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Henri Rousseau, the Performative Naïf Who Outsmarted Modernity

Henri Rousseau, the Performative Naïf Who Outsmarted Modernity

“Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets” is on view at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia through February 22. Courtesy of the Barnes Foundation...

yesterday 6

Observer

Elisa Carollo

Sam Altman’s Latest Startup Takes On Elon Musk’s Neuralink

Sam Altman’s Latest Startup Takes On Elon Musk’s Neuralink

Sam Altman is adding a brain-computer interface startup to his growing portfolio of startups outside of OpenAI. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images One...

previous day 6

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

A New Collector-Founded Fair, ENZO, Will Launch During L.A. Art Week

A New Collector-Founded Fair, ENZO, Will Launch During L.A. Art Week

More than 10 galleries from New York’s downtown scene will mount booths in the inaugural edition of ENZO. Courtesy of ENZO Roles in the art...

previous day 5

Observer

Elisa Carollo

Automation Fatigue: How A.I. Contact Centers Are Burning Out the Humans Behind Them

Automation Fatigue: How A.I. Contact Centers Are Burning Out the Humans Behind Them

What happens when tools designed to support human agents begin to function as systems of constant surveillance? Unsplash Over the past several...

previous day 8

Observer

Mark Speare

KYC’s Insider Problem and the Case for Confidential A.I.

KYC’s Insider Problem and the Case for Confidential A.I.

As breaches mount and identity data proves irreversible, confidential A.I. challenges the assumption that verification requires visibility....

previous day 7

Observer

Ahmad Shadid

What Doctors Really Think of ChatGPT Health and A.I. Medical Advice

What Doctors Really Think of ChatGPT Health and A.I. Medical Advice

The rush to deploy A.I. in health care raises hard questions about accuracy and trust. Unsplash Each week, more than 230 million people globally...

previous day 5

Observer

Rachel Curry

2026: The Year Retail Stops Searching and Starts Thinking

2026: The Year Retail Stops Searching and Starts Thinking

A.I.-native commerce is collapsing the traditional funnel and forcing brands to rethink visibility, trust and control. Unsplash For the past...

previous day 5

Observer

Sam Atkinson

The Most Compelling Rose Perfumes, From Classic to Contemporary

The Most Compelling Rose Perfumes, From Classic to Contemporary

Rose is undoubtedly a classic fragrance, but over the years, the floral scent gained a reputation as a touch old-fashioned and perhaps even, dare...

previous day 9

Observer

Morgan Halberg

One Fine Show: “Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, More Than Character Heads” at the Belvedere in Vienna

One Fine Show: “Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, More Than Character Heads” at the Belvedere in Vienna

Created without sitters or commissions, his character heads mark a deliberate break from courtly expectations and elite self-fashioning. Courtesy...

previous day 6

Observer

Dan Duray

Where to Eat in Silicon Valley

Where to Eat in Silicon Valley

Super Bowl LX is taking place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, and whether you’re a Bay Area local or a fan traveling in for the game, we’ve...

previous day 1

Observer

Allie Lebos

Gulnur Mukazhanova’s Felt-Making as Philosophy

Gulnur Mukazhanova’s Felt-Making as Philosophy

Gulnur Mukazhanova, False Hope or Moment of the Present, 2018. Photo: Visual Voices, Image courtesy: CHAT (Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile),...

previous day 6

Observer

Paige Haran

The Case for Distributed A.I. Governance in an Era of Enterprise A.I.

The Case for Distributed A.I. Governance in an Era of Enterprise A.I.

To move beyond pilot projects and shadow A.I., organizations must rethink governance as a cultural challenge. Unsplash It’s no longer news that...

previous day 6

Observer

Angela Virtu

Wall Street Rallies Behind Jerome Powell as the Fed’s Independence Comes Under Threat

Wall Street Rallies Behind Jerome Powell as the Fed’s Independence Comes Under Threat

As Trump escalates attacks on the central bank, Wall Street unites around the importance of Fed independence. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty...

thursday 6

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Gates Foundation Plans to Boost Giving and Cut Staff Ahead of Its 2045 Sunset

Gates Foundation Plans to Boost Giving and Cut Staff Ahead of Its 2045 Sunset

Headcount reductions come as the organization accelerates its historic plan to give away $200 billion before closing in 2045. Justin Tallis-WPA...

thursday 6

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Martinis at The Cosmo: The Corner Store Reveals Vegas Location

Martinis at The Cosmo: The Corner Store Reveals Vegas Location

The Corner Store is opening in Las Vegas. Nick Johnson Eugene Remm, Tilman Fertitta and Catch Hospitality Group will open their second location of...

thursday 8

Observer

Andy Wang

Beyond Oil, Venezuela’s Entrepreneurs See Flickers of Hope in These Sectors

Beyond Oil, Venezuela’s Entrepreneurs See Flickers of Hope in These Sectors

Delcy Rodríguez, long a key Maduro ally and former vice president of Venezuela, became the country’s acting president on Jan. 5, 2026. Venezuelan...

thursday 8

Observer

Jim Glade

A Museum Lover’s Guide to Toyama Glass Art Museum

A Museum Lover’s Guide to Toyama Glass Art Museum

The city’s long relationship with glass, rooted in medicine bottles and industrial craft, continues to shape the city’s contemporary cultural...

thursday 8

Observer

Malik Peay

At 25, Wikipedia Navigates a Quarter-Life Crisis in the Age of A.I.

At 25, Wikipedia Navigates a Quarter-Life Crisis in the Age of A.I.

Turning 25 amid an A.I. boom, Wikipedia is racing to protect traffic, volunteers and revenue without losing its mission. Photo illustration by...

thursday 2

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Antonello da Messina’s Rare Double-Sided Masterpiece Will Lead Sotheby’s Old Masters Sales

Antonello da Messina’s Rare Double-Sided Masterpiece Will Lead Sotheby’s Old Masters Sales

Antonello da Messina’s Ecce Homo; Saint Jerome in Penitence (c. 1460-1465) has a high estimate of $15 million. Courtesy of Sotheby's It’s not every...

thursday 1

Observer

Elisa Carollo

Puerto Rico’s National Forest Becomes a Living Laboratory for Art and Ecology

Puerto Rico’s National Forest Becomes a Living Laboratory for Art and Ecology

For its third exhibition, ArteYUNQUE installed artworks on the Science and Conservation Trail in El Portal de El Yunque. Courtesy ArteYUNQUE |...

thursday 1

Observer

Elisa Carollo

The 8 New Restaurants to Try in New York This January

The 8 New Restaurants to Try in New York This January

If social media is any indication, 2026’s New Year’s resolutions seem to have taken a turn away from abstention and towards indulgence. Quests, in...

thursday 2

Observer

Juliet Izon

A 22-Year-Old Founder Wants to Build the Moon’s First Hotel by 2032

A 22-Year-Old Founder Wants to Build the Moon’s First Hotel by 2032

Skyler Chan launched GRU last year. Courtesy GRU Space Civilian travel to the Moon remains years away, but a California startup is already making...

14.01.2026 10

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

A Solo Stay at Turtle Island, Fiji’s Romantic Couples-Only Resort

A Solo Stay at Turtle Island, Fiji’s Romantic Couples-Only Resort

Turtle Island. Tanveer Badal As I stood on the dock in Nadi, staring at the tiny hopper plane that I was about to board, I couldn’t help but wonder...

14.01.2026 10

Observer

Allie Lebos

Mexico City, Doha or L.A.? The Answer Depends on What You’re Looking For

Mexico City, Doha or L.A.? The Answer Depends on What You’re Looking For

These very different art ecosystems serve very different audiences. Courtesy ZONAMACO This year, there’s no shortage of warm-weather art world...

14.01.2026 1

Observer

Elisa Carollo

Meet the Collectors: Carl Gambino and Sara Ivory Refuse to Play the Market Game

Meet the Collectors: Carl Gambino and Sara Ivory Refuse to Play the Market Game

Carl Gambino and Sarah Ivory at home, where collecting is inseparable from daily life. Painting by Sholto Blissett | Photo: Gloria Kilbourne The...

14.01.2026 10

Observer

Elisa Carollo

The Business of Category Creation, According to Simon Kim

The Business of Category Creation, According to Simon Kim

Gracious Hospitality founder Simon Kim reflects on leadership, longevity and the evolution of modern hospitality. Gary He This Q&A is part of...

14.01.2026 10

Observer

Sonia Rubeck

Meet the Collectors: Carl Gambino and Sarah Ivory Refuse to Play the Market Game

Meet the Collectors: Carl Gambino and Sarah Ivory Refuse to Play the Market Game

Carl Gambino and Sarah Ivory at home, where collecting is inseparable from daily life. Painting by Sholto Blissett | Photo: Gloria Kilbourne The...

14.01.2026 10

Observer

Elisa Carollo

Museum Educator Sierra Schiano On the Structural Pressures Behind LACMA’s Union Vote

Museum Educator Sierra Schiano On the Structural Pressures Behind LACMA’s Union Vote

LACMA staffer Sierra Schiano describes long-standing structural issues—from understaffing to opaque decision-making—that gradually pushed her and...

14.01.2026 3

Observer

Dan Duray

Wall-to-Wall Cultural Capital: Inside Observer’s Art Power Index Party

Wall-to-Wall Cultural Capital: Inside Observer’s Art Power Index Party

Power in the art world is often discreet—etched into museum walls, discussed over gala dinners—but this certainly wasn’t the case on Tuesday night,...

14.01.2026 9

Observer

Olivia Empson

An Elevated Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for the Man Who Has Everything

An Elevated Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for the Man Who Has Everything

Finding the right Valentine’s Day present can pose a challenge for even the most accomplished of gift-givers. You don't want to veer into cheesy...

14.01.2026 20

Observer

Morgan Halberg

Could Rococo’s Relatability Make It the Next Big Thing?

Could Rococo’s Relatability Make It the Next Big Thing?

Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The happy family, called Young couple contemplating a sleeping child, or The return home, or The reconciliation. Oil on...

13.01.2026 3

Observer

Elisa Carollo

The New Museum Will Reopen on March 21 With Massimiliano Gioni’s “New Humans”

The New Museum Will Reopen on March 21 With Massimiliano Gioni’s “New Humans”

A rendering of the New Museum’s expansion. Courtesy of the New Museum We expected it to open last fall. Then came months of silence. Now, at last,...

13.01.2026 10

Observer

Elisa Carollo

L.A.’s January Restaurant Openings Set the Tone for 2026

L.A.’s January Restaurant Openings Set the Tone for 2026

January is a month of fresh starts and new beginnings, so what better way to kick off 2026 than with a few can’t-miss restaurant openings? As Los...

13.01.2026 7

Observer

Allie Lebos

Win at the Tables by Dining at the Best New Las Vegas Restaurants

Win at the Tables by Dining at the Best New Las Vegas Restaurants

Las Vegas is in the middle of an over-the-top dining makeover, and the biggest players here aren’t content with just playing their greatest hits....

13.01.2026 1

Observer

Andy Wang

From Farm Boy to Billionaire, Glen Taylor Gives $100M Back to Rural America

From Farm Boy to Billionaire, Glen Taylor Gives $100M Back to Rural America

Glen Taylor attends a Minnesota Timberwolves game on March 31, 2024. Photo by David Berding/Getty Images Glen Taylor, the founder of printing...

13.01.2026 9

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

The Most Important Art Biennials of 2026

The Most Important Art Biennials of 2026

There is broad consensus across the art world that since the early 2000s, there has been a global proliferation of biennials—the so-called...

13.01.2026 2

Observer

Elisa Carollo

Shirley Crutchfield’s Gilded Second Act

Shirley Crutchfield’s Gilded Second Act

Shirley Yang Crutchfield, Queens Triumvirate, 2025. 24K gold leaf, 22K moon gold, 12K white gold and oil on wood, 24 x 26 in. Courtesy of the...

13.01.2026 4

Observer

Xinyi Ye

Elon Musk’s Grok Hit With Bans and Regulatory Probes Worldwide

Elon Musk’s Grok Hit With Bans and Regulatory Probes Worldwide

A post by Elon Musk on the X app, showing an A.I. prompt-created Grok image depicting Musk wearing a bikini. Leon Neal/Getty Images Grok, the A.I....

13.01.2026 10

Observer

Rachel Curry

Bill Gates’ Optimism Comes With ‘Footnotes’ After a Tough Year for the World

Bill Gates’ Optimism Comes With ‘Footnotes’ After a Tough Year for the World

In a sobering annual message, Bill Gates warns that global aid cuts and unchecked A.I. could derail progress. Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los...

12.01.2026 10

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Reveals the Simple Secret of Her Successful Turnaround

Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Reveals the Simple Secret of Her Successful Turnaround

Fran Horowitz, a former executive at Express Inc. and Ann Taylor Loft, joined Abercrombie & Fitch in 2014. Patrick MacLeod/WWD/Penske Media via...

12.01.2026 20

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

The Luxurious Valentine’s Day Gifts for Her That Rise Above the Clichés

The Luxurious Valentine’s Day Gifts for Her That Rise Above the Clichés

If you haven't started the search for a Valentine's Day gift just yet, it's time to get on that—ASAP. February 14 is just around the corner, and...

12.01.2026 1

Observer

Morgan Halberg

The Longevity Gap: How Aging Research Leaves Women Behind

The Longevity Gap: How Aging Research Leaves Women Behind

As longevity shifts to A.I. and predictive health, male-biased data risks repeating old inequities at scale. Unsplash Longevity has become one of...

12.01.2026 4

Observer

Priyanka Jain And Kayla Barnes-Lentz