Art & Style

View From a Pandemic: A Missing Muse in Sydney

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JO KADLECEK

Living a few blocks from one of the most iconic bridges in the world, I often stroll to the harbor’s edge, spot the Sydney Opera House, and watch ferries come and go into the Circular Quay. Add the backdrop of the crisp, blue Australian sky as sun glistens across the water, and a poem should practically write itself each day.

But when the pandemic hit and we were told to self-isolate, going out only for essentials, the last thing I felt was inspired.

View From a Pandemic: An Artist in China

TEXT AND IMAGES BY ERQING XU

Erqing Xu, a graphic designer in Shanghai, invites us into her pandemic experiences and some of the art they led her to create.

View From a Pandemic: Bath, U.K.

PHOTO ESSAY BY SARAH CONNER

Lockdown for me has revealed a strange sense of calm living alongside the fear and uncertainty in the world at the moment. Towns and cities lie deserted, and there is empty space where humans once were. Lockdown has given me the time to pause, become more aware of my immediate surroundings, and see the beauty that exists within this stillness. The following photos capture small moments of peace I have felt during lockdown.

The Living Desert

STORY AND PHOTOS BY HEATHER M. SURLS

Our correspondent based in Jordan introduces us to a burgeoning project that will provide a garden respite for the public while preserving Jordan’s floral heritage for researchers.

Bon Appétit: Discover France’s Gratin Dauphinois

A VIDEO REPORT BY BILL DIEM

In a Culture Keeper first, at least in recent memory, we bring you a recipe! In a video report narrated in French (never fear, non-French speaker, we’ve included some English text for you), Bill Diem takes us from the market to the kitchen to a dinner table surrounded by friends ready to enjoy the evening’s star dish. Along the way he sheds some light on the history of this representative of France’s reputed culinary traditions.

Masolino’s Annunciation

STORY BY JANE POTTHAST

In a holiday season full of the wonder of childhood delight mixed with the hopes and burdens of adults, our contributor Jane Potthast stumbles upon a favorite painting from childhood and wonders whether it holds something new for her now.

Rotterdam’s Solko Schalm and His Art

ARTICLE BY MIRTHE SMEETS

ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY SOLKO SCHALM

Before being translated to English for our Culture Keeper audience, Dutch journalist Mirthe Smeets’s interview with painter Solko Schalm was first published in Vers Beton, a Dutch online magazine focused on engaging the people of Rotterdam in understanding their city as it changes and develops. Rotterdam is the Netherlands’ second largest city and Europe’s largest port. Enjoy this interview with one of its artists!

The Anatomy of David

STORY AND PHOTOS BY TOBI AMOSUN

Physician Tobi Amosun takes us along on her recent trip to Florence, where her science knowledge helps us better understand just how magnificent an accomplishment Michelangelo’s David is.

I had dreamed for years of going to Italy with friends for my 40th birthday.

This past summer, that dream trip happened.

A Painted Street in Jabal Amman

STORY BY HEATHER M. SURLS

Heather Surls introduces us to two young artists adding paint to public walls for an annual street art festival in Amman, Jordan. Check here for more of Heather’s reports from life in Amman.

Returning Home to Inspiration

STORY BY HEATHER M. SURLS

Heather Surls introduces us to a young designer who has found unexpected inspiration back home in Jordan—both design inspiration and inspiration in terms of whom she employs.