ARTchivist's Notebook: Authority and a New Year's Offering
Do we still need the dictionary? And a new year's offering.
ARTchivist's Notebook: On Abstraction
Abstraction is at the heart of communication. Perhaps it can be a refuge from the onslaught of the "real."
ARTchivist's Notebook: Critical Conversations
Some thoughts on the current "crisis" in cultural criticism, its history, and why we need to do something about it.
ARTchivist's Notebook: What is helpful?
Some thoughts on helpfulness and a roundup of recent art and archives events and opportunities.
ARTchivist's Notebook: Weary and dissatisfied with everything
At this busy time of year, a round up of recent and upcoming events, publications, and opportunities.
ARTchivist's Notebook: On discernment
Learning to connect across our divisive cultural landscape with a little more nuance.
ARTchivist's Notebook: Knowing is not enough
It no longer seems true that, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Knowing what happened is clearly not enough to stop it from happening again.
ARTchivist's Notebook: We are not OK
In response to Amy Sherald's cancellation of her National Portrait Gallery show due to censorship, I reflect on how claims to being "unbiased" only support those in power.
ARTchivist's Notebook: A moment of joy
Indigenous artist Jeffrey Gibson activates the archives with joy, compassion, and color vibration!
ARTchivist's Notebook: AI & Cat-aloging
Cats and cataloging undergird the AI revolution, which may be paving the way to totalitarianism. Does art contain the answer?
ARTchivist's Notebook: An American experience
Reflecting on Miné Okubo's art, I discuss cruelty and its legacies.
ARTchivist's Notebook: Dimensions of diversity
I reflect on the legacy of artist Leo Rabkin and how ensuring diversity in art history means accounting for more than identity and circumstance.
ARTchivist's Notebook: We've been here before
Unidentified, Placard stating "I AM A MAN" carried by Arthur J. Schmidt in 1968 Memphis March, 1960s, National Museum of African American History and...
ARTchivist's Notebook: Nest or niche?
Netsuke of Bird on her Nest, 19th century, Metropolitan Museum of Art. Public Domain. Available on Curationist.org As some of you know, I used to write about...
ARTchivist's Notebook: Critics of Color
Cover of the report, Topdogs and Underdogs: Critics of Color and the Theatrical Landscape For over a year, I’ve been working on the report, Topdogs and...
ARTchivist's Notebook: Small acts of resistance
Last night, I attended Breaking Curfew: Everyday Japanese American Resistance during World War II at the Huntington. It was a lecture by scholar Anna Pegler-...
ARTchivist's Notebook: Keep on caring
WPA Federal Art Project poster by Erik Hans Krause, 1936-1938. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division “Fear is just the false belief that...
ARTchivist's Notebook: Metadata is connection
Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons 2025 so far is not off to the most promising start. In addition to the wildfires that...
ARTchivist's Notebook: Please help
This past week has been a rough one here in South Pasadena. Although we did not have to evacuate, we are now neighbors to destruction at a breathtaking and...
ARTchivist's Notebook: Up power, down power
We all have power. Whether it’s our vote, our ability to help someone in need, or simply to make someone smile, we all make countless decisions every day...