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Smart News / Smart News Arts & Culture

Zora Neale Hurston posing outside of a cabin in Belle Glade, Florida, circa 1935

Zora Neale Hurston’s Forgotten Play Premieres on Stage for the First Time

Based on the author’s short story and ethnographic fieldwork, “Spunk” languished in Library of Congress’ archives for decades

The Vaillancourt Fountain at Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco

Can This Controversial Brutalist Fountain in San Francisco Be Saved From Demolition?

Critics have called the Vaillancourt Fountain an “eyesore,” while supporters say it’s an important chapter in the city’s history

A close-up of a gum leaf skeletonizer caterpillar, also known as a "Mad Hatterpillar" because of its distinctive stacked head capsules, left behind with every molt. The photo won the invertebrate behavior category.

See 15 Wondrous Winning Images From the 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards

The eye-catching wildlife photos highlight both the beauty and the harsh realities of nature

Installation view of "Divine Egypt," now open at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through January 2026

Meet 25 of the Ancient Egyptians’ Most Significant Gods and Goddesses, From the Falcon-Headed Horus to the Sky Deity Hathor

“Divine Egypt,” a new exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, features nearly 250 artifacts representing the rich pantheon of Egyptian deities

The Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, Claude Monet, oil on canvas, 1908

Claude Monet’s Beautiful Paintings of Venice Are Headlining an Exhibition for the First Time in More Than a Century

The paintings came from the French Impressionist’s time in Italy with his wife, Alice, in 1908

Maria Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, has spent much of the last year in hiding and has not been seen publicly since January.

María Corina Machado, Venezuela’s ‘Iron Lady,’ Wins Nobel Peace Prize

Machado, who leads the Vente Venezuela opposition party against President Nicolás Maduro, was lauded for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela”

"Nigerian Modernism" will run through May 10, 2026, at the Tate Modern. 

Nigeria’s Independence From England Brought Artistic Revolution. For the First Time, England Is Showcasing It

“Nigerian Modernism,” a new exhibition at the Tate Modern, celebrates 50-plus artists spanning half a century

László Krasznahorkai, seen here in Spain in 2018, won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature.

This Hungarian Author Once Wrote a 400-Page Book With a Single Period. Now, László Krasznahorkai Is a Nobel Prize Winner

The 71-year-old recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature is known for his long, winding sentences

The 1863 Paris Salon rejected Édouard Manet's Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe, or The Luncheon on the Grass.

Paris Museum Puts Édouard Manet on Mock Trial for Painting a Scandalous Scene of a Nude Woman

“The Luncheon on the Grass” caused a stir when it made its debut in 1863. A century and a half later, students defended the French artist against obscenity charges

Projections of portraits and quotes grace the main concourse.

A Massive Art Installation by the ‘Humans of New York’ Creator Has Taken Over Grand Central Terminal

For two weeks, “Dear New York” will grace the train station’s walls, screens and ad space

The North Wing features two William Hogarth murals, The Pool of Bethesda and The Good Samaritan.

For the First Time Ever, You Can See Stunning, Centuries-Old Murals at England’s Oldest Hospital

The biblical scenes by William Hogarth are a highlight of the North Wing at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, which is now open for public tours

Researchers have revived an ancient yogurt-making method based on red wood ants.

Scientists and Chefs Team Up to Make Yogurt From Ants

In doing so, the team has revived an ancient Bulgarian fermentation method

11,000 Strings at Park Avenue Armory

In an Experimental Composition, 50 Pianos Tuned to Slightly Different Frequencies Play Together

Audience members are surrounded by a ring of dozens of pianos in “11,000 Strings”

More than 250 looted objects are on display in UNESCO's Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects.

The World’s First Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects Wants Its Collection to Shrink, Not Grow

Visitors can explore 3D renderings of stolen artworks, historical artifacts, rare books and more in UNESCO’s new digital museum

The red house was occupied by descendants of Kahlo's sister until two years ago.  

Frida Kahlo’s Family Home and Artistic Retreat Opens as a Museum

Museo Casa Kahlo occupies “Casa Roja,” which is only a few blocks away from the Museo Frida Kahlo in “Casa Azul”

A magnified view of tiny specks of blue residue found on a Paleolithic stone artifact

Cool Finds

These Archaeologists Set Out in Search of Animal Fat. Instead, They Found the Oldest Blue Pigment Ever Discovered in Europe

Blue residue on a 13,000-year-old stone artifact, long believed to be an oil lamp, may paint a new picture of Paleolithic art and culture

The Triumph of Bacchus, Michaelina Wautier, circa 1655-59

A Long-Forgotten 17th-Century Flemish Master Is Finally Getting the Attention She Deserves

For the first time, nearly all of Baroque painter Michaelina Wautier’s works will be exhibited together

The bridge opened on September 28, 2025.

The Highest Bridge in the World Just Opened in China at More Than 2,000 Feet Above the Ground

The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou broke the record previously held by the nearby Beipanjiang Bridge

The museum is housed in the 17th-century Hotel Salé.

A Free Outdoor Sculpture Park Dedicated to Pablo Picasso Is Coming to Paris

The Picasso Museum will build the open-air park by 2030. The nearly $60 million expansion will also include a new wing designed to house temporary exhibitions

The original dye transfer print for David Bowie's Aladdin Sane album cover, shot by Brian Duffy

The Iconic Cover of David Bowie’s ‘Aladdin Sane’ Could Become the Most Expensive Album Artwork Ever Sold

Shot by Brian Duffy in 1973, the famous lightning bolt print is estimated to break the record currently held by Led Zeppelin’s self-titled debut album

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