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Ellen C. Caldwell

Ellen C. Caldwell

Ellen C. Caldwell is an LA-born and -based art historian, writer, and professor. She writes about visual culture, the arts, and popular media for publications including New American Paintings, KCET’s Artbound, Riot Material, Desert Jewels, and more. Read more of her writing at eclaire.me.

Biombo screen

Did the Aztecs Simply Disappear? Surviving Biombo Paintings Tell Another Story

Colonial narratives often boast triumphant victory and catastrophic defeat, but Mexican biombo paintings suggest a surprising alternative.
Stack of colorful books

Teaching Trump: The Rise of the Crowd-Sourced Syllabus

With the rise of the crowd-sourced syllabus, such as the #FergusonSyllabus or #TrumpSyllabus, the digital age has expanded the scope of online learning.
Wounded Knee march

Remembering Wounded Knee at Standing Rock

Have you been wondering about the history of Standing Rock protests and the American Indian Movement? Learn why and how we “Remember Wounded Knee.”
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, National Mall

The Making of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Though now celebrated for its modern, minimal design and contemplative space, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was once the subject of heated debates.
dia de los muertos

El Día de los Muertos in Poetry and Word

Celebrate El Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, through the rich literary traditions of our JSTOR poets and writers.
Yes We Can video

Viral Videos and the Presidential Campaign

How do viral videos shape a presidential campaign? How do voters learn to “read” the art and advertisements they are seeing? Learn more from our scholars.
Seydou Keïta

The Rediscovery of Photographer Seydou Keïta

Seydou Keïta captured Bamako life at the turn of independence in Mali. Keïta’s story is mythic and rich, as is that of his art and photography.
Dakota pipeline protestors

Standing Rock and the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day and learn about the history of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Sherman Alexie

The Absolutely True Story of Sherman Alexie

Happy 50th birthday to novelist, poet, and filmmaker Sherman Alexie. Learn about “one of the major lyric voices of our time" through his work.
Christopher Corr

Healing Art in Hospitals Today

As hospitals today continue to grow and expand, who is thinking about nurturing patients and visitors with healing art and beautification projects?
Octavia Butler the Golden Chain

When Science Fiction Becomes Real: Octavia E. Butler’s Legacy

Ten years after her death, the writing of Octavia E. Butler has a persistent influence—one that spans well outside of the science fiction genre.
John Coltrane 1962

Remembering John Coltrane

Today JSTOR Daily celebrates John Coltrane, the greatly prophetic and pioneering jazz artist. We remember his music and legacy now.
Migrant Mother, Dorthea Lange

Dorothea Lange and the Making of Migrant Mother

Follow the rich history of Dorothea Lange, as she captured the iconic and lasting portrait of Florence Thompson, more famously known as Migrant Mother.
National Theatre of Ghana, Accra

Architecture as Nationalism in Accra, Ghana

Recent interest in Ghana’s thriving cultural production make the city’s distinctive historical architecture even more relevant.
CNTE protests

The Bloody Results of Mexico’s High-Stakes School Testing

Mexico’s struggle for education reform has been a long journey paved in protests. Today's struggles have been a long time in the making.
Clinton Trump

When Does Truth Trump Bias?

In the wake of both national conventions, how do we find truth and how do journalists represent it without being too biased or too neutral?
Heleno Bernardi art

Olympic Art: Mega Events and the Museum

Can the Olympics increase museum attendance in both the long and short-term? Carol Scott and her team proved just that in documenting Sydney's case study.
Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II: Symbol and Style

The fashion of Queen Elizabeth II reigned supreme for the past 90 years.
Barbara Kruger

The History of “Your Body Is A Battleground”

Revisiting the iconic work of Barbara Kruger (“Your Body is a Battleground”) that has just as much resonance today as it did a quarter century ago.
Julia Child's French home

Vacationing with Julia Child

Want to get away this summer? Come daydream with us to the kitchen of Julia Child, in the south of France...
President Barack Obama with Vice President Joe Biden place flowers down during their visit to a memorial to the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting, Thursday, June 16, 2016 in Orlando, Fla. Offering sympathy but no easy answers, Obama came to Orlando to try to console those mourning the deadliest shooting in modern U.S history. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The Art and Symbolism of Mourning

In the wake of the Orlando massacre, how do we as a nation use art to help with healing and mourning?
Shop wall covered with Frida Khalo trinkets and souvenirs

Fridolatry: Frida Kahlo and Material Culture

Frida hats, and packs, and slacks, oh my! Frida Kahlo used material culture to construct her identity—and material culture made her an icon in return.
Photograph by Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman: Before the Selfie

Before cell phones and selfies, American artist Cindy Sherman influenced the world with her monumental and ongoing series of self-portraiture.
Snøhetta expansion of the new SFMOMA, 2016; photo © Henrik Kam, courtesy SFMOMA

SFMOMA: The Brave New World of Art Museums

SFMOMA celebrated its 75th anniversary with a huge architectural expansion, only rivaled by its technological innovations.
Painting of the Battle of Culloden

Outlander and Historic Memory

Are you an Outlander superfan? Find out about how the collective memory of the Battle of Culloden and its historic site have changed over time.