Author: Arden McKenna

Michael Aldag has spent his career looking at Southern Illinois the way most people only look at places they’re about to leave: closely, and with a kind of ache. Born and raised in the region, Aldag has built a body of work that returns again and again to the Midwest landscape, rendered in tones so somber they feel less like a photographic choice and more like an honest report on how the land actually looks. His newest and most focused project, a series called Temple, takes that sensibility and points it at something specific: the empty shells of buildings that…

The rise of digital technology has transformed the creative landscape, giving artists new tools to express ideas beyond the limitations of traditional media. From detailed digital paintings to bold vector illustrations, contemporary digital art continues to evolve through innovation and experimentation. Among the artists contributing to this dynamic field is Denmaz 48, an Indonesian digital illustrator whose vibrant compositions and distinctive vector-based style have established a recognizable presence in contemporary digital art. Specializing in 2D digital illustration, vector art, and digital painting, Denmaz 48 has built a creative practice centered on precision, color, and visual impact. His work demonstrates how…

Art has long served as a bridge between tradition and the present, preserving cultural memory while allowing each generation to reinterpret its meaning. For I Ketut Jaya, widely known as Kaprus, painting is a powerful way to honor the spiritual traditions of Bali while expressing them through a contemporary artistic language. Drawing inspiration from the island’s rich cultural heritage, his work explores the symbolism of Hindu ceremonies, sacred rituals, mythology, and traditional customs, creating paintings that celebrate both history and living tradition. As a contemporary Indonesian painter, Kaprus has developed a distinctive artistic identity rooted in the spiritual life of…

Scholar Larry Silver sheds light on depictions of old age in Greek, Biblical, and European art history, but misses a deeper exploration. The years before Michelangelo’s death were some of his most productive and most celebrated including his work as the lead architect of St. Peter’s Basilica and his murals at the Pauline Chapel in Rome. He passed at age 88 in 1564, a long life even by today’s standards. Did the extra years give him special skills or insights? Art historian Larry Silver would say so. In Old Age in Art, he explores the impact of a long life on…

Contemporary abstract art often finds its greatest strength in its ability to transform personal emotions and lived experiences into visual expression. Through color, texture, and movement, artists create worlds that encourage viewers to interpret rather than simply observe. Among the artists embracing this expressive language is Dex Kusuma, a Bali-born painter whose vibrant abstract works explore the relationship between nature, emotion, and modern life. Originally from Tampaksiring, Bali, Indonesia, Dex Kusuma has developed an artistic practice rooted in intuition and creative freedom. His paintings are inspired by the natural environment that surrounds him, yet they move far beyond traditional landscape…

His film Assembly is more than just documentation of a performance. It’s a kind of communion. Rashaad Newsome’s Assembly is technically a documentary about a performance. But calling it that feels small. Yes, it documents his installation at the Park Avenue Armory, but what it offers is a vision, a map, a speculative ritual for survival. At its core, Assembly documents Rashaad Newsome’s multi sensory performance at the Park Avenue Armory, staged in March 2022. The piece blended live performance, digital projection, and participatory workshops to explore themes of decolonization, healing, and Black queer futurity. Dancers performed choreography by Maleek Washington beneath towering video…

Miles J. Unger’s new study on the artist is in part a critical biography and in part an impressive and sensitive account of his creation of some key paintings. Christianity had failed him. What next then? Art? Vincent van Gogh’s life as an artist had the most faltering and rudimentary of beginnings in 1880. By 1890 he was dead, by suicide, at the age of 37. A tempestuous life snuffed out. A Fire in His Soul: Van Gogh, Paris, and the Making of an Artist is in part a critical biography and in part an impressive and sensitive account of his…

Mernet Larsen, whose painting Getting Measured (1999) appears on the cover of the Winter 2025 issue of Art in America, is profiled in the magazine. From her home in Tampa, Florida, Larsen told A.i.A. the backstory of the canvas, shown here in full. This painting was really a turning point for me. I had been working quite abstractly, but I got this longing to make old fashioned paintings of people and places and ordinary things. I felt jealous of Piero della Francesca. I’d done representational paintings before, but I didn’t want to go back to conventional realist paintings. So, I thought: Well, what if I use…

Artistic growth is rarely a straight path. It is shaped by changing environments, new relationships, and the willingness to embrace fresh ideas while remaining true to one’s creative instincts. For Yono San, widely known simply as Yono, this journey has been defined by continuous evolution. From his beginnings in Surabaya to his artistic development in Bali and his international exhibitions in Japan, Yono has built a career centered on exploration, personal growth, and an enduring commitment to creativity. Born on October 7, 1977, in Surabaya, Indonesia, Yono developed his artistic interests within the rich cultural landscape of Java. Indonesia’s diverse…

The bicentenary of Jacques Louis David, who passed away on December 28, 1825, is just around the corner. To mark the occasion, the Louvre presents an exhibition of 100 works by the celebrated French artist. “This anniversary was certainly an opportunity,” the exhibition’s curator Sébastien Allard told ARTnews ahead of the opening, “but more importantly our last David retrospective dates back to 1989 and was strongly tied to the bicentennial of the French Revolution. After 35 years, it is time for us to revisit his career in a new light.” Though the Paris museum may hold the largest collection of works by David, the exhibition,…