With their elaborate mourning rituals and overt memorialisation of death, the Victorians embraced the concept of a better life in heaven. Death was not a tragedy, but to die and not be properly mourned was a deep fear. Funerals and events attached to the burying, immortalising, and remembering of the dead took on enormous importance. […]
What is the strange cult of love that chains us to the railings of social conformity? Why do we follow the crowd regardless of the destruction we may be causing? Sentimental tokens of mutual love are universal, but not all are harmless. According to Wikipedia, a love lock is a padlock which is attached to a […]
Luxury is ubiquitous, craft has been commodified and, according to Peter York, “authenticity is a con.” When luxury is no longer luxurious and limited editions can be purchased at Primark, only ultra-luxury will do. This means finding something that no one else can have, or afford – be it bespoke, vintage or antique – perhaps a pair […]
No, it’s not a load of bollards, though there is one in the V&A’s latest exhibition, All of This Belongs to You. The stainless steel bollard in question (SP 400 by ATG Access), located amongst the railings and public signs of the ironwork gallery, is the type used in many of our public spaces, including […]
We sometimes hear stories of hermits who have been found after years of being hidden away in remote areas or woods. But now there is a new kind of hermit. The outsider hermit could probably afford a house in a more suburban location, but choses to live in an outsider dwelling in a fairly pukka neighbourhood. Think […]
As we try to escape from the realities and confusion of a frenzied, phoneaholic world in which our every move is monitored, there is a rising demand for privacy and seclusion – and a growing desire to find secret, hidden away spaces. A surprising discovery amidst the crowded backstreets of Tokyo’s Harajuku is The Hideaway […]
More passwords, social networking communities, extra CCTV cameras, software upgrades, downloads, uploads, new apps, friend requests, spam email, viral advertising. People are growing tired of the fast paced digital world and starting to drop out. Some are even resorting to ‘slow apps,’ which can block emails and social network feeds for certain periods of the […]
Scientists have recently confirmed that a fist bump is more hygienic than a handshake. Hands aren’t just in the news, they are appearing everywhere – wrapped around dresses, printed on t-shirts, as brooches, chairs, clasps on bags, cufflinks, door handles, coat hooks and vases. We’ve spotted hands all over the world, on everything from hair bands […]
Adults have become frozen in time, wishing to remain childlike for as long as possible. Women are putting off having children until later in life, if at all. Playful pets have become substitute children for many. Dogs have become a part of the family – people may share their bed with their dog, feed them […]