The newly expanded New Museum has announced an opening date of March 21.
The New Museum will reopen on March 21 after a two-year closure for a major site expansion on the Bowery. The OMA-designed addition nearly doubles the museum’s footprint, adding new gallery space, artist studios, and expanded facilities for New Inc, alongside improved circulation and public amenities. The museum will mark the reopening with two days of free admission, with advance registration starting in February. New site-specific works by artists including Tschabalala Self, Klára Hosnedlová, and Sarah Lucas will debut across the expanded campus.
Safety app ‘Are You Dead?’ is the most-downloaded paid smartphone application in China.
The safety app Are You Dead? has climbed to the top of China’s paid app charts, driven by young urban users who live alone and worry about medical emergencies going unnoticed. Launched last year, the app requires users to check in every two days; missed check-ins trigger alerts to a designated contact. Its sudden popularity reflects the rapid growth of one-person households in China, a figure projected to reach 200 million by the end of the decade. While the app’s blunt name has drawn criticism, its creators say they are considering a rebrand as their user base expands.
Norman Foster is designing a time capsule in honor of the United States’ 250th anniversary.
Norman Foster has designed a time capsule to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence, which will be buried beneath the Washington Monument and reopened on July 4, 2276. The steel capsule contains items such as soil from George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, letters from U.K. and Virginia officials, student essays, and a signed steel plate from Foster. It serves as a sister capsule to one at London’s Trafalgar Square, created during the restoration of the George Washington statue.
Bernard Arnault has been inducted into the prestigious Academy of Moral and Political Sciences.
Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH, has been inducted into the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, earning the institution’s lifetime title of “Immortal.” The ceremony at the Institut de France brought together French political figures, industry leaders, and LVMH designers, highlighting Arnault’s influence in both business and culture. He received an engraved ceremonial sword designed by Frank Gehry and spoke in tribute to Denis Kessler, his predecessor at the Academy, while reflecting on formative experiences that shaped his entrepreneurial vision.
Apple’s deal with Google to use Gemini technology for Siri sent Alphabet share value to $4 trillion.
Alphabet reached a $4 trillion valuation after Apple announced it would use Google’s Gemini A.I. to power Siri, pushing the parent company ahead of Apple as the world’s second-most valuable firm. The stock surge reflects strong investor confidence in Alphabet’s A.I. strategy, boosted by Gemini, the Nano Banana image generator, and the expansion of Google Cloud. Alphabet’s advertising revenue has remained resilient, while its cloud unit and A.I. chip rentals have become key growth drivers. Despite ongoing U.S. antitrust challenges, the deal underscores Alphabet’s dominance in both A.I. and digital infrastructure.
Today’s attractive distractions:
Why did Carsten Höller install a shocking pink dodecagon carousel in the Swiss Alps?
Chanel’s Chateau Marmont dinner included an acoustic rendition of Lily Allen’s “Pussy Palace.”
Mattel’s latest drop is the first autistic Barbie.
Of course editors have something to say about Heated Rivalry’s navy sheets.
