Arts

New York City Ballet turns 75

Co-founded by George Balanchine in 1948, New York City Ballet is considered one of the best dance companies in the world, and the foundation of ballet in America. Correspondent Serena Altschul talks with the company's current leaders Jonathan Stafford and Wendy Whelan, and with legendary dancer Suzanne Farrell and principal ballerina Megan Fairchild, about NYCB and its affiliated School of American Ballet, and how, at 75, the company is catering to an increasingly younger audience.

• Jul 28
• 05:02

Creating meditative "Circles in the Sand"

Sand artist Denny Dyke has been creating elaborate designs on the beach at Bandon, Oregon – twisting shapes that have drawn fans to walk his labyrinths before Nature washes them away. Correspondent Conor Knighton visits these temporary artworks that have become a spiritual ritual for many.

• Jul 28
• 04:24

The secrets of Banksy

Putting together the first authorized exhibition in 14 years of works by the anonymous street artist Banksy required extensive planning, and a cover story to hide its secret until it opened, unannounced, in Glasgow last summer. Correspondent Seth Doane explores the art and the mysteries of Banksy's world, including the continued speculation about the artist's true identity, a closely-held secret for decades. [An earlier version of this story was broadcast August 13, 2023.]

• Jul 28
• 07:04

Rock star: Sculptor Jago on unveiling humankind in marble

Thirty-seven-year-old sculptor Jacopo Cardillo, better known in his native Italy as Jago, has earned a following with his contemporary approach to this classical art form, exposing on social media his process of shaping marble. When he embraced a group of teens who'd defaced one of his works, Jago won a new fan touched by his humanity: Whoopi Goldberg. Correspondent Seth Doane talked with the artist about his most ambitious project yet: creating what will be a 6-ton sculpture more than 16 feet tall.

• Jul 21
• 05:04

Afrofuturism: Turning pain into possibility

Correspondent Nancy Giles visits art exhibitions, in Washington, D.C., and New York City, that explore the possibilities of a future as distilled through the pain and promise of the African diaspora.

• Jul 7
• 04:27

"Illinoise" and the origin of an unlikely Broadway musical

The new Broadway show "Illinoise" is a choreographed indie-rock musical with no dialogue, based on Sufjan Stevens' 2005 concept album. It's received four Tony Award nominations, including best musical. "Sunday Morning" contributor Kelefa Sanneh talks with choreographer Justin Peck, playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury, and musician Shara Nova about the show, an ode to the origins of storytelling and theatre-making.

• Jun 2
• 05:11

Indigenous artist Jeffrey Gibson, on view at the Venice Biennale

Jeffrey Gibson, a member of the Mississippi band of Choctaw Indians and of Cherokee descent, is the first Indigenous artist to be chosen to represent the United States with a solo exhibition at the Venice Biennale, which is considered the Olympics of the art world. Correspondent Seth Doane visits the site of the Biennale, and meets with Gibson at his studio in Upstate New York, where he created his exhibition titled "the space in which to place me."

• May 26
• 05:29

Meet Stan Herman, elder statesman of American fashion

He's the most prolific fashion designer you've never heard of, and while he may not be a household name, Stan Herman has dressed millions of households, and has also designed uniforms for a multitude of companies, from TWA and Avis to McDonald's and FedEx. Correspondent Alina Cho talks with the 95-year-old Herman, who recently recounted his extraordinary career in the memoir, "Uncross Your Legs: A Life in Fashion."

• May 12
• 05:19

Uncovering the artwork of Stanley Whitney

He's been painting for more than 50 years, but artist Stanley Whitney – whose bold, colorful canvases offer vibrant hues and deliberately ferocious brushstrokes – is just now getting his first major retrospective (including many works never before exhibited publicly), at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum in Buffalo, N.Y. Correspondent Alina Cho talks with Whitney about the breakthrough that came during his artistic journey.

• Apr 28
• 04:15