thirty-five years after the arcade game hit it big, its impact is still felt nationwide

Preparing for the Next Step in Manned Spaceflight

NASA prepares to send humans into deep space

Building a War of 1812 Warship

This summer, a ship named after naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry will set sail

The planet Kepler-22b, shown in this artwork, is the right size and distance from its star to support liquid water, and perhaps life.

The Search for Life Across the Universe

Smithsonian astrophysicist Jeremy Drake explains how the question changed from "if" life will be found elsewhere to "when" and "where"

Your Weekly Sermons, Illustrated

Artist John Hendrix finds divine inspiration every Sunday when he goes to church

Is It Ethical to Collect Homeless People’s Signs as Art?

On the streets, a few words on a piece of cardboard can tell a life story

Page 5 of 9