art Archives | Northwest Public Broadcasting

Happy Birthday To The Phillips Collection, America’s First Museum Of Modern Art

By NPR News February 27, 2021

After the deaths of his father and brother in 1917 and 1918, Duncan Phillips found solace in art. His wife, Marjorie Phillips, was a painter. They opened The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., in 1921. They are pictured in the Main Gallery, circa 1920. CREDIT: The Phillips Collection

One hundred years ago, America's first museum of modern art opened in a private mansion in Washington, D.C. Founder Duncan Phillips was an early collector of Picasso, Matisse, Van Gogh. The Phillips was the first to buy a Georgia O'Keeffe. Decades ago, in this city of museums, it became my favorite one. Read More

Art Where You’re At: With Power, Poise And Confidence, These ‘Women R Beautiful’

By NPR News January 30, 2021

The Stoop Stare Down (Nia & Afiya, Two Generations in Harlem), Jan. 26, 2020, 3:30 p.m., 42 degrees CREDIT: Ruben Natal-San Miguel/Ruben Natal-San Miguel & Postmasters Gallery

Mama (Beautiful Skin) — Natal-San Miguel added the parenthesis — belongs to the Mint Museum in Charlotte, N.C. It's part of their first online exhibition. Twenty six of Natal-San Miguel's photos are on view in "Expanding the Pantheon: Women R Beautiful." His subject in this one has vitiligo. Pigment is missing from parts of her skin. She's dappled. And Natal-San Miguel Read More

Art Project Of Seesaws Built On U.S. Border Wall Win Prestigious Design Prize

By NPR News January 19, 2021

American and Mexican families play with a see-saw installation at the border near Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, in July of 2019. The project has been recognized by a prestigious design award. Luis Torres/AFP via Getty Images

An art project that turned the border wall at the U.S.-Mexico border into the temporary base for pink seesaws – inviting children on each side to come play together – has won the London's Design Museum award for best design of 2020. Continue Read More

‘I Just Followed My Interests’: Garry Trudeau On 50 Years Of ‘Doonesbury’

By NPR News January 14, 2021

Garry Trudeau is shown at his office on Dec. 22, 1972. AP

The ground-breaking comic strip Doonesbury has been with us for a half-century. It was the first daily comic strip to win a Pulitzer Prize for tackling social issues, politics and war. It's also been censored for some of those same reasons. Read More

‘Where Are The Women?’: Uncovering The Lost Works Of Female Renaissance Artists

By NPR News January 3, 2021

The final restoration project by the nonprofit Advancing Women Artists group features works by Violante Ferroni, an 18th century prodigy about whom little is known today. Francesco Cacchiani/AWA

For centuries in Italy — the cradle of Renaissance masters — women with artistic talent were not allowed to enter academies. And the names of the few female artists from centuries past have mostly faded into oblivion. Continue Read More

Play Us A Memory, Piano Man…And Recycle This Old Instrument

By Tom Banse December 24, 2020

Michael Rohde disassembling a 120-year-old piano to salvage the metal and fine wood for other uses. CREDIT: Tom Banse/N3

Sure, you're a good Northwesterner because you recycle your beer cans, cardboard boxes and plastic milk jugs. But what about that dust-collecting piano you have long wanted to unload? It doesn't fit into the recycling bin. Creative upcycling might be the answer. Read More

‘Traverse Talks’ Episode 8: Stella Williams On Diversity In Literature And Art’s Impact On Community

By Mia Hunt December 8, 2020

Photo of author Stella Williams from a recording of Traverse Talks with Sueann Ramella.

In this episode of "Traverse Talks with Sueann Ramella," author Stella Williams shares how her love for reading at a young age drove her to write about stories that showcased characters that looked like her. Read More

Roald Dahl Family Apologizes For Children’s Author’s Anti-Semitism

By NPR News December 7, 2020

British children's book author Roald Dahl, as pictured in 1971. Thirty years after his death, Dahl's family has apologized for the author's anti-Semitism. CREDIT: Ronald Dumont/Getty Images

The apology, which appeared as a note on the official Roald Dahl website, comes 30 years after the author's death. Continue Reading Roald Dahl Family Apologizes For Children’s Author’s Anti-SemitismRead More

Behold The ‘Potato Head’ Of Palencia, Another Botched Art Restoration In Spain

By NPR News November 11, 2020

Before and after the recent "restoration" of a statue in the northern Spanish city of Palencia. Courtesy of Antonio Guzmán Capel

The statue was once of a smiling woman in a pastoral scene. Now, it looks more like a melted candle with some gouged holes. Professional art restorers in Spain are calling for stricter oversight. Continue Reading Behold The Read More

‘The Writing On The Wall’ Finds Poetry Behind Bars, Projects It Onto Buildings

By NPR News October 25, 2020

"The Writing On The Wall" art installation projects writings by incarcerated people onto the sides of buildings, such as The New York State Supreme Court Building, above. Chemistry Creative

"Look at all the wisdom, look at all the heart that is imprisoned in our society," says Hank Willis Thomas, cofounder of the art installation project. Continue Reading ‘The Writing On The Wall’ Finds Poetry Behind Bars, Read More

Need 2 Minutes Of Calm? Inhale, Exhale … And Click Here

By NPR News July 11, 2020

Base for a water pipe (hookah), 1650-1700. India; Bidar, Karnataka state. Zinc alloy with inlaid silver and brass. CREDIT: Asian Art Museum

San Francisco's Asian Art Museum has been asking staffers to highlight favorite objects in the collection. Curator Forrest McGill chose the base of a hookah, made in 17th century India. Continue Reading Need 2 Minutes Of Calm? Inhale, Exhale … And Read More

9 Songs That Show How People Of The Past Coped With Pandemics

By PBS Newshour May 27, 2020

A work of art by Pierart dou Tielt illustrates the people of Tournai burying victims of the Black Death circa 1353.

Throughout history, people have turned to music during disease outbreaks as a way to seek spiritual guidance, express pain or even educate others about hygiene. The current moment is no exception. Continue Reading 9 Songs That Show How People Of Read More

WATCH: Missouri Penguins Enjoy ‘Morning Of Fine Art’ At Local Museum

By NPR News May 15, 2020

The birds were allowed to waddle through the galleries of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Both the museum and the Kansas City Zoo, which is home to the penguins, have been closed due to pandemic. Continue Reading WATCH: Missouri Penguins Read More

‘She’s Challenging You’: Alison Saar’s Sculptures Speak To Race, Beauty, Power

By NPR News May 12, 2020

"She's challenging you to sit down in that chair," Los Angeles artist Alison Saar says of her 2019 sculpture, Set to Simmer. CREDIT: Jeff McLane/L.A. Louver

Saar says the nude in her 2019 sculpture Set to Simmer has a message for the viewer: "If you want to look at me, don't just give me a sideways glance. Sit down in this chair and know me." Continue Reading ‘She’s Read More

‘If The Trees Can Keep Dancing, So Can I’: A Community Poem To Cope In Crisis

By NPR News April 30, 2020

Kwame Alexander, NPR's poet in residence, reads the latest crowdsourced poem, this one focused on how you've been affected by and coping during the global coronavirus pandemic. Continue Reading ‘If The Trees Can Keep Dancing, So Read More

A Trip To Seattle’s Selfie Museum Poses A Boost To Self-Confidence

By NWPB News March 14, 2020

Tali Calles falls out of washing machine art installation at Seattle Selfie Museum.

Once finding it near Seattle's infamous Gum Wall, visitors will enter a small lobby leading to eccentric installations and flashy colors on every corner. After giving the front-desk your name, staff will stamp your hand and advise visitors of three important rules: have fun, take lots of pictures and don’t break anything. Read More

Trimpin Ambiente432 horns return to WSU

By Grace Arnis February 12, 2020

More Murrow News Stories PULLMAN – Trimpin: Ambiente432 returned to the main atrium of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the start of the spring semester. The exhibition is an interactive experience that allows the audience to become a part of the art. “What I love so much about it is that it’s unexpected,”… Read More

How A College Prank Turned Into A Public Art Tradition

By PBS Newshour February 11, 2020

Lady Liberty atop Lake Mendota, seen in February 2019. Photo by Jeff Miller. Photo courtesy of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

The inflatable replica that rests on the lake’s solid surface isn’t a political statement, nor a throwback to the ending of 1969’s “Planet of the Apes,” but a decades-long tradition founded on a good laugh. The University of Wisconsin-Madison has staged the display at different times for more than four decades, starting in 1979 as a campaign stunt. Read More

Portraits Of Barack And Michelle Obama Going On Tour Next Year

By NPR News February 8, 2020

Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama stand next to their newly unveiled portraits during a ceremony at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery on Feb. 12, 2018. The portraits are set to go on a yearlong tour to five cities in June of 2021. Mark Wilson/Getty Images

The National Portrait Gallery unveiled the official portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama two years ago this month. Now it is sending them on a yearlong tour to five cities. Continue Reading Portraits Of Barack And Michelle Obama Going On Tour Read More

Meet Donna Zakowska, The Designer Who Makes ‘Mrs. Maisel’ Look So Marvelous

By NPR News January 28, 2020

In the second season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) visits the Catskills. Costume designer Donna Zakowska says this outfit "in the boat with a funny lampshade hat" was among her favorites. CREDIT: Amazon Studios

Donna Zakowska has already won two Emmys for her work on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — and two of her costumes are in the Smithsonian. Now she's up for an award from the Costume Designers Guild. Continue Reading Meet Donna Read More

How Do You Move 100+ Monet Masterpieces? Very, Very Carefully

By NPR News January 20, 2020

Conservator Felicitas Klein, right, traveled from Germany with Villas at Bordighera, an 1884 painting by Claude Monet. She inspects the painting at the Denver Art Museum, along with senior paintings conservator Pamela Skiles. Kendelyn Ouellette

Some 120 paintings by French Impressionist Claude Monet are on display at the Denver Art Museum. They're on loan from all over the world — and getting them from place to place is a lot of work. Continue Reading How Do You Move 100+ Monet Read More

Get Artsy For Health And Science: How Making Art Helps Your Brain

By NPR News January 12, 2020

Making art is fun. But there's a lot more to it. It might serve an evolutionary purpose — and emerging research shows that it can help us process difficult emotions and tap into joy. Continue Reading Get Artsy For Health And Science: How Making Read More

Why Certain Poor Shepherds In Nativity Scenes Have Huge, Misshapen Throats

By NPR News December 29, 2019

A horn player (left) in this detail from a 1694 altar carving by Francesco Antonio d'Alberto in Piedmont, Italy, clearly has a swollen neck that signifies goiter, medical historians say. The thyroid condition was a sign of poverty in those days. Renzo Dionigi Shepherds

In some historical Nativity scenes, the shepherds have grossly enlarged thyroid glands — also known today as goiter. It's an apparent symbol of their poverty and iodine-deficient diet. Continue Reading Why Certain Poor Shepherds In Read More

‘The Force Is With Our People’ Connects Indigenous Culture To A Galaxy Far, Far Away

By NPR News December 27, 2019

Geri Hongeva (left), who voiced C-3PO in the Navajo translation of A New Hope; artist Duane Koyawena (center); and engineer Joe Mastroianni with Hopi R2 at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff. CREDIT: Ryan Heinsius/KNAU

The Rise of Skywalker speaks to the historical experiences of many in the Indigenous community. An exhibit by Native artists attempts to shed light on those connections. Continue Reading ‘The Force Is With Our Read More

France Blocks Export Of $27 Million Medieval Painting Found In French Woman’s Kitchen

By NPR News December 25, 2019

Art expert Stéphane Pinta points to a 13th century painting by Italian master Cimabue in Paris. Michel Euler/AP

The Italian painting by the artist Cimabue sold for nearly $27 million at auction. But now, government officials in France are intervening in order to stop the art from leaving the country. Continue Reading France Blocks Read More

‘Like Getting My Father Back’: WWII POW’s Art Returned To His Family

By NPR News November 10, 2019

Howard Weistling created his comic book A Western out of cigarette wrappers and flattened soup cans while he was a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II. Morgan Weistling

Howard Weistling wanted to be a comic strip artist. But when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Weistling felt compelled to enlist in the Army. After flight engineer training, Howard was shipped off to Europe. On his maiden flight, his plane was shot down over Austria, and the U.S. soldiers were captured. Hungry and homesick, Howard coped the only way he knew how. He drew a Read More

Western Individualism May Have Roots In The Medieval Church’s Obsession With Incest

By NPR News November 9, 2019

Augustine of Hippo was among those in the Catholic Church who championed its eventual rejection of intrafamily marriages, which researchers say may have paved the way for a breakdown of extended family networks in Western Europe. CREDIT: Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images

Researchers combed Vatican archives to find records of how ancient church policies restricting whom one could marry shaped Western values and family structures today. Continue Reading Western Individualism May Have Roots In Read More

Sculptor Mark Di Suvero Creates Joy Out Of Steel

By NPR News October 20, 2019

View of the south fields, all works by Mark di Suvero. Left to right: Figolu, 2005–11. Courtesy the artist and Spacetime C.C. E=MC2 , 1996-97. Courtesy the artist and Spacetime C.C. ©Mark di Suvero. Courtesy Storm King Art Center

Suvero's acclaimed sculptures are in public spaces all over the world and in the collections of major museums. The sculptor recently installed his largest work at the Storm King Arts Center. Continue Reading Sculptor Mark Di Suvero Creates Joy Out Of Read More

Versatile, Smudgy, Suitable For Women? Exhibition Traces The History Of Pastels

By NPR News October 12, 2019

William Merritt Chase's 1888 Study of Flesh Color and Gold, pastel on paper coated with mauve-gray grit National Gallery of Art

Pastels are fragile and therefore difficult to put on public display. But an exhibition in Washington, D.C., has 64 artworks on view, and celebrates centuries of artists working in the chalky medium. Continue Reading Versatile, Read More

Constructing Jazz Inside Fine Art, And Vice-Versa

By NPR News September 19, 2019

Jason Moran, Slugs' Saloon, 2018. Farzad Owrang/Courtesy of Jason Moran and Luhring Augustine

The jazz pianist has pulled the curtain off his polymathic abilities, bringing his fine art exhibition — which includes video, installations and performance — home to New York. Continue Reading Constructing Jazz Inside Fine Art, And Vice-VersaRead More

Some State Lawmakers Want To Remove Seattle’s Lenin Statue. But It’s On Private Property

By Marcie Sillman February 27, 2019

The statue of Vladimir Lenin in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood. CREDIT: FLICKR PHOTO/MARTIN DEUTSCH

While some art lovers look down their noses at the monument to children’s television icon J. P. Patches, the replica of a rocket and other sculptures, Fremont’s public art has a bevy of defenders. But a group of state lawmakers is not among them. If they have their way, one of Fremont’s signature artworks, the 16-foot-tall statue of former Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin, Read More

As Shutdown Crawls On, Artists And Nonprofits Fear For Their ‘Fragile Industry’

By NPR News January 10, 2019

A sign posted outside the National Zoo earlier this month declares its closure, along with the closure of all Smithsonian museums. They were all on the wish list for Jill Rorem, whose family plans were undone by the shutdown. But she's not alone: The shutdown's ramifications on the arts have been felt far beyond the Beltway. CREDIT: CAROLYN KASTER/AP

Jill Rorem, like many Americans, had made some special plans for the holidays. The Chicago native was finally going to get to see the nation's capital with her arts-obsessed kids. Then, the federal government partially shut down. Read More

New Documentary Paints A Picture Of The Contemporary Art Market Run Amok

By NPR News December 1, 2018

Abstract artist Larry Poons is enjoying a late-career resurgence of interest, decades after his optical dot paintings attracted acclaim in the 1960s. Poons is a key figure in the documentary The Price of Everything. HBO Documentary Films

HBO's The Price of Everything calls into question the current price explosion and commodification of modern art "that's fascinating, but it's also terrifying," says director Nathaniel Kahn. Continue Reading New Documentary Paints A Read More

FILM REVIEW: ‘At Eternity’s Gate,’ Willem Dafoe Is Vincent Van Gogh (And You Should Go)

By NPR News November 17, 2018

Julian Schnabel's "bold, blissful and deeply sad" film about Vincent Van Gogh's final days is as textured as the artist's canvases; Willem Dafoe delivers "one of the finest performances of the year." Continue Reading FILM Read More

Meet The MacArthur Fellow Disrupting Racism In Art

By NPR News October 5, 2018

Newly minted "genius" grantee Titus Kaphar takes on historical paintings, modifying the scenes to lead the eye to those relegated to the background. Continue Reading Meet The MacArthur Fellow Disrupting Racism In ArtRead More

A Curator As Intriguing As His Museum Of Un-Natural History

By T.J. Tranchell September 22, 2018

The ordinary becomes extraordinary — and sometimes the offensive every Saturday in Walla Walla when Gerald Matthews opens his curiously creative Museum of Un-Natural History. Continue Reading A Curator As Intriguing As His Museum Of Un-Natural Read More

In A World Full Of Surveillance, This Artist Stares Back

By PBS Newshour August 14, 2018

When artist Trevor Paglen looks up at the night sky, there's beauty and wonder, but also a planet completely transformed by humans into a "landscape of surveillance." His new exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, “Sites Unseen,” offers a new way to look at very familiar landscapes. Jeffrey Brown reports on Paglen’s latest obsession: how artificial intelligence Read More

How To Respectfully Dispose Of An Old Totem Pole

By Tom Banse March 20, 2017

How do you dispose of an old totem pole? Fortunately, this is not a problem we regularly face. But a tall totem gifted by Seattle to its sister city in Japan renewed this question. Continue Reading How To Respectfully Dispose Of An Old Totem PoleRead More

David Byrne Presents Found Sound Installation

By Sueann Ramella April 4, 2012

The Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. PHOTO BY NIGEL CHADWICK / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Did you know London has a tempo of 122.86 beats per minute? So says musician David Byrne, of Talking Heads and solo career fame. Byrne’s new sound installation , titled “Get It Away,” builds a song around sampled… Read More