What's more finite and limited than diamonds? Surely not something found on the skids of an old car factory? Well get this: in the 1940s, the American automobile industry started painting cars with a hand-spraying technique that would accumulate overspray, which would build up an … | Continue reading
Let's say you're flipping through a medieval Christian prayer book (as you do), and suddenly you come across a curious illustration amongst the prayers and psalms of something that looks unmistakably like female genitalia. A scolding voice in your head tells you to get your mind … | Continue reading
Georges Maciunas /FluxusWhen an artist named George Maciunas looked up the word "flux" in the dictionary in 1960, he found seventeen definitions. "Flux" can be used as a verb, an adjective, or a noun. The multiplicity of the word made it the perfect term for the art movement he w … | Continue reading
1. The real urban jungle: how ancient societies reimagined what cities could beThey may be vine-smothered ruins today, but the lost cities of the ancient tropics still have a lot to teach us about how to live alongside nature. Not only did societies such as the Classic Maya and t … | Continue reading
Pictured is Tombstone's Hotel Nobles. According to the Arizona state Library, the original glass plate negative of this photo was damaged in a fire in the Fly Studio.No frontier has ever captured the American imagination quite like the "Wild West", which still evokes images of du … | Continue reading
In the late 1960s and 70s, America's big corporations could see the psychedelic writing on the wall and they knew they had to do something. A wave of psychedelia was taking over pop culture and the LSD-infused hippie aesthetic was huge. The influence of drug culture on some of th … | Continue reading
© Images Courtesy of The Tretchikoff Project (Pty) Ltd. The Tretchikoff ProjectChinese Girl, the most famous of all Vladimir Tretchikoff’s paintingsIt’s a breezy day in 1950s Cape Town. Monika Pon-su-san is busy serving a customer in her uncle’s laundromat when a curly-haired, an … | Continue reading
A "Potemkin village" building in Norilsk, Russia (Source: tema.ru) Who wouldn't want a library or a museum named in their honour? A namesake to remember us by long after we're gone. But we can't all be so lucky with our legacies. Case in point: 18th century Russian military leade … | Continue reading
1. Cano's CastleDominic Espinoza's Jesus' Castle (Cano's Castle); Antonito, CO 2011Dominic Espinoza's Jesus' Castle (Cano's Castle); Antonito Colorado 2016Dominic Espinoza's Jesus' Castle (Cano's Castle); Antonito, CO 2016Dominic Espinoza; Antonito, CO 2015Dominic Espinoza's Jes | Continue reading
From the collection of Jean-Marie DonatOnce upon a meme, Germany had its own precursor to the internet's LOLcat – in the form of a life-sized fake polar bear. As the story goes, some time in the early 1920s, two (actual) polar bears arrived at the Berlin Zoo and became the talk o … | Continue reading
Artwork by T. Coleman The business of death is one as old as time. Today the market size of global death care services is valued at over $100 billion annually and it's expected to double in the next decade too (an increase attributed to more demand for for lavish funerals). But t … | Continue reading
You might have caught the story about a lobster diver from Provincetown who was swallowed by a humpback whale off Cape Cod last week – and lived to tell the tale. The idea of swirling around inside the jaws of the ocean's most legendary creature conjures up all sorts of aquatic c … | Continue reading
Marie Marchand, better known as Romany Marie was one of those eccentric characters that stood out in a town full of them. During the first part of the 20th century, her informal Greenwich Village cafés drew a society of artists, anarchists, activists, playwrights, musicians and b … | Continue reading
1. You can now Sleep at the Palace of VersaillesSet within the gates of Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle was built in 1681 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Louis XIV’s favourite architect and an icon of French classicism. The grandiose building once played host to Europe’s political and c … | Continue reading
James Maclaine (source)James Maclaine has been working at the Natural History Museum in London since the late 90s. He pretty much had the whole place to himself during the lockdowns, caring for thousands of specimens, including the museum’s mind-boggling collection of pickle jars … | Continue reading
Just outside a small, rural Wisconsin farm town, lay the ruins of a grand mansion. In stark contrast to the flat, surrounding fields and scattered barns, was the peculiar sight of a once opulent home that wouldn’t have looked out of place on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue during the Gi … | Continue reading
Imagine a world in which nature is intertwined with the industrial: giant lotus flowers replace concrete skyscrapers; an urban forest forms a city constantly in shift through a tree’s life cycle. This is the imaginarium of Belgian architect Luc Schuiten. To discover his work is t … | Continue reading
Ask someone to describe Swedish interior design and they'll probably give you a one word answer: IKEA. But here's another word: kakelugn. No, it's not the name for another ready-to-assemble IKEA product line, but rather, the exquisite and unique tiled stoves found in homes throug … | Continue reading
The hopeful riders at the starting line of the first ever Tour de FranceIt’s 1st July 1903, we’re in Montgeron, a southeastern suburb of Paris positioned in front of the Reveil Matin café on the rue Jean-Jaurès. Excitement it in the air as 60 hopeful male cyclists line up at the … | Continue reading
1. Diaolou — multi-storey defensive watchtowers of ChinaFound in rural Guangdong, generally made of reinforced concrete, diaolou structures are one of the most spectacular and eclectic examples of fusion between Chinese and Western architecture. Found on Urban Foxxxx via | Continue reading
If you need a beginner's introduction to the Gen Z world of K-pop, it's advisable to do so by removing our rose-tinted glasses first. Over the last ten years, K-pop has become rooted in the Western musical landscape. This is due in large part to the intense fanbase that K-pop ido … | Continue reading
The Leipzig Fair, 1968The World’s Fairs used to capture the public’s imagination. From the millions who attended such iconic Fairs as the ones held in New York in 1939 and 1964, to the nostalgia they’re viewed with today, the World’s Fairs were places where people could catch gli … | Continue reading
Maude Smith's Kitchen photographed by Owen Gale for House & GardenI've just found another kindred spirit. Someone who understands my deep-rooted Capricorn need to find new uses for old or unwanted things. Maude Smith is the kind of person that will cover her entire kitchen in win … | Continue reading
You might not know her name, but a century ago, Irene Castle was the household name at the dawn of the Roaring Twenties. Historians consider her to be the first original flapper but in her lifetime, Irene wore many hats: dancer, model, actress, animal activist, and fashion trends … | Continue reading
1. Wanted: Caretaker to look after uninhabited Scottish islandA remote and uninhabited Scottish island near Ullapool with no full-time residents is looking for a resident caretaker to keep the island in shape for visitors this summer. Isle Martin has two beaches, just three prope … | Continue reading
Even the most sheltered among us have heard horror stories of foster care and adoption, but back before there were arms of government to protect wards of the state, there were orphanages. And before orphanages, there was baby farming. "Baby farming" was a term coined during the V … | Continue reading
Les Enfants du Paradis (1945), depicting the Boulevard du CrimeThe Boulevard du Crime, a nickname for the Boulevard du Temple in Paris, could not be more of a misnomer. It was never the refuge of thieves or scoundrels but rather in the 19th century, this street was a joyful noctu … | Continue reading
New York is finally getting back into the swing of things and as always, we’re here to accompany you with a little inspiration on where to go and what to do. As of May 19th, museums and institutions can opt to open at 100 percent capacity, which is subject to the six-foot social … | Continue reading
Nancy Cunard photographed by Man Ray, 1925. When we think of an heiress, we tend to picture an overdressed spendthrift sipping a top shelf cocktail from an expensive crystal glass; her eyes mischievously peering over the rim telling stories of glamour, sex and scandal. Heir to th … | Continue reading
1. Julie d’Aubigny, a French bisexual opera-singing sword fighterJulie d’Aubigny, aka "La Maupin" led a life so wild – complete with duels, grave-robbing and burning convents – that she had to be pardoned by the king not once, but twice. Known as one of history’s greatest rascals … | Continue reading
Temple of Dendur after being relocated to New York City at The Met © The MetDuring a visit to The Met in New York, the sight of a full-size Egyptian temple within its walls may no longer faze us amidst the amazing collections that we're used to seeing in our museums these days. B … | Continue reading
It’s finally happening. After months (or what felt like years) of lockdown, Paris is finally swinging open its doors, polishing its wine glasses and getting its groove back. As always, we’re here to accompany you with a little inspiration and guidance as the city returns to a deg … | Continue reading
Udoli style (source)Black women have been at the forefront of many cultural trends throughout the centuries, from hoop earrings worn by ancient Nubian civilisations and 80s disco divas alike, to streetwear trends pioneered by R&B and Hip Hop artists of the 90s. There is one unsun … | Continue reading
© Cecilia BlomdahlFor the adventurous of spirit, and those who yearn to pack a bag and disappear to somewhere as remote as possible, arguably nowhere quite captures the imagination as Svalbard. The far flung Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ice lies just six hundred and fifty … | Continue reading
1. Aerial photographs of 1960s communal dining areas in Singapore's social housingA series by local creative Jonathan Tan found on Creative Boom. 2. For 2,000 years, the waters of the Euphrates have washed over these Roman mosaics in Zeugma, Turkey | Continue reading
Youtube can be a weird and wonderful place. There's the Oposom lady of course (the undisputed queen of Youtube in our opinion), the folk singing Kardashians of Eastern Europe and a guy who will take us around dead malls and motels on our lunch break – unless you prefer to watch I … | Continue reading
European fashion designers have been inspired by Japan since it open its borders for trade in 1853. But while the art coming out of Japan was often appreciated and admired, the asian artists themselves have not always been welcomed with such open arms. One example of this admirat … | Continue reading
© Rob Yasinsac, Hudson Valley RuinsAbout a half hour north of Manhattan is a curious ruin: a giant, circular concrete drum resting on a narrow concrete plinth, and wrapped with floor to ceiling windows, most of them broken. More concrete can be found in the futuristic looking ram … | Continue reading
© Bettmann/Getty ImagesIn HBO’s hit series, The Flight Attendant, actress Kaley Cuoco does a sterling job of portraying how many of us would typically draw a flight attendant if we were asked to. Slim build, check. Perfectly highlighted blonde hair swept immaculately into a chign … | Continue reading
1. Bill Gates' MugshotIn 1977 Bill Gates was arrested for driving without a license and not stopping at a stop sign. Found on Reddit. 2. This Perfect Little Cottage for Rent in the French AlpsFound on Airbnb. 3. Documenting the toilets of the Alps | Continue reading
Werner's Nomenclature of Colours, first published in 1814 by Patrick Syme, housed in the Natural History Museum Library’s Special Collections © Farrow & Ball"Streak from the eye of the kingfisher" for a buff orange. "Flower of deadly nightshade" for a brownish purple red. "Decaye … | Continue reading
The late, great Donna Summer was so much more than a disco queen. Did you know she was a painter too? But we'll get to that in a moment. Donna began her musical career in high school in the late 1960s when she became the lead singer of a psychedelic rock band named Crow. At the a … | Continue reading
During the lockdowns of the past year, it's been all about nesting (and investing) in our homes. Serving as both our workplaces and sanctuaries, as well as our private entertainment spaces, apartment Feng shui has become top priority next to staying healthy. One of the most re-po … | Continue reading
© Luke J SpencerYou can tell a lot about William Boyce Thompson by walking through the magical garden he left behind nearly a hundred years ago. Meticulously sculpted and adorned with archaeological treasures at every turn, you’ll find sunken swimming pools lined with blue Roman … | Continue reading
1. This used to be the richest silver mine in the worldSilver Islet refers to both a small rocky island and a small community located at the tip of the Sibley Peninsula in northwestern Ontario, Canada. A rich vein of pure silver was discovered on this small island in 1868 by the … | Continue reading
The Blitz KidsSex, drugs and lots of black eyeliner. Just a regular Tuesday night at the Blitz Club. At the turn of the 1980s, London’s teenage squatters, outcast art school kids and disillusioned punks all descended on a barren Covent Garden in search of a good night out. By sim … | Continue reading
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDK9KOfknTwYou can imagine them in a Wes Anderson movie too – Owen Wilson is being chased by a sheep and the camera pans over to Trio Mandili, a Georgian musical group of three young women who sing folk songs polyphonically, accompanied by a tradit … | Continue reading
© Serbia Film Commission In today's internet rabbit hole adventure, I ventured far from home and ended up on a Serbian website for filming locations. To my surprise, one of the locations for hire just so happened to be an ex-dictator's private luxury train. Sitting in a rather ru … | Continue reading