Presenting Image Issue 35: Stillness
'The Observant Eye' became, for its regulars, a sacred ritual, a time for pause in a city that didn't nurture pause, a balm in the frenzied pace of our urban and digital lives. But this need for stopping and contemplation is not only a contemporary one, as evidenced in those artworks in the galleries, many of which were centuries old and made with the intention of being pondered in the dark corners of churches and chapels.
It's helpful to have a framework, a structured environment, for marinating in stillness. It can feel uncomfortable and unnatural to just sit, absorb and not move. Meditating on a yoga mat has never worked for me personally, but I can stare at a painting for 60 minutes in a museum.
The stories in this issue journey through various environments that encourage or require stillness — from the hot tub at the spa to the temple and even the dentist's chair. If there's one thing these spaces hold in common, it's that they remove us from our routines through a shift in temperature, a vibrant color, an absence of sound. At the Met, I felt this shift as soon as I walked through the entrance hall and saw the fresh flowers spilling out of the tall ceramic vases.
It wasn't only the artworks that I came for on Friday evenings. It wasn't even the conversations (though they were nourishing too). It was mostly for the feeling that came over me after having stared at the cracks in the oil paint or the slippery shadows on chunks of marble — as though my eyes had been washed and they were finally seeing, not thinking. When I walked toward the exit, past the flowers and into the night, I felt for a moment a kind of clarity.
Elisa Wouk Almino
Editor in Chief
Image logo by Angelica Baini For The Times
Steam, soak, repeat. Bathing in L.A. is an art — just ask these spa devotees Leonard Koren began documenting L.A. bathing culture back in 1976 with Wet magazine, which featured contributions from David Lynch, Debbie Harry and Ed Ruscha. Read the story 🧖🏿♀️
A city built by seekers: A journey into L.A.'s spiritual architecture It would be too easy and too inaccurate to write these places off as strange anomalies — one-off quirks in a city filled with so many quirks. They are part of L.A.'s history. Read the story ⛪️
Dental offices don't need to be sterile holding pens. This Beverly Hills project is plush, pink and magical In the circular office designed by Charlap Hyman & Herrero, each and every room is a unique experience. Read the story 🦷 Issue 35: Stillness Order now
'Everything feels more beautiful in the bathhouse.' At the Japanese spa, the lens comes off Zoé Blue M. on her paintings of women at bathhouses and how caring for her body has become a part of her practice as an artist. Read the story 🛁
Called to the threshold, a death doula learns from the dying Transitions and transformations can be fraught, even torturous. As a death doula, a big part of the work is sitting in that liminal space. Read the story 🥀
My father photographed David Hockney and his mother in the '80s. It's an image I haven't stopped thinking about The image Lester Sloan took of Hockney has become a hall of mirrors, an entrance into the very notion of what a mother means. What it means to lose her. Read the story 📷
Diego Cardoso is painting L.A. as it really moves, one street at a time Cardoso worked for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for 30 years, affording him a special perspective of the city's architectural fabric. Read the story 🚸
A shopping experience bringing rare design, art and fashion — with a little bit of intimidation Design.Space felt like being in the fanciest department store in an upscale mall 30 years ago. Read the story 🛋️
I want to soul-bond, but can't commit. What gives? Our advice columnist holds court in a starry place to answer your heart's questions about love. Read the story 🌋
From the perfect toasting glass to a delightful can opener, elevate your summer with these design-driven pieces Our curated guide brings you items from Baccarat, Loewe, Rick Owens and more. Read the story 👓
May is giving jasmine scents and conversation pits. Here are 11 L.A. happenings in art, fashion and fragrance From Scent Fair L.A. to Jacquemus' newest boutique, May's offerings will give you the necessary refresh. Read the story 🖼️
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