December 24, 2021 • View in browserGood Morning. ⛅️ Twas the night before Christmas … Today, the abolitionist cartoonist who helped make Santa “American,” decoding Kandinsky, and the unconventional life of Edith Schloss. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. May you have a lovely day surrounded by those you love. — Hrag Vartanian, editor-in-chief Rethinking KandinskyThe problem with many of Kandinsky’s abstractions is that they don’t offer enough immediate visual information to “crack” his expressive code for color and form. | David Carrier SPONSORED The Shape of Things & Land of Broken Dreams at Park Avenue ArmoryCarrie Mae Weems, an artist who consistently and poignantly addresses the conditions of race, creates a multi-work installation: on view through Friday, December 31. The New York Times describes this installation as “Compelling…insightful, sometimes funny, and occasionally quite direct.” Bruno Dumont’s France Is a Cogent, if Convoluted, Critique of Celebrity CultureThis may not be a great film, but its narrative and tonal weaknesses throw into relief just how strong Léa Seydoux is as its thumping heart. | Eileen G'Sell Painter Edith Schloss Remembers a Life Lived in ArtSchloss’s The Loft Generation creates a mirror-memoir, as literary portraiture doubles as veiled self-portraiture. | Tim Keane The Artist Who Helped Create a Very American Santa ClausAbolitionist cartoonist Thomas Nast had a big role in manufacturing the US version of the Christmas patriarch. | Jasmine Liu SPONSORED MFA, MA, and PhD Programs to Apply for by Early 2022Organized by geographic regions, a list of arts-related graduate programs to explore and apply to before deadlines close. View the list. TRANSITIONS
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
Required ReadingThis week, debunking Christmas myths, Brian Eno on NFTs, artists we lost in 2021, garbage internet trends, and more. | Hrag Vartanian MOST POPULAR Become a MemberSupport our independent journalism and help keep our reporting and criticism free and accessible to all. |