From the moment I first encountered Hokusai’s iconic artwork, “The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” blue became my color of choice. A framed poster of this masterpiece still decorates my grandmother’s room. Perhaps you, too, had a print of this art piece adorning your childhood home.
In the past year, as blue has dominated, my attention has increasingly been captured by green hues: the vivid strokes behind ballet dancers in Lynette Yiadom-Boakye’s “Harp-Strum” (2016), the dynamic fabrics in Tamara de Lempicka’s “Young Woman in Green” (1931) and her 1929 self-portrait featuring a Bugatti, and the striking phthalo green of Byron Kim’s ’90s Belly Painting series.
Color serves as a lens through which I alter my perception. Engaging with the numerous critics, artists, and writers contributing to Hyperallergic, especially in the Opinion and Books sections, has challenged me to re-evaluate my viewpoints. Editing allows me to continuously learn and evolve. This year, I worked on pieces that reflect the core of artistic expression — to engage and voice perspectives. In New York City, artist Caitlin MacBride mourned the closure of Kremer’s, a cherished pigment shop, partly due to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. She emphasized how browsing the store’s shelves became an integral, sensory part of her creative process.
Among our published excerpts, I was particularly proud to showcase essays from Imani Perry’s Black in Blues and Joseph M. Pierce’s Speculative Relations: Indigenous Worlding and Repair. Perry’s words resonate: “The same color could be a slur and a praise. Brown could be both luxurious and grotesque, and blue adornment could be garish or gorgeous.” This year seems especially fitting for such reflections. Pierce’s chapter opens with the vivid red blanket in a haunting depiction of Apache leader Geronimo, symbolizing the ongoing struggle for Indigenous rights.
In our Opinion section, artist Rose B. Simpson (Santa Clara Pueblo) powerfully defended the Institute of American Indian Arts, an essential hub for Native art, against funding threats from the Trump administration. Scholar Clementine Bordeaux (Sicangu Lakota Oyate) enlightened us with the true history of Mount Rushmore, originally known as Six Grandfathers. “Our eyes are trained to see the four awful faces of settler violence,” she elucidates. “But I still see the Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe and all the non-human relatives that will continue to exist in the region beyond white supremacy.”
This year in editing has deepened my appreciation for what artists and art writers achieve. We articulate the unspoken and document our hopes and resistance. As we look to 2026, Hyperallergic’s mission to advance our art worlds remains crucial. Consider supporting our work as a paying member, which grants you the ability to comment on our articles. Join the dialogue and contribute however you can. Happy New Year! —Lakshmi Rivera Amin, associate editor
