Join the conversation: Read all our thoughts on art, literature, music, and lifestyle
From quiet shifts in art and architecture to fresh voices in literature, new sounds in music, and evolving ways of living—our cultural thought-provoking ideas trace what’s shaping now. Read, pause, and carry the ideas with you.
DAILY CULTURE
The Lost Art of Kintsugi: Mending Pottery and Psyche in Modern Japan
When a beloved ceramic bowl cracks, most of us reach for super glue or, more likely, the recycling bin. In doing so, we participate in a culture that equates damage with disposability, perfection with worth. Yet in Japan, a centuries-old practice offers a radically different response—one that transforms breaks into beauty and sees fracture lines as opportunities for gold.
(S)Low-Tech AI at the Victoria and Albert Museum: Designing With Time, Not Speed
Amid the frantic race for faster, bigger, newer in artificial intelligence, Studio Above&Below’s installation (S)Low Tech AI at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, (running through mid‑October 2025), offers a radical pause.
Fall in South Tyrol: A Season of Quiet Brilliance
After a very long, warm summer, South Tyrol is the perfect holiday resort for a wonderful autumn. Cultural highlights, stunning hiking tours, and excellent opportunities to eat and drink make South Tyrol a truly wonderful place.
The Blur Between Memory and Truth: Why Gerhard Richter’s Work Speaks to Us
Gerhard Richter’s art lingers in the space between clarity and ambiguity. His blurred images—often based on photographs from personal and political history—don’t offer conclusions. Instead, they invite us to sit with complexity. In a world that craves certainty and instant interpretation, Richter’s refusal to resolve becomes one of his most essential gestures.