Required Reading
This week, Miss Piggy’s mom, American fiction’s fatphobia problem, the shady underbelly of glass-eel fishing, Chappell Roan, and what did Old English sound like?
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Lola Flash Has Got Some Stories to Tell
“For years, I didn’t want acceptance from the art world. I wanted the opposite, to be honest,” the photographer told Hyperallergic in an interview.
Alex Katz’s Love Affair With Maine
The artist has donated over 150 works from his foundation’s collection to the Portland Museum of Art, among other institutions in the state.
Maria Prymachenko Cultivated Whimsy as Resistance
An exhibition in Warsaw invites visitors to ponder works by the late Ukrainian artist, whose surreal depictions of nature often incorporated critiques of human behavior.
80 Iconic Piano Intros, Played Back-to-Back From Memory
In this video, pianist David Bennett plays 80 of the best piano intros from the past 120 years, back-to-back and all from memory. This was lovely to listen to while I was eating my lunch. Some of the intros I particularly enjoyed were Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer, Nina
A View From the Easel
“When I am deep into the work, I no longer hear music, as it is pure muscle memory.”
Artist Chaim Peri Among Four Israeli Hostages Confirmed Dead
Peri, who reportedly died in Hamas captivity, is remembered for his volunteering work and commitment to the visual arts.
The near future (and summer reads)
Near-future science fiction is a fine way to consider our now. Without the reality of today, we can think hard about the tomorrow we’re about to live in. Summer reads are supposed to be a bit lighter. Technological change is making our near future a bit harder to dance with,
Birds Star in Spectacular Scenes for This Year’s Audubon Photography Awards
2024 marks the 15th year of the annual Audubon Photography Awards , which garnered over 2,300 entrants from all 50 states, Washington D.C., and 10 areas in Canada. Highlighting a wide range of skills from youth photographers to professional photojournalists, each image reveals
Stamps Gallery Presents Elizabeth Youngblood: Syntax
The gallery’s summer season also includes Asmaa Walton: Black Art Library and Michelle Hinojosa: Logcabins. On view in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The Birth of the Byline: How a Bronze Age Woman Became the World’s First Named Author and Used the Moon to Unify the World’s First Empire
Days after I arrived in America as a lone teenager, the same age Mary Shelley was when she wrote Frankenstein, not yet knowing I too was to become a writer, I found myself wandering the vast cool halls of the Penn Museum. There among the thousands of ancient artifacts was one
A photographer entered a real photo of a flamingo in an AI...
A photographer entered a real photo of a flamingo in an AI image contest and was disqualified after winning the People’s Vote Award . “I wanted to show that nature can still beat the machine.” 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
A Few Lessons from Roger Federer’s Dartmouth Commencement Speech
Two weeks ago, Roger Federer gave the commencement speech at Dartmouth. After asserting that he’d graduated (and not retired) from professional tennis, Federer shared what he learned from his years on the pro circuit. Some excerpts from the transcript : “Effortless”… is a
The Case of the Missing Chacmools
"Geoffrey Gray investigates the writer’s bizarre cult and finds himself entangled in a web of murky financial dealings, sex, possible foul play—and one death-defying supernatural being."
The Coming Birth-Control Revolution. “Researchers have taken massive steps toward developing simple,...
The Coming Birth-Control Revolution . “Researchers have taken massive steps toward developing simple, convenient, and effective contraceptive options for men with virtually zero side effects.” And it could “transform women’s contraception too”. 💬 Join the discussion on
Sobé’s Morphing Portraits Articulate the Nuances of Gender Identity
The Pueblo of Zuni rests along the Western border of New Mexico, about 150 miles from Albuquerque. Well-known for mastering artisanal techniques such as inlaid silverwork, stone carving, beadwork, and basketry, the Zuni people—the A:Shiwi —have developed these intricate
Trolley Problem Variations for Dads. “As he begins to think it over,...
Trolley Problem Variations for Dads . “As he begins to think it over, he keeps saying, ‘This is exactly like the Kobayashi Maru!’ He then spends so much time explaining how Captain Kirk cheated to win the scenario that he never pulls the lever.” 💬 Join the discussion on
Pork, Love, and Money: Life According to La Piraña Lechonera
"For 23 years, chef Angel Jimenez has drawn barbecue pork devotees to the South Bronx. This summer, the party is heating up again."
Peruvian tips for public speaking
Why the author Daniel Alarcón likes to read a curious little Peruvian book of speeches and toasts when he’s feeling homesick - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon
The disruption nexus
Moments of crisis, such as our own, are great opportunities for historic change, but only under highly specific conditions - by Roman Krznaric Read at Aeon
How the Ancient Greeks & Romans Made Beautiful Purple Dye from Snail Glands
Much has been written about the loss of color in the twenty-first century. Our environments offered practically every color known to man not so very long ago — and in certain eras, granted, it got to be a bit much. But now, everything seems to have retreated to a narrow palette
Phrenology
For thousands of years, and as recently as the 1930s, phrenology was seen as a useful proxy to judge someone’s character. Carefully charting the bumps on someone’s head, along with the slope of their forehead and other telltale signs was seen as a thoughtful and proven way to
Medievalist Professor Answers Medieval Questions From Twitter: Why Is It called the “Middle” Ages?, What Did Medieval English Sound Like?, and More
From Wired comes this: “Professor of English and Medieval Literature Dr. Dorsey Armstrong answers your questions about the Middle Ages from Twitter. Why is it called the “Middle” Ages? [What did medieval English sound like?] What activities did people do for fun? Why were