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Worn With Pride: The Photography of Oluwatobi Ogundunsin

Tabish Khan
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Worn With Pride: The Photography of Oluwatobi Ogundunsin

What are we looking for when examining a portrait photograph? Are we looking for a familiar face; do we identify ourselves in it, or do we seek to understand others? Or is it a part of all three? We can see both identity and the celebration of differences as a key part of Oluwatobi Ogundunsin’s photography. 

The series ‘Gele’s Grace’ is based on the gele, the traditional West African head wrap, and the women who wear it. In the lead portrait from the series, the woman stares us down, sporting her gele with the pride that comes with displaying her cultural heritage.  In no way does she play into the idea of the male gaze – we’re not looking at her, she’s looking at us and graciously welcoming us into her world. 

The reflective sunglasses, covered with colourful abstract shapes, draw on the rich tradition of global abstract modernism while ensuring we don’t see her full identity, so she can represent any West African woman from today or generations past. 

In the Talking Drum series, the drum is both an important part of West African culture and a form of communication within community rituals. In both series, Ogundunsin is looking to further lower the cross-cultural boundaries that are already falling due to globalisation and how we’re all now connected through technology. 

The works remind me of Hassan Hajjaj’s striking photographs of individuals in North Africa, which celebrate that region’s cultural diversity. His works also owe a debt to Seydou Keita, often referred to as the ‘father of African portrait photography’, for his black-and-white portraits, often set against ornate backdrops reminiscent of those in Ogundinsin’s work.  I can also see similarities to the stylised portraits by James Barnor and Omar Victor Diop, both of whom celebrate black figures in their oeuvre. 

Outside the above series, we see Ogundunsin becoming more experimental and unafraid to try different styles, including black-and-white photography, a sparing use of colour, and digital manipulation that causes a face to break apart. It demonstrates that he is willing to adopt new styles and that there’s still space for his photography practice to grow and evolve.

It’s not just portraits; he also photographs rural landscapes and urban cityscapes, the latter softened to the point that they look like postcards. Just as Martin Parr captures a sense of British life through his photographs, Ogundinsin seeks to capture a similar slice of life, albeit from a different background and perspective.

The UK’s diverse fine art photography and wider art scene benefit from varied approaches to fashion, style, and composition, and Ogundunsin brings his unique vision to the discussion. The art scene in the UK is constantly evolving, and it’s always great to see fresh new voices joining the conversation. 

More information about Oluwatobi Ogundunsin’s photography can be found on his website and Instagram account.

Author Spotlight: Vincent Yu, ‘Seek Immediate Shelter’

Sam Franzini
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Author Spotlight: Vincent Yu, ‘Seek Immediate Shelter’

When the citizens of a small town in Massachusetts receive a false missile alarm, alerting them to their imminent deaths, they react in an array of emotions. Some see it as an opportunity for true love—texting a stranger they met at a bar years ago how they really felt. Some see it as a way to get the last word in, texting their child what they really thought of how they lived their life. And some make a mistake that will carry them to their graves—like flooring it before their wife and child can make it into the car.

Touching, deeply human and bittersweet, Vincent Yu’s Seek Immediate Shelter bounds from person to person, following them years into the future to see the reverberations that one instant can have on the rest of one’s life. OurCulture chatted with Yu about choosing love over fear, crafting Asian identities, and closure.

What drew me to Seek Immediate Shelter was its premise. Did it have anything to do with the 2018 false alarm that happened in Hawaii?

Yeah, it was definitely inspired by that. I didn’t start writing immediately after the alarm happened. I started writing in 2022, I’m not sure what brought the alarm back into my head. It started in the same way that all my work does, as a short story. Eventually, if it doesn’t seem to be fitting within the constraints of that form, it could be a robust enough idea for a novel, and that’s what happens here. 

In your writing, you strike me as someone who believes one single moment can change everything. Is this true?

Absolutely. I’ve always felt that it’s a fallacy to try and put a story or narrative over real life events’ there’s so many things you don’t consider. I still remember reading War and Peace for the first time, near the end when Tolstoy goes on and on, when it starts to become his own historical beliefs. He talks about the Battle of Austerlitz, how Napoleon won this historically significant event, but if he had been sick that day, who knows? There’s so many events that have such a widespread range of repercussions you can never really expect.

Do you think that when the alert hit, it unlocked something potentially liberating? A lot of these characters do things that seem to me they’ve been waiting to do for a long time. 

Yeah, liberating but not necessarily in a good way. When you liberate your instincts, it can lead to things that are selfish. In the final story, Grant is addicted to opioids, when his former fiancée, Millie, appears. Their responses were very similar—both a response to liberation, but in opposite directions. Millie texted this guy she met at a bar one time that she’s never stopped thinking of him. She followed an impulsive decision that leads to nowhere, and Grant feels liberated to finally do something honorable. 

Did you ever think about the difference between characters who acted out of love vs out of fear?

Yeah. I mean, David, from the first story, who drives away and abandoned his wife and kid—even though I try to keep the narration very equivocal—I think he drove away out of fear, or cowardice. I think the next character, Nina, when she sends that text to her daughter—she felt free to be a little bit cruel. Those two had less-than-noble responses, but all the others acted out of a sense of goodness, of wanting to make their presumptive final moments meaningful. 

I was about to ask about Nina and how she called her daughter selfish. Nina, the mother who called her daughter selfish in her last moments. Do you think in these scenarios, they can write it off as something happening during the heat of the moment?

I thought about that a lot. It comes down to: You can understand something someone does, but you can’t necessarily forgive them for it. Forgetting is a whole other thing. I don’t think the daughter would forget her mother texted her those things. Personally, I do think there’s a chance of forgiveness there. You can tell in the later story, a couple months after Nina passed, Kate does still harbor some ill will. But I think going through life gives you so many perspectives, and Kate becomes a mother at the end of that story, and through the course of her life, she might begin to forgive. 

It’s not usually the main tension of the stories, but usually, these characters’ Asian identities play a role in what they do or feel in these moments—tell me about this layer.

That was something I went into, with this book, purposefully trying to do—create characters who are Asian, but almost happen to be that way. If anything, they’re drawn together by their proximity to an alert, and they’re all Asian. I started from there, and there were a couple things I wanted to explore.

A lot of stories right now told of and by Asians Americans are told from the perspective of the second or first generation—the literal act of immigration. I do wonder what those stories will become when we’re at a fourth or fifth generation, after you’ve been several years removed from the immigration that becomes its own legend of the family. I explore this in the Nina chapter, because Dean is a third-generation, and Nina is a second-gen. She believes a big difference in their parenting philosophy came from their temporal separation.

Another thing is that a lot of these stories don’t yet exist, because America is a young country, but we also had the Chinese Exclusion Act. Asians have only been immigrating into this country for a brief amount of time, so I don’t think there’s enough of a literary tradition of, and that’s something I’m very cognizant of as I write.

Let’s say this happens to you. I know we can’t recreate the terror of receiving this alert, but what do you think you’d do?

I mean, cliché thing, call my parents and my little sister. Get a group FaceTime going and let them know everything was chill.

Nothing dastardly?

No, I would be too square about that. I’d go on my company 401(k) and make sure I’d have a beneficiary listed. There’s no way in hell Donald Trump’s government is getting my money if I die in a nuclear attack.

Finally, what are you working on next?

I’m working on a novel about three childhood Asian American friends. Something traumatic happens, and they split up, and two of them reunite over a couple years and try to piece together what happens. I want to explore two big things. Ghosting: a real psychological and emotional exploration of someone who you think loves you very abruptly cuts you off, and how far your desire for closure can take you. And subscriptions: not just Netflix or Spotify, but our increasing disinclination to own physical things and commit to things. That’ll dovetail into the idea that you can never get at the truth of things, everything is a story you tell yourself, and it’s one you’re forced to subscribe to.

Seek Immediate Shelter is out now.

Everyone Wants a Piece of Hailey Bieber: Inside Alaïa & Mango

Vera Adamidou
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Everyone Wants a Piece of Hailey Bieber: Inside Alaïa & Mango

Fashion’s current hobby? Booking Hailey Bieber. She’s at the Met Gala dipped in gold and wrapped in Saint Laurent, fresh off her aggressively viral Tangerine Temptation campaign for the house, she’s fronting Alaïa during the final stretch of Pieter Mulier’s era before heading to Versace, she’s landing a fresh ambassador title with Mango, all while Rhode still keeps finding new ways to convince people they need a glazed lip (I too would like to look immune to stress and permanently moisturized).

Hailey Bieber for Alaia Summer Fall 26 Archetypes
@maisonalaia via Instagram

Opening Instagram lately means there’s at least a 78% chance Bieber will appear staring back at you in muted beige lighting, which brings us to her latest campaign streak. For Mulier’s Summer/Fall ’26 Archetypes campaign, the model posed in front of Tyrone Lebon’s lens at Graces Mews Gallery as the Alaïa woman “with effortless magnetism, sensuality, and empowered beauty”. The story continues through sculptural volumes, suede interrupted by skin, and glass reflecting Mulier’s controlled minimalism, everything as clean as Bieber’s own image.

Hailey Bieber for Mango Craft Your Own Story
@mango via Instagram

The photos are always on their way, and whatever luxury brand is behind them rarely does much in terms of shock value anymore. The surprise usually sits in an accessible space, or fast-fashion territory. Mango launched a teaser for their new secret brand ambassador, who remained secret for a total of 5 seconds, before a small ankle tattoo gave the whole thing away. Craft Your Own Story had the model against the Californian skyline photographed by Anthony Seklaoui, wearing those tiny gingham boxers that sold out faster than the comments loaded, vivid shirts, classic windbreakers, ruffled shorts, mini dresses, floral tops, leather sandals (possibly the collection’s best piece), and those very specific bags, either too glossy, or heavily textured, with no in-between.

What people miss most when living abroad: a study reveals three key factors

Our Culture Mag & Partners
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What people miss most when living abroad: a study reveals three key factors

A recent study identifies three key elements that explain how migrants preserve a strong connection to their country of origin, even while living thousands of miles away from family and friends.

Buena Park, California, May 2026 – What do people miss most about home when living abroad? A new study by Ria Money Transfer explores this question and uncovers three essential factors that help millions of people maintain that connection in their everyday lives.

The United States, the world’s leading destination for migrants, is home to more than 51 million foreign-born residents, accounting for approximately 15% of the country’s total population.

Against this backdrop, the latest Ria Money Transfer research examines how people remain connected to their homeland despite geographical distance. While remittances are often viewed as the primary link between migrants and their countries of origin, the study asks a broader question: is there more to that relationship?

For many migrants, maintaining a connection to their country of origin is not simply a matter of nostalgia. Research has consistently shown that cultural ties can play an important role in emotional well-being, community integration, and the preservation of personal identity. Whether through language, food, family traditions, or social networks, these connections often help people navigate the challenges of building a life in a new country.

At the same time, these bonds evolve over the years. First-generation migrants may actively seek out cultural experiences that remind them of home, while younger generations often develop a blended identity shaped by both their family’s heritage and the culture of the country in which they grow up. As a result, the ways people stay connected can differ significantly across communities and generations.

“Sending money is only one part of the connection people maintain with their country of origin. There is also a cultural and social bond that remains present in their daily lives.”

The report identifies and explores three fundamental pillars that strengthen this relationship beyond financial support for loved ones living far away.

First, food plays a central role in helping migrants stay connected to their roots

The familiar aromas and flavors of traditional dishes serve as a direct bridge to a person’s heritage, creating a sense of home regardless of the distance.

The study highlights examples such as Mexican tortillerías, where traditional production methods are preserved, as well as Colombian and Venezuelan areperías, spaces where cuisine retains its cultural significance and reinforces a shared sense of identity.

These businesses often become gathering places where communities come together, exchange stories, and celebrate their heritage. They also help pass family customs on to younger generations while offering a sense of familiarity and belonging within local neighborhoods, keeping cultural traditions alive in everyday life.

Beyond their culinary appeal, these establishments frequently contribute to local economies and cultural diversity. They introduce traditional ingredients, recipes, and customs to broader audiences, helping preserve cultural heritage while fostering greater understanding between communities.

Second, traditions remain one of the strongest ways migrants preserve their culture

Celebrations, rituals, and cultural festivities provide another important connection to migrants’ countries of origin.

Although many of these customs evolve and adapt to new surroundings, their significance endures. This can be seen in celebrations such as Día de los Muertos within Mexican communities and Diwali among Indian communities, both of which continue to be widely observed in cities across the United States.

Beyond the festivities themselves, these occasions bring people together, creating opportunities to share experiences, strengthen community ties, and keep cultural practices alive for future generations.

For many families, these celebrations also serve as an opportunity to pass traditions from one generation to the next. Through shared meals, music, religious ceremonies, and community events, younger family members gain a deeper understanding of their cultural heritage and family history.

Together, food and traditions illustrate how cultural identity is sustained across borders. Yet the study suggests that these visible expressions of heritage are only part of a broader picture. A third factor, often present in everyday routines and personal relationships, may be even more influential in helping migrants maintain a lasting connection to home.

Read the full report to discover the third, and perhaps most important, way migrants stay connected to home

Alongside food and traditions, the recent Ria Money Transfer study identifies a third key factor that influences migrants’ lives in subtle but meaningful ways. But what role does it play in preserving that sense of belonging?

The full report examines this dimension in greater depth and explores how these three pillars evolve over time, particularly across different generations.

Discover the complete findings and learn how migrants continue to nurture meaningful connections with their roots while building new lives abroad.

About Ria Money Transfer

Ria Money Transfer is one of the world’s leading money transfer companies. With operations in more than 190 countries and a vast network of agents and locations, Ria Money Transfer delivers fast, secure, and affordable solutions for sending and receiving money internationally.

Is a Cordless Pool Cleaner Worth It for Above Ground Pool Owners?

Our Culture Mag & Partners
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Is a Cordless Pool Cleaner Worth It for Above Ground Pool Owners?

Above ground pools are easy to enjoy in summer, but they still collect plenty of mess. Leaves drift in after windy afternoons. Bugs gather near the edge. Pollen, grass, dust, and sunscreen residue can build up faster than many owners expect.

That is why many homeowners start looking at easier cleaning options. For above ground pool owners, the routine often needs to be quick, light, and easy to repeat. Nobody wants to spend half the afternoon connecting hoses, dragging out tools, or vacuuming manually before the family can swim.

The real question is not whether cordless sounds convenient. It is whether the cleaner fits the pool size, debris level, battery expectations, and weekly maintenance habits.

The Main Benefits of a Cordless Pool Cleaner

Easier Setup Around Smaller Backyard Pools

Many above ground pools sit in compact yards, patios, or family spaces where cords and hoses can get in the way. A cordless pool cleaner can reduce the hassle of hose setup, long power cables, and complicated storage.

That convenience can make a real difference. If cleaning takes too much setup, it often gets skipped. If the cleaner is simple to place in the water, run, remove, and rinse, owners are more likely to use it after wind, rain, or a busy weekend of swimming.

Less Daily Skimming and Vacuuming

A cordless cleaner can reduce repeated manual work when it becomes part of the routine. It is useful after a windy afternoon, after kids swim, after a cookout, or when pollen and insects collect quickly.

The biggest value is consistency. A cleaner that runs often can help stop small messes from becoming longer cleaning sessions later.

Where Cordless Models Can Fall Short

Cordless cleaners are convenient, but they are not perfect for every pool. Battery runtime may not cover every pool in one cycle. Charging adds another step. Some models may have smaller debris baskets or less fine filtration than owners expect.

Larger or very dirty pools may need more frequent cleaning cycles. Long-term value also depends on replacement filters, parts, battery care, and how easy the cleaner is to maintain.

Cordless can be worth it when the pool and routine match the cleaner’s strengths. It may feel less valuable if the pool is very small, rarely used, or already easy to clean by hand.

What Above Ground Pool Owners Should Check Before Buying

Pool Size, Shape, and Surface

Before buying, check the cleaner’s recommended pool size. A small round pool does not need the same cleaner as a larger oval or rectangular pool. Ladders, steps, soft liners, uneven bottoms, corners, and waterline buildup can all affect cleaning.

Cost also matters. If you are comparing the cleaner as part of a full backyard setup, understanding above ground pool cost can help you think beyond the purchase price. Pool ownership includes cleaning tools, filters, water testing, chemicals, replacement parts, covers, and routine maintenance.

Debris Type and Filter Access

Think about what actually falls into the pool. Leaves, bugs, twigs, and grass need good debris collection. Pollen, dust, sand, and fine particles need better filtration.

Filter access is just as important as cleaning power. If the basket or filter is annoying to remove and rinse, the cleaner may not get used often. A practical cleaner should be easy to clean after each cycle, not just impressive during the cycle itself.

Compare Features Before Comparing Model Names

Online shoppers often compare model names first, but above ground pool owners usually get better results by comparing real cleaning needs. Pool size, debris type, waterline buildup, filter access, battery life, and storage space matter more than choosing the most advanced-sounding option.

This is especially true when comparing cordless pool robots across a product line. One owner may need a simple cleaner for weekly family use, while another may need more coverage for frequent surface debris or a larger pool. A model that looks stronger on paper is not always the better choice if the pool does not need those extra features.

Some shoppers may compare Sora 30 with a step-up option such as Beatbot sora 70, but the better starting point is still the pool’s actual debris pattern, size, and cleaning frequency. For this article, the focus stays on Sora 30 because it fits many above ground pool owners who want practical cordless cleaning without turning the decision into a premium-feature chase.

Buying Question Why It Matters What to Look For
Is the pool small or medium sized? Runtime and coverage need to match the pool Check recommended pool size
Does debris appear often? Frequent mess makes cordless convenience more useful Look for easy repeat cleaning
Is the pool surface soft? Above ground pools often use liners Choose gentle, compatible movement
Is filter access simple? Hard-to-clean baskets reduce real use Check basket removal and rinsing
Will it be stored often? Above ground owners may remove it regularly Consider weight and storage space
Is chemistry maintained separately? Clean water still needs balance Keep testing pH and chlorine

Beatbot Robotic Pool Cleaner as a Practical Cordless Option

Beatbot Sora 30 is a natural fit for above ground pool owners who want a cleaner that feels easy to use through the summer. It can be presented as a practical cordless cleaning helper for routine debris, floor cleaning, wall cleaning, and waterline care in family pools where leaves, insects, pollen, and sunscreen residue appear often.

A realistic use case is simple: after a weekend swim or windy afternoon, the owner places Sora 30 in the pool while checking water chemistry, rinsing the skimmer basket, or putting away pool toys. Its value comes from making repeated cleaning easier, especially for owners who dislike handling cords or hoses.

Sora 30 supports physical cleaning, but it does not replace water testing, filtration, chemical balance, or safe pool habits. It is best understood as part of a routine, not the entire routine.

When a Cordless Cleaner Is Worth It

A cordless cleaner is most worthwhile for above ground pool owners who clean often during summer, dislike hose or cable setup, and deal with regular leaves, pollen, insects, or light debris. It also helps when storage space is limited and the owner wants a cleaner that is easy to move.

It may be less compelling for very small pools with light debris or owners who only clean occasionally. A cordless cleaner should make the weekly routine easier, not become another gadget that sits unused.

How to Get Better Results From a Cordless Pool Cleaner

Charge the cleaner before expected use. Remove large debris first if the pool is very dirty. Run the cleaner after wind, rain, or heavy swimming. Empty and rinse the basket or filter after each cycle.

Store the cleaner properly between uses. Test pH and chlorine regularly. Keep the pool pump and filter working well.

A cleaner handles physical debris. Clear, comfortable water still depends on circulation, filtration, and chemistry.

A Smarter Summer Routine for Above Ground Pool Care

A cordless pool cleaner can be worth it for above ground pool owners when it fits the pool size, debris level, and cleaning routine. The strongest buying points are simple handling, battery life, cleaning zones, filter access, weight, storage, and long-term maintenance.

The right cleaner makes summer pool care easier to keep up with. When it becomes part of a simple weekly rhythm, the pool stays cleaner with less last-minute work before swimming.

Art Director Shaoyang Chen and the Cartography of Visual Culture

Abbie Wilson
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Art Director Shaoyang Chen and the Cartography of Visual Culture

In contemporary visual culture, where the boundaries between commercial image-making and artistic practice continue to dissolve, Shaoyang Chen occupies a distinctive position. Her work moves across global branding campaigns, exhibition design, film identities, and independent cultural projects without treating commercial design and artistic production as separate disciplines. Instead, Chen approaches graphic design as a form of cultural authorship—using visual language to examine identity, consumption, and collective memory.

Chen’s practice is rooted in narrative thinking. With an early background in journalism, her projects are shaped less by aesthetics alone than by observation, storytelling, and cultural context. This narrative foundation would later become central to both her commercial and artistic work.

As an art director, Chen has brought an authorial perspective into contemporary advertising, treating campaigns not merely as communication tools but as opportunities to build culture around brands. During her tenure at Wieden+Kennedy, she contributed to projects for Nike, Meta, Instagram, Major League Baseball, McDonald’s, and VISA, working across sport, technology, and popular culture. Among these projects was the MLB 2025 global campaign, later recognized with a Silver award at the Clio Sports Awards. Rather than reinforcing existing brand narratives, Chen’s work frequently expands them—positioning brands within broader cultural conversations and constructing visual languages that feel contemporary, socially aware, and culturally resonant.

This same sensibility extends into her work as a graphic designer. Chen co-led the visual identity for the 2023 San Francisco International Film Festival, developing the primary visual language for its sixty-fifth edition. The festival brought together influential figures across contemporary cinema, including filmmaker Peter Nicks, producer Ryan Coogler, director Celine Song, and actress Greta Lee, situating the event within an active dialogue between independent filmmaking and contemporary screen culture. In this project, Chen’s design work extended beyond event branding to help strengthen the festival’s cultural presence.

Beyond commercial endeavors, Chen has established a parallel body of work in independent cinema and cultural production through her collaborations with award-winning and internationally recognized films. For the short film Boxed, a project centered on consumer entrapment and existential emptiness that was later recognized by the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival and the New Jersey Film Festival, Chen transformed graphic identity into narrative architecture. Typography, posters, audience artifacts, and environmental graphics became extensions of the film’s emotional world rather than supporting assets. A similar sensibility appears in her work for My Miracle Boy, which was officially selected by the Big Apple Film Festival and nominated at the Montreal Independent Film Festival. Across these projects, design functioned not as illustration, but as storytelling itself—expanding cinematic narratives into spatial and graphic experiences.

Beyond design and film collaborations, Chen has established a parallel presence as an artist whose work moves through exhibition, cultural, and institutional contexts. Her works have been exhibited at Aspace Gallery, the Penn Museum, and the Wieden+Kennedy Gallery, situating her practice within dialogues that extend beyond commercial image-making. Across these contexts, Chen approaches graphic language as an artistic medium—one capable of shaping experiences of narrative, space, and memory.

What distinguishes Chen is not versatility alone, but authorship. Graphic designer, art director, and artist operate not as separate identities, but as interconnected modes within a single practice. Her work positions graphic design as both a creative discipline and an active cultural force within contemporary visual culture.

How Digital Convenience Is Changing the Gaming Experience for Players

Abbie Wilson
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How Digital Convenience Is Changing the Gaming Experience for Players

Gaming today feels completely different compared to even a few years ago. Buying games, downloading updates, playing with friends, and switching between devices has become faster and smoother than ever. Most of us now expect gaming to feel instant, flexible, and hassle-free.

That shift toward convenience is one of the biggest reasons modern gaming platforms continue to grow. We no longer want complicated setups, slow payment systems, or endless waiting times just to start playing. We want experiences that fit naturally into everyday life.

Whether you’re gaming on a console, PC, mobile phone, or cloud streaming platform, convenience now plays a huge role in how enjoyable the overall experience feels.

Fast and Flexible Payments Matter More Than Ever

Few things ruin gaming excitement faster than a frustrating checkout process.

Most of us have experienced it at some point. You finally decide to buy a game, in-game item, battle pass, or downloadable content, only to run into payment errors, lengthy verification steps, or limited payment options. Sometimes that frustration is enough to make you abandon the purchase entirely.

That’s why modern gaming platforms increasingly focus on making payments as smooth and flexible as possible. Digital wallets, prepaid payment systems, and alternative online payment methods have become especially popular among gamers because they offer speed and convenience without always requiring direct bank connections.

Some players also prefer separating gaming purchases from their primary bank accounts for budgeting or privacy reasons. Services like the Skrill pay online feature or other digital payment options can make purchases feel much quicker and easier, especially for smaller transactions like skins, cosmetic items, subscriptions, or mobile game purchases.

The simpler the payment process feels, the more enjoyable the overall gaming experience becomes.

Cloud Gaming Is Making Games More Accessible

Cloud gaming has changed how we think about hardware limitations. Not long ago, playing high-end games usually required expensive gaming PCs or consoles. Today, cloud gaming services allow us to stream games directly over the internet without needing powerful hardware at home.

That means we can jump into demanding games on laptops, tablets, smart TVs, or even mobile devices that normally wouldn’t be capable of running them locally.

Convenience is a huge part of the appeal. There are fewer massive downloads, fewer storage concerns, and less pressure to constantly upgrade hardware just to keep up with new releases.

For casual gamers, especially, cloud gaming removes a major barrier to entry. Instead of investing heavily in gaming equipment upfront, we can access large game libraries more easily through subscription services or streaming platforms.

The technology still depends heavily on strong internet connections, but it’s becoming more reliable and accessible every year.

Gaming Has Become More Social Than Ever

Gaming is no longer just about playing alone. For many, games have become social spaces where we talk with friends, compete together, watch live streams, and share experiences online.

Multiplayer games, voice chat platforms, streaming communities, and creator content have turned gaming into a much more connected form of entertainment.

Platforms like Discord became massively popular because they made communication during gaming easier and more natural. We can jump between voice channels, organize groups instantly, and stay connected even when we’re not actively playing. That sense of community has become part of the gaming experience itself.

Leaderboards, live chats, cooperative modes, tournaments, and creator-driven communities help us feel more engaged with the games we spend time on. Many gamers now value the social side of gaming just as much as gameplay itself.

Personalized Recommendations Are Improving Discovery

Modern gaming platforms are also getting better at helping us discover games we might actually enjoy.

With thousands of games available across different stores and subscription libraries, finding something new can feel overwhelming. Recommendation systems help narrow those choices down based on playing habits, favorite genres, activity history, and player preferences.

When done properly, personalization can save a huge amount of time. Instead of endlessly scrolling through storefronts, we get suggestions that actually match our interests.

Streaming platforms like Netflix helped normalize this kind of recommendation system years ago, and gaming platforms are increasingly adopting similar approaches.

Of course, we still care about privacy. Most people are comfortable with personalized recommendations as long as platforms remain transparent about how their data is being used.

Mobile Gaming Keeps Growing

Mobile gaming is no longer viewed as a smaller side category of gaming. For millions of people, it has become the primary way to play.

Part of that growth comes from convenience. Phones are always nearby, games launch instantly, and players can fit gaming sessions into short breaks throughout the day.

But expectations for mobile gaming have also increased significantly. We no longer want stripped-down experiences that feel like cheap versions of console or PC games. Many now expect high-quality graphics, cross-platform progression, multiplayer support, and smooth performance across devices.

Features like cloud saves, synchronized accounts, and quick login systems make mobile gaming feel much more seamless than it used to.

Cross-platform gaming has also helped blur the line between mobile, console, and PC experiences. We increasingly expect our progress, purchases, and friend lists to follow us across devices without friction.

Convenience Is Becoming Part of Good Game Design

Convenience in gaming is no longer just an extra feature. It’s becoming part of what we consider good design. As online entertainment continues evolving, convenience will likely keep influencing nearly every part of the gaming experience, from how games are purchased to how communities form around them.

Materializing Perception: Zhen Wei’s A Dash and the Poetics of Fleeting Light

Abbie Wilson
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Materializing Perception: Zhen Wei’s A Dash and the Poetics of Fleeting Light

Zhen Wei’s A dash (2025, oil and cold wax on paper, 19 × 24 inches) begins with an ordinary but sharply brief visual experience. At sunset, while looking through the window of a moving car, the artist saw a cloud briefly illuminated by light before it disappeared from view. Rather than reconstructing that moment as a complete landscape, Wei preserves what remains after the image has passed: a shift in attention, a residue of light, and the afterimage of something seen only for a few seconds.

The painting does not approach this scene as a conventional landscape. Its background is handled with softness and restraint. Blue, orange, pink, and yellow dissolve gradually into one another, creating an atmospheric field that appears almost smooth to the touch. This luminous surface does not describe a specific location. Instead, it evokes a visual condition in which form, light, and time are already unstable. The cloud is not fixed as an object in the sky; it is caught at the point where seeing begins to turn into memory.

Against this softened field, the foreground carries a markedly different material force. Wei pushes, layers, and accumulates oil paint and cold wax directly on the paper, allowing cloud-like forms to rise from the surface with a nearly sculptural presence. The contrast between the smooth background and the heavier wax structure gives the work its central tension. The image appears light and transient, yet its material body insists on weight, pressure, and physical presence. Through this contrast, the cloud becomes more than atmospheric scenery. It becomes a material event on the surface.

This is where the painting’s force begins to take shape. Wei is not simply depicting a view of the sky; she is giving structure to a brief act of seeing. The viewer is asked to consider not only what the image depicts, but how a moment is held, interrupted, and transformed through surface. The painting moves between flatness and depth, figuration and abstraction, visual memory and tactile presence. What might have been a passing view from a car window becomes a concentrated study of how matter can hold the instability of looking.

Although A Dash emerges from an ordinary observation, the painting also reflects the broader artistic direction that distinguishes Wei’s practice within contemporary painting. Rather than treating landscape as a subject to be represented, she approaches it as a perceptual field through which memory, materiality, and acts of looking can be examined. By combining dense material processes with a restrained visual language, Wei transforms fleeting visual experiences into sustained investigations of attention and the physical presence of paint. This approach also sets Wei apart from many contemporary painters working with landscape imagery. While landscape today is frequently used to address ecological concerns, environmental politics, or questions of place and identity, Wei turns toward a quieter investigation of perception itself. Her paintings are less concerned with describing the external world than with examining how fleeting visual experiences are registered, remembered, and materially reconstructed. In doing so, she shifts attention from landscape as subject to landscape as a catalyst for perception. This ongoing dialogue between materiality and perception has become one of the defining characteristics of her practice, contributing to a distinctive body of work that expands contemporary discussions of how painting can register the experience of seeing.

Yellow plays a subtle but decisive role in this structure. This careful orchestration of color and material has also received professional recognition. A dash was recognized in Creative Quarterly 83’s Fine Art, Theme: Yellow category, yellow does not function as a simple thematic marker or dominant color. It appears as warmth beneath the surface, a trace of sunset, and a thin layer of light that alters the atmosphere of the scene. It gathers along the edges of the cloud forms, emerges from beneath other colors, and glows through the surrounding field. It does not occupy the painting through force. Instead, it changes the temperature of the image from within.

This broader artistic direction is equally reflected in Wei’s treatment of color. In her work, color is not merely a visual component or a symbolic device. It often acts as an entry point into a state of attention. In A dash, yellow is not a fixed meaning but a passing condition: a brief light that touches the ordinary world and makes it momentarily unfamiliar. The sky remains a sky, and the cloud remains a cloud, yet they are no longer simply external scenery. They become signs of a moment when attention loosens from routine and turns toward the self.

This inward turn belongs to a larger direction in Wei’s practice. Currently living between Xiamen and Los Angeles, Wei works across oil painting, cold wax, acrylic, photography, and installation. Her works often begin with ordinary visual encounters: skies glimpsed through car windows, clouds seen from airplanes, reflections in rainwater, and fragments of light at the edge of the city. These images come from daily life, but they are not treated as casual records. Through material handling and color, Wei turns them into spaces where experience slows down and looking becomes a form of reflection.

Oil painting and cold wax have become especially important to this process. The density of oil paint gives weight to images that might otherwise remain ephemeral, while cold wax creates a spatial quality that allows the surface to hold light, pressure, and movement at once. In A dash, this relationship between material and perception is particularly precise. The work does not enlarge the fleeting moment into drama. Instead, it lets the smallness of the encounter remain visible, while giving it enough material presence to stay with the viewer.

The acclaimed recognition of Wei’s practice is also reflected through its presentation across a range of exhibition and publication contexts in the United States and internationally. Over the past several years, Wei has presented her work through a growing number of solo and group exhibitions across the United States and internationally. From Small Eternities at East Gallery to A Journey Through Urban Evolution at Ginkgo Art Gallery, and through exhibitions in Milan, Portland, Pomona, and Claremont, her practice has steadily attracted broader institutional and professional visibility. Her inclusion in Annuario d’Arte Contemporanea Cina–Italia 2022 further reflects the expanding international recognition of her work.

The strength of A dash lies in its refusal to overstate its subject. The work does not rely on explicit narrative, dramatic symbolism, or psychological illustration. Its meaning emerges through more subtle contrasts: smoothness and roughness, surface and depth, lightness and weight, a passing image and a materially built form. At first glance, the painting may appear immediate, almost like a quick gesture of color. Beneath that immediacy, however, is a carefully structured relationship between material, memory, and mental distance.

In this sense, A dash connects to Wei’s broader body of work without needing to explain itself through biography. Across her paintings of skies, clouds, window views, and reflected surfaces, incidental images often appear at the edge of movement. A view appears through glass. A reflection gathers in rainwater. A cloud is briefly held by dusk. These are not dramatic subjects, but they carry the quiet intensity of moments in which the visible world becomes psychologically charged.

Its recognition in Creative Quarterly 83 reinforces the professional reception of Wei’s practice while bringing broader visibility to a painting that resists spectacle in favor of sustained looking. Rather than preserving a complete landscape, A Dash transforms an ordinary visual encounter into a materially sophisticated meditation on perception. In doing so, the work exemplifies the distinctive qualities that continue to define Wei’s contribution to contemporary painting.

Legends Season 2: Cast, Rumours & Release Date

Alexandra Pleșa
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Legends Season 2: Cast, Rumours & Release Date

Custom employees go undercover in Legends, a well-crafted British series inspired by true events. After two weeks in the global Netflix top 10, the show is still racking up views, and it’s currently #1 in 11 countries where the platform is available.

The only bad thing about Legends is that it consists of only six episodes, which fly by. Could a follow-up happen in the future? Here’s what we know so far.

Legends Season 2 Release Date

At the time of writing, there’s no official news available about a potential Legends season 2. Since the show is inspired by true events and the mission wraps up fairly neatly by the time the end credits roll, a follow-up isn’t too likely.

That said, Legends is not listed as a limited series on Netflix, so you never know.

A second season could further the story by putting the characters in another dangerous situation. For now, all we can do is wait and see. If a sequel happens, new episodes could arrive in a couple of years.

Legends Cast

  • Tom Burke as Guy
  • Steve Coogan as Don
  • Hayley Squires as Kate
  • Aml Ameen as Bailey
  • Jasmine Blackborow as Erin
  • Douglas Hodge as Blake
  • Charlotte Ritchie as Sophie
  • Tom Hughes as Declan Carter
  • Johnny Harris as Eddie McKee

What Is Legends About?

Legends is inspired by real events from the UK’s war on drugs in the early 1990s. The series follows a group of ordinary customs employees recruited into a secret undercover operation after heroin trafficking spirals out of control.

None of them are spies or police officers. Instead, they receive fabricated identities known as “legends.”  Their mission? To infiltrate dangerous criminal networks in an attempt to dismantle the heroin trade from within.

As the season progresses, the undercover work psychologically affects everyone. Moreover, several close calls nearly expose the operation. Still, the finale sees the characters persevering despite encountering friction at every step. Without giving away too many spoilers, they eventually return to their day-to-day lives, bearing the scars of their time away.

While Legends season 2 isn’t a safe bet yet, there are a few ways to continue the story. The fact that the show has been getting rave reviews from critics and audiences doesn’t hurt. We’re keeping our fingers crossed.

Are There Other Shows Like Legends?

If you’ve enjoyed Legends, shows with similar vibes include The Americans, Slow Horses, The Night Agent, The Recruit, Quantico, and Black Doves.

Alternatively, catch up with some of the recent crime series streaming on Netflix. Like Nemesis, Man on Fire, Bandi, and Bloodhounds.

Arab Strap Announce New Album ‘Half-Told Tales’, Share New Single ‘You You You’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Arab Strap Announce New Album ‘Half-Told Tales’, Share New Single ‘You You You’

Arab Strap have announced a new album, Half-Told Tales, which will be out September 4 via Rock Action. The follow-up to 2024’s I’m totally fine with it 👍 don’t give a fuck anymore 👍 is led by the propulsive ‘You You You’, which is accompanied by a video from director Luke Bovill. The Scottish duo’s Aidan Moffat describes it as “a sort of disco-metal incantation. With a message of future felicity and fellowship that – fingers crossed – might make you dance and giggle too.” Check it out below.

“‘You You You’ is an attempt to remind ourselves, and hopefully others, that the world’s not full of awful people,” Moffat continued. “That there are millions of us out there dealing with the same worries every day: from the rising costs of absolutely everything, our mental and physical health, the constant slaughter and tyranny in our newsfeeds, to playing an unwitting part in the military-industrial complex, and the endless warping of reality. It can often feel like a complete absence of human decency – it’s no wonder that despondency can feel like our default disposition.”

Malcolm Middleton added: “The excitement comes because me and Aidan like and hate different things. There are things in the record that individually we might not choose but that’s why I like this album so much, because it’s not the one I wanted to make. I don’t think it’s what Aidan wanted to make either, it’s this bit in the middle. It might not be 100% what we want but it’s good for the band, and it works.”

Half-Told Tales Cover Artwork:

HALF-TOLD TALES COVER EMBARGOED 10AM BST 20_05

Half-Told Tales Tracklist:

1. I Get Noise
2. You You You
3. Be a Man
4. Fighting For You
5. Glamour Magick
6. Gape
7. Under Offer
8. Basic Physics
9. Sunsong
10. Dollar Park
11. Mr. Splitfoot
12. Ampersand
13. Fragments
14. Beats Per Minute

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