News Art Blog

Walter, we hardly knew you. When I saw that American artist Walter De Maria had died at the age of 77 on July 25^th, my mind’s eye immediate pictured The Lightning Field (shown above), the landmark 1977 installation piece that most art lovers know only through pictures thanks to its out-of-the-way location and strict visitation policy. De Maria brought a minimalist’s mind to the world of large-scale art, imposing a powerful will for precision on the natural landscape as a means of ordering it in a way for contemplation. De Maria, who shunned photography not only of his artworks but also of himself, may remain as enigmatic as his art now that he’s gone, but is his bodily passing his final artwork? Please come over to Picture This at Big Think to read more of "Is Walter De Maria’s Death His Final Artwork?"

Upon hearing of the passinglast week of journalist and art critic Robert Hughes(shown above), I felt like had lost a beloved teacher. For people who read Hughes’ books or articles or, more likely, saw him on television, he was the fun, brash, borderline bawdy professor whose name and face you never forget. Hughes brought modern art into your living room and made it understandable and surprisingly fun, which makes him a significant cultural figure beyond his contributions to art itself. In the end, it’s important to ask, what did Robert Hughes really teach us? Please come over to Picture This at Big Think to read more of "What Did Robert Hughes Really Teach Us?"