Approximately two decades ago, research indicated that Happy could recognize her reflection in a mirror. Later, she became involved in a failed lawsuit asserting that elephants should possess certain basic human rights Rudy Molinek | Reporter May 29, 2026 2:23 p.m. Happy in her habitat in 2022 Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein via Getty Images Happy, a female Asian elephant residing […]
Sisters from New Jersey dedicated two months to recreating renowned artworks while ensuring their dog stayed out of the edible art materials Michele Debczak | Correspondent May 29, 2026 2:16 p.m. A kibble Mona Lisa on display The AKC Museum of the Dog Since its reopening in Midtown Manhattan a few years ago, the American Kennel Club’s Museum of the […]
Welcome to the 339th installment of A View From the Easel, a weekly series where artists reflect on their workspace. This week, we hear from Rachelle Mozman Solano, who has been working in her Brooklyn studio for over two decades. Here, she films, cuts paper, and paints in solitude. **How long have you been working in this space?** – Twenty-three […]
**Announcing the 7th VH AWARD: Expanded Opportunities for Media Artists** Since its inception in 2016, the VH AWARD has carved out a global stage for emerging media artists who delve into the rich and varied contexts of Asia. Spearheaded by the Hyundai Motor Group, this award empowers artists to tackle pressing contemporary issues, using audiovisual explorations that bridge disciplinary and […]
The Swedish artist produced striking, colorful pieces as early as 1906—years before peers such as Wassily Kandinsky. A new show in France honors her expansive “Paintings for the Temple” collection Ellen Wexler | Writer and Special Projects Editor May 29, 2026 12:08 p.m. Detail from Hilma af Klint’s Retable, No. 1 (1915) Hilma af Klint Foundation / The Moderna Museet, […]
Recent research indicates that select theropods—bipedal, predominantly carnivorous dinosaurs—exhibited reduced forelimbs as a trade-off for their robust skulls Sara Hashemi | Daily Correspondent May 29, 2026 11:53 a.m. Researchers were uncertain about the factors that led certain theropods, such as T. rex, to develop diminutive arms in proportion to their body sizes. Alex Segre / UCG / Universal Images Group […]
250th Anniversary of America A special report from Smithsonian magazine The design represents one of various coin denominations, being the third of five new quarters, created for the nation’s semiquincentennial Christian Thorsberg | Daily Contributor May 29, 2026 11:46 a.m. The new coin is among five commemorative quarter designs marking the 250th anniversary of America. U.S. Mint A new quarter […]
Long before common pigeons became known as urban nuisances, they were domesticated by humans who utilized them for various purposes, including meat, fertilizer, and communicating messages. A recent study indicates that humans have coexisted with these avian beings for at least 3,400 years Sara Hashemi | Daily Correspondent May 29, 2026 10:00 a.m. A limestone sculpture of a pigeon from […]
**Douglas Latchford and Frank Stella’s Fascinating World** In the intriguing world of art collection and historical artifacts, few stories capture the imagination like that of Douglas Latchford and Frank Stella’s Navajo weavings. Latchford, a well-known British dealer, was heavily involved in the trafficking of looted Cambodian antiquities. Before his death in 2020, he sold many such objects to prestigious institutions, […]
**Book Review: The Man Who Stole the Gods by Matthew Campbell** The narrative of how Khmer statues were uprooted from their origins and inserted into Western institutions is meticulously chronicled in Matthew Campbell’s forthcoming book, *The Man Who Stole the Gods* (2026). The book centers around British dealer Douglas Latchford, who stands accused of orchestrating the large-scale trafficking of looted […]