Bookology
Island Queen
Author: Vanessa Riley
Published: William Morrow, July 2021
A historical novel based on the incredible true-life story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free woman of color who rose from slavery to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful landowners in the colonial West Indies.
What Artists Wear
Author: Charlie Porter
Published: Penguin, May 2021
Most of us live our lives in our clothes without realizing their power. But in the hands of artists, garments reveal themselves. They are pure tools of expression, storytelling, resistance, and creativity: canvases on which to show who we really are.
A Brief History of Humankind
Author: Yuval Noah Harari
Published: Vintage, 2015
A narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution. One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one – Homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us?
Latest from the Art World
Date Confirmed for Christo to Wrap Arc de Triomphe
L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, a temporary artwork for Paris, will be on view for 16 days from Saturday, September 18 to Sunday, October 3, 2021.
Must watch
´Savior for Sale`, a French documentary about the world’s most expensive painting- the painting exchanged hands in 2017 for $450 Million. The Salvator Mundi a maybe or maybe not Leonardo da Vinci caused a diplomatic tussle between France and its Saudi owner. The documentary by filmmaker Antoine Vitkine, and produced by MK2 Films premiered on French 5 TV in April. Sadly streaming is not possible in all countries – probably a temporary issue.
Motorway skips
It seems we should be scouring skips more often while having a rest at motorway rest stops. In Bavaria, a 64-year-old man found two 17th century paintings, one by Pietro Belotti and the other by Samuel van Hoogstraten in a skip while having a rest on his way to Cologne.
Month´s Worth
Trying to focus? Beware of Nootropics
Suffering from ADD myself I jump at any medication or supplement with the promise to increase my ability to focus. The last decade had an influx of products that promise nootropic effects. The word nootropic is derived from Ancient Greek: nóos meaning “mind” and tropḗ meaning “turning.” The sad truth “No drug has been demonstrated to improve cognitive function above baseline at a level that would be approved by the FDA.” Long story short, if you don’t have a diagnosed disorder — or even if you do! — no drug is a substitute for a good night’s sleep, a healthy lifestyle and less multitasking
The latest Dutch wellness trend
Forget about goat yoga, forest bathing, or the gong bath There’s a new wellness trend, coming soon to a field near you – cow hugging. There is some science to this elemental magnetism of cows. Because bovines are large and warm and have a heartbeat slower than ours, putting your arms around a cow can increase oxytocin levels in humans — that’s the hormone released in social bonding. The cost, up to $75 an hour!
The World´s Coolest Streets
Time Out, the global media and hospitality b debuts its first-ever list naming the World’s Coolest Streets. The top ten of 30 streets listed includes a street in Melbourne crowned number one – with Barcelona, London, Havana and LA narrowly missing out on the top spot. These incredible streets have been chosen by 27,000 city residents from around the world and by Time Out’s expert.
Ferrari hits the Catwalk
Ferrari, a company best known for fast cars, entered the luxury-fashion arena. You might ask: What business does Ferrari have making clothes and fancy handbags, however prestigious its name? The answers to these questions are actually relevant to the industry as a whole, especially as it emerges, shattered from the pandemic.
Supplement To-Go
“Surround yourself with people who make you happy. People who make you laugh, help when you’re in need. People who genuinely care. They are the ones worth keeping in your life. Everyone else is just passing through.”
Karl Marx, Socialist, Writer, Philosopher