🌍 Culture Making

• 📚Fasting for the mind

  Reflecting on the balance between exploring new ideas and revisiting the ones we cherish.

• 🗺️The Meandering Mississippi

  An exploration of the visually striking historical changes in the lower Mississippi River's path, illustrated through a stunning map overlaying its meanders over millennia.

• 🚴Everyday South Africans and their bicycles

  A reflection on the representation of Africa in mainstream media, contrasted with a celebration of South African cyclists and their stories.

• 🎨Religious art for nonbelievers

  In exploring the significance of religious imagery in art for nonbelievers, Aaron Rosen examines how these symbols reveal deeper truths about existence.

• 🌿MorningStar (detail), by Alison Stigora

  I love Alison Stigora's nearly-monochrome drawings and sculptural installations that capture the beauty of natural destruction and transformation.

• 👧🏽🎉Play more

  IKEA's PlayReport highlights that kids prefer playing with family and friends over screen time, while parents have a different viewpoint on the purpose of play.

• 📸OK, and now can we get one with the torn shirt? Thanks!

  The portrayal of poverty in media often lacks depth and dignity; this project aims to reveal a fuller picture of individuals' lives.

• 🌿Due finocchi, by Trevor Haddrell

  I admire this stunning wood engraving of fennel that evokes the image of a Spanish galleon at full sail.

• 🎨The polychromatic Middle Ages

  Exploring the splendid visual motifs of the Middle Ages through the vibrant aesthetic of Auguste Racinet's _L'Ornament Polychrome_, showcasing art from ancient to 18th-century Europe.

• 🍲If you can’t control your moustache ..

  A fascinating collection of proverbs about women and soup from cultures around the world reveals both humorous and thought-provoking insights. Here are some intriguing examples

• 🏘️The bottom of the urban planning bag

  An exploration of how cul-de-sacs contribute to the depersonalization of suburban life and the challenges they pose for walkability in neighborhoods.

• 🙏Even if the hymns are impossible to sing

  An exploration of David Foster Wallace's complex relationship with faith and skepticism, revealing his struggles with church and belief.

• 🖼️Every Painting in the MoMA on 10 April 2010

  In a reflective commentary on art and nostalgia, the author explores the duality of modernity and timelessness showcased in MoMA's renowned collection.

• 🧒To copy is human

  This study explores how humans' tendency to overimitate may be key to cultural transmission, distinguishing us from other animals in learning methods.

• 🎶Migrant family, photo by Dorthea Lange

  This photo captures not just the struggles of dust bowl refugees but also their rich cultural heritage through music.

• 🎶Fine tuning

  Quoting Philip Ball.

• 🤖The market and the story

  A fascinating exploration of the disconnect between automated trading algorithms and the narrative-driven explanations provided by the financial press.

• 📚Language that does not forget the world of nouns

  Sven Birkerts reflects on the enduring value of novels in a digital age where concentration is a challenge to be fought for.

• 🌱A great old time classic American melon

  An insightful interview with Jeremiah "Jere" Gettle on the passion for seed-saving and cultivation from the heart of his historic seed bank.

• ⛽Gas money

  Quoting Tim O'Reilly.

• 🧘Sit up straight and tell me that!

  Research shows that sitting up straight can enhance self-confidence and influence how we perceive our own qualifications.

• 📷Street photography by Matt Stuart

  Matt Stewart's street photography captures witty moments and surprising juxtapositions that always leave a smile.

• 💃Dancers Among Us, by Jordan Matter

  A vibrant NYC dance photography project capturing the artistry of members from the Paul Taylor and Martha Graham Dance Companies.

• 🌍The Garifuna Mass

  New York City's linguistic tapestry showcases endangered languages thriving in unexpected places.

• 🌈A cross-cultural color wheel

  This infographic explores the diverse meanings of colors across various cultures, revealing intriguing associations and unique cultural perspectives.

• 🎒Persona, photos by Jason Travis

  A captivating exploration of the personal items Atlantans carry, shedding light on their public personas and hidden selves, as seen through Jason Travis's lens. "Pictures of what (extremely similar) Atlantans carry around in their bags."

• 🎨Drawing Cash

  An interactive site allows users to contribute frames to a rotoscoped music video of Johnny Cash's "Ain't No Grave."

• 🎨Calligraphy by Ahmed Shahnawaz Alam

  Exploring the timeless beauty of poetry through the artistry of calligraphy.

• ⚽If you want a masterpiece, the artist has to screw up

  Brian Phillips explores the intricate relationship between human error, storytelling, and the aesthetics of soccer, reflecting on the infamous "Hand of God" goal.

• 🗝️Save what matters least

  Reflecting on the value of what we choose to preserve, Kevin Kelly explores the significance of collecting the overlooked artifacts of our time.

• 🗺️Have story, will travel

  Exploring the evolution of four iconic tales and their interconnected journeys across cultures and time.

• 🎥To take a work of art & to lavish time on it

  A reflection on the art of slow viewing and reading in our media-saturated world.

• 🌳Tree gender and pollen counts

  Exploring the unintended consequences of urban landscaping choices on seasonal allergies and pollen distribution.

• ⛪️Safety not fine? Install a shrine!

  An intriguing look at how Hindu shrines along risky mountain roads effectively promote traffic safety in India.

• 📸Church of the Immaculate Conception, Port-au-Prince, by Allison Shelley

  A poignant reflection on the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, highlighted through powerful imagery by Allison Shelley.

• 🎭Unintentional Easter quotation of the day

  Quoting Orson Welles.

• 📚Open Air Library, Magdeburg, Germany

  A thoughtful architectural innovation transforms an unused space into a vibrant community library.

• 🦁As sherp as muckle needles

  Here's a delightful excerpt that showcases the charm of Scots language through a whimsical tale featuring beloved characters from a classic series.

• 🗺️Map work by Shannon Rankin

  Exploring the captivating art of Shannon Rankin, who transforms cut-up maps into thought-provoking collages that challenge our perceptions of geography and connection.

• 🎨The Jolly Flatboatmen (detail), by George Caleb Bingham

  A reflection on George Caleb Bingham's vibrant portrayal of labor and camaraderie in the 19th century.

• 🌍The right book at the right time

  A fascinating journey unfolds as Tété-Michel Kpomassie escapes a jungle snake cult in Togo and embarks on his dream to experience the icy landscapes of Greenland.

• 🎨Street Musicians by William H. Johnson

  William H. Johnson's vibrant art captures the essence of street musicians, blending folk influences with expressionist techniques.

• 🎬Two clichés make us laugh. A hundred clichés move us

  Eco explores how _Casablanca_ transcends clichés to unveil narrative power and emotional depth.

• 🍽️Food culture and the Last Supper

  An intriguing analysis of portion sizes in the iconic Last Supper paintings reveals notable trends over centuries. The study conducted by Wansink and his brother uncovers how food representations have expanded in size, reflecting cultural shifts in consumption.

• ⚙️Sublime technologies

  Christine Rosen reflects on the evolution of human awe toward machines from the marvel of the dynamo to the mundanity of modern technology.

• 🦠An iconography of contagion

  An illustration of the public health efforts against tuberculosis, depicting the balance between awareness and fear in disease prevention. "Discover the Unknown Spreaders!"

• 🌱Flinty and grassy with finesse and subtlety

  From Beth Ann Fennelly, a look at how soil influences our food and our lives through the practice of geophagy.

• 🛋️We’ll always have HOVÅS

  Here's a clever mix of comfort and creativity in urban space with IKEA's ad campaign in the Paris Metro.

• 💔God help me to be human

  Richard Rodriguez reflects on César Chávez's vision of courage and suffering for others in the context of Mexican identity and dignity.

• 🎨Even better than the real thing

  An exploration of how modern techniques of reproduction, as seen in Cameron Moll's Colosseo project, transform the concept of authenticity in art.