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Condé Nast Traveler
6 days ago
- Condé Nast Traveler
The World, Through Craft
Like recipes or songs, crafts are the fingerprints of our histories. Some are the byproducts of traditional ways of life, like functional objects designed to be used daily, but also beautiful in their artistry. Others began their lives as purely decorative pieces, and over the years have evolved into something that holds far greater weight. All are celebrations of the vast scope of human creativity and ingenuity, preserved and shaped by artisans working to ensure their traditions thrive in an ever-changing world. It makes sense, then, that crafts are also a portal through which a traveler can experience a place—and its people—in a deeper way. Of course, some parts of the world are already inextricably linked with their most famous crafts—we probably don't need to introduce you to Moroccan rug weaving or Indian block printing. But a rising number of less exposed craft movements are landing on traveler's radars, or in some cases, be rewarded with a long-awaited resurrection. In the collection of stories below, we spotlight five of them. Yulia Denisyuk travels to Okinawa to visit its bingata textile workshops—a quiet symbol of resilience in a Japanese prefecture that still bears the scars of war. Ashlea Halpern uncovers a similar legacy in Bosnia, but in the form of Konjic woodcarving, a UNESCO-recognized art form that has been passed down through generations, its artisans having never stopped sourcing materials from the same local forest. In Andalusia, Spain, the country's rich equestrian culture still fuels its greatest craft: leatherwork, but which is now, as Nicola Chilton discovers, entering a new era in high fashion.
Irish Times
09-08-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Presidency an opportunity to reinforce values crucial to the survival of our democracy
Look up into the night and watch a satellite pulse across the darkness. Think of the 80 tonnes of aluminium that lift you from Dublin to New York , or the marvel of scrolling through the streets of Timbuktu from your kitchen table. Wonder at the vast, audacious creative power of human beings. The same awe is due to the vaccines saving tens of millions of children and adults from misery, deformity and early deaths from diseases like polio and smallpox. And to the cancers cured and prevented by the ingenuity of our species. But these wonders share a fragile foundation: the ability of millions to feel safe enough to think boldly, and to trust their fellow citizens enough to sacrifice short-term comfort for the long, uncertain work of discovery. Neither Albert Einstein nor James Joyce could have realised their genius in a climate of fear. They needed the stability of cities like Zurich – safe, ordered places, because fear is the greatest corrosive of creativity. That stability does not arise by chance. It is engineered – by human inventions no less significant than the printing press or the microchip. Elections. An independent judiciary. The rule of law. A free press. They may not quicken the pulse like a rocket launch, but they are essential to creativity. READ MORE Each was designed for one purpose: to constrain the power of leaders. Because without limits, the human brain is neurologically vulnerable to the drug-like, distorting effects of power – warping empathy, dulling risk perception and fuelling an insatiable hunger for more. Such dictatorships create fear-drenched societies that snuff out scientific, civic and artistic creativity. Vladimir Putin, for example, for a period before he turned to war, asked his officials why Russia didn't have a Silicon Valley and set them off to build a new technology campus near Moscow that was to be Russia's answer to San Francisco or Boston. But you need independent judges, incorrupt officials, a free, critical press sniffing out corruption and a government looking over its shoulders at the electorate if you want centres of creativity and innovation. Putin had eliminated all of these preconditions and so his project failed and he turned to war – the almost inevitable default of the dictator. [ Fintan O'Toole: Putin's vicious folly is a lesson in failings of dictatorial leadership Opens in new window ] Tánaiste Micheál Martin, in his preface to the forthcoming book The Taoiseach: A century of political leadership, edited by Iain Dale (Swift Press), states that Éamon de Valera's governments of the 1930s saw the only recorded example in Europe of a defeated revolutionary group coming to power and then imposing rigid new limits on its own powers. Part of the 1937 Constitution that enacted these constraints included the creation of the office of the President of Ireland. A remarkable feature of this role is how little tangible power is invested in it – it's powers are similar to those of a constitutional monarch, albeit an elected one. [ 'It knocked my self-belief': Adi Roche reflects on 'shockingly dirty' presidential campaign Opens in new window ] But, as the incumbent has shown all too well, there is considerable non-tangible power in the role – celebrity, symbolism and global audience included. This brought President Michael D Higgins a popularity that made governments shy away from reigning him in from his many politically controversial interventions – for example, a letter of condolence to the Iranian people when their much-hated and dissent-crushing president died in a helicopter crash. For all that we might criticise President Higgins's testing of the limits of his constitutional role, he symbolises the State and his popularity therefore helped reinforce popular trust in the institutions of state. In France and the United States, the presidency merges symbolic authority with executive control. The result: fewer constraints and greater vulnerability to the corruptions of power. Witness how commonly ex-presidents in France end up in court and see what is happening across the Atlantic in the USA. In Ireland, the division between taoiseach and president is a creative constitutional safeguard. It allows the presidency to remain above partisan battle, embodying values that bind rather than divide – or at least that is what we should hope for. The recent rise of social media hate mongers in Ireland is severely threatening our binding common values. Whoever is the next president should see it as a major part of their job to beat off this threat. Democratic states depend on trust like nothing else, and that trust depends on the perception that leaders share the values of the citizens. Political leaders have to make tough but necessary decisions that may jar with popular opinion – raising the pension age or charging for water, for example. [ Presidential election: How much does it cost to run for the Áras? Opens in new window ] So, if presidents manage to stay above such political decisions, they can help maintain trust in the state by embodying values such as tolerance and respect, for example, that transcend the day-to-day political conflicts. This is why, above all, the presidency is a moral role much more than it is a political one. Candidates should be seen as having acted according to values in their life, perhaps occasionally at the expense of their self-interest. We trust each other to the extent that we perceive that we share the same moral values. The presidency is an opportunity to reinforce the values that are crucial to the survival of our mutual trust and hence of our democracy. This is why presidential candidates campaigning on particular political issues or ideologies is such a terrible idea. It will inevitably divide the electorate and so destroy what is the essence of the power of the president, namely to bind the electorate together with a sense of common moral purpose and healthy national pride. Ian Robertson is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Trinity College Dublin.
CBC
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Why Rhys Darby thinks AI can't do live stand-up comedy
When Rhys Darby started noticing the way AI had sunk its teeth into Hollywood, it got him thinking. The New Zealand actor and comedian, who you might know from Flight of the Conchords, Yes Man or Our Flag Means Death, is back with his first new stand-up show in nearly a decade. It's called The Legend Returns and it sets out to prove that there's one thing robots can't do: live stand-up comedy. "There's nothing more human, I think, than stripping down our humanity in front of each other's eyes and revealing it — revealing the pain of the human condition in a humorous way," Darby tells Q 's Tom Power in an interview. While Darby says he's already seeing AI replacing humans throughout several creative industries (for example, he's personally experienced a decline in voice work), he doesn't think the technology will ever be able to replicate "the human body on stage talking." That's why he's returned to performing live comedy. "[AI] will never be able to experience what it feels to be a living human with a heart beating and a soul, most importantly," he says. "Everything that we do, especially in the arts, which is my arena, comes from the soul, comes from the heart, comes from the inner self that we can't explain, the consciousness." But The Legend Returns is more than just an urgent message about the value of human creativity. It's a comedy show that's meant to entertain an audience. "It really, ultimately, proves that perhaps a robot could never do what I can do on stage," Darby says. "It's me doing stand-up and then it turns into, essentially, a one-man play about me conquering the robots that are taking over the world…. And I do the story in a really silly way that is very Rhys Darby comedy. So it's physical, I do lots of sound effects, I jump around on stage, I play about four or five different characters having conversations with each other. It's the kind of stand-up I've always done, but this time it kind of has an important message." You can catch The Legend Returns at Just For Laughs Montreal on July 24. The tour continues in the U.S. this fall.
Forbes
06-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Most Strategic AI Goal Isn't Efficiency—It's Reinvestment Of Time
As companies move quickly to adopt artificial intelligence, one question should rise above all others: How will we reinvest the time we save? AI holds immense potential to eliminate rote, repetitive, and time-consuming tasks. But simply cutting effort isn't a strategy. The true competitive advantage lies in how organizations reinvest that saved time—particularly in what's been hardest to preserve in a world of distributed, digital work: relationships and collaboration. In an era defined by distributed teams and digital overload, many workers are spending more time on screens and less time connecting with each other. If AI only accelerates this dynamic, we risk making things worse. But if it helps create space for human creativity and connection, it could offer exactly what today's workers - and the organizations that employ them - need. Tech visionaries of the 20th century widely predicted that automation would reduce workloads and expand leisure time. And in our personal lives, many of those predictions have come true. Most of us, thankfully, don't need to invest hours washing our clothes on a washboard or hours each day cooking. Machines wash our clothes, clean our homes, and prepare our meals—giving us the freedom to reinvest that time on what matters most to us. But in the workplace, the opposite has occurred. In 1965, Time Magazine predicted a 20-hour workweek thanks to automation and a future with 'mass leisure' thanks to the reduction of work demands. Yet today, even with more advanced tools than ever before, workers are reporting historic levels of burnout. This is especially true for remote workers where face-to-face interactions have diminished, loneliness has increased, and work-life boundaries have blurred. Why the disconnect? Because the efficiency created by technology in our work lives hasn't been reinvested. It's been absorbed. Organizations often respond to improved output by raising expectations—not redesigning the work processes or reevaluating goals. As a result, employees face more tasks, tighter timelines, and fewer opportunities to recover or connect. One of the clearest symptoms of this dynamic is burnout. In BetterUp's 20220 Connection Crisis Report, higher rates of digital interaction were correlated with weaker interpersonal connections—and a rise in burnout. In the years since, the connection between employees hasn't improved, disengagement has risen, and burnout remains a top concern among business leaders, particularly in light of additional layoffs. This creates a vicious pattern that we can think of as a Relational Burnout Cycle: workers stretched thin have less capacity to build relationships, which further weakens team cohesion and increases stress. The very technologies meant to enhance collaboration are, in many cases, eroding the human connections that make great work possible. Today's generation of AI tools offers a fresh opportunity. These tools are exponentially more powerful than past generations of technology, and if deployed strategically, they can give employees back one of their most precious and limited resources: time. But that time must be stewarded wisely by organizational leaders. AI can enable people to do more of what only people can do—foster deeper relationships, solve complex problems, and think creatively. Achieving that, however, will require leaders to do three critical things: The business case for AI shouldn't just be about doing more, faster. It should be about working more strategically and creatively. The companies that get this right won't just become more efficient with technology. They'll become effective at unlocking the potential of their people.
CNA
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Explore what it means to be human – through art, AI and imagination
When generative artificial intelligence (AI) gained mainstream attention in the early 2020s, it did more than disrupt technology – it stirred up some thorny questions. Is AI-generated art truly art? Who owns it? And if machines can create on command, what does that mean for human creativity? These hot-button issues quickly spread beyond creative circles, prompting reflection from governments, institutions and individuals alike. As society continues to grapple with these ideas, Marina Bay Sands' ArtScience Museum offers a thoughtful response. Its latest season, Mind and Body: The Art and Science of Being Human, presents two immersive exhibitions and a multidisciplinary public festival that delve into the human condition through the lens of technology, science and art. AN ARTFUL TAKE ON THE HUMAN MIND Part art installation, part choose-your-own-adventure, Mirror Mirror: Journey Into the Mind invites visitors to navigate a surreal eight-room experience centred on themes such as memory, perception, identity and consciousness. Guests begin their journey by picking one of three doors, each leading to sensorial spaces that explore different facets of the human mind. 'We wanted to ignite curiosity about the human mind and create a space for reflection, especially in a world where technology is so embedded in our lives,' said curator Victoria Chua, who brought Mirror Mirror to life in collaboration with global creative and multimedia studio Moment Factory. The experience also draws on diverse local voices, with neuroscientists and artists contributing to its development. In the Grey Matter room, for instance, visuals by Singaporean artist Genevieve Chua are paired with bite-sized insights about the brain. 'This layered approach ensures that the exhibition is enjoyable for all ages – fun and accessible for younger visitors, yet reflective and thought-provoking for adults,' explained Ms Victoria Chua. Technology plays an active role here, too. From AI to motion sensors, these interactive tools mirror the brain's adaptability, responding to visitors in real time – much like how our minds constantly learn and evolve. In the Open Window room, visitors can input a piece of their memory into an app, which then transforms it into a piece of prose and AI-generated imagery, mimicking how the brain turns experiences into creative expression. The result? A whimsical yet insightful look at how we think, feel and imagine, using art and technology to shed light on the mind's inner workings. FASHION REIMAGINED THROUGH SCIENCE AND NATURE Fashion might seem like a tactile art form, but for Dutch designer Iris van Herpen, it's also a frontier for innovation. Since the founding of her atelier in 2007, the former Alexander McQueen protégé has redefined haute couture through the use of 3D printing, laser cutting and unconventional materials in a process she calls 'craftolution'. Curator Deborah Lim shared: ' Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses offers a gateway into the designer's world, while opening up broader conversations around the body, identity and our place in an ever-changing world.' Spanning nine zones, the exhibition showcases over 140 of Van Herpen's works displayed alongside contemporary art pieces and natural history specimens, revealing surprising links between fashion, science and nature. 'Van Herpen takes cues from the natural world – from coral formations and marine life to human anatomy and neuroscience – to imagine new materials and wearable forms,' Ms Lim explained. For example, the Synaesthesia gallery includes rare reproductions of neuron drawings by Spanish neuroanatomy pioneer Santiago Ramón y Cajal, while the Skeletal Embodiment zone juxtaposes fossils with 'second skin' designs inspired by van Herpen's study of human anatomy. A soundscape by Dutch sound designer Salvador Breed, featuring creaking bone-like audio, completes the multisensory experience – a fitting reflection of van Herpen's primal-meets-futuristic aesthetic. A FESTIVAL OF WONDROUS CONNECTIONS Now in its final stretch, Curious Worlds rounds out the season with a vibrant public festival that celebrates the intersection of varied fields like neuroscience, adaptive fashion, biodiversity and assistive technology. Running till May 25, this is your last chance to catch an imaginative showcase of how these domains shape our perspectives on what it means to be human today. 'At its core, Curious Worlds is about connection – between disciplines, people and ideas,' shared its curator Zhang Bao Xin. 'We wanted to show how different fields, when brought together, can inspire new ways of living and relating to the world around us.' The festival has brought together an exciting mix of programmes – from neuroscience talks and biodiversity sampling workshops to hands-on sessions with 3D-printed assistive devices like prosthetic hands. As it enters its final week, Brain, Body and Biosphere remains a must-see. This free, month-long display features research and artefacts brought to life through interactive exhibits. It prompts visitors to explore fascinating questions, such as what it means to design clothing that meets the needs of every body or how we can draw inspiration from nature to design sustainable buildings. 'By spotlighting the work of those driving change – from scientists and technologists to artists and designers – we hope to spark hope for the future,' said Ms Zhang. 'Above all, we want visitors to leave feeling inspired by our shared capacity for empathy, creativity and resilience, and with the belief that each of us can contribute to a better world.'
