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Risky business – why is New York getting rid of auction regulations?
The city claims that its decision to loosen the rules governing art auctions seeks to create a more consumer-friendly environment – but how can it?
The rise and fall of Chesterfield House
Once one of London’s most impressive private palaces, the house successfully melded a mix of architectural styles but this wasn’t enough to save it from its fate
Are frictions in Nigeria jeopardising the return of the Benin Bronzes?
With cracks appearing in the relationships of institutions in Nigeria, Barnaby Phillips wonders where the returned Benin Bronzes are going to end up
Why aren’t more women artists gazing at men?
There is no great tradition of male nudes by women artists, but this underlines an asymmetry of power rather than a lack of female desire
Is Tottenham Hotspur still clinging to the past?
Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium has just celebrated its third birthday but despite its shiny facade, the club still projects a message of continuity and tradition
Why was the Aztec god of war so keen on starfish?
The discovery of a ritual offering of 160 starfish and a jaguar skeleton to the Aztec god of war has got archaeologists excited to uncover its meaning
Philip Hewat-Jaboor was a champion of the decorative arts and generous mentor to many
Wolf Burchard pays tribute to the expertise and open-mindedness of the chairman of Masterpiece who was a pillar of the world of decorative arts
Is the art world’s talk of going green just a load of hot air?
Museums and galleries are keener than ever to display their environmental credentials – but words and deeds don’t always seem to match up
Has art writing made us forget how to think visually?
Lengthy exhibition texts, catalogues and essays are everywhere nowadays – but do they help us to see the art for what it really is?
Walter Sickert may have tackled some taboos – but that doesn’t make him a serial killer
Modern critics (and conspiracy theorists) have focused on the painter’s decadent side, but his subjects reflect the society of his day
Is Los Angeles being spoiled for artists?
As the city ‘arrives’ as a global art capital, how do the artists and curators who have been there for decades feel about the hype?
Hands off the best Herzog & de Meuron building in London
The Laban Dance Centre is being encroached upon by unsightly developments and it needs to be protected now
How to make a queer museum
The charity Queer Britain is opening the country’s first space dedicated to LGBTQ+ culture, but will its programme entertain as well as educate?
The vivacity of Van Dyck’s portraits
Combining subtlety with swagger, Van Dyck’s portraits of courtiers offer a mischievous rival to the official written histories of his day
The well-to-do Britons who wanted to keep up with the Romans
The largest mosaic found in London in half a century offers a welcome glimpse into the home-decorating choices of aspirational Britons
The deep humanity of Shirley Hughes animates every page of her work
The author of beloved books such as the ‘Alfie’ series and ‘Dogger’ simply knew how children look and act
‘Stand back and the hearts form constellations of sorrow’ – at the Covid memorial wall in London
The wall is an extraordinary piece of public art and grassroots activism that combines personal remembrance and political statement
Dan Graham regarded himself as a rebel – and the art world could do with more of his attitude
The conceptual artist and writer wasn’t afraid to stir things up, but he was also a great spotter and supporter of other people’s talent
It’s time to judge Carmen Herrera’s extraordinary work purely on its own terms
The artist may have been unsung for many years before critics and the market caught up, but her work was a wonder right from the start
The City of Westminster should stop gaslighting its own heritage
London’s oldest streetlamps were designed to be beautiful as well as useful – so why is Westminster Council trying to remove them?
The Colston Four should never have been charged with criminal damage
Although the four defendants admitted to toppling the slave trader’s statue, the specifics of the case meant that the law was on their side
Are New Towns a thing of the past?
The ambitious post-war planning programme was an extraordinary achievement – and one that is ripe for reassessment
Museums must stop turning a blind eye to dodgy donors
US museums have long relied on wealthy individuals, but the sources of some of that wealth makes this increasingly untenable
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![Masterpiece [Re]discovery 2022. Photo: Ben Fisher Photography, courtesy of Masterpiece London](http://www.apollo-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/MPL2022_4263.jpg)
All photographs are products of their time – and they should be treated that way
Turning black and white photos into colour – and vice versa – can be a harmless piece of fun, but the results can also mess with our sense of the past