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WeTransfer names Olafur Eliasson as WePresent’s 2024 guest curator.
WeTransfer has announced that Olafur Eliasson is its 2024 guest curator for the WePresent creative portal. Eliasson, known for his work that addresses environmental issues, will use the platform to feature artists focused on the climate crisis, climate justice, systemic racism, and gender. So far, Sarah Masete, Hadeer Omar, and Neema Githere are confirmed as participating artists under Eliasson’s tenure.
After protests, vandals behead a Shahzia Sikander statue at the University of Houston.
A Shahzia Sikander statue at the University of Houston was beheaded amid protests from right-wing groups and severe weather caused by Hurricane Beryl. The 18-foot-tall bronze monument to women had faced criticism from anti-abortion activists, leading to the cancellation of its opening celebration and associated events. Despite initial plans for repair, Sikander requested that the sculpture remain damaged to expose the act of destruction; the university has agreed to honor her wishes.
The search is on for design proposals to memorialize the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
A call for proposals has been issued for a monument memorializing victims of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire. The Royal Institute of British Architects and the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission will select five finalists to produce designs for a garden and monument that prominently features the names of the tragedy’s 72 victims. Finalists will be allocated approximately $25,000 for production costs before a winner is selected and a planning application is submitted in 2027.
As he turns 90, Giorgio Armani will show his spring 2025 collection in New York this fall.
The prolific fashion designer will unveil his company’s new Madison Avenue building and present his spring 2025 collection in New York this October. This event marks his return to the Big Apple, with the Madison Avenue building expected to include an Armani Ristorante, as well as new fashion and Armani Casa boutiques. Meanwhile, Milano Fashion Library is honoring Armani’s milestone birthday with an exhibition that will run until July 19 and will document his career through publications and memorabilia.
Samsung seems to challenge Apple watch by launching its own $400 wearable in Paris.
The South Korean tech giant seems to be taking aim at Apple’s dominance in the wearables market with the launch of a $400 smart ring and a high-end Galaxy Watch Ultra. Unveiled at Samsung’s Unpacked event in Paris, the Galaxy Ring reportedly tracks fitness, sleep, and menstrual cycles, and lasts up to a week on a single charge. The $650 Galaxy Watch Ultra, crafted from titanium, features sleep apnea detection and a two-day battery life.
Today’s attractive distractions:
Mysterious microbes are alive and thriving in “hell’s foyer” at Earth’s center.
An extremely rare Sex Pistols vinyl broke auction records, fetching $31,000.
Nike’s “shockingly good” Tekken 8 Foamposite came from a video game.
McDonald’s releases a Where’s Waldo–esque campaign for Quebec’s moving day.
