Painting and sculpture

An elderly woman in a patterned beanie holding a red card with holes punched into it in front of her face.
ARTISTS AND ART HISTORY

Circles possess a defiant beauty in the abstract works of Howardena Pindell

Directed by César Martínez Barba

A woman holds a square mirror that blocks her face; it reflects rocks and grass. There is blue sky and clouds in the background. The only element in focus is the reflection on the mirror.
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

Losing her eyesight, a painter’s art evolves with the way she sees the world

Directed by Liberty Smith

Abstract blue and white line drawing of multiple nude female figures, seen from various angles, arranged in a pattern.
ARTISTS AND ART HISTORY

A minotaur shifts shapes and sexes in this ferociously original animation

A film by Chaerin Im

Photo of an abandoned brick building with graffiti on its walls broken windows and overgrown plants in the foreground.
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

Works of urban graffiti are not vandalism, but public monuments

They might appear to have little in common with statues or obelisks, but graffiti images serve a vital public function

by Rafael Schacter

A photo of an artist in a cap and paint-splattered trousers sitting next to a large painting of a man holding his face in his hands.
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

A rural Namibian artist reflects on authenticity in work and in life

Directed by Niklas von Klitzing and Leo Stolz

Silhouette of person standing before an orange light, creating a glowing halo effect on a neutral background.
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

Toxic materials become sculptures of light and air in this artist’s hands

Directed by Anika Kan Grevstad

Person in a hat with feathers admires a colourful painting in a gallery.
BEAUTY AND AESTHETICS

Why art seems more beautiful when you can see yourself in it

Research suggests that people find artworks more aesthetically pleasing when they’re personally relevant to them in some way

by Matt Huston

A man with glasses inspects a detailed model featuring a car, a bridge, and two figures inside a miniature building.
HOME

After leaving Damascus, Mohamad longs for a home that no longer exists

Directed by Jimmy Goldblum

A person wearing a colourful patterned sweater, surrounded by numerous vibrant, vintage spinning tops on metal rods.
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

The fantastical, wearable art of Nick Cave embodies a ‘spirituality of style’

Directed by Stephen J Grant and Stephan Knuesel

Two arms in colourful jumpers hold chopsticks that hold a small TV. Trees and rooftop scenery are visible in the background.
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

Working ‘like chopsticks’, two married artists create independently, in tandem

Directed by Bryan Chang and Vicky Du

A person sits in a chair on the phone in an art gallery, with two large paintings in the background and paintbrushes visible in the foreground.
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

After years of struggle, an artist faces a new obstacle – staggering success

Directed by Titus Kaphar and Alex Mallis

Two people view a famous painting in a gallery; it’s the Mona Lisa in an ornate frame.
BEAUTY AND AESTHETICS

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

Hand touching a detailed wooden totem pole carving with traditional painted designs; clear blue sky in the background.
RITUALS AND CELEBRATIONS

Restored footage reveals how a totem pole raising sparked a cultural rebirth

Directed by Christopher Auchter

Abstract painting of people in a park; a man in a suit walks, a woman in a green dress stands, and another person sits on a bench reading.
VIRTUES AND VICES

A simple morality tale finds rich depth in the hands of a master animator

A film by Georges Schwizgebel