Art News — Vasari

museum exhibitions schedule Feb 26, 2026 visibility 1

Meet the ‘Bop Artist’ Who Was Inspired by Dreams and Hosted Some Surreal Salons in Her Chicago Brownstone

Gertrude Abercrombie, a self-taught Chicago painter dubbed the "bop artist" by jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie for translating the spirit of bebop into visual art, is receiving her largest-ever traveling retrospective. The exhibition, "Gertrude Abercrombie: The Whole World Is a Mystery," organized by the Milwaukee Art Museum, highlights her dream-inspired, surrealist paintings and celebrates her role as a bohemian salon hostess who brought together iconic jazz musicians and writers in her home.

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article culture schedule Feb 20, 2026 visibility 1

Eating Challenges Are All the Rage. But When Was the Last Time You Saw Someone Eat a Mutton Shoulder Bone?

English farmer Nicholas Wood, known as the "Great Eater of Kent," was famed in the 17th century for consuming staggering quantities of food, including a mutton shoulder—bones and all. The article highlights other historic eating feats, from Nathan's Famous first hot dog contest in 1972 to extravagant 19th-century "Fat Men's Clubs" and a massive ice cream sundae competition in 1976.

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museum exhibitions schedule Feb 18, 2026 visibility 1

Martha Graham Took Classic Ballet and Turned It Into Modern Dance. It’s Still Moving Us 100 Years Later

The Martha Graham Dance Company, the oldest professional dance troupe in the United States, is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a worldwide centennial tour. The company is marking the milestone by performing Graham's classic works, like the 1946 ballet *Cave of the Heart*, alongside newer commissions that continue her innovative legacy.

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article culture schedule Feb 18, 2026 visibility 1

Get Your Red-Hot History Lesson! How the Hot Dog Rose From Coney Island Carts to Platters at Presidential Picnics

The hot dog ascended from a humble street food sold by German immigrants in 19th-century New York to a symbol of American culture, famously served to King George VI at a 1939 presidential picnic. Its journey was propelled by vendors on Coney Island's boardwalk and its introduction to massive crowds at events like the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, eventually becoming a staple at ballparks and backyard gatherings.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jan 29, 2026 visibility 1

IRL/url Celebration

Art21, in partnership with the CHANEL Culture Fund, launched its new "IRL/url" documentary series with a celebratory event at New York's Roxy Cinema. The series profiles eight contemporary artists—including Neïl Beloufa, Jacky Connolly, and Sara Cwynar—who navigate the blended realms of physical and digital creation. Art21's executive director emphasized the urgency of capturing this moment, as artists grapple with rapid technological advances, particularly in AI.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jan 28, 2026 visibility 1

Spring 2026 to Feature New Documentaries, Screenings, Artist Talks, and a New Episode of Art in the Twenty-First Century

Art21 has announced its spring 2026 programming slate, featuring new documentary premieres, film screenings, and artist talks spotlighting figures like Tomás Saraceno, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, and Camille Henrot. The season also includes the premiere of the second episode of the twelfth season of its flagship series, *Art in the Twenty-First Century*, titled "Realms of the Real," which will be freely accessible online and on PBS.

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person people schedule Jan 13, 2026 visibility 1

Miles Davis Emerged From Middle America to Become the ‘Picasso of Jazz’ and Taught Us All How to Be Cool

Miles Davis, born in 1926 in Illinois, rose from a middle-class background to become a transformative figure in jazz. He left formal studies at Juilliard to play with Charlie Parker, but soon forged his own iconic sound characterized by intimate tone and phrasing, most famously on the seminal *Birth of the Cool* sessions. His career was defined by constant reinvention, pioneering multiple major movements from cool jazz and modal recording to jazz fusion, earning him the nickname "the Picasso of Jazz" from Duke Ellington.

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museum exhibitions schedule Dec 10, 2025 visibility 1

Director’s Notes with Andrew Nadkarni | Trey Abdella’s Miserable Dream

Art21 has released a new short documentary, "Trey Abdella’s Miserable Dream," directed by Andrew Nadkarni. The film explores the artist's process, tracing how he transforms his West Virginian upbringing, memories of deer hunting, and kitschy home decor into his signature paintings. Structured like a roller coaster ride, the documentary juxtaposes Abdella's studio work with the chaotic spectacle of Coney Island to mirror the thrilling yet uneasy feeling of his art.

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museum exhibitions schedule Dec 9, 2025 visibility 1

“Trey Abdella’s Miserable Dream” New Art21 Film to Premiere Online on December 10, 2025

A new documentary film, "Trey Abdella’s Miserable Dream," will premiere online on December 10, 2025, via Art21. The film, directed by Andrew Nadkarni, follows the artist as he creates his signature paintings in Brooklyn, drawing inspiration from Coney Island's attractions and the aesthetics of middle-class America to explore themes of artifice and underlying dysfunction.

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person people schedule Nov 24, 2025 visibility 1

Art21 + DOC NYC Filmmaker Celebration

Art21 and DOC NYC co-hosted their third annual Filmmaker Celebration on November 18, bringing together over 140 independent filmmakers, producers, and crew members who have contributed to Art21's documentary work over the past year. The event served as both a social gathering and a professional networking opportunity for the organization's established and new collaborators at the close of a challenging production season.

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museum exhibitions schedule Nov 19, 2025 visibility 1

Fall 2025 Festival Season

Art21 successfully concluded its Fall 2025 festival season with a series of international screenings and acceptances. The organization's films were featured at festivals in Italy, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio, including notable screenings at Artecinema in Naples and the Bushwick Film Festival. Art21 also expanded its reach by participating in three new festivals for the first time and sponsored DOC NYC, where its Director of Production, Nick Ravich, served on a panel about short-form documentary filmmaking.

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museum exhibitions schedule Oct 17, 2025 visibility 1

2025 Art21 at the Movies

Art21 hosted the second edition of its "Art21 at the Movies" event on October 8 and 10, 2025. The two-day celebration of art and film, themed "Between Worlds," featured premieres, screenings, and artist talks at New York's Metrograph theater and the Museum of Modern Art. Events included film introductions by artists like Dyani White Hawk and Lubaina Himid, behind-the-scenes discussions with filmmakers, and the premiere of the latest season of Art21's flagship series, *Art in the Twenty-First Century*.

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article news schedule Sep 24, 2025 visibility 1

Art21 and CHANEL Culture Fund Introduce an Original Series of Documentary Shorts Designed for Social Media Platforms

Art21 and the CHANEL Culture Fund have partnered to launch *IRL/url*, a new series of over 30 short documentary films designed for social media platforms. The series, premiering in November 2025, profiles eight contemporary artists—including Neïl Beloufa, Jacolby Satterwhite, and Xin Liu—who navigate both physical and digital realms. The episodic content will be released on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, marking a strategic shift to meet audiences on the platforms they frequent.

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museum exhibitions schedule Sep 19, 2025 visibility 1

Screening and Conversation with Sophie Calle

Art21 hosted an advance screening of Sophie Calle's segment from the upcoming Season 12 of "Art in the Twenty-First Century" at the SAG-AFTRA Robin Williams Center in New York. Following the first public showing of the documentary, which follows Calle preparing exhibitions in Paris, Arles, and Minneapolis, the artist participated in a conversation with filmmaker Bette Gordon. They discussed the influence of 1980s New York and themes of identity and vulnerability in her work.

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candle obituary schedule Sep 19, 2025 visibility 1

Art21 Remembers Agnes Gund

Agnes Gund, the influential arts patron and philanthropist, has passed away. The organization Art21, a leading producer of media about contemporary artists, released a statement mourning her loss and highlighting her role as one of its earliest and most steadfast supporters, having helped shape its mission from the beginning.

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