Art & Design

The cucamelon is a tiny cucumber that looks like a watermelon.

Meet The Most Pampered Vegetables In America

12:20pm January 25, 2016

Chef's Garden is a farm in Ohio growing vegetables to the specifications of the world's top chefs. It's a place where vegetables are artistic materials painstakingly tended and handled like jewels.

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A Collector's Envy: Bhutan's Playable Postage Stamps

8:13am January 09, 2016

In 1972, the country tried some novel fundraising: selling postage stamps embossed with a playable recording. NPR's Scott Simon speaks with journalist Chris May who wrote about the oddity.

A model wears Courrèges' creations, including a version of his famous eyewear.

Arts

Designer André Courrèges, Master Of Miniskirts And Go-Go Boots, Dies

4:22pm January 08, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

Courrèges opened his fashion house in 1961 and helped transform women's pants from casual clothing to a haute couture item, while defining the wildly popular space-age aesthetic of the era.

Arts

Designer André Courrèges, Master Of Miniskirts And Go-Go Boots, Dies

4:09pm January 08, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

Courrèges opened his fashion house in 1961 and helped transform women's pants from casual clothing to a haute couture item, while defining the wildly popular space-age aesthetic of the era.

"Cities are meant to be for people. They are meant as places for people to come together." — Amanda Burden

Arts

How Can Public Spaces Change A City's Character?

2:52pm January 08, 2016

by NPR/TED STAFF

For Amanda Burden, a city is defined by its public spaces. The former city commissioner of New York City explains why a promenade, a park or even a park bench, are vital to a city's ability to thrive.

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A daguerreotype of Jack-Be-Little Squash, an heirloom variety from plant conservationist Amy Goldman's farm in New York's Hudson Valley.

Books
Arts

In 'Heirloom Harvest,' Old-School Portraits Of Vegetable Treasures

3:50pm January 06, 2016

by Morgan McCloy

A leading expert of the daguerreotype started photographing a gardener's collection of heirloom vegetables 15 years ago. They've published a book to honor the unusual varieties in the collection.

The New York Public Library's Labs team developed a visualization of all 180,000-plus public domain items now available to the public as high-resolution downloads.

Books
Arts

New York Public Library Makes 180,000 High-Res Images Available Online

1:37pm January 06, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

Maps, posters, manuscripts, sheet music, drawings, photographs, letters, ancient texts: Thousands of items in the public domain are now offered as high-resolution downloads. No library card necessary.

This platinum-engraved sapphire disk, part of a set illustrating Earth's biodiversity, will be housed in the Earth Chamber of the MoonArk. It's designed by Mark Baskinger with Matt Zywica, Maggie Banks, Christie Chong, Bettina Chou, Adella Guo, Natalie Ha

Science
Arts

An Artistic Time Capsule Prepares To Hitch A Ride To The Moon

8:14am January 03, 2016

by Irina Zhorov

When a company named Astrobotic launches a lunar rover in 2017, the MoonArk will be aboard. It's a lightweight, sturdy "portrait of humanity," carrying the work of more than 200 artists and designers.

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Arts

Encore: Artist Makes It Big With Adult Coloring Books

6:33pm January 01, 2016

As adult coloring books hit the bestseller list on Amazon, NPR's Audie Cornish talks to illustrator Johanna Basford. This story originally aired on April 1, 2015, on All Things Considered.

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Egypt Raids 2 Major Independent Cultural Institutions In 2 Days

4:39pm December 29, 2015

by Merrit Kennedy

Authorities targeted an art gallery and a publishing house in Cairo that are pillars of the independent cultural scene. The raids have raised concerns about freedom of expression in Egypt.