Culture
How Fitzcarraldo Editions made the most beautiful books on the shelf
These independent bookmakers are willing to take a risk on ambitious and innovative writing, in a bid to create future classics.
Kerwin Frost: everyone’s favourite entertainer is influencing for change
Frost and his pals Jaden Smith, Lil Nas X, and A$AP Ferg (among others) are hosting a telethon to raise money for Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp.
The surrealist artist tackling his own mental health
Tyler Williams: With influences spanning manga and the groundbreaking work of artist Janiva Ellis, the New Jersey-born artist’s work is every bit spooky, as it is emotionally thought-provoking.
Scrap that, lets Begin Again
Guts Gallery’s founder, Ellie Pennick, is back with another exhibition following the success of When Shit Hits the Fan. Now, she’s rounded up the troops for an online art sale benefitting The Free Black University.
Jamie Liam Humphrey: football crazy, painting mad
Introducing the Yorkshire-born painter referencing The Beautiful Game in his hyper-abstract paintings.
People of The Hill: an homage to a community that has banded together
Hazel Gaskin’s new photography book has been created in collaboration with Feed The Hill, a food bank that has proved indispensable to south London during the lockdown.
Black Blossoms School of Art is sticking two fingers up at the education system
Founder Bolanle Tajudeen – who also coined the #ualsowhite social hashtag – is on a mission to share the rich history of Black and POC culture with the masses via a series of affordable, short online courses.
Taylour Paige on Zola, the mind-boggling Tweetstorm turned critically acclaimed film
The actress discusses “perfect preparation” and landing the titular role in Janicza Bravo and Jeremy O. Harris’ stripper movie, Zola.
Remember Zola’s Twitter-stripper saga? Here’s what really happened
David Kushner is the Rolling Stone journalist who dug for the truth at the heart of the epic 148-tweet saga. The result: an even more compelling story – and now, a film.
Plonk your ass on James Shaw’s hairy swivel seats
Eight years into his career as a furniture designer, James Shaw is finding his feet firmly planted somewhere in between architecture and fine art. His fixation? Normalising the weird and wonderful in ordinary environments, one plasticine toilet roll holder at a time.
Pilgrimage to Gecca
100 Gecs fans have been visiting the tree immortalised on the band’s album cover, 1000 Gecs. Security isn’t happy.
Beautiful photographs of the 100 Black Men of London community
Photographer Benjamin Hampson and stylist PC Williams team up to create Heroes, a series that shines a light on the ways in which communities can uplift one another. They’re all about beauty, individuality and the power that unity brings.
Fine art reviewed by a five-year-old
This year’s art school students have produced some pretty Fine Art, overcoming the Covid Iron Curtain that stood between them a proper send off – a grad show. But now they face their harshest critic: the boss’s daughter, Paloma Gonsalves.
Queer eye for the literary high
Shuggie Bain is a Glasgow-set tale of crumbling families, ruinous addiction and blossoming sexuality. It’s also the Booker-longlisted best book of the summer. Its author, New York-based Scotsman Douglas Stuart, explains his hard road to publication, both on and off-the-page.
From foster care to BAFTA: Top Boy’s Jasmine Jobson defies the odds
Years of graft have paid off for the 25-year-old Londoner, nominated for an award alongside the established likes of Helena Bonham Carter. What does it feel like to be one of the year’s most exciting talents?
What Indian Matchmaking gets wrong about arranged marriages
The series depicts the country’s customs as palatable for a Western audience, but Indians from different countries explain how the reality is much different.
Tanya Maniktala: a suitable girl in a suitable cast
Leading from the front in the BBC adaptation of Vikram Seth’s much-loved blockbuster novel A Suitable Boy: no pressure for the 23-year-old newcomer. Especially as she’s backed by a 110-strong cast with one key unifying factor.
Toheeb Jimoh: “My job was to give Anthony the best life possible”
The 23-year-old breakthrough actor discusses racism in the spotlight and his portrayal of murdered teenager Anthony Walker in a new BBC drama.
The platform helping marginalised people through livestreamed dance parties
The queer-run platform Community Bread has tapped DJs Mike Servito, Xiorro and Jasmine Infinitti, among others, for a stream this weekend to help rebuild the dance community from the ground up.
Our barbershop, in the middle of Every Street
Five years ago, photographer Nik Hartley revisited his Lancashire hometown and spent two days documenting the boys who regularly visited Stylz – a barbershop in the centre of its British Asian community.
Bone Soda find their Inner Light
The London record label has dropped a slick collection of tees centred around the themes of community and new-gen creativity. Co-founder Skinny Macho tells us more.
A post-lockdown guide to Athens
As countries open their borders for quarantine-free travel, including Greece. We asked writer and model Nassia Matsa to curate a coronavirus-friendly itinerary for your next trip.
The podcasts we can’t stop listening to
While we’re still (mostly) stuck indoors and our eyes glaze over from screen fatigue, it can be nice to spread eagle on the bed and turn on a podcast.