Trying to squeeze in a few final gallery visits before the end of the month? London’s museums are currently home to several strong exhibitions that feel particularly worth catching in person.
Catherine Opie: To Be Seen
At the National Portrait Gallery, Catherine Opie: To Be Seen marks the first major UK museum survey dedicated to Catherine Opie. Spanning more than three decades, the exhibition traces Opie’s photographic engagement with community and visibility through portraits of LGBTQ+ sitters, self-portraits and images of domestic life. Early works from Being and Having (1991) sit alongside portraits of queer friends influenced by the formal compositions of Hans Holbein. The show beautifully captures the emotional and political dimensions of portraiture while celebrating chosen family. Catherine Opie: To Be Seen runs until the end of the month.
Meanwhile, the National Gallery is presenting Stubbs: Portrait of a Horse, a free display dedicated to artist George Stubbs and his groundbreaking approach to equine painting. Centred around the rarely exhibited Scrub, a bay horse belonging to the Marquess of Rockingham (c.1762), the exhibition explores how Stubbs transformed depictions of horses through close anatomical observation and extensive dissection studies carried out in the 1750s. Drawings and studies reveal the artist’s striking use of scientific precision and psychological sensitivity. The exhibition is on view free of charge through 31 May 2026.
Also closing at the end of the month is Water, Pantanal, Fire at The Science Museum, a photographic exhibition spotlighting the environmental destruction of Brazil’s Pantanal wetlands. Showcasing more than 60 works by documentary photographers Lalo de Almeida and Luciano Candisani, the exhibition documents the impact of drought, wildfires and deforestation across one of the world’s largest tropical wetland ecosystems. The images trace the accelerating effects of climate collapse on both land and local communities with documentary-level precision. Water, Pantanal, Fire remains on view until 31 May 2026.
Today’s Argentine art scene looks very different from what has been seen throughout history. Argentina has a rich artistic tradition that reflects its deep heritage and passionate cultural identity.
Traces of Argentina’s indigenous roots, its deep Spanish colonisation and strong European immigration can be visualised across its many forms of art over time, from painting, music and dance. Argentine art is diverse and continually evolving.
Argentina is home to many influential artists such as the avant garde painter Xul Solar and contemporary artists like Marta Minujìn. Their works can be found in Argentina’s renowned museums and public places across the country.
Argentine art tells the stories of the nation’s history from colonisation times to present day reflecting its large social change across generations.
What is Argentinian art known for?
Argentinian art blends indigenous and European style with important historical moments throughout Argentina’s history.
It mainly developed from Spanish colonisation and European immigration varying greatly from classic paintings, surrealism, modern contemporary art to vibrant street murals.
Some of the key traits of Argentina art include:
European and Latin American inspiration: Argentine art has been particularly shaped by French and Italian art due to large waves of immigration. Artists have adapted these styles to reflect their own personal stories.
Cultural identity: Argentine art often reflects national traditions and symbols such as gauchos, tango, pampas and the Andes which symbolise the country’s identity.
Political expression: One of the key features of Argentine art is its political and social expression. Many works center around historical events such as the period of its military dictatorship.
Tango and music culture: Originating in Buenos Aires, tango has developed into a global cultural phenomenon.Tango combines dance, music and poetry, creating many forms of art that symbolises Argentina’s deep cultural heritage.
Vibrant street art culture: Argentina is famous for its urban street art, particularly in neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires, where it is often used as a form of political expression.
Argentina art history and evolution
Argentina’s art history has developed over centuries. From colonial, religious works to 19th-century realism, 20th-century modernism and now a striking, global contemporary scene.
The progression reflects the country’s shifting identity through the years shaped by colonisation, independence, waves of immigration and political change.
The development of Argentinian art can be traced through the following key periods:
Colonial period 16th-18th century
Following colonisation by the Spanish empire, much of the artwork produced in Argentina was heavily influenced by religion. Much of this art was largely created to promote the catholic church and reflect its teachings.
Artistic styles and techniques were heavily influenced by Spanish and Italian traditions. Argentinian artists adopted European methods such as Baroque, resulting in works that mirrored those found in Italy and across Europe as there was not a distinct national identity yet.
19th century (post independence)
Following independence, Argentina began to develop a more distinct cultural identity in its art. The 19th century brought a new wave of Argentinian artists.
Artists began to focus on realism and national themes like landscapes, gauchos and rural areas. Waves of European immigration also brought new techniques further influencing local artists.
Early-mid 20th century
The early to mid-20th century marked a key difference in Argentine art. During this period, the country began to embrace new styles like Modernism and also introduced international movements such as Cubism, Futurism and Surrealism.
Artists like Xul Solar began experimenting with these techniques, establishing modernist and avant garde approaches within his art. Abstraction gained popularity, and many artworks during this period carried strong social and political themes.
Late 20th century-today
From the late 20th century to present day, Argentina’s art scene has developed into a globally recognised scene.
Contemporary art and Performance art rose to prominence, where street art took over cities in response to political, social and economic issues. This period additionally saw Argentine artists gaining greater visibility in international galleries.
Famous Argentine artists you should know
Xul Solar
Xul Solar was a renowned avant-garde Argentinian artist best known for his modernist and surrealist paintings. He was a unique voice for latin american modernism creating symbolic and vividly, colourful paintings.
Beyond painting, he famously created imaginary languages and incorporated them into his artistic works. His works can be found in famous museums like the Museo Reino Sofía in Madrid.
Benito Quinquela Martín
Benito Quinquela Martín is celebrated for his powerful portrayals of port life in Buenos Aires, particularly the La Boca neighborhood.
His works gained him worldwide recognition, mainly focusing on scenes of ships, docks and shipyard workers capturing the identities of neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires.
His works became associated with La Boca shaping it as a cultural landmark, making it one of the most visited destinations in Buenos Aires.
Antonio Berni
Antonio Berni was one of the most influential artists in Argentine history. He is widely recognised for his socially engaged art. His art mainly focused on themes of poverty, labour and social inequalities.
One of his most famous paintings, Manifestación, symbolises the harsh, working-class struggles of the 20th century.
Marta Minujín
Marta Minujín is famous for her contemporary public projects and immersive works. Her works are particularly politically-driven and socially engaged. Projects such as her ‘Pantheon of banned books’ referenced censored books burned by Nazis, transforming political history to visual pieces of art.
She regularly creates provocative public projects that are often eccentric and feature large scale installations that challenge the traditional definitions of art.
These artists represent different eras of Argentinian art. They effectively reflect national identity and demonstrate how visual art can express social and cultural issues across different periods and styles.
Top 3 most famous paintings from Argentina
Argentine art goes beyond aesthetics, it represents social issues, national identity and cultural heritage. Some of the most famous examples of Argentine paintings each reflect different artistic visions and historical moments.
Manifestación by Antonio Berni (1931) depicts the argentinian working class and highlights scenes of social struggles.
La vuelta del malón by Ángel Della Valle (1892) is often regarded as Argentina’s first national work, depicting indigenous communities as raiders.
Sin pan y sin trabajo by Ernesto de la Cárcova (1897) meaning ‘Without bread and without work’, is considered one of the first major Argentine paintings to address social issues.
Argentina art styles and cultural influences
Argentina art is shaped by many different cultural influences and artistic styles that reflect both national identity and urban growth.
Fileteado porteño
Fileteado porteño is a bright and traditional Argentine artistic style. Originating in Buenos Aires, it is characterised by its vivid colours and intricate detailing. It can be found throughout the city on signs and street decorations.
Some of the most notable aspects include its ornamental borders, floral designs and calligraphic writing. It acts as a sign of urban identity and symbol of skilled craftsmanship.
Tango influence
Tango has had a major influence on Argentine art. It expresses themes of passion, longing and melancholy often depicted in artworks through dramatic poses and emotional body language.
Tango imagery portrays both human connection and separation, as well as romance and tension. Its emotion and intensity has shaped the tone of some Argentine art.
Gaucho and rural imagery
The Gaucho, also known as the Argentine cowboy, is a powerful national symbol of Argentina. It is frequently depicted in both traditional and modern Argentinian art, for example in works by Juan Manuel Blanes. These representations are often accompanied by the country’s open plains(pampas) and other rural landscapes.
Gauchos represent freedom, independence, resilience and national pride. Through these portrayals, they serve as a reminder of Argentina’s rural heritage.
Political and mural art
Across history, street art has been used in Argentina as a form of political expression through murals and public art. As some of the most underrated forms of art, street art functions as a form of modern urban activism, with large scale murals found in public spaces all over the country.
These works often use bold symbolism and imagery against politics and social issues, referencing history, dictatorship and human rights.
Cities such as Buenos Aires are especially known for their iconic street art,particularly neighbourhoods like La Boca and Palermo. For more insight, explore more Argentinian street art to see how it continues to evolve across Buenos Aires today.
Art museums in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires is widely known as the art capital of Latin America. It holds some of the largest collections of Argentine and Latin American art and stands as one of the most important cultural capitals.
Visitors have the chance to experience major works across many world-class museums. These museums play a central role in preserving and showcasing Argentine art across centuries.
These collections range from classic European masterpieces to cutting edge contemporary and surrealist art reflecting the country’s broad art history.
Some of the unmissable Art museums include:
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is one of the most important fine arts museum in Argentina. It features key Argentinian artists including Antonio Berni and Benito Quinquela Martín alongside European masterpieces by artists such as Goya and Van Gogh.
One of the most notable things about this museum is that it offers free admission making it highly accessible to visitors who want to explore the history of Argentine art.
MALBA (Latin American art museum of Buenos Aires)
MALBA is dedicated to the most influential modern and contemporary Latin American art of the 20th century and onwards.
One notable highlight is famous works from Antonio Berni’s socially powerful series that explores inequalities and the working-class.
MAMBA (Museum of modern art Argentina)
Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires (Mamba) is a museum focusing on modern and contemporary art. It includes many experimental works and showcases emerging Argentine artists.
These museums together demonstrate the full evolution of art in Argentina, from colonisation to modern experimentation.
Visitors should pair these three museums with La Boca’s street art scene to gain a full overview of the Argentine art scene.
Argentina art in the global context
Argentine art holds a strong and growing position within the international art world, shaped by its unique blend of European heritage, national identity and politically-driven art. While deeply rooted in national history and social experience, it has expanded beyond borders through exhibitions and global artistic movements.
Art from Argentina is now widely represented in global museums and galleries with works by artists such as Antonio Berni and Benito Quinquela Martín featured in institutions across London, Madrid and New York.
Contemporary Argentine artists, including Marta Minujín, have also achieved global visibility with their works and installations exhibited in Europe particularly in countries like Spain and Germany.
Argentina continues to project its politically charged art across borders to the global stage, inspiring audiences.
Why Argentine art continues to inspire
Argentine art is constantly evolving while remaining deeply connected to its cultural roots. It has absorbed indigenous heritage, European influence and a strong sense of identity creating a rich and diverse artistic landscape.
From classical religiously rooted paintings to expressive street murals, Argentine art reflects a broad range of artistic styles and historical influences. It continues to foster creativity and experimentation while remaining true to its cultural roots and national heritage.
It can be surprisingly easy for substance use to shift from an occasional habit into something that starts affecting everyday life. Often, the change happens gradually, making it difficult to recognise when support is needed. Over time, substance misuse can impact physical health, emotional well-being, relationships, work, and overall quality of life. Taking action early can make a significant difference and help prevent longer-term harm.
Recognising the Problem
The first and often most difficult step is acknowledging that substance use has become a problem. Many people minimise the impact at first, especially when they are still managing day-to-day responsibilities. However, when substance use begins interfering with work, relationships, finances, sleep, or mental health, it may be time to seek professional support. Substance misuse not only affects physical health. It can also contribute to anxiety, low mood, emotional instability, and social withdrawal. Recognising these patterns early allows individuals to access the right help sooner. Across Wales, organisations including PCP Cardiff provide support and structured treatment options for people struggling with dependency and related mental health challenges.
Communicating Effectively
Once the issue has been acknowledged, open communication becomes incredibly important. Substance misuse can feel isolating, causing many individuals to withdraw from friends, family, and support networks. Unfortunately, isolation often makes recovery more difficult.
Talking honestly with trusted people can help reduce feelings of shame and loneliness. Friends and family members may be able to provide practical support, emotional encouragement, and accountability throughout the recovery process. Even a simple conversation can be the first step towards meaningful change.
Seeking Professional Support
Professional guidance can play a crucial role in recovery. Healthcare professionals, counsellors, and addiction specialists are trained to help individuals understand both the physical and psychological aspects of substance dependence.
Structured support can help people identify triggers, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and safely manage withdrawal symptoms where necessary. Treatment plans are often tailored to the individual, recognising that no two experiences with substance misuse are exactly alike. Accessing professional help early can provide clarity, structure, and reassurance during what can otherwise feel like an overwhelming time.
Prioritising Mental Health
Substance misuse and mental health difficulties frequently go hand in hand. Stress, anxiety, trauma, depression, and other emotional challenges can contribute to unhealthy coping behaviours, while substance use itself can worsen mental health symptoms over time.
Addressing mental well-being alongside addiction recovery is essential for long-term progress. Therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), counselling, mindfulness practices, and stress management techniques can all support recovery. In some cases, medication or additional mental health support may also be recommended.
Building a Reliable Support System
A strong support network can make a major difference during recovery. Support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and SMART Recovery offer safe spaces where individuals can share experiences and encouragement with others who understand similar struggles.
Support systems do not have to be large to be effective. A combination of supportive family members, close friends, mentors, healthcare professionals, and peer groups can provide stability and reassurance during difficult periods.
Making Positive Lifestyle Changes
Small lifestyle adjustments can significantly support recovery and overall well-being. Regular physical activity, whether that’s walking, swimming, yoga, or going to the gym, can help improve mood, reduce stress, and provide structure to daily life.
Healthy eating habits, proper hydration, and consistent sleep routines also contribute to better physical and mental resilience. Creating healthier routines can help reduce the likelihood of relapse while improving confidence and energy levels over time.
Final Thoughts
Substance misuse should never be ignored or dismissed as something that will simply resolve on its own. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness — it is a positive and important step towards regaining control and improving quality of life.
Recovery can feel challenging, but with the right support, treatment, and encouragement, meaningful change is absolutely possible. Taking that first step towards help can open the door to a healthier, more stable, and more fulfilling future.
It’s been nearly two years now since IMG, the sponsor that once “long-time” applied to, and Australian Fashion Week parted ways. After Australian designers spent months in a state of cold-sweat uncertainty, the event made a 2025 comeback under NSW Government backing and a newly arranged sense of stability. A necessary shift, arguably forced, moved more and more emerging designers into Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art, a setting fitting enough for the week’s 30th anniversary.
Hannah Teresa’s Haluminous, a brand seen as part of The Frontier group runway, clearly has a thing for gothic romance and Victorian references, always given a modern gloss. The brand’s Petal Nocturnal collection had just one more task to complete: make jersey sexy. Or, as they put it in an Instagram caption, “In our studio, we needed to discover ways for jersey to thrive in the most luxurious way, not as a T-shirt or casualwear, but as something sculptural, resilient and beautiful. That balance of lightness holding weight, structure and beauty became the core technical message of Petal.” And just like that, veiled eyes guided a body drenched in 3D rosettes, red structure, and romantic volume down the runway.
Katie-Louise and Lilian Nicol-Ford’s namesake brand is known for its celebration of queer communities and its ethical core. Their task, however, was to translate painter Adrian Feint’s art references and the 1958 film Auntie Mame’s glamour into a resort collection. The result was a Newtown-based retro Dolce Vita, with hand-painted florals, rich silks, coque feathers, decorated hips, voluminous hair, and silicone bodices that look like Murano glass, being quite a big part of it. Australia suddenly looks like a very tasteful diva.
From the streets of New York to the quiet alleys of Taipei — media artist and visual storyteller Chengrang Cho has built a visual language out of the places and moments most people walk right past.
There’s a moment somewhere between landing in a new city and figuring out where to go when most people stop really seeing. The novelty wears off. The streets start to feel familiar before they ever really were. Chengrang Cho is not most people.
Born in Taiwan and now based in New York after graduating from New York University, Cho has spent years moving between cities — Tokyo, Taipei, and across Europe with his camera and a near-obsessive attention to what others overlook. Not landmarks. Not curated destinations. The light on wet pavement at 7am. Architecture that sits quietly, almost strangely, out of place.
His practice spans photography, filmmaking, immersive media, and creative technology. Through collaborations with Higgsfield AI, DJI, Insta360 and PLAUD AI, he has produced campaigns and creator-focused visual content at the frontier of imaging technology. Working closely with these companies gave Cho early access to some of the most advanced creative tools in the industry, and also sharpened a distinction he returns to often: what technology can accelerate, and what only lived experience can create.
Through those projects and a growing international presence across social media, Cho’s atmospheric approach to documenting cities and everyday life has found an audience that recognizes something genuine in the work, even if they can’t always name exactly what it is.
Chengrang Cho hosting a seminar in New York
“The technical barrier is disappearing. Anyone can generate visuals now. But your perspective, your instincts, your experiences and taste, that’s the part AI can’t replicate.”
Your photography travels the world but never feels like typical travel work. How do you think about shooting a place?
I’m not interested in collecting the shots everyone already knows. What I want is the emotional identity underneath — the rhythm and texture of a place that doesn’t show up in postcards. Tokyo has this tension between density and silence at 6am. Taipei has a warmth built into its neighborhoods. I try to find that feeling before it disappears.
That sensibility carries directly into his commercial work. Collaborating with companies building the next generation of imaging tools has given Cho a front-row view of where visual production is heading, and reinforced a simple conviction: technology expands what is possible, but it doesn’t replace what is personal.
Working with leading companies like Higgsfield AI, PLAUD AI, Insta360, and DJI — what did that do to your creative process?
It clarified things. I saw exactly what these tools can do — generation, enhancement, speed , and where they genuinely fall short. AI doesn’t have taste, they don’t have intention the way a person does. A lot of my decisions are emotional. I shoot something because it reminds me of a feeling from years ago. That’s not something a model can generate. I use AI to explore ideas faster and refine direction, but the core of the work still comes from my skills and lived experience.
New York shaped him more than he might admit. The city is a constant exercise in attention — a place that forces you to decide, quickly and repeatedly, what actually matters amid relentless visual noise. He built those instincts over years of working as a creative in one of the world’s most demanding visual environments, and they continue to inform both his artistic and commercial practice.
Where does your focus on quiet, overlooked moments actually come from?
From being an outsider everywhere I shoot. When you’re not from somewhere, you don’t have the filter that makes locals stop seeing what’s there. I grew up in Taiwan, moved to New York, kept moving — and every time I arrive somewhere new, there’s this window where everything feels unfamiliar and worth paying attention to. I’ve tried to extend that window for as long as I can.
As artificial intelligence continues reshaping creative industries, Cho represents a generation of visual artists and content creators working directly with the tools transforming the field, not resisting them, but refining their authorship through them. His collaborations with some of the most advanced creative technology companies in the world didn’t replace his process. They clarified it.
Photo by Chengrang Cho
For Cho, AI is a tool for exploration, never origin. The final image still comes from something slower, more personal, and harder to replicate — a memory, a feeling, a moment that no model was trained on.
Watch his work closely and you’ll notice a consistency that has nothing to do with presets or color grading: every image feels inhabited. Like someone was genuinely there, genuinely paying attention. In an increasingly automated visual landscape, that kind of attention still stands apart.
Houston, Texas emo band Hew have released a new single, ‘Reconciliation’. It’s taken from their debut LP, Your Version, which is slated for release in July via Tiny Engines. Check it out below.
Hew was formed in 2024, with Lindsay Minton (guitar, vocals) and Mercy Harper (Bass VI) of football, etc., who were later joined by Amador “Moe” Lerma on drums and Kris Hoffman on bass.
You thought 2026 would go by without a feeble little horse album? Despite the steadyproliferation of equine musical acts, most of them have curiously decided to stay silent during the first half of the year. horsegiirL’s debut album comes out at the start of June – not to be confused with Horsegirl, the Chicago indie band whose latest LP is well over a year old – but the noise-pop disruptors have beaten the Berlin DJ to the punch, surprise-releasing their new album bitknot on a Tuesday – incidentally or not, the day albums used to come out up until the last Year of the Horse. Once again recorded across the trio’s homes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the follow-up to 2023’s mesmerizing Girl With Fish isn’t exactly nostalgic for a time when tech and money were only responsible for human suffering in different ways, but it does grapple with the kind of discombobulation of memory and self that’s particular to this cultural moment. Using digital tools as an extension of their knotty group dynamic and Lydia Slocum’s wiry introspection, it interlaces sugary melodies and dizzying left turns that hardly pale in comparison to its predecessor, making it feel far from a tossed-off release.
1. Doorway
If Girl With Fish set the scene by teasing some amount of distortion, bitknot wastes no time letting the floodgates open, mirroring the feeling of icy wind hitting you on a Christmas morning, probably one deposited in the recesses of your memory. “The lawn is coated/ My tongue is frozen/ Against your silver neck,” Lydia Slocum sings, suffusing the bleary atmosphere with a tactile sweetness. It’s only twee for a brief moment (“In the center/ Best friends Forever”) before being eroded by the lack of remembering, juxtaposed by a physical archive that serves as a “yearly jumpscare.” Sebastian Kinsler makes a fun little game out of this thirst for permanence, chopping and screwing her vocals into a whimsical outro.
2. Poison
Less studio trickery foregrounds Slocum’s vulnerable reflections, which center around the toxic cycles of creativity within a capitalist culture. Abstract as they are – “Ladder to the tree, I was chosen/ Leaning on the part that was broken/ Sucking on the fruit that was rotten” – they’re accented by rough-hewn guitars that offer a taste of the bittersweet.
3. Rewind
Slocum makes you chew on the album’s first real infectious chorus – “It’s harder to rewind than/ To see it at the same time/ But if it doesn’t add up/ Then I’ll see you at the end of the line” – as if switching up meaning with each repetition. There’s a sense of continuity in the album sequencing that’s refreshing, as the tinge of regret over success bleeds into the personal, pondering whether it’s divergent paths or selves that caused a dent in the singer’s friendship. Jake Kelley’s drumming remains dynamic without distracting from the arrangement’s remarkably clean surface, suggesting there’s no resentment hiding between the lines of Slocum’s fervent curiosity.
4. Shady
There’s a crackle of distortion simmering underneath what seems like another cleanly produced track, underscoring the slight discrepancies that can throw off a friendship – one no longer tied to the past. The melody forces Slomac to stretch words in a way that’s mellifluous, even meticulous, which highlights the detailed effort the singer makes to curate her social image, not for the whole but for every single person: “I tailored this bit for you to read/ And I’ll tip-toe as I go from A to B.” Slyly, of course, the group structures the record in much the same way.
4. Dior
After a string of shorter, more subdued tracks, ‘Dior’ brings blown-out guitars and shapeshifting production back to the fore, which animates Slocum’s sense of humour. She tells a guy his chances are “slim like my Virginias,” and all the fuzz culminates in her not going to the Wednesday show, where “Kate saw you and she saw ✿.” (That’s how the lyric sheet transcribes the bleep censor.) It’s delightful from start to finish.
5. Paris
Woozy synths complement Slocum’s “Oui, we don’t have to talk” in a bubble of playful disorientation. Prime jet lag entertainment.
6. Cradle
Back home, domestic bliss – or the echo of it? – soothes the mounting confusion, at least for a short while. Unadorned, airy guitar chords lull the listener into a similar kind of trance.
7. Upside Down
After letting it out to dry, feeble little horse steep their sound in a flurry of samples and synths, running with the concept of being twisted inside out. The details are specific to them, but it’s the band’s closest equivalent to a Porter Robinson song.
8. Guts
Slocum’s knotty poetic associations hit their peak on ‘Guts’, matched by an especially wonky electronic riff. A bit of context is offered through the album artwork, which “is based on the coincidental core memory matrix, which was used in old computers to store memory / access information using 0s and 1s. Each core, or ‘bit,’ is accessed through the grid of wires, like a knot that stores secret details and memories.” What happens when those bits are auctioned off, monetized, diluted by our own patterned subservience? Will we have the guts to hold off our own destruction?
9. Shopping
Catchy and torrential, ‘Shopping’ epitomizes feeble little horse’s approach while delivering the album’s stickiest hook: “And would you fuck with these shoes?/ I wanna look just like you.” Parasociality teeters into paranoia, a thin line relayed in plain, relatable terms, so long as you’re familiar with Ssense and Ben Doctor.
10. DMT
If you’re chronically online enough to identify the “That’s my shit right there” sample stitched in before the song’s glorious breakdown, bitknot is both for and about you, the average consumer grateful to have their customized coffee order readied at the touch of a button while accruing debt just for being alive. If tracks like ‘Shopping’ leaned into the blissful ignorance just a bit, ‘DMT’ puts the discordance front and center. It’s also a pleasant send-off who might have assumed we wouldn’t be getting another ‘Pocket’-like moment of screaming and crashing out – only this time squarely into oblivion.
To call Yellowstone a hit would be an understatement. The show lasted for five seasons and revitalised the cowboy genre in the process. Not only that, but it was a ratings hit which spawned an entire TV franchise, with multiple spin-off series vying for fans’ attention.
The most recent one, Dutton Ranch, also acts as a direct sequel. That’s mainly because it revolves around two prominent characters from the original, Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler. Will it last beyond the first season? Here’s what we know so far.
Dutton Ranch Season 2 Release Date
At the time of writing, there’s no official news available about a potential Dutton Ranch season 2. Given the success of the Yellowstone franchise as a whole, however, a renewal is likely just around the corner.
The show has been received with positive reviews from fans and critics alike, so there’s no reason why it wouldn’t continue. If all goes well, new episodes could arrive in 2027.
Dutton Ranch Cast
Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton
Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler
Finn Little as Carter
Juan Pablo Raba as Joaquin Jackson Reyes
Jai Courtney as Rob-Will Jackson
R. Villarreal as Azul Ramos
Ed Harris as Everett McKinney
Annette Bening as Beulah Jackson
What Is Dutton Ranch About?
Dutton Ranch picks up after the events of Yellowstone and follows Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler as they leave Montana behind to build a new life in South Texas. Alongside adopted son Carter, they purchase and operate a massive ranch.
As you might expect, the goal is to escape the grief tied to the Yellowstone legacy. Since this is a Dutton story, peace lasts about five minutes. Before long, they are tangled in brutal rivalries and local power struggles. A wealthy neighboring ranch family becomes their biggest threat, and old ghosts continue to haunt the couple.
The tone of the show is very much classic Yellowstone. Think family loyalty, violence, revenge, ranch politics, and emotionally unstable people staring dramatically into sunsets. In other words, the perfect spin-off for fans missing the original show.
While Dutton Ranch season 2 isn’t a sure bet just yet, the spin-off is just getting started. In the UK, you can stream new episodes weekly on Paramount+. The season 1 finale is scheduled for early July.
Are There Other Shows Like Dutton Ranch?
If you like Dutton Ranch, you will probably enjoy The Madison. Starring Michelle Pfeiffer, it is also available to stream on Paramount+. Ransom Canyon, Virgin River, and Tulsa King might be up your alley as well.
Roni Horn has opened her first solo exhibition in London in over a decade entitled Seizure of Hope, presenting new works on paper alongside a cast-glass sculpture that continues the artist’s long-standing engagement with language and unstable forms of perception. The Hauser & Wirth exhibition centres on Horn’s ongoing Seizure of Hope series, in which the phrase ‘I am paralyzed with hope’ is written and rewritten across densely layered drawings.
Drawn from a line originally spoken by comedian Maria Bamford and first incorporated into Horn’s 2021 installation LOG (22 March 2019 – 17 May 2020), the repeated phrase accumulates across the works like a stream of consciousness, reflecting the pervasive states of anxiety and emotional unease in contemporary society. Using wax crayon, Horn partially distorts the text so that the words appear to dissolve into the page, recalling water-damaged ink or handwriting viewed beneath a moving surface. Across more than 45 drawings, repetition serves as a visual structure as well as a psychological condition, with hope presented as a state of suspension rather than reflecting optimism.
Accompanying the works on paper is Horn’s cast-glass sculpture Untitled (“What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?”) (2022), a unique example of the artist’s cubic glass forms. As with much of Horn’s practice, the work exists in a fluctuating state shaped by light and reflection, shifting between solidity and transparency. Water remains a linking conceptual thread throughout the exhibition, serving as a visual reference and metaphor for the fluid nature of identity.
Roni Horn: Seizure of Hope is now open in London through 1 August 2026.
It has always been the case that the language of cinema is in visual shorthand to create power dynamics way before even a line of dialogue is uttered. Hollywood has used formal menswear as a symbol of institutional stability (or, sometimes, effortless heroism). Think of Cary Grant’s mid-century poise or James Bond’s immaculate MI6 uniform. It was a safe but fairly aspirational fantasy where a crisp fit meant moral clarity.
But filmmakers are twisting these classical codes on their head. High-end tailoring is no longer a just a lazy nod to luxury, but a psychological weapon used to deconstruct class and interrogate the very nature of masculine performance.
Saltburn & Succession: The modern antihero
In recent cinematic hits, formal attire has been less of a celebratory garment and more of an oppressive, or claustrophobic uniform. Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn uses black-tie dress codes to highlight the psychological tension between the aristocratic elite and the parasitic outsider. When Oliver Quick tries to assimilate into the Catton family estate, his interactions with formal evening wear are really what exposes his alienation. He is a boy playing dress-up in a space where everyone else was born wearing a cummerbund. It turns a celebratory dinner into a battlefield of social anxiety without saying a word.
Cinema has always weaponized this sense of hyper-formality, for good or bad. When a director strips a character of their casual wardrobe and places them in a sharp Tuxedo suit, it isn’t just about aesthetics, but an expression of class, expectation, status, and sometimes, masked intent. It can become the reason why we instantly trust a character or suspicious of them.
We see a similar tension play out in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. The transition from fluid, academic tweeds into high-waisted and rigid military and political tailoring is what mirrors J. Robert Oppenheimer’s entrapment within the bureaucratic machinery of the state. It is the visual metaphor for the story arc. The clothing becomes a cage for him, turning historical figures into tragic archetypes trapped by their own public images.
The slouchy, unstructured suits of his early physics days were to show freedom in an intellectual sense, that he could think outside the box. The cold formality of his later years shows a man compromised by his own creation. But depending on the arc, the opposite can be expressed, where characters grow into status and formality.
The subversion of the sartorial gaze in independent cinema
This cinematic change has been reflected in broader cultural skepticism towards the traditional power structures. For many, it’s a shame, and something we will see cycle back one day, perhaps. Directors like Ruben Östlund (Triangle of Sadness) and Mark Mylod (The Menu) use strict black-tie environments to stage satirical executions of the ultra-wealthy. In these, the immaculate lines that have been so carefully tailored are ruined by chaos and violence. A subversion.
And, even for those who wear suits in daily life, there is a certain satisfaction in watching a multi-millionaire struggle to maintain their dignity while their luxury evening wear gets slowly ruined throughout the scene. A guilty pleasure of turning structure on its head.
By subjecting the highest echelons of fashion to physical degradation, modern filmmakers can strip these garments of their power and expose the fragile vulnerability hidden beneath. But, as we grow accustomed to this play, we may see a cycling back to placing more status onto formal attire once again, especially as we have seen the peak of working from home in daily life.
