Arts
Creative achievements in literature and the visual and performing arts
Mississippi Officially Ratifies Amendment to Ban Slavery, 148 Years Late
The movie Lincoln helped kick Mississippi into action on finally ratifying the 13th Amendment
February 20, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Fashion World Has No Excuse, But There’s a Good Reason Bill Cosby Wore Crazy Sweaters
The story behind Bill Cosby's sweaters has a lot more to do with television production than fashion
February 19, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Events February 19-21: Native Voices, a Modern Silent Film and Trumpet Jazz
This week, watch films by American Indian youths, see Academy Award-winner "The Artist" and snap your fingers to some world-class jazz
February 19, 2013 |
By Paul Bisceglio
The History of the Flapper, Part 3: The Rectangular Silhouette
Finally, women could breathe deeply when the waist-nipping corset went out of style
February 19, 2013 |
By Emily Spivack
New York Is Running Out of Ways to Separate Gifted Pre-Schoolers From Well-Prepared Ones
Actually figuring out which four-years-old are naturally smart and which have simply prepared, is harder than you might think
February 18, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Drones of the Future May Build Skyscrapers
Innovative architects are experimenting with small unmanned aerial vehicles to prove that drones can do more than cause destruction
February 15, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
Opera Fans Have an Advantage in Chemistry Class
Twenty-five different natural and synthetic chemical potions and poisons pop up in 20 different opera's plots
February 14, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
A Valentine for Sci-Art Lovers
A clever print by designer Jacqueline Schmidt pays homage to 12 different species with one thing in common—they mate for life
February 14, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Events February 15-17: Sketching Lessons, Arabian Jazz and Lincoln’s Dream
This week, indulge your creative side, hear Arab music, and meet a children's book author.
February 14, 2013 |
By Paul Bisceglio
The Origins of Wearing Your Heart on Your Sleeve
Valentine's Day can be an occasion for quirky expressions of love
February 14, 2013 |
By Emily Spivack
Document Deep Dive: The Most Influential Art Show You’ve Never Heard Of
Van Gogh, Cezanne and Degas lined the walls of the famed Armory Show 100 years ago, but it was Marcel Duchamp who stole the thunder
February 14, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Poetry Matters: Phillis Wheatley, The Slave Girl Who Became a Literary Sensation
Enslaved at age 8, America's first black woman poet won her freedom with verse
February 13, 2013 |
By David C. Ward
Unmanned Drones Have Been Around Since World War I
They have recently been the subject of a lot of scrutiny, but the American military first began developing similar aerial vehicles during World War I
February 12, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
The Masked Merriment of Mardi Gras
For centuries, the day's revelry has featured the liberated feeling of hiding in plain view
February 12, 2013 |
By Emily Spivack
Fifty Years After Sylvia Plath’s Death, Critics Are Just Starting to Understand Her Life
Cultural fascination with the author and poet continues to burn brightly despite - or perhaps because of - Plath's premature departure from this world
February 11, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
This Artist Uses Meat As His Medium
Dominic Episcopo's red and raw images capture the spirit of Americana.
February 11, 2013 |
By K. Annabelle Smith
Sneak Peek of “Seizing Justice: The Greensboro 4″
Airing February 11, the Smithsonian Channel documentary tells the story of the lunch counter sit-in that helped to change the country
February 11, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Experts Are Weeding Out Impostor Portraits of Mozart
With a new exhibition, experts want to do away with the romanticized conceptions of what Mozart looked like, or those of a white-wigged, red-jacketed young man at the piano
February 11, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Events February 12-14: Women in Sustainability, China’s Investment in Africa and an Emancipation Proclamation Theater Performance
This week, hear from a panel of sustainability rock stars, see a documentary on China's presence in Africa and watch a Black History Month celebration.
February 11, 2013 |
By Paul Bisceglio
Thailand—Where it Never Snows—Wins Snow Sculpture Contest
The festival, billed as an international gathering point that "evokes a pristine snow fantasy," attracts around 2 million people each year
February 08, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
