Category: Culture

There are many fascinating things about the cultures that came before us.

One thing that is intrinsic to culture is food. However, sometimes food isn’t just flavor. Sometimes it changes the face of history.

The renowned French street artist JR has recently unveiled his most intricate illusion to date, set against the bustling backdrop of Milan’s Stazione Centrale railway station.

Titled “La Nascita” (The Birth), the artwork transforms the station’s adjacent square, Piazza Duca D’Aosta, into a dramatic Alpine landscape using black-and-white imagery to create a layered visual effect. The installation not only serves as a historical nod but also acts as a social catalyst in one of the city’s most frequented and crime-prone areas.

During a launch event, JR expressed to The Art Newspaper that his work is designed to foster unexpected social interactions in places burdened with societal challenges. “In a place like this, a huge range of people come to catch the train. When they find themselves in front of an exhibition, they will suddenly have a different kind of interaction.” JR explained.

This piece, coinciding with Milan Design Week and viewable until May 1, harkens back to the era of grand rail travel initiated in the early 20th century. King Vittorio Emmanuele III laid the stations foundational stone in 1906 following the completion of the trans-Alpine Simplon tunnel.

Commissioned by Stazione Centrale, JR’s work mirrors the rugged mountains carved out for the tunnel. Paper images are pasted onto vertical slats, creating a multi-layered effect with the station’s imposing architecture in the background. “It is the first time I do something like this with many layers,” he noted. “The building is pretty intimidating; it took me a while to work out how to engage with that station.”

A significant discovery was made in Tonga, revealing evidence of an ancient city through advanced laser technology. Nearly 10,000 mounds were discovered, suggesting the existence of one of the earliest Pacific cities, though they are barely visible today.

Aerial laser surveys also indicated that South and Central America could have supported large urban centers, with populations surpassing previous estimations.

Despite Tonga’s tropical setting, this ancient city lies just 12 kilometers from the capital, Nuku’alofa, challenging previous beliefs about early settlement patterns. This discovery, dating back to around AD 300, signifies significant social and economic changes as the population grew.

These findings also challenge traditional views of urbanism in the Southern Hemisphere during the European Middle Ages, suggesting that Tonga may represent a different model of ancient city development. It raises the possibility of uncovering similar cities across the Pacific.

Mound construction, typical of traditional urbanism in the Americas, is also evident in Tonga. In areas lacking stone resources, people used dirt to build mounds. However, the exact purpose of each mound remains uncertain.

A collaboration between major music streaming platforms and the United Nations has devised a plan to direct funds towards conservation efforts.

Named “Sounds Right,” this initiative allows artists using stock recordings of animals or weather in their music to credit them as ‘feat. Nature’ on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. The royalties generated from these songs will then support various conservation, restoration, and pollution control projects.

Nature sounds have long been integrated into music, from Paul McCartney’s blackbirds to Enya’s thunderstorms. Even pop artists like Missy Elliot have incorporated them into their work. Brian Eno, renowned for his work with artists like David Bowie and Coldplay, is spearheading this initiative under the Museum of the United Nations.

The initiative has already gained support from artists like Bowie, London Grammar, and Ellie Goulding, with the aim of raising $40 million from 600 million streams. The funds will be allocated to conservation projects in critical ecosystems like Madagascar, Borneo, and the Andes Mountains, identified by a group of experts.