Screening at Cannes: Cristian Mungiu’s ‘Fjord’
This drama provides enough hints to ensure you’ll come to quick conclusions about what did or did not transpire, but just as swiftly, the movie widens its thematic scope to broach larger philosophical questions.
Two Houses, One Legend: A New Museum Shows Another Side of Frida Kahlo
Casa Roja pulls back the curtain on the iconic artist’s family life and may have even introduced a new work to her oeuvre.
Can Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz Make Another ‘Barbie?’
Kreiz is betting on creative reinvention to bring legacy brands into today’s culture. Mattel is building a massive film slate after Barbie’s success, with projects spanning Hot Wheels, Barney and Masters of the Universe.
Business
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Lovable’s Revenue Chief Ryan Meadows on the Swedish Startup’s Explosive Growth
Ryan Meadows, Lovable’s chief revenue officer, shares how the Swedish startup is scaling fast by bringing A.I. coding tools to non-technical users.
The Innovation Gap Emerging Inside Corporate America
Innovinco’s Tom Pullen examines why economic uncertainty and the accelerating A.I. transition may create the ideal conditions for transformative innovation. Periods of constraint often force organizations to move faster, experiment more effectively and rethink how breakthrough ideas are built.
The SpaceX Insiders Set to Make Billions in Its Blockbuster IPO
SpaceX’s long-awaited IPO filing puts COO Gwynne Shotwell, CFO Bret Johnsen and a small circle of early backers in line for multibillionaire paydays.
Jensen Huang Eyes CPU Boom as Agentic A.I. Reshapes Chip Market
Nvidia is pushing into CPUs as agentic A.I. drives demand, with CEO Jensen Huang targeting a $200 billion market opportunity.
Google Investment Chief Ruth Porat Breaks Down the Tech Giant’s $190B A.I. Bet
Google’s former CFO and current investment chief Ruth Porat says Google’s $190 billion A.I. push is critical to avoid falling behind in a once-in-a-generation platform shift.
Art
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One Fine Show: “Beyond Mysticism, The Modern Northwest” at the Seattle Art Museum
Decades ago, a single magazine feature shaped the world’s perception of Pacific Northwest art; this exhibition offers a long-overdue reassessment.
Kiran Nadar’s Ambition to Put Indian Art On the World Stage
With her 16,000-work collection, she’s helping write Indian art’s next chapter.
One Fine Show: “Paula Rego, Dance Among Thorns” at MUNCH in Oslo
Newly considered thematic links between the Portuguese-British artist and Edvard Munch anchor the Norwegian museum’s landmark survey.
50 Years of Groundbreaking Work: Kunstmuseum Basel Puts Helen Frankenthaler Front and Center
It is significant that Kunstmuseum Basel is showing her work now; 2028 will mark the 100th anniversary of Frankenthaler’s birth, and there will be major exhibitions at SFMOMA, the Whitney and the National Gallery in Washington.
From Midnight Casts to Authorized Editions: Understanding the Market for Posthumously Produced Art
Works made after an artist’s death fall into a fascinating gray zone, but that doesn’t mean they’re not a good buy.
Lifestyle
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Bad Roman Brings Pepperoni Cups, Swagger and Maximalist Pasta to Beverly Hills
Bad Roman lands in L.A., bringing oversized pasta, caviar gnocchi and unapologetic maximalism to the West Coast.
At Stand, the Team Behind Shingo Trades Omakase for Sandos, Bento and Shokupan
For Shingo Akikuni and Kenzie Motai, Stand is about going back to their roots and the food they enjoy eating day after day.
Jet Set: The Best Travel Picks From the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale
From carry-ons to packing cubes and summer-ready dresses, these are the travel items worth grabbing before the sale ends.
Praiano Is Where the Amalfi Coast Drops the Act
In Praiano, cliffside views, local rituals and a slower rhythm restore the Amalfi Coast to its most authentic.
Dinner, Dance and Devotion: Inside American Ballet Theatre’s Glittering Spring Gala
Of ballet, designer Zac Posen told Observer, “I think it’s as important as eating, sleeping and making love. I think it’s part of humanity.”
Interviews
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Nick Doyle’s “Mirror, Mirror” Turns the American Dream Inside Out
The artist’s latest exhibition constructs a desolate, cinematic landscape in which the American Dream dissolves into illusion, only to reemerge via the seductive logic of A.I.
Yarra Valley Is Ushering in a New Era of Australian Winemaking
From refined pinot noir and chardonnay to savory cool-climate shiraz, the Yarra Valley is challenging old assumptions about Australian wine.
At Edinburgh’s Timberyard, Chef Bart Stratfold Wants to Define New Scottish Cuisine
The Michelin-starred restaurant takes a relaxed approach to its presentation and dining, with ingredient-driven cuisine that honors the region.
Michael Botta’s Sesame Wants to Make Health Care a Cash-Pay Bargain
Michael Botta’s Sesame is building a cash-pay marketplace for patients facing higher insurance premiums and limited coverage. As insurance grows pricier and less generous, Sesame is turning opaque, expensive corners of health care into something closer to a retail purchase.
Austin’s Storied Driskill Grill Returns, Now With April Bloomfield at the Helm
Inside the historic Driskill Hotel, the restored steakhouse returns with chef-driven sides, serious dry-aging and plenty of old-school swagger.
Power Lists
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Observer New Media Power List: Call for Submissions
Nominations are open for Observer’s 2026 New Media Power List
The 50 Most Powerful PR Firms of 2026
This year’s honorees are emblematic of a notable shift in public relations from responsive publicity to proactive leadership in the moments that matter most.
Wall-to-Wall Cultural Capital: Inside Observer’s Art Power Index Party
Under the dim lights of the Lower East Side’s Maison Nur, art world luminaries gathered to celebrate Observer’s Art Power Index—and each other. From the impassioned speeches to the sharp tailoring and Damien Hirst over the bar, the evening embodied our legacy of chronicling power with style.
2025 Nightlife & Dining Power Index
Humanity is still the most vital ingredient in hospitality, and that isn’t changing anytime soon.
Observer’s 2025 Art Power Index: The Art Market’s Most Influential People
Their acquisitions, affinities and approbations move the needle on valuation and redefine how art is made, shown and sold.
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The Carnegie International Tests What “We” Still Means in a Fractured World
Following the suggested exhibition path is disorienting—the survey is deeply integrated into the collection, yet lacks a clear logic, turning the journey into a kind of scavenger hunt where visitors must identify which rooms belong to the quadrennial and which to the collection.
The Best Fashion From the 2026 Cannes Film Festival Red Carpet
For 12 days on the Croisette, the world’s biggest stars turned the Cannes red carpet into a showcase for high fashion and old-school glamour.
New England’s Latest Wave of Boutique Hotels and Inns Are a Breath of Fresh Air
From stylish coastal retreats in Maine to design-forward stays in Boston and Cambridge, these new boutique hotels swap fussy colonial nostalgia for a fresher vision of New England hospitality.
An Art-Lover’s Guide to Tunis’ Ground-Up Contemporary Scene
A structural gap separates Tunis from Dubai and Casablanca—expats in Tunisia aren’t buying art and government support is lacking—but motivated artists, patrons and dealers are on a mission to build a viable market.
The Best Destinations for a Weekend Getaway From L.A., From the Beach to the Desert
Whether you’re craving a jaunt to wine country or a leisurely getaway by the ocean, here’s where to go for a respite from Los Angeles.
Shaggy, a Perfect Sunset and $6.3 Million: Inside the 2026 Whitney Gala
Notable attendees mingling over the hors d’oeuvres included actors Neil Patrick Harris, David Burtka and Stephanie March; artists Ann Craven, Teresita Fernández, Derek Fordjour, Rashid Johnson, Fred Wilson, Lorna Simpson, Anna Weyant, Anicka Yi and Jim Casebere; designers Stacey Bendet, Wes Gordon and June Ambrose; and singer-songwriter Jewel.
Nicolas Winding Refn On the Genesis of ‘Her Private Hell’
Following a near-death experience and a series of increasingly dreamlike projects, the director seems to have forsaken verisimilitude for a dark fairy-tale take on life.
Barry X Ball Connects the Secular and Sacred in “The Shape of Time”
This career-spanning exhibition in Venice was inspired by the role religion played in classical art history.
Christie’s Wednesday Sales Achieved $162.7 Million as Bonhams’ 20th & 21st Century Evening Sale Topped $22 Million
“It’s an exciting start to the week at our new flagship, and we look forward to carrying this energy through the remainder of our sales,” Ralph Taylor, Bonhams global head of 20th and 21st-century art, said.
Uovo Lands in NoMad, Bringing Handmade Pasta and Italian Precision to New York
Uovo NoMad serves handmade pasta, Italian ingredients, and meticulous attention to every dish.
10 Books Worth Reading Even After You’ve Seen the Movie
If these movie adaptations brought you to the theater, the books that inspired them will bring you back to the page.
The Historic American Bars That Have Seen It All
As the country lurches toward 250, the most authentic place to raise a glass isn’t a museum—it’s a barstool that has outlasted three wars, Prohibition and a pandemic.