Get curated editors’ picks, peeks behind the scenes, film recommendations and more.
In a self-portrait from 1907, the German artist Paula Modersohn-Becker painted herself with a hand over her stomach, suggesting pregnancy, shortly before dying of complications from childbirth. In this short video from the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the art conservator Diana Hartman guides viewers through the delicate process of repairing tears at the edge of the precious painting. Hartman’s surgeon-like skills make use of a set of repurposed tools and shared knowledge developed through trial and error within the small community of art restorers. With each project presenting a unique set of challenges, often requiring many months of planning and painstaking work, conservation calls for improvisation, experience and patience in equal measure – not to mention a switch to decaf coffee to avoid dangerous jitters.
Director: Sean Yetter
Website: The Museum of Modern Art
video
Wellbeing
Born in China, Zee seeks a gender-affirming life in the American Midwest
11 minutes
video
Rituals and celebrations
A whale hunt is an act of prayer for an Inuit community north of the Arctic Circle
8 minutes
video
Music
The peculiar beauty of a song caught between composition and improvisation
3 minutes
video
Rituals and celebrations
A beginner’s guide to a joyful Persian tradition of spring renewal and rebirth
3 minutes
video
Politics and government
How it looked to Afghan women to see the Taliban return to power
33 minutes
video
Love and friendship
Love looks a bit different for a chain-smoking couple in a small apartment
11 minutes
video
Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
13 minutes
video
The ancient world
The six priestesses who kept the flame of ancient Rome alight at risk of death
5 minutes
video
Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes