The Whitney Biennial, a survey of American art begun in 1932, has long been a platform for a wide range of artistic representation. The exhibition for 2022, titled Quiet As It’s Kept, is made up of a diverse array of mediums, covering themes of abstraction, narrative, and the challenge of defining what is “American.” Two of the featured artists are currently based in Providence: Tony Cokes and Michael E. Smith. Cokes’ work consists of video installations which recycle the words of notable figures from Judith Butler to John Lewis, juxtaposed against brightly colored slideshows. Smith is a sculptor, transforming common objects to create social commentary. The exhibition will remain open on partial viewing through October 16th.
The "fileteado porteño" is a design style characterized by extravagant flourishes, nature motifs, and Argentine national symbols. It adorns the city of Buenos Aires, from decorated buses to business signs and graffiti. The style was once on the cusp of disappearing, but mentorship and expansion strategies brought it back.
Genevieve analyzes the mysterious composition of Ivan Aivazovsky’s "Lunar Night on the Black Sea" (1859) and its connections to Russia's shifting identity during the nineteenth century.
Right on the tail of the white-glove Pauline Karpidas sale in London, Sotheby’s offered an impressive 146-lot live sale in Milan on 25 September that reached astonishing results.