Plus, Nicholas Kristof on finding hope in dark times
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July 25, 2024

INTERVIEW

The Role of Art in Civic Life

Perspective, identity, history, commodity, race — these are just a few of the issues conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas explores through his work. He’s the 2024 Aspen Institute Harman/Eisner Artist in Residence, and we were thrilled to host two of his artworks at this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival. We caught up with him about how art helps him make sense of the world, what lessons he’s learned from his mother — the prolific photographer Deborah Willis — and why it’s helpful to think of politicians as designers. 

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PODCAST

Seeing Light in Dark Times

“Side by side with the worst of humanity, you always find the very best,” says New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. He’s spent decades reporting on the ground in war zones and amidst humanitarian nightmares. Despite witnessing atrocities like the Tiananmen Square protests, genocide in Darfur and war in Iraq, Kristof maintains a deep and abiding faith in humankind. In his latest book, a memoir called “Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life,” he explains what he’s learned about the pursuit of truth and the power of journalism. Podcast and TV host Kelly Corrigan interviews Kristof about his path from a small rural town in Oregon to a career that has taken him to every corner of the world.

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COLLECTION

15 Talks to Understand the 2024 Political Landscape

The 2024 presidential election is only months away, and the past few weeks alone have brought shocking headlines that change the political ground we stand on. At the 2024 Aspen Ideas Festival, government officials, legal experts, academics and business leaders sat down to take stock of where we are and how we got here. Amid intense polarization, border conflicts, inflation, and the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, they sought answers to critical questions: Who are we as a country? What are the issues that will sway this election? Where are the fracture points in our democracy, both at home and around the world? And where do we go from here?

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