Meer | English edition

Monday, September 28, 2026

Traffic signs on a Manhattan street corner, highlighting urban semiotics and directional symbolism in New York City, USA

Minimalist interior of an Apple Store in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Night view of a busy street in Shinjuku, Tokyo, illuminated by vibrant neon signs and crowds of pedestrians, Japan

No-turn traffic sign above 7th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, highlighting urban traffic control systems in the USA

Sleek minimalist interior of an Apple Store in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Architecture & Design

The semiotics of visual culture

Signs, symbols, branding, and digital media in the construction of modern meaning

A woman sitting in silence in visible doubt, representing the uncertainty that can arise before taking an important step

When self-doubt becomes the thing holding you back

How hesitation, overthinking, perfectionism and fear can quietly prevent you from taking the steps you are capable of taking

On 28 March 1941, Virginia Woolf ended her life by walking into the River Ouse with stones placed in the pockets of her overcoat. The image recreates this moment in the 2002 film The Hours, directed by Stephen Daldry

Picking rocks with Virginia Woolf

A fictional dialogue on death, beauty, madness, and the silence both women seek

Sergei Parajanov was a Soviet film director and screenwriter known for his poetic, symbolic, and non-linear filmmaking style. He was born on January 9, 1924, in Tbilisi and died on July 20, 1990, in Yerevan at the age of 66

Sergei Parajanov and the soul of the Caucasus

The fusion of Armenian and Georgian traditions into a visionary cinematic language beyond borders and ideology

On the Street

Vanja Udovičić

Vanja Udovičić, an athlete in the office

Interview with the Serbian Minister of Youth and Sports

A symbolic depiction of democratic fragility, where Lady Justice cracks under rising fear, cruelty, and public despair

Economy & Politics

Why Judith Shklar matters today

Her ideas on fear, injustice, and democratic fragility illuminate the uncertainties of our world

Timur, also known as Tamerlane, was a Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire in and around modern-day Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia, becoming the first ruler of the Timurid dynasty

Amir Temur: a symbol of justice and power

The sword of Islam and the architect of an empire

Madonna in custom Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, wearing a dramatic black lace ensemble with a sculptural ship-inspired headpiece and flowing veil during the 2026 Met Gala

The Met Gala: a charity dinner turned spectacle

From high-society fundraiser to global pop culture phenomenon

The human hand extends below the brain

Science & Technology

The brain's role in love, pain, and desire

Navigating the complexities of the human brain and its influence on philosophy and society

Chebakia. Moroccan flavours are widely known all over the world and recognized among the best cuisines in the world, its cuisine is also renowned for its sweets

Food & Beverage

Moroccan pastry

More than just sweets but a symbol of tradition and culture

Architecture & Design

Normann Copenhagen design furniture displayed in an exhibition

Tom Dixon and the art of creative salvage

Punk attitude, recycled materials, and improvisation shaping British design in the 1980s

The iconic façade of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, reflecting the role of bold architectural identity in intuitive navigation

Cognitive cartography and intuitive navigation

How playgrounds reveal the secrets of intuitive architectural design

Art

Catalina Rivera standing in front of Gustav Klimt, Life and Death, 1908-1915. Oil Paint on Canvas. Leopold Museum, Vienna

The Leopold Museum: Vienna’s modernist heart

Encountering Schiele’s raw intensity and the brilliance of Austrian fin-de-siècle art

An artist creating graffiti on a wall

What we really mean by “street art”

How a simple label quietly shapes legitimacy, value, and the way we see art in public space

Culture

Street peddlers selling goods in Boston, USA, around 1915

The peddler’s burden and the meaning of success

A journey from rural hardship to modern pressure, questioning what truly matters in life today

Blombos Cave is a well-known archaeological site located in the Blombos Private Nature Reserve, approximately 300 km east of Cape Town on South Africa’s Southern Cape coast. Its deposits span the Middle Stone Age (c. 100,000–70,000 BP) and the Late Stone Age (2,000–300 BP)

Blombos cave and the birth of the human mind

How red ochre, symbols, and silence marked the dawn of abstract thought

Economy & Politics

A shattered city street bears the scars of conflict, as smoke rises in the distance and silence settles over the ruins of everyday life

War and economic consequences

The financial strain of military spending, infrastructure loss, and disrupted markets

A cruise ship passing through the waters of Cape Horn, Chile, reflecting the region’s pivotal position at the southern tip of South America

Conquering Chile: geopolitics of the Southern cone

A look at the territorial disputes, strategic waterways, and great-power ambitions reshaping the southern tip of South America

Entertainment

Keanu Reeves reflects on turning 50 and recalls his first-ever paid acting job during an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Keanu Reeves and the meaning of what remains

Why his timeless response reveals the emptiness of the Cushion Economy and the importance of slowing down for genuine inner work

Woman relaxing on the couch while choosing a movie to stream and binge-watch at home

The rise of the 24-hour story

The growing dominance of compressed timelines, narrative urgency, and emotional immediacy in modern storytelling

Fashion

A person wearing a bold checkered coat while exploring a flea market, representing the influence of timeless fashion in a rapidly changing industry

Fashion, speed, and the sustainability challenge

How fast fashion changed the industry and continues to shape the future of clothing

A skilled garment worker carries out specialised production tasks at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, photo by International Labour Organization

Farzana Sultana on Bangladesh’s garment industry

A conversation on sourcing, sustainability, and global fashion production

Feature

An Inquisition officer feigns sympathy while interrogating Aldonza’s mother about illegal bathing before trapping her with his words

A night where the incorrect answer could have fatal consequences

A woman in a bright dress walks across a field in the glow of sunset

Nothing and everything at once

A poetic reflection on life’s contradictions, growth, and inner stillness

Food & Beverage

The cozy and inviting interior of Le Petit Dep in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Why Montreal’s coffee and brunch scenes outshines Toronto

The architecture of leisure

A Nepali family sharing a traditional Brahmin meal together on the floor, honoring simplicity, purity, and connection

The Brahman cuisine of Nepal

How purity, tradition, and spirituality shape a distinct culinary heritage

Science & Technology

An antique sundial engraved with zodiac symbols under natural light, representing how scientific observation and pseudoscientific belief have long shared visual traditions

The rise of pseudoscience

How misinformation imitates science and why distinguishing evidence from opinion has never been more important

D-Orbit’s General Expansion Architecture, a system designed to service and support satellites in orbit

The AI operating system for space

Why autonomy is becoming essential for managing orbital infrastructure at scale

Sport

Driven by this unique talent, he maintained decades of world-class performance while remaining an extraordinarily humble legend. Illustration by Paola Bilancieri

Lionel Messi and the dog who played football

Overcoming a childhood growth deficiency and isolation in Barcelona, Messi rose through sheer resilience and an innate, childlike focus on the ball

A girl figure skating gracefully on the ice

The science of ice skating performance

How biomechanics, physics, and psychology shape the elite skater

Travel

The facade of the Six Senses Rome hotel, which includes Palazzo Mellini, part of the Monastery of the Servite Order, and Palazzo Decarolis

Rome, inside and out: timeless magic

Immersing in the perfect blend of relaxation and exploration

Montego Bay, Jamaica's tourism capital, is a vibrant escape known for its white-sand beaches, championship golf courses, and lively nightlife

The Jamaica I actually saw

Challenging fear-based travel narratives through lived experience, cultural memory, and honest storytelling

Wellness

A woman jogging along a scenic waterfront, representing the uplifting impact of regular movement on mental well-being

How physicality shapes mental well-being

A look at how regular movement supports emotional resilience, sharper thinking, and lasting mental well-being

A man walks his dog along the beach as the sun sets over the horizon

Not all escapes are weakness

How stepping away from stress, places, or people can be an act of awareness rather than avoidance

Explore the Calendar

Worldwide Montreal Hamburg Venice Seville Cambridge Prague Warsaw Antwerp St Petersburg New York Ottawa Philadelphia Frankfurt am Main Zurich Dresden Málaga Bloomington Honolulu Vienna Seoul Oshkosh Denver

Yasuda Yukihiko, Camp at Kisegawa (detail), 1940/41. Courtesy of the National Museum of Modern Art

MOMAT collection

29 Sep 2026 — 11 Jan 2027 at The National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, Japan

Gregory Rick, Dancing to the polls (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Johansson Projects

30 Sep — 31 Oct 2026 at the Johansson Projects in Oakland, United States

Sun, moon and five peaks. Courtesy of British Museum

1 Oct 2026 — 31 Jan 2027 at the British Museum in London, United Kingdom

Lucas Blalock, Film-object (Mouth) (detail), 2025, from
Tête-à-tête-à-tête-à-tête-à-tête. Courtesy of the artist and George Eastman Museum

2 Oct 2026 — 11 Apr 2027 at the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, United States

Thierry Boutonnier, Comment expliquer les objectifs de la production laitière aux vaches (detail), 2005. Courtesy of Dom Museum

Animals and humans

2 Oct 2026 — 22 Aug 2027 at the Dom Museum Wien in Vienna, Austria

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Third family, 2011. Courtesy of Moderna Museet

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian's exhibition

3 Oct 2026 — 28 Feb 2027 at the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Sweden

Felicia Chiao, Slice of life (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Harman Projects

3 — 24 Oct 2026 at the Harman Projects in New York, United States

Marshmallow Laser Feast, All that is unseen, exhibition view. Courtesy of Media Majlis Museum

All that is unseen

4 Oct 2026 — 21 Jan 2027 at the Media Majlis Museum in Doha, Qatar

Giovanni Chiaramonte, Via Dolorosa Gerusalemme (detail), 1988. Courtesy of Viasaterna

Giovanni Chiaramonte. Alight

5 Oct — 11 Dec 2026 at Viasaterna in Milan, Italy

Mary Cassatt, Fillette dans un fauteuil bleu [Enfant dans le salon bleu] (detail), 1878. Courtesy of Musée d’Orsay

Mary Cassatt: l'indépendante

6 Oct 2026 — 31 Jan 2027 at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, France

Seba Calfuqueo, Itrofill mongen, opacidad del agua (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

Seba Calfuqueo. Cautín

6 Oct 2026 — 17 Jan 2027 at the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid, Spain

Zurbarán. 1598–1664. Courtesy of Louvre

Zurbarán. 1598–1664

7 Oct 2026 — 25 Jan 2027 at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France

Sculpting colour. Courtesy of Louvre Museum

Sculpting colour

7 Oct 2026 — 25 Jan 2027 at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France

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

Swab’s 19th edition

8 — 11 Oct 2026 at Swab in Barcelona, Spain

Unknown, Help children in need through the Youth Red Cross’s cardboard boxes, Switzerland (detail), 1965. Courtesy of Musée International de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge

Humanitarian, by design?

8 Oct 2026 — 29 Aug 2027 at the Musée international de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge in Geneva, Switzerland

Jordan Nassar, The bursting of shape, 2026. Courtesy of the Third Line

No history of shapes ( ﻻلﺎﻜﺷ ﻸﻟ ﺦﯾرﺎﺗ)

8 — 24 Oct 2026 at The Third Line in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Elizabeth Magill, I’ve never felt magic, crazy as this (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Kerlin Gallery

8 Oct — 14 Nov 2026 at the Kerlin Gallery in Dublin, Ireland

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