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Emily Xie: Plastic Code
Chinese-American artist Emily Xie’s coded creations replicate old world fabrics in new world media. Combining AI and generative methods, she asks what it means to be material in a digital world.
Avant Essays
Avant Essays are short(ish) opinions on art, written by anyone with an opinion on art.
2 min read
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The art of tarot: meet the artists shaping the future of divination
The humble yet powerful tarot card has inspired artists for centuries. Today, tarot is more popular than ever, so we take a look at its long history and the creatives celebrating it now. Along the way, we speak to two of our favourite artists and tarot creators, Claire Yurika Davis and Marcella Kroll.
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How CryptoPunks NFTs changed the face of digital art
Created in 2017 by Matt Hall and John Watkinson, CryptoPunks were one of the first NFTs minted on the Ethereum blockchain. CryptoPunks quickly penetrated the mainstream, captivating not only crypto enthusiasts but also artists, celebrities and the general public. Today the 24x24 avatars are a divisive status symbol living up to their Punk name.
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The art movement that redefined Britain
What does it mean to be a British artist? The British Black Arts Movement introduced the world to a side of Britain that had been previously kept out of museums and galleries.
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X Marks the Spot – A history of collaboration in art and fashion
From Dali x Schiaparelli to Kusama x Louis Vuitton, fashion and art collaborations go way back. As Fashion Week begins, discover the history behind some of the most iconic cultural collaborations.
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Bridging the gap: how 50 years of hip-hop has changed the artworld
This is the story all about how hip-hop and art have propelled each other to global domination. From graffiti on the streets of the Bronx to record breaking auction results, hip-hop giants continue to make waves in the artworld.
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Barbie Pink
Barbie is everywhere, but what's pink got to do with it?
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Are graffiti tags the purest art form?
Tagging offers no reward beyond the rush of its creation, and the chance to be part of something bigger.
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Art in the Age of Femme Pleasure
As Janelle Monáe’s new album heralds the age of pleasure, femme visual artists are also imagining sexualities liberated from the male gaze.
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Is racism the price we pay for representation?
Tschabalala Self’s sculpture was vandalised by racists who painted her skin white – symbolically erasing exactly what it was intended to represent.
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Are NFTs queerer than we think?
When it comes to diversity, NFTs don’t have the best rep. But the good news is that countless underground and established queer artists are embracing this relatively young art history.
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I feel like Pablo
Kanye West named Pablo Picasso as one of his role models, but the two of them have more than art in common. What do we do about our problematic faves? Can you separate the art from the artist?
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The Guerrilla Girls: Four Decades of Disruption
From the streets to the Supreme Court, the punk feminist art collective are still fighting for social justice in the art world and beyond.
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Yayoi Kusama Louis Vuitton: When Will The Dots Stop?
Bags, billboards and Bella Hadid. The commodification of Yayoi Kusama.
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Artificial Inspiration
What does recent progress in artificial intelligence mean for art and artists?
Insightful?
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