In the 1970s the African-American artist Adrian Piper donned an Afro wig and a fake mustache and prowled the streets in the guise of the Mythic Being, a performance-art version of a stereotype of the black male as a threatening mugger.She was turning fear into farce, punching a hole into such stereotypes while acknowledging their [...]

In today’s sale of Japanese and Korean Art, a newly discovered wood sculpture of Dainichi Nyorai, the supreme Buddha, attributed to the sculptor Unkei achieved $14,377,000, exceeding its presale estimate of $1,500,000-2,500,000. It set new world auction records including record for Japanese art, and any Asian work of art sold in New York. This price [...]

The V&A’s survey of modern Chinese design is a thrilling panorama of visual ideas that rival the best in Europe and America. Hear the words “Made in China” and the image that springs inescapably to mind is one of brightly coloured plastic goods, piled high on the shelves at Poundstretcher. Is there a place for [...]

The human race has been making art for thousands of years. Here, in chronological order, critic Martin Gayford chooses his 50 artistic wonders of the world. 1. Sculpture of Khafre (Chephren) (c2800 BC) Cairo Museum The painter Francis Bacon concluded that the ancient Egyptians were the greatest artists of all. No work supports that judgment [...]