Kadir Nelson’s “The Soloist”

When the news is especially distressing, it can be easy to feel like art is futile; that you should, instead, focus your attention on all the suffering in the world, such as the cruelties inflicted by the second Trump Administration. But, for the cover of the September 15, 2025, issue, the painter Kadir Nelson chose to celebrate an artist. “We lean into our art to soothe ourselves, inform, and inspire others to see, hear, feel, and appreciate the beautiful parts of life,” Nelson said.

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