Arts
Creative achievements in literature and the visual and performing arts
Are You Ready for Shirley MacLaine’s Entrance on Downton Abbey?
The stage is set. Enter Martha Levinson, a character described as rich, crass and brassy.
January 02, 2013 |
By Amy Henderson
Bringing Extinct Birds Back to Life, One Cartoon at a Time
In his new book, Extinct Boids, artist Ralph Steadman introduces readers to a flock of birds that no longer live in the wild
January 02, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
LISTEN: Stephen Wade’s Banjo Diary
The roots music expert’s latest album is finger-picking good
January 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Events January 1-3: Arctic Traditions, Contemporary Art and Stitching Workshops
Travel up North, tour the best of the Hirshhorn and become a crafting sensation all in one week!
December 31, 2012 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Seven Must-See Art-Meets-Science Exhibitions in 2013
Preview some of the top-notch shows—on anatomy, bioluminescence, water tanks and more—slated for the next year
December 28, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
A History of Sequins from King Tut to the King of Pop
As you don your sparkly holiday fashions, think of the trend's start in an Egyptian tomb
December 28, 2012 |
By Emily Spivack
A 24-Hour Movie That May Be the Biggest (and Best) Supercut Ever
Christian Marclay’s The Clock, now on view at MoMA, puts YouTube mashup artists to shame
December 28, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
The Last Working Copyist in Mali Is Trying To Save Timbuktu’s Manuscripts
180,000 medieval manuscripts are housed in Timbuktu, and only 23,000 of those ancient writings have ever been catalogued
December 27, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Events December 28-30: Ai Weiwei, Lincoln and Andy Warhol
This weekend, two artists and a president walk into a museum, sort of. Learn about Mr. Ai's activist art, explore Lincoln's Indian legacy and hear stories of an enigmatic artist
December 27, 2012 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Architecture to Watch in 2013
Whether they're breaking ground or topping off, these are the biggest building projects we'll be watching in 2013
December 26, 2012 |
By Jimmy Stamp
Think Apple Maps Are Bad? These Cartographics Blunders Were Way Worse
If you think Apple messed up big time, think again. The history of map making is full of far worse blunders
December 26, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Cosmic Sans: a New Font Space Geeks Will Love to Hate
Merging iconic space imagery with everyone's (least) favorite font
December 26, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Super High Res Photo of Mt. Everest Shows Glacier Melt (But No Bodies)
Photographers from the organization Glacier Works just captured an interactive digital image of Mount Everest in astounding, gigapixel detail
December 26, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
This Beautiful Visualization Makes Prime Factors Dance
"I knew that I should take his lovely little dots and make them dance"
December 26, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Take a Tour of Victor Hugo's Paris
As a film version of his Les Miserables hits theaters, consider traveling in the French writer’s footsteps
December 24, 2012 |
By Nina Fedrizzi
Frida Kahlo’s Closet Finally Opened for the World
After Frida Kahlo died, her eccentric husband, the painter Diego Rivera, refused to let anyone open her closet. Now, finally, Frida's closet is on display for the world
December 21, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Slice of Life: Artistic Cross Sections of the Human Body
Artist Lisa Nilsson creates elaborate anatomical illustrations from thin strips of paper
December 20, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
The History of Mapmaking, Jared Diamond’s Latest and More Recent Books Reviewed
Also on the docket, travelling by fire and understanding the concept of “antifragility”
December 2012 |
By Chloe Schama


