Link About It: This Week’s Picks
Public art in London, Kenzo Takada’s legacy in pictures, 24 new “superhabitable” planets and more in our look around the web
Kenzo Takada’s Playful Legacy in Pictures
This past weekend, luxury fashion house Kenzo founder Kenzo Takada sadly passed away at 81 years old from COVID-19. Just a few years after arriving in Paris from Tokyo, Takada founded his eponymous brand in 1970 and promptly shook up the fashion scene in the capital with bright colors, bold prints and daring shapes. Paving the way for more Japanese designers, and influencing countless others from all over the world, Takada made garments that were often androgynous and playful, and always wildly original. Exuberance coursed through his shows; the first of which saw models running around and kissing one another upon a circular catwalk. Take a look at some of his most memorable pieces at The Guardian.
Image courtesy of Images Press / The Guardian
Beirut Re-Store’s Online Marketplace for Good
With all funds raised dispersed to thoroughly vetted NGOs via the Beirut Emergency Fund 2020, Beirut Re-Store exists as an online marketplace for good. Over 115 established and emerging artists and designers donated their wares (from apparel to artworks to rare publications) to be sold, and prices range from $12 to several thousand. Take a look at Beirut Re-Store online now.
Image courtesy of Lotte Andersen / Beirut Re-Store
In Regent’s Park, Frieze London’s Sculpture Park Still Welcomes Guests
Though Frieze London and Frieze Masters have shifted to online viewing room format, the prestigious fair’s large-scale outdoor sculpture division continues as usual in Regent’s Park (now through 18 October). The installation comprises 12 captivating works, including Lubaina Himid’s five reclaimed doorways and new commissions by the artists Kalliopi Lemos, Arne Quinze and more. “Rarely have our public spaces been quite so important for our mental and physical wellbeing, and this exhibition shines a light on sculpture in the open air, creating a place of inspiration and enjoyment where people can come together safely for conversation and exchange,” says Clare Lilley, Frieze Sculpture curator and director of program at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Read more about Frieze Sculpture at Artnet.
Image courtesy of Stephen White/Frieze
24 Potentially “Superhabitable” Planets Discovered
A recently published study titled In Search for a Planet Better than Earth: Top Contenders for a Superhabitable World has revealed astronomers have identified 24 planets that may not only be habitable for humans, but possibly “even better for life than our Earth.” These planets could support more biodiversity and biomass (aka organisms) than the planet we currently call home and were found by researchers examining Kepler Objects of Interest which tracks potential Exoplanets. The discovery supports the Copernican Principle, “a centuries-old assumption that Earth does not occupy a special place in the universe”—meaning Earth is the only planet we are certain supports life (or life as we know it) but that it surely can’t be the only one. The “favorite” planet orbits a star 3,000 light years away. Leading the research team, scientist Dirk Schulze-Makuch tells VICE, “We are so focused on finding a mirror image of Earth that we may overlook a planet that is even more well-suited for life.” Visit VICE to find out more.
Image courtesy of NASA/Ames/SETI Institute/JPL-Caltech
Microsoft Proposes “Virtual Commutes” For Employees Who Miss Theirs
Time in transit lends a definitive start and end to work days—a moment to pause and prepare before entering the work environment (or file away, at the end of the day). With so many people no longer traveling to their office, Microsoft is working on an update for its Teams app, a sort of Slack-Zoom hybrid for companies that use the Microsoft suite. Scheduled for next year, the new version will offer users time in the morning to plan the day and set weekly goals as well as moments in the evening to reflect on the day or report on progress made. Rather than an extension of the work day, Microsoft hopes the update encourages employee wellness. They believe leaving space for individuals to decompress or prepare will decrease the desire to check in when they’re off the clock—especially considering Microsoft reports more than 50% of Teams “chatter” happens between 5PM and midnight. Read more at WSJ.
Image courtesy of Mary Altaffer / AP
TED’s Free, Virtual Climate Change Conference, TEDCountdown
Comprising 50+ speakers from dozens of sectors, TED’s newest event, TEDCountdown, addresses climate change in a free, all-day virtual conference. Set for Saturday, 10 October from 11AM EST, “five curated sessions that combine TED’s signature blend of actionable and research-backed ideas, cutting-edge science, and moments of wonder and inspiration” will unfold. The sessions will be hosted by various celebrities and feature insight from educators, scientists, activists, conservationists, urbanists and artists. Click through to TED for more information.
Image courtesy of TED
Link About It is our filtered look at the web, shared daily in Link and on social media, and rounded up every Saturday morning. Hero image courtesy of NASA
