What we're reading & watching
“Cultural tattooing is a ritual. There are chants, prayers and offerings to gods/ancestors to whom these tattoos are dedicated. Blessings, and sometimes curses are invoked in
From Business Insider’s Still Standing series: Banarasi silk saris flourished in Varanasi, India since the 16th century. Weavers in the city are working to keep the tradition
From the video: “This three-generation family of potters follows the same methods from over 3,000 years ago. The terra-cotta art is traditionally made by the women of Sejnane
From Hotel Xcaret Arte: learn about the craftsmanship that goes into creating beautiful tiles. Original video with English subtitles here.
From the video: “The Academy of Ancient Music visits leading ‘cello maker, Robin Aitchison, who specialises in crafting beautiful copies of 17th and 18th Century instru
Paint and wallpaper manufacturer Farrow & Ball show how their luxury wallpapers are produced. From the video description: “The company started making hand-crafted high-en
From the video: “Millions of Hindu worshippers start every day with a ritual offering of flowers. Temples dump those flowers into the Ganges, adding harmful chemicals and pes
From the V&A: “Sachio Yoshioka is the fifth-generation head of the Somenotsukasa Yoshioka dye workshop in Fushimi, southern Kyoto. When he succeeded to the family busines
From the video: “Phoebe Hammonds creates yarn for woven decor kits, crochet, knitting, macramé, and more. She blends colorful fibers, like merino and nylon, into a batt of f
From the video: “The lamps that are in the rooms, were handcrafted by a community of 20 artisans in Cancun, Quintana Roo.”
Hammocks are hand-crafted for the hotel. See more here.
From the video: “A coal mine that shut down over 100 years ago still spews toxic waste into streams and rivers. Now, a team of artists and scientists is harvesting the muck a
Whang Od is the last master of the art of traditional, hand-tapped Filipino tattoos.
A short video showing the process of handcrafting Assouline’s Pablo Picasso: The Impossible Collection.
From the video: “A small community in Merida, Yucatan were the artisans who made the 300,000 + tiles used to decorate the suites at the Hotel Xcaret México.”
From the video: “Kim Dong-sik is a fourth-generation craftsman making hapjukseon, a traditional Korean fan. These fans date back at least 350 years to the Joseon dynasty (139
From the video: “One in four women in India don’t have the supplies they need for their period. One startup (Saathi Pads) is turning farm waste into biodegradable pads
Overview of Edward Brooke-Hitching‘s book The Madman’s Library. Watch an interview with the author:
From the video: “Pottery is a traditional industry in Gaza, supported by families like Sabri Atallah’s. But decades of armed conflict and political strife have put thes
From the video: “One of the most important parts of the celebration of Holi, a Hindu holiday celebrated internationally, is the color. Revelers throw hundreds of varieties of
Dutch brand Fruitleather is making vegan leather out of mangoes.
From the video: “Chen Jie is a tattoo artist in Beijing who inks traditional Chinese landscapes, still lifes, and figure paintings. This style, which incorporates traditional
From the video: “Kwangjuyo Group has been making 3,000 varieties of traditional Korean ceramic cups, bowls, and plates by hand since 1963. The company’s hands-on approach,
Professional book restorer Sophia Bogle shows how to restore a 120 year old book.
The Getty Museum takes us behind the scenes to see how a tapestry is made. From the video description: “Learn how tapestries were made in the time of Louis XIV and are still
7 dressmakers around the world show what wedding fashions look like in their region. From the video description: “Among the dresses featured: an elaborately beaded Native Ame
Communication comes in many forms, and throughout history humans have been creative with how they communicate with each other and record information; these knotted strings the Inca
Escape into a world of beautiful maps and art in Edward Brooke-Hitching‘s book The Sky Atlas.
Assouline is known for creating beautiful, collectable, ultra-luxury books about art, design, and lifestyle.
Pearls are one of nature’s most beautiful creations, and there is a long history of humans adorning themselves with them. From the video description: “The film guides u
The city of Kannauj is considered to be India’s perfume capital, and this video shows how natural perfumes (“attar”) are produced using a steam distillation method th
Mourner’s costume from Tahiti, collected by Captain Cook in 1774. The costume is made of barkcloth, pearl shell, feather, and coconut shell. Visit the British Museum’s blog
Watch the magic of de Gournay’s wallpapers as they come to life.
Gold Turkish dagger with rubies and engraved floral filigree, ca. 1550-1600. Currently at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Wien.
Watch the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Senior Textile Conservator Susana Fajardo as she works on the dress worn by Sandie Shaw at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967.
Traditionally, ballet tights and shoes were pink or “nude” (meaning, here, light beige) to match a dancer’s skintone, as the majority of dancers were white, but w
From the video: “Jiuwu is a professional tattoo artist in Beijing, China. He’s been an artist and master tattoo artist for decades and is known for blending his modern tech
From Vogue: “For nearly 75 years, these Oaxacan women have been revitalizing a vivid tradition of costume-making and folkloric dance.”
Jukebox Print shows how a luxurious business card is printed with 11 foil colors. Art by Elena Galimullina. From the video description: “This incredible 11 Color Holographic
Ceramicist Jono Pandolfi shows how his team makes 300 handcrafted plates, mugs, cups, and other dinnerware for some of America’s Michelin-starred restaurants.
A look at the luxurious details of Assouline’s Versailles: From Louis XIV to Jeff Koons.
Branding & Graphic Designer Sophie Taylor and Interior Designer & Decorator Dima Ahmad are the creatives behind the Art of Design.
