Weekly Newsletter
Exclusive insights from the artist and NYC first lady, the unveiling of LACMA’s impressive new structure, Trump’s portrayal as Christ, and more.
Recently, I visited Gracie Mansion in Manhattan to speak with Rama Duwaji, the artist and New York First Lady. This marked her initial interview since her husband, Zohran Mamdani, assumed office on January 1.
Having never met or heard Duwaji in a public setting, I was uncertain of what to anticipate. The meeting, which unfolded as a typical studio visit, revealed an unassuming and reflective artist who shuns using her fame for straightforward career advancement.
Although our conversation centered on her artistic practice, the interview gained international attention due to Duwaji’s apology for imprudent teenage tweets, which a far-right publication unearthed to undermine her soaring popularity.
I hope this conversation offers a deeper understanding of her character and artistic vision.
As always, there’s more to explore below. Thank you for reading, and enjoy your weekend.
—Hakim Bishara, editor-in-chief
In the Studio With Rama Duwaji
Amidst her artwork and ceramics, we delved into her evolving artistic journey and her new role as NYC’s first lady. | Hakim Bishara
News
- The Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s (LACMA) new building opens after extensive planning, construction, budget increases, and design revisions.
- A British political activism campaign created “Boycott the Bezos Met Gala” posters to protest Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez as the lead sponsors and honorary co-chairs of the annual event.
- The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation has announced 223 recipients of its annual fellowship, including 76 artists, fine arts researchers, architects, designers, and photographers.
- Social Practice City University of New York (SPCUNY), a project providing fellowships and support to artists with a focus on social justice, will close next February after five years.
Jeremy Frey: The Generational Impact of a New Artistic Path
Join us on April 29 for a conversation with artist and recent MacArthur Fellowship winner Jeremy Frey and Hyperallergic Editor-at-Large Hrag Vartanian.
Learn more
Opinion
Trump Plays Christ and Gets the Wound Wrong
The president’s recent effort to portray himself as an American messiah has alienated some of his steadfast Catholic supporters. | Emma Cieslik
Interviews
Marcel Duchamp Was the Messenger of History
“The art world changed,” scholar Thierry de Duve explained during a new exhibit at MoMA. “Duchamp’s ‘Fountain’ delivers the news.” | Lisa Yin Zhang
Nikyle Begay Resurrects Century-Old Diné Weavings
Artist and shepherd, Begay, guides their own creative journey, from raising and shearing to weaving undervalued twill designs. | Moonoka Begay and Zach Feuer
From Our Critics
MoMA PS1’s “Greater New York” Is Gritty, Stunning, and Gutting
This survey, recurring every five years, opts for an internal perspective over the polished surfaces favored by outsiders. | Hrag Vartanian, Lisa Yin Zhang, Rhea Nayyar
Michaelina Wautier Finally Known by Her Name
For centuries, her masterpieces were wrongly credited to male artists. A new exhibition at London’s Royal Academy sets the record straight. | Olivia McEwan
Steve DiBenedetto’s Cosmic Sense of the Absurd
He envisions a painting as a quest for a functional framework, a charm that can support viewers in a time of shared crisis. | John Yau
Books
Ai Weiwei and the Art of Keeping Your Mouth Shut
“On Censorship” shares timely insights from the dissident artist, whose life and career have been shaped by state repression. | Hakim Bishara
Inside a Black Panther Family Album
Kathleen and Eldridge Cleaver’s family album reveals aspirational homemaking in diaspora, highlighting the tension between rest and movement during exile with their children. | Leigh Raiford
The Unnameable Artists of the Canton Trade System
In a book on Qing-era trade portraitists whose identities have been lost, Winnie Wong illustrates how our relentless pursuit of authenticity can lead us into our own pitfalls. | Nanase Shirokawa
Art Problems: Do I Need to Go to Art Fairs?
Are the fairs worth the physical strain and high ticket prices? Paddy Johnson provides insights.
Art Movements: Dozens Laid Off at Artnet and Artsy
Additionally, the Denver Art Museum’s new associate curator of Native Arts, the Toronto Biennial of Art, and a conversation between Marilyn Minter and Monica Lewinsky.
In Memorium: Remembering Celeste Dupuy-Spencer, Pearl Fryar, Siri Aurdal, and Frank Stack
We pay tribute to a self-taught topiary artist, a key figure in ’60s Scandinavian art, and the creator of what might be the first underground comic.
Required Reading
Tania Bruguera’s museum manifesto in stained glass, Molly Crabapple on AI art theft, Rachel Corrie’s mother speaks out, remembering Ashaji, right-wing knitters, and more.
A View From the Easel
Painters Katya Granova (Leipzig, Germany) and Billy Biondi (Corvallis, Oregon) both combine painting with dance; one works in a former yarn factory.
Opportunities
Explore residencies, fellowships, grants, and open calls from the Banff Centre, the Vilcek Foundation, and more in our April 2026 list of opportunities for artists, writers, and art workers.
