As I’ve recently discovered, there are many reasons for devouring the superb Netflix series The Diplomat , created by Debora Cahn. The exceptional performance of Keri Russell in the title role, and Rory Kinnear’s outstanding support as the British Prime Minister; the brutal, brittle relationships between them and Rufus Sewell (also good) as her husband; the agonising geo-political dilemmas that entwine them all and feel disturbingly real. But there is also the drama’s unprece

Which is the more emotive, the still photograph or film footage? It’s hard to say. Your mother as a pigtailed girl, smiling cheekily, in a sepia snapshot; your son, scoring his first goal, in a shaky camcorder video. Both can have a profound impact when viewed. The motion picture depended on its motionless predecessor to exist and many films have of course featured photographs, but productions that blur the divide between the two intelligently and innovatively can generate re

Demolition of the White House’s East Wing received plenty of coverage this week, as did the much larger ball room that will replace it. Embellishment of the Oval Office’s décor has also been reported, and no blushes – or, perhaps, flushes – have been spared when it comes to bathrooms either, with a marble makeover for one historic example getting attention. But the current President’s ambition to reshape things in his own image extends beyond the walls of that complex. There

At a time of global uncertainty, a feature-length drama illuminates the moral arguments a US Presidency might face when responding to a...

This week the National Gallery announced its intention to construct a completely new wing, to allow more works of art to be displayed and...

The Barbican is to spend millions improving signage, revealing original features and remodelling its foyers (2025). The Barbican is to...