"Uncanny Papier-Mâché Creatures by Roberto Benavidez Mingle in 'Bosch Beasts' For Los Angeles-based artist Roberto Benavidez, the art of the piñata is a central tenet of a practice exploring intersecting themes of race, sexuality, humor, sin, and beauty. He draws upon the paper art form's early religious significance in Mexico, when Spanish missionaries used a seven-pointed version as a tool for converting Indigenous people to Christianity. This motif, which appears in some of Benavidez's distinctive sculptures, nods to its past colonial use."
"Marcel Heijnen Captures Loving Portraits of Feisty, Feral Felines in 'City Cats of Istanbul' In some parts of the world, stray animals are nearly as beloved as pets. Thousands of dogs roam the streets of Cusco, Peru, for example, and cats pretty much rule the night in places like Athens, Valletta, and Japan's "cat islands." Residents often feed and provide shelter for these roving colonies, and for Dutch photographer Marcel Heijnen, this human-animal connection provides endless opportunities to experience urban centers."
A 2025 roundup spotlights creative projects and discoveries across art and nature. Roberto Benavidez reworks piñata and papier-mâché traditions into sculptures that evoke race, sexuality, humor, sin, and beauty while referencing colonial missionary uses. Marcel Heijnen documents urban stray cats and the human care networks that sustain them in cities like Istanbul, Athens, and Valletta. Oskar Schlemmer adapted Bauhaus principles into choreography, treating movement and performance with the same design rigor as industrial objects. Scientists filmed a baby colossal squid near the South Sandwich Islands, expanding knowledge of deep-ocean life and new species.
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