Amadou Bagayoko (1954-2025), Malian guitarist, singer and composer of the famed duo Amadou & Mariam – known as “the blind couple of Mali” – passed away on 4 April in Bamako. He was 70. The married singers, who met when she was 18 and he 21, took traditional Mali music and blended it with western...
In 2014, Stephen Hawking voiced grave warnings about the threats of artificial intelligence. His concerns were not based on any anticipated evil intent, though. Instead, it was from the idea of AI achieving “singularity.” This refers to the point when AI surpasses human intelligence and achieves the capacity to evolve beyond its original programming, making...
This spring, Miami will experience a cultural confluence unlike any other: two of the city’s premier arts institutions, the Florida Grand Opera and the Miami City Ballet, will simultaneously present Carmen — Georges Bizet’s fiery opera about love, jealousy, and fate. The unexpected, yet undeniably exciting, pairing of these two productions raises intriguing questions about...
Last Friday evening, Miami’s cultural enthusiasts gathered at Lafayette Steakhouse for a rare and intimate prelude to one of the season’s most anticipated operatic revivals—Florida Grand Opera’s (FGO) powerful new production of Carmen. Hosted in partnership with Haute Living and Mr. Hospitality, this exclusive VIP cocktail celebration offered more than just elegance—it provided a personal...
Ahead of her appearance at the Verbier Art Summit, the pioneering Chinese artist discusses technological transformation, museum-audience dynamics, and her exploration into the future of farming Cao Fei’s practice is defined by its engagement with the rapidly shifting landscapes of technology, society, and identity. Working fluidly across film, digital platforms, virtual reality, and installation, Fei...
From painting surveys that unflinchingly examine the human body to participatory projects by children, the continent is teeming with stimulating exhibitions As spring breathes new life into Europe, museums are preparing for a season of must-see solo exhibitions. From blockbuster shows at major institutions like Tate Modern and Guggenheim Bilbao to hidden gems at smaller...
In an exhibition at Mucem, the French artist immerses herself in the Mediterranean and examines the connections between humans, living beings, and objects Men in black clothing busy themselves around a purple crane preparing to hoist a metal sculpture. Rain is falling over Marseille. The ochre color of Fort Saint-Jean, constructed during the Middle Ages...
When President Donald Trump announced that he was assuming control of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, he described the move as a triumph over “wokey” programming. He subsequently fired the 17 board members appointed by President Joe Biden and installed himself as chairman. Some critics have reacted to the move by suggesting Trump...
I teach history in Connecticut, but I grew up in Oklahoma and Kansas, where my interest in the subject was sparked by visits to local museums. I fondly remember trips to the Fellow-Reeves Museum in Wichita, Kansas, and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. A 1908 photograph of my great-grandparents picking...
Police reports of hate crimes in 42 major U.S. cities declined 2.7% in 2024, hovering around modern records, according to preliminary data from a new multi-city survey by an emeritus researcher from California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). But anti-Jewish hate crimes rose 12% and anti-Muslim hate crimes increased 18%, part of an upward trend....
