ARTE

The Wall Street Journal highlights the strongest pieces on view at this year's Spring/Break Art Show in New York, the artist-organized fair that runs alongside the city's bigger March art fairs. The roundup points readers to standout works and artists worth seeking out, offering a curated guide for fairgoers during New York's busy art week.

Newcity Art is promoting a new way to experience street art, promising audiences an encounter with public art unlike anything before. Beyond the headline, no details have been reported about the specific artists, locations, or format involved. Readers interested in urban and public art are being encouraged to follow the coverage as more information emerges.

An artist has shared a custom foiled portrait of a grey cat named Pearl Grey, presenting the handcrafted pet artwork with hashtags for cats and grey cats. The piece is being shared within art and pet-loving communities, drawing warm attention for its gilded, decorative treatment of a beloved kitty.

The US Commerce Department revised its estimate of second-quarter economic growth up to an annual rate of 2.2%, an improvement on the previous figure. The upgrade points to continued resilience in the American economy, driven by consumer spending and business activity. Outlets including AP News, ABC News and regional papers are carrying the news widely, with analysts weighing what the stronger reading means for the outlook on inflation, interest rates and the broader economic picture.

Animator Kate Renshaw-Lewis has released "Busy Bodies," a hand-drawn animation following a workforce of chugging creatures. The short is being featured on the art and culture site Colossal, where its playful, labor-intensive craft style is drawing attention from animation fans. The film showcases traditional frame-by-frame drawing applied to a whimsical cast of hardworking characters.

A lithograph of Magnolia campbellii by John Fergusson Cathcart, from Joseph Dalton Hooker's 'Illustrations of Himalayan Plants', published in London in 1855, is being shared with readers interested in historical botanical art. The plate documents one of the great flowering trees of the Himalayas as recorded during nineteenth-century plant exploration, and archival collections of old book illustrations continue to draw an appreciative online audience.

The Desert Botanical Garden has opened an art exhibit centered on desert plants and the super bloom phenomenon, showcasing works inspired by wildflowers and desert flora. The exhibit highlights how seasonal blooms transform arid landscapes and draws attention to desert ecology. Visitors can view pieces celebrating the colors and forms of desert plant life during bloom season.

Bitcoin has climbed roughly 40% over the quarter, marking its strongest three-month performance since late 2024. The rally is drawing attention from crypto investors and market watchers, who are weighing whether the momentum signals a renewed bull run after a long period of sideways trading.

Crowds of BTS fans are visiting the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to see artworks connected to RM, the group's leader, who is known for sharing his personal art collection with the public. The museum has become an unexpected pilgrimage spot for the band's global fanbase, drawing attention to RM's role as a prominent young art collector and boosting visitor interest in the institution.

The UK economy expanded faster than previously estimated in the second quarter, strengthening its position as the fastest-growing economy in the G7. Revised figures from the Office for National Statistics show stronger growth than first reported, offering Chancellor Rachel Reeves a rare piece of positive economic news. Commentators note the improved data may ease pressure on the government, though concerns about taxes and living costs remain.

Amazon says Alexa+, its upgraded AI assistant, is being integrated into Fire TV, making the platform smarter on both television screens and phones. The company highlights features that let users control and discover content through more natural conversation, with the experience carrying over from TV to mobile devices.

A fish vendor at a traditional market in Sorong, Southwest Papua, is drawing wide attention for the remarkable skill shown while cutting tuna. Footage of the vendor's precise, practised technique has been widely shared, with viewers praising the craftsmanship as an art form. Many comments celebrate local Papuan expertise and the everyday mastery found in traditional markets.

An artist on Mastodon's furry art community has posted a set of doodles depicting the 'vulpera' fox characters of three fellow artists — DiasTA, Vulpeslotor and Raikuro — each shown with their own talents. The piece, shared on FurAffinity as well, highlights the collaborative, gift-giving culture of the online furry illustration scene, where artists routinely draw each other's characters as a friendly gesture.

A new computer program converts traffic and data from the Interstate 101 highway into music, in a project described as "The 101 Plays Itself." Reported by NPR, the work blends technology, art and sound to render the freeway audible. It is drawing attention as an example of AI-assisted art turning everyday infrastructure into a creative experience.

The Santa Barbara Independent reports that winners of the Creek Week Art Contest have been announced. The contest, tied to the local Creek Week observance, invited artists to submit work celebrating the area's creeks and watersheds. Details on the winning entries and artists were not included in the report.

A café in Baltimore's Fells Point neighbourhood is using an AI-powered robot that can create latte art featuring a customer's face. The Baltimore Banner profiled the novelty as part of its food coverage, highlighting how the machine blends coffee service with robotics and artificial intelligence, drawing curiosity about automated food and drink experiences.

A new 26-minute Peppa Pig compilation titled 'Peppa Pig Finds a SECRET ART HOUSE! Mystery Map Mission' is circulating widely online, drawing large audiences. The episode follows Peppa and friends on a treasure-hunt style mission that leads them to a hidden house filled with art. It is drawing attention from families and young viewers, with strong engagement around the colourful art-house theme and mystery map storyline.

Virtual Bird's album Nostalgia For A Time That Never Existed is drawing attention for its cover artwork, a handmade, textile-like collage in blue, orange and cream. The design centres on a small stitched figure inside a circular, protective-looking frame, with rough embroidery, dotted patterns and deliberately imperfect lines that give it a warm, crafted feel. Listeners and art fans online are highlighting the tactile, artisanal aesthetic as a striking contrast to typical digital album art.

Kawase Hasui's 1933 woodblock print 'Lake Towada, Nenokuchi' is being shared and admired online. Hasui, who lived from 1883 to 1957, was a leading artist of the shin-hanga movement, known for his atmospheric landscape prints. The autumn scene of Lake Towada in northern Japan is striking a chord with viewers during the fall season.