Tag Archives: Smithsonian Institution

How Golden Peacocks on a Dining Room Wall Destroyed a Longstanding Friendship in Victorian Society

Posted on 01/04/2025 by alicia

July 19, 2024 When James McNeill Whistler put the final, defiant flourishes upon two golden peacocks on art collector Frederick Leyland’s dining room wall, it was an act that would lead to the end of a long and lucrative friendship, and the … Continue reading →

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Artist Chakaia Booker Gives Tires a Powerful Retread

Posted on 11/24/2015 by alicia

The first thing you notice is the smell. It’s a bit industrial, but also, maybe a tiny bit pleasant. The odor encapsulates Chakaia Booker’s latest massive sculptural work, displayed as part of the “Wonder” exhibition at the recently reopened Renwick … Continue reading →

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How Thousands of Dead Bugs Become a Mesmerizing Work of Extraordinary Beauty

Posted on 11/06/2015 by alicia

Jennifer Angus’ artwork is startling, especially when it dawns on you that what is on view is not beautifully drawn, patterned wallpaper. Depending on your mindset, it’s either a nightmarishly freakish, or beautifully mesmerizing assemblage, of insects Beyond the visceral gut … Continue reading →

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