Thus asks Ann Althouse: Why do museum curators post such nonsensical texts on the walls next to the artwork they want us to take seriously? It’s a question I’ve asked myself: here’s the arts column I wrote on this topic a few years ago. *** Visual art and the text that explains it are uneasy …
Tag: art
What lies beneath
Download the audio version.Get my science column weekly as a podcast. The house in which I live was built in 1926. Over the years, as we discovered recently when we had the walls of a couple of rooms repainted, several layers of wallpaper and paint have accumulated. Peeling back those layers is a bit like …
Insect art
Mike Libby takes real insect carapaces and puts tiny mechanical working in them, producing these stunning, if slightly creepy, works of art. I think they’re fabulous, but then, I’m a little weird. (Via io9.)
A digital restoration of the Mona Lisa…
…can be found here. Whether this is a completely accurate representation of Leonardo’s painting as it originally appeared is impossible to know, of course, but one thing is certain: it didn’t always have the dim, yellowish appearance we associate with it today.
Photo of the (Yester)Day: The Vault
Ever wonder where the Mackenzie Art Gallery keeps its collection when it’s not on display? Here: For my 48th birthday yesterday we made use of an opportunity to have some food and wine and tour the vault at the Mackenzie Art Gallery. (We bought the opportunity at a gallery fundraiser last year.) It made for …
Eyes wide shut
Famous cartoonists draw their signature characters with their eyes closed in a 1947 Life Magazine article, resurrected at A Hole in the Head. Fascinating! (Some of these characters are still famous. Others…not so much.) (Via Drawn.)
Decades of science fiction magazine cover art
Oh, this is yummy: a gallery of cover art from Astounding/Analog, going back to 1930 (that’s the cover from April, 1930, to the left). (Via SF Signal.)
This looks…interesting
It’s The Shatner Show at Uppercase Gallery in Calgary: Get ready for the summer of Shatner! An exhibition and publication of artwork depicting William Shatner, featuring the work of over seventy artists of diverse illustrative styles from Canada and the US. The caliber of participating artists is outstanding. Ohhhhhkay…
Mars…
…as art. Gorgeous! (Via Instapundit.)
What is "Spock" up to these days?
Taking beautiful photographs of large nude women, of course.
Here’s something you don’t see everyday…
…but when you do see it, you think, “Cool!” It’s a collection of 19th century shipping posters. I like this one because of the name of the ship (natch). (Via Drawn.)
My apologies for the light blogging…
…I’ve been struggling with computer problems that culminated today in my taking my desktop machine to the shop. Then I spent several more hours getting my laptop (on which I’m writing this) set up as my temporary desktop machine. By way of making amends, I offer several photos taken while I was strolling around the …