Welcome to the New DailyArt Magazine! Why Art History IS Important

Why Is Art History Important?

At first glance, art history might seem to be a light and meaningless thing – lots of nice objects stuffed in dusty galleries and storerooms, stories of beauty from ages past, a rigid, unchanging canon. But it is so much more; art is as old as humans and this is where, long ago, art history begins. It is an illustrated story of human civilization, a visual witness of all its aspects. Moreover, it is not rigid at all, even if it seems paradoxical it can, and does, change.

Changing Art History, Changing the World

Art history can change. It often seems that altering the past is impossible but surprisingly, it is not. History is a narrative built on selected facts and that is the key here – the selection. That is why history is a powerful and dangerous tool used by politicians and dictators alike. There is significant responsibility in telling and writing history and we know it all too well. We know the power of (art) history and how it can change the world for good. It is all about selecting the narrative.

Wide Range of Themes

Art history in the mainstream often appears stagnant and monolithic but this is far from reality; art history researchers around the world are uncovering new things from the past every day. Some phenomena get new meanings because we understand them better in the light of new discoveries. I have worked in academia for many years and, trust me, I know very well what art history in the making looks like. Our mission at DailyArt Magazine is to dig out these inclusive themes and make them accessible to a wide audience.

All aspects and fields of art history are interesting to us but as publishers and authors, we are especially interested in giving voices to minorities. Over the last couple of years, we have developed the Women Artists section and it has become one of the most read in the magazine. We have been carefully observing and supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and it has resulted in publishing more articles about African American and African art. The time of art history being strongly focused on Western art is slowly passing. Of course, It will remain a very important part of art history but not the only – or the most important – one. With DailyArt Magazine we want to be a part of this process. We want to change the world and shape a better future with an equal place and voice for everyone.

Hold Your Beliefs Lightly

Greyson Perry, one of my favorite contemporary artists, says in his art: Hold Your Beliefs Lightly. I totally agree with this idea as an editor – hold your stories lightly! With this in mind, we would do well to remember what the true art of writing is and isn’t. True art isn’t complicated terms, bare facts, names, and dates, well, it’s not only that; it’s also about telling compelling stories, communicating feelings and experiences. DailyArt Magazine’s goal mirrors that; we want to tell these stories while making them accessible in the process.

In the new magazine you will find a large variety of articles: funny stories (WTF) perfect for a coffee break, long reads for Sunday afternoons, you can also learn the basics of art history in our 101 section, browse different art forms, and much more. There is a comfortable new menu to help you navigate the site. The widely loved Painting of the Week series can now be found in Masterpiece Stories.

A Big Thank You!

DailyArt Magazine is a wonderful place on the Internet that gathers many beautiful people. We have an amazing team of volunteers from all around the world bringing their knowledge and talent to create and edit the stories you read. We regularly partner with many great institutions. Through our work, we have discovered many interesting small galleries for you, not to mention unveiling secrets of well-known museums, all while meeting fantastic people on the way. It is a great adventure for us all which would not make any sense without you – the wonderful person reading these words. Thank you.

Kate & DailyArt Magazine Team

P.S. If you would like to be part of all this, here is how to contribute.