The phoenix bird is a mythical creature that resembles an eagle with broader wings. Its elegant, peacock-like feathers burst with the dazzling colors of flames. Any Harry Potter fan could explain what ...

Have you ever wondered why Chinese visual culture is full of images of dragons, phoenixes and other mythical creatures? Archaeologists certainly have. For centuries, they searched in vain for their ...

Xu Bing’s “Phoenix” at St. John the Divine (all photos by the author for Hyperallergic) The myth of the phoenix casting itself into the flames only to rise up stronger is powerful and monumental, with ...