| Good morning. Like punk or painting, art criticism is now facing a chorus of cynical voices pronouncing its demise. But as Managing Editor Hakim Bishara expounds in an opinion today, the practice isn't dead — it just looks a little different. “Art criticism is only in crisis if you stick to old definitions of what it is and who can practice it,” he writes, arguing that the myth of its disappearance is rooted in arefusal to embrace its newfound forms. In the news, the artist collective For Freedoms proposed a series of artworks for a new detention center in Downtown Brooklyn, prompting mixed responses from artists and activists that reveal the complexities of creating art for prisons. Staff Writer Rhea Nayyar has the story. Meanwhile, a Frank Lloyd Wright glass lamp fetched a whopping $7.5 million at auction, surpassing estimates and raising eyebrows; read about the history behind the hammer price below. There’s lots more in this edition: Sháńdíín Brown on Dakota Mace, Debra Brehmer on Yuji Agematsu, and what do visitors really think of Thomas J Price's Times Square sculpture when they see it in person? — Valentina Di Liscia, News Editor | | |
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| You’re currently a free subscriber to Hyperallergic. To support our independent arts journalism, please consider joining us as a member. | | Become a Member |
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 | | The genre is more alive than ever, so why are many eager to pronounce it dead? | Hakim Bishara |
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SPONSORED |  | | | | The Anchorage institution exists to be a purposeful, active place where culture is embodied, enacted, and shared. Learn more |
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LATEST NEWS |  | | |
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OPPORTUNITIES THIS MONTH | | Residencies, fellowships, grants, and open calls from the Vilcek Foundation, the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, and more in our May list of opportunities for artists, writers, and art workers. View the full list |
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SPONSORED |  | | | | New from Field of Vision, Mariam Ghani’s film The Fire This Time is a stunning visual and historic investigation into the intertwined histories of pandemics, riots, and colonial violence. Learn more |
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IN NEW YORK CITY |  | | The collective proposed a series of works for the controversial Borough-Based Jails project, which has received pushback from artists and organizers. | Rhea Nayyar |
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|  | | Hyperallergic set out to hear from people seeing the artwork onsite, and their thoughts were considerably different from the online discourse. | Rhea Nayyar |
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SPONSORED |  | | | | This year’s show features art by MFA, MA, and BFA students working across a variety of disciplines. On view May 17–28 in the Bronx. Learn more |
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FROM OUR CRITICS |  | | The artist’s show at SITE Santa Fe shows how Indigenous thought and contemporary exhibition-making can co-exist without compromise. | Sháńdíín Brown |
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|  | | Through his art, Yuji Agematsu brings reverence and discipline to this job of living, and acknowledges each human’s durational condition. | Debra Brehmer |
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HYPERALLERGIC HIGHLIGHT |  | | What purpose does this creative enrichment serve when the buildings that host it are harmful? | Chlöe Bass |
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IN MEMORIAM | | Koyo Kouoh (1967–2025)
Cameroonian curator tapped to curate 2026 Venice Biennale | Hyperallergic
Esmat Dawestashy (1943–2025)
Egyptian painter, sculptor, and critic | Ahram Online
Rita Flores de Wallace (1937–2025)
Artist who promoted Mexican folk art in Colorado | Denverite
Fred Graham (1928–2025)
Māori sculptor and carver | New Zealand Herald
William H. Luers (1929–2025)
Diplomat and former Metropolitan Museum of Art director | New York Times
Jack Katz (1927–2025)
Pioneering comic book artist | New York Times
Yasunao Tone (1935–2025)
Japanese artist associated with Fluxus | Artnews
William W. Robinson (1950–2025)
Former curator at Harvard Art Museums | Harvard Gazette |
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| You’re currently a free subscriber to Hyperallergic. To support our independent arts journalism, please consider joining us as a member. | | Become a Member |
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