At London fashion week, sculpting is fashion’s not-so-distant cousin, and floristry is Daniel del Valle’s best friend, maybe baking too, if we’re being generous. Thevxlley’s debut (spelled cryptically for what is, ultimately, the valley), was the natural result. Very original, rooted, and could honestly double as an art exhibition. Whether it’s really wearable is still up to discussion (I’d happily do it, for the record).
The collection was named ‘The Narcissist’ and it was in no rush. The preparation was three years long, and it showed, in the best way possible. Daniel del Valle is a small town guy, a small town near Andalusia’s Seville kind of guy. At 19, he landed in London and survived the classic restaurant grind, until he floated into the florist world with Paul Thomas Flowers, a luxury staple where arranging blooms meets high-end London. At some point he worked with Michaela Stark, underwear that literally bends bodies, (which shows too), before going solo.
With the first note of the grand piano echoing, sitting in a corner of a delicate room at the Ladbroke Hall, what looked more like sculptures than garments started coming down the runway. The opening bodice could pass for armor, if armor wore ribbons and sculpted flowers, a tip of the hat to his grandmother, the one who handed him a needle as a kid. Then came bodices made entirely from little pots, mosaics with a vase here, an ashtray there. At some point, my eyes landed on what I swear were pain de mie, those very French loaves of bread with the impossibly soft crust. Not sure I nailed the category, but bread it was, a piece made in collaboration with his father, a baker back home, of course. This was exactly the moment I thought it couldn’t get any wilder, but boy, was I wrong.
What followed was a trio of silhouettes that could have been urns. The first was ceramic, in a blue-and-white floral pattern that instantly took me to a Greek island. The second was covered in snail shells, taking me from a tropical forest to a Parisian diner. The third took me back to the first. It was structured like a wooden crinoline with tiny vases nestling in its gaps, each blooming with its own flowers, some practically blue-and-white doppelgängers. Seven looks later, and a dress had its very own table. Guess what was on it…
Most of these pieces made me question whether they could survive off the model, but Del Valle cleared it with Vogue, “Ideally, I see the pieces in a gallery space or a museum. I know it’s a fashion collection, but I consider the pieces as sculptures, not garments. And when I designed them, I was also thinking how they would work as an object, not just as clothes.”
How Australians choose to enjoy their leisure time varies greatly depending on their attitude to life and where they might mix socially. Drinks parties aren’t for everyone, mixing and having to endure small talk to keep up appearances. For many, being able to relax in one’s own space is the perfect remedy to forget about life’s stresses, without going anywhere near an alcohol bottle.
Recreational smoking, having obtained quality products from a licensed shop, sometimes online, so that location is no barrier to the enjoyment, is something that is far less taboo than it was to previous generations. Specialist products, such as the quality Bongs Australia produces, are particularly popular among the smoking fraternity, for several sound reasons.
A bong is usually used to smoke cannabis. It consists of a vertical chamber partially filled with water, a bowl where the material is placed, and a stem that connects the bowl to the water chamber. When the material is ignited, and the user inhales through the mouthpiece, smoke is drawn down through the stem, bubbles through the water, and then rises into the main chamber before being inhaled. This cools the smoke and filters out some heavier particles, with the smoke losing some heat and sometimes depositing a portion of ash and residue in the liquid, with many smokers perceiving this as making the experience smoother compared to those who smoke using dry pipes. The cooling effect created by water filtration makes it a particularly popular device, as it feels less harsh on the throat compared to smoke drawn directly from a dry pipe or hand-rolled product, with the bubbling process reducing the immediate heat sensation, adding smoothness.
The partial trapping of heavier particles, such as ash, results in fewer solid particles reaching the mouth. Over time, residue builds up in the water, which reinforces the idea that some material has been filtered out, with bongs allowing smoke to accumulate in the chamber before inhalation. This can create a more concentrated inhalation compared to devices that produce smaller, continuous draws. Some users prefer this because it provides them with a stronger effect in a shorter time. However, it should be noted that stronger inhalations may also increase exposure to harmful substances in a shorter period.
The variety of materials and designs is seen as an attraction of a bong, such as glass, acrylic, and ceramic, with them coming in many different shapes and sizes. Some users enjoy the craftsmanship or aesthetic appeal of glass models, particularly those with intricate designs or added features like percolators. Some buyers see the appeal of a bong in its functionality as well as being a collectable, with design preferences playing a significant role in purchase decisions. Compared to disposable smoking products, bongs are reusable devices, meaning that once purchased, they can be maintained and cleaned repeatedly, making them a sound investment.
Bongs can make the smoking experience smoother and more enjoyable, while using a device that is also visually attractive, which adds to owning one.
Sculpture has a particular kind of presence that many other art forms don’t, occupying space, casting shadows and requesting attention from all angles. Here are six sculptors whose work will help nurture your appreciation for the artistic practice:
Born in Rome to Iraqi artists,Jaber carves in Carrara marble, the same material Michelangelo used, but with very different goals. His figures are distorted, fragmented and deliberately damaged. With the body being used as a metaphor for socio-political dynamics, Jaber’s work tells stories of violence and the fragility of the human form.
Personett earned her MFA in sculpture from the New York Academy of Art and studied stone carving through a residency in Carrara, Italy,before building her career as a portrait sculptor in Brooklyn. She now teaches at the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. Her figurative work – frequently heads and carefully positioned figures – possesses real psychological density.
Trained at Grand Central Atelier in New York, Dufour has an impressive list of large-scale public commissions behind her, including portrait sculptures for the National Museum of African American History and Culture at the Smithsonian and a bust for UC Berkeley. Dufour has a particular gift for capturing raw human expression in three dimensions: forehead wrinkles, the specific tension around the eyes in a moment of grief or longing. Her goal is to achieve balance between “the physical and philosophical, form and concept” in her artwork.
A Hong Kong-based sculptor best known for his porcelain works, Tsang merges realist technique with a surrealist imagination, crafting human faces contorted into extreme expressions or bowls that appear to liquefy at their edges. He was a police officer for over a decade before leaving to work in ceramics full time, and has said that the darkness he encountered on the force left an indelible mark on his creative perspective.
Andrea Blasich @andreblasichsculpture For nearly thirty years, Blasich worked as a sculptor in the film industry,creating character maquettes for DreamWorks, Pixar, Disney and Sony, with credits including Brave and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Born and trained in Milan, he credits classical masters like Michelangelo and Bernini as inspirations, and his personal sculptures carry that same attention to form and weight.
Conn is a figurative sculptor based in Oxfordshire, known for her bronze and bronze resin work, and was selected as the only UK sculptor for Sculpture by the Sea 2025 at Bondi Beach in Australia.She came to sculpture relatively late, discovering it after a period of significant personal difficulty, and went on to complete nearly a decade of academic art education including studies at Central Saint Martins.
Sneha Shrestha, known artistically as IMAGINE, is a Nepali artist whose practice bridges her native Devanagari script with the visual language of graffiti handstyles. Her work advocates for the preservation of living cultures within contemporary art, insisting that language, ritual and memory remain active and not just archival. Working across painting, murals and sculpture, Shrestha moves fluidly between meditative abstraction and large-scale public intervention.
Her work balances cultural and political concerns with a deep commitment to material and story telling. In some bodies of work, she foregrounds calligraphic repetition drawn from Sanskrit scriptures and immigration documents, transforming language into meditative fields of colour and gesture. In others, she shifts toward architectural scale and sculptural presence, exploring guardianship, migration and belonging through brass, steel and site-responsive installation. Across mediums, her central themes include cultural continuity, diaspora identity and the creation of spaces that foster reflection, protection and pride.
Shrestha’s sculpture Dwarpalika was acquired by the Harvard Art Museums and is currently on long term view. She is the first contemporary Nepali artist to enter the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston with her painting Home416. She is the recipient of the James and Audrey Foster Prize from the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston. Her public sculpture in Queens, New York, created in partnership with the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art for the New York City Department of Transportation, was recognised by Our Culture magazine as one of five innovative examples of public art. Her monumental sculpture Calling the Earth to Witness was commissioned by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
I have loved painting and drawing for as long as I can remember as a child growing up in Kathmandu. Painting, especially, was something I naturally gravitated toward, which remains true to this day. At the same time, being an artist was not in my vocabulary, and I hadn’t even met an artist yet, so I didn’t know it was something one can do as a profession. Art was simply something I kept doing because it felt right. The idea that this could be my job came later. What started as instinct slowly became purpose.
Language, especially Nepali and Sanskrit, lies at the heart of your work – as does graffiti. What drew you to script and text as an artistic medium, and how did graffiti culture shape the way you work with mantras and spiritual themes?
Graffiti entered my life through my mentor Rob “ProBlak” Gibbs, who introduced me to murals and lettering at the same time. I did not grow up with graffiti culture in Nepal, so I was learning it fresh, with a lot of enthusiasm and curiosity. I was drawn to lettering styles, how artists could stretch and bend forms with colours, giving letters so much personality. Looking at letters as images opened something up for me. At some point I asked myself, what would happen if I wrote in Nepali instead? I learned to write in Nepali before I learned English, so those letterforms come more naturally to me. Stylising Devanagari allowed me to really find my voice and make the work my own.
Over time, I began mixing that foundation with the mindfulness practices I grew up with in Nepal. I slowed down and used more brushwork. Writing the same letter or mantra again and again felt meditative. That evolution led me to the style I work in now.
I want Devanagari to have a presence alongside the aesthetic lettering traditions of the world. These scripts carry centuries of history and are still living languages. They deserve to be seen within contemporary art and public space.
Sneha painting a site-specific installation at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston. Photo by Jane Louie.
“IMAGINE” is your mother’s name translated into English. Can you talk about choosing this as your artist name?
I chose “IMAGINE” as my artist name because it is a translation of my mother’s name, Kalpana, which means imagination. When I first moved to the United States, I was new, far from home, and I missed my mom deeply. I still do. Taking her name in translation felt like a way to keep her close to my heart while building a life and career in a different country. Signing with her name became a reminder of her strength and of what she instilled in me about the importance of culture.
Your immigration journey clearly shapes your art, particularly the Celebration series. You’ve said it cost you “the most valuable thing in life – time with family.” How do you hope your work transforms the way people see the immigrant experience?
Leaving home meant missing birthdays, rituals, ordinary dinners and the small moments that hold a family together. When I say it cost me the most valuable thing in life, I mean that I can’t take back that time and I am conscious of what had to be given up in order to be where I am.
The Celebration series comes from that place. Each painting layers Nepali calligraphic forms drawn from the names of immigration documents people are required to complete over many years. The colour palettes are inspired by festive clothing worn by my mom during cultural celebrations that took place while the artist was away from home in Kathmandu. Even in her daughter’s absence, my mom continued to uphold traditions, dressing for celebrations and moving through life with dignity and resolve. The paintings carry the love and resilience of our loved ones across immigration distances.
Installation View of Celebration series at Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston. Photo by Mel Taing
What has been the proudest moment of your artistic career so far?
Being able to express myself in the most authentic way I can while simultaneously carrying my people with me and doing this as my career… All of it brings me so much joy and pride, so it’s hard to find the “proudest” moment.
I can tell you about my day yesterday, when I spoke about my recently acquired sculpture, Dwarpalika, at the Harvard Art Museums. I felt a lot of pride because the structure of the sculpture is inspired by the arched doorways of temples and traditional Newari homes in Kathmandu. The sculpture includes unsealed brass, a material historically used in ritual objects in Nepal and South Asia. Brass naturally patinas over time and is traditionally polished before important ceremonies. During the acquisition process, we discussed how the museum would care for the work. The brass can oxidise and be polished again, continuing the cycle of renewal that exists in its cultural context. It was important to me that the conversation include not just the preservation of the object, but the preservation of the tradition connected to it.
Museums shape how cultures are seen, understood and valued and… I feel pride that even long after I’m gone, Dwarpalika can contribute to keeping ancient traditions and narratives alive. It is so important for cultural stories to be told from and by the people of the culture.
The title Dwarpalika means temple guardian in Sanskrit, and I think of the work as guarding narratives and living traditions.
Dwarpalika, sculpture recently acquired by the Harvard Art Museums. Photo by Jane Louie
A few months into 2026, are there any artists or exhibitions inspiring you right now?
An exhibition that has deeply inspired me is An Indigenous Present, curated by Jeffrey Gibson and Jenelle Porter at the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston. The show brings together Native North American artists working across abstraction in various mediums. There was so much to love about this show: it was powerful to see an artist collaborate with an institution to tell an authentic story. What I loved most is how the exhibition challenges the conventional framing of what “Indigenous art” is. It shows works made by elders and emerging artists, showing that cultural lineage and history is not something fixed or archival. I was inspired to think that maybe even more marginalised cultures can be seen in the present moment with ongoing cultural presence and living cultures as parts of active contemporary conversations.
Caroline Monnet’s work especially stood out to me. Monnet engages abstraction and architecture, and creates these visually strong structures that tell stories from her Indigenous knowledge systems. This really resonated with my own practice.
Mushrooms have always held a significant place in human culture. In parts of Eastern and Northern Europe, autumn mushroom picking is a cosy, community-fostering ritual passed between generations; in the Netherlands, where psilocybin truffles are legally regulated, research continues to explore their therapeutic potential when used in controlled settings. Even in countries like the UK, public curiosity around fungi has grown in recent years.
That renewed fascination is reflected in publishing, too. Books such as Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake have helped bring the intelligence and interconnectedness of fungal networks into mainstream conversation. As science uncovers more about their ecological and psychological significance, artists and photographers have also been turning their attention to the strange beauty of the mushroom world.
Here are four artists placing mushrooms at the centre of their creative practice.
Moritz Schmid is a German photographer and mushroom coach whose Instagram celebrates fungi with meticulously arranged flatlays and forest scenes that highlight their diversity and delicate forms. What makes his work so compelling is the way it marries scientific curiosity and woodland reverence, turning each species into a quiet visual story drawn from his walks and foraging retreats.
California-based Alison Pollack specialises in macro photography of Myxomycetes and fungi, guided by the motto ‘The smaller they are, the more they fascinate me!’. Her work makes the often-overlooked world of mycology feel intimate and quietly luminous. The images are so richly detailed they seem almost painted, each one an argument for looking more closely at the beauty of our natural world.
The artist Kanako has cultivated a creative account that highlights the funky, serene and psychedelic mushroom visuals. She sculpts and paints brightly coloured, shimmery mushroom pendants, often alongside adorable characters.
Mushroom Root’s feed makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a fairytale woodland cottage and been wrapped in a blanket. A self-taught ceramicist who has been at the wheel for over sixteen years, Hannah makes mugs, bowls and decorative pieces that add an enchanting aura to any space, with a frequently recurring mushroom motif. The kind of art you want to appreciate on a slow morning.
We’re on that delicious cusp of winter to spring, slowly stepping away from reading indoors cooped up in a blanket with a cup of tea and inching towards a book on a park bench with your first iced latte of the season (am I getting ahead of myself?). As we bid February farewell, here are four of our favourite book covers released this month. And if you’re guilty of judging books by their covers, you may even feel inspired to read them.
Clutch by Emily Nemens Cover design by Beth Steidle (Tin House/Zando, February 3)
This cover is sparse yet dramatic. The bright red does an excellent job of creating intrigue and swallowing everything up, in contrast to the figure in white who seems to almost dissolve into the background. The image is Wayne Thiebaud’s Supine Woman, chosen by cover designer Beth Steidle, and it’s a smart pairing. The novel follows five college friends, two decades later, navigating the biggest challenges of their lives, and Nemens has described it as an ode to friendship.
They by Helle Helle, translated by Martin Aitken Cover design by Erik Carter (New Directions, 10 February)
Artsy, print-like, crunchy… A scrumptious cover that would double nicely as a large poster in a well-lit flat. The designer behind it is Erik Carter, a New York-based graphic designer and art director whose work draws from video game culture, early digital aesthetics and critical design, and who has made covers and illustrations for the New York Times, The New Yorker and Pitchfork.
Emilio Pucci by Terence Ward and Idanna Pucci
(Macmillan, February 10)
The black and white figure set against those blue-brown tones, the 3D effect of a figure standing in front of a giant letter C, the photograph itself – there’s a lot going on, and it captures your attention. The book inside is equally compelling: a biography that focuses primarily on Pucci’s wartime life, co-written by his niece Idanna Pucci and her husband Terence Ward, following the designer through Nazi-occupied Italy.
How to Disappear and Why by Kyle Minor Cover design by Danika Isdahl (Sarabande, February 24)
This one carries a darker, more ominous energy – the TV-like visuals and eye symbols raise tension and questions immediately. The designer is Danika Isdahl, an award-winning book designer whose cover for Hotel Almighty was selected as an AIGA 2020 50 Books/50 Covers winner, with previous work for authors including Sandra Cisneros.
To celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month, here are four queer ceramicists whose work is well worth your attention. Queer history is rich with artists who used clay as a medium of self-expression, and these four are continuing that tradition in ways that feel alive and motivational.
A ceramics artist from Houston, Texas, Sequeira graduated with a BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in ceramics from the University of North Texas and is currently working as an artist in residence at KC Clay Guild in Kansas City, Missouri.Their work weaves together trans identity and a deep connection to matriarchal lineage, combining wire, textile and ceramic as a nod to the seamstress grandmother and jeweller mother who shaped them.
Catalina Cheng’s ceramic work pulls from traditional blue and white Chinese porcelain, reimagined through the lens of a queer, Colombian-Chinese first-generation American experience. Quirky phrases and punchy one-liners sit alongside gentler pieces, with messages of care and romanticism.
A self-described ‘clay bender,’ Addis is a ceramicist who creates pottery in Minneapolis. Their work has a striking visual range, from intricate, tattoo-like snake motifs to earthy-toned vessels that feel rooted in something more ancient. There is a remarkably soothing quality to their pieces.
Revivals can be hit-or-miss. If the show has been off the air for a long time, even more so. That doesn’t seem to be a problem from Scrubs, which is currently making a successful comeback 15 years after it wrapped up.
The sitcom is back with a new season on Disney+ in the UK, boasting the same winning combination of humour and heart. Plus, it’s currently enjoying a solid amount of online buzz and positive reviews from critics. Could this mean a season 2 order is on the way?
Scrubs (2026) Season 2 Release Date
At the time of writing, the Scrubs revival hasn’t been officially picked up for more episodes. Most likely, the powers that be are waiting to assess viewership before making a decision either way.
The show’s creator, Bill Lawrence, told Deadline that Ken Jenkins, who played Bob Kelso in the original, will appear in season 2, as long as the show is renewed. In other words, he’s not expecting this to be a one-and-done affair.
If all goes well, Scrubs (2026) season 2 could arrive in early 2027.
Scrubs (2026) Cast
Zach Braff as John Michael “J.D.” Dorian
Donald Faison as Christopher Turk
Sarah Chalke as Elliot Reid
John C. McGinley as Perry Cox
Judy Reyes as Carla Espinosa
Vanessa Bayer as Sibby Wilson
Joel Kim Booster as Dr. Kevin Park
What Is Scrubs (2026) About?
Scrubs returns with a fresh chapter at the same location, Sacred Heart Hospital.
The revival picks up with Dr. John “J.D.” Dorian and Dr. Christopher Turk together again in the halls where their medical careers began. Now seasoned attendings, they have to navigate a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.
Still goofy, J.D. and Turk step into mentorship roles, guiding a new generation of interns through the moments that define life in a teaching hospital. Dr. Elliot Reid is very much in the picture, too, but her relationship with J.D. is on rocky territory. Expect to see other familiar faces as well.
If you enjoyed the original series, the revival hits the same beats, so there’s plenty here to love. The list includes daydream sequences, touching interactions, and a lot of jokes. Whether that’s enough to win over a new generation of fans, it remains to be seen.
Whether or not Scrubs (2026) season 2 becomes reality, there’s still a big chunk of season 1 to come. Episodes arrive weekly on Disney+, with the finale scheduled for April.
Are There Other Shows Like Scrubs (2026)?
If you like the combination of heartbreak and laughs that Scrubs is known for, check out Ted Lasso, Shrinking, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and The Good Place.
Two months into the new year, we’ve already been gifted so much moving, wacky, wonderful and immersive music to listen to. The releases feel extra special when the album artwork matches tone of the record or even elevates it. Here are four visual artists to recognise for all they add to the listening experience.
Marc Burckhardt, Mitski – Nothing’s About to Happen to Me
27 February marked the release of Mitski’s new album. The cover art is the work of Marc Burckhardt, a Texas-born painter and illustrator mixing oil and acrylic paints in a modern variation of Old Masters techniques.His client list spans Gucci, Rolling Stone and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he has spoken about his love of working across different art forms. This cover is the result of a collaboration he has described as one of particular mutual respect.
Ariel Fisher, Lala Lala – Heaven 2
Ariel Fisher is a filmmaker and photographer hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the Atlantic and Vogue among others. The striking promotional images for Lala Lala’s alternative pop record Heaven 2 demonstrate Fisher’s signature eye for quiet intimacy with a touch of the uncanny.
Vicky Huang, Ira Dot – In Blue Time
Ira Dot is the project of Canadian musicians Ryan Akler-Bishop and Eddy Wang, whose work spans electroacoustic rock, ambient techno and pop. The cover art and liner notes were painted by Vicky Huang – the glowy-eyed blue cat staring out from the cover is a perfect visual entry point into an album that is stranger and warmer than it first appears.
Sam Bielanski, PONY – Clearly Cursed
Impressively, the artwork for PONY’s third album was made entirely in-house. Frontwoman Sam Bielanski and guitarist Matty Morand created all the visuals for the record, including the videos for all five singles. The result feels completely of a piece with the album: sparkly and bittersweet. Layout contributions came from drummer Joey Ginaldi.
Post-apocalyptic series Paradise is back with season 2, which takes the action outside the Colorado bunker. With a strong cast and the kind of plot you can’t look away from, it’s a show tailor-made for thriller and sci-fi enthusiasts.
So much so that, despite the second season having just premiered on Disney+ in the UK, some fans are wondering whether a third outing may be in the cards. Here’s what we know so far.
Paradise Season 3 Release Date
At the time of writing, Paradise hasn’t been officially picked up for more episodes. That said, we’re cautiously optimistic.
All in all, things are looking good. Timeline-wise, Paradise season 3 might arrive sometime in early 2027.
Paradise Cast
Sterling K. Brown as Xavier Collins
Julianne Nicholson as Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond
Sarah Shahi as Gabriela Torabi
Nicole Brydon Bloom as Jane Driscoll
James Marsden as Cal Bradford
Krys Marshall as Nicole Robinson
Enuka Okuma as Teri Rogers-Collins
Shailene Woodley as Annie Clay
Thomas Doherty as Link
What Could Happen in Paradise Season 3?
While Paradise kicks off as a tense mystery thriller, it quickly reveals itself to be a sprawling post-apocalyptic drama. Three years after a global cataclysm, much of human civilisation has collapsed. A massive underground bunker city known simply as Paradise was built to protect a select group of survivors, including political leaders and billionaires.
Inside this subterranean enclave, Secret Service agent Xavier Collins is tasked with uncovering the truth behind the shocking death of a U.S. president. But Paradise is not just a safe haven. Turns out, it’s a tangle of secrets and power struggles. As expected, the price of survival is steep.
The first season ended with Xavier escaping the bunker and determined to search for his missing wife Teri. Season 2, which debuted with three episodes, picks up from there, painting a grim picture of what life looks like above ground. There are new mysteries and exciting cliffhangers that will make you come back from more.
By the looks of it, this installment will explore the world at large, while also keeping tabs on those still in the bunker. Depending on how things go, Paradise season 3 might see the outside collide with the inside, and finally let us know whether humanity still has a shot at long-term survival.
Until then, you can catch weekly season 2 episodes on Disney+, with the finale scheduled for March 30.
Are There Other Shows Like Paradise?
If you like Paradise, you should check out other series that keep you guessing. Like The Last of Us, Lost, The 100, Fallout, The Leftovers, Silo, Fringe, or Counterpart.
