The Art Assignment

What's the point of making realistic paintings when photography can do the trick?

Resistance isn't always visible, but when we can see it in art, what does it look like? Step back through global art history and look at Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People, Night Attack on the…

Public funding for the arts is a hotly-debated topic, but let's look at where arts funding goes, what it accomplishes, and how we compare internationally.

Migration is central to human experience, and art history reflects that. Skipping through time and geography, we explore Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series, Lapita pottery, the Akbarnama, and the…

Explore the art and life of Andy Warhol through the food he depicted as well as the food he actually ate. We work our way through the ultimate Andy Warhol tasting menu.

Sister Corita Kent was a master printmaker and teacher, and her rules for artists and teachers are legendary - let’s break them down.

Art History of full of amazing artist couples. Let's look at a handful of talented individuals who joined forces either for a lifelong collaboration or a finite but fruitful romance: Claude Cahun and…

The Art Assignment addressed the myth, and now it's time for the truth of the tortured artist. Some art is born of pain and suffering, and reflects the darkest side of human experience. We like that…

What is video art? How is it any different from all the other moving pictures that are apparently not-art? Let's explore its history and present.

In 1958, scientists from Russia left a plastic bust of Vladimir Lenin at the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility, and as of 2007 it was still there. What does it mean? Guest host John Green ponders his…

Explore Vermeer's masterpiece "Girl with a Pearl Earring" up close, and see how it's different (and not) from a high-res 3D print of the painting. We visit the Mauritshuis in The Hague and learn what…

Learn about 17th Century Dutch and Flemish still life paintings by recreating a lavish spread of fine cheeses, pretzels, and the trappings of the good life.

When Banksy shredded his artwork the moment after it sold at auction, he left many questions unanswered. What are we to make of the stunt?

Forget the hype and experience the art and history that Detroit offers up in spades. We visit the Diego Rivera mural, Heidelberg Project, MOCA, abandoned buildings, and much more.

Are artists really more tortured than the rest of us? Let's consider this myth and the studies that assess whether there might be a link between creativity and mental illness.