What exactly do we mean by art, and what kind of history (or histories) should we explore?
videos + essays
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Why are there so few female artists?
The ten most expensive paintings in history were painted by men.
What does it mean to be an “old master” and to make a “masterpiece”?
What does it mean to be an "old master" and to make a "masterpiece"? Kerry James Marshall talks about his practice and the ideas driving it.
The case for Realism
What's the point of making realistic paintings when photography can do the trick?
Art must be beautiful
Should art be beautiful? Revisit ancient philosophers' thoughts on beauty and consider why we might be skeptical of beauty today.
Where are the women artists?
There have always been women in the arts, just not in the history books—or even in our museums. Change is slow.
Is there a difference between art and craft?
Attitudes towards objects differ between cultures. Don’t discriminate art from craft—call it all “the visual arts.”
What is cultural heritage?
Whose property is it anyway? Even when we’re talking about humanity’s greatest achievements, institutions disagree.
What made art valuable: then and now
Artistic labor has changed over time—so has its perceived value. Now a mere idea can be worth its weight in gold.
