It's the Pollution, Stupid!

February 2, 2023

Good morning. ⛅ Ever wondered why the scenes in Impressionist paintings look so hazy? We've been told it was a rebellion against authority, a rebuke of realism, an aesthetic revolution, and a move away from refined detail in favor of capturing the ever-fleeting nature of light. That's all well and good, but scientists are now saying that it was the air pollution, stupid! It was the smog from the Industrial Revolution that inspired Impressionism's blurry style, they argue, and they have the data to prove it.

In other stories today, New York's Grand Central Terminal catches heat for misspelling the name of artist Georgia O'Keeffe ("We clearly f-ed this one up," a spokesperson conceded), a life-size Hercules statue was found in the gutters of Rome, and Sarah Rose Sharp rips apart another laughably bad artwork that will be sent to the moon on a space mission.

There's a lot more, including Soheila Sokhanvari's portraits of Iranian feminist icons, John Yau on the art of Seongmin Ahn, and our monthly Opportunities column, where you can find residencies, grants, open calls, and more.

— Hakim Bishara, Senior Editor

Did Air Pollution Inspire Impressionism?

A new study posits that rising smog levels in 19th-century London and Paris likely played a role in blurring the lines of realism. | Elaine Velie

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WHAT'S HAPPENING

Restoration of the discovered statue from beneath Rome's Scott Park (all images courtesy Parco Archeologico dell'Appia Antica)

A life-size marble statue dressed as Hercules was unearthed from a sewer line beneath Rome's Scott Park.

NYC’s MTA leaves out the second “f” in a Georgia O’Keeffe quote at its new Grand Central Madison station.

An etching on gold-covered aluminum by British artist Sacha Jafri is scheduled to head to the moon.

Institutional leaders voice their support for former Museo Reina Sofía director Manuel Borja-Villel, who’s faced right-wing attacks for his progressive programming.

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ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

Soheila Sokhanvari Honors Iran's Feminist Rebels

Born in Shiraz, Sokhanvari fled Iran as a child a year before the Revolution and has devoted her artistic practice to the country she left behind. | Naomi Polonksy

Traditional Korean Painting for Modern Times

In Seongmin Ahn's paintings, it is not our past we are looking at but our possible future. | John Yau

Photographer Captures His Journey With Terminal Cancer

Stephen L. Starkman’s moving book about his encounter with mortality leaves a place for perseverance and hope. | Lauren Moya Ford

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IN MEMORIAM

Michael Dougan (1958–2023)
Seattle illustrator and cartoonist | Seattle Times

Carin Goldberg (1953–2023)
Designer of innovative book and album covers | New York Times

Alfred Leslie (1927–2023)
Bronx-born filmmaker, painter, and poet | New York Times

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