THE MAGAZINE
Disease, Death, and Disaster: Andy Warhol’s Hidden Legacy
Behind Warhol’s glossy Marilyns and Factory glamour lies a hidden story of illness, fragility, and fear. This article uncovers how disease, trauma, and near-death experiences shaped the artist’s darker works—from car crashes to endangered species—and reveals the vulnerable Andy Warhol he worked so hard to conceal.
“People’s attitudes have changed a lot:” Busking on the London Underground
Once an illegal trade, busking on the London Underground is now a celebrated art form—and 67-year-old penny-whistle player Jonathan has witnessed the whole transformation. Read how public attitudes, the permit scheme, and the magic of fleeting underground encounters have reshaped a busker’s life.
It’s Movie Night: Dancer Edition
Looking for the perfect winter movie night? From Wim Wenders’ luminous Pina to the grit of Russian ballet in Ballerina, these four films reveal the beauty, power, and pain of dancers’ lives on and off the stage.
New Year’s Inspiration: Leon Bakst
Celebrate the New Year with the bold colours, exotic motifs, and trailblazing stage designs of Leon Bakst, the Ballets Russes visionary whose cosmopolitan imagination reshaped modern art, theatre, and fashion—and continues to inspire creatives more than a century later.
Into the Woods: Feeling the Benefits of Forest Bathing in Art
Feeling overwhelmed by city life? Discover how artists from Wang Meng to Friedrich and Morisot turned forests into spaces of refuge, imagination, and calm—and how their paintings can offer a little “forest bathing” from home.
Merry Christmas!
As winter settles in, we asked four artists from our most-loved interviews to share their favourite festive rituals—from family music-making and Christmas markets to jazzy carol transcriptions and the perfect holiday meal—to celebrate the magic of the season.
Finnish Folklore and Legends: How Art Helped Shape Finnish Identity
To understand Finnish art, one must first understand Finland’s long struggle to define itself, and how Traditional Finnish Art grew from a need to forge an identity distinct from Swedish and Russian rule. At the heart of this story lies the illustrated Kalevala, whose vivid myths and imagery helped shape both Finnish art and the very idea of Finnish national identity itself.
Practicing without your instrument? The benefits of mental practice
Practicing without your instrument may seem counterintuitive, but as many great musicians know, mental practice can sharpen technique, deepen interpretation, and reconnect you with the heart of the music in ways a practice room sometimes can’t. Read on for more.
Interview: Rae Yue Pung, pianist
Rae Yue Pung, a 21-year-old Singaporean pianist who has just released her debut album Piano Sonatas, speaks to TWoA about growing up in Singapore’s young classical-music scene, her unconventional path through elite training abroad, and the complex journey from precocious child musician to independent, mature artist.
Alis Huws, Former Royal Harpist: “It's the 21st century. We shouldn't be the ones expecting people to come and find us in a concert hall. I think you have to go to them.”
Former Royal Harpist Alis Huws has played for kings, emperors, and global audiences—but her most meaningful performances often happen far from the spotlight. Raised in Welsh-speaking Wales, where the harp is woven into daily life, Huws reflects on blind medieval bards, royal tradition, and the instrument’s quiet power to heal. From the coronation of King Charles III to dementia care homes and special-needs schools, she makes a compelling case for a 21st-century classical musician: one who doesn’t wait for audiences to come to the concert hall, but brings music directly to the people who need it most.
The Dazzling Spectacle of Frieze: Through the Eyes of an Intern
Ever wondered what it’s like to work at London’s buzzing and fashion-forward Frieze Art Fair? Georgia Dougherty, a student at the Courtauld Institute of Art, takes us behind the scenes of Frieze Masters, where she attended as an intern with James Cohan Gallery, offering a first-hand glimpse into the energy, glamour, and inner workings of one of the art world’s most influential fairs.
Marina Abramović and the Art of Being Present
What does it mean for an artist to become the artwork itself? In her 2010 performance The Artist Is Present, Marina Abramović spent three months seated in New York’s Museum of Modern Art, inviting visitors to sit across from her under three simple conditions: silence, sustained eye contact, and no physical contact.
How Do We Teach About Female Composers?
How do we meaningfully teach the music of women who have long been excluded from the Western canon? Natalie Tero examines the historical, social, and pedagogical challenges surrounding composers such as Fanny Hensel, Clara Schumann, and Amy Beach, asking how their work can be studied and valued beyond narratives of struggle alone.
Interview: Paloma Livellara Vidart, 19, Prix de Lausanne 2024 Prize Winner
How does a 19-year-old dancer navigate the leap from international competition to professional life? Prize-winning ballerina Paloma Livellara Vidart reflects on her journey from Buenos Aires to Monaco and New York, her award-winning performance at the Prix de Lausanne 2024, and her first weeks dancing with American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, sharing thoughtful insights on growth, self-belief, and finding joy in the early stages of a professional career.
How a Vogue Fashion Model Turned into a War Correspondent: Lee Miller’s Legacy
How did a Vogue fashion model become one of the most important war correspondents of the 20th century? This article traces the remarkable life and legacy of Lee Miller, from her early career in fashion and Surrealist circles to her groundbreaking work documenting World War II for Vogue, revealing how she reshaped photojournalism and challenged the boundaries between art, journalism, and history.
Nahre Sol, Pianist and Composer: Composing Variations on the iPhone Ringtone “Opening”
What happens when a classical composer reimagines a familiar sound through centuries of musical style? Pianist and content creator Nahre Sol discusses her project of composing variations on the iPhone ringtone “Opening,” created during her residency at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, and reflects on musical style, composition, and why listening closely matters more than ever.
Edges of Ailey: A Celebration of Alvin Ailey
What does it mean to honour a choreographer whose work reshaped American dance and cultural history? Edges of Ailey explores the expansive legacy of Alvin Ailey through a landmark exhibition at New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art, bringing together archival materials, live performance, and contemporary voices to reflect on dance, Black life, and the enduring power of Ailey’s vision.
Reckoning with Colonial Art: Yinka Shonibare's “Mr. and Mrs. Andrews Without Their Heads”
What happens when a canonical work of British art is reimagined through a postcolonial lens? This article examines Yinka Shonibare’s Mr and Mrs Andrews Without Their Heads (1998), a radical reworking of Thomas Gainsborough’s 18th-century portrait, revealing how landscape painting, wealth, and colonial power are deeply intertwined—and how revisiting art history can expose the uncomfortable truths beneath its surface.
Guest Artist: Emma Cormier Simola, Student, Courtauld Institute of Art, London
How can art reclaim the female body from imposed expectations? In this guest contribution, Emma Cormier Simola, a student at the Courtauld Institute of Art, reflects on her sculptural and photographic work exploring the female experience, sexism, and self-representation—inviting women to take control of their own image and challenging the gaze that has long defined them.
Silent Stories: The Language of Style from the Old Masters to Bridgerton
What if clothing is the key to understanding art—and storytelling—across centuries? From Renaissance portraiture by Agnolo Bronzino to the richly symbolic costumes of Bridgerton, this article explores fashion as a silent visual language, revealing how style communicates identity, power, and inner life—from Old Master paintings to contemporary television.