Ai Weiwei: ‘An artist must be an activist’
The Chinese artist answers questions from Observer readers and art world luminaries on creativity and protest, Chinese politics – and why he never cooks the same dish twice
The Observer
French pinot noir beyond Burgundy
All too often, pinot noir is associated with just one region of France, but other growers are showing a light touch with the tricky variety as well
Parr’s makeup ad for Gucci has a brush with controversy
The shoot, featuring musician Dani Miller in mascara, has reignited debate about realistic standards of beauty
Anish Kapoor: ‘Artists are not makers of luxury goods’
The artist on working with the world’s blackest substance, the troubled legacy of his Olympic sculpture and the state of the art world today
How to stop your smart home spying on you
Everything in your smart home, from the lightbulbs to the thermostat, could be recording you or collecting data about you. What can you do to curb this intrusion?
Inside story: handbags that made history
Delve into the background of bags, and you’ll find they were just as coveted in the 1500s as they are now. Emma Cook unpacks the rich inner life of the ultimate accessory