The Kailasa Temple: the world’s largest monolithic structure carved from one piece of rock

The Kailasa Temple: the world’s largest monolithic structure carved from one piece of rock

We see ancient edifices around the globe, like thе pyramids in Egypt, Borobudur in Indonesia, and the Pyramid of the Sun in the Valley of Mexico, and we ask ourselves, how? How could mankind, so far back in time, build such enormous structures? And all without the advanced technology we enjoy today. Furthermore, when one looks […]

How to Die

How to Die

One morning in may, the existential psychotherapist Irvin Yalom was recuperating in a sunny room on the first floor of a Palo Alto convalescent hospital. He was dressed in white pants and a green sweater, not a hospital gown, and was quick to point out that he is not normally confined to a medical facility. “I […]

The American Desert: an Elegy to Friendship

The American Desert: an Elegy to Friendship

America’s open roads have inspired countless artists and writers, the expansive landscapes, the empty highways, roadside attractions, pit stops, the passing ghost towns, as significant, if not more so, than the eventual destination. This summer on Magnum Photos, we explore the American road trips made by Magnum photographers in order to understand why the idea of […]

An Ethereal Forest Where Japanese Commit Suicide

An Ethereal Forest Where Japanese Commit Suicide

Photographer Tomasz Lazar asks us to envision the final walk of those who have died inAokigahara forest—as well as the spirits that remain. At the base of Mount Fuji is a dense, verdant forest. From above, the trees swaying in the wind are reminiscent of the sea, giving the Aokigahara forest a second name—Jukai, or […]

These Intricate Tibetan Sand Paintings Are Swept Away Upon Completion

These Intricate Tibetan Sand Paintings Are Swept Away Upon Completion

Tibetan Buddhist monks have created sand mandalas for over 2,500 years, as it remains one of the religion’s most beautiful and symbolic traditions. Each mandala has a center point that is surrounded by a circle, a perfectly symmetrical design of specific meaning, and an accompaniment of various religious deities and symbols. They are created as […]