Robert G. Mull

Civil rights-era images weren’t intentionally made black and white

Robert G. Mull 4 months ago

Claim: Photos from the civil rights movement were originally taken in color but shown in black and white to make them appear older

The Black Lives Matter movement, along with protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, have generated a wave of discussion on race in America.

One social media post in particular has attracted notable attention. It claims photographers made photos during the civil rights era in color but they were purposefully shown in black-and-white to make them appear older.

The post has amassed almost 60,000 retweets and 130,000 likes on Twitter. It then appeared on Facebook, where it has been shared more than 4,000 times.

The post consists of four color photos from the 1963 March on Washington, the 1965 Selma March and a demonstration in 1968 following the death of Martin Luther King Jr.

Although it’s unclear through what medium the user claims the

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A Tribute to Christo’s Iconic Installation Art

Robert G. Mull 4 months ago

On May 31st, 2020, the artist Christo Vladimirov Javacheff, better known simply as Christo, passed away at home in New York at the age of 84. Immediately after, some people posed the question “if all your art is temporary, what can you leave behind?” Still, it’s all but certain that Christo’s legacy will long outlast the temporary large-scale installations he created with his wife and collaborator, Jeanne-Claude, who died in 2009. That’s what photography is for — and Christo documented many of their works himself. But ultimately, as far as they’re concerned, permanence is inconsequential.

Iconic installation artist Christo, who passed away late last month.
Iconic installation artist Christo, who passed away late last month.

“I think it takes much greater courage to create things to be gone than to create things that will remain,” Christo said.

Aerial view of Christo's
Aerial view of Christo’s

Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s projects dramatically transformed the most unexpected public places, often in surprising ways. Take “Wrapped Reichstag,” for

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‘The Plant Is Artistic, I Propose To Enhance It’

Robert G. Mull 4 months ago

Today, we’re sharing the art an Argentine cannabis photographer currently living in Uruguay. In recent years, Lelen Ruete has become one of the most prominent figures in marijuana photography in Latin America.

Her inspiration, she tells us, comes from what the plant itself proposes.

“I am learning about it and everything that happens around it inspires me: its shapes, colors and textures… but also its history, its botanical characteristics, all the information there is to give and everything there is to teach to many people who do not know anything on the subject,” she explains.

But Lelen also likes to tell stories. With a background in the fashion world, Lelen Ruete seeks to combine the classic style of fashion editorial stories with the photography of cannabis plants.

“I think there is a very powerful fusion in that. I am inspired by the spiritual relationship between humans and plants and the

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Stories behind murals, street paintings and portraits created in protest

Robert G. Mull 4 months ago

As thousands of Americans lend their voices to protests, artists are letting their brushes speak of racial reckoning.

They’re coloring streets with the words Black Lives Matter. They’re spray-painting walls with memorial images in rainbow hues. They’re illustrating fists, flowers and faces and sharing them on Instagram. They’re acting on an urge to create, spurred by the pain of George Floyd’s death and the global pandemic.

Although the term that many use for this kind of work, artivism, feels new, the idea that artists also serve as activists and leaders of cultural change has a deep-rooted history.

“Artists have always been at the lead of protest, resistance and hope in Black communities and other marginalized communities across the country,” says Aaron Bryant, the curator of photography and visual culture at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

As a collective, artists illustrate and impact history. As individuals, they

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