The hottest Art & Illustration Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Art & Illustration Topics

Strong Force (1981)

The Author Is Dumb • 1 implied HN point • 22 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Film Director Cinema Action
  1. Andy Wu's Strong Force (1981) is a historical film connecting wuxia and gun fu genres in Hong Kong cinema.
  2. John Woo's A Better Tomorrow (1986) transformed the Hong Kong action cinema style by focusing on street-level crime and gun play.
  3. Strong Force faced challenges and was not widely recognized, becoming a forgotten curio due to its controversial content and lack of impact.

Writing conferences demystified, part 1

The Next Chapter • 1 implied HN point • 13 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Writing Conferences Workshop Feedback
  1. Attending writing conferences connects you with other writers, provides valuable feedback, and helps you feel momentum in a world of rejection.
  2. Dealing with rejection is a skill that writers must learn and feedback quality matters as much as the feedback itself.
  3. Thinking about writing, connecting with other writers, and understanding the non-linear process of creativity are essential for growth as a writer.

The Howl Society

Barbarian Grunge • 1 HN point • 05 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Horror Anthology Community Feedback
  1. The Howl Society is a community of horror authors that welcomes newcomers, offers feedback on stories, and produces annual horror anthologies.
  2. Members of The Howl Society come from diverse backgrounds, making discussions lively and engaging.
  3. The anthologies produced by The Howl Society are community-driven, with themes, stories, and artwork decided through crowd-sourcing and workshops.

The Instagram Art Swamp

The Author Is Dumb • 1 implied HN point • 08 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration NFTs Scams Social media
  1. Be wary of scams in the NFT and crypto space, especially concerning offers that seem too good to be true.
  2. Watch out for Instagram engagement tactics that may not be genuine, such as DM requests for promotion packages.
  3. Beware of NFT brokers who promise exposure to big investors but may push you into paying more without delivering results.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

The Legend : Yayoi Kusama

Bee Curious's Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 11 Oct 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Contemporary Feminism Japan Activism
  1. Yayoi Kusama is famous for her polka dots and colorful art. She is also known for her big sculptures, especially a pumpkin that stands out.
  2. Kusama has faced many challenges, including mental health issues, but she has turned her struggles into powerful art. Her work often carries messages of love and peace, even reflecting on topics like feminism.
  3. At 95 years old, Kusama continues to create art that inspires people around the world. She started making art as a way to cope with her childhood experiences and has since become a leading figure in the art world.

Ohii Katya: Cannibal Buffet

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Performance art Visual art Experimental
  1. The performance 'Cannibal Buffet' by Ohii Katya showcases a ritual of food consumption that is both erotic and disgusting, unfolding a grotesque story in an abandoned monastery.
  2. The choice of the abandoned monastery as the setting is significant, linking back to ancient pagan rituals associated with cannibalism and the symbolic tradition of eating the body of Christ in Christian churches.
  3. The production credits for 'Cannibal Buffet' include authorship by Ohii Katya, production by Ohii Katya and Oleksandr Radomskyi, costumes by Ohii Katya and Tilde Kay Snyder, performers, and photography contributors.

Erik Simkins: OVERKILL

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 20 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Performance Music Video Collaboration Event
  1. A 63-minute audio-video collaboration titled OVERKILL took place in Seattle in 2023 at the old Rainier Brewery, combining music by DJ DataPagan and video editing by 0erik1.
  2. The event featured the work of Carlin Kramer and Emma Wheeler, bridging early and late dance performances in a unique artistic space.
  3. The collaboration showcased a blend of creativity and performance in a visually striking presentation.

DJ Meisner: The Conspiracy was a Resume

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 16 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Mixed Media Paintings Contemporary Art
  1. The conspiracy involved connections to Gilead, Searle, and Pfizer, revealing a complex web of pharmaceutical companies.
  2. The artwork and writings explore deep themes like grief, contemporary mythmaking, and the desire for a hopeful future.
  3. The artist's practice has evolved positively, focusing on creating art that brings joy and thoughtful reflection.

The Future Looks Bright

The False Consensus Effect • 0 implied HN points • 18 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Visual art Paintings Artworks
  1. The post discusses the concept of humanity being too everywhere, filled with self-loathing and narcissism.
  2. The author creates and sells art pieces as simpler creatures that symbolize a future beyond human complexities.
  3. The writing contemplates on the idea that life will continue even after human influences cease, highlighting the persistence of life on Earth.

11 Favorite Loose Canvas Paintings This Fall

The False Consensus Effect • 0 implied HN points • 20 Dec 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Paintings Gallery Art market
  1. The post shares 11 favorite loose canvas paintings for Fall, showcasing various artworks with unique titles and dimensions.
  2. The artist hints at increasing prices, suggesting investing in the artworks while they are still affordable.
  3. The post concludes with a humorous touch and a tease for an upcoming Christmas message from an unbeliever.

Travis John Ficarra: Chocolate Goblin

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 28 Sep 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Gallery Artist Exhibit Painting Sculpture
  1. Travis John Ficarra's 'Chocolate Goblin' is a unique sculpture made of steel, fiberglass, paint, and clear coat, exhibited in Melbourne, Australia.
  2. The sculpture is described in vivid detail, evoking images of a surreal and fantastical world with elements like cellophane boulderstones, a lagoon of sour water, and a chocolate goblin with unique characteristics.
  3. The text accompanying the sculpture adds depth to the interpretation, hinting at themes of refinement and mystery in the artwork.

Leo Elia Jung: The Living Diamonds of Yakutia

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 27 Jul 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Sculptures Collaboration Futurism Natural History
  1. The work cycle 'The Living Diamonds of Yakutia' showcases sculptures based on an essay about reviving woolly mammoths to combat climate change and explores the financial interests driving such efforts.
  2. A map declares the Yamal Peninsula a collaborative wildlife park involving Pleistocene Park, Colossal, and Gazprom, blending conservation with natural gas mining.
  3. Sculptures like the 'Charging Mammoth' and 'Declaration of Independence: Patent Application' creatively reimagine the importance and implications of mammoth research and resurrection.

Artist Profile: Simon Denny, by Toniann Fernandez

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 23 Feb 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Visual Arts Contemporary Art
  1. When you buy space in the Metaverse, you get a token as proof of ownership, which is like a snapshot of a map.
  2. Simon Denny's Metaverse Landscape Paintings explore the connection between traditional landscape art and ownership in the digital space.
  3. Denny plans to exhibit his unique landscape paintings at various galleries, incorporating different realms of the Metaverse in his work.

Screening + Q&A: Jon Rafman: Punctured Sky (2021) w/ Filip Kostic

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Film Storytelling Visual Arts Digital Art Cultural critique
  1. A key theme discussed is the exploration of lost truth and memory in the protagonist's search for meaning in Jon Rafman's film _Punctured Sky_.
  2. Rafman highlights the importance of constructed narratives in understanding self-identity and consciousness, especially in a world where reality and history are increasingly complex and fragmented.
  3. The conversation touches on the significance of using free apps and hacks to create art in a way that embraces playfulness and transparency in showcasing the process of image splicing and storytelling.

Screening + Q&A: Jane Schoenbrun: We're All Going to the World's Fair (2021) w/ Tomi Faison

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Film Internet culture Creative Process Visual storytelling
  1. The film 'We're All Going to the World's Fair' directed by Jane Schoenbrun is about a young girl's experience on the internet, reflecting the personal relationship many people have with online communities.
  2. Jane Schoenbrun's approach to filmmaking involves collaboration and exploring personal experiences through creative expression, showcasing a style that blends personal storytelling with the online world.
  3. The interview touches on themes of hierarchical structures in the film industry, the intersection of online culture with loneliness, and the potential for artists to create meaningful work by understanding and utilizing different mediums.

Abbey Pusz: DIGITAL LOCAL: The Post Internet Artists

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity Technology influence
  1. Artists now face a choice between producing work for galleries or becoming cultural producers in the online content creation landscape.
  2. Post Internet Artists navigate the challenge of maintaining creativity and intuition while adhering to the constraints of online platforms and market demands.
  3. Accelerationist theorists propose a radical positive project for the left, emphasizing a reinvigorated confidence in technology and a critical detachment from the disappointments of past social democratic politics.

Eva & Franco Mattes: Abuse Standards Violations (Excerpt)

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Content Moderation Social media Artists Labor
  1. Artists Eva & Franco Mattes showcase the clearly defined content boundaries on social media platforms through leaked internal documents, helping users better understand moderation rules.
  2. Despite the increasing automation in content moderation, there is still a substantial need for human interpretation, often carried out by gig workers worldwide, which leads to high turnover rates due to disturbing content exposure and irregular work hours.
  3. Part-time content moderators are often unaware of the platforms they are moderating for, as the origin and ownership of the moderation guidelines remain undisclosed.

On Timepass and Tutankhamun's Transcendent Tunes (Ch. 11)

Ink-uilab • 0 implied HN points • 04 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Music Poetry Literature Performance Cultural critique
  1. The newsletter delves into the concept of 'timepass' and discusses the speech given at the Yale College Henry James TenEyck Prize Competition on the topic.
  2. Philip Glass' opera Akhnaten is explored, highlighting its mystical and historical themes, including the use of ancient languages in the production.
  3. The newsletter also touches upon the work of Agha Shahid Ali and his contributions to New Formalism, particularly focusing on the 'English ghazal' poetry form.

A mythological rabbit hole 🐇 : The Divine Dragon 🐉 in Sekiro 🏯

Rabbit Holes 🐇🕳 • 0 implied HN points • 25 Apr 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Mythology Analysis Design Origins
  1. The design of the Divine Dragon in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is influenced by mythology and art, featuring elements like the environment, the dragon itself, a significant sword, and a giant cherry blossom tree.
  2. The Divine Dragon's presence in the game's Divine Realm is enhanced by themes of rain, lightning, and gloomy weather, connecting to mythological beliefs about dragons.
  3. The Divine Dragon's serpentine form and potential Korean origins give an interesting twist compared to typical Western dragon depictions, showcasing unique cultural perspectives in character design.

A mythological rabbit hole 🐇: The Divine Dragon 🐉 in Sekiro 🏯 : The Sword and the Everblossom

Rabbit Holes 🐇🕳 • 0 implied HN points • 25 Apr 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Mythology Anime Video Games Pop culture
  1. The Seven-Branched Sword in Sekiro symbolizes the connection of the dragon to the divine realm through intricate design and historical significance.
  2. The Everblossom Tree represents impermanence and the beauty of ephemeral existence in Japanese culture, with the loss of the tree being a significant event tied to the quest for immortality in the game.
  3. Eastern dragons in popular media such as Spirited Away, Dragon Ball series, and Legend of Zelda embody mythical themes like guardianship of water bodies, granting wishes, and control over weather and natural elements.

Thomas Mader: This image will become important later

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Visual Arts Propaganda Memes Iconography History
  1. The Pink Panther imagery was adapted by the far-right, showcasing how political agendas can exploit seemingly innocuous symbols.
  2. The power of memes lies in their adaptability and personalized storytelling within social movements.
  3. The challenge of reclaiming images from far-right associations raises questions about desirability and time frames for such efforts.

Lena Peplińska: Think of a number from 1 to 77. Conspiracy theories as memetic dreams

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Digital Media Memes Symbolism Visual communication
  1. Collecting data: The internet user plays a gawker role by actively engaging with information, influencing their social media feed with obscure narratives.
  2. Mutating: Memes mutate in digital environments like pathogens, losing their original meaning and becoming a tailored form of communication for the digital age.
  3. Sharing: Memes share similarities with dreams, expressing subconscious wishes and anxieties, and create personalized realities that shape collective fantasies, impacting individual experiences and online interactions.