Interviews & Essays

Born and educated in Poland, London-based artist and designer Marcin Rusak blends the natural and industrial worlds in his dramatic objects for the home. Rusak casts flowers and exotic plant life in poured resin, preserving their ephemeral beauty forever in tables, lamps, screens, and more. Rusak’s works are visually striking: the smoothness of his surfaces and the natural beauty of the plants embedded in them draw the viewer in. But what makes his works truly memorable are the contrasts they embody.

Artist and craftsman Wendell Castle has died at the age of 85. Credited with being the father of the art furniture movement, Castle created a new genre, bridging sculpture and furniture seamlessly. His body of work is full of beautifully crafted, playful, organic furniture that remains functional while sparking the imagination.

Europe is in the throes of a massive refugee crisis with millions of asylum-seekers fleeing war-torn lands like Syria, Afghanistan, and Somalia. Among those forced from their homeland include writers, artists, singers, and other creatives who now can find refuge and a place to practice their craft in Paris.

As the end of 2017 nears, so does the expiration date on a $10 million reward offered by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum for information leading to the recovery of their famously stolen paintings.

In a recently premiered installation at the Newark Museum of Art, Molly Hatch is taking plates off of the table and onto the gallery wall. Blending craft, design and fine arts in her ceramic objects and installations, Hatch's unique take on a traditional and often under-sung art form is making waves. In her installations, Hatch hand paints a multitude of porcelain plates, which together recreate a pattern or motif often found on a single ceramic object.

Looking for a different take on filling the holiday season with light? Head to Houston, where the Day For Night Experiential Art and Music Festival will take place from December 15th through the 17th.

On November 11th, a museum opened in Abu Dhabi. And as is fitting for a city known for its glittering skyscrapers and  luxury accommodations, it wasn't just any museum. A collaboration with the Louvre in Paris, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is being billed as a new culture hub for the Middle East.

Starting this weekend, Prospect, New Orleans' contemporary art triennial will infuse the city with art from around the world. Taking place at museums, galleries, parks, and more non-traditional venues, like a ferry landing, Prospect brings significant contemporary works to unexpected places. This years exhibition coincides with the Tricentennial of the city of New Orleans. Hence its theme, The Lotus in Spite of the Swamp, seeks to celebrate the exquisite flower that is New Orleans, blossoming in the mud of the bayou.

ArtReview published its annual Power 100 list last week. The 16th edition of this important who’s-who list names the most influential people in the art world. This year's list includes artists, curators, gallerists, theorists, authors and more. According to ArtReview, “An individual’s or group’s ranking is based on their international influence over the production and dissemination of art and ideas in the artworld and beyond over the past 12 months.

The New York Metro Transit Authority (MTA) is upping the MetroCard’s style cachet in 2017, even in the wake of the MTA’s recent announcement that it will be phasing out the physical payment system in near future. For now, some MetroCards will be turned into modern art.