A small non-commercial gallery in Brooklyn, Subtitled NYC, is hosting an exhibition by artists Pap Souleye Fall and Char Jeré that intentionally embraces "friction"—the slow, bumpy, and human experience—as a rejection of optimization culture in the art world. In other news, the Pentagon has reportedly banned press photographers after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth complained about unflattering images, and over 200 artists, including Brian Eno, have petitioned the British Museum to stop altering texts related to Palestine.
These events highlight a growing counter-movement within the arts that values intimate, non-alienating experiences over efficiency and commercialism. Simultaneously, they underscore ongoing tensions between institutions and transparency, whether in government censorship of media or museums facing pressure over cultural representation and political narratives.