Visual Arts

Ryan Landry painting in his studio. (Courtesy of the artist)

In A Year Of Social Distancing, Veteran Playwright-Actor Ryan Landry Turns To The Canvas

Shortly after the pandemic hit, Landry had to figure out a plan B. He spends his days crafting oil-and-water pop art-style paintings in his home studio and has painted 195...

The ARTery

Dec 1, 2020

Left to right, Jim Power Jr. of the New England Historic Genealogical Society with Paula Peters and Steven Peters at the opening of an exhibit. (Courtesy SmokeSygnals)

A Mother-And-Son Duo Are Re-Examining History To Illuminate Wampanoag Stories

Paula and Steven Peters -- the managing partners behind the creative agency SmokeSygnals -- are separating historic fact from American myth.

The ARTery

Nov 27, 2020

The front entrance of the Museum of Fine Arts. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

MFA Employees Say Unionization Was A Long Time Coming

MFA employees voted overwhelmingly to unionize, joined a growing wave of museum workers across the nation dissatisfied with low pay and precarious employment.

The ARTery

Nov 25, 2020

Beth Klingher, "Fiesta," 2017. (Courtesy of the artist and Fuller Craft Museum)

At Fuller Craft, 'Makers and Mentors' Showcases Artisans Of A New England Craft School

The exhibition highlights the craftwork -- including glassmaking, ceramics, fiber art, woodworking, mosaics, collage, jewelry and metalwork -- of 15 artists from the Snow Farm craft school.

The ARTery

Nov 25, 2020

Henry Taylor, "i’m yours," 2015. (Courtesy the artist and Blum & Poe, New York)

ICA Exhibit 'I'm Yours' Tells Stories From Many Points Of View

The exhibit attempts to reflect today’s multifarious narratives by presenting 35 artists hailing from a range of continents, ethnicities and personal experiences.

The ARTery

Nov 16, 2020

Lanterns hang along the Rose Kennedy Greenway as part of Yu-Wen Wu's "Lantern Stories" art installation. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

The Lights Glow For Artist Yu-Wen Wu’s 'Lantern Stories'

This public art installation in Chin Park highlights the dynamic community of Boston’s Chinatown and seeks to highlight the neighborhood's "history of immigration, its culture and resiliency."

The ARTery

Nov 11, 2020

Artist Silvia López Chavez by her mural "Rise" at the Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina in East Boston. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

New East Boston Murals Intertwine Beauty And Environmental Concerns

The series of seven new large-scale murals emphasize the natural world and the need to preserve the environment.

The ARTery

Oct 27, 2020

"Trial of George Jacobs, Sr. for Witchcraft" (1855) by Tompkins Harrison Matteson. (Courtesy of Peabody Essex Museum)

Authentic Salem Witch Trials Artifacts Are On Display Amid Halloween Kitsch

47 pieces from this chapter of colonial history are being shown for the first time in 30 years.

The ARTery

05:24Oct 26, 2020

Rammellzee, "GASH-O-LEAR," 1989. (Courtesy Lance Brewer/Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

Basquiat And The Hip-Hop Generation On View At MFA

The exhibition "Writing the Future" takes us back to when graffiti-splattered subway cars snaked around a decaying city, ushering in an electrifying shift in art, media, poetry and fashion.

The ARTery

Oct 16, 2020

Simone Leigh, "No Face (House)," 2020. (Courtesy Dan Bradica/Private Collection)

Simone Leigh Will Be First Black Female Artist To Represent U.S. At Venice Biennale

The artist's work was proposed by the ICA, which won the honor to commission the U.S. Pavilion at the international art festival's 59th edition.

The ARTery

Oct 14, 2020

"Six Crimee" by Jean-Michel Basquiat. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

What The MFA's Delayed Basquiat Show Tells Us About The Future Of Art Exhibitions

The challenge of opening sprawling, loan-heavy exhibitions may be a thing of the past, at least for now.

The ARTery

05:14Oct 13, 2020

Nick Cave looks at his sculpture at the BCA for his project "Augment," commissioned by Boston's Now + There. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Artist Nick Cave’s Vibrant 'Augment' Inflatables To Come Down

Full of bright billowing inflatable spiders, birthday cakes, horns and more, the piece -- now on display at Upham’s Corner -- will come down on Oct. 19.

The ARTery

Oct 13, 2020

Photograph of Deacon Thomas Jeffers and Aaron Cooper (left to right). Museum Collection. (Courtesy Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University)

Online Exhibit At Harvard’s Peabody Museum Elevates Wampanoag Voices

“Listening to Wampanoag Voices: Beyond 1620” features native artists, storytellers and researchers discussing some of their cultural items and photographs that are housed in the museum’s collection.

The ARTery

Oct 12, 2020

Vistiors to Salem stop and watch a man on stilts and wearing a Halloween costume walk past them on Charter Street. Signs are posted around Downtown Salem reminding everyone it is mandatory to wear a mask in public to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.(Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Thinking Of Visiting Salem This Halloween Season? Here's What The Witch City Needs You To Know

The city is making several changes in an effort to reduce crowd density this most unusual Halloween, from eliminating haunted houses and costume parades to enforcing social distancing.

The ARTery

Oct 6, 2020

Jars of pigment used by Georgia O’Keeffe, jointly acquired by the Harvard Art Museums and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. (Courtesy Sotheby’s)

Georgia O’Keeffe's Pigments Find A Home At Harvard

Harvard Art Museums have also launched a digital exhibit exploring the rich narratives behind the pigments in its collection.

The ARTery

Sep 30, 2020

Digital artist and MassArt Professor Jane Marsching will teach a workshop making pigments from natural materials like plants and earth. (Courtesy Jane Marsching)

The Art World Goes Virtual This Fall With Open Studios And Workshops

Whether you want to make art or see it, there's something for everyone from the comfort of home.

The ARTery

Sep 25, 2020

Six-year-old Sophia Angelov of Revere picks up a handful of sand as she plays on The Shape of Play, a new public art installation by artist Sari Carel, in Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park in the North End. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

A New Public Artwork Asks The Question: 'Do You Feel Free To Play?'

The interactive sculpture examines what play – and playgrounds – mean to society.

The ARTery

05:11Sep 23, 2020

Museum of Fine Arts’ Makeeba McCreary and artist Problak Gibbs oversee the installation “No Weapon Formed Against Thee Shall Prosper” created by Cey Adams, Sophia Dawson and Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez on the museum’s Huntington Avenue lawn. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

The MFA Unveils A New Outdoor Mural To Address Racism And Police Brutality

The installation serves as an introduction and conversation starter for museum visitors -- on the issue of police brutality and racism in America, but also what role the arts and...

The ARTery

Sep 23, 2020

Sam Myers, "Beauty," 2020. (Courtesy Tony Rodriguez/Fuller Craft Museum)

11 Art Exhibits To See (In Person) This Fall

We’ve waited many, many months to finally have the chance to see art the way we used to. ARTery contributor Pamela Reynolds shares which exhibits are worth checking out.

The ARTery

Sep 21, 2020

"You Are Strong," painted by artist Amanda Beard Garcia on Mystic Avenue in South Medford. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Abstract And Empowering, Medford Utility Boxes Feature New Inclusive Artwork

Commissioned by the Medford Arts Council, artists Amanda Beard Garcia and Destiny Palmer are painting utility boxes around the city with bright and bold colors.

The ARTery

Sep 18, 2020

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Morning Edition

In A Year Of Social Distancing, Veteran Playwright-Actor Ryan Landry Turns To The Canvas

A Mother-And-Son Duo Are Re-Examining History To Illuminate Wampanoag Stories

MFA Employees Say Unionization Was A Long Time Coming

At Fuller Craft, 'Makers and Mentors' Showcases Artisans Of A New England Craft School

ICA Exhibit 'I'm Yours' Tells Stories From Many Points Of View

The Lights Glow For Artist Yu-Wen Wu’s 'Lantern Stories'

New East Boston Murals Intertwine Beauty And Environmental Concerns

Authentic Salem Witch Trials Artifacts Are On Display Amid Halloween Kitsch

Basquiat And The Hip-Hop Generation On View At MFA

Simone Leigh Will Be First Black Female Artist To Represent U.S. At Venice Biennale

What The MFA's Delayed Basquiat Show Tells Us About The Future Of Art Exhibitions

Artist Nick Cave’s Vibrant 'Augment' Inflatables To Come Down

Online Exhibit At Harvard’s Peabody Museum Elevates Wampanoag Voices

Thinking Of Visiting Salem This Halloween Season? Here's What The Witch City Needs You To Know

Georgia O’Keeffe's Pigments Find A Home At Harvard

The Art World Goes Virtual This Fall With Open Studios And Workshops

A New Public Artwork Asks The Question: 'Do You Feel Free To Play?'

The MFA Unveils A New Outdoor Mural To Address Racism And Police Brutality

11 Art Exhibits To See (In Person) This Fall

Abstract And Empowering, Medford Utility Boxes Feature New Inclusive Artwork