The hottest Art Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Science Topics

The Monday Media Diet with Dalya Benor

Why is this interesting? • 603 implied HN points • 01 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Dalya enjoys reading a mix of newsletters and news articles, usually including notable sources like the NYT and WSJ. She likes to read books both in the morning and at night.
  2. One of her recommended books is Solvej Balle’s 'On the Calculation of Volume', which features a unique story of a woman reliving the same day. She appreciates the author's clean and engaging writing style.
  3. Dalya finds pleasure in discovering hidden gems while traveling, mentioning the Hunterian Museum in London as a must-visit, especially for its unique exhibits on surgery.

I Am The Friend Who Will Tell You To Get Paid.

Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith • 2712 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
💼 Business Art
  1. The myth that true artists don't sell their work leads many women and marginalized writers to fear being seen as sell-outs, resulting in lower sales.
  2. Scarcity mindset conditions creatives to accept low pay and resist self-promotion, inhibiting them from knowing and declaring their worth.
  3. Shaming creatives for valuing self-promotion implies it's wrong to recognize and assert your own value.

What we lose when AI creates art

Subtle Digressions • 559 implied HN points • 30 Jun 24
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. AI art lacks the emotional depth of human-created art. Art reflects human experiences, feelings, and suffering that AI does not possess.
  2. There's a difference between art and content. True art comes from deep human connections and experiences, while content is often just a product of efficiency.
  3. Using AI in art risks commodifying creativity. If we let machines create art, we lose the value and meaning that come from the human struggle and process of creation.

The Forever Mitzvah

Singal-Minded • 496 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Dovi connects with Jesse during their unexpected encounter, leading to a deep conversation about life and experiences. Their bond grows as Jesse shares personal struggles, which shows how meaningful connections can arise from chance meetings.
  2. The act of smoking the shredded Torah represents a transformative experience for Jesse, symbolizing a new perspective on life and spirituality. It reflects a journey to confront fears and learn about oneself in unusual ways.
  3. The story culminates in a unique twist where Jesse contemplates a change meant to connect him more to his Jewish identity, showing how identity and belonging can create powerful feelings of connection and urgency in relationships.

Very Good Bags

Culture Study • 2116 implied HN points • 19 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. People spend a lot of time searching for the perfect bag that suits their needs. Everyone has different preferences and it's okay to share your experiences with bags.
  2. This is a fun space to talk about what makes your favorite bag special and how it works for you. If you're looking for specific recommendations, ask the group for help!
  3. The discussion is meant to be light and enjoyable, reminding us that while we can talk seriously about other topics, sharing about bags can be fun too.
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Moving Beyond the Bumble Brag

Seven Senses • 699 implied HN points • 15 Jun 24
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. It's important to share your achievements and talents. Hiding them can stop others from benefiting from your skills.
  2. Self-promotion should be seen as a way of showing respect for yourself and your work. It’s not about being boastful.
  3. Being too modest doesn't help anyone. Everyone deserves to shine and be recognized for their hard work.

The snail trail

Austin Kleon • 2817 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Snails teach us the importance of taking our time and moving at our own pace. They remind us that it's okay to slow down and be idle sometimes.
  2. Snails leave a trail behind them, which symbolizes the journey we've taken in life and art. This can inspire artists to reflect on their past experiences.
  3. Observing small creatures like snails can help us find purpose and meaning in our lives. They show us that even the seemingly insignificant can have a big impact.

Who Killed 'Fraidy Cat'?

Animation Obsessive • 9328 implied HN points • 28 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. The story of 'Fraidy Cat' was about a cat named Oscar who was wrongly accused of swallowing a bird. The film went through many changes during its development and was influenced by Hitchcock's style.
  2. Piet Kroon, the director, faced a lot of studio politics and creative conflicts while trying to bring his vision for 'Fraidy Cat' to life, which included several writers being brought in to make changes.
  3. Despite the project receiving praise and momentum at Disney, it was ultimately shelved when the studio decided to close its Florida branch, which contributed to 'Fraidy Cat' never being completed.

Classical Music Got Invented with a Hard Kick from a Peasant's Foot

The Honest Broker • 5917 implied HN points • 21 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Classical music is more about human movement than math. It has roots in how people dance and move, not just numbers.
  2. The history of music shows a struggle between hands and feet. Highbrow music often focuses on hand movements, while lowbrow music is driven by dancing.
  3. Understanding music requires recognizing its connection to our bodies. Rhythm in all genres is tied to how we physically react and move to the music.

Eve

ASK MOLLY • 4933 implied HN points • 23 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Eat whatever you want.
  2. Stay committed to your work despite distractions.
  3. Embrace self-expression and authenticity.

More ideas from the garden

Austin Kleon • 2857 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Sometimes, taking a little from others can lead to beautiful growth, just like how clippings can sprout into new plants.
  2. It's hard to tell at first if a new idea is good or bad, like wondering if a weed will become a flower - you have to wait and see.
  3. Great things can come from messy situations; even a tiny seed can become a beautiful tree if given the right conditions.

Things Worth Remembering: ‘Jaws’ Was Never About a Shark

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2049 implied HN points • 17 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. The movie 'Jaws' is really about facing our own fears rather than just being about a shark. It's a deeper look at what scares us the most.
  2. This summer marks 50 years of 'Jaws,' and the town of Martha’s Vineyard is celebrating with events like screenings and exhibits. It's bringing a lot of tourists to remember the film's impact.
  3. The film has truly left a mark on the culture, with attractions, merchandise, and local events that still connect the community to that summer in 1974.

Merry Christmas

Wrong Side of History • 332 implied HN points • 26 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Culture and identity debates are everywhere now, shaping casting, museum displays, and how history is told. These fights feel political and change which stories and voices get prominence.
  2. Free speech and political conflict are getting harsher, with real legal and social consequences for people who speak out and with fiction and media strongly influencing political views. That combination is reshaping public debate and accountability.
  3. Britain still projects soft power through cultural exports like popular history podcasts, even as people worry about younger generations, rising authoritarian tendencies, and ongoing security and historical memory issues. These cultural and political anxieties are linked and feed into each other.

Publish your enthusiasm

Austin Kleon • 5755 implied HN points • 04 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Sharing your excitement can be really powerful. When you show your enthusiasm, it inspires others too.
  2. Reading a good book can transport you to another world. Dive into your favorite stories for a little escape and joy.
  3. Engaging in creative activities like drawing or painting is rewarding. They combine thinking and pleasure, making it enjoyable and satisfying.

The Freaks Are the Last to Go

Working Theorys • 276 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Some creators—"freaks"—encode meaning so tightly that you have to work to understand it, and that effort is part of the pleasure.
  2. Modern culture prizes legibility and frictionless consumption, which flattens art and flattens us. Freaks deliberately keep mystery and timing so meaning arrives later and feels deeper.
  3. Freaks resist being named or sanitized by success and are rare, so find and support them early—they are the stubborn keepers of cultural depth.

Reading Homer After October 7

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2990 implied HN points • 19 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Teaching classic texts like the 'Iliad' can take on new meaning when the students are soldiers. They relate deeply to the themes of war and sacrifice in the stories.
  2. Personal connections to war can be profound, as seen when students like Amir transition from studying literature to facing real-life battles.
  3. The contrast between a warrior's public role and their private life is significant. Characters like Hector highlight the dual nature of being committed to duty while also longing for family and peace.

Yuri Norstein's Top 20

Animation Obsessive • 2063 implied HN points • 01 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Yuri Norstein is a well-known animator from the USSR, famous for films like 'Hedgehog in the Fog'.
  2. He shared his top 20 favorite animated films, which include notable works from different decades and countries.
  3. Norstein highlighted groundbreaking animations, like 'Night on Bald Mountain', that changed the medium of animation.

The Broken Day

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 587 implied HN points • 23 Nov 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. The author feels disconnected from contemporary culture and has a nostalgic attachment to memories and objects from their past. They spend a lot of time reflecting on their personal experiences and the things they've collected over the years.
  2. Despite being housebound for a long time, the author creatively envisions life outside by 'nightwalking' in their imagination, exploring places they remember.
  3. There is a sense of infinite exploration in the author's journey through memories and objects, leading them to think about uncovering deeper meanings from their past.

The Slop School of Internet Success and other lies about cyberspace

Experimental History • 19425 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Making a living on the internet doesn't have to involve creating 'slop' content like clickbait or scams.
  2. Success online can come from creating honest, original, and interesting content that people genuinely enjoy and share.
  3. Supporting creators financially for content you enjoy can help create a better internet ecosystem and encourage more quality content.

The spectacle sickened me

Letters of Note • 2790 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. George Bernard Shaw once wrote a letter to 'The Times' criticizing a woman's hat at the opera.
  2. Shaw was disgusted by a woman wearing a large white bird on her head at the opera.
  3. Shaw argued that such flamboyant hats in theaters should not be allowed.

Mrs Warren's Profession. A splendid play performed almost pefectly.

The Common Reader • 2090 implied HN points • 28 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Imelda Staunton gives an amazing performance in 'Mrs Warren's Profession.' She really captures the emotions and nuances of the play without just being loud or intense.
  2. The production is mostly well done, but the director added unnecessary elements like ghosts and emotional music that distract from Shaw's original message.
  3. Despite these flaws, the play is still worth seeing. Staunton's talent makes it a wonderful experience that shouldn't be missed.

The 29 "Best" (?) Movies of the 21st Century

Read Max • 2739 implied HN points • 27 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Lists of great movies can be very different depending on personal taste. Some people choose popular films everyone knows, while others pick lesser-known gems.
  2. Counter-consensus opinions in film criticism are valuable because they challenge the common views and spark interesting conversations. It's good to mix popular choices with surprising or personal favorites.
  3. Creating a movie list can be a fun way to reflect your unique style and feelings about films. It can show how quirky or serious your tastes are.

Kraków

Cosmographia • 1597 implied HN points • 25 Mar 24
🏝 Travel Art
  1. The founding legend of Kraków involves a cobbler's apprentice named Krak who cleverly defeated a dragon that terrorized the land.
  2. Kraków has been an inspiration to many artists, poets, and writers, with its beauty and history influencing pieces of literature, art, and photography.
  3. Poland's history is marked by partitions and invasions, leading to a period of Great Emigration, and subsequent efforts by Poles to fight for freedom and independence.

Hazlitt's Committed Disinterest; Wuthering Lows; Dark Enlightenment's fell philosopher

Unpopular Front • 27 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. A great landscape painting can unify mood and scene so strongly that nature feels vast, strange, and freshly alive, pulling you into one atmospheric feeling.
  2. Myths like Orion’s journey from blindness to the rising sun show how art can serve as an awakening, restoring clarity and changing how you see things.
  3. Contemporary cultural writing often blends criticism, interviews, and event promotion, and frequently depends on subscriptions or reader support to sustain the work.

Weekender 01

Vague Blue • 599 implied HN points • 16 Jun 24
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Shitposting may not be the best engagement strategy for writers as it may not lead to meaningful connections.
  2. Watching Bridgerton is like enjoying smooth brain content, but its familiarity can make it less engaging.
  3. Exploring classic works like Edith Wharton's Age of Innocence can provide insight into historical societies and social dynamics.

Gift Ideas for the Animation Inclined

Animation Obsessive • 7086 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. There's a new gift guide for animation fans that features a mix of DVDs, Blu-rays, and books. It includes something for everyone, so you can find unique gifts this holiday season.
  2. Two short films worth checking out are 'Sierra' and 'Luki & the Lights'. Both tackle important themes and have received praise at film festivals, with 'Sierra' being available for free online.
  3. Recent animation news includes awards for films like 'Flow' and updates on various international projects. It's a great time to discover exciting new animated works from around the world.

The Wisdom of Brown M&M's and Leaky Fire Hydrants

The Garden of Forking Paths • 2279 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Van Halen's use of brown M&M's as a test exposed the importance of thorough event staff attention to safety details.
  2. Testing systems, like airport security, with red teams reveals vulnerabilities and promotes resilience.
  3. The concept of leaky fire hydrants highlights the need for addressing individual problems within systems to spark wider reform.

A path with a view

Austin Kleon • 3836 implied HN points • 17 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Taking a trip to Disneyland can be fun, especially with cool rides and tasty snacks. It's a great place to enjoy beautiful landscaping, which might inspire visits to other gardens.
  2. Riding a bike, especially around interesting paths like the LA River Bike Path, can lead to spontaneous adventures and fun picnics at the beach. Enjoying nature while biking can be a refreshing experience.
  3. There are many new music releases that can be exciting to explore. Discovering unique albums can bring new joy, especially from artists that resonate well with your taste.

Cruising for Classical Music in LA

The Honest Broker • 7879 implied HN points • 13 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Dana Gioia's passion for modern classical music started in his teenage years when he sought out composers like Stravinsky and Copland instead of popular music.
  2. Today, technology has made it much easier to access a wide variety of music, unlike the past when finding new pieces required significant effort and was often limited.
  3. Diving into music discussions and experiences with friends helped shape individual tastes, and exploring art personally is more meaningful than relying on others' opinions.

Two Motorcycles, Just Before the End

Animation Obsessive • 2511 implied HN points • 27 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. There are two films about motorcyclists from different times and places, showing how the same theme can be expressed in unique ways.
  2. Both films end in crashes, but before that, they have beautiful sequences of motorcycling that highlight the excitement of riding.
  3. Even though one film likely influenced the other, each has its own style and storytelling, showing how creativity can take different paths.

Things Worth Remembering: The Empathy of J.K. Rowling

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 6969 implied HN points • 15 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. J.K. Rowling reminded everyone how powerful imagination can be during her speech at Harvard. It's a great reminder of the importance of creativity in our lives.
  2. Rowling is praised for being a brilliant and successful writer, despite facing controversy in recent years. Her talent and impact on literature shouldn't be overlooked.
  3. It's essential to appreciate remarkable people like Rowling while they are still alive. We often wait too long to celebrate the contributions of influential figures.

Some Suggestions

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1774 implied HN points • 18 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Be careful about where you get your news. Mainstream media often has its own agenda, so look for different viewpoints to get a better understanding.
  2. Focus on what truly matters to you, not what society says you should want. Find your own path and define success for yourself.
  3. Take care of your mental health by facing your feelings and healing your issues. This helps not just you, but also those around you.

Fun, play, and discovery

Austin Kleon • 4456 implied HN points • 29 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Writing should be fun and a way to explore your thoughts. It's all about discovering what you want to say.
  2. Creativity is about the process, not perfection. Filling a notebook is more important than looking good.
  3. Being open and honest in your work helps you grow, whether in writing, music, or acting. Just get started and keep creating!

What Are You Reading (In July?!?!)

Culture Study • 2359 implied HN points • 08 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Reading can be a great way to enjoy vacation time, but sometimes it's best to finish books before leaving home.
  2. The book 'The Pretender' by Jo Harkin is an engaging story about a boy discovering his true identity, set in Tudor England.
  3. It's fun to discuss what everyone else is reading and share recommendations, so everyone can find something new to enjoy.

Melted

Austin Kleon • 4935 implied HN points • 11 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Pete Drake was a talented pedal steel guitarist who played on many famous records. He even invented a device that made a guitar sound like it was talking.
  2. Notetaking is important for remembering ideas and learning from books. Creating a system to revisit your notes can help you keep track of insights.
  3. Play and creativity are vital for a fulfilling life. Engaging in playful activities can boost your imagination and overall well-being.

Hope, Small but Strong

Animation Obsessive • 7355 implied HN points • 11 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Michael Sporn created unique animated films that told important stories, even if they were often overlooked. His work was heartfelt and showcased real human experiences.
  2. The film 'Champagne' tells the story of a girl living in a shelter, highlighting her struggles and hope for the future. It's well-made and received awards despite being lesser-known today.
  3. Sporn's animation style was creative and personal, using improvised techniques that added warmth and charm to his films, showing that art can thrive even under tight budgets.

Make an appointment with yourself

Austin Kleon • 4376 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Making time for yourself is important, and you should commit to it like an important appointment. It's easy to forget self-care in our busy lives, but it can greatly improve your happiness.
  2. Creativity is essential to many artists, and being away from their art can hurt their well-being. Finding ways to create regularly can help maintain a good quality of life.
  3. Explore new books, music, and films to inspire creativity and reflection. Engaging with different forms of art can spark new ideas and perspectives.

Be a good date

Austin Kleon • 4656 implied HN points • 18 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Art
  1. Being a good date means being someone others want to spend time with, including your readers. It's important to engage and connect with them.
  2. Reading can be a rewarding experience, no matter the book. Discovering new insights from familiar writers, like Vonnegut, can be very fulfilling.
  3. Sharing interests or experiences, like music or art, can create a sense of nostalgia and connection with others. It's great to revisit things that made you happy in the past.