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THIS WEEKS HEADLINES

Adele's "Million Years Ago" Banned in Brazil Over Plagiarism Claims

A Brazilian judge has ordered a nationwide ban on Adele's song "Million Years Ago," following allegations that it plagiarizes elements from the 1995 track "Mulheres" by composer Toninho Geraes. The legal battle has brought attention to the similarities between the two songs, with Geraes claiming that Adele’s track closely mirrors his melody and composition. This development has sparked a global conversation about copyright and originality in music. Read about the controversy here.

HBO kicks Sesame Street to the Curb

Not even Elmo is free from the ruthlessness of David Zaslav. Warner Bros. Discovery opted not to renew its deal with Sesame Workshop that had seen new episodes of Sesame Street air on HBO and Max since 2016. The show’s upcoming season 55 will still premiere on Max in January, and old episodes will be available on Max through 2027, but the beloved children’s show will have to find a new home moving forward. Read more.

Satirical Novel Critiques the Art World's Monstrousness

Ella Baxter's novel "Woo Woo" offers a biting satire of the contemporary art world, highlighting its competitiveness and pretentiousness. The story follows Sabine, a conceptual artist in Melbourne, as she navigates artistic ambition and personal challenges, questioning the true nature of creative genius and the demands placed on artists today. Read more.

The Art Newsletter | Trivia

Try our weekly art trivia to test your art knowledge.

This Week’s Trivia

1. Which British artist recently launched a foundation to support young musicians?

2. Which famous children’s TV show debuted in 1969 and is now seeking a new home?

3. Which Japanese artist is renowned for creating immersive Infinity Mirror Rooms?

¹ Answers located on bottom of newsletter.

Looking Back: The Year Art Went Viral in 2024

As the year draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the moments when art captured the world’s attention and went viral in 2024. From groundbreaking installations to controversial auctions, this year showed us how art continues to spark conversations, provoke emotions, and inspire creativity on a global scale.

Highlights include striking digital campaigns, boundary-pushing performances, and art that transcended traditional mediums to dominate social media feeds. These moments remind us how deeply art resonates in today’s cultural landscape, bridging gaps between communities and redefining how we experience creativity.

Let’s celebrate the power of art to surprise, connect, and go viral—proving once again that creativity knows no bounds.

Read more about this year’s viral art moments here.

Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Rooms Arrive at NGV Melbourne

Yayoi Kusama’s iconic Infinity Mirror Rooms are now on display at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne, offering visitors a mesmerizing and immersive experience. Combining mirrors, lights, and repetition, Kusama explores themes of infinity and self-obliteration, creating dreamlike spaces that seem to stretch endlessly.

The exhibition invites audiences to step into her boundless, reflective world—blurring the lines between reality and imagination.

Learn more about the exhibition here.

THIS WEEK'S ART SELECTION FROM OUR TEAM 

Take a moment to pause and join us every week as we showcase our favorite artists and the stories and history behind what makes them unique.

This captivating piece, L'apprentissage du Ciel ("Learning the Sky"), by Belgian artist Hugo Pondz, beautifully blends surrealism with minimalism. Known for his dreamlike use of negative space and quiet solitude, Pondz creates a serene yet thought-provoking scene: a lone figure gazes up at the endless sky, inviting viewers to reflect on curiosity, wonder, and the infinite.

The artist’s signature palette of soft blues and neutrals evokes calmness, while the absence of distraction allows the viewer to focus on the boundless expanse above. Through simplicity, Pondz encourages us to reconnect with nature and the act of contemplation.

Explore this artwork here.

MUSIC

Ed Sheeran Launches Foundation to Revitalize UK Music
Global superstar Ed Sheeran has launched the Ed Sheeran Foundation, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at supporting young and aspiring musicians across the UK. This new foundation is set to provide resources, mentorship, and opportunities to artists who lack access to the tools they need to thrive in the competitive music industry. Sheeran’s efforts aim to nurture talent and breathe new life into the British music scene, fostering the next generation of creators. Learn more about this initiative here.

Yungblud Teases New "Rock Opera" Album Inspired by Bludfest
Genre-defying artist Yungblud has announced his upcoming fourth album, which he describes as a theatrical "rock opera" inspired by the energy and ethos of his Bludfest music festival. Known for pushing creative boundaries, Yungblud shared that the project will dive into themes of identity, rebellion, and connection, with a vibrant and dramatic soundscape to match. Fans are eagerly awaiting this ambitious next step in his career. Find out more about his next big project here.

SONG OF THE WEEK | NEW RELEASES

To stick with a holidays this week's song of the week is “Skating” - Vince Guaraldi Trio.

Who They Are:
 The Vince Guaraldi Trio, led by jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, is best known for its iconic work on the "Peanuts" animated soundtracks.

Why We Love It:
This, along with the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood theme song, was one of our first introductions to jazz music, coupled with the sentimental nostalgia of Christmas time. This track and record remain one of our all-time favorites.

New Album Releases This Week: 

The Greatest - Billie Eilish
This emotionally resonant track from her latest album has become a fan favorite, celebrated for its heartfelt lyrics and powerful vocals. Listen to it here.

Full Bloom - 311
The rock-reggae fusion band delivers an uplifting and vibrant album, showcasing their signature sound. Check it out here.

Memory of a Day - Phantogram
A dreamy mix of electronic and rock elements, this release is hauntingly beautiful and deeply atmospheric. Discover more about this release here.

FILM, TV & ANIMATION

National Film Registry inducts class of 2024.

The Library of Congress’ National Film Preservation Board selected 25 films to be preserved in the National Film Registry, based on “cultural, historic or aesthetic importance.” Selections include popular films such as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Beverly Hills Cop, and Dirty Dancing, pioneering slasher The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and pioneering stoner comedy Up in Smoke, as well as recent classics No Country for Old Men and The Social Network. The Registry now contains 900 titles. Read more.

Kraven’s failure may spell the last hunt for Sony’s Spider-Villain experiments.

The ghastly $11 million domestic opening for Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, is likely the final whimper in Sony’s interconnected universe of Spider-Man villain movies without the webslinger himself. The studio found success with a trilogy of Tom Hardy-starring Venom films that combined to gross more than $1.8 billion worldwide, but their other efforts – Morbius, Madame Web, and now Kraven – have been met with critical derision and box office silence. Sony has no more confirmed projects in this Spider-Villain universe, but is still developing a fourth Tom Holland Spider-Man film with Marvel Studios, set to release in 2026, and the third installment in their animated Spider-Verse series. Read more.

Weekly Film Reccommendation: Hundreds Of Beavers (2022)

There’s an undeniable charm in the mere concept of Hundreds of Beavers: a functionally silent slapstick comedy made for just $150,000 telling the story of a ruined applejack salesman in the snowy expanse of 19^th century Wisconsin coming to master the frozen frontier and the particularly devious wildlife (all depicted through actors in mascot costumes) that inhabit it. The film abounds with a DIY texture; nearly every shot is an obvious composite of live-action photography, stock backgrounds, and animated elements. But while this description suggests the film’s appeal as a true indie passion project, the kind that evokes the warm feeling of goofing around making a movie with your friends, it does not indicate just how much skill and craft shows up in the execution of the film’s silly concept. This skill turns the film from a merely charming idea into a legitimately brilliant work, one of the funniest films in years.

Directed by Mike Cheslik and written by Cheslik and star Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, Hundreds of Beavers premiered at 2022’s Fantastic Fest and spent the next year circulating through American festivals before receiving a limited theatrical release in early 2024. The film is a Looney Tune at heart, and demonstrates a mastery of cartoon logic, with clear character goals, cause and effect, and physical performances that provide all the expressiveness necessary in a film devoid of dialogue. What sustains the film through its 108-minute runtime is its clever writing, which makes it not just an endless series of gags, but a complete story told through gags that build on each other, as we watch our hero first becoming overpowered by the wild, then eventually adapting to and mastering it, using to his advantage the same forces that had once made him the butt of the joke. The film’s absurdity only escalates throughout, ending on a crescendo of fur-suited cartoon lunacy that cements it as one of the most entertaining I have seen in a long time.

FASHION

DESIGN

A Serene Cabin in the Brazilian Forest by YVA Arquitetura
YVA Arquitetura has unveiled a stunning cabin nestled in the lush Brazilian forest. Designed to blend seamlessly with its natural surroundings, the cabin focuses on minimal environmental impact, using sustainable materials and maximizing harmony with the landscape. 

Explore this architectural marvel here.

IKEA's 2025 'Nytillverkad' Collection Reimagines Classic Designs
IKEA's upcoming "Nytillverkad" collection, set to release in 2025, offers a fresh take on some of their classic pieces, including the BYÄKORRE shelf. This modern reinterpretation combines timeless aesthetics with functionality, perfect for contemporary interiors. 

Check out the new designs here.

That's it for this week's issue everyone. Thank you for reading! What we do is not possible without your support.