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Ben Davis

@benadavis.bsky.social
1.3K followers 68 following 137 posts

Writer. Author of '9.5 Theses on Art and Class' and 'Art in the After-Culture.' My newsletter at substack.com/@benstoppable

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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Things that interest me today: Anna Weyant brings country to the Met Opera, @harikunzru.bsky.social on 25 years of 9/11 art, "Thucydides Fever Dream," more news.artnet.com/artnet-bulle...
news.artnet.com
Anna Weyant's Blood-Stained Banner Graces the Met Opera | Artnet News
Today's Artnet Bulletin: a $10M fund fighting Trump's D.C. makeover, a history of art since 9/11, a sharp new show on U.S.-China art ties.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
10 quick reviews of art from the new season... news.artnet.com/market/chels...
news.artnet.com
Highs and Lows of Just-Opened Gallery Shows in NYC | Artnet News
Reviews of 10 New York gallery shows opening the fall art season, from Yvonne Jacquette's aerial landscapes to George Rouy's busy nudes.
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Dana Ivey @dariv.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Yes, the wall texts at the Met Museum are SO hard to read, the contrast is nil, the font too small, and the lighting poor--as if the Museum is embarrassed about the art. Wall Labels Are in a Sorry State. Here’s How to Fix Them news.artnet.com/art-world/mu... - @benadavis.bsky.social @metmuseum.org
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Wall Labels Are in a Sorry State. Here's How to Fix Them | Artnet News
Why are museum wall labels so bad? A critic examines the jargon-heavy texts plaguing top biennials—and how to fix it.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
We talk about the Venice Architecture Biennale's experiment with A.I. labels in the podcast news.artnet.com/multimedia/m...
news.artnet.com
Why Are Museum Wall Texts So Bad? | Artnet News
This week, Ben Davis speaks to Katherine Whitney about the problems plaguing museum wall texts, and how they can be fixed.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I've been nursing this one for a while! news.artnet.com/art-world/mu...
news.artnet.com
Wall Labels Are in a Sorry State. Here's How to Fix Them | Artnet News
Why are museum wall labels so bad? A critic examines the jargon-heavy texts plaguing top biennials—and how to fix it.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
My personal newsletter of things I wrote in August 2026. You can subscribe here if you want the digest in the future as well... benstoppable.substack.com/p/what-i-wro...
benstoppable.substack.com
What I Wrote in August 2026
“Greater New York” and the “AIM Biennial,” the “actively managed audience” in Aspen, I get NYRFed, more.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Morning Bulletin for today: the World Art Cities Index, Brooklyn Museum's $75 Manga Pass, the art engagement-farming epidemic, more... news.artnet.com/artnet-bulle...
news.artnet.com
A New Power Ranking of Art Cities—and Other Art World Matters
Today's Artnet Bulletin: A new art cities ranking, how much do artists earn in a year, and the engagement farming drowning art online.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
My Bulletin for Tuesday: Edi Rama's heel turn, Laurie Simmons does Zyn, Jim Nollman's orca art, partying with the Neo-Luddites, more news.artnet.com/artnet-bulle...
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An Art-Statesman's Heel Turn—and Other Art World Matters | Artnet News
Plus, Laurie Simmons does ZYN, Sean Parker's art shuts down a street, and Jim Nollman makes beautiful art with orcas.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
My Bulletin for Tuesday: the Natalie Portman movie 'The Gallerist,' October uncovers 'soft censorship' in DC, the Catholic Universities Art Triennial, Document Journal vs. Russian hackers, and YouTube legend Bobby Fingers news.artnet.com/artnet-bulle...
news.artnet.com
Natalie Portman's Art Basel Satire Gets a Release Date—and Other Art World Matters | Artnet News
For today's Artnet Bulletin: "soft censorship" in D.C., the Vatican's Catholic Universities Art Triennial debuts, and Bobby Fingers is back.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Some morning links to a Keith Haring vote in Philly, @apollo-magazine.com on art's great Penelopes, NewCrits's advice for first gallery shows, @chariotrider.bsky.social's museum in 'Doom,' more news.artnet.com/artnet-bulle...
news.artnet.com
Will Philly Protect Its Beloved Keith Haring? And Other Art World Matters
Also in today's Artnet Bulletin: an imperiled Keith Haring mural, art history's great Penelopes, a museum built in 'Doom,' and more.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
I think he's just come up a couple of times... Martha Schwendener mentioned him in the Villem Flusser episode. There is probably another one. He is one of my favorites
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Talking with Trevor Paglen about "The Society of the Psyop," his new book for @versobooks.bsky.social, "How to See Like a Machine," plus my experience with his new hypnosis-based art project, "Voyager" podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
My own take is a little less categorical. I talked about it with Caroline Miranda, here podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...
podcasts.apple.com
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Links to stories I find interesting today: the @metmuseum.org's Raphael record, the Gugg's bacteria problem, Juliana Halpert on the "synchronic" LACMA, @mastroianni.bsky.social's theory of cultural stagnation... news.artnet.com/art-world/ar...
news.artnet.com
Raphael Is the Met's Post-Pandemic Prince! And Other Art World Matters | Artnet News
Artnet News Bulletin: Raphael's does numbers for the Met, bacteria found at the Guggenheim, a big theory of bad art, more.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
For the Art Angle... talking with Jo Lawson-Tancred about "The Case For M.C. Escher" podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com
The Case for M.C. Escher
Podcast Episode · The Art Angle · July 9 · 28m
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Talking with Tarek Atoui on the idea of the sonic object in contemporary art podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
well put
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Thoughts on 'Giacometti in the Temple of Dendur' news.artnet.com/art-world/gi...
news.artnet.com
What's Going on With the Met’s Odd New Giacometti Show? | Artnet News
'Giacometti at the Temple of Dendur' at the Metropolitan Museum of Art has a feather-light premise. That seems to be the point.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Talking with Roberta Smith about criticism and galleries and much more podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Her essay from CityLab here: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
bloomberg.com
For Better or Worse, the New LACMA Is an Instant LA Icon
The blob-shaped David Geffen Galleries at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art offers architectural drama inside and out, sometimes at the expense of the art.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Talking with the great @cmonstah.bsky.social about the new LACMA and museum architecture now. Preview and link below podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Was too swamped and brain-fried after the intense looking-and-writing process to post this... but here was/is my first take on the Venice Biennale news.artnet.com/art-world/ve...
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First Impressions of a Venice Biennale Torn Apart by the Present | Artnet News
What does the 61st Venice Biennale, "In Minor Keys," feel like? Our critic offers some first impressions of the Koyo Kouoh-curated event.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
The @nybooks.com launched a new "In the Galleries" page, which is very cool, to cover art--and I'm very happy to help them launch it (along with the great Dawn Chan) www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
nybooks.com
Visions of Depravity | Ben Davis
On Ceija Stojka at the Drawing Center
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Talking with Martha Schwendener about the media theory of Vilem Flusser, the prophet of post-literate, post-historical image culture: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
On the big Marcel Duchamp show at the MoMA news.artnet.com/art-world/ma...
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Are We Too Reverent of Marcel Duchamp? | Artnet News
MoMA's giant "Marcel Duchamp" exhibition looks for a new reason to return to the 20th century's most-cited artist.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
Talking about Raphael at the Met for the Art Angle this week podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
My personal letter for last month: everything I wrote, and the various podcasts substack.com/home/post/p-...
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
On Raphael, Renaissance, and Reformation news.artnet.com/art-world/ra...
news.artnet.com
At the Met, Raphael’s Beauty Has a Dark Side | Artnet News
Considering the meanings of “Raphael: Sublime Poetry” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
The Art Angle round: Whitney Biennial talk, a new Baroque art star, and Banksy Unmasked podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...
podcasts.apple.com
Whitney Biennial Trends, a New Baroque Art Star, and Banksy Unmasked
Podcast Episode · The Art Angle · March 26 · 43m
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
The Met introduces Raphael as "one of the greatest influencers of all time"
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Some thoughts on the decay of reality and its causes news.artnet.com/art-world/re...
news.artnet.com
'Reality Decay’ Is at the Root of All the Bad News | Artnet News
The Epstein emails, the Iran War, and the A.I. onslaught all show society breaking due to a single cultural pathology.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
"New Humans" at the new New Museum is a wild ride! Lots to think about news.artnet.com/art-world/ne...
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
8 further thoughts on the 2026 Whitney Biennial's highlights and subtle throughlines news.artnet.com/art-world/wh...
news.artnet.com
The Tensions Seething Beneath the Surface of the 2026 Whitney Biennial | Artnet News
After a second visit, here are 8 more thoughts on the themes and highlights of the Whitney's closely watched survey.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Here are pics of all the art in this year's Whitney Biennial: news.artnet.com/art-world/wh...
news.artnet.com
Here's All the Art in the 2026 Whitney Biennial | Artnet News
What's the big survey show all about? Take our visual walkthrough and judge for yourself.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
What is it about this painter that made the attention of these big shows converge on her now? Talking with Taína Cruz for the Art Angle... podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
Thoughts on this Whitney Biennial: highs, lows, and vibes news.artnet.com/art-world/wh...
news.artnet.com
The 2026 Whitney Biennial Just Wants You to Feel Something | Artnet News
Curated by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer, this year's show marks a "feelings-first" approach to art.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
The Art Angle round-up pod for Feb... here's the preview and the link podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
Thoughts on the mood of the upcoming big U.S. biennials: news.artnet.com/art-world/20...
news.artnet.com
What Will Define Art in 2026? Key Themes From the Big U.S. Shows | Artnet News
Hunting for a theme in the three big upcoming U.S. exhibitions: Greater New York, the Whitney Biennial, and the Carnegie International.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
My piece on the beautiful Wifredo Lam show at MoMA, and "syncretic surrealism" news.artnet.com/art-world/wi...
news.artnet.com
How Wifredo Lam Made Surrealism More Surreal Than the Surrealists | Artnet News
“Wifredo Lam: When I Don’t Sleep, I Dream" at the Museum of Modern Art offers a chance to consider his unique brand of syncretic surrealism.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Talking about and and magic mushroom. Podcast link here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
very true! part of what people like about him, the performance aspect, much more than the images
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Reposted by Ben Davis
farfama @farfama.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Forgot to cite this quote. It's from the book 'Art in the After-Culture: Capitalist Crisis and Cultural Strategy' by @benadavis.bsky.social. It's an incredible analysis of the current state of art. The quote is aptly at the very end of the 'AI Aesthetics and Capitalism' chapter.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
This is happening on Wednesday... talking with @thegraymarket.bsky.social about the trends we think are emerging in 2026. Come by, hang out, and talk about art
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
that's awesome! thank you
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
My picks for some art words of the year news.artnet.com/art-world/ar...
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9 Terms That Helped Navigate a Confusing Year in Art | Artnet News
Ben Davis on the art words of the year, from "antimemetics" and "elite capture" to "red-chip" and "slurry."
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Thoughts on a year of looking at which artists are showing in the most museums news.artnet.com/art-world/mu...
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Thoughts on a Year of Tracking the Top 'Museum Artists' | Artnet News
Following the ups and downs of 2025 in museum programming, and looking for what's stayed the same, and what might be changing.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
My Museum Artist list for December 2025 news.artnet.com/art-world/to...
news.artnet.com
These 15 Artists Are Having the Biggest Moment at U.S. Museums Right Now | Artnet News
The quarterly Museum Artist list looks at which artists are showing at multiple shows in the United States.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
A random flurry of Jeffrey Epstein's art just popped up at auction, so I guess we know where that sculpture of a bride on a rope comes from now news.artnet.com/art-world/je...
news.artnet.com
Jeffrey Epstein's Janky Art Pops Up at Auction, and Here's What We Learned
A New Jersey auction has just revealed more details about the ghoulish and junky art collection of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
End-of-the-year Art Angle round-up cast. Promo here, and link below... podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
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Ben Davis @benadavis.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
Interesting! Because "art" can't be "right" or "wrong"? I don't think the idea of "art" exists without the idea of "bad art"... but there are many ways to approach the word and subject
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