Lifestyle

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is about to get the Yayoi Kusama treatment through a new site-specific installation. Made in conjunction with West German-born and longtime New Yorker, Kiki Smith, the upcoming project will be situated at the burgeoning Grand Central Madison — a 700,000-square-foot train concourse that is being built below the historic Grand Central Terminal. The artwork will consist of a large-scale mosaic that Kusama and Smith were specially commissioned to create, having gone through a rigorous vetting process. “Public art is a staple of this city, and we are excited to bring it to the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) for all New Yorkers to enjoy during their commute,” said New York’s governor Kathy Hochul in a statement. Although the cost of the artwor...

Blue Crow Media is commemorating various landmark structures established in over 50 locations across the British capital as part of Black History Month UK. Led by authors Jody Burton and Avril Nanton, the duo have designed an urban guide showcasing the artwork, its history, and more. Photography courtesy of Jake Green takes spectators through a historical British journey, kicking off in the Roman era and leading into the present-day Black Lives Matter movement. The Black History London Map features a dual-sided directory promoting everything from monuments to murals and statues highlighting the people and events that have impacted Black history in the country. The immersive tour shines a light on several emblematic moments, taking you through Brixton’s African and Caribbean War Memorial, t...

Lalique‘s roster of collaborators isn’t short of impressive names. From brands such as Patrón, to artists like Damien Hirst – its ability to work with a wide mix of creators has gained it the solid reputation it has today. Now, cementing this, the brand has enlisted the artistic eye of James Turrell, who – arguably more known for large installations than tiny objects – has created a series of limited-edition pieces each exploring themes that have defined his career to date. For Lalique, Turrell has crafted two collections: the Crystal Light Panels, and a set of exclusive perfumes named Ranger Rider and Purple Sage. The collaboration came about after a conversation with Lalique owner Silvio Denz, during which the pair discussed the brand’s history, in particular its association with perfume...

The National Art Center, Tokyo has unveiled a major retrospective exhibition on acclaimed artist, Lee Ufan. Amongst his many interdisciplinary studies, the Korean-born artist is well-celebrated as a founding member of the Mono-ha movement, which emphasized the relationship between the natural and man-made world, in an attempt to evoke new modes of perception around the spaces we inhabit. The exhibition will be divided in two sections, one focusing on painting, while the other on sculpture. Visitors will get a unique opportunity to witness Ufan’s expansive oeuvre from the start of his career in the 1960s to his most recent works, along with monumental stone and steel sculptures in the gallery’s open-air exhibition space. [embedded content] “Even if the self is finite, the infinite appears i...

“At a certain point in my personal life I became interested in working through trauma, not ruminating on it.” From the start of your career until now, tell us about the evolution of your works. What sort of subjects were you creating in the beginning and how did they change into the figures we’re seeing now? I guess my career really started with me making this photocopied zine series called Sad Sex, beginning in 2008. I made ten issues between then and around 2011ish. I had been making art for a long time before that but that was when I started disseminating my work, in zine format, and starting to figure out my style, so I think that feels like the beginning of my career. I was 18 when I started making those zines, so the work was reflective of my 18 year old mental landscape – it was sup...

A group of teenagers robbed a number of galleries across New York’s Lower East Side this past weekend. First reported by Artnet News, the crimes took place at Betty Cuningham, Nicodim, Derosia and Hashimoto Contemporary, where the boys posed as art students, only to steal valuable possessions, such as credit cards and handbags. “One distracted me while the other grabbed my AmEx out of my wallet,” said Cindy Rucker on an online forum for members of the New Art Dealers Alliance. “They even gave me their emails so I could send them JPEGS!” Immediately following the crimes, some art dealers reported $40 USD being spent at a local restaurant, while another said that thousands of dollars were spent in just 20 minutes time. While no art has been reported stolen, the boys were were spotted in Chel...