Meet the Woman Who Set the Stage for Beyoncé, the Olympics and the Royal Opera House
The award-winning set designer Es Devlin explores the art of creating spectacle
How W.E.B. Du Bois Disrupted America’s Dominance at the World’s Fair
With bar graphs and pie charts, the sociologist and his Atlanta students demonstrated Black excellence in the face of widespread discrimination
Meet the Designer of the Fanciful Subway Entrances to the Paris Métro
The celebrated architect Hector Guimard was also a passionate advocate for workers’ rights, even as he honed his reputation in the business of luxury
Who Gets to Define Native American Art?
A pivotal letter from Oscar Howe, whose work is the focus of a new exhibition, demanded the right to free expression and the art world began to listen
Fashion Designer Willi Smith Looked to the Streets for Inspiration and Appreciation
The 1970s founder of WilliWear combined high-end design with mass-market appeal
Long Sidelined, Native Artists Finally Receive Their Due
At the American Indian Museum in NYC, curators paint eight decades of American Indian artwork back into the picture
How T.C. Cannon and His Contemporaries Changed Native American Art
In the 1960s, a group of young art students upended tradition and vowed to show their real life instead
The Stories of Poets, Artists and Cartoon Characters Are All Waiting to Be Discovered in Roy Lichtenstein’s Personal Papers
The Pop artist’s archives, recently donated to the Smithsonian, are soon to be digitized
How Native Civilizations Innovated to Conquer the Wilderness
A new activity center at the American Indian Museum in NYC sheds light on the original know-how of the Americas
Could Our Housewares Keep Us Healthier?
Some designers are harnessing sound, color, smell and touch in products that promote well-being and independence for all
How an Exquisitely Designed Cart for Homeless People Inspired a Wave of Artists’ Activism
In the 1980s artist Krzysztof Wodiczko’s vehicle of change was also a weapon of social disruption
How This Artist's Archival Discovery Sparked High-Tech Art
A photograph from a Smithsonian archives piqued Jordan Bennett's creativity; his work is part of a new exhibition that explores technology and tradition
Why Making a Portrait of a Black Woman Was a Form of Protest
For Emma Amos, an African-American artist working in the 1970s, the personal was often political
What a Pair of Empty Blackboards Can Teach Us About Art and Social Change
Can art alter the course of history? Should artists even try? Joseph Beuys said yes and yes
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