Ancient Egyptian Papyrus Reveals 3,300-Year-Old White-Out Fluid

ancient egyptian papyrus white out fluid 2752125

Researchers at the Fitzwilliam Museum have discovered evidence of 3,300-year-old "white-out" used to correct an artistic error on an ancient Egyptian papyrus. While preparing for an upcoming exhibition, curators identified a modification on a copy of the Book of the Dead belonging to the royal scribe Ramose, where a mixture of calcite and huntite was applied to slim down the figure of a jackal deity.

Theaster Gates: Contending with the Past and Present

Theaster Gates has transformed the Smart Museum of Art into a personal sanctuary for his first major solo institutional exhibition in Chicago, titled "Unto Thee." The immersive installation features vast archives from Gates's personal collections, including African artifacts, funerary objects, and a significant vinyl record collection that provides a continuous sonic backdrop to the space. Key works on display include the monumental "Black Still Life #3" and the ongoing series "Walking Prayer," which consists of black books embossed with golden phrases that explore the complexities of Black identity and collective memory.

Los Angeles Metro’s Stunning D Line Art Turns Stations Into Galleries

Los Angeles Metro unveiled a major public art installation on May 8 with the opening of the 3.92-mile D Line extension, connecting downtown to Beverly Hills. Nine artists were selected from over 1,400 applicants to create works across three stations—Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, and Wilshire/La Cienega. Notable pieces include Karl Haendel's "Hands and Things" at the Wilshire/Fairfax station, featuring photorealist pencil drawings of hands holding objects sourced from nearby cultural institutions, and Susan Silton's "WE, OUR, US." The artworks are mounted using durable porcelain enameling that resists corrosion, scratching, fading, and graffiti.

4,000-year-old Ancient Egyptian handprint discovered by Cambridge museum

Researchers at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, UK, have discovered a 4,000-year-old handprint on the base of an ancient Egyptian "soul house"—a clay model of a building used in burial rituals. The handprint was found during preparations for the museum's upcoming exhibition "Made in Ancient Egypt" (3 October–12 April 2026), when senior conservator Julie Dawson examined the object under different lighting. The soul house, excavated at Deir Rifa north of Luxor, dates to Egypt's First Intermediate Period or Middle Kingdom and was likely left by the artisan who moved it to dry before firing.