A list of intriguing things
One: Gujo Hachiman, Japan, is the birthplace of fake food made of wax—which is used by restaurants across South East Asia as visual examples of menu items. These are also amazing examples of culinary art—as you can see with this bit of lettuce below. Want more? Check out these photos.
Two: These are just some of the many sculptures in Victor’s Park in Ireland—crafted by artisans in Mahabalipuram to fulfill an Irishman’s dream. They include very quirky figures of Ganesh, Shiva and also this: “more bizarre sculptures of a skeletal Buddha-like figure, an enormous disembodied finger, and a sculpture called ‘The Split Man’ which shows a figure ripping itself in two, representing ‘the mental state of the dysfunctional human.’” We do love Ganesha doing a John Travolta! Be sure to check out more awesome pics here.
Three: BBC News did a wonderful feature on Indian artisanal pens made across the country—from Pune in Maharashtra to Thirvallur in Tamil Nadu. Most are made of ebonite, a kind of hard rubber, others of titanium, brass, copper, sandalwood and even buffalo horn. All of them are gorgeous.
Four: Museums have been staying alive during the pandemic thanks to unprecedented tie-ups with entertainment companies. For example, London’s National Portrait Gallery —which showcases paintings of historical figures—rolled out its version of ‘branded content’: A Disney-commissioned artwork called ‘The Mandalorian and the Child’. Variety reports on other examples including a collab with Netflix.
