Artists and art history
![Painting of a man and a woman in period clothing pose inside a room with a chandelier, a convex mirror, and an inscription on the wall behind.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/65025f71-dbaf-4202-abd9-4a17d1bdc278/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Philosophy of art
idea
To master the art of close looking, learn to hold time still
Visual literacy is a skillset that’s rarely taught, but it begins with learning how to look – and how to hold time still
by Grace Linden
![Abstract painting with vibrant red, yellow, and blue shapes against a dark, textured background. The colours and forms create a striking, dynamic composition.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/9292b699-b3b3-417f-87a6-a29c3dcb9c06/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Artists and art history
idea
Is the attunement of abstract art and music more than a metaphor?
How does the abstract art of Kandinsky and Klee imitate the meaning and emotion in the music of Shostakovich and Bach?
by Michelle Liu
![Black-and-white image of a person playing a Chickering piano with an ornate music stand. The person’s profile is visible in the foreground.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/cf4048e1-7f93-4bb1-8fa4-fc48e25243ad/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Music
guide
How to listen to, and enjoy, classical music
Whether you’re a newbie or an aficionado, these ways to navigate and approach the genre will enrich your experience
by Lawrence Kramer
![The artist Marina Abramović in a long, white dress stands in an abandoned building, lit by studio lights. The walls are rundown and the floor has tracks for camera equipment. The woman faces forward, with her hair in a side braid, and the atmosphere is dramatic and moody.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/3d999631-781c-4c5b-9bec-d1571df84fc0/marina-abramovic-landscape-2.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Artists and art history
film
In a single, unbroken shot, Marina Abramović surveys her artistic evolution
A film by Art21
![A large spider sculpture with St. Paul’s Cathedral and cranes in the background on a cloudy day in London.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/070941c9-6e92-4654-8251-3c6456894695/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Poetry
idea
A conversation with my spider Maman and Louise Bourgeois
Woman made of braided steel, monster I call Maman: why am I so scared of you? An imagined conversation with Louise Bourgeois
by Pascale Petit
![Two people viewing the Mona Lisa painting in an ornate frame, displayed against a dark wall in a gallery.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/b421474c-cbce-4b49-b3e8-4f695f3571b3/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Beauty and aesthetics
idea
What happens if we make the Mona Lisa more symmetrical?
The Golden Ratio and symmetry are two universal rules of beauty. The problem is they conflict with one another
by Manil Suri
![A man and a woman sitting at a café table, both looking off to the side, with a glass of wine and ashtray on the table.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/b03b5bcd-d3e4-4d35-aa35-81f4f23f6cf3/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Film
guide
How to find great films to watch
Bored with Hollywood and Netflix? Becoming an adventurous and informed explorer of the cinema world is in everyone’s grasp
by Geoff Andrew
![A hand-drawn pie chart titled “Why I Do Not Read Lips,” with segments like “Honey, it’s not game night – no charades please,” “Too much eye contact, I have my limits,” and “Olive juice my ass.”](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/19988596-b661-4890-9841-05dee609acb6/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Creativity
film
This artist’s clever work moves Deaf culture from the margins to centre stage
Directed by Chiemi Karasawa
![Ancient cave painting with red pigment and engraved lines on a textured stone surface.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/18559809-0ad3-4448-8bfe-550293cbab99/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Artists and art history
idea
The art of Ice Age children offers a tactile sense of the past
Small hands in dark caves: Ice Age art reveals the role of artistic expression and child’s play in ancient societies
by Izzy Wisher
![A historical painting showing three people, one standing with a fan and two seated, each holding a flower; vibrant clothing and a colourful background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/fe1b25b0-7df5-44c2-8d73-3800f292fef5/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Artists and art history
idea
The art of Mughal India is best appreciated with all the senses
Experience the multiple layers of sensory pleasure and meaning conveyed through scented flowers in the art of Mughal India
by Bharti Lalwani & Nicolas Roth
![Abstract illustration of a person with eyes closed, wearing glasses, surrounded by cosmic elements on a blue and black background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/a3268bd1-8685-401b-87f9-4b0f261ebafd/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Poetry
film
Enter a dreamy French surrealist poem, where love and reality never quite touch
Directed by Emma Vakarelova