Weekly Newsletter
Discover the intriguing tale of a stolen Picasso once owned by the Guggenheim Museum, the new leadership at Zeitz MOCAA, and the unearthing of a 2,000-year-old Roman shipwreck.
Summer fills the streets with vibrant young faces. While passing a shop window, I catch a glimpse of myself, and it’s not a flattering sight. Desperately in need of a haircut, I hesitate to visit another barber after the last one overshared about his prostate and left me resembling Saddam Hussein.
As I walk, I spot a well-known artist approaching. We’ve crossed paths and exchanged emails, but cannot be called friends. Our eyes meet briefly, but we silently agree to continue walking. In retrospect, I should have stopped to greet him, yet the day’s humidity made mere existence challenging.
To avoid further awkward encounters, I don my dark Ray-Bans. Speaking of Ray-Bans, the recent action by the group Everyone Hates Elon caught my attention. They displayed a poster of Jeffrey Epstein wearing Meta’s camera glasses with the caption: “Glasses for people who don’t do consent.”
While driving through Brooklyn, with Pink Floyd blaring, I halt as a flock of geese leisurely crosses the bridge over Newtown Creek. Unaware of the large poultry slaughterhouse nearby, they revel in the attention from drivers filming them.
The neighborhoods shift from White to Hasidic to Black and Brown. A voice on the radio declares the president has lost his mind. An expert mentions it takes 17 generations to overcome a significant generational trauma. I can’t wait that long, I think to myself.
—Hakim Bishara, editor-in-chief
The Journey of Betye Saar
The African Adinkra symbol “Sankofa” urges us to learn from the past to shape the future and transmit wisdom across generations. On Betye Saar’s 100th birthday, Roberts Projects in Los Angeles curated an exhibition celebrating her early professional work. Known for her impactful assemblage art, Saar explored the Black American experience over seven decades before her passing last month. This exhibition highlights her lesser-known work in costume design.
The exhibition features over 200 archival items, showcasing Saar’s diverse interests at the start of her career. Visitors are greeted by a full-wall photo of Saar dancing, emphasizing her involvement in costume design, photography, drawing, jewelry, garments, greeting cards, album covers, and more. This range illustrates Saar’s curiosity and her talent for recognizing and combining various possibilities.
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News
- The Joan Mitchell Foundation has unveiled the recipients of its 2026 Fellowships, a prestigious award for visual artists in the U.S.
- Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture reports that over 4,500 cultural sites have been damaged or destroyed due to Russian missile attacks.
- The group Everyone Hates Elon has released a mock ad showing Jeffrey Epstein wearing Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, with the tagline “Glasses for people who don’t do consent.”
- A Picasso that disappeared from the University of Pittsburgh in 1961 has reappeared, prompting the Guggenheim to seek legal action for its return.
- Elvira Dyangani Ose is set to take over as artistic director of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town, succeeding Koyo Kouoh.
- The National Gallery of Art is examining the potential impact of racecar vibrations on its artworks in anticipation of Trump’s “Freedom 250 Grand Prix.”
- A papyrus fragment from 2,300 years ago, featuring parts of Homer’s Odyssey, is now exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- A 17th-century still life long stored away at the National Museum of Norway will be publicly attributed to Clara Peeters in an upcoming exhibition.
- Two Italian divers have discovered hundreds of clay vessels atop a 2,000-year-old Roman shipwreck off the Sicilian coast.
- The San Diego Museum of Art has laid off 11 employees, citing increased operational costs and funding uncertainties.
- Opening on September 24 at the New Museum, “The Bowery: Devil’s Mile” will explore 400 years of the renowned strip known for its diverse entertainment offerings.
From Our Critics
Film
Interview
Books
10 Must-Read Photo Books This Month
Explore Hal Fischer’s collection on queer fashion, Sophie Rivera’s portraits capturing Nuyorican communities, Rania Matar’s heartfelt tribute to Lebanon, and other new releases from photo book publishers.
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- In Memoriam: This week, we pay tribute to Christian Bernard, a pioneering museum director; Albert “Al” Gury, a key figure at PAFA; Hermione Carline, known for capturing transience, and others.
- A View From the Easel: Lilit Martirosyan evokes memories through wool and soil, accompanied by opera arias in her studio.
- Required Reading: Delve into Nancy Spero’s pro-choice art, Valentina Di Liscia’s take on “Casa Cueva,” Brooklyn’s tiniest museum, Jamaica Kincaid’s eyebrows, the intersection of Israeli cuisine and Palestinian erasure, and more.
