Photographs That Depict Dementia With Dignity

In photographer Alicia Vera’s portrait of her mother, Concepcion, she gazes skyward, her expression somewhere between curious and awestruck. The image has enough stylistic mottling and grain to obscure any sort of background, but Concepcion is clear: broad cheekbones,...

An Ancient Roman Guide to Trump’s Authoritarian Playbook 

Authoritarianism is on the rise across the globe, including in the United States. In April 2025, NPR reported that in a survey of over 500 political scientists, the majority believed that the United States was moving from a liberal democracy toward authoritarianism....

This Novel Is the Art World’s Black Mirror

I started reading Italian novelist Vincenzo Latronico’s Perfection (2022) splayed out languidly on the beach. Then I was sitting up, nerves ablaze, and then on the train, the world outside whizzing past unnoticed, and then in bed that night, my Kindle having...

How Liberty Fabrics Weaves Design and Art History

In an 1889 Woman’s World article edited by Oscar Wilde, one writer called Liberty “the chosen resort of the artistic shopper.” Known for its bold floral fabrics since the late 19th century, the luxury department store on Great Marlborough Street continues to be...

This Is Not the Real Geronimo

Elbridge Ayer Burbank, “Geronimo” (1897), oil on canvas (image no copyright – United States, via the Newberry Library) Editor’s Note: The following text has been excerpted with permission and adapted from Speculative Relations: Indigenous...