Latest news with #MidCenturyModern
Forbes
03-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Romania's Meze Audio Launches New 105 Silva Open-Back Headphones
Meze Audio recently announced a new pair of high-end and open-back headphones. The new 105 Silva ... More headphone are due to go on sale on July 23, 2025. Romanian headphone brand Meze Audio has an enviable reputation for making headphones with a timeless design and emotionally engaging sound. The company recently announced a new pair of high-end and open-back headphones. The new 105 Silva are due to go on sale on July 23, 2025. The 105 SILVA have a design inspired by the Mid-Century Modern movement. Blending vintage charm with contemporary aesthetics, the headphones have an unusual radial grille that intertwines with walnut wood to form elegant ear cups with a timeless look. Meze claims the new headphones are finely balanced between musicality and refinement, offering a smooth blend of clarity and richness. Through continuous development, the 105 Silva are designed to impart a rich and engaging sound that brings out finer details in music. The Meze Audio 105 Silva open-back headphones have oversized 50mm dynamic drivers with cellulose ... More composite domes and a titanium-covered surround. Inside the headphones are 50 mm dynamic drivers with cellulose composite domes and a titanium-covered surround that Meze says helps to produce a crisp and detailed sound profile. A titanium-coated and semicrystalline polymer torus, with copper-zinc stabilizer, provides the driver membrane with rigidity and strength. This translates into a fast transient response and textured bass with low distortion. Meze says the 105 Silva sound signature is a new take on the company's usual characteristics, including the technicalities of 109 PRO combined with the warmth and versatility of 105 AER. The 105 Silva focus on mid-range presentation for vocals and strings, enabling listeners to hear the liveliness and impact of music without smothering the micro details present in well-recorded tracks. The materials used in the new headphones contribute to their overall performance. The headphones have cushioned earcups and a self-adjusting headband for ergonomic comfort. The 105 Silva are crafted for durability because components can be disassembled and replaced, boosting the longevity and sustainability of the headphones. The ear cup design of the Meze Audio 105 Silva headphones features a radial grille that intertwines ... More with walnut wood. The Meze Audio 105 Silva headphones will go on sale from July 23, 2025, at and from selected retailers worldwide. The price will be $499 / £499 / €499.
Fast Company
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
8 great design books to read this summer
When I grew up in the '80s and '90s, summer was all about quasi-anarchic, unsupervised free-range child roaming. It was decidedly not about homework, so you may not recall those reading lists teachers used to assign us all that fondly. But I do! (I even once assigned myself a book report for the fun of it—don't ask.) As a book hound who grew up to be a journalist who covers books and authors, I get pitched a lot of them, and more often than not there's a precarious tower of tomes on my desk. So as summer kicks off, it's time to once again get lost in a reading list. Whether you're beach bound or holed up at home, these eight books offer myriad lenses through which to view the past, present, and future of design and the arts—no book report required. Eventually Everything Connects: Mid-Century Modern Design in the US compiled by Andrew Satake Blauvelt (out July 3) Cranbrook alum Charles Eames once said, 'Eventually everything connects: people, ideas, objects.' This book explores those intersections at the school that was essentially ground zero for the mid-century modern movement. Curated by Andrew Blauvelt (director of the Cranbrook Art Museum, which is hosting an exhibition of the same title through September 21), this 464-page tome explores work by the likes of Eero Saarinen and Florence Knoll, as well as women and designers of color who are often overlooked in the history books. Like Dominic Bradbury's Mid-Century Modern Designers, Blauvelt's examination offers a spotlight and reappraisal of these unsung heroes alongside the usual names, and it does so with a great editorial design system notable for its use of color, which extends to the cover, spine, and even those painted edges. Exhibitionist: 1 Journal, 1 Depression, 100 Paintings by Peter Mendelsund Peter Mendelsund is the definition of a polymath: classical pianist turned book cover design extraordinaire, turned author, turned Atlantic creative director . . . But the one thing he never did was paint—until he experienced a severe depression that nearly claimed his life. Exhibitionist is a memoir that might not be the lightest summer read, but it is a testament to the sheer restorative nature of art, and the work that just might have saved one of the best working artists today. 100 Logos: A to Z by Louise Fili (out August 26) This tiny treat features lettering icon Louise Fili's favorite marks from throughout her career, from Ecco Press and Tiffany & Co. to more obscure regional clients—where the work truly surprises and delights, perhaps the result of being untethered from boardrooms and committees. You could flip through the book in about 5 or 10 minutes—but you could also look at this collection of ornate logos for hours, given the artistry and attention to scrupulous detail that went into each one. Ruth Asawa: Retrospective edited by Janet Bishop and Cara Manes If you're only familiar with Ruth Asawa's iconic wire sculptures, you're in for a treat—because for a half-century-plus, the trailblazer was busy making paintings, casts, prints, and more, and it can all be found in this book. In 2020, Chronicle published the insightful biography Everything She Touched, and this volume is a robust, essential companion that goes further down the rabbit hole of Asawa's brilliance. (Moreover, between the recently published Ruth Asawa and the Artist-Mother at Midcentury and the forthcoming Ruth Asawa: The Tamarind Prints, it's a big year for fresh insights into the modernist whose work we might have thought we knew well.) Process by Matthew Seiji Burns, featuring design by Mark Wynne The plot of this novel is straightforward enough (and likely uncomfortably familiar to many who work in Silicon Valley): 'Lucas Adderson is a young man driven by an almost animalistic need to find outsized success creating the next unicorn tech juggernaut. His days are riddled with surreal meetings and strange characters, anxiety, and self-torture. Finally, after years of trying, his goal is within his grasp, but its consummation occurs at a great cost to his humanity, and perhaps everyone else's too.' What is wholly unfamiliar is the design by Wynne and publisher Tune & Fairweather, best known for its gorgeous books exploring the worlds of FromSoftware video games like Elden Ring and Bloodborne. Among Wynne's inspirations were visually interwoven reads like House of Leaves and The Medium is the Massage, and here he immerses readers in the story through experimental typography. The type shape-shifts; it expands and contracts; it fragments; as the main character's mental state breaks down, it does, too. It can be demanding at times—but with that challenge comes immersion, and a curious new reading experience. curated by Philippe Ségalot and Morgane Guillet We're accustomed to seeing self-portraits as curious one-off moments in an artist's show or museum—but to see a collection of some 60 in one place is as obvious as it is remarkable. From Pablo Picasso to Paul Gauguin and Cindy Sherman, this 'intimate journey across art history' ultimately fascinates in not just seeing how an artist distills themselves through their own filter, but in questioning and probing what self-portraiture means at large. While I wouldn't shove this book into a beach bag—it is, after all, a luxe Assouline volume—it very much invites a place for pondering on your coffee table. The Education of a Design Writer by Steven Heller and Molly Heintz (out June 24) I'm not recommending this book because I have an essay inside it—I'm doing so because of all the other people who do, too: Ken Carbone, Chappell Ellison, Jarrett Fuller, Rick Griffith, Karrie Jacobs, Mark Kingsley, Warren Lehrer, Ellen Lupton, Silas Munro, Virginia Postrel, Anne Quito, Angela Riechers, Adrian Shaughnessy, Veronique Vienne, Rob Walker . . . and the list goes on. With 200-plus books under his belt, Steven Heller (who I've edited for a number of years) is perhaps the best-known design writer outside of Philip B. Meggs. So when he pulls together a book on the craft, as he did here with Molly Heintz, the rest of us are wise to listen (or, you know, read—and then write). Ukrainian Modernism by Dmytro Soloviov Full disclosure: I know very little about Ukrainian modernist architecture. But I'm apparently not alone. Per Fuel Publishing, these 'ingenious' buildings have not gotten their due for a variety of factors—'including the stigma of belonging to the Soviet era, corruption, neglect, as well as the ongoing threat of destruction from both unscrupulous developers and war.' So, Soloviov sought to give them their due, with their resilience perhaps a mirror to Ukraine's people at large. Another full disclosure: I have not yet gotten my hands on a copy of this book—but I can't wait to rectify my knowledge when I do. Homework: assigned. The extended deadline for Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech Awards is this Friday, June 27, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Forbes
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Hollywood Stars Discuss The Progress Happening For LGBTQ+ Storytelling
In a world that can often times feel rather divisive lately, the sharing of LGBTQ+ stories in films and on television have created not only a more inclusive feeling of better representation for those within its community, but it has allowed people from all walks of life to better understand both the victories and the struggles that these individuals have had to endure over the years. This past Friday, the Critics Choice Association had its second annual Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television event, honoring LGBTQ+ entertainment leaders that have paved the way to ensure that authentic portrayals of their community continue to be widely shared with audiences everywhere. Speaking with several honorees, presenters and attendees, I asked all of them one specific question - What are you enjoying most about the ways of the LGBTQ+ community's exposure within Hollywood today, and what do you feel still needs to be improved upon most within the entertainment industry? Nathan Lee Graham, who stars on Hulu's Mid-Century Modern comedy series, said, 'That is a big question! Well, what I love is that we exist, period, right? That many stories are being told from many different perspectives, and that we're not a monolith. So, we have coming-of-age stories, discovery stories, horror films - we also have wonderful comedies where people are over 25, like my show Mid-Century Modern, where you can see people existing in real life, speaking like real people. What we need, though - we need more projects greenlit. That's the most important thing. The content is out there, but they have to be greenlit and it has to be the wealth and the experience of all the people that bring the stories to these studios, or to these producers or the companies that are producing TV shows, like Amazon or Apple. So, greenlit our stories. There are lots of them.' Megan Stalter, who currently stars on Hacks on HBO Max, said, 'I think it's just so amazing to see so many queer stories and characters, because I feel like growing up, I didn't see half as many as I do now. The Hacks creators do such a good job of that. Broad City is one of the first bisexual characters I've ever seen. I just want more, more, more!' Sherry Cola, who hosted the evening and stars on Netflix's Nobody Wants This, said, 'Listen, I love seeing queerness on the screen because it's just so colorful - the way we express and the way we show people who we are, and we've been through so much. It's a sign of resilience, it's a sign of the victories and it's the sign of the fire. Every single time we celebrate like this, we're reminded that we're all in this together and we won't stop until we get what we deserve. There is still so much work to be done, especially in the intersectionalities. I'm obviously an immigrant - I'm Chinese-American, I'm bisexual, I'm a woman. I feel like we're all representing so much and we just want to make sure no one is left out.' Tramell Tillman, who stars on the Apple TV+ Severance drama series and can be seen in the new Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning film alongside Tom Cruise, said, 'One thing that needs to improve is that we deserve to be heard. One thing that I love to see is that there are so many diverse voices in many different stories that are being told. We need to continue to protect our trans brothers and sisters - and so, I hope that environments like this and media persons will help to uplift the voices of the trans community.' Josh Greenbaum, who is the director of Netflix's Will & Harper documentary film, said, 'Oh, that's a good question. What I am enjoying is that it just continues to grow, in terms of people consciously thinking about how do we have LGBTQ stories out there, characters out there and representative. I am thinking all the way back to my very first film, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar - it was an interesting process because I think the GLAAD media report had been out and around prior, but I don't know how many years. I remember the time and an interesting experience where the media report had just come out and I was making that film for Lionsgate, and as a result to that report that said Lionsgate, the year prior, had zero LGBTQ characters in its project. Granted, in their defense, I don't think they had a lot of projects but it still was indefensible. That report then caused them to turn to me and Kristen Wiig and Annie [Mumolo] and say, 'Hey, let's look at this movie Barb and Star - are there characters and places where we can represent queer culture in a way that maybe you hadn't thought about?' That to me was a very big, transformative moment. I love that, that has been growing and happening. In terms of your second question, we just need a lot more. We need to keep saying this louder and louder and louder, and not backing down. It's so joyful to see - and by the way, queer stories are the best and trans stories!' Sasheer Zamata, who stars on the Disney+ Marvel series Agatha All Along, said, 'I think my favorite thing is that we are getting so much queer content by queer people. I think it's really wonderful that we're seeing so many writers-performers create things, so many directors. You want to hear stories from people who understand that perspective. I think it's wonderful that they're getting so many opportunities today. I would say I would hope more of that is happening. It's not just the performers and not just the writers, but it's also the producers and also the directors. I want more representation throughout.' Benito Skinner, who created and stars in Prime Video's Overcompensating comedy series, said, 'Well, I think we need more stories. Right now, I feel lucky that I was able to make my story into a show and that it's on a place like Prime Video where people can see it. I think we just need more stories. I need more and I am feeling like there are less, and that I think is scaring me. So, I'm glad we have something like this tonight to celebrate these stories that we need desperately at a time right now, when so many people are feeling ostracized and attacked and unsafe. So, to have something like this tonight to celebrate people who want to make art about queer people, because we need it and it's the best art.' Liv Hewson, who stars in Paramount Plus with Showtime's Yellowjackets drama series, said, 'What I like the most is the variety. I want to be one of many and I count myself very lucky that I am, and I want more. I want continued variety because that to me represents the almost infinite diversity of the queer community in real life. So, that's important to me.' Tonatiuh, who will soon debut his breakout role alongside Jennifer Lopez in Roadside Attractions' much-anticipated Kiss of the Spider Woman film, said, 'The one thing that I see that I'm loving - the jokes are joking. The comedy scene is incredible in the queer community. We've infiltrated mainstream culture - we're here! What could be improved? You know what I would love? I love melodramas and I want more raw, naturalistic, queer dramas. I think that would be really fun.' Michael Urie, who stars on the Apple TV+ Shrinking series, said, 'The only way to improve LGBT content in Hollywood right now is for more of it, but I feel like we're doing some really special things. If this night is any indication, it's across the entire medium of television and we have infiltrated all the genres, and there's enough of us now to fill a whole night of celebration and that's really exciting. So, I feel we're doing a lot right and the only thing that would make it better is more of it.' Danielle Pinnock, who stars on the CBS comedy series Ghosts, said, 'First of all, it is an honor to have a seat at this table. I am honoring and presenting Niecy Nash - her Groundbreaker Award. She is truly my North Star and I'm just going to lean really into the Black LGBTQIA+ community. I would not be here without my girls. As a theater geek who was plus size and no one was checking for, it was the queer community that said, 'No, we're choosing her and she is going to win.' So, I'm so grateful for the LGBTQIA+ community.' Niecy Nash-Betts, who most recently can be seen starring in Ryan Murphy's FX series Grotesquerie, said, 'I love the fact that I've gotten play queer characters on television. Not only that, but I got to do it with the love of my life. So, we got to be a couple on television, which I thought was super cool. I also thought it was cool that particular character that I played on The Rookie: Feds was an equal opportunity dater. She dated everybody, you know what I mean? She was like a living apostle of love is love.' Tim Bagley, who stars in the HBO Max Somebody Somewhere series, said, 'I love that there's a lot of visibility in the LGBTQ+ world. I feel like, collectively, all of us in the community need to kind of center around our trans and nonbinary brothers & sisters because they're being kind of sought out and demonized. And so, I am at an age where I grew up hearing all those same things, like this is a choice and you're asking us adjust to you and all this kind of nonsense that I remember hearing when I was growing up as a gay man. Now, they don't really say that as much about gay people, but I just feel like as a community, we need to center around our trans and nonbinary brothers & sisters right now.' Wanda Sykes, the longtime comedian and the evening's Career Achievement Award recipient, concluded by saying, 'What I love the most is the number, you know? We've had such tremendous growth, as far as with our stories being told and representation. I look around tonight and I look at this amazing group of people. Ten years ago, it wasn't like this, as far as like this level and the amount of people. This is growth. I'm very proud and very happy to see it.' As for improvements still needed surrounding the LGBTQ+ community, Sykes added: 'I think right now, it's more support for the trans community. They're really being attacked, especially from the government. So, I really think that we need to look out for our trans brothers & sisters.'
Los Angeles Times
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Full Comedy Roundtable: Kate Hudson, David Alan Grier, Bridget Everett, Nathan Lane & More
Paul W. Downs ('Hacks') joins Lisa Ann Walter ('Abbott Elementary'), Bridget Everett ('Somebody Somewhere'), David Alan Grier ('St. Denis Medical'), Kate Hudson ('Running Point') and Nathan Lane ('Mid Century Modern') on the L.A. Times Envelope Comedy Roundtable. Presented by The Walt Disney Studios.
Globe and Mail
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Nauradika Announces Mid-Century Modern Design Revival: 3 Must-See Exhibits Celebrating the Resurgence
Mid-century modern design continues to captivate design enthusiasts worldwide, with a resurgence reflected in key exhibitions across the U.S. Nauradika, a leader in curating modern homeware and lighting, embraces this movement with collections that combine classic MCM elements with contemporary living spaces. London - May 22, 2025 - Mid-century modern (MCM) design has made a dramatic return to the spotlight in recent years, attracting international acclaim and inspiring contemporary living. Across major exhibitions in the United States, MCM continues to shape both the design world and the way people live, highlighting its timeless appeal and innovative spirit. Nauradika, an industry leader in curated modern homeware and lighting, stands at the forefront of this revival, bringing MCM elements into today's homes through bespoke collections that merge classic designs with contemporary needs. Celebrating Mid-Century Modern Design: Must-See Exhibitions Cranbrook Art Museum: 'Eventually Everything Connects' At the Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, the exhibition Eventually Everything Connects: Mid-Century Modern Design in the US invites visitors to explore the intersection of people, ideas, and objects that defined the MCM era. Opening June 14 and running until September 21, 2025, this exhibition features nearly 200 works by over 80 notable artists, designers, and architects. The show offers a comprehensive look at how MCM influenced American life and design. 'Morley Baer: Modernism in Northern California Architecture' – Monterey Museum of Art (Monterey, CA) Taking place from January 16 to April 27, 2025, this exhibition showcases the architectural photography of Morley Baer, focusing on Northern California's MCM buildings. This exhibition presents an in-depth look at how MCM principles were implemented in one of the most iconic regions of the U.S. Tina Kim Gallery: 'Vintage20: Design for Living' – New York City On display from March 4 to April 19, 2025, New York City's Tina Kim Gallery highlights the legacy of the Manhattan-based design firm Vintage20. Curated by Adam Charlap Hyman, this exhibition pays tribute to the firm's founder, Jae Chung, showcasing MCM furniture and design pieces that seamlessly blend vintage and contemporary elements, capturing the essence of mid-century style. Nauradika: Curating Mid-Century Modern for Contemporary Living As the MCM movement continues to inspire, Nauradika remains a leader in bringing this iconic style into modern-day interiors. Nauradika offers a curated collection of homeware and lighting that embodies the clean lines, functional beauty, and timeless elegance of MCM design. From statement lighting to sleek furniture, Nauradika's offerings provide the perfect complement to today's modern homes, ensuring that MCM remains relevant for generations to come. For inspiration on incorporating MCM style into a home, read the blog post: Mad Men Themed House: 15 Tricks to Introduce Mid-Century Modern into a Home. The Revival of Mid-Century Modern: A Timeless Design Movement Mid-century modern design is enjoying a vibrant resurgence as it continues to resonate with both new generations of design enthusiasts and seasoned collectors alike. The movement's clean lines, functional elegance, and adaptability to various aesthetics make it as relevant today as it was when it first emerged. Whether discovering MCM through exhibitions or seeking to bring it into a living space, the movement continues to inspire and influence. Nauradika's curated collections allow homeowners to embrace the timeless elegance of MCM, blending it with contemporary needs and creating spaces that are both functional and beautiful. About Nauradika Nauradika is a premier provider of curated homeware and lighting, offering bespoke collections inspired by mid-century modern design. With a commitment to quality and functionality, Nauradika combines timeless aesthetics with contemporary living. The company's products are designed to elevate modern interiors while celebrating the elegance and simplicity of MCM style. For more information, visit: Media Contact Company Name: Nauradika Contact Person: Tobias Hanno Email: Send Email Country: United Kingdom Website:
