Art galleries: the last refuge of the cultural window-shopper
While bookstores and record shops close their doors, squeezed out by the online competition, the gallery still offers something the internet can’t: real-life art
Culture
The 10 most expensive paintings ever sold
A Gauguin painting has sold for a reported $300m, making it the most expensive painting ever sold. See how it compares with other pricey paintings that have sold for vast sums
Architects David Marks and Julia Barfield: how we made the London Eye
David Marks: ‘Our house and our livelihoods were on the line. Then – in front of the world’s media – it didn’t lift up’
Happy Valentines Day, suckers: how Damien Hirst’s cashing in on Cupid
The artist’s latest show, featuring banal images of love hearts and butterflies, looks like an attempt to squeeze money out of innocent punters
Why we’re all still mad about Alexander McQueen
Five years after his untimely death, Alexander McQueen has never been more revered. Intimate behind-the-scenes pictures from his dazzling autumn 2009 collection – taken by his friend photographer Nick Waplington – will be shown at the Tate, ahead of a major V&A exhibition exploring his fashion legacy
Has art boxed itself into a corner?
They’ve starved, stripped and suffocated. We’ve seen them sleep, do shopping and read out lists. Now, PJ Harvey wants us to watch her record a whole album while she sits in a big box. Time to pack in art’s most claustrophobic trend?