Not to brag, but I spent most of my life in a house half a minute away from the beach, so spotting the official start of summer was never exactly difficult. Now I live in a city, where tourists in sharongs and aggressively oversized woven hats begin appearing sometime around still-cold spring, walking around like every street corner leads directly to Santorini. My indicator, however, has stayed the same for years: Havaianas on the street. There’s always a small moment of investigation involved, are they being worn by the tourist above or a person who genuinely means it? This time though, I looked down to a denim hem and found Isabel Marant in the form of Havaianas. Summer is definitely here.
I didn’t always find flip-flops easy to justify (this is being written with an open tab of already-purchased square ones), but this season I can admit they’ve finally grown on me. I still think they’re hard to style, and I still encounter far more outfits I wouldn’t personally defend than ones I would, but here we are. Isabel Marant, on the other hand, never really had that problem. “To me, they represent the Brazilian quintessence of joy, freedom, and summer nonchalance,” she tells Vogue. Now, they also come with a layer of Parisian je ne sais quoi, and to be honest, I wouldn’t even flinch if I saw them at a party that has never seen sand in its life.
The collaboration moves between two silhouettes. The first is a reworked version of the classic Top Havaianas (available in red and beige), this time layered with Isabel Marant’s signature prints and finishes. The second pair, arguably the standout, comes in black and cream, with a more structured, almost inflated construction: voluminous straps, faux leather, and rounded silver studs, making it feel closer to a jacket than a flip-flop. One you’ve also accidentally stepped into.
in traffic. Comfort, though, depends on several health-linked details beyond map distance. Noise exposure, indoor temperature, safe walking routes, and stable household routines all affect recovery after work or study. A careful review helps renters choose spaces that protect rest, conserve energy, and make everyday movement feel easier rather than draining.
Start With Commute Reality
A useful search begins with the actual journey, rather than the station name on a listing. Many renters compare walking time, transfer frequency, and road crossings before selecting a room for rent Brickfields, because these details shape their daily comfort more than photos do. A room near transit may still feel taxing if pavements are uneven, junctions stay congested, or late traffic keeps the body alert after dark.
Check Walking Conditions
Distance alone says very little about how the body experiences a route. Shade, lighting, and visible crossings can reduce heat stress and mental tension during the walk home. Congested corners often raise irritation after a long day. Brief visits in daylight and evening hours reveal puddles, poor drainage, blocked paths, and blind spots that listing images rarely show with enough honesty.
Listen Before Deciding
Noise affects sleep depth, heart rate, and next-day concentration more than many renters expect. Rail lines, bus stops, cafés, and main roads each create distinct patterns across the day. Quiet at noon may shift after sunset. Two short visits often provide a clearer understanding. Window seals, curtains, and gaps around doors also influence how much sound enters the sleeping area.
Measure Room Airflow
Air movement has a direct effect on thermal comfort and overnight recovery. A smaller room with cross ventilation often feels better than a larger one that traps heat. Window position, ceiling height, and sun exposure all matter. Late afternoon warmth can linger for hours. Natural circulation also helps reduce damp odor, heavy air, and that stale sensation common in closed spaces.
Review Shared Space Use
Shared kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry areas influence daily stress more than floor plans suggest. Comfort drops quickly when those spaces are dirty, crowded, or poorly repaired. Functional appliances and reliable cleaning habits support steadier routines. Housemates matter too. Respect for privacy, quiet conversation, and simple schedules often shape well-being as much as the mattress, desk, or wardrobe inside the room.
Test Storage Practicality
A tidy viewing can hide the strain of limited storage. Real comfort depends on having room for clothing, work materials, shoes, and personal items without blocking movement. Shelves and drawers make a clear difference. Space beneath the bed can help as well. If belongings spread into walking areas, the room may begin to feel cramped within the first few weeks.
Ask About Night Access
Late returns are common for shift workers, students, and people managing long commutes. Entry arrangements should support that reality without adding tension. Bright corridors, secure gates, and dependable keys improve peace of mind. Rigid lockout rules can create avoidable stress. Renters should ask how visitor access, parcel delivery, and urgent entry are handled before any payment is made.
Compare Total Monthly Cost
Rent alone does not show the full physical or financial burden of a living arrangement. Utility bills, internet charges, deposits, and cleaning fees can shift the true monthly total. Clear figures help people plan with less anxiety. A slightly higher rent near transport may still be sensible if it cuts fuel spending, reduces ride fares, and saves hours otherwise lost in traffic.
Look For Nearby Essentials
When basic services are nearby, daily well-being improves. Grocery shops, clinics, pharmacies, and dependable food options reduce strain during busy weeks or periods of illness. Rainy evenings make that even more important. Some areas near stations still feel inconvenient in practice. If every small errand requires another ride, fatigue can build across the week and disturb regular rest.
Read Rules With Care
House rules affect comfort in subtle yet lasting ways. Limits on guests, cooking, laundry hours, or appliance use can shape sleep, meals, and privacy. Fair policies may support order, though vague terms often create friction. Written details are safer than verbal promises. Renters should review payment dates, notice periods, and repair duties early, so expectations remain clear from the start.
Conclusion
Choosing a comfortable room near public transport involves more than checking price and distance on a screen. Lasting ease comes from quiet sleep, healthy airflow, safe access, fair costs, and workable shared routines. Thoughtful renters take time to assess the route, the building, and the household environment before deciding. That extra effort often leads to a home that feels calmer, healthier, and much easier to live in each day.
Everyone sets goals for the new year. Some people start journaling. Some join pilates studios they’ll stop going to by February. I personally planned on fermenting pickles and becoming the kind of adult my Notes app thinks I am. Zara, meanwhile, (a new cultural force) started flirting with luxury, and, well, Bad Bunny. First came the custom-made looks for the Super Bowl halftime show, a phrase that still sounds slightly AI-generated. Then came the Met Gala, where 80-year-old Benito looked Zara enough for the internet to immediately start conspiracy-threading a collaboration into existence. Fast forward a few weeks and the Benito Antonio collection is here in 150 pieces and a campaign shot (by STILLZ) in Puerto Rico, enough to briefly soften the Zara of it all.
And with a little help from Benito’s longtime creative director, Janthony Oliveras, the breezy pieces made their way to San Juan’s Plaza Las Américas, where Zara set up a pop-up just days before the official launch, fully embracing its love for mint green and pastel pink interiors. Cropped blazers, relaxed long-sleeves, boxy shirts, oversized hoodies, flared jeans, and an alarming amount of shorts filled the shelves. Swim trunks, shopper bags, washed caps, silk bandanas, pastels and brights, checks and stripes had their Zara moment too. A rather efficient way to get pink past the male ego.
Now back to the annual goals. For a brand whose name is basically shorthand for fast fashion, making people see anything else isn’t exactly easy work. Stores started looking so minimal you half-thought you had accidentally walked into Kim Kardashian’s living room. Price tags, on the other hand, went fully maximalist. People who used to work nowhere near fast fashion ended up behind the scenes, Steven Meisel, David Sims, John Galliano, Willy Chavarria, even Bad Bunny. Accessibility can be the starting point, but million-dollar boardrooms decide what it becomes. And a coin always has two sides, even when it’s being sold as one in pastels.
The role of photography in shaping how people understand the climate crisis is becoming increasingly clear. Research into climate communication has emphasised the importance of visual storytelling, with studies suggesting that photographs often play a powerful role in making environmental issues feel immediate and emotionally resonant. Today, here are three visual storytellers brilliantly communicating the natural world and the pressures it faces.
Edward Burtynsky
Canadian artist and photographer Edward Burtynsky is known for his images of industrial landscapes, quarries, mines and sites of environmental extraction. He is globally renowned for his intricate work that spotlights landscapes permanently changed by human industry. Burtynsky’s work is inseparable from his advocacy for environmental conservation.
Mexican photographer, marine biologist and conservationist Cristina Mittermeier has spent decades documenting the relationship between humans and the natural world, especially in oceans and coastal ecosystems. In fact, she was one of the pioneers of conservation photography, and has also edited or co-authored twenty seven books.
Frans Lanting
Few wildlife photographers have shaped public perceptions of the climate quite like Dutch photographer Frans Lanting. Known for his work with National Geographic, he photographs animals and ecosystems with extraordinary clarity and emotional impact. In fact, his coverage of the Okavango Delta notably inspired a wave of international interest in conservation in Botswana.
There’s only so much you can do with a needle and thread… right? Meet three bold, creative artists dismantling that idea, and hopefully inspiring your next crafty endeavour.
Kristin Stattin
Kristin Stattin is a Swedish-born, France-based textile artist whose work lies between embroidery and abstract painting: she builds beautifully layered compositions with thread. Stattin relies on a limited set of techniques, primarily straight stitch, applied in varied lengths, as well as dense clusters of French knots. Stattin places great value on mindfulness in her practice, describing her process as “an exercise into being in the now, with my thoughts, feelings, senses, and to translate my inner voice through line, shape and colour”.
Instead of treating thread as a surface medium, Derbyshire-based Bethany Duffy uses it as a binding and connecting force, often creatively incorporating natural materials like seashells. Duffy is trained in classic hand embroidery techniques, goldwork, blackwork, whitework, stumpwork, canvas work and crewel work — and all of these elements are threaded into her practice!
Joan Schulze is one of the key figures in contemporary art quilting, but her practice extends far beyond traditional textile work. She’s known for transforming fabric into layered visual narratives that incorporate collage, photography, painting, and print processes. Besides this, Schulze is also a lecturer and a poet — talk about a multidisciplinary creator!
Understandably, we often remember artists for the work that made them most recognised. But creative expression often doesn’t fit neatly into a single discipline, and naturally, many writers have engaged their imaginative impulses through other forms of art. Here are four celebrated authors whose visual art offers another window into their imaginations.
Sylvia Plath
Best known for her poetry and semi-autobiographical novel The Bell Jar, not many people know that Sylvia Plath was also a talented visual artist. Throughout her life, she produced detailed drawings and sketches, often depicting nature, landscapes, city streets and domestic objects.
Newspaper clipping of Sylvia Plath, August 26, 1953. Photo source: Wikimedia Commons
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
French writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry actually created the iconic illustrations accompanying The Little Prince. The book’s watercolour drawings, from the prince himself to the boa constrictor and elephant, have become inseparable from the story.
By Distributed by Agence France-Presse – NY Times online, via Wikimedia Commons
Kurt Vonnegut
Alongside novels such as Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat’s Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut developed a distinctive visual style characterised by playful line drawings and self-portraits. His illustrations frequently appeared in his later books, becoming part of his creative legacy.
Hermann Hesse
The Nobel Prize-winning author of Siddhartha and Steppenwolf was also a prolific painter. Hesse took up watercolour painting seriously during the early twentieth century and created hundreds of landscapes, many of which were inspired by the Swiss countryside he was based in.
Collective Voices Exhibition 2nd Edition: Being-in-the-World opened at Safehouse 1 in Peckham on 22nd of May, bringing together over 50 artists in a large-scale, artist-led exhibition exploring identity, visibility, and contemporary lived experience through multidisciplinary practice. Curated by Jenny Ping Lam Lin , with assistant curator Stephanie Leung, the exhibition continues the JustArt Collective’s commitment to creating accessible platforms for emerging and international artists.
Rather than functioning as a conventional themed group exhibition, Being-in-the-World operates as a shared curatorial space where individual voices are placed in dialogue rather than hierarchy. The result is an environment shaped not by a single narrative, but by a collective accumulation of perspectives, experiences, and artistic approaches.
International Collective
The exhibition features participating artists from the United Kingdom, Europe, China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Ireland, the United States and etc, reflecting a wide geographic and cultural range of practices. This diversity is embedded within the structure of the exhibition itself, allowing differences in medium, methodology, and cultural perspective to coexist without forced unification.
Participating artists include:
Aitor Moncho Tudanca, Abibat Adedayo, Anh, Anna Tuhus, Bahar Talebi Najafabadi, Baoyue Zhang, Baranika Sureshkumar, Chaeyeon Kang, Claire Moss, Claudi Piripippi, Esther/Zhilin Xiang, Galina Orlenko, Heather Green, Helen Carr, Henryk Terpilowski, Ikkonz Jin, Jingxi Li, Jingyun Guan, Jonathan Armour, Jordan Leung, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Josh Redman, Lara Gallagher, Mariia Timoshenko, Marvi Khan, Maryam Sandjari Hashemi, Mathijs Hunfeld, Mengzhu Li, Mollie Faye Harris, Mulin Qiao, Natalia Graczyk, Natalia Titova, Nataliia Makina, Neil Wheelock Deforest Smith, Peng Shuo, Persephone NG, Peter Léon, Pip Woolf, Puyi Guo, Qingran Liu, Rachel Larkum, Reeve Hart, Ruonan Shen, Scott O’Sullivan, Sen, Seoyoung Park, Seyda Alkin, ShEmAinn, Shinobu SENOO, Stela Brix, Tia Liu, Tianle Zhao, Tutu Tugce Sonmez, Victoria Julia Valentine (VJV Creative), Xiaoxiao Chen, Xiwen Xu, Yeejing Ooi, Yumeng Wang, and Zhan Shu.
Venue and Atmosphere
Photo by Carmen Yu, Exhibition view: 2/F.
Hosted at Safehouse 1 in Peckham, the exhibition occupies a space widely recognised within London’s independent art scene for its raw industrial architecture and experimental approach to exhibition-making. The venue’s stripped-back structure and open spatial layout play a significant role in shaping the viewer’s experience, encouraging fluid movement between works and allowing unexpected relationships to emerge between different artistic practices.
Rather than functioning as a neutral container, the space becomes an active part of the exhibition’s atmosphere. Its openness supports a sense of immediacy and shared presence, reinforcing the curatorial intention of collective engagement rather than isolated viewing.
Visitors and participating artists responded positively to the curatorial selection, spatial arrangement, and overall presentation, with many noting the strength of dialogue between works and the clarity of the exhibition’s collective vision.
Photo by Zhaojia Zhang, Opening Event on 22 May 2026.
Opening Event
The opening evening welcomed over 100 visitors and began with a live flute performance by Cathy Tsang, featuring BÄCK: Sonata for Solo Flute, 1st Movement and Wil Offermans: Honami for Solo Flute. The performance introduced a quiet, reflective atmosphere to the space, temporarily shifting attention from visual works into sound and embodied presence.
Photo by Carmen Yu, Opening event on 22 May 2026.
This was followed by an artist panel discussion introduced by curator Jenny Lin and assistant curator Stephanie Leung. Speakers included Josh Redman, Jordan Leung, Pip Woolf, Qingran Liu, Helen Carr, Victoria Julia Valentine, Tutu Tugce Sonmez, Mollie Faye Harris, Jonathan Armour, Seyda Alkin, and Stela Brix. The discussion explored artistic process, visibility, and the challenges of sustaining creative practice within contemporary cultural structures, while also highlighting the importance of collective infrastructure for independent artists.
Featured Works
Photo by Jenny Ping Lam Lin, Artworks by Maryam Sandjari Hashemi, Claire Moss (from left to right).
Among the works that drew sustained attention was Donkeyskin (2025) by Claire Moss, which reinterprets a Charles Perrault fairytale through a contemporary lens of escape, transformation, and queer identity. The painting follows a figure’s departure from an oppressive domestic structure into a natural, symbolic landscape, using fairytale imagery to explore autonomy and emotional liberation.
Photo by Jenny Ping Lam Lin, Artworks by Helen Carr.
Also widely discussed was Nige (2025) by Helen Carr, a mixed-media sculptural work constructed from papier mâché, acrylic paint, foam, fabric, and wire. Referencing 18th-century Lambeth Delftware, the work uses the motif of bed bugs as both a personal and political metaphor, linking domestic precarity and public health anxieties to wider systems of austerity and contemporary political tension.
Photo by Jenny Ping Lam Lin, Artworks by Johannes Christopher Gerard, Mariia Timoshenko, Claudi Piripippi, Galina Orlenko, Neil Wheelock Deforest Smith, Natalia Titova, Sen, Baranika Sureshkumar (from left to right).
Sen’s conceptual digital film Tactile Resilience (Pearl in the Palm, 2025) expanded the exhibition into a digital and sensory register. The work critically examines how capitalism and patriarchy construct and aestheticise modern womanhood, using experimental moving image to create a perceptual field of tension, reflection, and embodied viewing.
Curatorial Position
At its core, Being-in-the-World is structured around coexistence rather than resolution. It does not impose a singular reading but instead allows contradiction, overlap, and divergence to remain visible within a shared space.
In doing so, the exhibition raises broader questions about how artistic communities are formed, and how visibility, access, and representation are negotiated within contemporary cultural systems.
Photo by Jenny Ping Lam Lin, Exhibition view – G/F.
Conclusion
Collective Voices Exhibition 2nd Edition: Being-in-the-World demonstrates the potential of artist-led collective exhibitions as both cultural and social infrastructures. Through its international scope, multidisciplinary practices, and emphasis on dialogue, the exhibition presents not only a curated selection of works, but a temporary ecosystem of shared artistic presence and exchange.
Exhibition Information
Venue: Safehouse 1, Peckham, London Dates: 22–25 May 2026
Exhibition Team
Curator: Jenny Ping Lam Lin Assistant Curator: Stephanie Leung
Graphic Design: Jia Xi Zhou
Volunteers: Zhe Li Carmen Yu Zhaojia Zhang
Opening Performance
Cathy Tsang (Flute) BÄCK: Sonata for Solo Flute, 1st Movement Wil Offermans: Honami for Solo Flute
Panel Speakers
Josh Redman Jordan Leung Pip Woolf Qingran Liu Helen Carr Victoria Julia Valentine Tutu Tugce Sonmez Mollie Faye Harris Jonathan Armour Seyda Alkin Stela Brix
Best known as one of the most influential filmmakers of the twentieth century, Agnès Varda built a body of work defined by curiosity and remarkable playfulness. Before turning to cinema, however, she began her creative career as a photographer, cultivating the fiercely observational and empathetic eye that would come to shape her films.
Whether speaking about art, ageing, creativity or the joys of life, Varda had a real gift for expressing ideas with warmth and wit. On her birthday, we share five memorable quotes to remember her by.
“You have to invent life.”
“This is all you need in life: a computer, a camera, and a cat.”
Getting ready to host a big dinner party and want to offer your guests some entertainment, or simply hoping to flick through something mesmerising while sipping your morning coffee? Here are four visually exciting books to consider for your home.
The Story of Art Without Men by Katie Hessel
This Sunday Times bestseller, originally published in 2022, is a substantial art history book that reconsiders the traditional narrative by focusing on women artists who have often been overlooked, challenging the canon and blending critical insight with creative storytelling.
The premise of Why Cats Paint is absurdly wonderful. Silver’s book treats the smudges and accidental pigment trails of household cats as a legitimate artistic movement, complete with straight-faced analysis and artist profiles. It’s less an art book than an elaborate joke that takes itself just seriously enough to work.
Cabinet of Curiosities by Giulia Carciotto, Antonio Paolucci and Massimo Listri
In Listri’s Cabinet of Curiosities, the Florentine photographer’s large-format images of libraries, natural history collections and Wunderkammern capture the stillness of spaces built to hold everything humanity thought worth preserving. This one is designed to be experienced slowly.
Accidentally Wes Anderson by Wally Koval and Amanda Koval
Born from an Instagram account, Accidentally Wes Anderson collects real locations that seem to have been artistically directed by a filmmaker who had nothing to do with them. The appeal lies in recognising the unmistakable thread of the Wes Anderson-esque in pastel colour palettes, precise geometry and whimsical sparking, all while appreciating how the aesthetic associations are actually unplanned coincidences.
Tatiana Maslany shines in Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, a fresh Apple TV dark comedy thriller about a struggling woman whose life just got worse. Circumstances involve a cam boy, blackmail, and a mysterious figure.
If that’s enough to catch your interest, you’re not alone. While the show premiered recently, it’s already generating online buzz. Reviews are positive as well, with both critics and audiences praising the series for its engaging pace and dedicated performances. Could that mean a second season is on the horizon?
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed Season 2 Release Date
At the time of writing, Apple TV hasn’t officially renewed the series for more episodes. However, there’s no need to fret, as the show only has three episodes out so far. An announcement can still come somewhere down the line.
If all goes well, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed season 2 could arrive sometime in 2027.
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed Cast
Tatiana Maslany as Paula Saunders
Jake Johnson as Karl
Jessy Hodges as Mallory
Jon Michael Hill as Detective Baxter
Charlie Hall as Rudy
Kiarra Hamagami Goldberg as Geri
Nola Wallace as Hazel
Dolly de Leon as Detective Sofia Gonzalez
Brandon Flynn as Trevor
Murray Bartlett as Frank Budkin
What Is Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed About?
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed centres on Paula, a recently divorced mother trying to hold her life together. She’s navigating a bitter custody battle, mounting financial stress, and an identity crisis.
As a form of escape, she spends time on cam sites. During one late-night video session with a charismatic cam boy, Paula witnesses what appears to be a violent crime. At first, nobody believes her. But when the cam boy suddenly contacts her demanding money, she realises she has become trapped in something far more dangerous.
Things only escalate from there. With three episodes available so far, it’s tricky to guess where the story might be heading. That said, the show is twisty and tense, hinting at a high-stakes conspiracy. Paula decides to investigate on her own, while also dealing with typical problems related to her job and family.
While Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed season 2 isn’t a sure bet just yet, the series looks promising, and the cast is to die for. If you’re looking for something to keep you glued to the screen, you can’t go wrong with this one. Episodes arrive weekly on Apple TV, with the finale scheduled for mid-July.
Are There Other Shows Like Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed?
If you’re into Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, you might also enjoy Dead to Me, Big Little Lies, The Flight Attendant, Big Mistakes, and Only Murders in the Building.
