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 […]

St. Mark’s Place: is this America’s coolest street?

St. Mark’s Place: is this America’s coolest street?

It is easy to feel nostalgic for the array of creative and political figures who made their mark on the East Village street, but its golden age is always ‘now’ Many thoroughfares could credibly lay claim to the title “America’s hippest street”: Alberta Street in Portland, South Congress Avenue in Austin, Valencia Street in San […]

Anish Kapoor ‘queen’s vagina’ sculpture at Versailles vandalised again

Anish Kapoor ‘queen’s vagina’ sculpture at Versailles vandalised again

Sculpture officially called ‘Dirty Corner’, in Palace of Versailles gardens, was attacked in June then cleaned but this time graffiti will stay ‘to bear witness’ A controversial sculpture by artist Anish Kapoor, on display in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles – and informally dubbed the “queen’s vagina” – was vandalised again on Sunday, […]