Meer | English edition

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

The Darnley Portrait of Elizabeth I of England—named after a former owner—is believed to have been painted from life. It established the facial template known as the “Mask of Youth,” which shaped authorized portraits of the queen for decades

Near-contemporary painting of Anne Boleyn, 1550

An Allegory of the Tudor Succession: The Family of Henry VIII

Portrait of Henry VIII (after 1537). Oil on canvas. Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK

A digitally restored version of Joos van Cleve’s portrait of Henry VIII

Power, spectacle, and the Tudor silhouette

How the theatrical fashion of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I continues to shape modern ideas of authority, excess, and visual dominance

Jean-Marie Appriou (born 1986 in Brest, France) is a French sculptor whose work combines mythology, symbolism, and material transformation. He lives and works in Paris, portrayed by Claire Dorn

Jean-Marie Appriou and the art of passage

From Dante and ancient Egypt to fire and bronze, the artist reflects on sculpture as a threshold between worlds

Asmaa Galal is an Egyptian actress who began her career in television in 2017 before steadily making her way into Egyptian cinema

Asmaa Galal and the art of quiet ascent

As En Ghab El Qott leads the box office, her rise reflects discipline, restraint, and performance over spectacle

Four newly graduates stare peacefully at the horizon, asking themselves what the next step is

Economy & Politics

Entering a new chapter full of unknowns

Transition from graduation: career planning, building new social networks, and embracing personal growth

On the Street

Traditional Chinese Medicine can help us enhance wellbeing and health

Traditional Chinese Medicine way of life

Chinese methods how to achieve perfect health

Nanjing Memorial Hall, Outdoor Sculpture

Architecture & Design

Remembering the Nanjing Massacre

Memorial Hall for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by the Japanese Invaders

Michael Schumacher and Jean Todt celebrating at the Imola circuit in 2006 at San Marino, Italy

Ferrari and Michael Schumacher’s road to glory

A driver and constructor combination that ignited the success of the prancing horses

The "Turkish Gate" popularly known by the name "Rumi Darwaza" is a historical landmark in the city of Nawabs, Lucknow, India

Lucknow’s culinary journey to UNESCO fame

Melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and saffron-scented desserts mark Lucknow’s timeless Awadhi cuisine as a true global treasure

A doctor examining a patient who has an autoimmune disease

Science & Technology

Autoimmune diseases

How do they work?

Illustrated folio from a dispersed Ramayana series, created in the late 18th century in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India. This delicate painting, now housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art (accession number 1976.15), captures the serene moment when Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana visit the sage Bharadvaja’s forest hermitage. Rendered in the refined Pahari style, the scene reflects the grace, devotion, and lyrical naturalism characteristic of Kangra painting, with its lush landscape and gentle emotional expression

The Mlecchas in Hindu mythology

Outsiders, others, and the guardians of the margins

Architecture & Design

A parametric architectural space where complex geometry shapes both form and experience

Parametric design and the question of function

Rethinking the balance between algorithmic aesthetics and human-centered performance in contemporary design

A contemporary airport terminal where architecture, daylight, and greenery come together to create a calm, intuitive, and human-centered travel environment

Designing the airport for the human journey

How user-centered architecture is reshaping travel experiences

Art

Installation view of ID.exe / the human patch, featuring the artwork Habitat no. 6 (2025, Diasec print, 140 × 80 cm, Ed. 3+1, solo exhibition by Ecem Dilan Köse, Art On Istanbul, 2025. Photo © Kayhan Kaygusuz, courtesy of the artist and Art On Istanbul

Ecem Dilan Köse: architectures of emergence

Digital environments, artificial life, and the ethics of perception

The Trustees in the Temporary Elgin Room, 1819, by Archibald Archer, depicts the Elgin Marbles at the British Museum surrounded by museum staff, a trustee, and visitors

Repatriation and the politics of cultural belonging

Colonial legacies, cultural justice, and the future of global heritage

Culture

A quiet moment of reflection where mathematics and philosophy converge—logic, doubt, and reasoning unfolding in a solitary search for understanding

Two sides of the same coin

How mathematics and philosophy meet in logic, doubt, and understanding

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice is a sacred space for truth-telling and reflection about racial terror in America and its legacy

Untold and untaught history: declaration of truth

A necessary apology and reparation for years of injustice based upon the legacy of enslavement

Economy & Politics

Renewable energy landscapes rise in sunlight while the shadows of heavy industry linger in the distance—a visual metaphor for the shifting balance of global power generation

Energy futures: the Hobbits are winning

How wind and solar are overtaking the nuclear renaissance myth

A solitary drummer in a Jamaican interior, where rhythm carries memory, resistance, and the unfinished struggle against Babylon

Beyond Bob Marley: the sound of resistance

How reggae became a global language of decolonization, memory, and revolt

Entertainment

The statue of Frédéric Chopin is a large bronze sculpture designed by Wacław Szymanowski, located in the upper part of Warsaw’s Royal Baths Park, near Aleje Ujazdowskie

Where Chopin’s heart belongs

Exile, memory, and the quiet journey from private longing to public landmark

The Boys is an American satirical superhero series that follows a group of vigilantes confronting corrupt superpowered figures who are publicly celebrated as heroes by the corporation Vought International

The death of the invincible hero

Why modern audiences prefer flawed survivors to flawless saviours

Fashion

A K-pop-inspired group styled in layered monochrome looks, representing the theatrical fashion narratives central to idol culture

When style meets sound: the fashion power of K-pop

How Korean pop music became one of the most influential forces in global fashion

Dr Carolyn Mair is a British cognitive and behavioral psychologist who specializes in understanding how clothing and fashion influence human behavior, identity, and decision-making

Dr Carolyn Mair on the psychology of fashion

Why what we wear reflects who we are and how we think

Feature

A father and son sit across from each other in silence, their tension shaped by control, performance, and the unseen weight of being watched

Puppets without strings

In a world without scripts, the truth becomes the most dangerous act

Hands joined around a fresh coconut under sunlit palms, symbolising loyalty that survived time and separation

A story of how a Vietnamese refugee and a Filipino coconut seller find connection and hope in the unlikeliest of places

Food & Wine

Bariva wrapped in banana leaves, a cherished symbol of identity and heritage in Papua New Guinea's Rigo district, embodying centuries of tradition and community pride

Bariva: traditional dish of Papua New Guinea's Rigo district

Explore the heritage and preparation of Bariva, a symbol of unity and culinary artistry

Tongba is a millet-based alcoholic beverage found in the eastern mountainous region of Nepal

Tongba is not a drink

On warmth, patience, and the quiet ritual of fermented millet in the Himalayan cold

Science & Technology

A patient receiving a non-invasive laser-assisted procedure, reflecting the growing preference for treatments with minimal downtime

The minimally invasive revolution

How non-surgical treatments are reshaping cosmetic medicine through safer, faster, and more accessible procedures

A moment of interaction between artificial intelligence and diverse communities, reflecting how technology is beginning to engage with culture, context, and human connection across borders

Can AI understand culture?

Language, identity, and the thin line between reflection and appropriation

Sport

Diego Maradona carried the hopes of entire nations on his shoulders while introducing an unquantifiable magic to the football pitch

Is Maradona Football’s G.O.A.T.?

The life, legend, and unmatched magic of Diego Maradona, the boy from the shantytowns who reshaped the game

Inside a professional football locker room in Paris, Île-de-France, France

The economic weight of the closet in professional sports

A critical analysis of LGBTQ+ athletes in professional sports

Travel

The scenic canal views of Ljubljana, Slovenia, reflecting the city’s elegance and timeless charm

5 underrated cities worth exploring in 2026

Walking through cities where culture flourishes naturally through food, music, architecture, and the pace of everyday life

The Majorelle Garden is a one-hectare (two-acre) botanical and artist-designed landscape garden in Marrakesh, Morocco

Lost, found, and almost broken in Morocco

A journey through Marrakech’s medina, where hospitality and hostility share the same streets

Wellness

A woman quietly enduring pain at home, symbolising the isolation often associated with chronic women’s health conditions

The hidden cost of women’s health conditions

How delayed PMOS (formerly PCOS) and endometriosis diagnoses affect women’s health, careers, and daily life

A group of women practicing Tai Chi in nature, representing the benefits of balance, coordination, and mindful movement

Why strength and mobility matter in menopause

How strength training, mobility work, and balance exercises support healthy aging and long-term vitality

Discover our authors

Abhishek Rao

Lou Farrell

Gloria Pia Malandra

Gloria Pia Malandra

Etienne Darcas

Omar Sabah

Boris Cizelj

Despina Nicola

César Chelala

Gregory Alias

Sudeep Neupane

Explore the Calendar

Worldwide Buenos Aires Brussels Singapore Lisbon New York Denver Seville Chicago Copenhagen Venice Santiago Thessaloniki San Francisco Cambridge Nuremberg Hamburg Salzburg Kobarid Linz Riga Bloomington Ljubljana

Rekha Rodwittiya, Home is wherever you are (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Sakshi Gallery

Unfolding narratives (...)

30 Jun — 8 Jul 2026 at the Mall Galleries in London, United Kingdom

Lost at sea. Courtesy of Galleria d'arte Triphè

30 Jun — 15 Jul 2026 at the Galleria d’arte Triphè in Rome, Italy

Susie Hamilton, Plumper (Bather) /5 (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Paul Stolper Gallery

1 Jul — 14 Aug 2026 at the Paul Stolper Gallery in London, United Kingdom

Yacout Hamdouch, Une haie de volubilis à Carvoeiro (A hedge of morning glories in Carvoeiro) (detail), 2026. Courtesy the artist and October Gallery

Poetic threads. Spotlight: James Barnor

2 Jul — 15 Aug 2026 at the October Gallery in London, United Kingdom

Mary Case, Terra incognita (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Wally Workman Gallery

Mary Case and Lindsy Halleckson's exhibition

2 — 26 Jul 2026 at the Wally Workman Gallery in Austin, United States

Carolina Caycedo, The collapsing of a model (detail), 2019. Courtesy of MASP

Carolina Caycedo: confluences

3 Jul — 4 Oct 2026 at the MASP in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Nathan Oliveira, Head (detail). Courtesy of LewAllen Galleries

Bay area existentialist

3 Jul — 1 Aug 2026 at the LewAllen Galleries in Santa Fe, United States

Joan Miró, Gaudí XIII, (detail) 1979. Courtesy of Casa Batlló
Contemporary. Fundació Joan
Miró, Barcelona © Successió Miró, 2026

Gaudí-Miró-Gomis: deconstructed

8 Jul 2026 — 10 Jan 2027 at the Casa Batlló Contemporary in Barcelona, Spain

Thaier Helal, Essence 4 (detail), 2021. Courtesy of Ayyam Gallery

Tangerine dreams

8 Jul — 18 Sep 2026 at the Ayyam Gallery in London, United Kingdom

Ailsa Wong, The tides of night (detail). Courtesy of Sin Sin Fine Art

10 Jul — 12 Sep 2026 at the Sin Sin Fine Art in Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Stuart Elliott, Mauve dump D (detail), 2025. Courtesy of Art Collective WA

11 Jul — 8 Aug 2026 at the Art Collective WA in Perth, Australia

Rachel Coad, Super eighteen (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Art Collective WA

Rachel Coad. Time

11 Jul — 8 Aug 2026 at the Art Collective WA in Perth, Australia

Billy Schenck, Gratuitous violence (detail). Courtesy of JoAnne Artman Gallery

Technicolor west

1 Sep — 31 Oct 2026 at the JoAnne Artman Gallery in Laguna Beach, United States

Ellen Bradshaw, Spring fever, 10th Ave and 25th Sta (detail). Courtesy of Pleiades Gallery

Every street has a story

8 Sep — 3 Oct 2026 at the Pleiades Gallery in New York, United States

Keerthana Kunnath, Not what you saw. Courtesy of Foam

Not what you saw

18 Sep — 27 Nov 2026 at the Foam in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Franz Gertsch, Patti Smith I (detail), 1978. Courtesy of Museum Franz Gertsch

Franz Gertsch. Blow-up (Part II)

19 Sep 2026 — 28 Feb 2027 at the Museum Franz Gertsch in Burgdorf, Switzerland

Swab’s 2025 edition, exhibition view. Courtesy of Swab

Swab’s 19th edition

8 — 11 Oct 2026 at Swab in Barcelona, Spain

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