Ways of Seeing at 50: how John Berger’s radical TV series changed our view of art
It was an unlikely choice for BBC Two to schedule against Match of the Day. But Berger’s series and book now forms the bedrock of how we interpret art and advertising
Profusely Illustrated review: Edward Sorel and all the golden ages of New York magazines
A memoir by a man who has drawn caricatures for the greatest editors is a treasure trove of the American mid-century modern
‘He was a handful’ – Hunter S Thompson’s PA and photographer relives her wild job
She cooked his weird dinners, dealt with his volcanic rants, and read his prose back to him from dark till dawn. As Chloe Sells’ photographs of the gonzo writer’s chaotic Colorado cabin are published, she remembers an invigorating, inspirational figure
From the Beano to Katherine Ryan: 31 ways to beat the January blues
Each week, our critics choose the best music, film, theatre, art and games – so who better to ask to help us through a whole month?
Sexism, slurs and Australian art: women’s struggle to be seen in a male-dominated world
In her new tome Doing Feminism, Anne Marsh charts the trials and triumphs of women who shaped contemporary art
Pandemic park life and a secret knitting cult: the best photography books of 2021
From meditative portraits that nod at the Dutch old masters to an incendiary, epic exploration of the Troubles, these are the volumes that resonated this year
Australia Christmas gift guide 2021: 160 good gift ideas, including last-minute options
From presents that give back to edible treats, Guardian Australia and a team of guest editors select the best gifts and shopping options to please everyone from kids to chronic grumps this Christmas
Sylvère Lotringer obituary
Critic and writer who launched postmodern French theory in the US but became better known for his role in his wife’s memoir I Love Dick
Quentin Blake: ‘I’m not so committed to cheering everybody up, you know’
He may be best known for bringing children’s books by Roald Dahl and Michael Rosen to vivid life, but a new documentary reveals the more serious side to illustrator’s career
On my radar: Tanya Moodie’s cultural highlights
The Motherland actor on shouting at the television, the memoir she couldn’t put down, and the street food she can’t get enough of
Etel Adnan obituary
Poet and artist who maintained her links to the Middle East throughout her life
Magritte: A Life by Alex Danchev review – a man of mystery
This insightful biography of the surrealist painter contends that to his peers he was a hero and outsider who resisted symbolic readings of his art
Family misfortunes: film, books, games and more about dysfunctional clans
From Jonathan Franzen to Charles Ray, Guardian critics suggest culture that can mess you up as much as Mum and Dad
Planned Virginia Woolf statue challenged as insensitive
Memorial to novelist would be by Thames, which would evoke her suicide by drowning
No straight lines: Alison Bechdel and the unstoppable rise of queer comics
The artist discusses her role in an eye-opening new documentary that trails the history of LGBTQ+ comic books and the people behind them