THE MAGAZINE
Pigs for the New Year
Why pigs? From medieval symbols of prosperity to German marzipan traditions, pigs have long been a sign of luck, abundance, and fresh beginnings. This light-hearted New Year’s piece brings together artworks by Niko Pirosmani, Franz Marc, and George Morland to wish you a year full of joy, humour, and good fortune.
Magdalena Abakanowicz: Every Tangle of Thread and Rope
At Tate Modern, the monumental woven worlds of Magdalena Abakanowicz unfold as environments rather than objects. From towering Abakans to organic, breathing forms, this exhibition invites us to reflect on humanity’s fragile relationship with nature, history, and the collective body.
Anonymous Artist on Secret Mission: Banksy in Ukraine
Mysterious graffiti surfaced in bombed-out Ukrainian towns—and speculation quickly followed. When Banksy confirmed the works, the murals became powerful symbols of resistance, humour, and hope rising from the ruins.
“What Is Worth More: Art or Life?”
When activists from Just Stop Oil hurled soup at Sunflowers inside London’s National Gallery, they reignited an old and uncomfortable question: what deserves protection in times of crisis? From Vincent van Gogh to Johannes Vermeer, this article traces a history of art under attack—and why shock has long been a tool of political dissent.
Living in a Dream? The Messy Reality of Living in a “Bauhaus”
Conceived as a radical vision for a better world, Bauhaus architecture promised clarity, equality, and functional beauty. But what happens when utopia meets climate, overcrowding, and daily life? Looking at Tel Aviv’s White City through photographs by Helmut Newton and Günther Förg, this article asks whether modernist dreams were ever meant to be lived in.
Damien Hirst: Burning Art?
Damien Hirst is burning his own artworks—literally. As part of his NFT project The Currency, thousands of physical works are being destroyed, forcing collectors and viewers alike to ask: what gives art its value—material, idea, or market?
Women. Life. Freedom
After the death of Mahsa Amini, women across Iran have led unprecedented protests against state violence and patriarchal control. Through powerful graphic art, young Iranian artists are transforming grief into resistance—and reclaiming the language of freedom.
Royal Academy of Arts: Summer Exhibition 2022
Since 1769, London’s Royal Academy of Arts has hosted its annual Summer Exhibition, showcasing art made today by both established and emerging artists. Open to all, it remains the world’s largest open submission exhibition.
Africa Fashion
Can fashion be art—and does it belong in a museum? This article explores how the Victoria and Albert Museum is rethinking fashion history through its landmark exhibition on African creativity.
The Blackest Black, or: Anger Makes Creative
Imagine a black so deep it absorbs 99.96% of visible light, flattening three-dimensional objects before your eyes. Impossible? Anish Kapoor’s Vantablack sculptures in Venice suggest otherwise—and the effect is quietly unsettling. Read on for more.