Sometimes I wonder if it’s time to pack it in, or move over to Substack where (I assume) the format isn’t so trying and there’s less “blog” stigma.
Sunday, February 15, 2026
6000 posts
Adrian Searle
Sad to read that Adrian Searle is leaving his post as the chief art critic at the Guardian, after thirty years of writing. The paper announced Friday that his final article - a look back at three decades - will run on April 1st.
I stayed at his London house about a decade ago, and more than once opted to stay home and go through his collection rather than go out (that’s his Hans-Peter Feldmann title, below). Bookshelves lined the rooms, from floor to ceiling.
Originally a painter - represented by Nigel Greenwood Gallery - Searle gave it up when he began at the Guardian.
"I was always torn between making art and writing,” he said, "Writing won."
His criticism ranged across painting, sculpture, performance, video, and installation, and he was an early champion of many artists who have gone on to considerable success, including Peter Doig, Marlene Dumas, Isaac Julien, Steve McQueen, Chris Ofili and Gillian Wearing.
Searle also curated exhibitions at Serpentine Gallery, La Casa Encendida, Hayward Gallery, Marian Goodman Gallery, and Frith Street Gallery. He served as a juror for the Turner Prize (2004), Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Andy Warhol Foundation and the Kurt Schwitters Prize (2009–13).
In addition to the Guardian, his writings have appeared in The Independent, Time Out, Artscribe magazine, Artforum, El Mundo, and Frieze.
Guardian editor-in-chief Katharine Viner, said “The Guardian will miss Adrian’s fantastic writing on the visual arts, and so will I. His reviews are always perceptive, insightful, and often funny. He looks at art with incredible care, even tenderness, and notices the details that make it soar or sink. Adrian’s body of work creates a high bar for the Guardian to live up to as we continue to deliver more of the rigorous, world-class culture coverage he has championed for three decades.”
Saturday, February 14, 2026
Roula Partheniou | Party All the Time
Roula Partheniou
Party All the Time
acrylic on wood, 2026
16 x 11.3 x 11.3 cm
Unique work
I think of works in this series (ephemeral party favours such as balloons, hats, noisemakers, etc., rendered in mdf) as a form of having your cake and eating it too.
This hand-painted turned wooden party hat was made for the annual Sweetest Little Thing auction and gala, which takes place in Sackville every Valentine’s Day. Artists are invited to donate small works which are auctioned off to support the programming of both venues.
Bidding closes tonight at www.sweetestlittlething.ca.
Friday, February 13, 2026
My Dinner with Daniel
Having just seen Peter Hujar’s Day last night, My Dinner With Andre was already on my mind when I saw this announcement:
"Today we’re announcing the exclusive VHS release of a film with Daniel Johnston & Jad Fair called “My Dinner with Daniel.” It’ll be out on our web store 3/13.
Filmed in 1988 at the home of Half Japanese co-founder David Fair, this raw VHS footage is a work of cinema verite. Daniel Johnston, Jad Fair, Susan Fair, David Fair and Charles Brohawn (The Tinklers) all participate in this intimate, unguarded gathering. Daniel performs some of his classic material, including the astonishing “Don’t Play Cards with Satan” from the documentary “The Devil and Daniel Johnston”.
Jad Fair says of the film:
“What if the film ‘My Dinner With Andre’ was with Daniel Johnston instead of Andre? We didn’t know what would happen, but we knew it was bound to be great. On the last day of the recording session for the album ‘It’s Spooky’ Daniel and I were invited over to my brother David’s home to have dinner.
We filmed the dinner with a VHS camera. It’s Daniel telling stories and singing songs. It’s time now for dinner and you’re invited. Kick off your shoes and pull up a chair. Here’s ‘My Dinner With Daniel.’”
Why VHS? Well, we chose to release this on VHS both because Daniel is the undisputed champion of the cassette format, as well as because that’s the format the film was originally shot on.
“My Dinner With Daniel” will be limited to a first pressing of 250 hand-numbered copies.”
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Beverly Glenn Copeland
Last week musician, trans-activist, and former Sackville resident Beverly Glenn Copeland released a new album in collaboration with his wife Elizabeth Copeland. Titled Laughter in Summer, the recording can be listened to here.
Signed copies of the compilation Transmissions (Sackville Edition) are still available from Struts Gallery, here.
And Kerri Reid has contributed a hand-sewn felt finger puppet of Copeland to an auction benefiting Struts and the Owens Art Gallery. Bid on it here:
She made me a great Yoko Ono finger puppet a few years ago, here.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
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