Articles
Authors’ research and art history materials
5 August 2026 Klara Lidén In the halls of Berlin's KW Institute for Contemporary Art, an exhibition by Swedish artist Klara Lidén, known for her radical interventions in urban environments, is on display. The entrance is blocked by a massive wall of objects: furniture, books, clothing, a dismantled kitchen, spray paint cans, tools, and a disassembled bicycle. This is the in Other 
5 August 2026 Art after Neoliberalism: Lessons from 1976 When the art world held its breath in January 2025 awaiting a new administration, Artforum published Katy Siegel's essay "The End of Neoliberal Art: Populism, Pluralism, and Lessons from 1976." The piece was a rare moment of reflection on how art is embedded in economic and political systems, and why today's institutional silence is not merely a su Auctions and market 
5 August 2026 Nutcrackers: From Bronze Hands to Wooden Soldiers The nutcracker is one of the most recognizable symbols of Christmas. The wooden soldier with big teeth, known to everyone from Tchaikovsky's ballet, is actually just the tip of the iceberg. Behind this seemingly simple kitchen tool lies a story spanning thousands of years, filled with engineering solutions, artistic discoveries, and cultural tradit Other 
5 August 2026 Vinyl as Family Heirloom: The Story of One Collection After her husband's death, Daylyn Miller and her sons were cleaning out the basement of their home in Littleton, Colorado. Beneath dusty shelves, they found three heavy cardboard boxes that had sat there for decades. Inside was a collection of vinyl records—from The Beatles and Elvis to Johnny Cash and Kenny Rogers. For Daylyn, these records were n Other 
5 August 2026 The Razor Paradox: How Electric Shavers Lost to Foam, and Advertising Won the War In 1987, an incident occurred in the newsroom of the Wausau Daily Herald that might have seemed trivial but became a perfect illustration of the eternal debate between traditional shaving and electric devices. Reporter Pat Rice, known for his sharp pen and love of provocation, received an electric razor as a gift from his wife. The problem was that Other 
5 August 2026 Advertising Memorabilia: From Motorcycle Patches to Allie Willis's 'Amazing World' When it comes to antiques related to advertising, most people imagine neon signs or pencils bearing the name of a forgotten 1940s company. But advertising memorabilia is a whole layer of material culture that encompasses everything from patches on bikers' leather jackets to branded glasses and signs. These are not just items with logos; they are wi Other 
5 August 2026 Bernardo Paz: From Inhotim to a New Museum in Brumadinho In the world of contemporary art, Brazil is firmly associated with the name Bernardo Paz—a former mining magnate and the creator of Inhotim, the largest open-air contemporary art museum in Latin America. In 2026, two decades after Inhotim's opening, Paz announced a new ambitious project: a museum and botanical garden on a 311-acre site adjacent to Other 
5 August 2026 Handcrafted Heritage: How Family Traditions and Kitsch Become Antiques In the world of antiques, value is often determined not only by age or rarity, but also by the story behind the object. Recent events in the art market—from the auction of Allee Willis's collection to the new museum by Bernardo Paz—remind us that personal stories and family traditions are becoming an important part of valuation. At the same time, c Other 
4 August 2026 Catching the Moment: How Advertising Memorabilia Becomes History and Art In the world of collecting, there is a special niche where commerce meets art, and everyday objects gain a second life. This is the realm of advertising memorabilia—items created to attract attention, but which decades later have become objects of passionate collecting. A beer stein, a porcelain sign, a toy from a fast-food meal, or a neon cowboy—a Porcelain 
4 August 2026 Maya under water: ceramics from the cenote Yaakun and their significance for collectors In July 2026, news spread around the world: in the cenote Yaakun near Playa del Carmen in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, at depths of 42 to 53 meters, ancient human and animal remains were discovered, along with three Maya ceramic vessels. The find, made with the participation of technical divers and landowners, has already been called one of t Porcelain 
11 March 2026 Фарфоровая армия: создание скульптур Багратиона, Суворова, Конева Фарфоровая армия: создание образов Багратиона, Суворова и Конева Фигуры Суворова, Александра II, Жукова, Сталина. Все они выполнены вручную из хрупкого, но дорогого материала. Эта коллекция была создана художниками Императорского фарфорового завода (ИФЗ) к 80-летию Победы в Великой Отечественной войне и впервые представлена на Петербургском экономи Porcelain 
11 March 2026 Soviet Agitational Porcelain: History and Symbolism of the Revolution Porcelain in the Service of the Revolution Soviet propaganda porcelain emerged shortly after the October Revolution. Initially, the main buyers were foreign collectors, attracted by the high quality of the items and their elegant painting. Over time, this tableware and decorative objects began to enter the daily life of their target audience—the or Porcelain 
11 March 2026 Soviet Agitational Porcelain: History, Prices, and Collectible Value Agitational Porcelain of the Early Soviet Era Porcelain with agitational themes, created in the first years after the revolution, became one of the recognizable symbols of our country, alongside the works of Fabergé, icon painting, or avant-garde canvases. Today, these items are highly valued and appear at leading world auctions. At the same time, Porcelain 
11 March 2026 soviet-porcelain-collecting-guide Soviet Porcelain Figurines: Images of the New Citizen After the 1917 revolution, porcelain became an experimental medium for propaganda promoting sport and shaping the image of the new Soviet person. A vivid example is a footballer figurine by Natalia Danko, dating from the late 1920s, which sold for £100,000 at the 'Russian Art' auction on 26 Nove Porcelain 
1 July 2025 Secret Lives of Forgotten Masterpieces: What Lies Behind the Glitter of Church Relics Let's be honest: when was the last time you stood before an ancient object without thoughts of dust, museum etiquette, and boring captions? Yet behind every gleaming item lies an entire drama, encoded in silver and gold leaf. Few have heard the intrigue, cunning, personal ambition, and sometimes, hidden pain that fill these seemingly "faceless" rel Silver 
30 June 2025 How a deck of playing cards became a mirror of history, a psychology of society, and a portal to mysticism Imagine: you are holding a brand new deck of cards in your hands. It smells of printing ink and the air of hope for luck. For some, a game of poker awaits; others will lay out a solitaire for fate; some will spend the evening playing with a friendly company. But have you ever wondered: why is it that every time we shuffle the cards, we feel a mixed Other 
30 June 2025 Okhta Dolls: How a Gunpowder Factory Became the Birthplace of Soviet "Naked Babies" and Dreamers Why Do Dolls Always Stare Straight into Your Soul? In children's hands, on the shelves of antique shops, or deep in our grandmothers' closets, dolls from the last century live and breathe quietly. They have seen more than we assume. Sometimes strange letters gleam on the backs of their heads — OKhK... An eternal puzzle for collectors: why did a ser Other 
30 June 2025 Secrets of Sensual Power: How Zinaida Serebriakova's Nude Reveals the Hidden Psychology of Female Beauty When was the last time you looked at a masterpiece and caught yourself seeing something more than just what is depicted? Do you ever have the feeling that behind the thinnest skin of brushstrokes hides an entire universe? Zinaida Serebriakova's nude collection is not just a series of portraits; it is an encrypted chronicle of eras, personal dramas, Paintings