Meer | English edition

Thursday, September 3, 2026

Sophie Calle, Suite Vénitienne (1980). Photographs and text presented as an installation and book, variable dimensions. Paris: Collection of the Centre Pompidou. Courtesy of and copyright the artist

Marcel Duchamp, Fountain. (1917) Readymade: porcelain urinal. Replica 1964. Approx. 36 × 48 × 61 cm. London: Collection of Tate. Courtesy and copyright the artist

Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Still #21. (1978) Gelatin silver print. Approx. 20 × 25 cm. New York: Collection of Museum of Modern Art. Courtesy and copyright the artist

Sophie Calle, Suite Vénitienne (1980). Photographs and text, presented as both installation and book; variable dimensions. Collection of the Centre Pompidou, Paris. Courtesy of the artist; copyright the artist

Marcel Duchamp, Bicycle Wheel (1913). Readymade consisting of a bicycle wheel mounted on a wooden stool; reconstructed in 1951. Approx. 129.5 cm (height). New York: Collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Courtesy of and copyright the artist

After the death of the author and the reader

From Roland Barthes to AI-generated culture, a reflection on what happens to meaning when both authorship and readership begin to disappear

A portrait of Trump beneath the word “embarrassment,” representing the growing disgrace surrounding his leadership

Economy & Politics

The Trump troll tragedy

How political instability damages trust, confidence, and social stability in ways that numbers cannot capture

A young man sits at a dimly lit desk, smiling softly as he looks at his laptop, surrounded by scattered papers and warm ambient light

Science & Technology

Why I am not quitting ChatGPT

A critical response to the QuitGPT movement and the limits of boycott in an age of embedded AI systems

Friends sharing a picnic in the sunshine, representing the healing power of meaningful social connections

Why fitness alone isn't enough anymore

Why lasting health depends on strengthening your mind, body, and relationships together rather than focusing on exercise alone

On the Street

A young boy gripping his bat with determination, reflecting the early spark of competitive spirit

The $50,000 child: when youth sport became a luxury

How rising costs, elite programs, and parental pressure have transformed youth sport into an expensive pursuit

Kengo Nakamura © Michael Black

It's all about the bass

Crisscross Strumming with Kengo Nakamura

A sign to remind us that humanity's progress is still a work in progress

Progress? We can’t even manage dot-to-dot

Humanity's evolving devolution

Benches in the park and leaves on the ground

Just another day in the park

A pair of mannequins displayed in a shop window, showcasing quirky styles in a charity shop that promotes second-hand shopping and sustainable fashion

A sustainable shift in consumer habits

Charity shops promote a sustainable society by giving new life to items that might otherwise be discarded, benefiting both people and the environment

Experience the rich flavor of Turkish coffee with dates served on a tray, perfect for indulgence

Istanbul's coffee culture: exploring rich brewing tradition

Turkish coffee: a focal point of life in Türkiye, originating during the Ottoman Empire era

Architecture & Design

Bridge Table, 2010, by Joris Laarman

Designing with the living world

Biophilia, contemporary design, and the quiet return to nature through form, material, and imagination

Exterior view of the Carson Pirie Scott & Co. department store building, located at the southeast corner of South State and East Madison Streets in Chicago’s Loop, decorated with bunting and flags in celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s 100th birthday (1909)

Chicago and the birth of modern architecture

Steel frames, glass façades, and the evolution of architectural thought in the industrial age

Art

Turquoise and Gold, Sutomore Bay, Montenegro (2022), oil on board, 27.5 × 36 cm. © Barry John Raybould

The Virtual Art Academy and modern art education

A personal journey that evolved into a comprehensive online approach to teaching painting

Antony Gormley, 2026 © the artist and Galleria Continua, Photo: Ela Bialkowska, OKNO Studio

Antony Gormley and what holds us together

An exploration of body, architecture, and the fragile foundations of human connection

Culture

Late Han Dynasty fresco depicting nine chariots, fifty horses, and more than seventy figures, discovered in a tomb in Luoyang, China

China and the forgotten origins of modernity

How Chinese inventions transformed the world long before the rise of the West

Movies of youth and life, a future with a new civilizational moral belief, a humanity realizing that its survival and flourishing depend on recognizing and feeling that we are all in the same boat

Going back home and the memories brought forth

From the cobblestones of Puerto Rico to the future of human civilization

Economy & Politics

A child’s toy abandoned by the sea, symbolizing the dangers faced by migrant families crossing the Mediterranean

The human cost of reaching Europe

Inside the dangerous routes where desperation meets exploitation and closed borders

A finger pressing on a graph showing an upward trend, representing Africa’s return to disciplined and sustainable capital growth

African start-ups bounce back with a 56% funding surge

How discipline, scale, and survival reshaped Africa’s venture landscape

Entertainment

The Amphitheatre in the garden of Vittoriale degli italiani, located in Gardone Riviera at Lake Garda, Italy

Maria Pia Pagani and the legacy of open-air theatre

Revisiting Gabriele d’Annunzio, Eleonora Duse, and the cultural vision behind the OATI project

A family gathered around an old TV, capturing the nostalgic spirit of the 1990s

The timeless charm of Egyptian drama

When nostalgia becomes the new prime time

Fashion

Marilyn Monroe’s most iconic black dresses include the beaded fringe dress from Some Like It Hot, a cocktail dress from The Asphalt Jungle (1950), and several of her personal evening gowns

The evolution of the little black dress

From Coco Chanel to contemporary fashion, a century of style, identity, and reinvention

A fashion designer shaping holographic garment concepts, representing AI as a creative assistant rather than a replacement for human expertise

What AI really changed for fashion designers

How, although AI has changed visualization and communication, the deeper work of design still depends on experience, taste, and technical knowledge

Feature

Young couple enjoying a romantic walk beside a dumpster in a gritty urban alley

Sarah’s promise of forever

A dystopian reflection on sacrifice, memory, and surviving beyond death

A young refugee offering a modest gift to the girl who made him smile, representing hope carried quietly across borders

Where my father met my mother

How two teenagers from different worlds meet in a village market and challenge the boundaries around them

Food & Wine

A warm, vintage café interior bathed in natural light, representing the charm and elegance of Japan's traditional kissaten culture

A quick trip through Japanese café evolution

From smooth jazz to cute cosplay: how Japanese cafés became spaces for art, music, and entertainment

Golden-brown lunpia served with dipping sauce, symbolising the lasting legacy of Semarang's traditional cuisine

Lunpia: the traditional flavours of Semarang, Indonesia

Exploring the Javanese-Chinese roots of Semarang’s definitive dish and the hundred-year legacy that keeps it alive

Science & Technology

Birdwatchers on the cliff tops at Bempton Cliffs (c) Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne

Masters of the wind at Bempton Cliffs

Exploring the seabirds, seals, and dramatic coastal life of one of Britain’s greatest nature reserves

A state-of-the-art quantum computing laboratory featuring a cryogenic quantum processor and advanced computing systems, reflecting the rapid transition of quantum technology from experimental research to real-world industrial applications

Quantum computing goes mainstream

How quantum technology is moving from experimental labs to real-world industries

Sport

A girl figure skating gracefully on the ice

The science of ice skating performance

How biomechanics, physics, and psychology shape the elite skater

A silhouette of a man standing before a climbing wall, preparing to climb

A beginner’s guide to bouldering

Simple technique shifts and mindful gym etiquette can turn challenge into confidence

Travel

A panoramic view of the Dubai Marina skyline in the United Arab Emirates at sunset. The UAE is a federation of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi (capital), Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah

The United Arab Emirates serves luxury and tranquility

Futuristic architecture, beaches, desert landscapes, shopping, and cultural experiences all in one place

Woman in an infinity pool overlooking Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

How to become a travel influencer

Building your brand, growing your audience, and turning travel into a career

Wellness

A woman sitting quietly on a bench surrounded by autumn leaves, representing the beauty of embracing a slower, simpler life

The performance of perfection

Everybody's afraid of being ordinary now

A woman with naturally freckled skin in warm daylight, reflecting the importance of protecting vulnerable skin from UV damage

What preventive skin screening really means

The smartest skin check is not panic, and it is not blind reassurance—it is informed vigilance

Explore the Calendar

Worldwide Bloomington Barcelona Graz Luxembourg Zurich Hamburg Sao Paulo Lucca Venice Sydney Montreal Ottawa Munich New York Buenos Aires Rome Mexico City Lisbon Antwerp Lausanne Leipzig Beijing

Benji Reid, Light bike (detail), 2021. Courtesy of October Gallery

Zana Masombuka. Spotlight: Benji Reid

3 Sep — 3 Oct 2026 at the October Gallery in London, United Kingdom

Quentin James McCaffrey, Triptych with flowers and view (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Alison Jacques Gallery

Quentin James McCaffrey's exhibition

3 Sep — 3 Oct 2026 at the Alison Jacques Gallery in London, United Kingdom

Aleana Egan, wing paper (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Kerlin Gallery

3 Sep — 3 Oct 2026 at the Kerlin Gallery in Dublin, Ireland

Guillermo García Cruz, III Screens pmi (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Proyectos Monclova

Interrupted images

3 Sep — 24 Oct 2026 at Proyectos Monclova in Mexico City, Mexico

Manuel Felguérez, Reunión de familia (detail), 1984. Courtesy of Proyectos Monclova

Sculptural evocations

3 Sep — 24 Oct 2026 at Proyectos Monclova in Mexico City, Mexico

Jeana Zhenyu Zhang, Seeing through (detail), 2025. Courtesy of VillageOneArt

Arising and passing

3 Sep — 24 Oct 2026 at VillageOneArt in New York, United States

Richie Wilde López, Cuando el mar se acercó (detail). Courtesy of Paradigm Gallery + Studio

Tending to clouds

4 — 27 Sep 2026 at the Paradigm Gallery + Studio in Philadelphia, United States

Pallavi Singh, Ways of looking (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Sakshi Gallery

4 Sep — 1 Oct 2026 at the Sakshi Gallery in Mumbai, India

Ankush Safaya, Untitled (detail), 20025. Courtesy of Sakshi Gallery

4 Sep — 1 Oct 2026 at the Sakshi Gallery in Mumbai, India

Ali Cherri, still from The sentinel (detail), 2026. Courtesy the artist and
Almine Rech Gallery

5 Sep 2026 — 4 Jan 2027 at WIELS in Brussels, Belgium

Huang Chih-Cheng & Hao, Polishing (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Fragment Gallery

5 — 26 Sep 2026 at the Fragment Gallery in New York, United States

Ellen Bradshaw, Spring fever, 10th Ave and 25th Sta (detail). Courtesy of Pleiades Gallery

Every street has a story

8 Sep — 3 Oct 2026 at the Pleiades Gallery in New York, United States

Heather Lenz, Night water 6, eclipse (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Gallery Naga

Echoes of place

8 Sep — 3 Oct 2026 at the Gallery Naga in Boston, United States

Megan Magill, Ruffles and fairy lights (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Gallery Naga

Instructions for dancing

8 Sep — 3 Oct 2026 at the Gallery Naga in Boston, United States

Humaira Abid, Tempting eyes: gold series - V, 2026. Courtesy of Pentimenti

Miles to go before we sleep

8 Sep — 24 Oct 2026 at Pentimenti in Philadelphia, United States

Karolina Maszkiewicz, The weight of light (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Jane Lombard Gallery

Tending the wild

9 Sep — 24 Oct 2026 at the Jane Lombard Gallery in New York, United States

Howard Smith, Red shape (detail), 1966. Courtesy of Jane Lombard Gallery

Tomorrow isn't yesterday

9 Sep — 24 Oct 2026 at the Jane Lombard Gallery in New York, United States

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