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Crafting value in Venice

The Homo Faber art fair featured a bounty of contemporary crafts, but were the finer details in danger of getting lost with so much on display?

30 Sep 2024

The many faces of Mary Magdalene

From penitent saint to salacious sinner, the biblical figure has worn a number of different guises in art through the ages

30 Sep 2024

Is Labour’s arts policy a case of warm words, no cold hard cash?

The UK culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, spoke of the importance of the arts at Labour Party Conference, but the sector needs more than good vibes

27 Sep 2024

Master of art – the towering legacy of David Sylvester

Born 100 years ago this month, the critic exerted an outsize influence on artists and tastemakers alike – and he still has much to teach us

18 Sep 2024

Is investing in the past the way of the future?

A new report by Historic England claims that investing in heritage will boost the economies of struggling English towns – but how reliable are the means of measurement?

2 Sep 2024

In praise of the cat ladies of contemporary art

Hettie Judah considers how artists such as Tracey Emin and Kiki Smith have represented the sacred bond between women and their cats

2 Sep 2024

Are commercial galleries getting tired of visitors?

Some of the major galleries are cutting public-facing jobs, but making their physical and virtual sites less approachable could have unintended consequences

30 Aug 2024

What are art fairs really for?

Piling into an exhibition hall to see as much art as possible in a short space of time is few people’s idea of a good time, but the most resourceful fairs provide some worthwhile surprises

16 Aug 2024

It’s time for the government of London to return to its rightful home

Norman Foster’s City Hall has been denied listed status a second time. But the more important question is: when will the capital be run from County Hall again?

23 Jul 2024

Notre-Dame shows that there is nothing permanent about stained glass

The controversial proposal to put contemporary stained glass into the cathedral is part of a centuries-long debate about a surprisingly mutable material

19 Jul 2024

Lust for life – the art of Beryl Cook and Tom of Finland

Pleasure is a point of principle at Studio Voltaire’s exhibition of works by the two artists

1 Jul 2024

The dealers who are turning art fairs into more domestic affairs

Jeffrey Deitch’s pleasingly homely booth at Art Basel this year reflects the tastes of a new generation of buyers – but is the loss of connoisseurship a price worth paying?

1 Jul 2024

Do any political parties have a vision for the arts?

Power is set to change hands next month in Downing Street, but whether that will be enough to fix Britain’s funding of the arts is another matter

22 Jun 2024

Should UK museums start charging entry fees again?

Keeping the national museums free to enter comes with significant hidden costs, but admission fees are not the answer

7 Jun 2024

Why London’s auction houses are feeling so flat

With cancelled sales and market uncertainty, Christie’s and Sotheby’s have been taking hammer blows in recent months – but it’s not just a London problem

7 Jun 2024

Should permanent collections tell up-to-the-minute stories?

Museums often have a responsibility to reflect major events, but should be careful not to disregard seemingly smaller stories

3 Jun 2024

The women who channelled violence into art

Chantal Akerman and Valie Export have both deployed aggression as a means of artistic expression

3 Jun 2024

‘This is to art what constitutional monarchy is to kingship’ – Jonathan Yeo’s portrait of Charles III, reviewed

The painting perfectly captures the essence of royalty today – it’s undeniably attention-grabbing, but hollow to the core

22 May 2024

‘I am every conservator’s nightmare – that person who wants to touch the art’

Seeing art is often a purely visual experience, but we shouldn’t be afraid of exploring our other senses in the gallery

16 May 2024

What Frank Stella saw – and what he made us see

The painter who began as a master of modernist abstraction kept reinventing himself right until the end

8 May 2024

Has arts punditry become a perk for politicos?

It seems as if arts criticism is becoming a treat for political journalists – but perhaps the job should be treated a little more seriously

1 May 2024

Has the Fitzwilliam still got the hang of things?

Though some regard it as provocative, it’s fairer to say that the museum’s sprucing-up of its paintings galleries is thought-provoking

24 Apr 2024

Why are fathers so absent from art history?

Artists over the centuries have often depicted women as mothers, but where are all the deadbeat dads?

11 Apr 2024

Museums should do more to cater for autistic people

Immersive and interactive exhibitions can be uncomfortable for neurodivergent visitors, but if galleries made more of an effort, everyone would benefit

8 Apr 2024